Sword Art Online was originally a web novel series that was self-published online, starting in 2002, by Reki Kawahara, who published them using his pseudonym, Fumio Kunori. In April 2009, after winning a writing competition for Accel World, Reki worked with Dengeki Bunko to publish the first Sword Art Online light novels.
Premise
Sword Art Online follows the journey of Kazuto Kirigaya (known in-game as Kirito), through various games, beginning with his fight for survival within Sword Art Online, a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) that traps users within the game, and kills them in real life if they die within the game. After beating the game, thus freeing all if its users, Kazuto discovers that his in-game love interest, Asuna Yuuki, did not awake upon the completion of Sword Art Online. Determined to wake Asuna from her coma, he begins searching for clues within ALfheim Online, a new VRMMORPG that was created using the servers and data from Sword Art Online.
Reception
Sword Art Online has seen massive success, charting as one of the highest selling light novels of all time with over 22 million volumes sold globally. The series has received praise for various aspects, such as its portrayal of the psychological effects of virtual reality. The anime series was just as popular, seeing constant success since its beginning in 2012.
Light Novel
Main Article
Sword Art Online was originally a web novel series that was self-published online, starting in 2002, by Reki Kawahara, who published them using his pseudonym, Fumio Kunori. In April 2009, after winning a writing competition for Accel World, Reki worked with Dengeki Bunko to publish the first Sword Art Online light novels. These novels include illustrations by abec. The light novel begun what is believed to be its final arc, Unital Ring, in December 2018.
Reki Kawahara has also released a separate series of light novels in the Sword Art Online world titled Sword Art Online: Progressive. These stories cover the Aincrad arc with greater detail compared to the original light novel. Both the Sword Art Online and Sword Art Online: Progressive light novels have been licensed for publication outside of Japan by Yen Press.
Apart from the main series, there are also spin-off series set in the world of Sword Art Online that are written by other authors, such as Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, which is written by Keiichi Sigawa and illustrated by Kouhaku Kuroboshi. This spin-off series recieved an anime adaptation in April 2018.
Manga
Main Article
The Sword Art Online series has been adapted into manga format and has been serialised in various manga magazines published by ASCII Media Works. All volumes of the manga are written by Reki Kawahara, but the illustrators vary. Multiple Spin-off manga have been released, such as Sword Art Online: Girls Ops, which features Lisbeth, Silica and Leafa, rather than the usual Kirito and Asuna.
Title |
Illustrator |
Magazine |
Sword Art Online: Aincrad |
Tamako Nakamura |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online 4-koma |
Jūsei Minami |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online: Fairy Dance |
Hazuki Tsubasa |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online: Girls Ops |
Neko Nekobyō |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online: Progressive |
Kiseki Himura |
Dengeki G’s Magazine/Dengeki G’s Comic |
Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet |
Kōtarō Yamada |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online: Calibur |
Shii Kiya |
Dengeki G’s Comic |
Sword Art Online: Mother’s Rosario |
Hazuki Tsubasa |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online |
Tadadi Tamori |
Dengeki Maoh |
Sword Art Online: Alicization |
Kōtarō Yamada |
Dengeki Bunko Magazine |
Anime
Main Article
The Sword Art Online animated series is animated by A-1 Pictures, produced by Aniplex and Genco, and is directed by Tomohiko Ito. The first season aired in Japan in 2012, running from July 7 through to December 22. Season one aired in English starting in July 2013. The series is currently in its third season, with the final episodes of the season being slated to air in the 2020 Spring anime season.
Table of Contents
This article details the particularities of Underworld. For the background and behind-the-scenes details, please refer to Project Alicization 1/4.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This article details the particularities of Underworld. For the background and behind-the-scenes details, please refer to Project Alicization 1/4.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This article details the particularities of Underworld. For the background and behind-the-scenes details, please refer to Project Alicization 1/4.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The Sword Art Online animated series is animated by A-1 Pictures, produced by Aniplex and Genco, and is directed by Tomohiko Ito. The first season aired in Japan in 2012, running from July 7 through to December 22. Season one aired in English starting in July 2013. The series is ...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This is page 1/2 of Sword Art Online Video Games.
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The Sword Art Online series has been adapted into manga format and has been serialised in various manga magazines published by ASCII Media Works. All volumes of the manga are written by Reki Kawahara, but the illustrators vary.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The anime score consists of over 50 soundtrack, remixes, and single releases starting 2012, and more coming as for February, 2020 as the anime sequels and games keep expanding the already-vast SAOverse. The discs are sold separately as well as bundled with the Blurays.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Sword Art Online was originally a web novel series that was self-published online, starting in 2002, by Reki Kawahara, who published them using his pseudonym, Fumio Kunori. In April 2009, after winning a writing competition for Accel World, Reki worked with Dengeki Bunko to publi...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
| | || --- | --- || Director | Tomohiko Itō || Screenplay | Reki KawaharaTomohiko Itō || Music | Yuki Kajiura || Editor | Shigeru Nishiyama || Production | A-1 Pictures || Distributor | Aniplex |
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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(c) Crypton Future Media, INC.
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ALfheim Online (アルヴヘイム・オンライン aruvuheimu onrain) is a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Game (VRMMORPG) in the Sword Art Online series released a year after SAO had been beaten. Compatible with all FullDive systems, and allowed transferring player character...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Gun Gale Online (Japanese name, ガンゲイル・オンライン), is a VR MMORPG developed and operated by US developer, Zaskar. Emphasising gunplay for its combat system, it is known for the incredibly fierce Player vs. Player tournament, Bullet of Bullets (BoB).
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
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This is an article about the VRMMORPG by the same name as the entire series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This is an article about the VRMMORPG by the same name as the entire series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This is an article about the VRMMORPG by the same name as the entire series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This is an article about the VRMMORPG by the same name as the entire series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (松岡吉継) is a Japanese voice actor, known for his role as Kirito in the Sword Art Online anime and game series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Kawahara Reki (川原礫) (male), also known as Kunori Fumio (九里 史生), is a Japanese novelist who was born in August 17, 1974, and is the primary author and supervisor of the Sword Art Online franchise and more. His official website states: "WordGear: an experimental world generate...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Haruka Tomatsu (戸松遥) is a Japanese voice actor, actress and singer, known for her role as Asuna Yuuki in the Sword Art Online anime.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Kayano Ai (茅野 愛衣) (female, born in September 13, 1987, blood type O, 153 cm (5 ft) tall) is a Japanese voice actress born in Tokyo.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Shimazaki Nobunaga is a Japanese voice actor born in Miyagi.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The Anti-Criminal Code Effect Area (アンチクリミナルコード有効圏内 anchikuriminaru kōdo yūkō ken'nai) is any zone of player safety in the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online. Most of the settlements in SAO have this. More literally translated as "within the area of effect of the Anti-criminal Co...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The Cardinal System (カーディナル・システム), or simply Cardinal is the game engine of nearly all VRMMORPG games in the Sword Art Online series. (A game engine manages all resources, processes, and events of the game, and can be simply defined as the works of a game's world.) Kayaba Aki...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Divine Objects (ディヴァイン・オブジェクト divain obujekuto or 神器 jinki) are high-Priority items in Underworld that are usually made using a Sacred Arts ritual by converting any object with a large amount of resources (memories). The Divine-Object weapons of Priority-class are ranked higher t...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
Duels (デュエル dyueru) are a functionality that allows two players to check their damage dealing rate (DPS) or settle a heavy score, optionally disabling the safe area effect by mutual agreement when both players accept the prompt, at the same time not changing the player's stat...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The Flight System is a new mechanic implemented for ALfheim Online since the game story is about the Celtic style elves, Seidhe, and allows the players to travel and fight while airborne. The system makes use of the colorful wings on every player's back that can appear or dis...
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
A FullDive (フルダイブ, furudaibu) is the technology that immerses the player's senses into a virtual reality. It serves as the technological groundwork for most of the stories in the entire Sword Art Online series.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
This is page 1/2 of Sword Art Online Magic.
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Quests are the main type of events featured within many VR MMORPGs, including Sword Art Online 1/4 and ALfheim Online. Often these quests are given to the player by interacting with a bulletin board, or a Non Player Character (NPC).
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020
The relationship system is a functionality introduced in Sword Art Online and continued in ALfheim Online that implements the in-game mechanics to manage and complement the social contracts between players with extra interactions becoming possible.
Last updated at, 16 Apr 2020