Your Complete Guide to Watching Sword Art Online
By August Tales
The Sword Art Online universe has grown into an impressive franchise, featuring three full seasons, three films, a TV special, and a spin-off anime. With so much content to explore, diving into this world can feel overwhelming. However, with this guide, you’ll be able to navigate the Sword Art Online saga in a logical and enjoyable order.
Exploring the World of Sword Art Online by Release Date
The Sword Art Online anime series first hit screens in 2012, after being announced the year before. Despite receiving mixed reactions initially, it soon developed a devoted fan base. The franchise has since expanded into a vast multimedia empire. Below is the Sword Art Online universe in the order it was released:
- Season 1: Sword Art Online (2012)
- Sword Art Online Extra Edition (2013)
- Season 2: Sword Art Online II (2014)
- Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale (2017)
- Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online (2018)
- Season 3 (Parts 1-3): Sword Art Online: Alicization (2018–2020)
- Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night (2021)
- Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of a Dark Dusk (2022)
Watching the series in release order offers a cohesive experience. Each entry introduces new game worlds while continuing the saga of Kirito and Asuna, making the release order the ideal way for newcomers to approach the franchise.
Chronological Order: A New Perspective for Fans
For seasoned fans, watching Sword Art Online chronologically presents an exciting alternative. Though it may seem complicated, the timeline of the series is relatively straightforward once broken down by arcs. Starting with the original Sword Art Online season, you then weave in the Progressive series for a reimagined version of the Aincrad arc. Extra Edition provides a recap of the first season with some new content, leading directly into Sword Art Online II.
While Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online runs concurrently with the Mother Rosario arc, the events of Ordinal Scale bridge the gap between Sword Art Online II and Alicization. The latter concludes the core storyline in an epic, seven-part conclusion.
Where to Watch Sword Art Online
For those ready to embark on this anime journey, you can stream the first season of Sword Art Online on both Hulu and Crunchyroll. All subsequent seasons, including the spin-off Gun Gale Online, are exclusively available on Crunchyroll. However, at this time, Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night has not been released on Western streaming platforms, though fans can expect updates soon.
What’s Next for Sword Art Online?
Fans of the Sword Art Online franchise have much to look forward to. Following the success of Scherzo of Deep Night, a sequel film is already in the works. Additionally, an exciting new project, Sword Art Online: Full Dive, was recently announced at a commemorative event. This film promises new stories beyond the light novel’s established lore, expanding the world in bold new ways.
For more information on Sword Art Online and updates on upcoming releases, visit August Tales Comics—your source for trade paperback exchanges and comic book news! Trade. Read. Repeat.
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Image credit: fictionhorizon.com
