For better or worse, Sword Art Online a lot of characters. From the anime's very first arc to the newest Alicization , the number of characters in the anime has grown since its debut in 2012. However, this does not mean that all these characters are equally loved by fans.
On MyAnimeList, anime fans are quite open about who they love and who they hate. Based on their choices, we can calculate who fans adore the most - from the most likes to the least.
Rika Shinozaki (771)
Rika Shinozaki, better known as Lisbeth, was actually a character in a side story that became popular and was made into a supporting character. Even Reki Kawahara was surprised by her popularity, which led to her getting more scenes in the anime. Honest and never giving up, Rika received 771 votes.
Ryotaro Tsuboi (804)
Retaro is Klein's real name, but no one really knows because he was pushed aside. Although Klein was Kirito's first real friend in Sword Art Online, he often appears as a supporting character.
Brash and rebellious, Klein is always ready to support his friends, as he survived the first Sword Art Online. He received 804 votes.
Heroes
Kirito
The main character is Katsuto aka Kirito (nickname in the game). He is one of the beta testers, and accordingly, at the time of the public launch of Sword Art Online, the character Katsuto is several levels ahead of other players. Kirito is a swordsman (referring to the title of the series) and an eternal loner. Almost the entire game he keeps to himself, only occasionally joining guilds. Kirito is also a bit of a womanizer: almost every girl he meets during the game falls in love with him.
Asuna
Kirito's lover and his partner. I logged into Sword Art Online by cheating (I stole my brother’s helmet), and after finding out that there was no way out of the game, I locked myself in a room in the Starting City, where the game begins, and thought about giving up. Later she gathered her courage and began to destroy mobs left and right, gaining levels at incredible speed. Deep down she is kind and sympathetic, despite her pride. And she cooks well.
Tiese Stolinen ( 1,356)
Tiese was a new character in Sword Art Online: Alicization who received a bad reputation due to a controversial scene, but this only made her even more popular.
Eugeo's crush Chiese works hard with him and Eugeo in the Academy arc, which was unfortunately skipped. However, she received enough attention that she received 1,356 votes.
Yui (2,310)
Yui is the AI daughter of Kirito and Asuna, whom they first encountered in the first Sword Art Online. Her cuteness, innocence and the way she made many fans cry at the risk of her disappearing forever seems to be what made her fans adore her.
And while she's fine, some fans might think otherwise - after all, her life was at stake in front of Kirito saving 10,000 players stuck in the game. Anyway, Yui gets 2310 votes.
Plot
This is an anime based on the light novel series by Reki Kawahara. The action takes place in the relatively near future, 2022, when the virtual world has become so high-quality and sophisticated that it has become almost impossible to distinguish it from the real one. You can get into parallel reality using a special NerveGear helmet, which simulates all human feelings and transfers them to the virtual world. In general, NerveGear is such a well-pumped Oculus Rift.
The first game based on helmet technology is Sword Master Online. On the day when it becomes available to everyone, more than 10 thousand players enter the server, and - surprise! — they discover that the exit button has disappeared from the menu. The only way to return to the real world, as the creator of the game explains, is to reach the 100th floor (level) and defeat the boss. Plus, a small detail to make the situation even sweeter: if you die in the game, you die in life.
Alice (4,869)
Alice Zuberg ー or as some call her, "the knockoff Saber from Fate/stay night ", ー is actually quite an interesting character, as she was forced to become an Integrity Knight since childhood.
Like Eugeo, Alice is the main focus of Sword Art Online: War of Underworld , with Kirito being relegated to the background. She captured many hearts with her charm and sword skills, receiving 4869 votes.
Eugeo (5,547)
SAO fans can't get enough of the sweet boy Eugeo from Sword Art Online: Alicization . Even after his tragic death at the hands of Quinella, which affected Kirito just as much as Sachi's, fans couldn't help but think of him despite him literally looking like a blond Kirito.
Perhaps the fact that he was the focus of Sword Art Online: Alicization placed him in the hearts of viewers, which gives him 5,547 votes.
Anime review: Sword Art Online (season one)
- Episodes : 25
- Genres : Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Games, Romance
- release date: 2012
- Studio
: A-1 Pictures
What is this anime about?
Sword Art Online takes place in the near future, where you will experience massively multiplayer online role-playing games in virtual reality. “Sword Art Online” is the latest game that introduces such features where players can control their lives through avatars using brain waves. Using a neurohelmet, players can enter the virtual world and live a life different from reality.
What they didn't know was that when they entered Sword Art Online, they would be greeted by the creator of the program and told that they would never be able to leave it. While being held captive and unable to exit the game, the only way to escape is to beat the game by defeating the main boss at level 100. There's just one catch: if you die in SAO, you die in real life.
This begins the struggle for survival for everyone who is trapped in the game.
Who might like this anime?
The Sword Art Online series is for those who love anime that does a good job of showing what it's like to live in a world different from your own. If anyone has ever wondered about the possibility of having another identity, existing on the Internet, or simply living in a way that would seem impossible these days, then Sword Art Online is for you.
What is so attractive about this anime?
SAO presents viewers with a very unique interpretation of virtual reality. Even though the conditions in the virtual world are somewhat extreme and dire, what would your life be like if it continued to exist in the real world? What will happen to those you meet in VRMMORPG?
Is it the same as meeting them in real life? What about the friends you make in the game? If you ran away from a VRMMORPG, would your relationship be the same? SAO explains all these issues along with emotional moments.
See also: 7 Anime Similar to Sword Art Online
List of main characters
Kazuto Kirigaya
Voiced by:
Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
Kazuto is the main character. He was first introduced as a solo player who was actually one of the few people who played the SAO beta when it was first announced. In the real world, he is an ordinary guy who lives with his aunt and sister.
Many people hate him as a beta tester for his knowledge of the game world and for not helping others. But when he did, they unexpectedly die, forcing him to stay away from the others.
He subsequently develops a relationship with Asuna, the first girl he actually helped. Together they create a life for themselves that almost robs them of their understanding of reality.
Asuna Yuuki
Voiced by:
Haruka Tomatsu
Asuna is one of Kazuto's first friends in SAO. She made herself very famous in the new world. As a sub-leader in one of the most recognizable and strongest guilds, she is known in the game as "Lightning" due to her extraordinary swordsmanship skills with lightning-fast strikes to kill her opponents.
Her relationship with Kazuto is one of the few that extends beyond the world of SAO.
See also: Asuna Yuki Cosplay by 切切celia
Anime review (contains spoilers!)
Sword Art Online has to be one of the craziest and most well-crafted anime series I've seen in a while.
While researching the anime to make sure I got it right, I came across a lot of reviewers who claimed that the anime was bad and didn't have a strong story that had character development. Most of the time I have found that they are quite bitter about what they classify as good anime, let alone good anime.
Sword Art Online is a truly great series to watch. Anime has a great interpretation of life in both a virtual and realistic sense. Honestly, who has ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world that defies the limitations of reality while still holding to the values of what life is. Of course, you'll probably want to change or break rules in the virtual world as you would in real life, but no matter what you do, there are always rules to follow.
Although, in the case of Sword Art Online, in reality the rules are almost the same as in virtual reality. The only difference is that when you first get the idea of playing a game, especially if it's a virtual reality game, you expect it to be the best time of your life. The last thing the heroes think about at such a moment is whether they will die in an unknown world over which they have no control. I'm sure many SAO characters thought this way.
Akihiko Kayaba simply wanted to watch the players in his game like lab rats. Disregarding the value of life and forcing them to face situations that have caused many to commit suicide, crime, betrayal and even murder.
Many of you probably think that this would never happen in the real world. Well, even though it's just an anime, the light it sheds on the topic doesn't seem too far off if technology ever advances enough by this point.
Now let's get back to reality.
This anime is a very unique series with a great believable story that has a lot to do with life. The story of Sword Art Online is a well-thought-out idea where the writers have truly presented all the possibilities of any situation that could exist in an MMORPG game, let alone a VRMMORPG.
I truly believe that SAO's animation was really well done and the sound complemented the visuals very well. The character development was also personable and believable in the sense that his life could end suddenly at any moment. Or they could be just another player trying to survive while making ends meet as a laborer. We also had some of those people who just wanted to cause chaos and destruction to others.
In the end, we had one person who stood out the most as the one who could finally end the game. The great thing about this is that it all happened out of love for another. Who knows how long everyone would have been stuck in SAO if it weren't for Kazuto's determination and love for Asuna, who knows. Kazuto is the true hero of the series.
See also: 10 Best Fantasy Romance Animes
Now the last part of the review.
Kazuto finally saw Asuna at the very end when SAO was defeated, the creator explained why he did what he did. Kazuto expresses his regret for not being able to save Asuna, thinking that she had passed on to the afterlife. Little did he know, and with the help of other players from a completely different game, Asuna continues to exist as a prisoner in her world.
How do you ask? Because of some crazy dude who only wants her for his family's money and power. He uses Asuna as a test subject and imprisons her in another virtual world.
This was probably the only part of the series that made me think differently. How did she manage to survive unlike others? It is later explained that Nobuyuki Sugou is the one who keeps her as his personal reward. Keeping her in a birdcage while she was trapped in another game.
Thus began the second part of the season, which, in my opinion, really should have been its own season. Kazuto discovers that his sister is an Alfheim Online player. She helps find and save Asuna, but before she has time to realize that she is in love with Kazuto!? Now it turns out that they are not actually related by blood and Kazuto is adopted or anything, but Suguha Kirigaya is actually in love with Kazuto.
They ultimately rescue Asuna and open up the possibility of other VRMMORPG worlds interacting with others through visits. This is the start of the newest and fastest growing trend in the world of VR gaming.
Overall, Sword Art Online is an amazing anime that had me hooked from the very beginning. Unlike many others, I enjoyed the plot and the character development it presented to the audience. I'm not one to be very critical when it comes to anime.
Especially when I realize that I myself can’t even create anything like that. I cherish the little things in life and appreciate everything that anime has to offer because there is more to anime than you think!
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Similar
Sino Asada (7,850)
Shino Asada, often referred to by Asuna by her in-game name Sinon, received a surge in popularity after her appearance in Sword Art Online II. She once even nearly beat Asuna in a popularity poll for the best girl in the series, which alarmed some fans.
Apart from her attractive appearance, fans fell in love with this girl with a traumatic past because of her character development and the way she was focused on in the third official arc in the series, resulting in Sinon receiving 7,850 votes.
Conclusion
This is one of the best anime we've seen (and we've seen some and a lot). It keeps you in suspense and at the same time entertains at the right moments. It is sad and at the same time life-affirming, dramatic and romantic - in general, a full house. Sword Art Online is recognized as one of the smartest anime of recent times, and we strongly support this idea. A must-see for all fans of online games, sci-fi, beautiful pictures and heart-warming love stories that make you want to be kinder.
Asuna Yuuki (24,976)
Asuna is the main character and also Kirito's girlfriend, which makes her even more attractive to fans of the series. From her amazing sword skills to her personality, fans rave about her and allow her to win many "favorite female character" popularity polls.
Regardless of her popularity in Japan, this girl is popular wherever Sword Art Online is loved. And with fans seeing even more of her in Sword Art Online: War of Alicization, she's sure to get even more love, with her currently receiving 24,976 votes.
Kazuto Kirigaya (42,443)
Regardless of what the world thinks of Kirito, he is the main character of Sword Art Online, which means most fans will adore him no matter what he does. Even though he doesn't have much of a personality, fans love Kirito for the battles he has endured and generally everything he has endured along with other anime characters.
He leads Asuna by a whopping 17,467 votes, and his popularity as the “main character of isekai anime” is undeniable.
Parts
Part 1 - Sword Art Online (SAO)
Despite the fact that this is the name of the entire series, only the first event segment is dedicated to this game specifically. There are a lot of swords, unexpected plot twists, beautiful girls, swords, evil four-legged creatures, betrayals and... did we mention swords? Incredibly many swords.
Part 2 - ALfheim Online (ALO)
This is the second game world that Katsuto enters.
300 SAO players are transferred to another game - ALO, which also does not release the heroes back into the real world (except at the cost of the death of the character). Katsuto receives a screenshot from ALfheim, which shows a huge golden birdcage with a girl who looks too much like Asuna
. Hero mode on: time to save the beauty.
But - ton-ton-ton! - Kirito has no advantages in the new game, here he is an ordinary beginner. At the time of his first dive into ALO, he has no idea how everything works here.
The world of ALfheim Online adds something completely new to the story and proves that the series will not keep squeezing out the same theme until it becomes completely boring. Just when things start to get boring, the creators will turn things around and throw in a ton of new characters, settings, and sword fights to keep the action fresh.
