Written by: Julian Veley (’25)
A-1 Pictures’ Sword Art Online is an anime based on a manga series of the same name. Personally, I have not read the manga but instead chose to begin by watching the series. SAO is a story full of emotion; if you are a hopeless romantic, it will hit you deeply.
The story is based in the 2020s with the release of a new Virtual Reality headset titled “Nerve Gear.” This new headset, unlike VR headsets we know, does not require the user to stand and move. Instead, the user lays flat on their back with the headset on. When powered on, it takes control of the five senses, putting the user in a vegetative state to the outside world, but in the headset, their mind is active, controlling their characters and remaining very conscious. Viewers follow the story of Kazuto Kirigaya, “Kirito,” (voiced by Yoshitsugu Matsuok) and his experience in the Nerve Gear.
On the release day of the Nerve Gear alongside the VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online RolePlay Game) Sword Art Online, 10,000 players logged on for the first time to experience the opening ceremony. When some users are unable to log out of the game, tension rises. They are then informed by Kayaba (the Games’ creator) that in order to leave, they must beat all 100 Levels of Aincrad, the steel castle the world of SAO is set in. He also informs the players that those who suffer in-game deaths or attempt to forcibly remove the Nerve Gear will experience death in the real world. Kirito, being one of one thousand beta testers, has a headstart on the game. In order to protect other players, he sets out on his own. On his journey, he meets another player by the name of Asuna Yuuki (voiced by Haruka Tomatsu), with whom he develops an attachment and soon falls in love with. From that point forward, the story is a battle for their love, showing the extent to which one will go to save another and how willpower is stronger than any physical or mental barrier. The entire first season is powerful – a rollercoaster of emotions, with mystery, sacrifice, death, plot twists, cliffhangers, and more than I can fit into this review.
In comparison to popular anime shows such as Dragon Ball, Naruto, One Piece, etcetera, there are no filler episodes. Every episode moves the story along. Even if it’s a side quest that does not directly follow the main mission, it has a relation. I highly recommend this to anyone who has an appreciation for anime. You don’t need to like romantic stories, and you don’t need to like video games. The action and adventure is incredible, and you’ll find yourself sucked in before you even realize it. ★
