Produced by A-1 Pictures, “Sword Art Online” is an action-adventure fantasy series based on a light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. Set in the year 2022, when advancements in technology allowed people to control their gaming avatars with nothing but their thoughts, the release of a massive online role-playing game called Sword Art Online is making headlines. Soon, thousands of gaming enthusiasts are flocking to the gaming world but realize they are stuck in it. Now they must put their lives on the line and complete the game’s hundred levels if they ever want to get out of it.
The anime first premiered on July 8, 2012, and over the years it has received acclaim from critics for its well-written characters and extensive knowledge of virtual reality. After the conclusion of its fourth season, millions of fans must be curious to know when the anime will return with its new episode.
Sword Art Online Season 5 Release Date
Season 4 of “Sword Art Online” (English dub) was released in its entirety on Netflix on February 6, 2022. It consists of 25 episodes each with a running time of around 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 for Season 5 of the anime, here is everything we know.
Studio A-1 Pictures or any other company involved in the production of the show has yet to announce the renewal of the anime at this time. However, this should not discourage fans since several volumes of Reki Kawahara’s manga series have yet to be adapted. The two candidates for the next installment are the Moon Cradle arc and the Unital Ring arc. Since the first is only two volumes long, the chances of it serving as the basis for an entire season are too low.
Therefore, the Moon Cradle arc might ultimately just be adapted into OVAs and standalone movies. Kawahara has suggests that the arc of the Unial Ring will probably not be as long as Alicization. Regardless of the number of volumes, it will most likely be the inspiration for the next installment. Since the Unital Ring arc is still unfinished, the release of the fifth season is still shrouded in mystery. A movie titled “Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of a Dark Dust” is slated for release in 2022, and considering production and other factors, anime fans might have a long wait ahead of them.
– –
劇場版
ソードアート・オンライン
-プログレッシブ-
冥き夕闇のスケルツォ
– –－2022年公開決定－#sao_anime pic.twitter.com/c68GzsUmRe
-アニメソードアート・オンライン公式 (@sao_anime) November 1, 2021
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 the creators won’t leave out two major manga arcs. without giving them an animated adaptation. Therefore, if the show is renewed soon, “Sword Art Online” Season 5 is expected to release sometime in end of 2023 or beginning of 2024.
Sword Art Online Season 5 plot: what can it be about?
In the Season 4 finale, Kirito is shocked to learn that Alice has somehow disappeared. However, to his surprise, she is soon delivered to him by a postman packed in a box. Alice shares her anger about Kirito staying in the underworld for so long without ever caring to inform her. The duo end up having a friendly duel, after which they have dinner with Kirito’s family.
Later that night, Alice goes to the protagonists’ bedroom to inform them of an encrypted email she has just received. It turns out to be an IP address, and they are then transported into space while inquiring about it at Rath’s HQ. There, the two battle giant space monsters with Asuna and end up victorious. They are then rewarded and become the king and queen of the stars.
In Season 5, after the events of Alicization, Kirito will continue to invest his time in trying out new VRMMORPGs. However, the free program called The Seed, which can be used to create an infinite number of VR worlds, converges and leads to the formation of a survival game named Unital Ring. All players are back to level 1 but still manage to retain their sword skills.
Players will no longer die in the real world if they die in-game, but they will no longer be able to reconnect. The sudden convergence leads to the fall of New Aincrad Castle, which marks the beginning of Kirito and his friends’ journey into the strange new world.
Read more: Anime like Sword Art Online
