#Sword Art Online FULL DIVE

[putschki1969]

Sword Art Online FULL DIVE 10th Anniversary Event

Yuki Kajiura and her team participated in the 10th Anniversary event “Sword Art Online -Full Dive-”, which was held at Tokyo Garden Theater on November 6th. A rip is already on Bilibili! The YK section starts at around 1:23:00

Keiko Tweet | SAO Tweet | Keiko Instagram

Setlist overture~swordland moon and shadow Aerial fight MC luminous sword a sword of bravery in her heart she has to overcome her fear -- longing -- 蒼穹のファンファーレ : I really like that we got everyone on stage for this brand new song. Feels like a proper celebration. The studio version is not my favourite because I am not a fan of Aoi Eir, ASCA or ReoNa but this live version is pretty neat.

[Date and time] November 6, 2022 [Venue] Tokyo Garden Theater [Participating Cast &Artists] Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Haruka Tomatsu, Miyuki Sawashiro, Rina Hidaka, Kanae Ito, Aoi Yuki, Ai Kayano, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Hiroaki Hirata, Hiroki Yasumoto, Inori Minase Artists: Eir Aoi, ASCA, ReoNa, Luna Haruna, Yuki Kajiura, Surprise Guest: LiSA

Participating Members: Yuki Kajiura (Piano) Vocals: Remi, KAORI, KEIKO, YURIKO KAIDA, Joelle MUSICIAN: FRONT BAND MEMBERS Koichi Korenaga (Guitar), Kyoichi Sato (Drums), Tomoharu “Jr.” Takahashi (Bass), Rie Akagi (Flute), Hirotaka Sakurada (Keyboard), Yoshio Ohira (Manipulator) -Hitoshi Konno Strings- Hitoshi Konno (Violin), Tomomi Tokunaga (Violin), Naomi Urushibara (Violin), Shiori Watanabe (Violin), Tomohiro Kobayashi (Viola), Takayoshi Okuizumi (Cello)

■ Official Website: https://sao-p.net/

Live Streaming Option for Overseas Fans

Streaming Platform: Stagecrowd Ticket price: 4,500 yen Purchase period: October 29 ~ November 13 Archive period: ~ November 13

[britt-kageryuu]

I can't get the idea of any version of the Turtles getting tossed into different media, out of my head.

Like I wondered how well they would do in different anime worlds, a few game worlds, some book series, I could go on.

The first one that popped into mind was One Piece, but I can't really get a good idea of how that would work. Other than them not being the weirdest beings out there.

Next was Zootopia, they would probably fit in pretty well once they get used to needing to wear clothes, the real question more lies in why they get tossed there, and if April and Casey go with what animals would they get turned into (if they don't stay human). Maybe the Aggretsuko, or Beastars worlds would be a bit similar.

Then I wondered how they would deal with a Sword Art Online and the game system from it, though most of that was how the Full Dive system work interact with them being mutant turtles. Maybe BOFURI aswell.

Many different Isekai genre worlds. It just more depends on which ones. Thought 'Restaurant to Another World' would be a very interesting crossover if only because it's a restaurant where no one will care they're turtles and a giant rat if Splinter goes with them.

Video game worlds are also just a mess of wanting to spiral into world building. Like I want to spend a ton of time world building a TMNT × Pokémon story. Animal Crossing would be an interesting place for them to be tossed for a bit.

The Legend of Zelda games are more of a 'depends on the game' kind of thing, like the stories would be vastly different between them in Twilight Princess, and them in Tears of the Kingdom. I can't fully wrap my mind on how this would go.

Dr. Stone would definitely be a very interesting crossover, if only to see the interaction between any Donnie and the Science Team, especially the 87 Donnie and his constant refusal to follow the laws of physics. At least one other part is how this would work with the Rise timeline, like would the turtles, Splinter, and the yokai be petrified or not, and the possibilities from there.

I won't attempt to go into detail on how they would be with the Harry Potter universe.

There are a few that I find interesting ideas, but there's already fanfiction for some of them, like Marvel, DC, Spiderverse, AtLA, BNHA/MHA.

I want to ramble on about my ideas more, but I should cut it short.

[loosingmoreletters]

Take a snippet of a Sword Art Online AU for mdzs

Watching the teenagers talk among themselves, gesticulating wildly, Wei Wuxian figured they must have spent a lot of time in full dive systems, which was odd enough. After what had happened to Lan Zhan and his brother, it seemed more likely that their uncle would’ve shut down any association Lan Corp had with that tech. Then again, it had been over a decade. Maybe Lan Qiren wasn’t even CEO anymore, though Wei Wuxian couldn’t think of anyone to succeed him. Neither Lan Xichen nor Lan Zhan had seemed particularly suited for the position of a CEO when he’d known them.

“Sizhui,” the loud Lan - Jingyi? - suddenly interrupted the conversation, “is your dad gonna pick us up?”

Sizhui shook his head. “No, he’s at physical therapy.”

“He’s always at PT,” Jingyi muttered.

“It’s not like muscle atrophy suddenly goes away,” Sizhui reprimanded him as the Ouyang boy dug his elbow into Jingyi’s side, and Jingyi grimaced.

“Sorry, you know how I meant it. After all this time, is there really a chance it’ll get better?”

Sizhui sighed, proving at once that it couldn’t have been just Lan Zhan raising him for all that open sass. Had he gotten a real marriage? A proper spouse with benefits that weren’t the the highest spell stats?

“Father cares about it.”

Lan Zhan had been their high school and university’s athletics champion for years. The time spent comatose in game would’ve likely ruined all of that. If Wei Wuxian still had a body, it would probably break apart the moment he tried to move.

“We can catch the bus to my place then,” Ouyang kid said. “It’s not that far from Lan Corp and we can grab food on the way.”

So much for Wei Wuxian’s assumptions that the company wouldn’t have anything to do with Full Dive tech anymore.

“Are you all diving from Lan Corp?” Wei Wuxian asked.

“Yeah, it’s the closest,” Jingyi said. “What company are you playing at?”

“Jingyi!” Ouyang - okay, Wei Wuxian really needed to catch his name - exclaimed. “You don’t just ask a high level player from where they’re diving when in private! Sorry, Senior Mo!”

Oh, dear, did they assume Wei Wuxian was a pro gamer? He grinned.

“No, it’s fine. I’m diving from home!”

A blatantly lie as Wei Wuxian’s continued existence was a string of zeroes and ones, but he wasn’t about to tell a bunch of kids he was little more than a virus hanging onto the remaining Wen servers.

But instead of reassuring the teenagers, his statement just made them gape in horror.

“From home! How? With a homebrew system? Isn’t that illegal?”

Was it? It hadn’t been when Wei Wuxian was still alive. Most of them had dived from home over standard consoles.

“What server are you on? Even Sizhui isn’t allowed to dive from home, though it wouldn’t make such a big difference for him.”

“Father doesn’t want me to risk taking a less secure connection. I could suffer severe damages.”

Yeah, that did sound like Lan Zhan. Wei Wuxian laughed and ruffled the kid’s head. “Being supervised while diving is for the best. I’ve got my brother looking after me, don’t worry.”

Despite everything, Wei Wuxian was sure Jiang Cheng had claimed his body. His brother probably arranged a nice funeral too. Wait, was his name famous IRL now? Wei Wuxian mentally patted himself on the shoulder for sticking with Mo Xuanyu’s character profile instead of editing it.

“That’s good, Senior Mo!” Ouyang kid said.

“Are you diving on a regular schedule then?” Sizhui asked. “We took down that demonic arm quicker than I calculated with your help. You’d be a great addition to our party.”

The last tome Wei Wuxian had been part of a group, it hadn’t ended well for anyone. But without him there, the kids would’ve died and they obviously planned to stick around.

And if Wei Wuxian wanted to figure out who had hooked up the Wen servers to a new game, he ought to stick around living players.

“I’d be honored to join your party,” Wei Wuxian said. “Maybe I can teach you a trick or two!”

Not any of the gaps he exploited for his demonic cultivation, but one or two shortcuts that would bolster the kids’ chances. Maybe he could disguise hacking their stats as extra training. Obviously they wouldn’t die IRL if they died in game, not like the last humans Wei Wuxian had talked to, but he was incredibly selfish.

He didn’t want to witness anyone’s death again. Helping then was fir his benefit too.

[january-summers]

But then what would Red Vs Blue look like as a Sword Art Online fusion?

Because, like, it's easy to just dump them in complete AU, but I mean actual story translation?

Cause obviously the Reds and Blues would be newbie player, or at least they'd be casuals who don't play very often or obsessed with a certain game/genre but not actually very good at it.

And Freelancers would be more pro-players, like Wash did e-sports but he's not really into it, he's good, but he'd rather be having fun with friends than games-as-work.

Carolina's still chasing her father's approval and her mother's shadow by being the top of the gamer world, (her mother Allison was an e-sports superstar, and a top ranker in twenty MMORPGs).

Meanwhile, Director Church has created one of the worlds first full dive Virtual Reality MMOs, and he did it all while trying to figure out a way to un-vegetable his wife, who suffered brain death years ago when trying out another company's first attempts at full dive technology.

Director is convinced if he can just learn enough about brains in simulations, he can use the data that was saved from his wife's dives and put her back to rights.

So he created the game, and it's supposed to be the best game ever, incorporating all Allison's favourite things.

But there's a catch, in order for Director to get the data he needs, the game has to be running non-stop for A While. Specifically, the players need to be playing non-stop for A While.

So he's trapped them in the game with the threat of death looming over them.

There's probably something hidden in the T&Cs of the user agreement so everyone who logs on legally agrees to this shit, but no one reads the T&Cs, so they have no idea. They all genuinely believe they'll die in real life if they die in the game, and the only way to get out is to clear it. Like, even Carolina doesn't know.

The AI overlord Operating System of the game is FILSS/Sheila.

I was thinking (alpha) Church as Carolina's IRL brother who followed their dad into computer programming, but then it (the Chex) would be weird when the Allison Data that Director puts into the game develops its own personality (Beta). So maybe he's just part of the operating systems, on of several AIs running around low key maintaining the game and adding/manifesting new missions and materials based on their interactions with the users to ensure the game is meeting everyone's skill level.

He just sort of joins the Blues and pretends to be a human player.

Man I hope Director is paying the players to be there. He'd probably only pay minimum wage. Has a hospital set up for long term monitoring of players, and Aiden is going to have a field day with the research into what this kind of shit does to people's minds.

Lopez as a Bot that gains sapience/sentience.

It takes Griff months to find out his sister is in the game. (she "just wanted to spend time with him, but holy shit bro have you seen-")

Tucker accidentally hatches some kind of demon creature and tames it, it thinks Tucker is its mother. He names it Junior.

The Freelancers are the Front Line players, making the push towards clearing the game (possibly all of them were beta players for the game?), but somehow the Reds and Blues are actually some of the most powerful players even though they mostly just stand around talking, and getting into side-quest shenanigans.

Sarge is actually Simmons and Griff's shop teacher who is determined to look out for his students in the most tsundere way possible. Donut doesn't take shop class, he does home ec, but he knows them from Simmons' brief attempts at being on the school baseball team.

The Reds and Blues (minus Sarge) are all teenagers now, probably seniors, who go to the same school. (Wash is supposed to be in collage getting ready to graduate but e-sports got in the way, Carolina is younger than him but older than the Reds and Blues.)

Butch Flowers is the home ec teacher, (or/alos a computer science teacher) he and Sarge have a one sided rivalry that got passed onto their teams.

Tucker used to be on the baseball team, but he's currently suspended for reasons that probably weren't actually his fault, but no one knows what it actually is because Tucker like encouraging the rumours, since they're hilarious.

Caboose just wanted to make friends and have fun, and now the cool kids are hanging out with him and he made a Best Friend called Church and he doesn't have to go home at all!

Doc is either a first year medical student who doesn't have time for this!!! or Donut's boyfriend the others have never met because he goes to a different school.

Is the game sci-fi guns blazing or high fantasy swords and sorcery?

I don't know, irrelevant.

The reason Church is still bad at shooting things though is because as an AI he can make himself as powerful as he wants to be, and no-selling his shots is FILSS's way of smacking him with a rolled up news paper.

[steelandcotton]

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[ladyazulina]

A Writeblr Introduction Attempt

[En Español]

Hello everyone, I’m Lady Azulina 💙 Just Azu around these parts. I have been thinking about doing an introduction since I started diving into the Writeblr community who knows how long ago—certainly not me. But I wasn’t able to decide where to start. I still don’t know, but I believe that even the smallest attempt can be a great step, so here we go—I mean, I. Here I go. I really want to make this space something safe for me. For me to vent. For me to share. For me to be me even when I don’t know how to be me. I tried Instagram. I tried Twitter. Now I’m consciously trying Tumblr. Let’s see how this goes.

2-1: My pronouns are she / her. I’m also cis. And as far as I know, I’m hetero, but I haven’t had the opportunity to test my sexuality, so I can’t be totally sure. Why I’m telling all of it? I don’t even know! Don’t mind me.

2: The sun has gone around twenty-four times since I was born. I’m from winter. Like, an-early-Christmas-gift type. By five days only. I was supposed to be born in February, but I think I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday with the rest of the family. So it was Christmas. Sadly.

2+1: I'm legally a Sagittarius, but heartily I don't know where I fit. Sagittarius sun, Capricorn moon, and Aquarius rising.

2x2: I LOVE personality tests. For the majority of my life, I was INFP-T, but the last result says I am ISFP-T. My Enneagram type is a solid 4, a light 9. My color personal test is serulian (#9bb7d4).

2x2+1: I started writing when I was eleven.

2x2+2: I think I have a record of every writing in all these years (goddess, it will be twelve years soon).

2x2+2+1: I’m a love fanatic, even when I don’t wanna be. I’m a hopeless romantic, people. I write romance even without knowing that I’m writing romance. How the heck? I do not understand either.

2x2x2: In the same way, everything with the correct amount of romance can amuse me. And it doesn’t even have to be romantic.

2x2x2+1: I’m also a creature of fiction. Each word that comes out of my fingers is fiction. Be wary, I’m talking here about my writing, I can turn my life into a work of fiction, but it is not! Sadly.

2x2x2+2: On the topic of fiction, excepting a few self-insert (usually coming out in form of micro-stories), all I write and have ever written is absolutely and totally… fiction. Gezh, believe me, I was also looking for another completely unsuspecting word to get you all there, but I went b l a n k. You all know about it, don’t you?

12-1: I'm a fantasy-setup type of girl. I think I decided that with my very first novel, full of fantasy creatures. Though I haven't been writing there for a while, it's still one of my primary genres. I also like paranormal stuff, not in a very big matter, but its participation is still appreciated.

12: I love mysteries, and I think I’m trying to write one, but I do not try to solve them. My head wouldn’t forgive me if I try to push it so hard. On the same topic, I enjoy detective series.

12+1: I found my hidden love for (writing) action scenes thanks to a specific character. I'm still trying my ways because I don't get to write with her as much as I would like.

12+2: Other than the ones I've already mentioned, I'm pretty bad at identifying genres or tropes, so I won't be doing that. If you recognize any in my writings, please point them out to me! That way I can add them to the tags and so on.

12+2+1: For a while, I was roleplaying in forums, so I think I can say I have fics from Digimon, Pokemon, Sword Art Online, and My Hero Academia. Needless to say, I'm trying to turn all their stories into original ones; I can talk about them whenever.

12+2+2: I always create characters in pairs because I don’t want them to feel lonely like I do, though it doesn’t mean they’re romantic pairs.

12+2+2+1: I’m pretty in love with the blue color, hence my name, its lighter tones especially.

12+2+2+2: My real-real name is also a blue color! I think I’m unbiased from birth.

20-1: I’m a Caribbean Latin lady, my first language is Spanish. I would love the second one to be Sign Language, but I think it really is English.

20: I started studying (in college) Maths, but it didn’t work. I shifted to English, but it’s not working either.

20+1: My alter ego is an editor, proofreader, and writing coach, I can serve as the mediator, and as a way of trying her services as a beta reader.

22: I think it’s already obvious, but my favorite number is 2. The 02, 20, and 22 also work. 12 just because it’s my birthday month, but it also has a 2!

Project Masterlist.

[underleveledjosh]

[LINK START]

Today at 7:45 PM, I am going to be playing Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet! Join me and watch as I full dive into the virtual world of Gun Gale Online and go haha mcshooty shoot with the funni anime guns.

[morealias]

I saw your message on the post about webcomics and you mentioned you were an avid reader of various webcomics. Do you have a top 10 to look at?

Top ten? Ugh... that's hard... hmmm...

Comics I never stopped keeping up with despite it being difficult or inconvenient:

Sluggy Freelance - This will not be for everyone, Pete's art isn't very good at first, but it gets better pretty quickly. It has a twenty-six year archive though so dive in at your own time risk. Very mixed between "days in the lives of a pair of nerd pals" and "weird high adventure". Schlock Mercenary - Another that starts not so very pretty art wise, but Howard gets better fast. It has a roughly twenty year seven day a week archive that never missed an update, but Schlock Mercenary has ended so you will eventually catch up. Follows the trials and tribulations (and exhultations) of a space mercenary company and it's titular Sergeant who looks like a pile of poo... the comic dumps the crude humour pretty quickly. Girl Genius - The art was starts good and gets better, but then Phil Folio was n artist and a comic artist for decades before he started on Girl Genius. It also has a twenty-one year archive, but it only updates Mon-Wed-Fri so it's not as deep as the above two. Consistently good story about a gaslamp hero all the way through, but it has side-comic interruptions which have only tangential relationships with the main story.

Freefall - Decent consistent art throughout. Twenty-five year archive, but it's also Mon-Wed-Fri, so it's also not too bad to get into to. Follow the adventures of a solo rapscallion alien in human space and his AI sidekicks (a robot and upraised wolf). Deals deeply with AI rights and what it means to be "human".

Atomic Robo - Written by Brian Clevinger of 8-Bit Theater fame and arted by Scott Wegener of... well Atomic Robo fame (also some Marvel comics, but they're not as important). It's hard to say how deep the archive is as it's organized like a series of comic books, because it was originally issued as comics, but eventually went online to spread readership. There are currently roughly 80 comics, so that's the archive. It follows the adventure of the titular Atomic Robo and his team of fighting Action Scientists as they repeatedly act to save the world from various mad and sometimes just angry scientists.

Other comics I follow, some more recent, some older, all current:

Fantasy/D&D webcomics: The Abominable Charles Christopher; Handbook of Heroes; Rusty & Co; Fairmeadows, Order of the Stick; Swords; Friendship is Dragons; Sunderhunt; Dungeon Doodles; Sunderhunt; The Littlest Warrior; Prequel†; Use Sword on Monster†; Oglaf‡ Sci-Fi and Post-Apoc webcomics: Kill Six Billion Demons‡; Ten Thousand Earth Shattering Blows; Darth & Droids; Bicycle Boy; Rising Sand, Blue Milk Special†; Outsider†, PS238†

Slice of Life/Meta-commentary on gaming culture webcomics: Girls and Slingshots; Something Positive, Full Frontal Nerdity; Penny Arcade

Comics that have ended because they are now print, but look them up if you can because they were awesome: Sin Titulo; Templar, Arizona I was going to put The Abominable Charles Christopher here too, but then I remembered it's been updating lately and I really need to catch back up with it ...

† Sporadic or slow update "schedule". ‡ NOT SAFE FOR WORK

[leiogerio]

“If you die in the game, you die in real life.”

–Sun Tzu (The Art of War)

Sword Art Online is an unequivocal masterpiece. I have watched it nearly 200 times since I was just a wee little lad, and with every watch, it seems as if I learn something new, whether it be finding new Easter Eggs or finding something new about myself. The way the show presents human nature is simply astounding. It shows an anarchistic world that explores how different people may band together, forming an organized society, while others embrace lawlessness and live their lives without constraint. The writing is also impeccable. To this date, I have never watched any other anime with ZERO plot holes. Even shows such as Steins; Gate, Death Note, and Madoka Magica, some of the greatest anime, have their fair share of flaws, but Sword Art Online is the most pristine piece of media I have ever experienced.

At its heart, Sword Art Online is a power fantasy: a story with an overpowered protagonist in a fantasy world. This ties closely with the concept of the full-dive VR game. People in the show become so invested in their virtual reality that they may forget the fact that the real world exists. Similarly, people who watch SAO can become so invested in the power fantasy that they forget how they may be a loser in real life.

From the nature of identity and self to the ethics of technology, the show raises a number of thought-provoking questions about the world we live in. The show tackles questions of technological abuse because of the VR trap, questions of identity because of how people can reinvent themselves in their new situation, questions of relationships with a virtual world, questions of mental health because of how everyone is trapped, and questions of reality vs. illusion because of how the game feels just like the real world.

[shazzeaslightnovels]

Demons’ Crest 1

Author: Reki Kawahara (Author of Sword Art Online)

Illustrator: Yukiko Horiguchi

Label: Dengeki Bunko

Release Date: 10 November 2022

My Score: 4/5

There’s a new amusement park being developed that utilises capsule units and a technology called “Crest” in order to thrust players into a full dive VRMMORPG experience. When the class 6-1 are chosen as testers for the new game “Actual Magic”, they are ecstatic and the game is everything that they dreamed. But class member Yuuma wakes up in his capsule with his last memory being falling into darkness at the end of the beta test. He finds his classmate Sumika whom he has a crush on but something’s wrong. Some kind of fluid is dripping from her and she’s holding a dismembered hand. He’s saved by his twin sister Sawa who used magic from the game to attack Sumika. Furthermore, Sawa looks odd: instead of wearing the school uniform, she’s wearing a red bodysuit, horns have appeared on her head, and bat wings are growing out of her back. She tells Yuuma that this is the real world and that the game world and the real world have merged together. Yuuma and Sawa, together with their friend Konken, must find out what happened and escape this situation.

The main characters for this volume are Yuuma, Sawa, and Konken. Through their crests, they’re able to “change their classes” to gain the skills and stats that they had in Actual Magic. Yuuma is a beast tamer, Sawa is a magician, and Konken is a knight. The way that the beast taming magic was done was pretty interesting with the monsters that Yuuma captures being turned into cards and having their own unique skills and stats. There’s also Nagi, a healer and their friend. She’s revealed to be missing towards the start of the volume. Her capsule was empty when they opened it using the emergency lever which is strange because you can only use that lever once so it should have been impossible for someone to pull it and then close the door and put the lever back to the way it was. So searching for her is another primary goal for the cast. The rest of the class are also fairly relevant. There’s a class register with all of the class members names and a brief description of that at the start and end of the book which was a good way of giving them all some character, even if they have little screen time.

As you’d expect from Kawahara, this was a really interesting first volume with a lot of promise. I loved the mystery aspect and I’m really curious to find out what’s going on. In particular, there’s a lot of mystery surrounding Sawa. Unlike the others, when she changed classes, her body underwent an obvious transformation as well and how did she even know that she could access Actual Magic in the first place? It’s clear that she’s not telling Yuuma something but it’s not clear what or why. My personal theory is time travel but there’s not much evidence to support that here. Actually, something that could be a clue is the class register: the only descripter for Sawa is that she’s Yuuma’s twin. This could be nothing or it could be something but I want to find out.

The action is exciting, as you would expect from Kawahara, and the game systerm is interesting. The characters are fairly likable and I’m invested in their survival, particularly Konken’s. Yuuma and Sawa sometimes act in a calculated way that disregards other people’s needs for their own survival and it seems like they are looking at this more from the perspective of a game rather than real life which could lead to some interesting developments later on. All of the characters are around 11 years old so they’re younger than the typical light novel characters but they aren’t written all that differently than the teenagers that Kawahara usually writes. They might be a bit more naive and immature but I think Kawahara could have done more with that to make them stand out amongst his other protagonists.

All in all, I thought this was a great start to a series that holds a lot of promise so now I just have to hope that Kawahara is able to balance this series on top of his already intimidating workload. Regardless, I shall patiently await the next volume.

Adaptation Notes:

This series was adapted into a webtoon with art by Tomoe. Actually, the reason why this series came out when it did was because the publishers wanted to turn it into a webtoon. Kawahara says in the afterword that he wasn’t planning on publishing this one until he had finished at least one of his ongoing series but this is what ended up happening.

The first chapter is available as a sample on the HykeComic website so that’s the only chapter I’ve read but there are plenty of differences already. First off, the series opens with the gang inside Actual Magic during the beta test while the novel opens in media res with Yuuma waking up in the pod before later having a flashback showing the gang in AM. The webtoon shows the scene of the class learning that they are going to be beta testers for the game whereas, in the novel, this is only shown in the colour illustrations at the start rather than it being an actual scene. In the webtoon, Yuuma takes Muku on a quest to show off his ability but in the novel, the gang takes on the floor boss in the final half hour or so that they’re in the game because Konken made a bet with some other students about who could defeat it first. It seems like this might be included in the second chapter? I’m not sure but it’s interesting that the webtoon is spending more time inside Actual Magic and I’d be interested in reading more to see how else it diverges from the light novel. The art is solid too so no complaints there.

[spoekelse]

Great news everybody! New evil weeaboo tech guy just dropped! And my favourite image is applicable once again!

So, November 6th was a sort of holiday for the Sword Art Online community. Like with Blade Runner, which took place in the distant future of 2019, Sword Art Online began on November 6th, 2022.

(Sword Art Online is a science fiction isekai novel series that was adapted into anime, manga, movies, and games.)

On this fabled day, gamers put on their NerveGear VR headsets, devices that connected to the brain to provide a “full dive” virtual reality experience. But once they logged on, they found out that they couldn’t log out. The creator’s avatar announced to them that if they tried to take the headset off, they would die, and that if they died in the game, they’d die in real life too. The headset would use microwaves to fry the player’s brain.

So what did our guy do?

“The good news is that we are halfway to making a true NerveGear. The bad news is that so far, I have only figured out the half that kills you,” Luckey said.

THE FOOL COULD ONLY FIGURE OUT THE KILLING HALF

You will never be Akihiko Kayaba, you slimy nerd

And as is par for the course, he completely missed the point of Sword Art Online.

Aside from his predictably anarcho-capitalist political views, he is co-founder of defence contractor Anduril Industries

Any defence contractor is naturally disgusting, but this one is deliciously ironic, too! Because what do they specialise in? According to LinkedIn, "national security, defense technology, and artificial intelligence". They use AI in drones for border security. And the villains of Sword Art Online's 4th arc are American defence contractors who want to steal the AI technology developed by fictional company Rath to use to pilot drones.

Anyway, he’s the one who made the deal with Facebook “Meta”, to sell Oculus to them while retaining a huge stake in the company. Before he sold it to Facebook, the Oculus Quest 2 was the affordable VR headset, as it included the necessary computing power, so you didn’t need to connect it to your own device. However, then he made the Facebook deal, to help Zuckerberg’s Metaverse take off. The Oculus Quest 2 is now the Meta Quest 2, and if you buy it, Facebook gets access to all of your data and will surveil you while you use it. You can still buy a version not connected to Meta- rebranded as being “for business use”, and it’s functionally the same- but it costs double. This move was to force the Metaverse onto people.

Basically, he's saying "one day you will be able to die in the Metaverse <3".

I hope he puts on his headset and it kills him.

[putschki1969]

Sword Art Online FULL DIVE 10th Anniversary Event Streaming Option

Just a reminder, Yuki Kajiura and her team will participate in the 10th Anniversary event “Sword Art Online -Full Dive-”, which will be held at Tokyo Garden Theater on November 6th. (Source)

[Date and time] November 6, 2022 [Venue] Tokyo Garden Theater [Participating Cast &Artists] Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Haruka Tomatsu, Miyuki Sawashiro, Rina Hidaka, Kanae Ito, Aoi Yuki, Ai Kayano, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Hiroaki Hirata, Hiroki Yasumoto, Inori Minase Artists: Eir Aoi, ASCA, ReoNa, Luna Haruna, Yuki Kajiura

Participating Members: Yuki Kajiura (Piano) Vocals: Remi, KAORI, KEIKO, YURIKO KAIDA, Joelle MUSICIAN: FRONT BAND MEMBERS Koichi Korenaga (Guitar), Kyoichi Sato (Drums), Tomoharu “Jr.” Takahashi (Bass), Rie Akagi (Flute), Hirotaka Sakurada (Keyboard), Yoshio Ohira (Manipulator) -Hitoshi Konno Strings- Hitoshi Konno (Violin), Tomomi Tokunaga (Violin), Naomi Urushibara (Violin), Shiori Watanabe (Violin), Tomohiro Kobayashi (Viola), Takayoshi Okuizumi (Cello) 

■ Official Website: https://sao-p.net/ ■ 10th Anniversary Special Site: https://sao10th.net/ ■ Official Twitter account: https://twitter.com/sao_anime

Live Streaming Option for Overseas Fans

Streaming Platform: Stagecrowd Ticket price: 4,500 yen Purchase period: October 29 ~ November 13 Archive period: ~ November 13

If you are interested in this event, be sure to use the opportunity provided to overseas fans. Stagecrowd is a reliable service and many of you might already have an account (Keiko’s earliest events were held on this platform). I’ll personally sit this one out because there’s just too much going on that I don’t care for...

[crystalherbalism]

How to Spot Rare Cards in Pokémon Booster Boxes?

Spotting rare cards in Pokémon booster boxes requires keen attention and a bit of knowledge. First, familiarize yourself with the set symbols and rarity indicators, typically located at the bottom of the card. Look for holographic or foil finishes, which are common in rare cards. Study the set’s card list before opening packs to know which cards are the rarest. Pay attention to unique features like alternate art, special foil patterns, or exclusive promo cards. Use online resources and forums to stay updated on current rare cards in specific sets. When opening booster packs, handle cards carefully to avoid damage, and use protective sleeves for potential rare finds to maintain their value and condition.

Understanding Rarity Indicators in a Pokémon Booster Box

Spotting rare cards in a Pokémon booster box requires knowledge of the indicators that denote a card's rarity. Every Pokémon card has a symbol at the bottom right corner indicating its rarity: a circle for common cards, a diamond for uncommon cards, and a star for rare cards. Within the rare category, there are additional distinctions, such as holographic (holo) cards, reverse holo cards, and ultra-rare cards like EX, GX, V, and VMAX. Familiarizing yourself with these symbols and understanding the different types of rare cards will help you quickly identify valuable cards in your Pokémon booster box.

Researching the Set Before Opening Your Pokémon Booster Box

Before diving into your Pokémon booster box, it’s beneficial to research the specific set it belongs to. Each Pokémon set, such as Sword & Shield, Sun & Moon, or XY, has a list of cards, including the rares and ultra-rares. Websites like PokéBeach and PokéGuardian provide comprehensive card lists and details about the latest sets. Knowing which cards are considered rare or highly sought after in your Pokémon booster box set will prepare you to identify them immediately upon opening a pack.

Analyzing Card Conditions and Features Pokémon Booster Box

When opening a Pokémon booster box, carefully analyze the condition and features of the cards. Rare cards often have unique attributes such as special holo patterns, textures, or alternate artwork. For instance, full-art cards and secret rares usually have a distinct look and feel compared to regular cards. Ensure you handle the cards gently to avoid any damage that could devalue them. Using protective sleeves right away can help preserve the condition of any rare cards you find in your Pokémon booster box.

Utilizing Online Resources and Communities Pokémon Booster Box

Online resources and communities are invaluable when it comes to spotting rare cards in a Pokémon booster box. Platforms like Reddit, TCGPlayer, and the Pokémon TCG Facebook groups are filled with enthusiasts and experts who share insights and images of rare cards from recent sets. By engaging with these communities, you can learn about the latest trends, newly released cards, and how to identify rare cards in your Pokémon booster box. These platforms also provide a space to ask questions and get advice from more experienced collectors.

Comparing Pull Rates and Odds Pokémon Booster Box

Understanding the pull rates and odds of finding rare cards in a Pokémon booster box can give you a better idea of what to expect. Pull rates refer to the likelihood of finding certain types of rare cards within a booster box. Typically, ultra-rare cards like VMAX or secret rares have lower pull rates, meaning they are harder to find. Researching the pull rates for the set you’re opening can set realistic expectations and help you recognize when you've found a truly rare card in your Pokémon booster box.

Knowing the Market Value of Rare Cards Pokémon Booster Box

To spot and appreciate rare cards in your Pokémon booster box, it’s essential to know their market value. Websites like eBay, TCGPlayer, and Troll and Toad provide current market prices for individual cards. Tracking these prices can help you understand which cards are considered valuable and in demand. When you open a pack from your Pokémon booster box and find a card that matches high-value listings online, you’ll know you’ve struck gold. Keeping abreast of market trends ensures you can quickly identify and protect valuable cards.

Storing and Protecting Your Rare Finds

Once you’ve identified rare cards in your Pokémon booster box, proper storage and protection are crucial to maintaining their value. Use card sleeves, top loaders, or binder pages specifically designed for trading cards to store your rares. Keep your collection in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to prevent fading and damage. Regularly check the condition of your stored cards and handle them with clean hands to avoid oils and dirt. Taking these steps will ensure that the rare cards you find in your Pokémon booster box remain in pristine condition for years to come.

Conclusion

By following these strategies, you can effectively spot and protect rare cards in your Pokémon booster box. From understanding rarity indicators to engaging with online communities and researching market values, these tips will enhance your ability to identify valuable cards and maintain their condition. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or new to the Pokémon TCG, being informed and prepared will make your Pokémon booster box opening experience rewarding and enjoyable.

[cksjptblog]

On SAO and Simulation/Simulacra

Sword Art Online follows Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya as he is trapped within a Full Dive Virtual Reality game called “Sword Art Online” where dying means dying in real life. The story follows the various adventures and struggles he goes through in an attempt to reach the end of SAO and complete it allowing the playerbase to escape.

This anime inherently heavily deals with the simulation and simulacra, The first half of the season is entirely placed within a simulated world, that of the titular Sword Art Online. To the protagonist this world is Hyperreal becoming inherently meaningful, and to them in a way more meaningful than the real world as they mention in episode 1 “And even though it’s a virtual world I feel more alive in here than I ever did in the real one”

In addition to this it becomes questionable whether this simulation can be truly considered a simulacra, or another reality as real people have real consequences in this world rather than it just symbolically having meaning. The hardships the players face, the deaths and loss they face are real so even though the world is itself a simulated experience does it truly qualify as a simulacra or hyperreal experience? Or does it itself become another form of reality?

An alternative viewpoint is that Virtual Reality is a first order simulacra, representing an alternative reality however SAO became a second order simulacra by locking its players into a death game where it became a representation of a Virtual Reality game whilst being in actual a life, partially losing the original meaning of being an escapism from real life.

The world of SAO can be contrasted with the world of Alfheim Online the centerpiece of the second half of the season which can be seen as a true simulacra a world completely virtual disconnected from reality except by the player themselves without the drastic consequences of SAO. And yet even within this simulacra a fragment of reality lies due to the forced kidnapping of the female lead Asuna being locked within its simulated walls (alongside several other unnamed players).

Together these two worlds show a contrasting but similar viewpoint of simulations and simulacra, one attempting to subsume reality and the other a normal first order simulacra plagued by remnants of the former.

[my-anime-list]

Sword Art Online: Alicization

The Soul Translator is an advanced full-dive system that directly connects with the user's Fluctlight, which is the technological equivalent of a human soul. This revolutionary interface differs from traditional methods of signal transmission to the brain. The Rath institute seeks to enhance the technology by enlisting Kazuto Kirigaya, a survivor of Sword Art Online, as a part-time employee to test the system in the Underworld, a fantastical realm created by the Soul Translator. The confidentiality agreement mandates the erasure of all virtual memories upon return to reality, leaving Kazuto with only a vague recollection of a single name, Alice, which evokes a sense of disquiet. While accompanying Asuna Yuuki home one night, they encounter a familiar adversary. In the ensuing confrontation, Kazuto is fatally wounded and loses consciousness. Upon regaining consciousness, he discovers that he has fully dived into the Underworld with no apparent means of escape. He embarks on a quest to find a way back to his physical body in the real world.

[nintendeez]

Playing Classic Games in HD Shouldn’t Be a Crime

In the realm of video games, there exists a tapestry woven from threads of innovation and nostalgia. One such golden thread is ‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’, a game released in 1998 for Nintendo 64 that set new standards in the adventure genre. It introduced us to a three-dimensional Hyrule full of mystery, danger, and intrigue — all to be solved and resolved by our hero Link as he wielded his trusty Master Sword against evil forces.

The Nintendo 3DS version, which came out in 2011, enhanced this masterpiece even further by adding sharp visuals through its enhanced graphics and improved controls optimized for the handheld console. Now, thanks to dedicated gamers and technological advancements, the 3DS version of ‘Ocarina of Time’ can now be experienced in all its glory on personal computers via emulation software.

Emulators allow players to run console or arcade games on their PC or mobile device. For example, if you wanted to relive your childhood memories playing SNES classics like Super Mario World but don’t have access to that system anymore, you could download an emulator onto your PC and play those same games without needing the actual hardware. Emulating ‘Ocarina of Time’ on PC opens up possibilities beyond what was originally available on either the N64 or 3DS platforms.

These enhancements include upscaled textures and shaders to give the game a crisp, modern look while still retaining its original art style. Think of it as applying a fresh coat of paint to a timeless piece of artwork; it enhances the overall experience without compromising its essence.

To put into perspective just how much of a difference these modifications make, consider that the native resolution of the Nintendo 3DS version of ‘Ocarina of Time’ is only 400x240 pixels. By comparison, most modern PC monitors support resolutions well above Full HD (1080p), with many supporting Ultra HD (4K) resolution. The leading texture pack project for Ocarina of Time 3D brings the internal resolution of the emulated game up to these lofty heights, while adding shader support via ReShade post-processing effects.

As mentioned before, emulators allow users to play console games on their computers. However, in order to do so legally, one must first obtain a ROM of the game they wish to play — which can prove challenging due to copyright laws surrounding intellectual property. This is where things become murky; downloading a ROM of a game you already own isn’t necessarily illegal, but distributing said ROMs certainly is. So while this option may seem appealing to some, it’s important to understand the complexities involved before diving headfirst into the world of PC emulation. The average user will bear no responsibility for a ROM downloaded from an online repository, but if the same user were to acquire the ROM via torrent file sharing, there is the very real possibility that they will receive a strongly worded warning letter from their Internet Service Provider, or possibly worse.

If you choose to proceed with caution and respect both the developer’s wishes and the specific (and well litigated) limits imposed by copyright law, however, you will be rewarded with an unparalleled gaming experience. Using texture packs and emulator upscaling, these games can often look better than ever before, surpassing even the official HD remasters released for subsequent systems.

In the case of Ocarina, every leaf on every tree, every crack in the stone walls, and every stitch in Link’s green tunic comes alive with newfound clarity and detail. It’s almost as though time itself has stood still since 1998, allowing us to revisit Hyrule in ways we never thought possible.

When compared directly side-by-side-by-side, the differences between the three versions of Ocarina of Time are easy to see. While the original hardware undoubtedly holds a special place in our hearts, there is something truly magical about seeing this iconic title running at the native resolution of a modern PC. The combination of increased performance, higher frame rates, and expanded color palettes makes for a far more immersive and enjoyable journey through the land of Hyrule than was ever achievable when playing on the Nintendo 3DS.

In conclusion, despite the legal gray areas surrounding the use of ROMs, there is little doubt that using a PC emulator to play games like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is worth the effort. Whether you are seeking to relive fond childhood memories or simply want to discover what all the fuss was about back in 1998, emulating with texture packs on PC provides an unrivaled opportunity to experience these timeless classics in a whole new light. Just remember to exercise caution when acquiring your ROM, and always respect the wishes of the developers who poured their souls into creating all of our beloved classic games.