Virtual Realities and Psychological Trauma: A Comparative Analysis of Pitohui and Kirito

The psychological impact of virtual reality (VR) on individuals is a fascinating topic, particularly when examining characters like Kirito from Sword Art Online (SAO) and Pitohui from Alternative Gun Gale Online (AGGO). Both characters delve into the profundities of virtual environments, yet their journeys and outcomes reveal striking differences in how the same virtual reality can shape individuals in vastly different ways.

Kirito’s Situation

Background: Kirito is one of the players trapped in the original Sword Art Online (SAO) game, facing life-and-death situations in a virtual world. His experience is marked by trauma, survival, and the ongoing struggle to adapt to the harsh realities of being unable to escape.

Impact: Kirito’s eventual success in overcoming the challenges of SAO leads to significant personal growth, resilience, and a sense of purpose. However, his experiences leave deep psychological scars that shape his interactions and relationships in subsequent arcs, highlighting the enduring impact of such trauma.

Pitohui’s Situation

Background: In contrast, Pitohui engages with virtual games like Gun Gale Online (GGO) with a very different mindset. She revels in the thrill of virtual violence and has a fascination with death, stemming from her real-life experiences and mental state.

Potential Outcome: If Pitohui had been trapped in SAO, her fascination with death and violence might have led her to embrace the game’s deadly stakes in a way similar to Kirito’s initial survival instinct. However, given her personality, she might have become more nihilistic or reckless, potentially leading to a darker path.

Theoretical Outcomes

If Kirito had not played SAO: Had Kirito not been trapped in SAO, he would likely have continued a normal life without the profound experiences that shaped him. He might not have developed the skills or resilience that he did, possibly leading to a more mundane existence without the depth of character seen in his later arcs.

If Pitohui had played SAO: If Pitohui had been trapped in SAO, her enjoyment of the game’s violence could have escalated into a dangerous obsession. She might have thrived in the chaos but could have also faced a tragic downfall if she underestimated the game’s deadly consequences.

Conclusion

In essence, both characters illustrate how similarly immersive virtual realities can profoundly shape an individual’s psyche. Kirito’s journey is one of survival and growth, while Pitohui’s hypothetical experience in SAO could have highlighted her darker tendencies, potentially leading to a more tragic outcome.

Their narratives reflect the varying impacts of virtual realities on individuals based on their pre-existing psychological states and motivations, underscoring the complexity and depth of how such virtual environments can affect our mental and emotional well-being.

Keywords: virtual reality, psychological trauma, Sword Art Online