Sword Art Online

Name: Sword Art Online
Genre: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Released: 2012-07-08
Rating: 8.2
Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Haruka Tomatsu, Hiroaki Hirata, Ai Kayano, Rina Hidaka

2012·Series·TV-MA·24 min·★ 8.2(2,105)

AnimationSci-Fi & FantasyAction & AdventureMore Japanese titles

“Blurring the line between the virtual and the real.”

In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now...

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Where to watch Sword Art Online in United States

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Click a service to open Sword Art Online there. Availability last verified on June 21, 2026.

Where is Sword Art Online streaming around the world?

Country	Streaming on	Rent / Buy
United States	Hulu, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, YouTube TV	Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
India	JioHotstar, Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, VI movies and tv	—
United Kingdom	Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store, Amazon Video
Canada	Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Crunchyroll	Apple TV Store
Australia	Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel	Apple TV Store
Germany	Netflix, Crunchyroll, Netflix Standard with Ads, Animation Digital Network	—
France	Crunchyroll, Animation Digital Network, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel	—
Spain	Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads	—
Brazil	Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel	—
Japan	Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, U-NEXT	Amazon Video, FOD, Google Play Movies

About Sword Art Online

Sword Art Online is a 2012 Japanese-language animation, sci-fi & fantasy and action & adventure series. The cast is led by Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Haruka Tomatsu, Hiroaki Hirata. It spans 4 seasons and 96 episodes and has concluded. Viewers rate it 8.2/10 across 2100 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Hulu, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel.

Sword Art Online was produced by A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, and GENCO and made in Japan. It was first aired on July 8, 2012, and carries a TV-MA certification.

First aired: July 8, 2012
Last aired: September 20, 2020
Original language: Japanese
Age rating: TV-MA
Status: Ended
Seasons: 4 (96 episodes)
Network: Gunma TV, Tokyo MX
Country: Japan
Production: A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, GENCO

#video game#artificial intelligence (a.i.)#based on novel or book#magic#fairy#trauma#virtual reality#friendship#sword fight#romance#survival#game#death match#alternative reality

Sword Art Online cast & crew

The cast features Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Kirito (voice), Haruka Tomatsu as Asuna (voice), Hiroaki Hirata as Klein (voice), Ai Kayano as Alice Synthesis Thirty (voice), Rina Hidaka as Silica (voice), and Hiroki Yasumoto as Agil (voice).

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Yuki Kajiura, cinematography is by Kenta Hayashi, and it was produced by Ryutaro Kawakami and Takaaki Yuasa.

Is Sword Art Online worth watching?

Sword Art Online holds an audience score of 8.2/10 from 2,105 ratings, ranking it among the most acclaimed animation series.

With 4 seasons and 96 episodes, it's a long-haul binge.

If you enjoy animation, sci-fi & fantasy, and action & adventure, Sword Art Online is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Sword Art Online

In United States, you can stream Sword Art Online on Hulu, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, and YouTube TV, or rent and buy it on Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.