Sword Art Online watch order
Every series, film, and special in the correct viewing order.
12 entries·~59 hrs total runtime·2012–2024
Ordinal Scale links Season 2 to Alicization; the Progressive films retell early Aincrad, and Gun Gale Online follows other characters.
Aincrad and Fairy Dance
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1
Sword Art Online
TV Series25 episodes · 2012
The first season covers the Aincrad and Fairy Dance story arcs.
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2
Sword Art Online: Extra Edition
Special101 min · 2013
A recap of the first season framed by a new side story set after the Fairy Dance Arc.
Phantom Bullet and Mother's Rosario
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3
Sword Art Online II
TV Series24 episodes · 2014
Covers the Phantom Bullet, Calibur and Mother's Rosario story arcs.
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4
Sword Art Online II: Debriefing
Special24 min · 2014
A recap of the Phantom Bullet portion of Sword Art Online II.
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5
Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale
Movie119 min · 2017
An original story set after Sword Art Online II and before Alicization.
Gun Gale Online Spin-off
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6
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Season 1
TV Series12 episodes · 2018
A spin-off set in Gun Gale Online and following Karen Kohiruimaki rather than Kirito.
Alicization
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7
Sword Art Online: Alicization
TV Series24 episodes · 2018–2019
Begins the Underworld storyline after the events of Ordinal Scale.
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8
Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld
TV Series12 episodes · 2019
Continues directly from the first Alicization series.
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9
Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld Part 2
TV Series11 episodes · 2020
Concludes the televised Alicization storyline.
Progressive Films
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10
Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night
Movie97 min · 2021
Retells and expands the beginning of the Aincrad Arc primarily from Asuna's perspective.
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11
Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night
Movie100 min · 2022
Continues the Progressive retelling on the fifth floor of Aincrad.
Gun Gale Online Continues
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12
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Season 2
TV Series12 episodes · 2024
Continues the separate Gun Gale Online spin-off storyline.
How many Sword Art Online episodes and movies are there?
The main television storyline contains 96 episodes across Sword Art Online, Sword Art Online II and Alicization. Alternative: Gun Gale Online adds 24 episodes, while the franchise also includes three major theatrical films and several recap or side-story specials.
Do I need to watch Ordinal Scale before Alicization?
Ordinal Scale is set between Sword Art Online II and Alicization, and characters and technology introduced in the film subsequently appear in the Alicization adaptation.
What order should a first-timer watch Sword Art Online in?
A first-time viewer should use release order, beginning with Sword Art Online, Extra Edition, Sword Art Online II and Ordinal Scale before continuing into Alicization.
Is Sword Art Online finished or still ongoing?
Sword Art Online remains an ongoing franchise, although no completed television adaptation of the light novels' Unital Ring Arc had been released by September 2026.
See also: A Certain Magical Index watch order, Solo Leveling watch order.
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