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Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The Final Countdown: Number 1: Sword Art Online II: "Mother's Rosario". ソードアート・オンライン II





Happy New Year's Eve to everyone, and it's time to end the year 2014 with a ride to the feels train. If you're not a fan of Sword Art Online, have a heart full of steel, or think that this countdown is rigged, this countdown is not for you. Here's number 1, Sword Art Online II, "Mother's Rosario".


The episode started happily in about 3-4 minutes in the episode till the after the opening when things diving down fast in the emotional level, so down that it was Olympic medal worthy. Yuuki and the Sleeping Knights were hanging out with Asuna and the gang, partying out and met characters we haven't seen since the last time we're focused on ALO.


And you know that if you see the credits on the start of the episode, you know...that it's over. This episode is the last episode of the second season of Sword Art Online. Following the opening with the Sleeping Knights with Asuna, Kirito, and the rest of the gang facing off the boss and beat it


And the opening music came in from Yuuki reading and Asuna listening to the duel match between her and Kirito, which Yuuki won because time ran out before Kirito can strike her down. When it comes to ALO, Yuuki just dominated Kirito when it comes to being the strongest player.


And it doesn't stop there, Asuna's grades are improving and showed it to her mom, which got some sense into her last episode, to a visit to Kyoto to enjoy the attractions. The song that was playing was from the same artist as the second opening of the season season, Tomatsu Haruka, who did the same ending song for the first part of the first SAO season.



The duration of the episode is borderline depressing with Asuna receiving a message that Yuuki's condition has gotten worse. With the episode titled "Mother's Rosario", you know that Yuuki is gonna die in this episode. Of course, unless you didn't know anything or forgot and don't want to be spoiled, found out Yuuki, real life name Konno Yuuki, was diagnosed with AIDS. Yes, a real world disease to a fictional character, you know that is gonna hurt you right in the heart. AIDS can destroy your immune system and there is no cure to stop the disease. Yuuki want out of the medicuboid for a brief minute until she started to move and almost started to talk. But Asuna wants to hear her talk in ALO one last time as Asuna ordered the doctor to turn on the medicuboid.


This part of the episode got me hard. It finally got me in the feels. It started with Yuuki giving away her sword skill to Asuna by stabbing multiple times at a tree. That skill is called the "Mother's Rosario", hence the name of the episode and the arc. She got the skill on paper, then she collapsed and she gave the skill into Asuna's menu.


Bringing in the rest of the Sleeping Knights, along with Kirito, Leafa, Klein, Silica, Liz, Yui, Sinon, and the rest of the ALO players down to their knees as they say goodbye to Yuuki. I cried at that scene. Literally, I freaking cried when Yuuki died. I mean the last time I was feeling emotional over a sad scene was when the 11th Doctor was regenerating into the 12th. 


Then the feels train haven't reached it destination because there was a funeral service for Yuuki and we transcended to Asuna and finally met Shinue in real life, and also was diagnosed with a disease, Leukemia. But released from the hospital because she feels all better for now, and heard that the rest of the Sleeping Knights are feeling okay as well along with being released from the hospital. We also got explanation from both Kazuto and the doctor talking about both Yuuki and the medicuboid and how it became to be and of course, that Yuuki was the first to test it out along with the person who invented it. And who invented the medicuboid, well, it's none other than...


...yep, guessing by the gif that Kayaba Akihiko was the guy who made the medicuboid. The same guy who was Heathcliff and trapped thousands of players in SAO. Man, that scene went from sad and emotional to crazy and questionable. Questionable that if we'll be seeing a season 3 in the future. And the season doesn't end there as we see at the end of the ending that we see Yuuki's sword and piece of cloth at the root of the tree to remember her in memory.


And of course, the post credits with the gang setting up a picnic while Kazuto sitting next to Asuna working on the camera with Yui on it. And Kazuto said to Asuna before heading off for a picture shoot with the gang saying that he wants to stay with Asuna and wanted to be with her forever, which Asuna agreeing the offer. That's a bit too early to tell isn't it? Oh wait, did that in the video game, so there's nothing wrong with it. 


So...that's it. The Top 20 Countdown finally ends with an emotional note. It's been an honor watching and witnessing the year 2014 in the fandoms full of happiness, rage, excitement, sorrow, and surprised. And I gotta say, this year is someone what in the first place spot for my level. Tell me what you think of the year 2014 in the fandoms, and I hope you, your friends and your family have a a safe and wonderful new year as we embark in 2015. 


And to coincide with the Number 1 spot, this countdown is in memory of Konno Yuuki. You will be missed and hope you embark in your next journey. Even fictional characters get a memorial.


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