Mother's Rosario is a relatively short arc, comprising one volume, but it's one of the better parts of Sword Art Online.
The plot is refreshingly small-scale. After hearing of an individual known as "Zekken", Asuna meets the person in question, whose name is Yuuki, and loses to her in a duel. Yuuki then asks Asuna to help her guild,the Sleeping Knights to defeat a floor boss so that their names are inscribed on the Monument of Heroes before they go their separate ways. That goal is accomplished fairly early on, albeit not without difficulty, and the rest of the arc deals with Asuna learning of her new friends' reasons for the quest, and dealing with her troubled relationship with her mother. All in all, while lives are not on the line, it's still dramatic enough to keep viewers' interest.
The action is fairly good, and there's time for the protagonists to get in some awesome moments. It helps that a floor boss that's standard fare becomes exceptionally challenging with the group's Self-Imposed Challenge.
It was also a nice chance for Asuna to get to do things on her own, with Kirito playing a relatively minor role. This is not said out of dislike for Kirito, but in favor of allowing Asuna to do things on her own and develop in her own right.
Yuuki is also a good addition to the series, albeit one who won't be around for the long term. She's powerful without being overpowered, a strong person who still has vulnerabilities, and has a good, almost sisterly, friendship with Asuna. Her character arc concludes with a life-affirming message that's believable and doesn't feel like a "very special episode" of SAO.
Overall, the Mother's Rosario arc is quite enjoyable. You may enjoy it even if you dislike the rest of the series, since it's free of some of the things people criticize SAO for. And, of course, if you liked the rest of SAO, you'll most likely enjoy this arc as well.
Mother's Rosario: One of the best parts of the series
Mother's Rosario is a relatively short arc, comprising one volume, but it's one of the better parts of Sword Art Online.
The plot is refreshingly small-scale. After hearing of an individual known as "Zekken", Asuna meets the person in question, whose name is Yuuki, and loses to her in a duel. Yuuki then asks Asuna to help her guild,the Sleeping Knights to defeat a floor boss so that their names are inscribed on the Monument of Heroes before they go their separate ways. That goal is accomplished fairly early on, albeit not without difficulty, and the rest of the arc deals with Asuna learning of her new friends' reasons for the quest, and dealing with her troubled relationship with her mother. All in all, while lives are not on the line, it's still dramatic enough to keep viewers' interest.
The action is fairly good, and there's time for the protagonists to get in some awesome moments. It helps that a floor boss that's standard fare becomes exceptionally challenging with the group's Self-Imposed Challenge.
It was also a nice chance for Asuna to get to do things on her own, with Kirito playing a relatively minor role. This is not said out of dislike for Kirito, but in favor of allowing Asuna to do things on her own and develop in her own right.
Yuuki is also a good addition to the series, albeit one who won't be around for the long term. She's powerful without being overpowered, a strong person who still has vulnerabilities, and has a good, almost sisterly, friendship with Asuna. Her character arc concludes with a life-affirming message that's believable and doesn't feel like a "very special episode" of SAO.
Overall, the Mother's Rosario arc is quite enjoyable. You may enjoy it even if you dislike the rest of the series, since it's free of some of the things people criticize SAO for. And, of course, if you liked the rest of SAO, you'll most likely enjoy this arc as well.