No Game No Life
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
No Game No Life has a lot that would appeal to Sword Art Online fans without following the same beaten path or offering too much of the same. This anime stars two siblings, Sora and Shiro, who are a masterful gaming duo better known as Blank. As fate would have it, the gaming duo finds themselves whisked away to an otherworldly realm called Disboard where games have far more serious consequences. In this new land, games have the power to decide the fate of entire countries. Sora and Shiro are forces to reckon with in this new world, but they have no interest in being mere players. They are determined to unite the various races of Disboard and defeat the God of Games known as Tet.
No Game No Life offers the same kind of video game world setting but also tends to have a much lighter approach in most situations. Whereas Sword Art Online relies mostly on its drama, No Game No Life offers plenty of comedy. In both anime, however, we follow a set of protagonists that have stumbled upon a new virtual world that they prefer more than that of their own. We also see our main characters stand out as experts who can easily rise to the top of the ranks and are encouraged to do so to accomplish a purpose much bigger than themselves. No Game No Life also features a beautiful animation style that will be aesthetically pleasing to anyone who enjoyed the style on display in Sword Art Online.
Log Horizon
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
Log Horizon probably has the most similarities with Sword Art Online in terms of its actual narrative. Even then, it’s still a viewing experience on its own and one that can’t be ignored or underestimated. A socially awkward college student by the name of Shiroe serves as the protagonist and, just like Kirito, he is an incredibly skilled MMORPG player. One day Shiroe and thirty thousand other Elder Tale players find themselves unable to log out of the popular MMORPG. One key difference in Log Horizon, however, is that when players die in the game they will actually respawn. Sword Art Online constantly hovers the fear of a death in the real world over the players’ heads. While most players are tossed into a frenzy when they can’t log out, Shiroe is quick to become curious and intrigued by his new environment. He sets out to explore and starts to live up to his reputation as one of the best strategists in the game.
As you can see, both anime deal with very similar narratives and themes. From students who are now trapped in a virtual MMORPG to a powerful protagonist who is fighting for the greater good of all the players in the same predicament, the foundation of these anime are quite similar. It’s the details and overall development that allows each of these anime to have their own unique identity though. Without spoiling the story, be prepared for Log Horizon to provide a new kind of perspective to the type of world that was on display in Sword Art Online.
Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash)
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
This anime follows a group of strangers that have suddenly been transported to a mystical land called Grimgar. The group knows nothing of this place and can’t remember anything about themselves other than their names. In the midst of all the confusion, they also find out that nobody in this world is willing to give them a break — they need to figure out how to survive. The only paying opportunity available for them is to join the Reserve Army as soldiers and dedicate their new lives to fighting back against any force threatening this new land that they don’t even understand.
Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash doesn’t technically take place inside a game, but its world certainly feels like one. While most anime with this kind of setting usually turn to some sort of inexplicably powerful protagonist to lead the way, this series takes the opposite approach. The group followed in this anime are actually the characters who were left behind after more powerful and competent soldiers formed their own separate parties. This is a story that follows the weak links of the bunch and emphasizes the wit and determination they must have as they are banded together. The survival theme is key in both Sword Art Online and Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash as characters struggle to adjust to their dangerous, new environments. If you loved the fantasy setting of Sword Art Online and found yourself entranced by the character development and emotional aspects of the series, you’ll love Grimgar of Fantasy & Ash’s balance between intense action and tear-jerking drama.
Accel World
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
Accel World is another action anime that tosses its characters into a video game world where decisions and outcomes can still impact the real world. While Accel World features the same socially-awkward-yet-skilled gamer protagonist, this time found in a young man by the name of Haruyuki Arita, there are some big differences that set these worlds apart. Accel World does not tell the story of players who are trapped in a world and trying to escape or adjust to. Instead, the players who enter the virtual reality MMO fighting game called Brain Burst are free to exit the game at any time. Brain Burst is more than just a game though. The more points one earns in the game, the better abilities they have access to in real life. This means characters in Accel World return to their virtual reality gaming lives as a result of their own motives and determination. This really shakes up the way certain characters are developed and how the plot overall is able to unfold.
Both Accel World and Sword Art Online feature a male and female duo that are solid as separate players but even more impressive as a team. The overall goal in these anime is also very similar. Haruyuki and the popular student council president Kuroyukihime are on a mission to reach level 10 so they can meet the creators of the Brain Burst program and find out why it was even created in the first place.
Overlord
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
Overlord is another anime that follows a protagonist who is now stuck inside a fantasy gaming world, but Overlord has a different spin on exactly how this happens. In Overlord, Momonga is a top tier player and the leader of the most powerful guild in Yggdrasil. One day it’s discovered that the game’s servers are being shut down and that players will have to log off to return to their real lives. Momonga, on the other hand, remains logged in even after the servers are shut down. That’s when Momonga realizes that the game is still running and the once emotionless NPCs are now fully functioning characters with their own personalities.
Much like Kirito, Momonga emerges as an unusually strong protagonist who sets off to learn more about this new virtual world. Sword Art Online features some pretty intense battle scenes and Overlord keeps the same intensity, if not adds a little more. All the battles are beautifully animated and the narrative gives meaningful nods to the MMORPG genre as a whole. With plenty of similar themes and a similar setting, Overlord is a great anime to turn to if you enjoyed Sword Art Online. It’s also a pretty good time to marathon this anime, since Overlord II has started airing as well.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! (Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!) is a far less serious option for anyone who enjoyed Sword Art Online but would rather drown themselves in laughter instead of tears. This is a purposefully and wonderfully over the top and silly anime series that actually pokes fun at the MMO game genre. While it also follows a protagonist who is navigating a magical world as a result of unusual circumstances, the overall tone is vastly different than anything else on this list. A high school student named Kazuma Satou dies in a pretty laughable way as he is walking back home from buying a video game one day. He finds himself being offered an unusual proposition — he can go to heaven or he can be reincarnated in a real fantasy world. It sounds like every gamer’s dream come true. Unfortunately, not everything goes according to plan for Kazuma. He is soon tasked with defeating a powerful Demon King, but one poor decision on his part places him at quite the disadvantage.
While this protagonist isn’t technically trapped in a game, the world is undeniably inspired by MMORPG games and references throughout the anime make that very clear. A part of the fun, however, is that this anime often makes fun of the ways video games teach players to deal with certain situations. Kazuma soon realizes that a real fantasy world doesn’t work exactly how the games make it seem. If you’re looking for an anime with a similar theme to Sword Art Online but you’re open to a very different, warm approach, then you’ll find a lot to love about KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
.hack//SIGN
Anime Like Sword Art Online If You’re Looking for Something Similar
If you’re looking for an anime similar to Sword Art Online, why not check out the beloved anime that many believe inspired the series in the first place? This anime, which is based off an actual video game, is widely considered to be one of the best virtual reality MMO anime series of all time. It follows a character known only by his gaming alias Tsukasa. He wakes up in a new land called The World but is lacking key parts of his memory. He can’t figure out how he got here nor can he remember what he was doing prior to waking up in The World. Now that he is trapped in this video game, he just wants to figure out how this happened and how he can be freed. The problem is that upon arrival, the Crimon Knights suspected Tsukasa of being a hacker and they aren’t interested in sitting down to talk and sort things out.
.hack//SIGN is the go-to option for any Sword Art Online fans who are actually more compelled by the show’s narrative and character development as opposed to its big, dramatic action scenes. There isn’t much action in .hack//SIGN as that’s not the focus. Instead, the true secrets at the core of this mysterious world are slowly revealed over time. Be prepared for slow, yet meaningful pacing and a far more narrative driven series with .hack//SIGN and you’ll likely find yourself becoming a huge fan.
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