Reki Kawahara’s web novel Sword Art Online began in 2002, later becoming a popular light novel series. The anime series debuted in 2012, followed by a second season in 2014 and a third in 2018. Following the characters Kirito and Asuna as they traverse a virtual reality MMORPG, the series has seen major success, with the light novels selling over 30 million copies worldwide. 

During Sword Art Online’s anniversary event on November 6, it was revealed that a new film project is in the works. A brief teaser was also revealed, though concrete information is hard to come by at this point in time. 

Be sure to check back soon for new information about the film!

【STORY】

“This may be a game, but it’s not something to take lightly.”

The world’s first VRMMORPG, Sword Art Online, has turned into a game of death. Over a month has passed since 10,000 users were trapped in the game world.

Asuna, who conquered the first level of the floating castle of steel Aincrad, continues her journey to the top floor along with Kirito.

With the help of the female informant Argo, the attack seemed to be going well. However…

The top player groups leading the attack are the ALS (Aincrad Liberation Force) and the DKB (Dragon Knights Brigade).Although they should be working towards the same goal, war breaks out.
Behind the scenes, a mysterious figure lurks…

What awaits Kirito and Asuna as they continue their journey?

©2020 川原 礫/KADOKAWA/SAO-P Project

Over the past few years, Marvel movies have absolutely shattered box office records. The story of the Avengers is now continuing in an entirely new way, as Marvel’s Eternals recently released in theaters around the world. Telling the story of a race of immortal beings, the film was directed by Chloe Zhao, the first Asian-American woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director for her film Nomadland.

While there has been no shortage of promotion for the film, the way Japan is highlighting the film is a little different. Recently, Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night was released, and fans of the popular anime series have been singing its praises across social media. The franchise has sold incredibly well around the world, with multiple anime series, video games, and comics selling over 26 million copies globally. The first film, released in 2017, grossed more than 2.5 billion yen at the box office. 

Eternals tells the origin story hinted at in the Avengers films, while Aria of a Starless Night tells the origin story of Sword Art Online. They both tell stories of unbreakable friendship, and both feature characters attempting to stop evil and save the world. Now, the two have come together for an unforgettable collaboration. 

The creator of Sword Art Online, Reiki Kawahara, is a huge fan of Marvel and was more than happy to make this collab a reality. A collaborative trailer has just been released, along with a side-by-side poster. 

Collaborative Trailer

The narrators in the trailer are Ayumi Tsunematsu, who plays Cerci in the Japanese version of Eternals, as well as Haruka Tomatsu, the voice of Asuna in Sword Art Online.

What do you think of this unlikely team?

©Marvel Studios 2021

Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward and au 5G are coming together to promote this year’s Halloween events online through Virtual Shibuya, a digital space accessible from smartphones, PCs, and VR devices. A number of events will be held from October 16 until October 30, incorporating popular artists, companies, and popular anime series. The concept for the event is ‘FUN FOR GOOD,’ aiming to inspire people to contribute to their community while also enjoying the holidays. 

Sadly, this year’s Halloween celebration in Shibuya will be canceled again due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To ease any congestion on the streets, the ward is promoting the Virtual Shibuya au 5G Halloween Festival 2021, which will be available to anyone, anywhere. That’s right: you won’t need to be in Tokyo to participate!

Event Lineup

Special Anime Talks

A simultaneous global virtual fan meetup for Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night will be held on October 16! Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, who plays Kirito, and Haruka Tomatsu, who plays Asuna, will appear in Virtual Shibuya in avatar form to discuss some highlights of the upcoming film. 

Also, to commemorate the release of the 100th volume of Detective Conan, the Conan Edogawa x Furuya Rei Special Talk in Virtual Shibuya event will take place on October 30th, featuring voice actors Minami Takayama and Tohru Furuya. 

Virtual Concerts

Three artists are scheduled to perform live in Virtual Shibuya during the Halloween event!

・October 24 – povo Presents Creepy Nuts
・October 26 – au 5G Presents MY FIRST STORY
・October 31 – au 5G Presents Atarashii Gakko!

Attraction Lineup

A number of attractions will be available during the two-week event period. Check the website for complete details! 

https://vcity.au5g.jp/shibuya/halloween2021

Official Shop

Starting October 16, an official store selling original event merchandise will be accessible in Virtual Shibuya and on the special event website. These goods will feature characters from select anime series and artists who have supported the project, with all proceeds being reinvested into Shibuya ward. The above items aren’t the only things that will on sale, so be sure to check the website for more details!

Limited-Time Only! Make a Collaboration Anime Avatar During Halloween!

In collaboration with avatar platform AVATARIUM, visitors will be able to generate custom avatars wearing costumes from Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night and Detective Conan! Choose from characters Asuna (SAO), Kirito (SAO), Conan Edogawa (Detective Conan), Ran Mori (Detective Conan), Furuya Rei (Detective Conan), and The Criminal (Detective Conan). 

Even if you’re not in Japan, be sure to check out the event while you can!

Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night, the third film in the series, is hitting theaters in Japan on October 30, 2021. To commemorate its release, 13 Tokyu Hands stores throughout the country will open a Sword Art Online fair, selling special limited-edition goods! The fair will run from October 29 until November 30, 2021. 

Mechanic Costume Series

Acrylic Stand (7 varieties): ¥1,650 each (Tax Included) 

Pin (7 varieties): ¥385 each (Tax Included) 

*Pins are random. 

B2 Tapestry: ¥3,300 (Tax Included) 

Canvas Tote Bag: ¥2,200 (Tax Included) 

Clear Folder (7 varieties): ¥385 each (Tax Included) 

T-shirt: ¥3,850 (Tax Included) 

Mug: ¥1,650 (Tax Included) 

Acrylic Keychain (7 varieties): ¥715 each

*Keychains are random.

Acrylic Diorama Stand: ¥2,750 (Tax Included) 

Clear Folder: ¥385 (Tax Included) 

Sticker (7 varieties): ¥495 each (Tax Included) 

Mug: ¥1,650 (Tax Included) 

Tokyu Hands Limited Purchase Bonus

Tokyu Hands Limited Film Bonus

The Sword Art Online anime series has been an international hit, spanning four seasons and 97 episodes since 2012. A number of video games inspired by the series have also been released. 

This event features the characters drawn in mechanic gear, both in normal and chibi versions. If you’re able to make it to one of the participating 13 stores, don’t miss out on these rare items!

(C)2020 川原 礫/KADOKAWA/SAO-P Project

Japanese singer ASCA released her double A-side single Carpe Diem/Villain on June 2. The rock track Carpe Diem features as the ending theme for the ongoing anime adaptation of Square Enix’s video game The World Ends With You. The other song, Villain, is a full band cover of Teniwoha’s song of the same name. A lyric music video was posted on ASCA’s YouTube channel and features an illustration created by popular Japanese illustrator YOTTASUN.

ASCA – “Villain” Lyric Video

ASCA – “Carpe Diem” Music Video

ASCA performed live online on June 4 for fans who purchased the single at Tower Records. She will also hold another special online performance on June 27.

ASCA has dropped details on her upcoming new album Hyakki Yakou which is set to release on January 27, 2021, including the cover art and tracklist.

The record includes ASCA’s hit singles Howling which is used as an opening theme for the anime series The Irregular at Magic High School, an album arrangement version of Tenbin -Libra- which she performed in collaboration with Takanori Nishikawa, CHAIN which is used as the opening theme for Darwin’s Game, as well as other tracks such as the Sword Art Online app game theme Shinkaron, the ALTDEUS: beyond Chronos VR game theme DESIRE which is sung entirely in English, and more.

The album also features Mao Abe, TeddyLoid, Kana Adachi, MaRuRi (from MaRuRi to Ryuga), mizuki (from UNIDOTS), and more.

ASCA’s performance at Shibuya O-EAST last year is scheduled to be streamed for free on ABEMA on December 20, 2020 at 17:00 (JST). The performance will also be included on the Blu-ray disc that’s coupled with Limited Pressing Edition and First Press Limited Edition copies of Hyakki Yakou.

ASCA’s new song Howling was released today (November 4) on CD and digitally on Spotify, Apple Music, and the iTunes Store. The rock track serves as the opening theme to the ongoing second season of the TV anime series The Irregular at Magic High School.

The Anime Edition of the single features a cover of ASCA’s grilletto by GARNiDELiA.

ASCA’s is set to perform online on November 7, 2020 at 21:00 (JST) via the streaming platform e+ Streaming+. The online concert comes as a result of ASCA’s summer tour having been cancelled due to COVID-19.

ASCA is a Japanese singer whose songs have featured in numerous anime series such as Sword Art Online and The Pet Girl of Sakurasou. Her latest track, Howling, serves as the opening theme for the ongoing TV anime series The Irregular at Magic High School. The song made it to number one on iTunes Japan’s anime charts and is ranking high on other major music download services in Japan.

ASCA launched her official new fan club ASCA Music Entertainment on Monday. The theme of the fan club is based on a company environment, with ASCA as the company president and the fans as the employees. Members can enjoy a host of rewards including early access to new music, music videos, and more. They can also win signed cards, free invitations to live shows, and so on. Fans can sign up via the official website.

It was announced recently that ASCA’s nationwide Japan tour has been cancelled. But it’s not all doom and gloom for fans, as the singer has announced that she will perform live on a special stream on November 7, 2020. Tickets went on sale on Monday. Random fan club members will be selected to watch the show for free.

The next chapter of the Sword Art Online anime series has been green-lit. With the completion of season two of Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld, the anime’s official Twitter page and website has confirmed the adaptation of the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novels. Check out the official announcement video below.

Sword Art Online: Progressive – Anime Project Video Announcement


The six-volume Sword Art Online: Progressive is a retelling of the events from the original Aincrad arc of Sword Art Online. Further details surrounding the project have yet to be announced, so stay tuned.

© 2020 Reki Kawahara / KADOKAWA/SAO-P Project

The music video for ReoNa’s newest song ANIMA, which is used as the opening theme for the TV anime series Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld, has surpassed 2 million views on YouTube. The video was released on her YouTube channel on July 12, 2020 and reached 1 million views in just five days. It broke 2 million on Sunday.

ReoNa made her name known during the broadcast of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online in April 2018 in which she performed the singing voice of the anime’s singer-songwriter character Elza Kanzaki. She also performed the Sword Art Online: Alicization ending theme song forget-me-not and the insert song Over the Rainbow in January 2019. Two years have already passed since her solo debut.

The ANIMA music video is the first from ReoNa to feature a full backing band. The high speed video also makes use of projection mapping. The full version of the music video is included on the DVD featured on First Press Limited Edition copies of the ANIMA single.

ReoNa – “ANIMA” Music Video

The song ANIMA was released on music streaming and download services on July 13 ahead of the physical single release which dropped on July 22. When the digital version came out, it immediately peaked at No. 1 on iTunes Japan in the Anime Singles category. ANIMA (Special Edition) also reached No. 1 on digital album rankings in Japan.

A special ReoNa character has also been added to the video game Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris for which the singer also performs its opening theme Scar/let. The game released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows on May 21, 2020. Her character design was conceived by abec who is also responsible for illustrations in the original Sword Art Online light novels.

ReoNa | Comment

“My heart is filled with joy at getting to sing for Sword Art Online again, a series which I cherish and became a turning point for me in my life. I hope this opening theme reaches your heart, along with the characters themselves—their trials and tribulations, the paths each of them walk, and their heart and spirit. I’ve also sung my first ever theme song for a video game: Scar/let, for Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris […]”

©2017 Reki Kawahara/KADOKAWA ASCII Media Works/SAO-A Project

©BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc.

The final season of the Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld anime series is set to begin airing on July 11, 2020. The Alicization arc began airing back in October 2018. The anime is an adaptation of the popular light novel series Sword Art Online by Reki Kawahara. A film, Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale, was released in 2017 and earned ¥4.3 billion in the Japanese box office.

A new trailer for the final season was released on Aniplex US’s YouTube channel which features the ending theme I will… by Eir Aoi. Check it out below.
©2017 Reki Kawahara / KADOMAWA ASCII Media Works / SAO-A Project

Japanese “hybrid” bookshop honto, which is co-managed by Junkudo and 2Dfacto, has used its online and physical book sales data to rank the top 10 manga series of the current 2020 summer anime roster. Their ranking was released on July 2.

Ito (PR, honto) | Comment

“The 2020 summer anime roster is about to start. With people staying at home right now, there is more opportunity to watch anime, so there must be a lot of people looking forward to the new series coming. So we are releasing our own ranking of manga and light novels from the anime series that are airing this summer. Let’s peruse series that are in the spotlight right now by dividing the ranking and the differences in age of people buying the books.”

*Data is based on the sales taken from the first half of 2020

The Top 3 Series

The slapstick love comedy Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4) by Take clocks in at number one. The series has sold over 1 million copies in Japan. The data shows that the series is most popular with people in their 30’s, who rate at 41.2% of the sales. Will they be watching the anime adaptation too?

In 2nd place is Fire Force (Volume 22) which is serialised in Weekly Shonen Magazine. This series is most popular with those in their 20’s. Season two of the anime series will premiere on July 5.

And in 3rd place is Sword Art Online (Volume 24), a series loved by fans the world over. This hugely popular series has sold over 20 million light novels, and is popular in all age groups, with the biggest percentage of sales going to those in their 40’s at 28.2%. The first season of the anime adaptation aired back in 2012. The second half of the War of Underworld will begin on July 11.

Full Top 10 List

1st Place: Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! (Volume 4)
2nd Place: Fire Force (Volume 22)
3rd Place: Sword Art Online (Volume 24)
4th Place: Kanojo, Okarishimasu (Volume 14)
5th Place: Baki Dou (Volume 5)
6th Place: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World (Volume 22)
7th Place: Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater (Volume 6)
8th Place: My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected (Volume 14)
9th Place: Super HxEros (Volume 9)
10th Place: A Certain Scientific Railgun (Volume 15)

*According to honto