SAO still isn't thought out. At least it isn't lifeless, Asuna has emotions and goals, and it is pretty to look at.

The story ideas that are here clash with what is fun or potentially fun about the show. By fun I mean interesting misery, which is fun for evil people; So, fun. What a good show does is establish a premise and explore that by pushing the logic of it.

Every element is immediately demystified by Kirito who expositions at the reader until things aren't fun.

When Asuna and Kirito do leave the boss room and meet enemies that are way stronger than them, they do nothing to play it safe, nothing to preserve their lives and they are rescued.

There are all these rules and tips for surviving in the game but we don't see people doing stupid stuff get killed.

The more I think about this series the worse it is. There isn’t enough good. There isn’t enough interesting. There isn’t enough tension. The only thing going for this series is some meh fan service and nostalgia for a relationship that won’t come to any kind of completion until the 74th floor (I didn’t bother to fact check because it doesn’t matter).

I want to see this book is for babies but that is based off a thought that stuff for kids is dumb. More thought will be put into people justifying it than was put into what the story should be.