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After being turned off to Log Horizon by some of the "moe" aspects in the first few episodes and the striking resemblance to other anime titles like .Hack and Sword Art Online, I listened to a good friend who told me to stick it out until at least episode 7.  So I did.  And it was worth it.

Log Horizon has its moments of nice animation, solid character development, and gripping plot.  But it struggles to find its pacing.  Shifting back and forth between the more sinister plots, the subplots, and all the gimmicks that make Log Horizon so interesting, it leaves the viewer wanting more.  A lot more.  

I've heard this show compared to Sword Art Online a lot.  And understandably so.  But there's a lot more to Log Horizon than meets the eye.  Unlike Sword Art, this anime feels like an MMO.  From the commraderie to game mechanics to economics, nothing isn't addressed in this anime.  It's really impressive, actually.

The political and economic webs that are woven early in the series continue building until the end of the season with a clear segway into a second season.

My biggest complaint is that there are so many characters that they're trying to develop at the same time that I feel like my favorite characters aren't given much screen time.  Akatsuki, who appeared to be the lead female, is given so little development in the first season and that was very disappointing.  She is supposedly an amazing fighter, but we rarely see her do anything at all. Instead, we get fan service of her wearing cute clothing.  While that's fun and all, I wanted a lot more from her story in the first season.  I'm hoping that's something that will be addressed in season 2.  

Rudy, however, was very well developed.  I came to love his story and the subplots of his backstory that gradually melded with the main plot of the story.  His and Izumi's stories felt as if they were lovingly and carefully crafted.  I'm looking forward to a lot more of them in season 2 as well.

Another plus to the series is that it isn't afraid to make fun of itself.  Shiroe, the main character, constantly adjusts his glasses.  Around episode 8, I remember thinking that it was getting excessive to the point of being obnoxious.  It was addressed almost immediately with other characters in the show teasing him about his glasses obsession.  I really enjoyed that aspect of Log Horizon.

All things considered (especially the pending second season), Log Horizon is a solid watch.   While Sword Art had a substantially better initial ending, Log Horizon offers a lot more to the MMO Anime genre. Just prepare yourself for the cliff hanger.