Shows like Sword Art Online: 20 to watch next
If you loved Sword Art Online (2012) — a animation, sci-fi & fantasy and action & adventure series — these 20 shows are the closest matches.
The first picks are what fans of Sword Art Online most often go on to watch; the rest share its genres and themes like video game, artificial intelligence (a.i.) and based on novel or book. 12 of them are streaming in India right now — each entry shows where.
Where to watch Sword Art Online →·Get picks for your whole taste →
- 1
BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense. 2020★ 7.5
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Kaede Honjou is invited by her friend Risa Shiramine to play a virtual reality MMO game with her. While Kaede doesn't dislike games, what she really, truly dislikes is being in pain. She creates a character named Maple, and decides to put all her points in VIT to minimize pain. As a result, she moves slowly, can't use magic, and even a rabbit can get the best of her. But as it turns out, she acquires a skill known as "Absolute Defense" as a result of her pumping points into VIT, as well as a "Counter Skill" that works against special moves. Now, with her ability to nullify all damage, she goes on adventures.
Stream in India on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 2
She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 2022★ 6.2
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Kagami Sakamori was one of the top players in the VRMMO Ark Earth Online as Danblf, a veteran summoner with the gravitas to match his elite status. When he falls asleep playing one day, he's transported to a world where the game is reality—but instead of his all-powerful avatar, he's stuck in the body of a cute young girl! He can't let anyone know that this little cutie is really Danblf, so he takes the name “Mira” and claims to be Danblf's disciple. If this gets out, he'll never live it down!
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 3
Log Horizon 2013★ 7.7
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
One day, while playing the online game Elder Tales, 30,000 players suddenly find themselves trapped in another world. There, eight-year veteran gamer Shiroe also gets left behind. The trapped players are still alive, but they remain in combat with the monsters. The players don't understand what has happened to them, and they flee to Akiba, the largest city in Tokyo, where they are thrown into chaos. Once proud of his loner lifestyle, Shiroe forms a guild called Log Horizon with his old friend Naotsugu, female assassin Akatsuki and others.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 4
Overlord 2015★ 8.4
Shares: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
In the year 2138, virtual reality gaming is booming. Yggdrasil, a popular online game is quietly shut down one day. However, one player named Momonga decides to not log out. Momonga is then transformed into the image of a skeleton as "the most powerful wizard." The world continues to change, with non-player characters (NPCs) beginning to feel emotion. Having no parents, friends, or place in society, this ordinary young man Momonga then strives to take over the new world the game has become.
Stream in India on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Sony Liv
- 5
Tales of Zestiria the X 2016★ 7.1
Shares: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
Legends speak of the Shepherd, a savior who will bring peace to the seraphim and human worlds. Sorey has spent his life studying ancient books and exploring ruins to learn more about this legendary savior. When he and his seraphim companion Mikleo encounter a mysterious girl in the ruins, the stories of the Shepherd become Sorey's reality.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 6
Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 2018★ 7.7
Shares: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
29-year-old programmer Suzuki Ichirou finds himself transported into a fantasy RPG. Within the game, he's a 15-year-old named Satou. At first he thinks he's dreaming, but his experiences seem very real. Due to a powerful ability he possesses with limited use, he ends up wiping out an army of lizard men and becomes a high leveled adventurer. Satou decides to hide his level, and plans to live peacefully and meet new people. However, developments in the game's story, such as the return of a demon king, may cause a nuisance to Satou's plans.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 7
SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table 2026★ 6.9
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure
Yuki plays death games for a living, but when she wakes in a mansion with five other women, can she survive a new lethal maze of locked rooms and traps?
Stream in India on Netflix, Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 8
Full Dive: This Ultimate Next-Gen Full Dive RPG Is Even Shittier Than Real Life! 2021★ 7.6
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
In an unexpected turn of events, dull high school student Hiro Yuuki obtains the full dive role-playing game Kiwame Quest. Created by the best of technology, the game claims to take "reality to its extremes," from stunning graphics, NPCs' behavior, to the scent of vegetation, and even the sensation of wind brushing against the skin—everything was the result of an ultimate workmanship. Except, the game is a little too realistic and messy to clear. Kiwame Quest features over ten quadrillion flags and reflects the players' real-life physical abilities in the game. Being hit in the game also hurts in real life and slash wounds take days to heal. The only reward here is the sense of accomplishment. Conquer the most stressful game in history that can't be played casually!
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 9
I'm Standing on a Million Lives 2020★ 6.5
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Ninth grader Yotsuya Yuusuke is practical, friendless, and not active in any clubs. Then one day, he and two female classmates are suddenly sent to another world where they must work together to battle for their lives. Yotsuya is a lone wolf and has always lived his life according to his wants, but how will that work out now that he’s supposed to be a hero?!
Stream in India on Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Amazon MX Player
- 10
.hack 2002★ 6.8
Shares: Action & Adventure, Animation
.hack follows several young players as they navigate the vast, mysterious MMORPG known as “The World” – a place, it turns out, that is sometimes impossible to leave.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 11
Skeleton Knight in Another World 2022★ 7.3
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
One day, a gamer played video games until he fell asleep...and when he woke up, he found himself in the game world—as a skeleton! Equipped with the powerful weapons and armor of his avatar but stuck with its frightening skeletal appearance, Arc has to find a place for himself in this new, fantastical land. All his hopes for a quiet life are dashed when he crosses paths with a beautiful elven warrior, setting him on a journey full of conflict and adventure.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, VI movies and tv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 12
Solo Leveling 2024★ 8.7
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
They say whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but that’s not the case for the world’s weakest hunter Sung Jinwoo. After being brutally slaughtered by monsters in a high-ranking dungeon, Jinwoo came back with the System, a program only he could see, that’s leveling him up in every way. Now, he’s inspired to discover the secrets behind his powers and the dungeon that spawned them.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 13
Dramatical Murder 2014★ 6.2
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Aoba lives on Midorijima, a small island to the southwest of the main islands of Japan. He lives with his grandmother Tae while working part time at a junk shop. The popular pastimes on the island are the ongoing turf war called "Libstease" and an online game set in the virtual world of "Rhyme." Aoba isn't involved in either, preferring to live peacefully, until one day he is forced into a Rhyme battle.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 14
Seven Senses of the Re'Union 2018★ 6.3
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
In the popular MMORPG world 'Union' there existed a legendary party named Subaru. This party, made up of a group of childhood friends and elementary schoolers, exceeded the limits of the game with their various senses. However, due to an incident which resulted in a death, 'Union' ended its service and the group of childhood friends went separate ways. Six years later, highschooler Haruto logged into the new 'Reunion' and reunited with a single girl. Asahi—one of old 'Subaru' party members, and his childhood friend who should have died six years ago. Is she a digital ghost, or...?
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 15
A Playthrough of a Certain Dude's VRMMO Life 2023★ 6.4
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Taichi Tanaka is just an ordinary 38-year-old who enjoys video games. He starts a new virtual reality multiplayer game called One More Free Life Online, naming his character Earth. Unlike his fellow players, he decides to master the most menial of skills in the game. He cooks the finest meals, overbrews complicated potions, and hunts monsters with handmade weapons. His fantasy life begins!
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 16
Btooom! 2012★ 7.3
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Sakamoto, an unemployed young man, is one of the world's top players of an online fighting game called Btooom! One day, he wakes up on what appears to be a tropical island, although he doesn't remember how or why he got there.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 17
Princess Connect! Re:Dive 2020★ 6.8
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
In the beautiful land of Astraea where a gentle breeze blows, a young man named Yuuki awakens with no memory of his past. There he encounters a guide who has sworn to care for him—Kokkoro, a lovely swordswoman who's always feeling peckish—Pecorine, and a cat-eared sorceress with a prickly attitude—Karyl. Led by fate, these four come together to form the "Gourmet Guild." And so their adventure begins...
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 18
Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall 2022★ 8.1
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
The year is 2062. Earth has been left in ruin after the failure of a labor automation project when the AI called Artemis waged war against humanity. A girl, Empress, awakens in a research lab. As one of the three surviving guardians, she must destroy the Orbital Elevator before Artemis can complete its construction. Failure will result in a machine army overrunning Earth.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now
- 19
Scarlet Nexus 2021★ 7.2
Shares: Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Saved by the Other Suppression Force as a child, psychokinetic Yuito enlists in this elite team formed to fight Earth’s enemy. Meanwhile, prodigy Kasane was scouted for her abilities. Kasane’s dreams tell her strange things, dragging the two into an unavoidable fate.
Stream in India on Crunchyroll, Sony Liv, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel
- 20
Devil May Cry 2007★ 7.6
Shares: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Action & Adventure
The adventures of the demon hunter Dante who himself is half demon and half human.
Not on subscription streaming in India right now