Sword Art Online

Japanese light novel series

AI overview

"Sword Art Online" is a Japanese light novel series that depicts players trapped in a virtual reality game where death in the game means death in real life. The series became influential in popularizing the "trapped in a virtual world" concept in anime and gaming culture.

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Key facts

Genre: Adventure Science fiction
Written by: Reki Kawahara (as Fumio Kunori)
Published by: Self-published
Original run: 2002 – 2008
Illustrated by: abec
English publisher: NA : Yen Press
Imprint: Dengeki Bunko
Volumes: 29 ( List of volumes )
Directed by: Tomohiko Itō
Produced by: Shinichirō Kashiwada Kazuma Miki
Music by: Yuki Kajiura
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Licensed by

Article

Sword Art Online (Japanese: ソードアート・オンライン, Hepburn: Sōdo Āto Onrain) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. The series takes place in the 2020s and focuses on protagonists Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various virtual reality MMORPG worlds, and later their involvement in the matters of a simulated civilization. Kawahara originally released the series as a web novel on his website from 2002 to 2008. The light novels began publication on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko imprint from April 10, 2009, with a spin-off series launching in October 2012. The series has spawned twelve manga adaptations published by ASCII Media Works and Kadokawa. The novels and the manga adaptations have been licensed for release in North America by Yen Press.

An anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures, known simply as Sword Art Online, aired in Japan between July and December 2012, with a television film Sword Art Online: Extra Edition airing on December 31, 2013, and a second season, titled Sword Art Online II, airing between July and December 2014. An animated film titled Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale, featuring an original story by Kawahara, premiered in Japan and Southeast Asia on February 18, 2017, and was released in the United States on March 9, 2017. A spin-off anime series titled Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online premiered in April 2018, while a third season titled Sword Art Online: Alicization aired from October 2018 to September 2020. An anime film adaptation of Sword Art Online: Progressive titled Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night premiered on October 30, 2021. A second film titled Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night premiered on October 22, 2022. Many video games based on the series have been released for consoles, PC, and mobile devices.