Sword Art Online
Set in the near future, the story follows a boy named Kirito trapped in a full-dive VRMMORPG called Sword Art Online, where death in the game means death in reality. Beginning with the Aincrad death-game arc, it expands through ALO, GGO, and the Alicization arc.
- Genre:
- SF / アクション / ファンタジー / 恋愛
- Medium:
- Light novel / Anime / Manga
Sword Art Online — Timeline13 events
VRMMORPG Sword Art Online Launches and Kayaba Akihiko Declares a Death Game
On 6 November 2022, the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online using full-dive VR technology (NerveGear) began official service. Developer Kayaba Akihiko trapped approximately 10,000 players by disabling logout via NerveGear microwave output, initiating a death game in which defeat in-game results in real-world death.
— Light novel vol. 1; anime ep. 1.
Clearers Continue to Progress Through Aincrad's 100-Floor Boss Raids
After the death game began, front-line players known as clearers — including Kirito — continued raiding floor bosses toward the highest level. Over two years of progression, many players died; survivors numbered just over 6,000. During this period Kirito and Asuna formed a deep bond.
— Light novel vols. 1–2; anime eps. 1–14.
During the Floor 75 Boss Raid, Guild Leader Heathcliff Is Revealed to Be Kayaba Akihiko
In November 2024, during the Floor 75 boss raid, the leader of the top guild Knights of the Blood — 'Heathcliff' — triggered an immortal object administrator ability, revealing himself to be Kayaba Akihiko. Kirito immediately challenged Kayaba to a personal duel.
— Light novel vol. 1; anime ep. 14.
Kirito Defeats Kayaba Akihiko in a Duel, Clearing Aincrad's 100 Floors and Ending the Death Game
On 7 November 2024, Kirito won the final duel against Kayaba Akihiko. This triggered the collapse of Aincrad, and 6,147 surviving players were logged out back to the real world. The two-year SAO death game ended, recorded as an incident responsible for thousands of deaths.
— Light novel vol. 1; anime ep. 14.
Kirito Discovers Asuna's Consciousness Trapped in ALO and Sets Out to Rescue Her
After SAO ended, it emerged that Asuna — still comatose — was imprisoned inside another VR game, ALfheim Online (ALO). Recto Vice President Nobuyuki Sugou was holding her captive for experiments, and Kirito, together with his sister Suguha, entered ALO to attempt her rescue.
— Light novel vols. 3–4; anime ep. 15 onward.
Kirito Defeats Sugou in Both the Virtual and Real Worlds; Asuna Regains Consciousness
The duel between Kirito and Sugou inside ALO was settled with the intervention of a residual program left by Kayaba. In the real world, Sugou was also repelled by Kirito and arrested. Asuna, who had been in a prolonged coma, regained consciousness and was reunited with Kirito in reality.
— Light novel vol. 4; anime ep. 25.
Kirito Enters Gun Gale Online (GGO) and Investigates the Death Gun Incidents
A series of incidents emerged in Gun Gale Online (GGO) in which real-world players died after their in-game avatars were shot — the 'Death Gun' case. Acting on a request from Kikuoka Seijirou, Kirito infiltrated GGO and worked with sniper Sinon through the Bullet of Bullets tournament to uncover the truth.
— Light novel vols. 5–6; SAO II anime eps. 1–14.
Asuna Meets the Strongest Swordsman Yuuki in ALO and Joins Her Final Wish
In ALfheim Online, Asuna encountered Yuuki Konno — known as 'Absolute Sword,' the strongest player in ALO. Yuuki was a girl with limited time to live due to HIV-related illness. Asuna joined her guild, the Sleeping Knights, to help fulfill Yuuki's final wish of clearing a floor boss, forging a profound bond.
— Light novel vol. 7; SAO II anime eps. 17–24.
Kirito Becomes Involved in the Defence Ministry's Secret Alicization Project and Connects to the Underworld via the Fourth-Generation STL
At Kikuoka Seijirou's request, Kirito assisted the research of defence ministry affiliate organisation Rath and became a tester for the fourth-generation full-dive machine 'Soul Translator (STL).' The STL can read and write Fluctlights (light of the soul), and Kirito began connecting to the virtual world 'Underworld.'
— Light novel vol. 9; Alicization anime ep. 1.
Kirito Meets Eugeo Inside the Underworld and Learns of Integrity Knight Alice
After Kirito was poisoned by an unknown assailant in the real world and fell into a coma, he became connected to the Underworld long-term. Reliving memories from childhood within the Underworld, Kirito grew up alongside Eugeo and journeyed toward Central Cathedral. Recovering Alice, who had been turned into an Integrity Knight, became the primary objective.
— Light novel vols. 9–12; Alicization anime.
The Dark Territory Army Invades the Human Empire; Full-Scale War Erupts in the Underworld
Real-world conflicts over the development of a super-advanced AI spilled into the Underworld, triggering a large-scale invasion of the Human Empire by the forces of the Dark Territory. With Kirito incapacitated by mental trauma, Asuna and other companions connected from the real world to join the defence.
— Light novel vols. 15–17; Alicization War of Underworld anime.
An Armed Group Seizes Rath's Offshore Research Facility Ocean Turtle; Kirito's Life Is Endangered
The offshore Rath facility 'Ocean Turtle,' where the STL connecting Kirito was installed, was seized by an armed group. Kirito's life was simultaneously endangered in both the real world and the Underworld, prompting Asuna and allies to race to recapture the facility and protect those connected.
— Light novel vols. 17–18; Alicization War of Underworld anime.
Kirito and Alice Return to the Real World; the Alicization Project Reaches Its Conclusion
Through accelerated time, 200 years of history accumulated in the Underworld, with many Fluctlights continuing to live of their own volition. Kirito regained consciousness and returned to the real world alongside Alice (a Fluctlight-equipped android). The Underworld's inhabitants were migrated to a server on another planet.
— Light novel vol. 18; Alicization War of Underworld finale.
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