The Best Episodes of Sword Art Online

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   REVEAL THE WINNER
   

   8.9/10(1529 votes)

   #1 - The End of the World

   S1:E1410/7/2012

   Game over.

   Director:Tomohiko Ito

   Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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   Director:Tomohiko Ito

   Writer:Yukito Kizawa
2. 

   8.8/10(729 votes)

   #2 - Taboo Index

   S3:E1012/9/2018

   Ronie and Tiese are late getting to the dorm. Kirito rushes out in search of them, but no sooner has he gone than Frenica appears. She tells Eugeo about how she's suffered at Humbert's hands, and that Tiese and Ronie went to confront him about it.

   Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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   Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
3. 

   8.7/10(553 votes)

   #3 - Sword and Fist

   S4:E912/8/2019

   Upon seeing Alice, Gabriel orders his entire army to capture her. The pugilists guild races ahead of the main force. As Alice and Bercouli try to come up with a strategy to counter them, the silent Integrity Knight Sheyta Synthesis Twelve steps forward.

   Director:Hiroshi Kimura

   Writer:Kohei Urushibara

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   Director:Hiroshi Kimura

   Writer:Kohei Urushibara
4. 

   8.7/10(619 votes)

   #4 - End to Eternity

   S4:E147/19/2020

   Despite its modest size, the Human Empire Army and Asuna valiantly battle the wave of American players surging towards them. But they’re hopelessly outnumbered, and the Human Empire soldiers start to fall one after another.

   Director:Toru Hamasaki

   Writer:Kohei Urushibara

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   Director:Toru Hamasaki

   Writer:Kohei Urushibara
5. 

   8.6/10(543 votes)

   #5 - Memories

   S4:E188/16/2020

   Sinon manages to severely damage Gabriel, but her strength has been sapped. Leafa collapses after wiping out the American players. And Asuna, her situation now hopeless, gazes at Kirito. But the Black Swordsman continues to wander through his dreams.

   Director:Yuya Horiuchi

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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   Director:Yuya Horiuchi

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
6. 

   8.5/10(1210 votes)

   #6 - The Blue-Eyed Demon

   S1:E99/2/2012

   To save a group of players and Asuna from a Boss character, Kirito is forced to play his trump card.

   Director:Koichi Kikuta

   Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Naoki Shouji

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   Director:Koichi Kikuta

   Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Naoki Shouji
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7. 

   8.5/10(861 votes)

   #7 - Mother's Rosario

   S2:E2412/20/2014

   Getting to experience the outside world, Yuuki’s days are more satisfactory than ever before. In ALO, the players have a barbecue and end up on a quest. In the real world, Asuna and the girls take a trip to Kyoto. One day, Asuna receives an email…

   Director:Tomohiko Ito

   Writer:Tomohiko Ito

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   Director:Tomohiko Ito

   Writer:Tomohiko Ito
8. 

   8.5/10(533 votes)

   #8 - Battle of the Knights

   S4:E611/17/2019

   The Final Load Test has begun, and the Eastern Gate has collapsed. Incited by Gabriel, now Emperor Vecta, the massive army of the land of darkness pushes on towards the Human Empire.

   Director:Takuma Suzuki

   Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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   Director:Takuma Suzuki

   Writer:Yukito Kizawa
9. 

   8.4/10(516 votes)

   #9 - Ray of Light

   S4:E1212/29/2019

   Due to Gabriel's scheme, U.S. players were given black knight accounts, and are now continuously logging in to the Underworld. They begin mercilessly slaughtering soldiers from both the Human Empire Army and the Dark Territory Army.

   Directors:Shunsuke Nakashige, Kenji Seto

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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   Directors:Shunsuke Nakashige, Kenji Seto

   Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
10. 

    8.4/10(494 votes)

    #10 - The Night-Sky Blade

    S4:E208/30/2020

    Alice and Asuna head to the World’s End Altar as Kirito confronts Gabriel. Unless he can defeat Gabriel and return to the real world before the maximum-acceleration phase begins, Kirito will have to spend the next 200 years in the Underworld.

    Director:Masakazu Obara

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Masakazu Obara

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
11. 

    8.3/10(460 votes)

    #11 - Blood and Life

    S4:E812/1/2019

    The powerful formal art unleashed by the Integrity Knight Alice inflicts severe casualties on the forces of darkness. Alice encounters an enemy survivor and learns that Emperor Vecta's objective is to find the "Priestess of Light."

    Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
12. 

    8.3/10(478 votes)

    #12 - Awakening

    S4:E198/23/2020

    Escaping his nightmares, Kirito regains consciousness at last. With the Night-Sky Blade in his right hand and the broken Blue Rose Sword in his left, he faces off against Vassago, armed with the Mate-Chopper, now enormous in size.

    Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

    Writer:Kohei Urushibara

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    Director:Shunsuke Nakashige

    Writer:Kohei Urushibara
13. 

    8.2/10(1139 votes)

    #13 - Crimson Killing Intent

    S1:E109/9/2012

    Kirito has agreed to a duel with the head of the Blood Alliance Knights. If Kirito wins, Asuna is free to leave the Knights and if he loses…

    Director:Hideya Takahashi

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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    Director:Hideya Takahashi

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa
14. 

    8.2/10(531 votes)

    #14 - Departure

    S3:E410/28/2018

    Kirito and Eugeo realize Selka has taken off to the End Mountains alone, and decide to chase after her. As they enter the cave, they encounter goblins, presumably from the Dark Territory, and must engage in a battle.

    Director:Michiru Itabisashi

    Writer:Ko Nekota

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    Director:Michiru Itabisashi

    Writer:Ko Nekota
15. 

    8.2/10(488 votes)

    #15 - The Relentless Knight

    S3:E151/20/2019

    Kirito and Eugeo are on their way up the stairs of the Central Cathedral when they encounter two girls named Linel and Fizel. As they stand, wondering what two children are doing there, they let their guard down and...

    Director:Hirotaka Tokuda

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Hirotaka Tokuda

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
16. 

    8.2/10(486 votes)

    #16 - The Legendary Hero

    S3:E182/10/2019

    Eugeo reaches the ninetieth floor of the Central Cathedral, which turns out to be a vast bathing area. The perplexed Eugeo encounters Bercouli Synthesis One soaking in the bath. Meanwhile, Kirito and Alice are still climbing the Central Cathedral wall.

    Director:Ken Takahashi

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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    Director:Ken Takahashi

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa
17. 

    8.1/10(1510 votes)

    #17 - The World of Swords

    S1:E17/8/2012

    It's launch day for one of the most highly-anticipated video games of all time. Join the character "Kirito" as he begins his journey in the virtual world of Sword Art Online.

    Director:Tomohiko Ito

    Writers:Yukie Sugawara, Yukito Kizawa

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    Director:Tomohiko Ito

    Writers:Yukie Sugawara, Yukito Kizawa
18. 

    8.1/10(643 votes)

    #18 - Death Gun

    S2:E98/30/2014

    The man in the cape shoots Pale Rider and he is eliminated despite the fact that he has HP remaining. The man says that he is Death Gun, and declares that he will bring true death. Asuna and her friends are watching a live stream of BoB and realize that Death Gun is one of the leaders of Laughing Coffin.

    Director:Yoshihiko Iwata

    Writer:Yukie Sugawara

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    Director:Yoshihiko Iwata

    Writer:Yukie Sugawara
19. 

    8.1/10(482 votes)

    #19 - The Osmanthus Knight

    S3:E161/27/2019

    Though riddled with wounds, Kirito manages to activate his Perfect Weapon Control art. Continuing on their way to the top floor of the Central Cathedral, Kirito and Eugeo find themselves standing before a strange-looking floating platform.

    Director:Saori Den

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Saori Den

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
20. 

    8.1/10(453 votes)

    #20 - Stigma of the Disqualified

    S4:E711/24/2019

    Integrity Knight Renly Synthesis Twenty-Seven, in battle for the first time, flees his position, allowing goblins from the forces of darkness to infiltrate to the tent where Kirito is.

    Director:Yuya Horiuchi

    Writer:Kohei Urushibara

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    Director:Yuya Horiuchi

    Writer:Kohei Urushibara
21. 

    8.1/10(467 votes)

    #21 - Heartless Choice

    S4:E1112/22/2019

    Asuna has created a bottomless chasm. The dark knights and the pugilists attempt to cross over to the other side, where the Human Empire Army waits. Meanwhile, Critter releases an announcement about a limited-time beta test for a bizarre new VRMMO.

    Director:Akira Yamada

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Akira Yamada

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
22. 

    8.0/10(476 votes)

    #22 - The Sage of the Library

    S3:E1212/23/2018

    Kirito and Eugeo escape from their cell, only to find their way blocked by Eldrie Synthesis Thirty-One, under orders from Alice to lie in wait for them. Kirito and Eugeo struggle against him until Eugeo realizes that he's seen Eldrie somewhere before.

    Director:Tsuyoshi Tobita

    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Yukito Kizawa

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    Director:Tsuyoshi Tobita

    Writers:Muneo Nakamoto, Yukito Kizawa
23. 

    8.0/10(476 votes)

    #23 - Synthesis

    S3:E203/3/2019

    Kirito and Alice reach the communal bath on the nintieth floor. There, they find the Integrity Knight Commander, Bercouli, who's been turned to stone by Chudelkin. Alice breaks down in tears upon seeing her mentor's tragic plight, but then...

    Directors:Takuma Suzuki, Satoshi Saga

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa

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    Directors:Takuma Suzuki, Satoshi Saga

    Writer:Yukito Kizawa
24. 

    8.0/10(474 votes)

    #24 - Titan of the Sword

    S3:E223/17/2019

    On the top floor of the Central Cathedral, Kirito, Eugeo, and Alice finally face Administrator. But Chudelkin uses the sacred arts to transform himself into a giant clown and attacks.

    Director:Hiroshi Kimura

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Hiroshi Kimura

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto
25. 

    8.0/10(539 votes)

    #25 - In the Far North

    S4:E110/13/2019

    Six months have passed since the fierce battle against Administrator. Alice has brought Kirito to her childhood home, Rulid Village, where they live peacefully. Gazing out at the world that she saved with Kirito, Alice reflects on all that’s happened.

    Director:Takashi Sakuma

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto

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    Director:Takashi Sakuma

    Writer:Muneo Nakamoto