
“Blurring the line between the virtual and the real.”
In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now...
First Aired: 7/8/2012
Languages: Japanese
Type: Scripted
Companies: A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, GENCO, EGG FIRM, ASCII Media Works, Bandai Namco Games, Bandai Namco Entertainment, KADOKAWA
Countries: Japan

In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now...

A year after escaping Sword Art Online, Kazuto Kirigaya has been settling back into the real world. However, his peace is short-lived as a new incident occurs in a game called Gun Gale Online, where a player by the name of Death Gun appears to be killing people in the real world by shooting them in-game. Approached by officials to assist in investigating the murders, Kazuto assumes his persona of Kirito once again and logs into Gun Gale Online, intent on stopping the killer.

Shintaro Muraseh
First of all, this series was massive, both in terms of length and story. Maybe I feel this because I watched the whole series too fast (May 6th, 2021 ~ May 31st, 2021). Although, I still feel it was too fast and short. This series has become one of my favorite anime! I watched the whole series on Crunchyroll. I was so annoyed by the advertisement for SAO while watching another anime on CR, however, I liked the animation pictures (I love _A-1 Picture_'s anime haha). That was my trigger. I know there are complaints about the story; even my sister did. I half forced her to watch this series just because I wanted to share my excitement (ahh, bad brother...). Although, luckily, she was also enjoying the series up until season 2. I know there was a major turning point in the middle of season 1. I remember I was also the one who didn't have a good review for season 2 (although it was always over 3.5/5). But I really don't know how better it could be. I was first thinking that the Aincrad arc should have been longer; however, after watching until Alicization War of Underground, I think it was the right length. I might have stopped watching the whole series. I usually don't watch these "fighting" or "action" anime, instead, I watch more romcom and comedy. That is why maybe I have a different perspective than others who usually watch this kind of anime. But now, after watching every SAO episode I can watch, I feel I lost something big in my heart that was holding myself these days. I really hope I can watch the next movie ("_Progressive_") before this feeling goes away. How was my first English review? (I am Japanese mother tongue) I hope I am not annoying haha...
Klein (voice)

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Kirito (voice)

Haruka Tomatsu
Asuna (voice)

Hiroaki Hirata
Klein (voice)

Ai Kayano
Alice Synthesis Thirty (voice)

Rina Hidaka
Silica (voice)

Hiroki Yasumoto
Agil (voice)

Isshin Chiba
Critter (voice

Kaori Maeda
Selka (voice)

Taku Yashiro
Iskahn (voice)

Yuhko Kaida
Dee Eye Ell (voice)

Junya Enoki
Lilpilin (voice)

Kanae Itou
Yui (voice)
Kirito awakens in a vast, fantastical forest filled with towering trees. In his search for clues to the truth of his surroundings, he encounters a young boy who seems to know him. He ought to be a simple NPC, but the depth of his emotions seem no different than a human. As they search for the boy's parents, Kirito finds a peculiar memory returning to him. A memory from his own childhood, of this boy and a girl, too, with golden hair, and a name he should have never forgotten—Alice.

Time has passed since Kirito defeated the pontifex. While Bercoulli seeks to rebuild and bolster the defenses of the human lands in anticipation of an assault by the forces of darkness, Alice fears for the catatonic Kirito's safety and so relocates to a cabin near Rulid. She may not be accepted in the village, but at least she's near her sister Selka as she looks after Kirito. Though she feels that she cannot swing her sword anymore except to cut down trees, an attack on Rulid may force her to act anyway.

25 episodes
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