Sword Art Online

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: S.A.O, SAO
Japanese: ソードアート・オンライン
English: Sword Art Online
More titles

Information

Type: TV
Episodes: 25
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 8, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012
Premiered: Summer 2012
Broadcast: Sundays at 00:00 (JST)
Licensors: Aniplex of America
Studios: A-1 Pictures
Source: Light novel
Genres: ActionAction, AdventureAdventure, FantasyFantasy, RomanceRomance
Themes: Love PolygonLove Polygon, Video GameVideo Game
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 7.211 (scored by 21453602,145,360 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #32492
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #5
Members: 3,068,087
Favorites: 68,588

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7.21
Ranked #3249Popularity #5Members 3,068,087
Add to My List
Episodes: /25

Synopsis

Ever since the release of the innovative NerveGear, gamers from all around the globe have been given the opportunity to experience a completely immersive virtual reality. Sword Art Online (SAO), one of the most recent games on the console, offers a gateway into the wondrous world of Aincrad, a vivid, medieval landscape where users can do anything within the limits of imagination. With the release of this worldwide sensation, gaming has never felt more lifelike.

However, the idyllic fantasy rapidly becomes a brutal nightmare when SAO's creator traps thousands of players inside the game. The "log-out" function has been removed, with the only method of escape involving beating all of Aincrad's one hundred increasingly difficult levels. Adding to the struggle, any in-game death becomes permanent, ending the player's life in the real world.

While Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya was fortunate enough to be a beta-tester for the game, he quickly finds that despite his advantages, he cannot overcome SAO's challenges alone. Teaming up with Asuna Yuuki and other talented players, Kirito makes an effort to face the seemingly insurmountable trials head-on. But with difficult bosses and threatening dark cults impeding his progress, Kirito finds that such tasks are much easier said than done.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

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Episode Videos


Related Anime


Characters & Voice Actors


Staff

Mori, Yasunori
Producer
Miki, Kazuma
Producer
Niwa, Masami
Assistant Producer
Itou, Tomohiko
Director, Episode Director, Storyboard


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Opening Theme

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1: "crossing field" by LiSA (eps 2-14)
2: "INNOCENCE" by Aoi Eir (eps 15-24)
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Ending Theme

1: "Yume Sekai (ユメセカイ)" by Haruka Tomatsu (eps 2-14)
2: "Overfly" by Luna Haruna (eps 15-24)
3: "crossing field" by LiSA (eps 25)




Reviews

Apr 17, 2024
This review will be split in 2 for both arcs since um there is a clear difference in the quality : )

Arc 1 - Eincrad

Art - 9/10 Animation is pretty amazing, still holds up even though it was like 2012 character models and the boss models are fire

Characters - 7/10 Characters are for the most part good, but alot of them are hella boring, main cast is great though

Story - 9/10 IF this came out today, there would be no where near the impact it had, but it came out 12 years ago and had such a unique premise that the story is actually ...
Apr 4, 2024
Mixed Feelings
will be careful not to be overtaken by nostalgia. The work is fun to watch, especially if it's for the first time. The first episodes are very good, they make you think and want to watch more. However, after the 12th episode, I don't recommend it as much.

I have mixed feelings about them. I recommend it to everyone up to the halfway point, but unfortunately, S.A.O. is a love or hate

This work represents the beginning of all the hype for isekais, so it's a very cool work, it's a very important work, but it really doesn't make me very happy after the ALO part. ...
Apr 22, 2024
honestly the concept was good. getting trapped in your video game, like who wouldn't want that to happen. This could hve been a grt anime but no, the protagonist had to start a relationship in the game, then have an AI child in the game, then a sister simping her brother sweet home alabama stuff, harassment like wtf man. this anime was fcuked up in so many ways. disgusting

Video game based anime like shangri la frontier is much better than sao. There are actually some amazing fight scenes against video game villains. this anime deserves to go into trash.

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