Sword Art Online (ソードアート・オンライン)

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/ Asuna / Leafa / Silica / Shinon / Suguha /

I have thought if I could go to a virtual game world and explore its vast world as a character. “Sword Art Online” is a futuristic story which enables us to explore in some kinds of online games.

As this is originally a novel on the writer’s webpage, an editor in charge happened to find it after the writer’s debut with “Accel World”, and it was decided to be issued as a commercial product.
Now it is not that rare to get a popular novel on a webpage to be a book, but there was not examples until then, so the person in charge was great far-sighted!!

The writer himself is familiar with online games, so each game’s perspective of the world and terminologies found in the work, as well as unique rules specific to online games etc. are specifically set.
People who have played online games actually may understand them more.
Of course, there is no problem, even if you think like “Online games? What are they?”, as I think so too!

In 2022, the world-first VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Roll Playing Game) “Sword Art Online (SAO)” is officially open for service, and about 10,000 users including the main character Kirito are enjoying the virtual spaces.

However, suddenly a person who invented “SAO” appeared, and changed and activated his program to an unbelievable specification of “You may not go back to the real world without passing this game. If you die in this game world (game over), you will die in the real world too”!
Under this desperate condition, Kirito, who was left in the game, was battling on the frontline, and tries to deepen the friendship with buddies aiming to go clear together.

“Aincrad Story Arc”, about pursuing the completion of “SAO”, and the successor “Fairy Dance Story Arc” were animated to TV.
When they were broadcasted, the writer himself posted the supplemented explanation of the broadcasted contents and some back stories on Twitter.
It originally started as a novel, and the visual information was only some artworks in the book. So, if the world during games or the status screen etc. were shown in videos, I somehow feel like falling into the game world. (I am not confident to win to stay…….) And, Kirito’s strength is beyond description. He has been going through difficulties until there, with his potential ability and his own-polished skills, and he’s strong enough to be thought as a “cheating” level, although he doesn’t.
That is how he attracts girls.

“Sword Art Online” has two factors; to complete the games as well as girls (to get closer to girls). Unfortunately (?), there is his wife Asuna, next to Kirito, struggling to overcome difficulties together with an absolute bond……I don’t think that Leafa and Silica who fall into Kirito give up completely. There will be another character in anime called Sinon soon… Go for it, Lisbeth! I am rooting for you!!

Within the game, she appeared as a blacksmith’s daughter, and proven her worth by forging a sword for Kirito.
Being together makes her feel him attractive……She held herself back for giving him to Asuna……Lisbeth is thoughtful and an older sister-like character, so often misses her opportunities I guess……I want her to become happy in the future.
The long-cherished anime second season has been shown already, so if you haven’t watched, I strongly recommend you to see the initial “Aincrad Story Arc” and the successor “Fairy Dance Story Arc”!