Not long now. All abroad the feels train. stopping at Oh god no, please don’t, how could she and arriving the finial destination of Stay Cool

Finally, after so long, this episode has arrived. The one where everything changes...

First of all, seeing Kirito's Shikai Enhance Armament animated was as hype as I thought it would be. The clash with Fanatio was epic and dramatic, though I don't remember her slamming into the exact center of the ceiling or rebounding down harder than a crash in GTA XP

Kirito's very root nature and ideals are shown clearly here, and it's even more determining animated with the emotion you can feel in his voice. He's not someone who will hold a grudge or truly hate most people, as long as he knows there is a reason for such, to an extreme some may call naive, but it's actually quite inspiring to see.

Once again, my heart goes out to Elevator-chan. Poor girl was just yet another of the many twisted horrors we saw Adminbitch had caused into the world during this whole arc...

Yes, yes, yes...without a doubt, that fight was everything I hoped for and more :D The fight in the Cloudtop Garden is not only a turning point in Alicization, it's also epic as hell, and while some parts that the LN-narration truly transmitted to make it even deeper were missing, seeing S30's Golden Senbonzakura Fragrant Olive Sword unleashed was worth it, even more beautiful than I thought it would be. Seeing Kirito basically being thrown around with each swing was also exhilarating in its own way, for this was the first time he truly found himself facing absolutely overwhelming power in a way he couldn't directly confront with his blade. Also, dat effect when their Release Recollections clash was just astounding.

Finally, that entire sequence in slow-mo when the wall breaks and Kirito and Alice are sucked out was masterfully animated. Epic to look at, and you could feel Eugeo's despair as he ran towards the closing wall, no doubt.

Now, it's time for everything to change...but first, let's see Kirito using his 'magic' on S30 next chapter to sway her away from the Dark Side :3

Literally Ichigo vs Byakuya v2 XD

GetsugaTenshou vs Senbonzakura Kageyoshi

[deleted]

And now it has begun... This was the last time we saw them both together before shit happens and Eugeo runs into his own death out of guilt... I'm sad and couldn't dislike Quinella even more.

Well, that certainly ended on a literal cliff hanger, or technically a side of building hanger.

Poor Eugeo

I'm honestly curious though what would of happened had Eugeo lost his morality here and went on to defeat #1 and kill the Admin in her sleep with his blade/mini dagger thing. Effectively hoping to avenge the loss of his bro and crush.

Also it begs to question, since Kirito has a body still; would he in theory respawn upon death? I'd imagine he'd have mental trauma to a degree but unlike everyone else there he's not 100% part of the system and it's protocols.

Lol taka tweet is funny af. Alice telling Kirito and Eugeo to talk to the hand so she can do yoga xD

Eugeo’s absolute anguish... it killed me. God everything from here is gonna fuck me up so badly I’ll be irreparable

Perfect cliffhanger for what lies after this... I cannot take this train, but, I should... :(

Maybe this won't feel that way when I watch it, but this episode sounds kind of rushed. But again that seems to happen when they cut things in half to make cliffhangers at the end of episodes.

Super hyped for Alice though

Good animation overall though they did cut some stuffs but well nonetheless it was a great job. I loved how they showed Fanatio hitting the ceiling shot. That was freaking awesome and ah! they missed showing familiar of Administrator coming out when a portal to Cardinal opens up and the bromance❤

Airy-chan aka Elevator operator is damn cute and I loved how they showed her dream scene. That melted my heart.

Alice: Talk to my hand attitude damn🤣 and I loved them SenbonOlives :p I love these enhance armament detailing they show.

• VA for Elevator Operator: M.A.O(Mao Ichimichi)

I am not ready for what is coming ^{keeps tissue ready}

Some snaps

Next Ep: Kirito picking up girls with food once again XD

MEAT BUNSSS

Kirito's shikai was nicely animated.

Love the fight with Alice (if you can even call that one with how sided it seems).

I think Alice spend a lot of time practicing her cool poses.

I honestly didn’t expect Alice and Kirito got blew out of the tower like in a blink of an eye. I thought they would have make it a bit more dramatic and that scene right now is very unexpected and hilarious if you continuously looping it

This episode would've been better if they keep Eugeo's monologue.

The Swords born from Life, withstanding time, all meet here. In the «Cloudtop Garden».

Kirito's Enhance Armament isn't any different from what I had thought it would be, an amorphous mass of darkness, in some sense. Glad I got that right. Though I thought it would have made sense for Fanatio to be blown back to a wall than launched into the air and eventually the glass mural but there needs to be some way to bring in the spatial resources.

Reading the novel, I kinda found Kirito's worry for Fanatio's life amusing. The feeling wasn't any different watching it now. But it's what makes Kiritard, Kiritard and I like that.

Operator-san, sure is pretty. The tube that was used to travel between floors is a lot more different than I thought it would be, a long glass tube that goes on from Floor 50 to Floor 80, that's very impractical compared to how it was visualized here, showing the aerial elements continuously pushing up the platform as such. Operator-san's dream once she's free was nice to see visualized too.

Wasn't there supposed to be something about bugs here? And Euge-bou freaking out a little?

The «Cloudtop Garden». The area is reminiscent of area around Rulid, now that I think about it. It certainly is as beautiful as I had imagined. At the hilltop would have been the «Gigas Cedar» but in its place is the «Fragrant Olive Sword», an Osmanthus tree and the «Osmanthus Knight».

Kirito and Eugeo's clothes were supposed to have some apparent damage after coming into contact with a Senbonzakura comparable to a shredder but that aside it's pretty, this Vento Aureo of Osmanthus Petals.

I had a ton of fun imagining this fight, which was essentially just Kirito being knocked around by Alice like this. It wasn't any different here but I do love the movement Alice imparts here. It is baffling how Kirito is the second person to withstand this but looking at the other Knight's weapons, I can understand why. Not to forget that she's the second strongest. So outsmarting her wasn't any easier as we see Eugeo's attempt and her shrugging it off like it was nothing.

Through the sheer power of clashing blasts at close proximity, Alice and Kiritard are yeeted out of the Cathedral. RIP.

To conclude, Eyes as Cold as Ice, and a Seriousness Unmatched by any other, Alice would make Byakuya proud. Next episode, Eu- wait, they aren't dead?

Seeing all the Bleach jokes here and there, how haven't I seen people replace this OP2 with Bleach's OP2? iirc, that was my favourite OP. And the source of many inspired comics.

Just seeing Chudlekin's face in the OP makes me angry.

And now for the million dollar question:

Will you feel the same way towards Administrator?

Unital Ring spoiler

Elevator WAIFU has dropped us off to Feels station! Next stop, FEELS!

Damn that fight with alice was done so well except for the problem I had with Fate Apocrypha where they put the bass at maximum level

Okay first off, Osmanthus = Olive?

I feel bad for the anime only viewers expecting the fight with Fanatio to last longer, and it ends at the very beginning of the episode lol.

I remember audibly groaning reading the LN when Kirito used the dagger to save Fanatio, being so upset at his decision making process and naivete, even though I went on to love Fanatio's character. Didn't have the same reaction watching it this time, since I know what happens of course, but it still felt kind of weird, watching Kirito react as if it were his best friend dying instead of someone that was just actively trying to kill him.

We're finally at the point where Alice always gets screen time :D can't wait to see them ascending the cathedral since that was a bit hard for me to visualize while reading the LN. Also can't wait to watch the unfolding of everything Alice thought she knew, and seeing her become who she is throughout the rest of the story. I'm hoping they're able to do her justice, so the moment later when Kirito tells Eugeo that they'd have to fight over which Alice to keep that the viewers are just as torn and broken hearted as I was reading that.

Lastly, I think Alice's design and sword are so perfectly adapted. I remember thinking how oft-used the words gold and golden were when describing her, but man those are the only fitting words. Her armor, sword, expressions, everything seem so perfect from how I saw her when reading.

Eh I found the Alice fight really underwhelming. It felt like it had no weight. Overall good ep though

Another great episode, though the next one that begins the bonding between S30 and Kirito will likely be my second or third favorite episode of the arc (seeing Alice live with and lovingly take care of Kiri-potato and of course the scene with Sinion kissing the diode from Kirito will probably rank higher) the fight between Alice and Kirito was very exciting too!