Based on the popular light novels by Reki Kawahara, Sword Fine art Online is one of the best-known anime of the past decade. The fantasy sci-fi series has captured the imaginations of viewers across the world with its adventures through unlike game worlds and often blurs the lines between virtual reality and existent life.

As the series continues to grow, it can be intimidating to newcomers with its unique timeline and lengthy titles for story arcs and films. Here's a breakdown of the full SAO timeline and the best order in which to watch it.

Flavor one: Sword Art Online (Aincrad/Fairy Dance)

The kickoff flavor that started information technology all is divide into two arcs: the "Aincrad" Arc and the "Fairy Dance" Arc. "Aincrad" introduces protagonist Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya, who in November 2022 is trapped, along with x,000 other players, within the VR world of Sword Fine art Online. The threat is real: anyone who dies in the game dies in real life, and all 100 floors must be cleared in social club to escape the game and return to the real globe. It'south filled with exciting battles and heartbreaking deaths — honey even blossoms in the midst of the life-or-death struggle.

Sword Art Online Kirito Yui and Asuna

"Fairy Dance" begins two months subsequently the terminate of "Aincrad." 300 players from the SAO incident remain trapped for reasons unknown, including Kirito's beloved girlfriend Asuna. She remains unconscious and extremely frail in the real globe as Kirito finds out she is beingness held hostage in another VR game, ALfheim Online. The globe and bandage start to expand hither equally Asuna's family and connections are introduced, along with a mysterious government representative whose influence grows with each successive season.

This brusque motion picture features Kirito giving a full epitomize of Season 1's events to government official Seijirou Kikuoka. In that location's besides some brand new content as the girls take a swimming gamble in the real world and the full cast finally enjoys a non-life threatening quest in ALO.

Season ii: Sword Fine art Online II (Phantom Bullet/Calibur/Mother's Rosario)

Season ii begins with the "Phantom Bullet" Arc, a full year afterward the SAO incident. As the new shooter VR game Gun Gale Online grows in popularity, ii mysterious incidents involving a player named Death Gun alert the authorities. When Decease Gun shoots a role player'due south avatar, that thespian also ends upwardly dying in the real world. Due to Kirito'south gaming knowledge and expertise, he is asked to dive into GGO and investigate. He teams upwards with sniper extraordinaire Shino "Sinon" Asada and learns the antagonists are more familiar than he realized.

The "Calibur" Arc is a short but fun filler adventure for the full bandage — now including Sinon — back in ALfheim Online. A lighthearted story that sits in between two significantly heavier ones.

"Mother'south Rosario" is an emotional story that gives Asuna her long-awaited turn in the spotlight. Dorsum in ALO, she hears of an expert sword fighter named Zekken who is undefeated in one-on-1 battles, including a victory over Kirito. Asuna and Zekken, real name Yuuki, become fast friends and Asuna joins her guild for a time. Reality, however, isn't and so lighthearted as Yuuki carries a devastating real-globe brunt continued to her desire to compete in ALO. Have tissues at the prepare.

Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online

SAO Alternative is a separate series with a whole different bandage of characters. Based on the light novels past Keiichi Sigsawa, the only similarity to the main serial is that it takes identify in the already-established earth of Gun Gale Online. It tin can exist viewed completely on its own, although a couple of easter egg references to Sinon and Kirito might exist missed without watching the "Phantom Bullet" Arc first.

Shy college student Karen Kouhirimaki struggles with socializing and making friends due to her exceptionally alpine peak. She decides to try VR games as an escape and comes to beloved the thrill of Gun Gale Online, which also allows her to create her ain avatar and become the curt, pink-clad girl she e'er wanted to be. Now full of confidence as Llenn, she guns downwards all who stand in her way equally she competes in a tournament that means life or expiry for one detail player.

Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (Film)

Back in the principal timeline, theOrdinal Calibration film takes place a few weeks later on the end of the "Mother's Rosario" Arc. Information technology also has the stardom of beingness an anime-exclusive story, non appearing in writer Kawahara'due south light novels.

A new augmented reality device chosen the Augma is all the rage, with a combat-based game called Ordinal Calibration condign the showtime ARMMORPG. Kirito shows trivial interest in AR until Asuna and the others tell him that boss monsters from the original Sword Art Online game take started appearing. The mysteries compound when the game's 2nd-ranked role player, Eiji, purposely injures Klein and his club, leaving them in the infirmary. Multiple SAO survivors who collaborate with Eiji, including Asuna, begin to lose the memories of their time in SAO.

Season 3: Sword Fine art Online - Alicization (Alicization/War of Underworld)

The third and still-ongoing season of SAO is its longest and nearly expansive so far. Split into three arcs — "Alicization,""War of Underworld" Role 1" and "War of Underworld Role two" — information technology begins a few months afterward the events of Ordinal Calibration.

"Alicization" sees Kirito working with the top secret authorities-run company Rath to exam a new experimental full-swoop machine called the Soul Translator (STL). Afterwards being attacked in the real earth by a member of the Death Gun plot from Season ii, Kirito suffers meaning encephalon harm and is only kept alive thanks to the STL. As Kirito wakes up in the Underworld with his real-globe memories intact, he must figure out how to survive in a much more realistic VR world than ever earlier while Rath's true goals for the STL become clear.

The subsequent "War of Underworld" arc continues the events of Alicization equally a globe-spanning war breaks out in the Underworld with major international consequences for the existent world also. "Function two" is currently airing and available to stream on Crunchyroll.

It can be confusing, only the SAO anime's chronology does fit in a proper order — though Alternative can be viewed independently —even though many of the stories begin very before long after their preceding arcs. Seems Kirito and friends get fifty-fifty shorter spans of peace and quiet than the Dragon Ball cast.

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About The Author

Joe Ballard (159 Articles Published)

Joe Ballard is an Illinois-based Editor for CBR and incurable anime lover. Anime was beginning injected into his veins as a teenager thanks to Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho airing on Toonami's Midnight Run. Since graduating from Illinois Country with a BA in English language, his journey has taken him from the music business to public relations to writing near anime and pop culture. He dreams of ane twenty-four hours trying every single dish shown in Nutrient Wars. You tin can find him on Instagram @JoeBallard88 or reach out via email at joe.b@cbr.com!

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