A likable protagonist tin can sometimes be the key to success in a story, allowing fans to intendance about this central character's story, struggles, and development. It's not always a cakewalk and some protagonists walk a catchy tightrope where ane wrong move tin brand them despised by the whole fandom. Sword Fine art Online's Kirito is ane such protagonist.

While Kirito didn't beginning out disliked past about, viewers came to discover the character as one ofSAO's many weaknesses, whether it's due to his personality, actions, or development. That opinion has persisted across this controversial franchise and doesn't show signs of slowing downwards any time soon.

10 Kirito's "Female" Avatar in GGO

Kirito's GGO Avatar, SAO II

During the "Phantom Bullet" arc, Kirito went undercover in the game Gun Gale Online with a new avatar that turned out to be ultra-rare and, of course, handed to Kirito upon entering for the first fourth dimension. On peak of that, for some reason looked more than feminine than usual, which fabricated many players mistake him for a girl.

Kirito decides to pretend to be a daughter, or at least whatsoever he thinks being a daughter is, leading many of his fellow players on until this lands him in hot h2o, as he sees Sinon stripping. The way in which Kirito decided to go along a low profile not just ends up beingness unnecessary while backfiring, merely the way it's presented also comes off for the sole purpose of genderbending jokes.

9 Cringe-Inducing Attempts at Making Him Edgy

Dual Wielding Kirito. Sword Art Online

There accept been more a couple of moments, especially in the early episodes of season ane, where it appears the serial tried to brand Kirito seem edgier than he actually was. Examples include the despair of losing the Moonlit Black Cats or when he decided to shift all the beta-tester hate onto himself, but some of these come up off as more cringy than edgy.

That concluding instance is probably a great example as he decides to characterization himself as a "Beater" (beta-tester and cheater), which he tries to make sound cool, but information technology really isn't. Despite all the attempts though, none of these things stick to Kirito in the long run, so they kind of mean nix.

8 Being Constantly Embroiled in Controversial Moments

Frienica and Tiese tied up, Sword Art Online Alicization

One thing that makesSAOand then controversial exterior of divisive opinions is the scenes where female characters are sexually assaulted, and to say the anime handles the field of study with grace would be incorrect. And but about every time information technology happens, Kirito seems to be right in the middle of it, ready to finish information technology.

Now Kirito stopping sexual violence like this isn't a bad thing, the issue is that these moments be non simply to be dark for the sake of darkness just to embolden Kirito'due south character by making nearly other men (outside of Klien, Agil, and Eugeo) around him creepy perverts. Basically, these moments are framed every bit an outdated male empowerment trope for Kirito and that is problematic in itself.

Sachi's Death, SAO

At the beginning of the Aincrad arc, Kirito would mostly prefer to do things solitary, keeping his level and status as a beta-tester hidden from the people effectually him, given the stigma towards them. In actuality, though, it'due south these anti-social tendencies of his that terminate upward getting fifty-fifty more than people killed.

Given how poorly divers the beta-tester hate is, there'due south really no reason why he couldn't share what he knew nigh the game with others to assist them, yet he kept this and his high-level secret from everyone which ends upwards getting multiple people killed by Illfang and ends upward being half the reason the Moonlit Black Cats get killed.

half dozen The Abiding "Soapbox" Speeches Got Quondam

Kirito smiling SAO

It seems that non only must Kirito e'er win, but he must ever be correct as well. Throughout the course of the series, Kirito makes quite a number of speeches/monologues on certain themes and subjects, most notably the "real world versus the virtual world" argument, which concluded upwardly getting kind of old pretty fast.

The intent was probably to make the character seem aware by his experiences but terminate up coming off equally shallow attempts to make Kirito seem philosophical. These topics have layers and are open up to multiple perspectives, merely the fashion Kirito presents the argument and the way the anime follows up on information technology seems merely in service to make him look correct.

five Nobody is Allowed to Progress Without Kirito

Kirito and Eugeo, Sword Art Online

Being the central protagonist of the whole serial, of course, characters around Kirito are going to be influenced by him or his deportment. The problem seems to be that their evolution is almost ever tethered to Kirito at all times. Rarely, if ever, is anyone inSAO'due southsupporting bandage allowed to progress on their own terms without Kirito shaping it in some manner.

Pretty much all of Kirito's friends are similar this, from Asuna, Lisbeth, Leafa, Sinon, fifty-fifty Eugeo and Alice develop considering of his word or his actions. It's okay to take a protagonist result or inspire the people around him, only forSAO, it's as though everyone is helpless to do anything or be anything without Kirito.

iv A Lack of Any Kind of Personality

Kirito sad from Sword Art Online

The mark of a good protagonist can sometimes exist the way in which their personality comes off to the viewer, whether that makes them relatable, charming, or just likable. The effect many take had with Kirito in this regard is that he actually doesn't have much in the manner of personality, with very niggling that actually motivates him, or fifty-fifty flaws.

Outside of being a gamer and a tech nerd, Kirito doesn't have any notable personality traits and comes off as a generic kind/heroic protagonist blazon. Apparently, some of the lite novels gave him more than of a socially awkward side, however, the anime pretty much ignores that, leaving Kirito as kind of bland at best.

3 He Basically Gets No Character Development

Kirito Crying Sword Art Online

Information technology seems that a lot ofSAO'due southcharacters are only allowed to develop upwards to a certain point and then mostly become stagnant, and sadly Kirito is a prime example of that. The virtually development Kirito gets is in the Aincrad arc, where he goes from keeping people at a altitude to learning to rely on others once again, and some slight trauma from the death game. And that'south most information technology.

For the residuum of the series, Kirito remains pretty much the same equally a character, non really changing or growing in any meaningful way. The events of the serial from Aincrad onward are merely things that sort of happen to him but don't have an affect on his character as a whole.

two He Slowly But Surely Became a Harem Protagonist

Kirito and his Friends/Harem, Sword Art Online

Kirito has surprisingly skillful luck when it comes to attracting the attention of the ladies, whether he intends to do that or not. Despite being in a strong human relationship with Asuna, Kirito has grown a large following of admirers who will follow him to the very ends of the World. Substantially he became a harem anime protagonist.

While some harem anime can accept decent male leads, Kirito came off as ane of the bottom examples, where girls flock to him and he doesn't seem to notice the intensity of their amore for him. It also makes these characters seem cheap as their globe practically revolves around Kirito. This even extends to his own sibling, which is gross for a number of reasons.

1 Becoming Overpowered, Good at Everything, & Practically Untouchable

Kirito God Mode, SAO Alicization: War of Underworld

To address the giant digitized elephant in the room, Kirito's most infamous trait is how overpowered he is. From the start, Kirito was a step above the rest, able to take on anyone without getting barely a scratch on him and as the series went on, he would get even more ridiculously broken abilities.

There was just no tension effectually him since Kirito was practically untouchable. As a result, many viewers saw Kirito equally a wearisome protagonist to follow because he was expert at everything and never really had to struggle much to achieve what he wanted, labeling him equally a "Mary Sue" grapheme.

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