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Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online
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Alternative Titles

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

Information

Type: Novel
Volumes: Unknown
Chapters: Unknown
Status: Publishing
Published: Apr 10, 2009 to ?
Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance, Sci-Fi
Authors: Kawahara, Reki (Story), abec (Art)
Serialization: None

Statistics

Score: 8.231 (scored by 14670 users)
1 indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet published' titles are excluded.
Ranked: #4722
2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #140
Members: 37,388
Favorites: 2,770
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Sword Art Online
8.23
Ranked #472Popularity #140Members 37,388
NovelKawahara, Reki (Story), abec (Art)
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Synopsis

In the year 2022, gamers rejoice as Sword Art Online-a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) like no other-opens its virtual doors, allowing players to take full advantage of the ultimate in gaming technology: NerveGear, a system that allows users to completely immerse themselves in the game world by manipulating their brain waves to create a wholly realistic gaming experience. But when the game goes live, the elation of the players quickly turns to horror as they discover that, for all its amazing features, SAO is missing one of the most basic functions of any MMORPG-a log-out button. Now trapped in the virtual world of Aincrad, their bodies held captive by NerveGear in the real world, users are issued a chilling ultimatum: conquer all one hundred floors of Aincrad to regain your freedom. But in the warped world of SAO, "game over" means certain death-both virtual and real...

(Source: Yen Press)

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Background

Author Reki Kawahara wrote the first volume of Sword Art Online in 2002 and intended to submit it for the Dengeki Game Novel Prize, but refrained as he exceeded the page limit. He instead published the series as a web novel. Shortly after his other series Accel World won the Dengeki Novel Grand Prize in 2008, Sword Art Online was published in print.

The series placed 1st on the Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! ranking under Best Light Novel category in 2012 and 2013.

Yen Press has been publishing the series in English under the Yen On imprint since April 22, 2014. It has also been published in Italian by J-POP since October 11, 2014; in Polish by Kotori since December 2014; and in Russian by Istari Comics since December 2015.

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Related Manga

Alternative version:Sword Art Online: Aincrad, Sword Art Online: Fairy Dance, Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet, Sword Art Online: Mother's Rosario, Sword Art Online: Calibur, Sword Art Online: Project Alicization
Side story:Sword Art Online Side Stories, Sword Art Online: Progressive, Sword Art Online: Girls Ops, Sword Art Online: Celeste no Yousei, Sword Art Online SS: Calibur SS-han, Sword Art Online: Material Edition, Sword Art Online dj - Lisbeth Edition, Sword Art Online dj - Silica Edition, Sword Art Online dj - Pina Edition, Gekijouban Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale
Spin-off:Sword Art☆Online., Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, Sword Art Online: Hollow Realization, Sword Art Online Alternative: Clover's Regret, Sword Art Online: Kirito no Aincrad Night, Sword Art Online Iden: Kibaou-han!
Adaptation:Sword Art Online, Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Sword Art Online II, Sword Art Online: Alicization
Alternative setting:Sword Art Online Integral Factor

More characters
Characters

Kirigaya, Kazuto
Kirigaya, Kazuto
Main
Yuuki, Asuna
Yuuki, Asuna
Main
Kirigaya, Suguha
Kirigaya, Suguha
Main
Zuberg, Alice
Zuberg, Alice
Main
Eugeo
Eugeo
Main
Asada, Shino
Asada, Shino
Supporting
Yui
Yui
Supporting
Konno, Yuuki
Konno, Yuuki
Supporting
Ayano, Keiko
Ayano, Keiko
Supporting
Tsuboi, Ryoutarou
Tsuboi, Ryoutarou
Supporting


More reviewsReviews

Apr 25, 2012
Unknown of ? chapters read
Complexity (All reviews)
304 people found this review helpful
Note: The hate towards the anime adaptation has begun converting directly to the novel. However, the general consensus is that the novel is superior to the anime, and I would like to just say that the novel isn't necessarily going to be as 'bad' as the anime. I won't tell you to give the novel a go if you hated the anime however, as it is likely that you will start reading the novel with a biased and negative opinion, which never ends well. Or this could just not be for you. Either way, onto the review:

Sword Art Online. Also known as SAO, this series read more
Oct 7, 2014
Unknown of ? chapters read
xNihalx (All reviews)
53 people found this review helpful
-This is a SpoilerFree review-

First of all I want to tell you that I'm not an english native so sorry for my poor english and for the eventual errors.

Sword Art Online, the novel behind one of the most discussed anime ever. Someone says "it's the best, omg nothing can be compared to that", someone else says "it's just the worst story ever with the worst character ever".
So that point of view gave me a lot of curiosity, I just wanted to start reading the novels, and after reading all the 14 that are out up until now I feel ready to explain my vision over read more
Aug 10, 2012
Unknown of ? chapters read
castor212 (All reviews)
47 people found this review helpful
Sword Art Online is about a virtual reality MMORPG. It is set on 2022, where humanity has finally for the first time able to completely go inside the game world using virtual reality technology.

At first I didn't really put high expectation to it, since it's genre is quite mainstream, like .hack G.U. or Yureka, but with a tint taste of darkness; Death is real here.

But the more I read it, the more I find myself enjoying the proggress of the story. The writer, Kawahara Reki gives a really realistic system and surrounding of said VR game, and it makes us able to completely drowned read more
Aug 14, 2013
56 of ? chapters read
arseface (All reviews)
40 people found this review helpful
I've read the baka-tsuki version of every main story up to Alicization, which I won't start until the translation is finished. This review is for every non-side up till then, not just the first volume.

The series is very good. Poorly written, but very enjoyable. You can tell the author was younger when he wrote it and each arc is vastly different from the others as he progresses as an author.

Story 7/10
Every arc is different here. Vastly.

First arc Sword Art Online
the story basically serves as a medium with which to explain the world to you. The romance factors are a bit exaggerated since the read more

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