![Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”: Unorthodox Tactics [Review]](https://thathashtagshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/sword-art-review-1280x640.png)
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” shows how a good defensive position combined with some well-programmed bot players can make orthodox tactics useless. Of course, our main characters aren’t entirely without options here. When orthodox tactics fail, then it’s time to turn to the unorthodox ones to save the day.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”: Details
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” is the 11th episode (you can read my reviews of Ep. 1, Ep. 2, Ep. 3, Ep. 4, Ep. 5, Ep. 6, Ep. 7, Ep. 8, Ep. 9, and Ep. 10 here) of the second season of this science fiction, adventure, comedy-drama, and gun-filled anime. Said anime is the anime adaptation of the Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online light novels and manga by Keiichi Sigsawa (Kino’s Journey, Tale of a Single Continent).
Originally, 3Hz (Dimension W, Princess Principal, The Devil Is a Part-Timer!!) was the animation studio behind the first season. However, for this second season, the animation studio is instead A-1 Pictures (Black Butler, Sword Art Online, Solo Leveling).
Production Cast
Shigehisa Iida and Aya Mikami are the directors behind Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”, with Iida also being the storyboarder. As for Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II as a whole, we do still know that Masayuki Sakoi remains the director behind the anime, with Yōsuke Kuroda as the writer, and Yoshio Kosakai as the character designer. Starving Trancer (aka. Yusuke Seo) is the one who composed the music you hear in this second season.
Speaking of which: the opening theme song for Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II is “GG” by ReoNa. However, the anime now features “Overclock” by Tomori Kusunoki as the second ending theme song after “Little Dancer” by The Jazzin’ Park.
Voice Cast
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” features the voices of Tomori Kusunoki (Reba Buhr in English dub) as LLENN / Karen Kohiruimaki, Yoko Hikasa / ReoNa (singing) (Allegra Clark in English dub) as Pitohui / Elsa Kanzaki, Chinatsu Akasaki (Faye Mata in English dub) as Fukaziroh / Miyu Shinohara, and Kazuyuki Okitsu (Ray Chase in English dub) as M / Gōshi Asōgi.
When and Where to Watch
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” made its airing and streaming (read: simulcast) debut on December 13, 2024. You can watch this episode only on Crunchyroll. In fact, you can only watch this season only on Crunchyroll due to this second season of the anime being an exclusive there. However, you can watch the first season not only on Crunchyroll, but also on Hulu or Prime Video.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”: Synopsis
Alas, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II is no longer an ongoing anime as of this writing. However, Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” only just premiered 10 days ago as of this writing. Thus, I will present to you Crunchyroll’s official synopsis for this episode instead of a spoiler-filled plot summary. You can read that synopsis below:
NPCs barricade themselves in a castle and easily wipe out MMTM and SHINC with power beyond anybody’s imagination. ZEMAL subsequently tries to enter the castle with a sign that says, “We’re not your enemy; let us into the castle!” They fail as Pitohui sabotages them. LPFM’s drone, considered the jewel in their operations, gets shot down by NPC attacks. Pitohui suggests everyone from the other teams cooperate in a coordinated attack. They attack the castle with T-S, ZEMAL, MMTM, and SHINC!
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”: The Good
Not so surprisingly, it’s the story of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack” that’s the best thing about it. Mostly because of how intertwined it is with the action. Seriously, the action scenes in this episode wouldn’t nearly be as good without the plot twisting story. It’s not just the players’ responses to just how good the bots are, although even that all by itself is a treat to watch.
No, it’s also the bots themselves. If you’re familiar with the Sword Art Online setting, then you might be aware that self-aware and fully sapient AIs are a thing in-universe. These bots seem far too intelligent and flexible in thought to be mere thoughts. Now, it could just be that the devs anticipated a lot of things in advance, but there’s just some bits of the bots’ dialogue that doesn’t make sense if they are merely bots. Clearly, Keiichi Sigsawa is digging into Sword Art Online lore for this plotline…perhaps.
Of course, that story wouldn’t nearly be as good without the efforts of A-1 Pictures. Their animators continue to produce a very good-looking anime even up to this second-to-last episode. And as you can see in the screenshots: the animators paid very close attention to the gun details. Muzzle blast and all.
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II Ep. 11 “Pitohui’s Attack”: The Bad
My one and only complaint has to do with the assumption that these bots are actually fully sapient AIs. If that’s the case, then why does a mere video game company have them and is using them like this? Are they trying to develop them to sell the AIs to the JSDF? I’m pretty sure they’d be violating numerous Japanese laws if they tried to sell something like this overseas, so the JSDF is their only reasonable customer. And if the JSDF doesn’t take it, then they’ve just tossed a lot of money down a drain. I guess we’ll just have to see in the next episode if that’s the case.
Outside of that one issue: fans of hardcore action might find the action here slightly lacking. After all, all the blood and gore here is completely censored out due to it taking place within an age-rated video game. If you want a bit more blood and gore than this, then might I suggest watching Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Solo Leveling, Kaiju No. 8, DDDD, and/or DAN DA DAN? Those anime should have more than enough blood and gore to satisfy any action junkie.
Tune back in to THS to find out more about Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II and other anime when we do.
