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Sword Art Online's Kazuto Kirigaya, typically known as Kirito, is one of the most infamous protagonists in anime. Ranging from his personality to his overpowered abilities, there are many reasons why fans continuously hate on the Black Swordsman. However, there are valid reasons for liking him as a character as well. This list will explore five instances in which fans find Kirito bothersome, as well as five instances where fans could not help but admire him.
Note: This list is subjective and reflects the author's personal views. It also contains spoilers for the Sword Art Online anime.
5 instances of Kirito impressing the fans of Sword Art Online
1) He was the only one to obtain the Dual Blades sword skill
As a beta-tester, Kirito was able to level up quickly in Sword Art Online as he knew the inner workings of the game and the easiest way to gain experience points. He became one of the strongest players in the game, outclassed only by Heathcliff. It is most likely because of this that he was granted the Dual-Wielding ability Dual Blades. This allowed him to fight bosses on Aincrad's upper levels much more easily.
2) He was able to stand his ground against the Gleam Eyes
The Gleam Eyes was the boss of Floor 74 in Sword Art Online. Although it took the combined efforts of Asuna, Klein, Kirito and others, Kirito ultimately killed the Gleam Eyes using Dual Blades. This was one of the most epic fights in the entire anime and made many fans gain respect for Kirito. The stakes were high as Kirito was the only one capable of fighting the Gleam Eyes. If he had lost, everyone on the raid team would have died.
3) He was able to win Untouchable! easily
Untouchable! is a notoriously difficult gambling game to play in Gun Gale Online. Challengers must dodge the bullets being shot at them, and the main goal is to get as close to the gunman as possible. Both newbies and experts have tried their luck at this game many times but without success. However, Kirito was able to win on his very first attempt using the skills he obtained in Aincrad. This impressed almost everyone in Gun Gale Online, and they viewed him with high regard.
4) He woke up at the right time during Alicization
After the Ocean Turtle was raised at the end of Alicization, the power to the Soul Translator was cut and Kirito's mind was immensely damaged. This resulted in him becoming a shell of who he once was, forcing Alice to be his caretaker 24/7. However, during War of Underworld, when Asuna, Alice, and the rest of the Human Empire were getting overwhelmed, he returned and truimphed. He protected Asuna and everyone else by taking on Dark Emperor Vecta and winning the battle.
5) He is an amazing dad to Yui
During Sword Art Online's Aincrad arc, Kirito and Asuna encountered a mysterious entity during their time living in the woods. The pair soon realized that the entity resembled a little girl and adopted her, subsequently naming her Yui. Both Asuna and Kirito have cared for Yui ever since and treated her as their daughter. They have even figured out a way to interact with Yui from the real world.
5 times Kirito annoyed the fans of Sword Art Online
1) He always seems to have a harem
Since the beginning of Sword Art Online, Kirito has attracted various female characters. Although Asuna is his main love interest, he has never rejected the other girls. Fans hate how he continues to lead them on, promising them a potential romantic relationship without even knowing. However, after spending 200 years with Asuna in the Underworld, he has made her his primary love interest.
2) His swordsmanship is lacking at times
Everybody can agree that Kirito is a powerful swordsman. He can easily overpower almost any enemy he comes across using his various abilities. However, his swordsmanship itself is less than impressive. Many other characters in the series have showcased greater skill with the sword than the Black Swordsman. He developed his own techniques after getting stuck in SAO rather than learning proper swordsmanship. Fortunately for him, his mediocre technique and overwhelming strength was enough to take out all of his enemies.
3) He has no personal flaws that make him an interesting main character
Interesting main characters have personal flaws that they try to work upon over the course of the show. This makes the character more realistic and relatable to the audience. However, Kirito is a protagonist who does not seem to have any of these flaws. Although he has struggled with the problems that enemies create, he never seems to struggle with problems that stem from his own character.
4) He seems to have access to the most powerful abilities
Whenever Kirito needs them the most, he always finds a way to access admin/god-level commands. After obtaining the World Seed from Akihiko Kayaba, he seemed to be able to use high level commands in any virtual reality. Kirito did this during his fight against Fairy King Oberon while trying to save Asuna, during his fight with the Administrator and during his fight with Dark Emperor Vecta.
5) Kirito never loses critical fights
Kirito has lost a few battles during his time in Sword Art Online, but none of these losses were detrimental to the story or the progression of the main characters. Kirito never lost a fight that resulted in his friends and him experiencing a massive setback in their plans or massive casualties. His encounters with Heatcliff, the Gleam Eyes, the Floor 100 Boss, the Administrator, and Dark Emperor Vecta are all perfect examples of critical fights where he managed to win in the end.
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