Asuna Yuuki (Fairy Dance Arc)

Asuna Yuuki is the deuteragonist of the Sword Art Online light novel/manga/anime franchise. She is Kazuto Kirigaya/Kirito's girlfriend/wife, the former vice-commander of the "Knights of the Blood" guild in Sword Art Online, and the daughter of the former CEO of RECTO Progress Inc. who decided to retire shortly after she was freed from the virtual world.

While she is a good example of a strong female character, she was, unfortunately flanderized during the Fairy Dance Arc, where she became a damsel in distress, but she still retained her personality.

She is voiced by Haruka Tomatsu in the original Japanese version and Cherami Leigh in the English dub, who also voiced Lucy Heartfilia in Fairy Tail, Natsumi Hinata in Sgt. Frog, Ilia Amitola in RWBY, and Elizabeth Midford in Black Butler.

Bad Qualities
'''Note: This only applies to her character as depicted in the Fairy Dance Arc, as she was flanderized. Her other appearances are fine.
 * 1) As mentioned above, Asuna suffered from massive downgrade in the arc as she received a damsel in distress role, yes, a strong independent female character given the role of a damsel in distress, as if we have never seen that before.
 * 2) *Likewise, this problem stems from Sugou Noboyuki, her ex-fiancée and the chief of the research institute of RECT Inc., RECT Progress,(Better known by the fairy king, Oberon in ALO) capturing and rerouting 300 SAO players to ALO, with her being among the players.
 * 3) It wasted her potential as she never actually got to use her powers as an undine fairy, nor see her travel, fight alongside Kazuto/Kirito and her friends. The Aincrad Arc had her participate in SAO to escape the virtual world, even if it meant risking her life in game and in real life.
 * 4) Unlike the Aincrad Arc, she doesn't fight with her rapier, despite it being her signature weapon.
 * 5) She barely had any participation in ALO. She spent most of the arc locked in a birdcage in the World Tree. What doesn't help is that she is meant to be the series' deuteragonist! Suguha (better known by her in game name, Leafa) does her role as the deuteragonist in the arc.
 * 6) It seemed that she was finally going to at least reprise her role from the Aincrad Arc upon escaping captivity, that, unfortunately, doesn't last long. Upon attempting to log out of ALO after she finds a console to use to do so, Asuna ends up getting recaptured and taken back to the World Tree by Oberon.
 * 7) The scene where Oberon sexually assaults her by licking her face after she is chained by him is creepy and unsettling to watch, and will leave you grossed out.

Good Qualities

 * 1) Her personality is still the same from the previous arc. It's just that her role in the Fairy Dance arc was flanderized.
 * 2) She was a more proactive character outside of the Fairy Dance Arc.
 * 3) *Thankfully, she gets better starting in the Phantom Bullet Arc, while she does not have a plot significance whatsoever, like helping Kirito in GGO, all of her scenes are either milling about in ALO wondering what Kirito is doing, or having conversations with him in the real world, also she stays by his side during the battle with Death Gun. Sinon takes over the role as the deuteragonist in this arc.
 * 4) *She gets a major focus in the Calibur arc, where she joins Kirito and his party on a quest to find Excalibur.
 * 5) *She fully redeems herself In Mother's Rosario arc, where Asuna takes the role as the leading protagonist, allowing her character to shine, and developing her character more, while replacing Kirito as he takes a backseat throughout the arc. The story focus on her friendship with Yuuki and her relationship with her mother, while adding to her backstory.
 * 6) Unlike other poorly-written damsels in other works (eg. Don Bluth's version of Thumbelina, Princess Elise the Third, Willie Scott), she did not depend on Kirito to rescue her and does as good a job to try and defend herself, escape captivity, and did try to fight back against Oberon.
 * 7) *She successfully escaped her cell by entering the same passcode she saw Oberon entering on the keypad beside the door.
 * 8) *Though she did get recaptured, she was able to snag an administrator card before Oberon returns her to the world tree for the second time.
 * 9) Her design is still beautiful and attractive, especially on her ALfeim fairy outfit, though her other ALfeim outfit is more better, (the one where she has blue hair and clothing).
 * 10) Cherami Leigh and Tomatsu Haruka both still do a good job voicing her.