Based on the popular lite novels past Reki Kawahara, Sword Art Online is one of the best-known anime of the past decade. The fantasy sci-fi series has captured the imaginations of viewers across the earth with its adventures through different game worlds and often blurs the lines between virtual reality and real life.

As the series continues to grow, it tin be intimidating to newcomers with its unique timeline and lengthy titles for story arcs and films. Here's a breakup of the full SAO timeline and the all-time order in which to watch it.

Season 1: Sword Art Online (Aincrad/Fairy Dance)

The first season that started it all is split into two arcs: the "Aincrad" Arc and the "Fairy Dance" Arc. "Aincrad" introduces protagonist Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya, who in November 2022 is trapped, along with x,000 other players, within the VR world of Sword Fine art Online. The threat is real: anyone who dies in the game dies in real life, and all 100 floors must be cleared in order to escape the game and return to the real world. It's filled with exciting battles and heartbreaking deaths — love even blossoms in the midst of the life-or-decease struggle.

Sword Art Online Kirito Yui and Asuna

"Fairy Trip the light fantastic" begins ii months after the end of "Aincrad." 300 players from the SAO incident remain trapped for reasons unknown, including Kirito's dear girlfriend Asuna. She remains unconscious and extremely frail in the real world equally Kirito finds out she is being held hostage in some other VR game, ALfheim Online. The globe and cast start to aggrandize hither every bit Asuna's family and connections are introduced, along with a mysterious regime representative whose influence grows with each successive season.

This short film features Kirito giving a full recap of Flavour i's events to government official Seijirou Kikuoka. At that place'due south also some brand new content as the girls take a pond chance in the real globe and the total cast finally enjoys a not-life threatening quest in ALO.

Flavour 2: Sword Fine art Online II (Phantom Bullet/Calibur/Mother'southward Rosario)

Flavor 2 begins with the "Phantom Bullet" Arc, a full year after the SAO incident. As the new shooter VR game Gun Gale Online grows in popularity, two mysterious incidents involving a role player named Death Gun alert the authorities. When Death Gun shoots a histrion's avatar, that thespian also ends upward dying in the existent earth. Due to Kirito'south gaming knowledge and expertise, he is asked to dive into GGO and investigate. He teams up with sniper extraordinaire Shino "Sinon" Asada and learns the antagonists are more familiar than he realized.

The "Calibur" Arc is a short but fun filler adventure for the total bandage — now including Sinon — dorsum in ALfheim Online. A lighthearted story that sits in between two significantly heavier ones.

"Mother's Rosario" is an emotional story that gives Asuna her long-awaited turn in the spotlight. Dorsum in ALO, she hears of an expert sword fighter named Zekken who is undefeated in one-on-one battles, including a victory over Kirito. Asuna and Zekken, existent name Yuuki, go fast friends and Asuna joins her guild for a time. Reality, yet, isn't so lighthearted every bit Yuuki carries a devastating real-earth brunt connected to her want to compete in ALO. Take tissues at the ready.

Sword Art Online Culling: Gun Gale Online

SAO Culling is a separate serial with a whole different bandage of characters. Based on the lite novels by Keiichi Sigsawa, the only similarity to the principal series is that it takes place in the already-established world of Gun Gale Online. It can be viewed completely on its ain, although a couple of easter egg references to Sinon and Kirito might be missed without watching the "Phantom Bullet" Arc first.

Shy higher student Karen Kouhirimaki struggles with socializing and making friends due to her exceptionally tall height. She decides to try VR games as an escape and comes to love the thrill of Gun Gale Online, which also allows her to create her ain avatar and become the brusk, pink-clad girl she always wanted to be. Now full of conviction as Llenn, she guns down all who stand in her way every bit she competes in a tournament that ways life or death for i particular player.

Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (Picture show)

Back in the chief timeline, theOrdinal Scale motion picture takes place a few weeks after the stop of the "Mother's Rosario" Arc. It also has the distinction of existence an anime-exclusive story, not appearing in author Kawahara's light novels.

A new augmented reality device chosen the Augma is all the rage, with a combat-based game called Ordinal Scale becoming the offset ARMMORPG. Kirito shows piddling interest in AR until Asuna and the others tell him that dominate monsters from the original Sword Art Online game have started actualization. The mysteries compound when the game's 2d-ranked role player, Eiji, purposely injures Klein and his order, leaving them in the hospital. Multiple SAO survivors who interact with Eiji, including Asuna, begin to lose the memories of their time in SAO.

Flavour 3: Sword Art Online - Alicization (Alicization/War of Underworld)

The tertiary and still-ongoing season of SAO is its longest and most expansive so far. Divide into iii arcs — "Alicization,""War of Underworld" Part 1" and "War of Underworld Part 2" — it begins a few months later on the events of Ordinal Calibration.

"Alicization" sees Kirito working with the acme secret government-run company Rath to test a new experimental total-dive car called the Soul Translator (STL). After beingness attacked in the existent world by a member of the Expiry Gun plot from Flavour 2, Kirito suffers significant brain damage and is only kept live thanks to the STL. As Kirito wakes upwards in the Underworld with his real-world memories intact, he must figure out how to survive in a much more than realistic VR world than ever before while Rath's true goals for the STL become clear.

The subsequent "War of Underworld" arc continues the events of Alicization as a world-spanning war breaks out in the Underworld with major international consequences for the real globe equally well. "Function ii" is currently airing and available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Information technology can be confusing, but the SAO anime's chronology does fit in a proper order — though Culling can be viewed independently —even though many of the stories begin very presently afterwards their preceding arcs. Seems Kirito and friends get even shorter spans of peace and quiet than the Dragon Brawl bandage.

KEEP READING: SAO: Alicization's Heroes' Big Win Comes With [SPOILER]'southward Death

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About The Author

Joe Ballard (159 Articles Published)

Joe Ballard is an Illinois-based Editor for CBR and incurable anime lover. Anime was commencement injected into his veins every bit a teenager thanks to Dragon Brawl and Yu Yu Hakusho airing on Toonami's Midnight Run. Since graduating from Illinois Country with a BA in English, his journeying has taken him from the music business to public relations to writing nigh anime and pop civilization. He dreams of i mean solar day trying every single dish shown in Nutrient Wars. You can find him on Instagram @JoeBallard88 or reach out via email at joe.b@cbr.com!

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