Why Is Sword Art Online Still A Classic Anime? (2024)

The Japanese anime industry did not invent the concept of a fictional character who ends up in an exotic fantasy world to explore. There are iconic predecessors like The Wizard of Oz and The Chronicles of Narnia that deconstruct this concept decades earlier than anime. Still, this premise didn't become a proper subgenre until anime series like Sword Art Online started to air, which has helped isekai evolve into the massive subgenre that it is today. Sword Art Online may not be anime's first isekai story, but it's still a historical and significant milestone.

Sword Art Online is no stranger to flaws and there's fair criticism that surrounds them, but the anime remains popular and has a solid fan base. Most anime fans, regardless of their Sword Art Online opinions, still give the series credit for helping launch the isekai trend that continues to this day. There are a few key reasons why, despite its faults, Sword Art Online accomplishes so much in this regard.

Sword Art Online Taps Into Isekai's Appeal Early On

Sword Art Online isn't the first anime to explore themes of escapism and fantasy. There are partial isekai anime, like InuYasha, that already exist. Sword Art Online still remains a pioneer when it comes to its use of escapism in the isekai subgenre. The classic shonen anime, InuYasha, only briefly focuses on wild freedom in another world, since it's also a plot-heavy drama with strong romantic elements. Alternatively, Sword Art Online features escapism that's dependent upon an intricate plot, which greatly appeals to anime fans who were looking for deeper isekai content. Sword Art Online leans harder into the escapism aspect of its storytelling than most of its anime predecessors, which makes it a flawed, but bold trailblazer. Sword Art Online dares to examine what's possible when transportation to another world becomes the whole plot, rather than the setup for something greater.

That pivot makes Sword Art Online a whole new brand of escapism, which relishes the simple and open-ended nature of its premise and suggests that there are no rules. In InuYasha, the plot has "limitations" because it revolves around the Shikon Jewel, an entangled romance between Kagome, Inuyasha, Kikyo, and Naraku, as well as the fact that Kagome is still strongly tethered to her late 20th-century life. However, isekai anime like Sword Art Online drop their hero into a new world, where they're free to explore. This anime's open-ended nature is ultimately what makes its premise more appealing to fans, rather than derivative of the past.

Protagonist, Kazuto Kirigaya/Kirito, has the broad end goal to clear the 100 floors of Aincrad to escape the Sword Art Online game world. Beyond this basic setup, Kirito can make up his story as he pleases, which is a certain freedom that most proto-isekai protagonists lack. In doing so, Sword Art Online sets the mold for intentionally open-ended stories where isekai stars are in endless sandbox mode, to put matters in appropriate video game terms. This angle is far more freeing and relaxing, despite all the action and danger that comes along with it. It wouldn't actually be fun to be stuck in Kirito's situation, but fans can enjoy this adventure from afar as they safely watch him wander, unburdened by schedules, school, or chores. Kirito can spend all day fishing or wandering around in the forests, if he chooses to do so. Many more isekai series have gone on to take a page out of Sword Art Online's book in the following years and adopt similarly loose, open-ended narratives.

Sword Art Online Makes Gaming Even Cooler

Sword Art Online has colorful animation, an exciting "sandbox mode" premise, and the sheer appeal of an overpowered "Gary Stu" protagonist who rewrites the rules behind being "trapped in another world." This helps Sword Art Online set itself apart from similar tales in Japan and the West. However, this alone didn't make Sword Art Online a total hit in the early 2010s. Additionally, this time period was incredibly generous to MMORPG titles, like World of Warcraft, that were positioned as the next big gaming trend. Sword Art Online taps intothis hype from its first episode and doesn't look back. Kirito doesn't get trapped in feudal Japan or stuck wandering the colorful world of Oz as a standard fantasy hero. Kirito gets sent into a video game where he actually meets, and battles, MMORPG characters. It's one thing to fight orcs in World of Warcraft with a keyboard and mouse, but it's a gamer's pipe dream to actually be there and beat up these monsters in person. Sword Art Online presents a whole new level of immersion for passionate gamers.

This decision helps game-loving anime fans better see the appeal in Sword Art Online. The anime speaks their language with a detail-oriented HUD, the need to clear a floor of enemies, fight boss battles, level up, and manage one's inventory. Sword Art Online also goes beyond these surface level MMORPG trappings and becomes something more groundbreaking through its ability to blend MMORPG elements with its "trapped in a fantasy world" concept. Sword Art Online dares to ask what would happen if The Chronicles of Narnia and World of Warcraft were the same thing. It's easy by modern standards to overlook the fresh nature of this idea since there are now so many comparable isekai titles, like Trapped in a Dating Sim and Overlord. Sword Art Online was ahead of the curve and asking questions that were being ignored in other isekai series. This all helped make Sword Art Online a hit that continues to stand tall in the saturated isekai subgenre.

Sword Art Online Survives Despite Its Many Noteworthy Flaws

Any anime series is subject to flaws, such as plot holes or thinly-written characters. However, even by isekai's generous standards, Sword Art Online is weighed down by some serious issues that only its most dedicated fans can ignore. Anime audiences can decide for themselves whether Sword Art Online is worth the watch, despite these flaws and problematic elements. Fans might also wonder why they still like Sword Art Online when it's so rich in conspicuous faults, some of which are fundamental storytelling shortcomings, while others are more specific to Sword Art Online's own narrative style.

Sword Art Online has shallow, clunky characters, such as its resident "Gary Stu," Kirito, and the token love interest, Asuna Yuuki. Sword Art Online's story also misses many rich opportunities to further explore its premise. The anime only lightly touches upon key plot points, such as joining in-game guilds, the real-world consequences of so many people being trapped in Aincrad, creative and epic boss fights, and the use of character classes beyond sword wielders. Sword Art Online also has highly problematic elements that surround its female characters who, too often, end up in serious peril and need someone to save them. There are better ways to make a character vulnerable, or evil, than the approach that Sword Art Online takes.

Evidently, the groundbreaking appeal of a "World of NarniaCraft"-style anime with sandbox escapism is so strong that anime fans don't notice or don't care about Sword Art Online's narrative flaws. This speaks volumes about the isekai genre's fresher appeal back during the 2010s than it does regarding the sheer popularity of MMORPGs. This reputation has helped Sword Art Online secure its position as a landmark isekai anime that establishes a long-lasting trend, no matter how badly it's aged. Sword Art Online is still seen as a flawed but vital classic that builds new creative spaces in the anime industry for creators to explore. Whatever its flaws, Sword Art Online has done important work for its medium. Funnily enough, the anime's groundbreaking style is better in its successors like Tensura and Overlord. Sword Art Online gets the ball rolling, only for later isekai anime to further solidify the status of video game isekai series as anime staples.

Sword Art Online

Theseriestakes place in the 2020s and focuses on protagonists Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various virtual reality MMORPG

Created by

Reki Kawahara

First Film

Sword Art Online The Movie

First TV Show

Sword Art Online

First Episode Air Date

July 8, 2012