List of Sword Art Online light novels
Sword Art Online is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara with accompanying illustrations drawn by abec. The series takes place in the near-future and focuses on various virtual reality MMORPG worlds. Originally self-published online under the pseudonym Fumio Kunori,[1] ASCII Media Works began publishing the novels on April 10, 2009 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint.[2] The series has since grown to 16 volumes as of August 8, 2015.[3] Yen Press began publishing the novels in English in North America and United Kingdom with the first volume on April 22, 2014. The novels are also published in China, Taiwan, South Korea, Thailand[4] and France.[5] With more than 16 million copies in print worldwide, there are future plans for publications in Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Vietnam and others.[4]
Kawahara also began writing a parallel series of light novels titled Sword Art Online: Progressive, a reboot of the original Sword Art Online Aincrad Arc. However, instead of covering the arc in one light novel, Kawahara plans to take a floor by floor approach of the Aincrad Arc. The first volume was published on October 10, 2012[6] and four volumes have been published as of December, 2015.
In addition to the original storyline of Sword Art Online and Sword Art Online: Progressive, Kawahara has also written and published Sword Art Online side stories. These side stories have been posted on his website,[7] in a collection of side stories in Accel World, have been sold at Comitia, Dengeki Bunko's Fair and have come along with the limited edition Blu-Ray/DVD Sword Art Online compilation volumes. Before Sword Art Online was published, Kawahara had posted Sword Art Online novels on his website and there are still a few side stories on Sword Art Online, although the original novels have been removed. In addition, Kawahara has published a side story of Sword Art Online in one of his other works, Accel World. In the tenth volume of Accel World, there is a chapter where it depicts a cross over between Sword Art Online and Accel World. Several of the side stories that he has released are in a collection called the Sword Art Online Material Edition, which range from novels to manga. However, all of the art in the Material Editions are drawn by Kawahara himself.
Volume list
Sword Art Online
No. | Title | Original release date | English release date | |
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1 | Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad | April 10, 2009[2] 978-4-04-867760-8 | April 22, 2014[8][9] 978-0-316-37124-7 | |
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Being one of the world's luckiest gamers, Kirito gets the chance to play Sword Art Online, the world's first ever VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game), only available to 10,000 people. Players immerse themselves into the game and are able to live a totally different life. However, all 10,000 players gets trapped in this game where game over in-game means death, both virtual and real. The only way to escape this game alive is to clear all 100 floors of Aincrad, but after having been trapped in this virtual world for two years, there are still 26 floors to clear with only 6,000 players left. | ||||
2 | Sword Art Online 2: Aincrad | August 10, 2009[10] 978-4-04-867935-0 | August 26, 2014[11] 978-0-316-37681-5 | |
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A collection of four short stories revolving around Kirito that take place when the players of Sword Art Online are trapped in the game. | ||||
3 | Sword Art Online 3: Fairy Dance | December 10, 2009[12] 978-4-04-868193-3 | December 16, 2014[13] 978-0-316-29642-7 | |
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Kirito has finished the game Sword Art Online and has returned back to reality. However, he soon discovers that Asuna and 300 other people are still stuck in-game. Kirito soon finds out that they are trapped in a game called Alfheim Online and rushes back into virtual reality to save Asuna. | ||||
4 | Sword Art Online 4: Fairy Dance | April 10, 2010[14] 978-4-04-868452-1 | April 21, 2015[15] 978-0-316-29643-4 | |
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After foiling the ambush from the Salamanders, Kirito and Leafa continue to head towards the World Tree but end up in the underworld, Jötunheimr. After a series of experiences to both of the gamers, they soon arrive at the base of the World Tree, Arun. Kirito immediately tries to fly into the World Tree and save Asuna. However, before he saves her, he is faced with a few surprising findings. | ||||
5 | Sword Art Online 5: Phantom Bullet | August 10, 2010[16] 978-4-04-868763-8 | August 18, 2015[17] 978-0-316-29644-1 | |
After saving his girlfriend, Kirito changes game: Following the request of Kikuoka, an officer from the Internal Defense Department he dives into a game filled with gunpowder and firearms. With the help of Sinon, a sniper, he investigates a series of murders committed by the mysterious Death Gun. | ||||
6 | Sword Art Online 6: Phantom Bullet | December 10, 2010[18] 978-4-04-870132-7 | December 15, 2015[19] 978-0-31-629645-8 | |
Kirito enters in the middle of the action by participating in the Bullet Of Bullets PVP battle. In meantime he deducts that the opponent is a member of the old Sword Art Online game's red(killer) guild, Laughing Coffin. | ||||
7 | Sword Art Online 7: Mother's Rosario | April 8, 2011[20] 978-4-04-870431-1 | April 19, 2016[21] 978-0-31-639040-8 | |
A change of protagonists: this light novel is a spin-off: the main characters being Kirito's girlfriend Asuna and "Absolute Sword" Konno Yuuki. | ||||
8 | Sword Art Online 8: Early and Late | August 10, 2011[22] 978-4-04-870733-6 | August 23, 2016[23] 978-0-31-639041-5 | |
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Short stories from the world of Sword Art Online and the Fairy Dance. | ||||
9 | Sword Art Online 9: Alicization Beginning | February 10, 2012[24] 978-4-04-886271-4 | December 13, 2016[25] 978-0-31-639042-2 | |
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10 | Sword Art Online 10: Alicization Running | July 10, 2012[26] 978-4-04-886697-2 | — | |
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11 | Sword Art Online 11: Alicization Turning | December 10, 2012[27] 978-4-04-891157-3 | — | |
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12 | Sword Art Online 12: Alicization Rising | April 10, 2013[28] 978-4-04-891529-8 | — | |
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13 | Sword Art Online 13: Alicization Dividing | August 10, 2013[29] 978-4-04-891757-5 | — | |
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14 | Sword Art Online 14: Alicization Uniting | April 10, 2014[30] 978-4-04-866505-6 | — | |
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15 | Sword Art Online 15: Alicization Invading | August 9, 2014[31] 978-4-04-866775-3 | — | |
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After the decisive battle against the Highest Minister Administrator the Human Empire's defences are shaken. However the Great East Gate is on the verge of crumbling. The Order of the Integrity Knights needs to prepare against the incoming army from the Dark Territory once the gate crumbles. | ||||
16 | Sword Art Online 16: Alicization Exploding | August 8, 2015[3] 978-4-04-865307-7 | — | |
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17 | Sword Art Online 17: Alicization Awakening | April 10, 2016[32] 978-4-04-865883-6 | — | |
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Sword Art Online: Progressive
No. | Title | Original release date | English release date | |
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1 | Sword Art Online: Progressive 1 | October 10, 2012[6] 978-4-04-886977-5 | March 24, 2015[33] 978-0-316-25936-1 | |
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2 | Sword Art Online: Progressive 2 | December 10, 2013[34] 978-4-04-866163-8 | June 30, 2015[35] 978-0-316-34217-9 | |
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3 | Sword Art Online: Progressive 3 | December 10, 2014[36] 978-4-04-869096-6 | October 27, 2015[37] 978-0-316-34883-6 | |
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4 | Sword Art Online: Progressive 4 | December 10, 2015[38] 978-0-31-654542-6 | October 25, 2016 [39] 978-0-31-654542-6 |
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online
No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
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1 | Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online I -Squad Jam- | December 10, 2014[40] | 978-4-04-869094-2 |
2 | Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online II -Second Squad Jam <Part 1>- | March 10, 2015 | 978-4-04-869095-9 |
3 | Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online III -Second Squad Jam <Part 2>- | June 10, 2015 | 978-4-04-865190-5 |
4 | Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online IV -Third Squad Jam Betrayers' Choice <Part 1>- | March 10, 2016 | 978-4-04-865818-8 |
Sword Art Online Material Edition
No. | Title | Release date | ISBN |
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1 | The Progressers | November 18, 2007 | — |
2 | Early Character | February 10, 2008 | — |
3 | Ceramic Heart | May 5, 2008 | — |
4 | Cold Hand, Warm Hard | November 16, 2008 | — |
5 | Salvia | May 5, 2009 | — |
6 | Algade Showdown | November 15, 2009 | — |
7 | Continuation: Aria in the Starless Night | August 21, 2011 | — |
8 | Rondo of the Transient Sword (First Chapter) | October 30, 2011 | — |
9 | Monochrome Concerto (First Chapter) | February 5, 2012 | — |
10 | 16.6 | October 20, 2013 | — |
11 | 16.7 | February 2, 2014 | — |
12 | 16.8 | May 5, 2014 | — |
13 | 16.9 | August 31, 2014 | — |
14 | Sugary Days 5 | November 23, 2014 | — |
15 | Sugary Days 6 | May 5, 2015 | — |
16 | Sugary Days 7 | August 30, 2015 | — |
Sword Art Online side stories
No. | Title | Release date | ISBN | |
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– | There is But One Ultimate Way | February 13, 2011 | — | |
Release via Sword Art Online Material Edition: Assemblage. | ||||
– | Caliber SS Kyaribā Sukoshi Shippai han (キャリバー SS版) | June 10, 2011 | — | |
Release via Dengeki Bunko Magazine. | ||||
– | Versus Bāsasu (バーサス) | December 10, 2011 | — | |
Release via Dengeki Bunko Magazine. | ||||
– | Breaking Damage's Limit Damēji no Genkai Toppa (ダメージの限界突破) | November 2012 | — | |
Release as a Dengeki Bunko Festival special. | ||||
– | Story Pencil Board | March 2013 | — | |
Release as an attachment to a volume of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. | ||||
– | Celeste Fairy Cheresute no Yōsei (チェレステの妖精) | May 2013 | — | |
Release as an attachment to a volume of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. | ||||
– | 16.8.5 | 2014 | — | |
Release as part of a file that was given to buyers by a certain publisher's event. | ||||
– | Lisbeth Edition | May 5, 2012 | — | |
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Released via Comitia. | ||||
– | Silica Edition | November 18, 2012 | — | |
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Released via Comitia. | ||||
– | Pina Edition | August 18, 2013 | — | |
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Released via Comitia. | ||||
– | The Day Before Za Dei Bifoa (ザ・デイ・ビフォア) | October 24, 2012[41] | — | |
Released as a special to Japanese Sword Art Online anime Blu-ray Disc volume 1. | ||||
– | The Day After Za Dei Afutā (ザ・デイ・アフター) | June 26, 2013[42] | — | |
Released as a special to Japanese Sword Art Online anime Blu-ray Disc volume 9. | ||||
– | Rainbow Bridge Niji no Hashi (虹の橋) | April 23, 2014[43] | — | |
Released as a special to Japanese Sword Art Online: Extra Edition anime Blu-ray Disc. | ||||
– | Sugary Days Shugāryi Deizu (シュガーリィ・デイズ) | May 25, 2015[44] | — | |
Released as a special to Japanese Sword Art Online II anime Blu-ray Disc volume 5. A compilation, addition and fixation over Material Edition released in year 2013 and 2014.[44] |
References
- ^ Afterword of the first light novel volume.
- ^ a b ソードアート・オンライン〈1〉アインクラッド (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048677608.
- ^ a b ソードアート・オンライン16 アリシゼーション・エクスプローディング (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-06-10.
- ^ a b "電撃文庫『ソードアート・オンライン』シリーズ 国内累計発行1,000万部、全世界累計発行1,400万部突破! TVアニメも大好評放送中!!". ITmedia LifeStyle. 2014-07-31. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
- ^ "Sword Art Online T.1". PointManga. Retrieved June 22, 2015.
- ^ a b ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ1 (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048869779.
- ^ Kawahara, Reki. 九里史生/川原礫のホームページ (in Japanese). Wordgear. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ^ ""Sword Art Online" Light Novel and Manga Release Details Listed". Crunchyroll. 2013-09-16. Retrieved 2013-09-17.
- ^ Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad. ISBN 0316371246.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈2〉アインクラッド (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 404867935X.
- ^ Sword Art Online 2: Aincrad. Yen On. ISBN 0316376817.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈3〉フェアリィ・ダンス (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048681931.
- ^ Sword Art Online 3: Fairy Dance. Yen On. ISBN 0316296422.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈4〉フェアリィ・ダンス (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048684523.
- ^ Sword Art Online 4: Fairy Dance. Yen On. ISBN 0316296430.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈5〉ファントム・バレット (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048687638.
- ^ Sword Art Online 5. Yen On. ISBN 9780316296441.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン(6) ファントム・バレット (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048701320.
- ^ Sword Art Online 6. Yen On. ISBN 9780316296458.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈7〉マザーズ・ロザリオ (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048704311.
- ^ Sword Art Online 7. Yen On. ISBN 9780316390408.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈8〉アーリー・アンド・レイト (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048707337.
- ^ Sword Art Online 8. Yen On. ISBN 9780316390415.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン (9) アリシゼーション・ビギニング (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048862715.
- ^ Sword Art Online 9. Yen On. ISBN 9780316390422.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン〈10〉アリシゼーション・ランニング (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048866974.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン11 アリシゼーション・ターニング (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048911570.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン (12) アリシゼーション・ライジング (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048915290.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン (13) アリシゼーション・ディバイディング (in Japanese). ISBN 4048917579.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン14 アリシゼーション・ユナイティング (in Japanese). Dengeki Bunko. Retrieved 2014-03-12.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン15 アリシゼーション・インベーディング (in Japanese). Dengeki Bunko. Retrieved 2014-08-19.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン17 アリシゼーション・アウェイクニング (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-02-09.
- ^ Sword Art Online Progressive 1. ISBN 0316259365.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ (2) (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 4048661639.
- ^ Sword Art Online Progressive 2. ISBN 0316342173.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ (3) (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 9784048690966.
- ^ Sword Art Online Progressive 3. ISBN 031634883X.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ4 (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 9784048655668.
- ^ Sword Art Online Progressive 4. ISBN 031631465X.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン オルタナティブ ガンゲイル・オンラインI ―スクワッド・ジャム― (電撃文庫) (in Japanese). ISBN 9784048690942.
- ^ 「ソードアート・オンライン」第1巻 (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ^ ソードアート・オンライン」第9巻 (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ^ "「ソードアート・オンライン Extra Edition」" (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
- ^ a b "「ソードアート・オンラインⅡ」第5巻" (in Japanese). Aniplex. Retrieved September 16, 2014.