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Overall phenomenal. They got almost everything right that all the other anime about MMOs up until now missed.

When you play an MMO you are taking part in a fantasy world that isn't real, but the people you interact with in that world are. In playing a lot of MMOs I've been amazed at how a lot of players mistreat those around them, and do things they wouldn't dare were they not practically immune to any recourse. MMOs often do not bring out the best in people, and SAO did a great job of touching on some of those issues. ...

I could go on at length about what I loved about this anime and what I might have done differently. However, the purpose of this review is to hopefully encourage anyone who reads it to check out Sword Art Online.

Let me preface this by saying: This is as abbreviated as I could stand to make my review.

Do you ever find yourself putting on anime or a movie to go to sleep to? It's something I regularly do. I call it the "pass out flick." Well, every time I've put on this series as a pass out flick I've gotten sucked in again, and wound up watching at least half of it before getting to sleep. That is the only way this series is a fail; as a pass out flick! I just re watched ... Stein's Gate for the I don't know how many'th time (something I find myself doing with a VERY select few anime.) After glancing at my profile, it was a surprise to realize I hadn't written a review about it. Maybe it shouldn't be that surprising since I don't write many reviews.
The first few episodes are a little ... well ... slow. In fact I almost didn't watch the series after the first episode or two. WHATEVER YOU DO, don't give up. Stein's Gate develops into an anime worthy of the title masterpiece. As a work of science fiction it is brilliant. Incorporating just enough real world fact (or more often theory) to lend the fantasy credibility, and at the same time circumnavigating the stickier issues with such simple explanations that you just naturally accept the path the story takes. ... ... ...
Additionally, Stein's Gate is so much more than just a great work of science fiction. It's also a masterpiece of drama. Even after re-watching the series so many times there are still scenes that get me teary eyed (again something VERY rare for me in entertainment of any genre not just anime.) Last and certainly not least. The series possesses something all to rare in good anime most particularly anime that is good drama; a happy ending.

I'm sure at least a select few will enjoy this anime as much as I have.

Great animation. Great character design. I liked the voice actors they went with (at least in the 日本語　version, which is all I watch when I have a choice). A lot of the "classical" music in the episodes reminds me of Debussy (probably my favorite composer). I also really liked the ending theme. All in all Yumekui Merry was a very enjoyable production. I'd love to see a sequel; which means, there probably won't be one. Why is it the best anime rarely get a sequel? Anyway, I highly recommend Yumekui Merry!