Board Thread:Editor Board/@comment-124.244.140.2-20131005120439/@comment-1173941-20140312003809

Many of the changes between them were merely preferencial, I think. Things the author wanted to change, because they gave an impression of a character, he didn't want to give (like how in the Web Novel, Kirito's relationship was seemingly more intimate with Sachi, according to the first volume, but then later he changed it, in the Red-nosed Raindeer story. This change was long before the adaption into a light novel.) The scene with Asuna may have been an example of this. I don't think it was removed for being too harsh. I think he changed it, because he wanted to change her character.

Also, what are you talking about? They never said they had sex or not, in neither version, but in all 3 versions of the stories it's heavily hinted/implied. Where did they deny it? (Or do you mean when Asuna tried to deny it to the other girls, even though the two shared a bed, when she was clearly naked?)

Of course, I don't disagree that some of the changes may have been changed, due to the audience. I think the biggest instance of this, is the rape of Ronye and Tiese. I don't know the details of how it was described in the web-novel, but regardless, the entire rape was removed, likely to tone the story down a bit.