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The third Sword Art Online movie sells out one of the best characters

Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night tells a familiar story, but warps the cast

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The 2021 anime film Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night is a master class in the art of crafting an original story out of familiar material while making it simultaneously worthwhile for die-hard fans and accessible to newbies. In the movie, director Ayako Kono and screenwriter Yukito Kizawa retell the first two episodes of the 2012 Sword Art Online anime from a different point of view, revealing some hidden depths about familiar characters for longtime fans without requiring new viewers to know much about the series. But in the film’s direct follow-up — Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night , which premiered in the U.S. on Feb. 3 — all that craft seems to have been abandoned.

Set in a virtual reality MMORPG where 10,000 players get trapped and will die if they lose all their hit points or if they try to remove their headsets, Sword Art Online the anime series was adapted from Reki Kawahara’s light novels. In the first season, players in the game are challenged to beat all 100 levels of a medieval-fantasy-esque world if they want to escape the game. Beta tester Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya has a clear advantage, but his progress is complicated by other players, including his eventual partner, Asuna Yuuki.

In the anime series, fans know Asuna as a capable, mysterious fencer who aids Kirito on their journey back to the real world. Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night retells the first two episodes of the anime series from her perspective instead of Kirito’s, introducing her as a studious, cheerful middle schooler who enters the Sword Art Online game on a whim to meet with a friend: Misumi Tozawa, an original character first introduced in Aria .

Through their adventures, the writers add significant depth to Asuna, particularly when she parts ways with Misumi under heartbreaking circumstances. So when Aria gets to Asuna and Kirito’s first meeting, it looks much like it did in the TV series. But for those who’ve seen the movie, it feels completely different, given the new context around a character who, early on in the 2012 anime, was basically just “the girl.”

With Scherzo of Deep Night, the audiences get an original though predictable story that does little more than occupy 101 minutes. Although it’s set between episode 2 and 3 of the anime, right after Aria of a Starless Night, the characters in Scherzo of Deep Night feel completely unfamiliar, and not because Kono and Kizawa reveal new things about them. Asuna suffers the worst downgrade. Originally a child lost in an unfamiliar world, dealing with betrayal and digging deep to find the strength to go on, she’s now relegated back to cliche girl status.

Maybe that could have been forgivable if the plot was doing something new and exciting. Instead, it’s literally a repeat from Aria : Players fight through a basic fantasy world to get to the next boss, who’s a little different from what Kirito experienced during the beta. Eventually, they beat him through the power of teamwork.

That’s just not good enough to justify making Asuna loud and obnoxious in Scherzo , especially when she’s obviously crushing on Kirito. She’s also, for some reason, a bit clumsy and easily flustered now, instead of being a graceful athlete. Weirdest of all, the warrior who fought giant monsters and decided in Aria of a Starless Night that dying isn’t the worst thing in the world, as long as it’s on her terms, is suddenly deathly afraid of ghosts . Her new timidity isn’t a cute little character detail thrown in for characterization’s sake — it’s a huge, integral story element that drives a lot of the plot forward.

The plot itself doesn’t contribute much to the overall Sword Art Online story. It doesn’t explore the joys of gaming or the horror the Sword Art Online players are trapped in, like Aria does. Nor does it expand on the franchise’s key characters by forcing them to use their gaming skills in the real world, like the first movie, Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale . Scherzo does briefly toy with the idea of Player Killers who, instead of getting out of the game, want to embrace the chaos of their situation and use it as an excuse to literally kill other players, all to feed some sort of psychopathic need. The anime series briefly touched on that idea, and expanding on the concept could have given the film its own fascinating identity by asking the important questions about ethics in ultra-realistic gaming.

But the PK storyline doesn’t really go anywhere. Nor does the welcome return of Misumi Tozawa, which only repeats the lessons learned at the end of Aria of a Starless Night : Misumi isn’t a bad person, but she did a bad thing, and now she’s fighting to help others in order to make up for it. There’s nothing inherently bad about the film’s plot, but it lacks any of the subversion, deconstruction, or expansion of the SAO mythos that made Aria so much fun.

The story does get more exciting during the final boss battle, which is phenomenal because of its breakneck pace and the opponent’s massive size. The boss mechanics feel like they could exist in a real-world game. But with so few surprises along the way, Scherzo of Deep Night feels like an inconsequential pit stop that’s simply designed to set up a possible next SAO movie, without putting in the creative choices that would get fans excited about that possibility.

If Sword Art Online gets a fourth movie, it would be better if it shifted back to Aria ’s approach , and revealed more about the world by focusing on things we haven’t seen before. Another approach might be to follow season 2 of the anime and change the setting from the SAO fantasy game to the VR battle royale shooter Gun Gale Online , expanding that world instead. Either way, these theatrical adventures for SAO are only worth it if they offer something new. Scherzo is just too safe and familiar.

Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night is currently playing in limited release in American theaters. Check the movie’s website for details. The first two movies and the Sword Art Online anime are streaming on Crunchyroll.

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Sword art online the movie: progressive - scherzo of deep night, common sense media reviewers.

Virtual world anime has fantasy violence; teamwork themes.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Characters display perseverance, courage, kindness

Asuna is a competent young woman trapped in a vide

Characters are Japanese. Strong gender balance, wi

Fantasy fighting with swords and weapons against b

Implied naked bathing in a hot spring with no nudi

English subtitled version has one use each of "wha

Part of a franchise that includes video games, boo

Characters drink what looks like beer at a bar and

Parents need to know that Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive - Scherzo of Deep Night is a movie spin-off of the Japanese Sword Art Online anime series. It is the sequel to the 2021 movie Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night . The story is about characters trapped in…

Positive Messages

Characters display perseverance, courage, kindness, and respect. Teamwork is often the best way to success.

Positive Role Models

Asuna is a competent young woman trapped in a video game. She sometimes gets frustrated and at one point punches a friend when she feels disrespected. Generally she values friendship and shows good teamwork. Mito is driven by guilt for introducing Asuna to the game. She tries to find her own way of life in the world, but helps when she can. Kirito is a young man with experience of the game. He vows to protect and support his game partner, Asuna. He is assertive, confronts leaders, and uses diplomacy to try to unite two guilds. Argo is a young woman who acts as an information broker. She is confident in her abilities, well practised, and humble. Characters scheme to disrupt the players and cause groups to fight. Other characters have become "PKs" or "Player Killers," whose victims die in real life.

Diverse Representations

Characters are Japanese. Strong gender balance, with both sexes being equal in battle. Mention of "girl talk," which is implied to mean talking about boys. Some female characters wear short skirts and some camera angle decisions feel sexualized as male characters do not get the same treatment. The movie is available in both the original Japanese and as a dubbed version.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Fantasy fighting with swords and weapons against big bosses and smaller enemies. Death is shown with drained life bar rather than gore. A character punches a friend when they feel disrespected. Ghost-like mournful monsters have scary faces and sharp teeth. Threat includes a character crushed between moving stone and a blade held to characters' necks and backs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Implied naked bathing in a hot spring with no nudity shown. Some camera shots are leering toward the female characters.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

English subtitled version has one use each of "what the hell" and "crap."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Part of a franchise that includes video games, books, a TV series, and other branded merchandise. Very brief shot of characters playing real-life video game Tekken 7 .

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters drink what looks like beer at a bar and champagne on New Year's Eve, but with no effects of alcohol implied.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive - Scherzo of Deep Night is a movie spin-off of the Japanese Sword Art Online anime series. It is the sequel to the 2021 movie Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night . The story is about characters trapped in an online world and how they must fight for their lives in an attempt to beat the game or face death in real life. The heroes -- most notably Asuna (voiced by Haruka Tomatsu) and Kirito ( Yoshitsugu Matsuoka ) -- show good teamwork and perseverance, while others try to create chaos or even kill. The movie has a video game feel with fantasy violence and a few epic boss battles, but with no blood or gore. Some scenes are tense but not scary. A character is implied to be naked when bathing in a hot spring. The English-language subtitled version has two uses of mild language ("what the hell?" and "crap"). An English dubbed version is also available. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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What's the Story?

In SWORD ART ONLINE THE MOVIE: PROGRESSIVE - SCHERZO OF DEEP NIGHT, the people trapped in a video game continue to fight for their lives. As time goes on, partnerships are forged and teamwork proves more important than ever as Asuna (voiced by Haruka Tomatsu) and Kirito ( Yoshitsugu Matsuoka ) race to defeat an epic boss in order to save their community.

Is It Any Good?

The first movie spin-off of the beloved Sword Art Online anime series retold the thrilling start of the story in an epic way. With the stakes set and the characters immersed in their dangerous world, its sequel, Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive - Scherzo of Deep Night , feels less exciting and more like a mid-season episode of a show. Here the focus is on character development and exploring the way people have reacted to being trapped in the game. Some have formed allegiances, sharing knowledge and helping each other to make it through the dangerous world. While others have set off to find their own personal path. With warring guilds and agents of chaos, it's basically all shades of human interaction on the internet, but a lot more fun to watch. Gamers' thumbs will be twitching during the familiar-feeling battles, while the complex and emotional relationships provide the necessary heart to make it a solid entry in the series.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violence in Sword Art Online the Movie: Progressive - Scherzo of Deep Night . Did the fantasy element and the fact that it was largely bloodless make it less intense? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

How do various characters display courage , perseverance , and teamwork ? Why are these such important character strengths to have? Can you give any examples when you've shown these traits?

Talk about internet safety . What kinds of personal information do you typically share online? How could sharing details such as your whereabouts or your birthday put you at risk? When is it appropriate to share photos, and what limits do you put on those?

Do you play any online multiplayer games? Why do you think games that let people get together in a virtual space are so popular?

How did this movie compare to the TV or video game series? What's the appeal of movies based on video games?

Movie Details

• In theaters : February 3, 2023
• Cast : Haruka Tomatsu , Yoshitsugu Matsuoka , Inori Minase
• Director : Ayako Kawano
• Inclusion Information : Asian actors, Female actors
• Studio : Aniplex
• Genre : Anime
• Topics : Adventures , Friendship
• Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 101 minutes
• MPAA rating : NR
• Last updated : August 2, 2023

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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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REVIEW: Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night

Before Alicization ’s Underworld came along, Aincrad had long been my undisputed favourite setting in Sword Art Online, and I’d always wished that we got to spend more time with it. It’s for that reason that I love the idea of the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novels (I say “idea” because I’ve only read the first volume and haven’t gotten to continuing the series yet) and was happy when the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night movie was announced. 

Did the movie itself bring joy? In many ways, it does, be it through the fight scenes, Yuki Kajiura’s soundtrack, or having series heroine Asuna as the lead character. I can’t say that I enjoyed the entirety of the film, though, thanks to some visual-related issues that distracted me.

Back to Aincrad

Aria of a Starless Night takes its name from the first story of the first Progressive light novel, and is similarly more suited for those already familiar with the original Aincrad arc. However, only the second half of the movie is an adaptation of the book’s tale, which covers Kirito’s first meeting with Asuna and the attempt to slay the First Floor Boss, Illfang the Kobold Lord . The trait that both halves do share is the aforementioned positioning of Asuna as the lead character, which is a very welcome move — I don’t mind Kirito, but ever since the first Alicization season, I’ve always been happy to see other characters get the spotlight.

The first half follows Asuna during her pre-Sword Art Online life and her initial experienc es in the VRMMO-turned-death game, in addition to providing the origin story for Asuna’s iconic braided hairstyle. While I wished that the normal life segments were a bit longer, they do the job of presenting Asuna’s regular life, along with the strained relationship with her demanding mother that we first saw (anime-wise) in Sword Art Online ’s second season. It’s no wonder that Asuna turns to escapism, although she doesn’t discover Sword Art Online by herself. 

Original character Misumi Tozawa, or Mito, provides company as a friend and mentor, and the SAO beta tester is also the person who introduces Asuna to the game. I admit that I’d have liked to see a truly solo Asuna adventure, but I didn’t mind Asuna’s training or shared experiences with her friend. Mito fits in naturally enough for the first half, but when the movie starts to follow the plot of the book’s Aria of a Starless Night , she soon begins to feel tacked on, and the Mito-Asuna relationship that was initially a major aspect of the movie quickly becomes forgettable. “Forgettable” also applies to the bit of drama that arises midway, as the resolution at the end of the film is nowhere near as compelling as the initial catalyst.

“THE MOVIE DOES A GOOD JOB AT GIVING ASUNA MOMENTS TO SHINE, WHILE ALSO REMINDING US THAT THIS ASUNA IS STILL INEXPERIENCED AND, AT TIMES, OUT OF HER DEPTH.”

The movie does a good job at giving Asuna moments to shine, while also reminding us that this Asuna is still inexperienced and, at times, out of her depth. It also manages to ensure that our heroine doesn’t get overshadowed by Mito, although it falls short in that regard when it comes to Kirito. The culprit isn’t the dynamic of Asuna and Kirito’s early relationship, but that the scene composition tends to depict Kirito like a major character that we’re familiar with, even though he’s a side character that we know little of in the context of the movie. It doesn’t help that Asuna’s eyes tend to be covered by her hood during this part of the show, which causes our lead character to have the vibe of the mysterious newcomer instead. 

Another visual aspect that bothered me was some of the animation in the non-action scenes. I never had any illusions that  Aria of a Starless Night  would be a production comparable to films like  Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway  or  Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time , but even with that consideration and the expectation of conservative general scenes, I was still nagged by the feeling that some of the movements were a little too stiff or constrained for a big screen experience. There were also a couple of areas where I thought the animation felt rough in more than a “for a movie” sense. I wasn’t as bothered by all this in the second half, but I couldn’t tell if it was because the situation had gotten better or if I’d simply acclimated to it. 

I did get some visual pleasure out of Aria of a Starless Night in other areas. There are pleasing backgrounds, the action is enjoyable (just don’t expect it to be like Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale ), and there’s a low-key but amusing scene where Kirito has an unintended dorky moment and tries to play it cool. The lighting and effects also caught my eye at times, particularly the way the ground of a dungeon was illuminated with color. 

Aria of a Starless Night offers the tasty combination of more Asuna, more Yuki Kajiura music, and more Aincrad-set action, and it delivers on that front. I just can’t help but continue to be bothered by the nagging feeling I got from some of the animation and wonder how the second Progressive movie, which is due as early as 2022 , will fare.

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WARNING: The following contains minor spoilers for Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night, coming to theaters on Dec. 3, as well as brief discussion of suicide and thoughts of self-harm.

Sword Art Online sets out to tell a different version of a familiar story with its new Progressive film series. Fans eagerly await the first movie's release, Aria of a Starless Night , in less than a week. The anticipation is both palpable and well-deserved.

Sword Art Online: Progressive functions as a retelling of the anime's Aincrad arc , the first and one of the most highly praised arcs in the series. This time, the entrapment in a VR death game is told from Asuna's point of view instead of Kirito's. From here, there are all kinds of changes and additions to the story that turn Aria of a Starless Night into a unique and worthwhile watch for any SAO fan.

RELATED: Sword Art Online: Akihiko Kayaba's Bizarre Role in War of Underworld

For the reboot to work , superficial changes wouldn't be enough. A-1 Pictures can't simply recap the original anime's, which was already done through Sword Art Online: Extra Edition . Reanimating scenes from the ground up or updating the computer graphics wouldn't suffice, either. In order to make Sword Art Online: Progressive truly worth the price of admission, the studio had to take the changes much further. Thankfully, it succeeds.

One of the biggest changes in Aria of a Starless Night is making Asuna the main character. When introduced in the virtual reality game world of Aincrad, she's kind, amicable and outgoing. Everything about her runs in contrast to the loner Kirito from the start of the anime. However, Asuna here has no real sense of direction in life. She aims for academic excellence at her mother's behest, but has no idea what to do with it. She's not even that into video games, only entering Sword Art Online on a whim. All of this new information surrounding the now-main-character Asuna informs her decisions and contextualizes her actions. Her unique perspective and personality reframe the Aincrad arc into a whole new story.

RELATED: Who Is the Strongest Character in Sword Art Online – and What Are Their Abilities?

Asuna's inexperience with gaming is especially central to her story in Aria of a Starless Night . When the death game begins, she immediately finds herself in mortal danger because she has no idea how to defend herself. It's only through the help of others that she's given a chance to improve her abilities and stay alive.

The general sense of danger is also enhanced with Asuna as the lead. With a pro gamer like Kirito as the protagonist in the original series, death didn't feel far away, but it didn't feel close, either. For Asuna, an amateur, it's much harder to tell what she can and can't survive because even she isn't sure what she's capable of. The unknowable nature of Asuna's potential adds greater tension whenever she's put in a dangerous situation.

Asuna's need for help from the beginning creates a catalyst to introduce a completely new character to the franchise : Mito. As a hardcore gamer, Mito becomes integral to aiding Asuna when she's starting off and learning new skills. She serves as both a close friend and an instructor to Asuna for most of the movie's runtime.

RELATED: Sword Art Online Progressive Movie Lands a Theatrical Run in the U.S. and Canada

Watching Asuna steadily improve is a fun part of Aria of a Starless Night . When she defeats her first enemy on her own, not only is it a cool-looking scene but her excitement is easy to understand and relate to. It also lets the audience breathe a sigh of relief to see their main character finally improve to a point where the danger isn't immediate against whatever low-level enemy she encounters. Seeing this glimmer of hope in a relatively bleak scenario is a welcome form of reassurance.

Unfortunately, feelings of hope can seem few and far between in this movie. It becomes readily apparent that Asuna does not have what it takes to survive on her own in the harsh, unforgiving world of Sword Art Online . It doesn't help when she overhears people talking about how they've all been trapped in the game for weeks, nearly 2,000 have already died and nobody has even cleared the death game's first floor -- and there are 100 in total that must be cleared to survive and exit the game. All these negative thoughts -- combined with her own lack of direction in life -- lead Asuna to the borderline-suicidal tendencies and thoughts alluded to in the early anime.

RELATED: Sword Art Online Progressive Movie Gets New Trailer, Theme Song

These despairing moments, however, are what make the positive ones more of an enjoyable relief. Sometimes, it's little pleasures like eating cream-covered rye bread or taking a warm bath. Then there are bigger triumphs like defeating a powerful enemy or, as mentioned earlier, learning how to fight from a close friend. Aria of a Starless Night does a good job of making the overarching situation seem hopeless so these moments can shine more brightly through the darkness.

Naturally, some of Asuna's happiest moments come from her interactions with Kirito, who assists her on multiple occasions and provides important moral support when she desperately needs it. He also happens to be responsible for the cream-covered bread and the bath. Having Kirito in this incredibly dangerous virtual world fills Asuna with hope and lets her believe that clearing the game is possible again, and gradually lays the initial points for a potential romance to bloom.

With the new-story requirements fulfilled for the reboot, the nostalgic appeal of Aria of a Starless Night becomes welcome and gratifying. Seeing certain scenes from the anime recreated faithfully from the ground up is an impressive feat, especially by anime standards. Some of these are even shown with different camerawork, or just generally improved upon. There are some shots, for instance, that are still frames in the anime but get fully animated for the movie. Little touches like these will make any diehard SAO fan giddy while also thrilling newcomers.

It's also fun for longtime fans to seek out cameos in the movie. There are obvious, not-really-hidden cameos like Asuna's parents and Silica, but there are some slightly trickier characters to find as well.

RELATED: The Sword Art Online: Progressive Films May Be Contradicting the Light Novels

Generally speaking, Aria of a Starless Night is visually spectacular. The action scenes are beautifully animated, the colors are vibrant, the linework is smooth and the camerawork makes everything clear and cinematic. The updates to the computer graphics also make those from the anime seem almost dated by comparison. It's truly a viewing experience worthy of the big screen.

Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night is a good movie to see in theaters for any fan of the franchise. Since it's a reboot , even those who haven't seen Sword Art Online before can enjoy this film as a standalone work. The characters are well-developed, the story is engaging and the presentation is stunning. If the rest of the Progressive film series is anything like Aria of a Starless Night , the future of Sword Art Online remains bright.

Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night

Original title: Gekijôban Sword Art Online Progressive Hoshi naki yoru no Aria. High school student Asuna struggles to survive with a young swordsman after its revealed that she is trapped inside the game of Sword Art Online, where if your HP drops to zero, your brain will be destroyed in real life.

For more information on the warning signs and prevention of suicide, click here . If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). If you live outside the U.S., click here for a list of international hotlines.

KEEP READING: Is Sword Art Online: Progressive Now a Full-Fledged Movie Franchise?

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How to Watch Sword Art Online in Order (With Movies)

The Sci-Fi anime, Sword Art Online, based on the Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by Abec, has become quite popular in the past decade. SAO's story is set in the future and focuses on the protagonist "Kirito" Kirigaya Kazuto and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various virtual reality MMORPG worlds.

The two players are eventually trapped in the virtual world of "Sword Art Online," where they are tasked with clearing all 100 Floors and defeating the final boss to be freed from the game. Sword Art Online's futuristic story is remarkably unique for the anime genre, especially with the twists and turns we witness throughout the series.

Fans looking to watch Sword Art Online can check it out on Crunchyroll , Funimation , Hulu , and Netflix . All four platforms feature the series in the English subbed and dubbed versions. The two Sword Art Online films (Extra Edition and Ordinal Scale) are also available on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Funimation only features the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale film on its platform.

The Sword Art Online anime series has three seasons and 86 episodes, none of which are fillers. The recommended order of Sword Art Online is its chronological order. 

Check out the full list of Sword Art Online episodes, movies, ONAs, specials, and the chronological order to watch them below:

Release Order

• Season 1: Sword Art Online (2012)
• Season 2: Sword Art Online II (2014)
• Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online (2018)
• Season 3, Part 1: Sword Art Online: Alicization (2018–19)
• Season 3, Part 2: Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld (2019–20)
• Season 3, Part 3: Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld Part 2 (2020)
• Sword Art Online: Extra Edition (2013)
• Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (2017)
• Sword Art Online Fatal Bullet: The Third Episode – Pilot-ban (2018)
• Sword Art Online: Sword Art Offline (2013)
• Sword Art Online: Sword Art Offline – Extra Edition (2014)
• Sword Art Online II: Debriefing (2014)
• Sword Art Online II: Sword Art Offline II (2014)
• Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale – Sword Art Offline (2017)
• Sword Art Online Fatal Bullet: The Third Episode (2018)
• Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online – Refrain (2018)
• Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld Reflection (2018)
• Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld Recap (2020)
• Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night (30th October 2021) ( Movie )

Chronological Order

• Season 1: Sword Art Online
• MOVIE - Sword Art Online: Extra Edition
• Season 2: Sword Art Online II
• Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online
• MOVIE - Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale
• Season 3, Part 1: Sword Art Online: Alicization
• Season 3, Part 2: Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld
• Season 3, Part 3: Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld 2nd Season

Fans can also watch the anime specials; however, the episodes are either recaps or one-shots that do not fit into the main plotline.

Read Next: How to Watch the Bleach Series in Order (With Movies)

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How to watch free in order (with movies), how to watch overlord in order (with movies), how to watch grisaia in order (with movies), how to watch berserk in order (with movies), how to watch fairy tail in order (with movies).

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Sword Art Online

In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG and the lone wolf player, Kirito, works to escape. In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG and the lone wolf player, Kirito, works to escape. In the year 2022, thousands of people get trapped in a new virtual MMORPG and the lone wolf player, Kirito, works to escape.

• Reki Kawahara
• Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
• Haruka Tomatsu
• Bryce Papenbrook
• 205 User reviews
• 30 Critic reviews
• 15 wins & 44 nominations

Episodes 100

• Seijirou Kikuoka …
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia The storyline is based on the light novel series "Sword Art Online" originally intended as an entry into a short story competition. The original novel was twice as long as allowed for the contest but Reki couldn't bear taking anything out of the story leading to it being self published.

Akihiko Kayaba : In every world, once you die, you're gone.

• Connections Edited into Sword Art Online Abridged (2013)
• Soundtracks 21 Guns Performed by Green Day Written by Billie Joe Armstrong , Mike Dirnt , Tré Cool Arranged by Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing (Warner Bros. Records Inc.)

User reviews 205

• randy-26556
• Jun 10, 2019
• How many seasons does Sword Art Online have? Powered by Alexa
• July 8, 2012 (United States)
• United States
• Official site (Japan)
• A-1 Pictures
• ASCII Mediaworks
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 24 minutes

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Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale Reviews

No All Critics reviews for Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale.

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Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Crunchyroll and Hulu

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale is a 2017 action-adventure science-fiction fantasy anime movie directed by Tomohiko Ito, who co-wrote the script with Reki Kawahara. This film is based on the Sword Art Online light novel series and anime and takes place between the events of the anime’s second and third seasons.

Here’s how you can watch and stream Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale via streaming services such as Crunchyroll and Hulu.

Is Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale available to watch via streaming?

Yes, Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale is available to watch via streaming on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

In Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale, Kirito is convinced by Asuna and the rest of his friends to join a new game called Ordinal Scale. However, Kirito and his friends learn that this new game is not actually as fun as it originally presented itself to be.

Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale’s cast includes the voices of Yoshitsugu Matsouka, Haruka Tomatsu, Kanae Ito, Ayana Taketatsu, Rina Hidaka, Ayahi Takagaki, Miyuki Sawashiro, Hiroaki Hirata, and Hiroki Yasumoto.

Watch Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale streaming via Crunchyroll

Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale i s available to watch on Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll is a streaming service that is dedicated to anime and East Asian content.

You can watch via Crunchyroll by following these steps:

Go to CrunchyRoll.com

Choose your payment plan:

$7.99 per month (Fan)

$9.99 per month (Mega Fan)

$14.99 per month (Ultimate Fan)

Enter your personal information and select ‘Create Account’

The Crunchyroll Fan plan lets users stream the service’s entire library ad-free, watch new episodes shortly after they air in Japan, and read digital manga.

The Mega Fan plan offers the same service but also lets users stream on up to four devices at a time, allows offline viewing, and provides a $15 discount off $100+ purchases in the Crunchyroll Store every three months.

The Ultimate Fan plan offers all of the above on up to six devices at once, $25 off Crunchyroll Store purchases over $100 every three months, free shipping on all purchases, and an exclusive “swag bag” after 12 months of subscribing.

Watch Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale streaming via Hulu

Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale i s available to watch on Hulu . Hulu is a streaming platform owned by Walt Disney Studios. Hulu’s library not only includes various live-action movies and television shows from different genres but also several anime like Demon Slayer and Black Clover.

You can watch via Hulu by following these steps:

Go to Hulu.com/welcome

Select ‘Start Your Free Trial’

Choose a plan:

$7.99 per month or $79.99 per year (With Ads)

$17.99 per month (No Ads)

Hulu (With Ads) is the cheapest option, providing users access to Hulu’s streaming library with commercials. Hulu (No Ads) is the service’s premium option, providing access to its library without any advertisements. There are also several bundles available with Hulu that pair the service with Disney Plus and ESPN Plus, along with Live TV plans that also include many live TV channels.

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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The post Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via Crunchyroll and Hulu appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More .

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