SAO II: Ep. 1 "Gun World"

       The show begins in the world of GUN GALE ONLINE. It's the latest and greatest game to hit Tokyo, and the only one to still have professional players. One of those professional players, known as Zexceed, appeared on show called MMO Stream. He was in the middle of bragging about his play style and mocking other players as a mysterious player stood up in a bar that had the stream playing on a television. He aimed his pistol at the screen and yelled "Judgement" as he fired a single shot. Seconds later, Zexceed became sick and his connection suddenly cut out. The figure then spun around and declared his name to be "Death Gun" and that all will fear him.

       It then cuts to our two main protagonists, Kirito and Asuna, enjoying a date in a nearby park. The year is now 2025, and it's been almost a year since Asuna and the remaining three hundred SAO players were freed from her prison in ALfheim Online. Nothing seems to have changed as they discuss virtual world versus real world, video games that they've been playing together, and their own futures in the real world. Both of them seem to be very happy as the scene goes back to four hours earlier that evening.

       That day, Kirito met up with Kikuoka Seijirou, an agent for the Ministry of Internal Affairs Telecommunications Bureau. This is a new character for those who didn't watch the full length movie that showed what happened between SAO 1 and SAO 2. Kikuoka came to Kirito with new information. Apparently Zexceed died of critical heart failure seconds after his broadcast on MMO Stream, and he's not the only one. Several talented professional players have been getting killed off in the real world through mysterious means. Every VR player is currently using a new secure head gear called an "Amusphere", which is specifically designed to prohibit the same thing that happened in SAO. Kikuoka met with Kirito to ask him if he would help him put a stop to whatever was happening to these players before it happens again.
       Due to Kirito's new found knowledge of technology and computers, he concludes that it is impossible to kill a person with a bullet from inside an online video game, and he chalks the incidences up as pure coincidence. Kikuoka somewhat agrees, but insists that he enter GGO and meet face to face with Death Gun. He knows that Death Gun only targets exceptional players, and Kirito is known to be one of the best online players. Kikuoka also offers to pay Kirito for his services.
       Because of his passion for saving people and doing his best to prevent players from death, Kirito reluctantly agrees to help, but he doesn't tell Asuna.

       The scene then moves back to GGO where a new character known as Sinon is in an online battle. Her squad leader is communicating battle tactics with her as she lines up an incredibly long ranged shot using her sniper rifle. She has a short monologue with herself, then fires a lethal shot at one of the enemy players.

REVIEW:  

     I really enjoyed this first episode of the new season. They didn't waist our time with endless cuts from the first season or the history of our characters. They just started the new story and progressed forward. It was nice to see our favorite characters back in a new setting. Both of them seem older now, but they haven't lost their familiarity. The new game, Gun Gail Online, also looks incredible. The Sci-Fi setting to it, the new design of the avatars, and the introduction of guns into the SAO storyline will make for some amazing fight scenes in the near future. All in all, I am very pleased with the first episode and I can't wait to see where it goes from here!

       If you want to view the episode you can use the source I have below, but it will not be available to free users until the next episode is released. I highly recommend this show to anyone, and I'm sure die hard SAO fans will be as happy as I am. Thanks for reading! :)

-Otaku Anonymous

Show Source Website: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sword-art-online/episode-1-656625