Sword Art Online (SAO) is a Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG), released in 2022. With the NerveGear, a virtual reality helmet that stimulates the user's five senses via their brain, players can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds.
On November 6, 2022, the players log into SAO for the first time, and later discover that they are unable to log-out. They are then informed by Akihiko Kayaba, the creator of SAO and Nerve Gear that if they wish to be free, they must reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if their avatars die in-game, their bodies will also die in the real world. One of these players is Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya, who was chosen as one of the 1,000 beta testers in the closed beta. Since he had previous experience and knowledge of the game, he felt that he could beat the game easily. As a result, he set out to beat the game on his own. As the game progresses for two years, Kirito eventually befriends a female player named Asuna and they eventually fell in love. After the duo discover the identity of Kayaba's avatar in SAO, who was discovered to be the leader of the guild Asuna joined in, they confront him and kill him, freeing themselves and the other players from the game.
Upon being sent back to the real world, Kirito learns that 300 SAO players, including Asuna, still have not awakened yet. He was later informed by Agil, his SAO friend that a figure similar to Asuna was spotted on a giant tree (known as "The World Tree") in another VRMMORPG called Alfheim Online (ALO). Helped by his cousin Suguha Kirigaya, known as Leafa in the game, he learns that the trapped players in ALO are part of a plan conceived by Nobuyuki Sugō to perform illegal experiments on their minds to put them under his control, including Asuna, whom he intends to marry in the real world in order to take over her family's company. Kirito eventually foils Sugō's plans, stopped the experiment and rescues the remaining 300 SAO players. Before leaving ALO to see Asuna, Kayaba, who has seemingly survived SAO via the internet, entrusts Kirito with The Seed, which was a package program to create virtual worlds. Kirito eventually reunites with Asuna in the real world, and The Seed is released onto the Internet, reviving the VRMMO industry.
(Description by: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online)
This anime is a combination of action, drama, adventure, fantasy and romance. For those who love to play online games, you'll probably love this one. Its concept is truly amazing: plot, character looks, and of course, fight scenes. It has second season that is a must watch ;)
First season has 24 episodes, so start watching it.
Quotes:
"Whether here or in the real world, you can cry when it hurts. There's no rule that you can't show feelings just because it's a game." - Kazuto Kirigaya
"There is one thing I've learned here. To keep doing your best, up until the very end." Asuna Yuki
"A person is very strong when he seeks to protect something."-Akihiko Kayaba
"No matter what my heart will be forever yours and I will fight until the day I see you again."- Kazuto Kirigaya
