Sword Art Online: Is It Worth Watching, and Where Should You Start?
Our verdict — 6.5/10, worth watching
TL;DR — Yes, for the first 14 episodes. The Aincrad arc, where 10,000 players are trapped in a game in which dying is permanent, is tense, inventive and why SAO became so influential. The second half of Season 1 (Fairy Dance) is widely seen as the low point, and later arcs are hit and miss. Watch Aincrad, then decide; skipping Fairy Dance is a common, reasonable choice.
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Take the quizThe verdict
Worth it for the first arc; after that, it depends on you. SAO did more than almost any other show to make "trapped in a game" stories a mainstream anime genre, and its opening arc earns that reputation. What follows is uneven, and the show's lead, Kirito, becomes so powerful that the danger fades.
The premise
In 2022, ten thousand players log into Sword Art Online, the first full-immersion virtual reality game, and find they can't log out. The game's creator announces that dying in the game kills you in real life, and the only way out is to clear all 100 floors of the floating castle Aincrad. Kirito, a skilled solo player, fights his way up over two years, alongside Asuna.
Arc by arc
- Aincrad (Season 1, episodes 1 to 14, 2012). The core of the show. Real stakes, a world that feels lived in, and a satisfying ending. Watch this even if you watch nothing else.
- Fairy Dance (Season 1, episodes 15 to 25). Kirito enters a fairy-themed game to rescue someone. The villain and some uncomfortable scenes make this the most disliked arc.
- Season 2 (2014, 24 episodes). Phantom Bullet moves to a gritty shooter game, Gun Gale Online. The final arc, Mother's Rosario, is a quiet, emotional story many fans rank among the series' best.
- Ordinal Scale (film, 2017). An original story set in augmented reality, between Season 2 and Alicization.
- Alicization and War of Underworld (2018-2020, 47 episodes). The most ambitious arc, set in a simulated world where artificial minds grow up over centuries. Long, and divisive, but full of ideas.
The Progressive films
Aria of a Starless Night (2021) and Scherzo of Deep Night (2022) retell Aincrad's early floors, which the series skipped, from Asuna's point of view. They're well made and best watched after Season 1, as an extra look at the arc everyone agrees is the best.
Who will like it
If you've enjoyed Log Horizon, Solo Leveling or any game-world isekai, you'll find SAO's influence everywhere and should see where it began. If an all-powerful hero who many women fall for annoys you, those tropes start here, and they grow as the show goes on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the Fairy Dance arc? You can. It's the second half of Season 1 and the most criticized arc. You'll miss a little setup, but Season 2 is easy to follow without it.
What order should I watch Sword Art Online in? Season 1, Season 2, Ordinal Scale (film), Alicization and War of Underworld. The Progressive films can be watched any time after Season 1.
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