Sword Art Online -FULLDIVE- (2022)

Sword Art Online -FULLDIVE- is a special anime film created to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Sword Art Online franchise. It was released on November 6, 2022 in Japan. The film presents a completely new story written by the original author Reki Kawahara, and combines songs and live readings by voice actors.

Plot

The events take place in a virtual reality world where the line between game and reality blurs. The protagonist Kirito once again finds himself at the center of a dangerous adventure when a new system called Galaxia goes out of control. Players from different timelines and spaces are displaced, and Kirito must team up with former friends and enemies to restore the chronology. The story is full of action, drama, and nostalgic moments for fans of the series.

Chronology of the Sword Art Online franchise

The Sword Art Online franchise includes several anime seasons, films, and spin-offs. Here are the main projects in viewing order:

• Sword Art Online (2012) — first season, 25 episodes. Covers the Aincrad and Fairy Dance arcs. Kirito and other players are trapped in a deadly VRMMORPG where death in the game means death in reality.
• Sword Art Online: Extra Edition (2013) — a special episode that summarizes the first season and adds new content.
• Sword Art Online II (2014) — second season, 24 episodes. Includes the Phantom Bullet, Calibur, and Mother's Rosario arcs. Kirito investigates mysterious deaths in a new game, Gun Gale Online.
• Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale (2017) — a feature film. Events take place after the second season. Players use an AR device called Augma, leading to a new threat.
• Sword Art Online: Alicization (2018–2019) — third season, 47 episodes (split into parts). Kirito enters a virtual world called Underworld with accelerated time.
• Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld (2019–2020) — continuation of the third season, 23 episodes. The final battle for Underworld.
• Sword Art Online -FULLDIVE- (2022) — 10th anniversary film. A new story by Reki Kawahara.
• Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night (2021) — a film that retells the events of the first arc with a more detailed exploration of Aincrad's floors.
• Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night (2022) — continuation of Progressive, focusing on the fifth floor.

Where to watch

The film is available on official platforms:

• Amazon Prime Video
• JustWatch (to check regional availability)

Cast

• Yoshitsugu Matsuoka — Kirito
• Haruka Tomatsu — Asuna
• Other actors from the main cast of the series, including Hinako Takahashi (according to Letterboxd).

Creative team

• Original story author: Reki Kawahara
• Director: Tomohiko Ito (according to sources about his involvement in the franchise)
• Studio: A-1 Pictures (the main studio of the series)

Genres

Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure