The Best Episodes of Sword Art Online

#1 Fan Favorite
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8.9/10(1961 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
8.8/10(942 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
8.8/10(819 votes)
#3 - 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
8.7/10(730 votes)
#4 - 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
8.5/10(1556 votes)
#5 - 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:Naoki Shouji, Muneo Nakamoto
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Director:Koichi Kikuta
Writers:Naoki Shouji, Muneo Nakamoto
8.6/10(716 votes)
#6 - 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

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The 20 WORST Episodes of Sword Art Online

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8.5/10(1087 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
8.5/10(700 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
8.4/10(677 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
8.4/10(668 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
8.3/10(644 votes)
#11 - 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
8.3/10(613 votes)
#12 - 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
8.2/10(1453 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
8.2/10(697 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
8.2/10(649 votes)
#15 - 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
8.2/10(646 votes)
#16 - 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
8.2/10(641 votes)
#17 - 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
8.1/10(1889 votes)
#18 - 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
8.1/10(834 votes)
#19 - 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
8.1/10(622 votes)
#20 - 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
8.1/10(606 votes)
#21 - 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
8.0/10(709 votes)
#22 - 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
8.0/10(635 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
8.0/10(632 votes)
#24 - Stacia, the Goddess of Creation
S4:E1012/15/2019
Asuna has logged into the Underworld using the superuser account of Stacia, the Goddess of Creation. After she descends, she is reunited with Kirito, thanks to Ronie and Tiese. But soon Alice arrives, leading to a precarious situation!
Director:Takashi Sakuma
Writer:Kohei Urushibara
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Director:Takashi Sakuma
Writer:Kohei Urushibara
8.0/10(631 votes)
#25 - 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:Yukito Kizawa, Muneo Nakamoto
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Director:Tsuyoshi Tobita
Writers:Yukito Kizawa, Muneo Nakamoto