Look, see? Told y'all
I'd be blogging about this series on a more regular basis than the others!
Spoiler warning: Spoilers for the
second and third episodes of Accel World beyond this point. Don't read if you
have not watched!
Accel World episode
2: Haruyuki, now a Burst-Linker, suddenly finds himself thrown into a deadly
match against a vicious biker named Ash Roller. Haruyuki is unable to grasp the
situation and is quickly defeated.
Accel World episode
3: A Duel Avatar called Cyan Pile is seeking to challenge Kuroyukihime in
battle within Accel World. (Source: Hulu)
Accel World continues
and now we get to see Haruyuki in the Brain Burst world, using his avatar
Silver Crow to fight and level up as one does in a fighting game. Naturally,
since Accel World is one of those series, it's not that simple. Are
things ever that simple in anime? Nope. The more Haruyuki explores the ins and
outs of Brain Burst, with the beautiful Kuroyukihime as his guide (in her
avatar Snow Black), the more Haruyuki realizes that he has never played a game
like this before. And I'd imagine neither has any of us.
Read on after the jump for the rest of my review!
Brain Burst does have
a lot of layers to it that Haruyuki is slowly pulling back, but one of his
major discoveries from Kuroyukihime is rather disconcerting. Apparently, BB has
no problem scanning the user's subconscious while they sleep so they can create
an avatar based on their various mental hang-ups and complexes. As Kuroyukihime
points out, Haruyuki's own avatar is not meant to be his ideal self-image but a
reflection of his inferiority complex. Looking at Silver Crow, a slim shiny
metal frame of a fighter, I can see where she's coming from.
Plus, there is a way
for people to be permanently banned from ever connecting to Brain Burst ever
again, which puts some much-needed conflict into the series. Suddenly,
accelerating gains a new importance that wasn't present in the premiere. If
Haruyuki wants to keep playing the game - and being around Kuroyukihime – he’ll
have to become stronger, even if it hurts him in the process.
Kuroyukihime is
rather interesting in this episode. She admits that her original dueling avatar
is sealed away for being too ugly. So Kuroyukihime's own complexes center
around her appearance? Or is it something deeper? Seeing that the word choice
of their dialogue suggests their very relationship is a game, with Haruyuki as
her willing pawn, I would imagine that Kuroyukihime is a bigger part of the
game than she looks. And as the next episode shows, I was right on the money.
Still, it is her
guidance that leads Haruyuki to defeating the arrogant Ash Roller. It was
pretty clever of him to rely on real world information to stop Ash Roller's
bike from moving, knowing full well the other fighter would be helpless without
his ride. I can only hope that Haruyuki grows up to the point where he does not
need Kuroyukihime's sea of pointers to get through one match.
As we discover in the
next episode, however, there is a major power hierarchy in the world of Brain
Burst centered around level nine players called the Six Kings of Pure Color –
and Kuroyukihime used to be one of them, as the Black King. However, her
violent rebellion and take-down of a fellow King has led to her being unable to
connect to the open Internet or play openly in Brain Burst.
Naturally, this
leads to someone by the name of Cyan Pyle, a level four player, coming after
her to take all her acceleration points. For the first time, Kuroyukihime is
revealed to have a vulnerable spot and must rely on Haruyuki to assist her in
keeping her points – and her life in Brain Burst – safe.
Of course, during all
of this mess, Chiyu becomes a factor and Haruyuki learns the hard way that you
gotta deal with your real life issues first before playing around in the
virtual world. Chiyu is Haruyuki's friend from childhood and does not take
kindly to how Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime are getting along. As her insecurities
and Haruyuki’s clash, Kuro reveals to Haruyuki her week-old suspicions that
Chiyu is actually Cyan Pyle.
Impossible, right? But after an emotional session
of linking reveals, there’s a back door in Chiyu’s programming that would not
be in a casual user’s history. So, Chiyu might be Cyan Pyle after all. I doubt
things can ever be that simple in this series.
Honestly, it’s great
that Chiyu and Haruyuki had that intimate conversation via link about their
issues, but it is unfortunate it had to happen because of suspicions about
Chiyu’s character. Haruyuki has so many issues about his self-image and his
relationship with the teens he considers his friends; they really needed to
come out. It all hits a little close to home for me but it’s nice to see
someone who will say these things aloud. Poor Haruyuki. I really feel for him.
As for Chiyu, I’m not
completely sure of what to make of her yet. I can tell she really cares about
Haruyuki as well as her boyfriend Taku, but that back door thing is suspicious.
Plus, I wish we could have two main female characters that don’t seem to
automatically hate each other the moment they meet face-to-face. Is that too
much to ask for these days?
So far, Accel World
has done an obscenely great job of pulling me in its world building and
character development. Haruyuki is shaping up nicely as a main protagonist that
is able to grow both as a Brain Burst fighter and a person, and Kuroyukihime
continues to reveal more about herself but not so much that she stops being an
enigma to the audience. Plus, dat
cliffhanger. Friday could not come around soon enough!
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