| TV Anime (25 Eps) |
A-1 Pictures |
Tokyo MX |
Sci Fi |
Adventure |
Fantasy |
| Summer 2012 |
Sword Art Online
In 2022, a new Virtual Reality Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Game called Sword Art Online is released. Only 10,000 copies were initially released for those lucky enough to get them. While looking around in the world once again, Kirito meets another player named Klein and decides to show him the ropes since he was in the beta test version. After they adventure for a bit, they are in for a frightening discovery - they can't log out! Suddenly, all of the players are transported to town where SAO's creator tells them of their fate. If their VR helmets are removed or if their HP reaches zero, they will not only die in the game, but in real life as well. With one simple goal in order to leave the game, they must defeat the boss at the 100th level of the tower - and survive!
OP: Crossing Field by LiSA |
ED: Yume Sekai by Haruka Tomatsu |
OP 2: Innocence by Eir Aoi |
ED 2: Overfly by Luna Haruna |
Availability: English Dub by Bang Zoom! Entertainment
| 1. |
World of Swords |
2012.07.08 |
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| 2. |
Beater |
2012.07.15 |
| One month later, 2000 people have died since the creator of SAO's declaration and no one has yet managed to clear the first floor. Led by a player named Diabel, a meeting of the game's most experienced players seeks to defeat the first floor boss and show the new players it is possible to proceed. There, Kirito meets Asuna, another solo player that also didn't know anyone at the meeting so they group up. Things are different than in the beta version though and the boss has a surprise attack in store for everyone. |
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| 3. |
Red-Nosed Reindeer |
2012.07.22 |
| Kirito helps some members of a guild called Black Cats of the Night and at their guild leader's request, ends up joining them. The
front-liners are already up to the 28th floor but
after a month of working together, the guild really starts to grow in experience and confidence. However, this overconfidence leads to disaster and the group pulls off more than they can chew. Half a year later, it's rumored that a unique boss, Nicholas the Renegade, may drop an item that can revive a player. He seems to spawn under a fir tree on the 35th floor and Kirito aims to take him down solo. Klein's guild follows him in secret but are also followed themselves by the Divine Dragons, an elite guild that will do almost anything to get their hands on rare items. |
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| 4. |
The Black Swordsman |
2012.07.29 |
| Silica and her pet Pina decide to go solo after dealing with an unfair group. She narrowly survives the underestimated enemies when Kirito shows up and saves her but Pina doesn't make it.
The Hill of Memories on the 47th floor holds a flower that can be used to revive a fallen pet but Silica is too low level to make it on her own. Kirito says he will help her get there as he can still accomplish what he came to do. |
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| 5. |
A Murder Case in the Area |
2012.08.05 |
| Asuna of the Knight of Blood, has become a ruthless front-liner in one of the top guilds.
A new technique called sleep PKing can be used to kill players even in safe areas.
When previous members of the guild Golden Apple begin to be killed, Kirito and Asuna join up once again to find out what's going on. |
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| 6. |
Phantom Avenger |
2012.08.12 |
| Everything is not as it seems and although Kirito is able to figure it out, the danger isn't over yet.
The PK guild Laughing Coffin shows up and it appears they are out for blood. |
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| 7. |
Warmth of Heart |
2012.08.19 |
| Kirito visits Lizbeth, a master macer, at her shop in order to have a new sword made.
After some unconventional item appraisal, it's decided a new sword will be made - the only problem is a master smith like Lizbeth must be along to gather the ingredients. Things don't go according to plan and the ice dragon sets its sights on an unprepared Lizbeth. |
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| 8. |
Black & White Sword Dance |
2012.08.26 |
| Kirito finds a rare item from a Ragout Rabbit but needs someone with a high cooking skill to prepare it - enter Asuna. Unfortunately, guild politics rears its ugly head and Kirito comes in conflict with Kuradeel, a senior member of the Knights of Blood, who describes him as nothing more than a 'Beater'.
While in a party at the front lines on the 74th floor labyrinth, the boss's room is discovered so the duo decides to just take a quick peek... |
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| 9. |
Blue-Eyed Demon |
2012.09.02 |
| Kirito and Asuna run into Klein's guild in the labyrinth but their reunion is cut short by some new arrivals.
The Liberation Front, an overly ambitious new guild that hasn't been on the front lines in quite some time shows up and intends to challenge the boss with their small numbers. Unable to use their teleport crystals to escape, their foolish attempt prompts Kirito to intervene and reveal a skill he has kept hidden for the last half year. |
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| 10. |
Crimson Killing Intent |
2012.09.09 |
| Kirito faces off against Heathcliff, the commander of the Knights of Blood in a public duel. Like Kirito, the commander has a powerful unique skill of his own that will make the duel anything but predictable. Kirito reveals he has been in a guild before to Asuna but there is one more conflict from the past that will resurface. |
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| 11. |
Morning Dew Girl |
2012.09.16 |
| Kirito and Asuna move in to their new home on the 22nd floor. While out for a walk,
Kirito's shenanigans lead them to finding a young girl in the woods.
She eventually wakes up and though she is able to give her name, she doesn't know much else.
Kirito and Asuna head to the Town of Beginnings to search for her parents but end up finding members of the Liberation Front up to no good. |
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| 12. |
Yui's Heart |
2012.09.23 |
| Kirito and Asuna visit Sasha's orphanage to see if they can find anyone who knows Yui.
While visiting, Yulier of the Liberation front seeks them out - but not for vengeance.
It seems there has been a rift within the Liberation Front that has transformed it recently into an overly ambitious guild that has turned on many of its founding values.
The guild leader, Thinker, has been betrayed by another member and left to die in a high level dungeon. Deciding to lend their aid, Kirito and Asuna lead the group to the Black Iron Castle to rescue Thinker. |
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| 13. |
The Depths of Hell |
2012.09.30 |
| While out fishing, Kirito meets Nishida, a master fisherman. Nishida mentions a beast of the lake and decides to finally try and catch it with Kirito's help. Soon after,
Heathcliff sends a message calling Kirito and Asuna back to the front lines.
He explains that while scouting out a boss, a recon team was wiped out when they were trapped in the boss's room.
Though Heathcliff is putting together a coalition of the strongest fighters he can muster to take the boss on, will it be enough to handle the terrifying Skull Reaper? |
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| 14. |
End of the World |
2012.10.07 |
| In a surprise turn of events, Kirito's intuition reveals a secret Heathcliff has kept well hidden. |
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| 15. |
Return |
2012.10.14 |
| It has been two months since the End of the World and Kirito is still struggling to adapt to his everyday life once again. |
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| 16. |
Land of Fairies |
2012.10.21 |
| Kirito visits Agil, who runs a dive bar in the city and may have information on Asuna, and a new Virtual MMORPG - Alfheim Online. The players are divided into 9 races and each compete to reach the castle first, atop a great tree Yggdrasil, where the picture of Asuna was taken. After logging in, Kirito is in for a few surprises with his stats - and to his relief, a logout button. The game strangely starts him away from his home starting area and puts him right in the middle Sylph territory. When Kirito stumbles upon a group of players engaged in a fight, he shows them what an expert from SAO can do, despite appearing (and landing) like a newbie. |
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| 17. |
The Captive Queen |
2012.10.28 |
| Kirito travels with the Sylph, Leafa, into the heart of the Sylph hometown. As she shows him around, Kirito learns that the main quest of the game is to reach the floating city atop Yggdrasil and hold an audience with Oberon, King of the Fairies. The game is a year old and no race has managed to accomplish this yet. |
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| 18. |
To Yggdrasil |
2012.11.04 |
| Kirito and Leafa leave the Sylph city of Swilvane to travel to Alne, a town at the base of Yggdrasil. |
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| 19. |
Lugloo Corridor |
2012.11.11 |
| In the Lugloo Corridor, Kirito and Leafa are pursued by a team of mages sent to hunt them down. After a fierce battle near the undergound village Lugloo, Kirito and Leafa manage to take one of the Salamanders alive who spills the beans. Jitax, the leader of the mage unit, was ordered by Salamander leadership to hunt them down. Trouble extends beyond Kirito and Leafa being hunted - Recon has been spying on Sigurd, a Sylph officer, and uncovers a sinister plot which puts the secret signing ceremony between the Sylph and Cait Sith in grave danger. |
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| 20. |
The Blazing General |
2012.11.18 |
| With the Salamanders clising in quickly on the ceremony, Kirito and Leafa arrive just in time. Kirito bluffs the attacking Salamander force that the Sprigans are allied with the Undine - and attacking the ceremony will cause all 4 races to unite to destroy the Salamanders. General Eugene, younger brother of Mortimer the Salamader leader, doesn't quite believe him and challenges him to a duel to verify his claim. |
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| 21. |
The Truth of Alfheim |
2012.11.25 |
| Kirito and Leafa finally arrive in the central town at the base of Yggdrasil. Asuna also has her own adventure as she leaves her gilded cage for the first time. |
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| 22. |
Grand Quest |
2012.12.02 |
| Getting a signal saying Asuna is above, Kirito recklessly charges ahead against the Gate Guardians. They have beaten back every large army that has tried to get through so far and Kirito learns the hard way it takes more than just spirit to overcome the game's confines. When Leafa returns Kirito to the gate, she learns the reason he needs to get to the top of Yggdrassil. |
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| 23. |
Bonds |
2012.12.09 |
| In another immediate attempt, Kirito and Leafa along with Recon take on the tower but against such rapidly spawning gardians, it seems hopeless. |
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| 24. |
Gilded Hero |
2012.12.16 |
| Kirito and Yui reach the top of the World Tree and confront Oberon. |
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| 25. |
The World Seed |
2012.12.23 |
| Kirito and the other SAO survivors get back to their daily lives once again and are able to catch up at an offline reunion at Agil's bar. It is revealed the seed Kayaba gave Kirito is capable of running a full drive VMMORPG developed by Kayaba himself. Despite all their hatred of Kayaba, his final gift allowed players around the world to hold onto their favorite VMMORPGs and create their own worlds, keeping the virtual MMORPG alive in the hands of the players. |
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| SP |
Sword Art Online: Extra Edition |
2013.12.31 |
Related Media
Sword Art Online II (2014 Anime)
Sword Art Online: Alicization (2018 Anime)
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online (2018 Anime)
Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (2017 Anime Film)
Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night (2021 Anime Film)
Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night (2022 Anime Film)
Sword Art Online (2002 Web Novel)
Sword Art Online (2009 Light Novel)
Sword Art Online: Progressive (2012 Light Novel)
Sword Art Online Alternative Clover's Regret (2016 Light Novel)
