A next generation game device known as “NerveGear” has been developed, making Full Dives into a virtual dimension possible. “NerveGear” is the world’s first true Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game device and “Sword Art Online (SAO)” generates worldwide buzz.

EPISODE

#1 “The World of Swords”

Kirito immerses himself in Sword Art Online's virtual world. But Akihiko Kayaba, the developer of SAO, proclaims the following to all players. This game is inescapable unless all levels are cleared. And in this world, “Game Over” is equivalent to death in the real world.

EPISODE

#1 “The World of Swords”

A player named Diabel summons the others to a boss raid meeting. Kirito attends the meeting and teams up with a certain solo player.

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#2 “Beater”

Kirito and Asuna defeat the first floor boss, Illfang the Kobold Lord, and Kirito acquires the last attack bonus rare item, Coat of Midnight.

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#2 “Beater”

Kirito rescues a guild called the Moonlit Black Cats from a monster attack. Drawn to the warmth of this guild, whose members are all friends even in real life, Kirito joins them, concealing the fact that he is a Beater. With Kirito's help, the weak Black Cats gain newfound power, and set their sights on catching up to the “front line fighters.”

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#3 “Red Nosed Reindeer”

Keita leaves to the Town of Beginnings to purchase a home for the guild, while Kirito and the remaining Moonlit Black Cats enter the 27th floor Labyrinth trap.

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#3 “Red Nosed Reindeer”

Kirito travels to the forest on the 35th floor to battle the event boss, Nicholas the Renegade, in hopes of acquiring a revival item.

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#3 “Red Nosed Reindeer”

Kirito receives a Gift Box from Sachi containing a recorded message.

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#3 “Red Nosed Reindeer”

After quarreling with her party, the young girl Silica, who is also a beast-tamer, storms off and loses her way in the forest, where she runs into monsters. She is saved by Kirito, who just happens to be passing by, but loses her familiar, Pina.

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#4 “The Black Swordsman”

Kirito and Silica travel to Floria to acquire the flower of revival, the Pneuma Flower, in hopes of reviving Pina; however, they are ambushed by the orange guild, Titan's Hand, and their leader Rosalia.

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#4 “The Black Swordsman”

Asuna, vice commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and Kirito disagree on a strategy against the Field Boss.

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#5 “A Crime Within the Walls”

Kirito and Asuna witness a male player named Kains die in a village (a safe-zone). Fearing that there might be an unknown PK skill, Asuna joins Kirito in trying to get to the bottom of the incident.

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#5 “A Crime Within the Walls”

Kirito and Asuna solve the mystery behind the “Murder in the Area” and unravel the truth behind the death of the Golden Apple guild's leader, Griselda.

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#6 “Illusionary Avenger”

Kirito arrives at the blacksmith Lisbeth's shop, requesting her to make him the best possible sword - with cost not being an issue. To give her an idea of what he has in mind, Kirito shows her his Elucidator. The confident craftswoman shows him the finest sword she's ever forged, but Kirito, wanting to test its durability, promptly breaks it. To acquire materials to forge a better sword, Kirito and Lisbeth travel to the Western Mountain of the 55th Floor.

EPISODE

#7 “The Temperature of the Heart”

After falling into a dragon's nest, Kirito and Lisbeth spend the night and find a Crystallite Ingot. Using the material, Lisbeth forges a new sword for Kirito - the Dark Repulsor.

EPISODE

#7 “The Temperature of the Heart”

On his way back from having cleared the 74th floor from the front lines, Kirito acquires an S-class rare item, Ragout Rabbit Meat. But since he has done nothing to increase his cooking skills, it's a mere waste in Kirito's hands. While trying to sell it to Agil, he runs into Asuna, who has maxed her cooking skill. Kirito asks her to cook the rare food for him in exchange for letting her eat it.

EPISODE

#8 “The Sword Dance of White and Black”

Kirito and Asuna clear the dungeon on the 74th floor and discover the Boss Room, where they encounter the formidable boss, The Gleam Eyes, and immediately withdraw. Retreating to a Safe Area, they encounter Klein with his guild and the Aincrad Liberation Army, the largest guild in all of SAO. Lieutenant Colonel Corvatz of the Aincrad Liberation Army refuses to heed Kirito's warning regarding the boss and suffers casualties. Asuna, Kirito, and Klein join in to save the Army members, and Kirito is able to defeat The Gleam Eyes using his dual-wielding skill, Starburst Stream

EPISODE

#9 “The Blue-Eyed Demon”

Asuna reveals that she wants to distance herself from the Knights of the Blood Oath. Kirito is challenged to a duel with Heathcliff, the notorious leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath and said to be the most powerful man in Aincrad, in exchange for Asuna's freedom. However, if Kirito loses the duel he must join the Knight of the Blood Oath.

EPISODE

#9 “The Blue-Eyed Demon”

Knowing how formidable an opponent Heathcliff will be, Asuna worries for Kirito's safety, but Kirito reassures her with a laugh that he doesn't intend to go down easily. The One-Strike mode duel between Heathcliff, master of the unique skill, Divine Blade, and Kirito, wielder of Dual Swords, ends with Heathcliff getting the first strike and winning the duel.

EPISODE

#10 “Crimson Killing Intent”

Kirito puts on the Knights of the Blood Oath's uniform and shares with Asuna the reason he avoids guilds and people.

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#10 “Crimson Killing Intent”

During a training mission on the 55th floor, Godfree, the forward commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, and Kirito are betrayed by Kuradeel and paralyzed with poisoned water. After Kuradeel kills Godfree, he confesses that he is a member of Laughing Coffin and attempts to murder Kirito, but Asuna saves Kirito just in time. Kirito and Asuna share a kiss and later that night Kirito proposes to Asuna.

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#10 “Crimson Killing Intent”

Asuna is granted temporary leave from the Knights of the Blood Oath and begins living together with Kirito in a house they purchased by a lake on the 22nd floor. Kirito and Asuna pass the days peacefully, in a land far removed from battle.

EPISODE

#11 “The Girl of Morning Dew”

One day, after hearing a rumor about a ghost-sighting, Kirito and Asuna set off for the forest, where they meet a young girl, wandering through the gloomy woods.
When the girl collapses right in front of them, they take her in, but she has lost her memory.

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#11 “The Girl of Morning Dew”

Kirito and Asuna travel with Yui to the Town of Beginnings to see if she remembers anything. While there they help Sasha, the owner of the orphanage.

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#11 “The Girl of Morning Dew”

While in the Town of Beginnings, Kirito and Asuna take on the job of rescuing Thinker, a leader of The Army. Yui insists on tagging along and together they descend to the Black Iron Castle's underground dungeon, where an unexpected enemy awaits them. Both Kirito and Asuna struggle in the battle, but are saved by Yui, who defeats the unknown enemy. Regaining her memory, Yui explains the single, immense system that controls the world of Sword Art Online called Cardinal and that she is an AI program, Mental Health Counseling Program, prototype 1, forbidden to interact with players. Detected by Cardinal, Yui begins to be deleted for disobeying orders. Kirito manages to access the system with the GM account to transfer Yui's program into a game object, Yui's heart, and gives it to Asuna.

EPISODE

#12 “Yui's Heart”

While fishing at the lake, Kirito is approached by an elderly player, Nishida.
As Nishida is an avid fisherman, the two hit it off, and Kirito decides to help him try and catch the local guardian, said to live in that very lake.
After knowing nothing but battle day in and day out on the front lines, Kirito and Asuna realize that there are ordinary people around them, doing their best to live another day through their encounters with Nishida and the others.

EPISODE

#13 “Edge of Hell's Abyss”

Nishida and Kirito attempt to fish the guardian of the lake. Just as Kirito seemed to have overpowered the creature, his fishing line breaks and the spectators, Nishida, and Asuna flee. The creature emerges from the lake and begins to run on land. Asuna is able to defeat it, but in the process reveals her identity. As the spectators rejoice in Asuna's presence, Kirito receives a message from Heathcliff.

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#13 “Edge of Hell's Abyss”