Produced by A-1 Pictures, ‘Sword Art Online’ is an action-adventure fantasy series that is based on light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. Will Sword Art Online Season 5 return?
Set in the year 2022, when technological advancements have allowed people to control their game avatars with nothing but their thoughts, the release of a massive online role-playing game called Sword Art Online makes headlines. Soon thousands of gaming enthusiasts flock to the game world but realize they are stuck there. Now they must put their lives on the line and complete all one hundred levels of the game if they wish ever to get out.
The anime first premiered on July 8, 2012, and over the years, it has received critics’ approbation for well-written characters and its deep insight into virtual reality. After the conclusion of its fourth season, millions of fans must be curious when the anime will return with its new installment.
Before we begin, please note this article may contain official spoilers. However, if the spoilers don’t bother you, we can get started
Sword Art Online Season 5 Release Date
‘Sword Art Online’ season 4 (English dub) released in its entirety on Netflix on February 6, 2022. It comprises 25 episodes each with a runtime of about 24-25 minutes each. Prior to its release on the streaming giant, the anime premiered in Japan from October 13, 2019, to September 20, 2020. As far as season 5 of the anime is concerned, here is everything we know.
Studio A-1 Pictures or any other companies involved with the production of the show have not yet announced the renewal of the anime as of now. However, that should not dishearten the fans since several volumes of Reki Kawahara’s manga series are yet to be adapted. The two candidates for the upcoming installment are the Moon Cradle and the Unital Ring arc. Since the former is just two volumes long, the chances of it serving as the basis of an entire season are too low.
Therefore, the Moon Cradle arc may ultimately just be adapted into OVAs and stand-alone films. Kawahara has hinted that the Unital Ring arc will probably not be as long as Alicization. Regardless of the number of volumes, it will most likely be the inspiration for the upcoming installment.
Since the Unital Ring arc is still not completed, the release of the fifth season is still shrouded in mystery. A movie titled ‘Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of a Dark Dust’ is all set to release in 2022, and considering the production and other factors, the anime fans may have a long wait ahead of themselves.
However, as the action-adventure fantasy series is one of the most popular shows of all time in the anime industry, its return is almost guaranteed as creators won’t just leave out two major manga arcs without giving them an anime adaptation. Therefore, if the show is renewed soon, ‘Sword Art Online’ season 5 is expected to release sometime in late 2023 or early 2024.
Sword Art Online Season 5 Plot: What It Can Be About?
The fifth installment is named Sword Art Online Progressive. It shall cover the first volume of the Progressive series, named the Aria Of The Starless Night. The main characters of the fifth season of Sword Art Online include Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki. Both of them get trapped in the virtual game called Sword Art Online (SAO).
Fortunately, due to the extra powers, Kazuto Kirito doesn’t get affected. The most significant aspect of the series is that if Asuna and Kirito die in the game, they shall die in the real world too. This is because the real and virtual worlds get mixed up. We will see both of them form a romantic relationship. Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya becomes the ultimate lover of Asuna Yuuki. The characters as a couple shall support each other to survive and gets married to each other at the end of the game.
Sword Art Online, the manga series, got mixed reviews from the critics and also from the fans regarding its animation and artistic music. I highly recommend you to watch this manga novel series. And if you have already watched it, a big thumbs up to you.
In case you haven’t watched the trailer of Sword Art Online Progressive yet, here is the trailer attached below. You can have a look. It might bring you interest and lead you to watch the previous seasons as well.
Where Can You Watch Sword Art Online?
Well, those who have missed the series but now have gained interest must be wondering where to watch Sword Art Online. You can watch the previous seasons of the manga series on platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll. So, what are you waiting for? If you have somehow missed out on the series, start watching the previous seasons because Season 5 is going to release very soon. So without dawdling, start watching it. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it.
