Sword Art Onlinewas not the first Isekai anime, but it was certainly the one that helped forcefully pushed that genre into its current height of popularity. It spawns so many other stories to the point there are new isekai anime every season nowadays.
Sword Art Online itself is still going strong to this day. Three seasons and two movies later, the lone swordsman Kirito still has some stories left to tell. But in such a vast saga with so many iconic characters, is Kirito really the one that deserves to take the role of the main character? Is Kirito even a good protagonist? To answer that question, it's important to talk about the criteria for a good protagonist first. Broadly speaking, there are several aspects that a good protagonist has to have in any given story; motivation, significance, relatability, and development.
Motivation
A good protagonist should have deep and important reasons behind their actions and decisions. Obstacles to overcome, goals to achieve, or even people to protect. These are the things that force them to move forward and confront whatever it is that stands in their way.
For Kirito, his biggest motivation was to survive. That is especially true during the Aincrad storyline in the first season. He tried his best to get back to the real world and the failure to do so would cost him his life. Along the journey, he found people that he genuinely cared about and that added another layer to his motivation to beat the game. So when it comes to motivation, Kirito has plenty to go around.
Significance
A story can be told through the eyes of every character in any given story. The one thing that makes the main protagonist stand out from the rest is their significance to the story itself. Unlike any other character, a good protagonist is an irreplaceable part of the story.
That description is true for Kirito. There are tons of strong characters in Sword Art Online, but none of them has the same impact on the story as he does. He’s not only one of the stronger players in the game, but he also has the charisma and leadership ability that little to no other characters have in SAO. He is one of a kind character and there's no one else that could fill his shoes.
Relatability
No matter how powerful or significant the main character is to the story, it won't mean a thing if the audiences can't relate to them. A good protagonist has flaws, mistakes, and regrets that he needs to work on. Those are the qualities that would enable the audiences to understand and connect to him and therefore root for his success.
During his battle, Kirito showcases his overwhelming strength and ability that makes him stand out from his peers. But in between those battles, the audiences get to see him as a person. His deep regrets of not being able to save his comrades, his worries and insecurities, and his care and affection to those around him. The fast-paced action sequences might make viewers admire him, but it is the slow-paced everyday scenes that make them root for Kirito.
Development
Every good story requires some level of character developments. Through all of their trials and hardships, the characters need to grow by the end of the story. It might just be a simple change in perspective or something drastic that turns them into a completely different person than who they were at the beginning of the story. These criteria are especially crucial when it comes to the protagonist.
Kirito started his Sword Art Online's journey as a lone wolf who prefers a solo adventure over working together with other people. As the story goes, he experienced countless setbacks and met all kinds of people, including those that he would come to cherish with all his heart. Those are the things that finally allow him to clear the game. Had he stayed the same way as he was before, he'd have lost his life a long time ago.
Is Kirito a Good Protagonist?
So, is Kirito a good protagonist or not? The aforementioned criteria certainly point to the fact that yes, Kirito is indeed a good protagonist for the story. Sword Art Online won't be the same anime without the enigmatic swordsman clad in black as the main character.
However, there's a big caveat to that statement. Kirito falls victim to the same thing that brings about the downfall of so many other great protagonists. He overstays his welcome. He is undoubtedly the best protagonist for the first season of Sword Art Online. His motivation is rock solid, he is an irreplaceable element to the story, the viewers can definitely relate to him, and his growth throughout the series is second to none.
Unfortunately, that is simply not the case in the subsequent seasons of Sword Art Online. After escaping from Aincrad in the first half of the first season, all he does is simply repeat the same thing over and over again.
Kirito would hop onto a new game, get good at it, defeat the bosses, achieve the goal, and then move on to the next game. There's a new motivation in every new game that he tries, but there is practically no character development whatsoever after the first season.
So once again, is Kirito a good protagonist? Yes, he was. At least until his story becomes rather repetitive to the point that he becomes the shadow of his former shelf. That being said, there's a new movie out right now called the Sword Art Online Progressive. It tells the story of Asuna and Kirito during their early days in Aincrad, especially during the first couple of levels. Here the fans will be able to once again see both characters in all of their glory. The time when Kirito is truly the perfect protagonist for Sword Art Online.