Anime Review: Log Horizon

Sure, everyone out there who reads or hears of the plot of Log Horizon will go "But that's just the same as Sword Art Online" but this is quite a different show. For starters people don't die on Log Horizon. Something distressing does happen to them when they are reborn but you can watch the show to see what. What this means is that Log Horizon is a little less depressing and dark since people (and the show) is not always concerned about death. Instead what we have is a glimpse of how people will react if they are trapped inside a game with no way (not even death) of getting out. How one adapts and in fact creates a world of their own choice is the focus of the show. It shows that even in a fictional game world with basic rules and laws, unless someone actively creates order, things can soon descend into chaos. While SAO was all about characters, Log Horizon is all about strategy, with the protagonist Shiroe being the master of strategy. Perhaps it is a personal trait with me, but I prefer shows with mysteries and problems that need to be solved with strategy and intelligence rather than the "I win because I so so want to" plot point of many shonen anime out there. Log Horizon definitely has the crisp pacing and cliff-hangers necessary for a brain-stimulating show and I am definitely going to continue watching it. I would definitely recommend it to someone who likes a good mix of action and intelligence. The character representations, are however, a bit disproportionately exaggerated in some aspects - the super short Akatsuki for example. In most cases the characters can all be summed up in single words and if you are a character-oriented anime lover, give this a miss. Otherwise, it is certainly worth the 30 minutes-a-week fun that it delivers.