Based on the popular light novels by Reki Kawahara, Sword Art Online is ane of the all-time-known anime of the past decade. The fantasy sci-fi series has captured the imaginations of viewers across the world with its adventures through dissimilar game worlds and often blurs the lines between virtual reality and real life.

As the series continues to grow, it can exist 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.

Season 1: Sword Art Online (Aincrad/Fairy Trip the light fantastic toe)

The kickoff season that started it all is split into two arcs: the "Aincrad" Arc and the "Fairy Trip the light fantastic" Arc. "Aincrad" introduces protagonist Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya, who in Nov 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 existent life, and all 100 floors must exist cleared in gild to escape the game and return to the real world. It'south filled with heady battles and heartbreaking deaths — love fifty-fifty blossoms in the midst of the life-or-death struggle.

Sword Art Online Kirito Yui and Asuna

"Fairy Trip the light fantastic" begins two months after the cease of "Aincrad." 300 players from the SAO incident remain trapped for reasons unknown, including Kirito's love girlfriend Asuna. She remains unconscious and extremely frail in the real world as Kirito finds out she is being held hostage in another VR game, ALfheim Online. The earth and cast get-go to expand here as Asuna'south family and connections are introduced, along with a mysterious authorities representative whose influence grows with each successive flavor.

This short moving picture features Kirito giving a full recap of Season ane's events to regime official Seijirou Kikuoka. There's also some make new content as the girls accept a swimming adventure in the existent earth and the full cast finally enjoys a not-life threatening quest in ALO.

Season ii: Sword Art Online II (Phantom Bullet/Calibur/Female parent's Rosario)

Flavour 2 begins with the "Phantom Bullet" Arc, a total year subsequently the SAO incident. Equally the new shooter VR game Gun Gale Online grows in popularity, ii mysterious incidents involving a player named Death Gun warning the authorities. When Expiry Gun shoots a player's avatar, that role player also ends up dying in the real world. Due to Kirito's gaming noesis and expertise, he is asked to dive into GGO and investigate. He teams up with sniper extraordinaire Shino "Sinon" Asada and learns the antagonists are more familiar than he realized.

The "Calibur" Arc is a brusque simply fun filler adventure for the full cast — now including Sinon — back in ALfheim Online. A lighthearted story that sits in betwixt 2 significantly heavier ones.

"Mother'southward Rosario" is an emotional story that gives Asuna her long-awaited plough in the spotlight. Dorsum in ALO, she hears of an skilful sword fighter named Zekken who is undefeated in one-on-one battles, including a victory over Kirito. Asuna and Zekken, real name Yuuki, get fast friends and Asuna joins her society for a time. Reality, all the same, isn't then lighthearted every bit Yuuki carries a devastating real-world burden connected to her desire to compete in ALO. Have tissues at the set.

Sword Art Online Culling: Gun Gale Online

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

Shy college student Karen Kouhirimaki struggles with socializing and making friends due to her exceptionally tall height. She decides to attempt VR games as an escape and comes to love the thrill of Gun Gale Online, which as well allows her to create her own avatar and become the short, pink-clad girl she always wanted to be. Now full of confidence equally Llenn, she guns down all who stand in her way as she competes in a tournament that means life or death for one particular player.

Sword Fine art Online: Ordinal Scale (Film)

Back in the main timeline, theOrdinal Scale picture takes place a few weeks after the end of the "Mother'southward Rosario" Arc. Information technology also has the stardom of existence an anime-exclusive story, not appearing in writer Kawahara's lite novels.

A new augmented reality device called the Augma is all the rage, with a combat-based game called Ordinal Scale condign the kickoff ARMMORPG. Kirito shows piffling interest in AR until Asuna and the others tell him that boss monsters from the original Sword Art Online game have started appearing. The mysteries compound when the game's second-ranked player, Eiji, purposely injures Klein and his gild, leaving them in the hospital. Multiple SAO survivors who interact with Eiji, including Asuna, begin to lose the memories of their time in SAO.

Season iii: Sword Art Online - Alicization (Alicization/War of Underworld)

The tertiary and still-ongoing season of SAO is its longest and near expansive and so far. Split into three arcs — "Alicization,""State of war of Underworld" Part 1" and "War of Underworld Function 2" — it begins a few months afterwards the events of Ordinal Calibration.

"Alicization" sees Kirito working with the acme hush-hush government-run company Rath to examination a new experimental full-dive car chosen the Soul Translator (STL). Subsequently being attacked in the real world by a fellow member of the Death Gun plot from Flavor two, Kirito suffers significant brain damage and is just kept live thanks to the STL. As Kirito wakes upward in the Underworld with his existent-world memories intact, he must figure out how to survive in a much more realistic VR world than ever earlier while Rath'southward truthful goals for the STL become articulate.

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

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

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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 start injected into his veins every bit a teenager thanks to Dragon Brawl and Yu Yu Hakusho airing on Toonami's Midnight Run. Since graduating from Illinois Land with a BA in English language, his journey has taken him from the music concern to public relations to writing about anime and pop culture. He dreams of one day trying every unmarried dish shown in Food Wars. You can observe him on Instagram @JoeBallard88 or reach out via email at joe.b@cbr.com!

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