The light novels began publication on ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko imprint from April 10, 2009, with a spin-off series launching in October 2012. Kawahara originally wrote the series as a web novel on his website from 2002 to 2008.
The series takes place in the 2020s and focuses on protagonists Kazuto 'Kirito' Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki as they play through various virtual reality MMORPG worlds, and later their involvement in the matters of a simulated civilization. Sword Art Online ( Japanese: ソードアート・オンライン, Hepburn: Sōdo Āto Onrain) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec. Sword Art Online: Last Recollection (2023).Sword Art Online: Variant Showdown (2022).Sword Art Online: Black Swordsman Ace (2021).Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris (2020).
Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight (2017)
