Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア

| Episodes: 1 | Score: 8.0 (109573)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: Movie

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Synopsis

Excelling socially and academically, Asuna Yuuki is on track to ace her high school entrance exams. Her friend and classmate, Misumi "Mito" Tozawa, advises her to take a short break from studying and join her on the launch day of Sword Art Online (SAO)—the highly anticipated online virtual reality multiplayer game. Asuna accepts her offer and soon meets her in the game. In a cruel twist of fate, Asuna, Mito, and every other player logged into SAO find themselves trapped in the game permanently. The only way out is to clear all one hundred floors of the game, and to make matters worse, dying inside the game will kill the player in real life. With SAO now turned into a nightmare death trap, Asuna and other gamers—such as the lone swordsman Kazuto "Kirito" Kirigaya—must adapt and survive, all whilst attempting to beat the unforgiving competition to the top. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Voice Actors

Matsuoka, Yoshitsugu

Minase, Inori

Nakao, Ryusei

Tomatsu, Haruka

News

Reviews

ZADOCC
02/13/2024, 10:29 PM
I am hugely invested in telling people that this movie is actually good, so I'm going to tell a story about how I discovered this movie. As part of an (ill-advised) attempt to make a comprehensive isekai tier list, I decided to sit down with some friends to watch every piece of SAO media available to me in as close to one sitting as I could get. This was the last piece of media I watched after finishing Ordinal Scale (I didn't realize it was before Alicization. Whoops) and was so checked out of the end of that movie that the bar of expectations was onthe floor for this one. Cue my surprise when half an hour in, I realize I want to go get something to drink but don't feel like I can because I'm too invested in what's happening onscreen. SAO did that? Really? I have no nostalgia for this series, I got into anime early in college. So when I sat down to watch this, I took in all the ugly plot-hole ridden mess that was SAO Seasons 1 and (to a lesser extent) 2. By this point I expected little out of the series, but this movie gripped me in a way nothing that day had even come close to doing. First, the elephant in the room. The SAO Progressive Aria movie is very loosely adapted from the light novel of the same name, and this movie take many liberties in adapting that material. Though a handful of scenes and themes remain from that novel, the first entire half of this movie was fabricated for the sake of this movie. This is objectively a bad adaptation of its source material, and if you go into this looking for that, you will be disappointed. I was not, however, and having since read the novel, I've come to the conclusion that the movie tells a better overall story. What SAO always lacked, in my opinion, was the proper worldbuilding and time to flesh out its death game setting. How people act when put in a game environment under extremely high stress, and how people cope with that. This movie has that in SPADES, all through the eyes of our POV character, Asuna Yuuki. This movie is told through the eyes of Asuna as it tells an alternate point of view of getting through episodes one and two of the Aincrad arc of SAO S1. To that end, Asuna is far from the confident, melancholic badass swordswoman we see in episode two, quite the opposite really. This movie tells the story of both how she learned the necessary skills to survive in SAO's world, how she ends up in the melancholic, doom-and-gloom state she is in episode two, and how she overcomes those things to find renewed purpose. It's more character work than we've ever gotten for the main cast outside of the Mother's Rosaria arc of SAO II, and by a very very long shot. To that end, many of the characters we know and love(?) from SAO are recontextualized to make them fit better in a story about Asuna's growth, and to give them personal stakes in the story of their own. It recontextualizes beta testers, the role they played in SAO, and makes their misunderstood hero status more complicated by the end of the movie. There is a surprising amount of subtlety here if you look for it. The greatest thing this movie does, though, is make Aincrad truly scary again. Trash mobs are legitimate threats. Early in the movie we see a group of players brutally hacked to death because they opened a rigged chest. Our main characters are constantly in danger of being overrun by strong monsters, or hordes of trash mobs that matter so much more because there is no respawning. This game makes you feel the dread of looking at another player, watching them crystalize and knowing they're gone. It's absolutely the thing SAO needed most and we got SO LITTLE of it in the original series. This movie is everything I personally wanted SAO to be. It's not carrying deep messages about the human spirit, no. But it's so much more emotionally engaging than anything the main series has put out. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who was disappointed in the original SAO, if you're like me than this movie was exactly what you're looking for. 9/10
scout_joe
07/11/2022, 08:31 AM
First of all I'm a late fan of SAO franchise I only found out about this anime around 2020 and then I got hooked up and binge every episodes, specials and ova of this anime. Now back to the movie If I were to describe it on short sentence it is definitely like remake or re-telling of the first several episode of season 1 it wasn't half bad as what other people claim it to be in this case it is your typical movie of an anime with a non canon character in it to spice up the story and a with little more detailed aboutthe story of the first season sprinkled with little back story of asuna and her best friend in school who happens to play SAO and encourage her to try it. You can compare the premise of this story to their video game adaptation the story is pretty much the same with the exception of added side stories, side quest, and in depth character background of each character. I recommend it to long time SAO fans to refresh their memory of how asuna and kirito first met. All in all I enjoyed this movie that I rate 10/10.
AkiraChinami
07/10/2022, 06:29 PM
In the most general sense, Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night is a retelling of a story we have already seen before—namely the first and second episodes of 2013's Sword Art Online TV anime. It covers the story from the time just before the launch of the VR game up through the battle against the first-floor boss. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't a ton of new content. The biggest and most obvious difference between the TV episodes and this film is the change in protagonist from Kirito to Asuna. In fact, other than a few flashes here and there,Kirito doesn't even really properly appear until the film's second half. This allows the film to spend a hefty amount of time showing us Asuna as we've never seen her before. When we are first introduced to Asuna in the TV anime, she is a socially isolated, hooded figure who is single-mindedly focused on clearing the game. The first half of the film is the story of how she gets to this point. Not only do we see her daily life in the real world, but also how she adapts to the death game she finds herself trapped in. Her progression from a pampered, innocent girl to a goal-oriented loner is told well—largely thanks to the inclusion of Misumi. Having a friend teach her the basics makes Asuna's survival up to when she meets Kirito far more believable. Of course, this also brings us to the elephant in the room: the existence of Misumi herself. Misumi—known as “Mito” inside the death game—is a new character to the Sword Art Online franchise. She is not seen in either the original novels or the anime—she's not even featured in the Progressive novels on which the back half of this film is largely based. And while her inclusion makes sense logically and thematically, the fact remains that the vast majority of viewers of this film will have seen the original Sword Art Online and know that by the time Asuna encounters Kirito, Misumi is no longer in the picture. And this being the story of people trapped in a death game, it's not hard to guess at where Misumi and Asuna's arc is headed. Luckily, the film seems aware of this fact and plays around with the viewers' expectations. While it's true Asuna has to be alone by the time she encounters Kirito, that doesn't mean that the film takes the easiest or most obvious route to get there. In fact, the story becomes much more interesting and relatable by taking the unexpected path—connecting the two halves of the film into a singular, cohesive whole as it does so. The second half of the film is largely a retelling of the events of the TV anime's second episode—i.e., detailing the first team-up between Kirito and Asuna. While certain scenes are repeated (though notably now experienced from Asuna's viewpoint), there are a good number of newly-animated scenes taken directly from the Progressive novels as well. It's only in the final action climax where the film directly contradicts the source material and previous adaptations in any major way. And while making such blatant changes is risky in a well-established franchise, doing so makes the film a better stand-alone work. Visually, the film looks great. From the sweeping vistas of Aincrad's first floor to the chaotic and flashy battle scenes, the animation looks crystal clear. It's easily on par with the previous feature film and the best the various TV anime have to offer. As for the aural side of things, many of the established soundtracks return as expected—most obviously the commonly used action theme. Interestingly, the film tends to use it only in scenes where Kirito is present—leaving Asuna's own distinct action theme to shine through for most of the story. All in all, while Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night doesn't come close to reaching the heights of the Sword Art Online story, it is nonetheless a solid introduction to Asuna that details her first steps down the path to becoming the charismatic leader and badass swordswoman we know her to be. Likewise, by seeing the story almost exclusively through Asuna's eyes, the relationship between Asuna and Kirito gets put in a new light that adds new context to scenes we've already seen before. But best of all, it sets the stage for future never-before-animated Progressive tales—and more life and death adventure in the floating castle of Aincrad is never a bad thing.
lukyknhas
07/09/2022, 07:22 PM
Finally a SAO show that is well written and well paced, and more specifically without relying on the "God Kirito" thing to do and solve everything on its own. He still exists, and still is very strong and powerful, but now, everything feels well done, maybe even better than the original, especially without the constant feeling that everything was being distorted to fit with the God Kirito narrative, and finally making the characters, the story and world feels more real, more believable, while also maintaining the usual high standards of animation and sound effect, with the best part being obviously the fight choreographies. Seems tobe a very promising change in the way they worked on it, and also gives high hopes for the continuation
MC_TUMER
07/08/2022, 09:38 AM
well... Finally, I watch it, and to be fully honest... It was good, it was really good. using the same artwork from the latest series and sound. The SAO Progressive episode did a good job implementing the sound and art style to the overall movie. It was wary interesting knowing Asuna's story from the beginning, to get the story told from Asuna's perspective. I hope this movie series will tell us more about the SAO that we do not know fully yet More (love) story from Asuna and Kirigaya (kekeke)Hmm... what more to say... let's wait for the next movie I guess. :)
neokkri
03/09/2022, 10:44 AM
[SPOILER AHEAD] Sword Art Online: Progressive was absolutely an amazing watch. The beginning of a grand narrative wherein newcomers into the franchise could experience first-hand watching Progressive. Heavily character-focused. From the source material adaptation to Mito's inclusion into the movie, it was phenomenally fulfilling as a fan of the long-running series. This was Asuna Yuuki's movie from start to finish. (INTRO) First of all, witnessing Progressive's events live with the cast in motion was quite the experience as an LN reader of the Progressive series. The voice acting definitely contributed a major part in Aincrad's and each character's suffering tales. A faithful adaptation that it hits marks along withthe newly added character Mito. To be honest, I was skeptical whether A-1 Pictures was able to pull off adapting the 1st SAO Progressive novel in a movie run-time, having a completely original character too added, in which I supposed Mito would be an ignored character. And yet, they impressed me and fully respected the source material. (CHARACTERS) Tozawa Misumi (aka Mito) - my favorite Inori Minase role by far An elite Tekken player, pro gamer moment, and the beginning factor of Asuna's immense character development. Mito's inclusion led SAO fans to wonder how will she serve and contribute in the Progressive series. But within the 1hr and 30min+ time frame, Mito was able to define herself as a key factor in the movie. Mito greatly grew on my in the little time that she had. She served as Asuna's strength and will, all throughout. Mito knowing Asuna's weaknesses, as a beta tester herself and talent in the gaming world, Mito strives to support and aid Asuna on her short-comings both in the real and game world. Their bond was too pure and wholesome, similarly as to Asuna and Yuuki's relationship. It was honestly refreshing seeing Asuna's journey as a character develop with all these people she encounters. Mito is very much respected and an important factor to the Progressive movie. Add to waifu. Love her. Kazuto Kirigaya (aka Kirito) - the Black Swordsman Beater Kirito played a relatively "side" character role, serving as Asuna's second reliable guide after her parting ways with Mito later in the movie. Kirito encounters an almost 1HP Asuna fighting a field boss. One scene from the novels that the TV series did not show, and was one of my most awaited scenes they pulled off in the movie, was Kirito and Asuna's meeting in the dungeon with a fatigued Asuna overkilling a kobold. A classic encounter LN readers are sure not to forget. Funny how almost at the end, the sudden shift of focus was at Kirito's confession as a beta-tester, knowing he played more of a mentor role in the movie. It was an event which greatly established Asuna's current determination and desire to achieve her set goal. (This is part of the "Beater" was where I hope they'd mention in the movie WHY Kirito did confess; tldr from Progressive Vol. 1, because Kirito wanted to shoulder the blame to beta testers and protect Argo, also a beta tester) Asuna Yuuki (aka Asuna) - the Lightning Flash Progressive Asuna is very very different from the Asuna we know of today. Half-hearted viewers of SAO would be confused as to why she is presented as weak and wimpy in Progressive. Note that SAOP served as Asuna's character's starting point and her introduction of the unknown world of games. Despite being uninformed, she does her very hardest, much as to meeting her family's expectations. Asuna is born into a well-off family where they, especially her mother, immediately anticipate Asuna to perform well academically, putting a big strain or collar on her, unable to grasp a sense of freedom. What even more inside a game, where she barely knows anything? Asuna popped off immensely hard in this movie. It was hers from start to finish. Sword Art Online Progressive did an amazing job adapting her real-life struggles interconnecting with her lacking game knowledge. A grand pay-off in the end, seeing her character develop through countless hardships and short-comings. (ADAPTATION) Sword Art Online Progressive finessed SAO's sceneries and framing. Visuals felt more alive and as a fan, seeing these details recreated with care mattered to me and has put a smile and nostalgia on my face. Fans of the Aincrad Arc certainly would rejoice revisiting Floor 1's beginning and end in an expansive manner; ending with Illfang's defeat and Kirito's last hit which has been such an iconic moment etched into fans. The ruthful despair of being unable to log out, a stroll in the Town of Beginnings, nostalgic and banger soundtracks, sound effects of sword skills, and the grand system of Sword Art Online. All of my favorite parts of the volume made it into the movie. Alongside the dorky and clumsy moments by the beloved cast (bread scene, bath scene, Kirito's quirks). I adored how much care A-1 Pictures had put in. And that Argo cameo . . . almost screamed my hats off in the theatre. I legit thought they wouldn't include the rat in the whole movie smh. (FINAL THOUGHTS) It is the best SAO anime adaptation. Even with added original content, it unironically felt more Progressive than ever. A big respect to the source material and cooperation between producers, directors and author Reki. If Progressive Scherzo of Deep Night and future movies of the franchise continue to receive this amount of care like Progressive Aria of a Starless Night had, we SAO fans are in for a real treat I guarantee. Love this film to utter bits
Abyou15
01/08/2022, 05:08 AM
If you a big fan of SAO aincard u should watch this....this is quite refreshing they completely fill the previous plothole. So here is my revew score Story: 8 Tbh At first I had doubts, because they chose to change the story from the original source and add original characters. but it turned out to be not bad Graphic: 7 for coloring not as detailed and as deep as ALICIZATION and in some scene the caracters looks so thin....but honestly i feel it's better than alicization where the character looks chubby and has a wide forehead. so for color& graphic: SAO ALC> SAO ORDINAL > SAO;P > SAO S1+S2 forcharacters art style : SAO ORDINAL >SAO;P >SAO S1+S2> SAO ALC ANIMATION: 7 The coreography and the camera angles is really good. But at some fight and some scene the animation its look really stiff Effect: 10 Epic!!!! Sound effect: 10 I really dislike SAO ALC sfx especially sword sfx. but man sfx in this movie really good OST & BGM: 8 Ost quite good. For BGM they reusing SAO s1 BGM but well....i must say sao s1 BGM is the best
BowlerConspiracy
12/12/2021, 07:24 PM
Not going to go "full dive" on this one, but I intend to go pretty deep into this, mainly with comparisons to the original show, so BEWARE OF SPOILERS! Cool. Sword Art Online: Progressive is a retelling of the first floor of Aincrad, the first two episodes of the original show, totally from Asuna's perspective. Kirito is present! Don't worry, the unbeatable man of the hour is still here, but he isn't front and center. This is totally fine given that Asuna is infinitely more interesting than her counterpart and, because of this, there are interesting explorations of Aincrad. Taking a look at the world fromthe point-of-view of someone without any game experience versus one who has already given the titular game a two-month shot is a lot better. We get the fear of death, both outside of our main party and within, before Sachi and company in a way that's more effective, and the feeling of abandonment. The completely new character here is Mito, Asuna's friend from the real world, who was a beta-tester and has a want to protect her. Worse comes to worse with a battle encounter gone wrong and the two split off, sending Asuna into the depressive state we see her in at the beginning of the show. Getting the two's trials and tribulations before Kirito is even seen for more than a split second allows the floor to breathe, as well as Kirito and Asuna interacting for a decent amount of time pre-meeting. Lets the world actually sink in. Although I have great nostalgia for the show of old - it was my first anime exposure outside of Ghibli - this is really brought down by source material. So many beats from the original are hit in exactly the same fashion, done in such a way that feels lazy. Kayaba's delivery is still effective, but the gag of the fat and skinny dudes is still here ("You lied about being 16?" "You're not a girl?") and Silica screaming as well. All of the beats from the boss raid episode are here with some added in moments with Kirito and Mito. Kibaou, spiky hair guy, still goes on his rant about beta-testers with Agile swooping in to correct him, Asuna and Kirito still somewhat reluctantly party up with them sharing a meal ("I wouldn't want a party member dying on me, so try not to die tomorrow" and all that is in full form), and their prowess is shown during the final fight. Diabel, blue hair guy, still dies in the same way and Kirito having his post-fight "Beater" spiel... god, I was scared they would cut out that stuff because while it's so bad writing, it's hilarious to watch. They even kept in Asuna's "how did you know my name?" with Kirito. He mentions that she's been in a party before so she should know that the health bar of every party member is present, and the movie even has focuses on Mito's health from her perspective earlier in the film... simply lazy. Given how good the concept of SAO is on paper, I was really hoping for more in this department. The movie ends with Kirito and Asuna joining together instead of him walking away and urging her to join a guild, get stronger. I'm hoping this is an Evangelion 1.0 effect where the first is mainly a retelling with further deviation past this point, but the difference is that this film tells the story better up to this point than the anime (with much more added content) and well, this is SAO so no high hopes. It's good for what it is. SAO's high-point has always been the music. LiSA's themes are always great and the original music usually fits quite well. Sound effects range from Kirito's photon sword in SAO II sounding just like a lightsaber to decent, it's fine here. Surprised at Yoshitsugu's work after seeing Quints and Demon Slayer, he's got talent! All the other voice-acting is standard as well, nostalgia gives the art a special note for me but fits in that same level of 'standard'. The battle sequences are LEAGUES better than the show, and hey, no overly weird fan service or just pure disgusting moments like the show, congrats! Watching this with three friends in an empty theater was a great time, talking and riffing at a normal volume as if we were watching at home. Kind of got that spark I initially did with this series over six years ago. It's good! Not a waste of time even if you've seen the original.
Shingster
12/10/2021, 09:33 AM
Be advised while care ahs been taken to minimize story related spoilers within the review there may still be spoilers within. Please read at your own risk. Back in the year 2012 during the summer anime season of that year while browsing through the list of various anime’s that will be airing within that period there was one anime that caught my eye. Out of the 244 titles that aired that season the one that caught my eye was one entitled Sword Art Online. From the genre tags and the summary provided the premise was something that in the year 2012 was truly unique inthat, unlike its opposite numbers that focused on more standard settings such as schools, supernatural worlds and ancient China the series promised a brand-new world that gamers have always imagined of being able to step into which is that of a game world breathtakingly created to resemble that of a high fantasy world that was far more real than anything else seen before whether in terms of sight, smell, taste and pain. As both a gamer and lover of anime that was what led me to the series and become a fan of what would soon become a most popular franchise not just domestically but internationally as well. While the original series was a trendsetter in the world of anime that pioneered what is now the Isekai genre and popularized it to the public the series itself wasn’t perfect and had plenty of flaws that even the most die-hard fan would have to admit. However, no world is perfect and despite its flaws the series main themes of friendship, bonds and the act of working together with people across all age ranges and social classes to overcome insurmountable odds is one that I enjoyed the fullest through SAO 1, SAO2, Ordinal Scale movie and finally Alicization. Now you may be asking so what does Aria of a Starless Night bring to the franchise that we don’t already know. Let’s find out. The overall story of the movie rather than focusing solely on Kirito and Asuna’s first days within the world of Aincrad after it become the infamous death game that it will later be known as focuses as its centerpiece the life of the series main heroine Asuna Yuki both prior to her entry into the game and her first days in the game itself. While the series itself did an excellent job of introducing and showcasing the character of Asuna as a kind, considerate and friendly girl who fought hard to protect her friends as a powerful swordswoman while being Kirito’s equal in both skill and foresight it in my eyes didn’t serve to give her much depth as a character that can be used to expand upon her. While SAO2 through the Mother’s Rosario Arc did serve to provide some limited expansion of Asuna through the intro of her tense relationship with her mother Yuuki and family situation as a result of the SAO incident the effects on character depth while nice to see was rather limited. In this however the movie’s overall narrative I felt served to provide Asuna with the expansion that she desperately needed to have as a character. While SAO had long revealed to us that Asuna was the daughter of a rich family that had deep connections to the game itself prior to this movie we knew next to nothing about what her daily life was like before SAO. What were her life goals, what concerns did she have as she woke up each day and what kind of issues that she kept hidden behind her ever-present smile? These were all valid questions but the answers for them were not forthcoming until now. While the insight into Asuna’s relationship with her friends, school life and bond with an almost perfect family proved to be interesting it also acted as an excellent foundation from which the series original character Mito would both be introduced formally into the narrative while setting the stage for her eventual personality change that Asuna would go through as she enters the world of SAO with her. Though the social standing of Asuna served to give her a comfortable life that was full of happiness and friends it also, unfortunately, created a sense of loneliness within her as well as there were few people who she can truly open her heart to until she met Mito. On the surface, Mito and Asuna were people that socially were polar opposites in terms of personality and under normal circumstances would have few opportunities to meet let alone interact with each other. While Asuna was warm, friendly and welcoming to all Mito was quiet, aloof and difficult to know. However, this kind of relationship was what made the ensuring bond between the two that much more heartwarming as within the world of SAO the two girls while bonding with each other to become fast friends that could be honest to each other also served to complement each other both martially and personally as via their every interaction they slowly changed and improved each other as individuals. Their bonding moments while sweet and heartwarming to see did well to instill within Asuna the combat knowledge that would prove vital to surviving within the harsh world of SAO. Visually the series I felt was really impressive with particular regards to both the world of SAO itself that we last visited 8 and a half years ago and to the designs of both the main cast, monster designs and combat animation and to the fights themselves. While the locations that were visited within the movie weren’t especially many as they were limited to only the locations featured on the first floor I felt that the one’s that were used synergized well with the monster designs that while doing a good job of showing how dangerous the world of SAO can be also showed just how important friendship and bonds with your allies are as no matter how powerful you get and how proficient you are with your blade of choice there’s a limit to how much you can face by yourself. Combat has always been one of SAO’s chief hallmarks and in this, the fights presented within the movie were I felt flawless as they were both incredibly detailed and backed by the hard-punching OST of the famed musician and composer Yuki Kajiura that made each fight not only brutally clear but also reflecting well on the life and death struggle that those fighting on the frontlines as they confront fearsome and devious monsters and floor bosses go through as they try to cut a path to freedom by putting both their lives and trust in their skill with their blades on the very line. Though the battle with Illfang and his cronies was one that I had already seen back in 2012 the battle presented here was no less tense and awe-inspiring as it was back then and in this instance, I felt it was even more so due to the twin sides of the bonds of trust that tied Asuna and Kirito together and the sense of forgiveness and atonement for Asuna and Mito that served to make the climactic fight against Illfang that much more dramatic and satisfying to see. While the series main voice cast was limited to the trio of Kirito, Asuna and Mito with the support limited to those provided by Agil, Klein, Kibaou and Diavel overall I felt that each of their performances was excellently done with Haruka Tomatsu and Inori Minase’s portrayal of Asuna and Mito being one of the highlights of the movie. Overall conclusion Overall Sword Art Online Progressive Aria of a Starless Night I felt was an excellent movie that had among its main strengths a unique premise that served to provide a much needed and long-awaited expansion of one of the series best characters in the form of Asuna through its strong narrative, excellent characters, combat scenes, music and excellent voice acting. However, while I did enjoy the movie a lot, I felt that as a character while Mito’s surface traits and role within the narrative was finely done I felt that there wasn’t enough depth within her for her assigned seiyuu Inori Minase to work with that limited the potential growth for her as a character a fact that I felt limited her role within the second half of the movie to that of a mere supporter. If Mito is to join the franchise on a more permanent role rather than simply existing within this one movie then I hope that she will be given the expansion that she deserves. As a final score, I would say that the movie easily deserves a final score of 9/10.
thegayfromrulid
12/10/2021, 07:58 AM
As a long time SAO fan and avid reader of the light novels for both the main series and the Progressive series, I approached this movie knowing it was going to be different from what I had watched and read before. Instead of directly adapting the first Progressive novel that I know like the back of my hand, this movie chose to give fans something new that immediately caused debates: Asuna's POV. And it was fantastic. Story - The story deviated from the first Progressive light novel in a few ways, but all of these changes felt very realistic and gave Asuna a more detailed characterthan I think the source material gave us for her at first. There were some lulls in the story, but overall it pulls the audience in to Asuna's experience and makes us want to watch her grow and improve as a character. Art - The art looks very nice mostly in close-ups or action sequences. There were a few wide shots that lost some nice details here and there, but otherwise it is very clean and well-animated. The panoramic shots of the first floor of Aincrad and the locations within it were particularly stunning. Sound - SAO's soundtrack has always been impressive, and this stayed true to that. We heard a mixture of familiar, beloved soundtracks with newer takes on it and newer sounds being included. As always, SAO is pleasing to the ears. It definitely filled me with some nostalgia as a long-time fan. Character - Once again, Asuna's character shines in a way I feel like it hasn't before in the anime. It was a beautiful and emotionally provoking look into Asuna's feelings, connections to other players, and her personal motivations. Aside from Asuna, we are introduced to a brand new character who feels very realistic, and I fell for her without much effort. The pair's interactions were what gave this movie's characterization its strength, no doubt, and I am truthfully disappointed this character is anime-only. To provide a brief note on Kirito, a friend accompanied me who is not a fan of his character at all, and her comment was, "If he were more like this in other parts, I may have actually come to like him. This is the best version of Kirito!" I think her words summarize some of my feelings, even if I have always loved him; this is definitely the best he has looked as a character. Enjoyment - For a story I have watched in the first season and read in a light novel, I enjoyed this movie so much because of its fresh, new take. I was able to walk into this movie knowing there were parts I didn't know. It was wonderful to see a new character I hadn't met yet and make a decision about whether or not I liked her being there. It was also highly enjoyable to me to watch someone else's perspective on the first few weeks of being trapped in SAO. Kirito was beta tester, so his perspective is entirely different from Asuna's, who entered the game for the first time when the service started.
Snolled
12/07/2021, 07:15 AM
Sword Art Online: Progressive Review From a person that has not watched any SAO Series. **This is my first review on MAL** Surprisingly, good except for the storyline. A-1 Graphics and animations alleviates this movie a lot. [Story 4/10] [Character 5/10] The story is very short and doesn't have anything relevant. The whole plot is mostly the intro of the series. The story is brief to the point that I can summarize it in only 5 minutes. Most of the air times in this series are edgy scenes, specifically the MC, who I had to watch his edgy personality for about an hour. About the jokes in this series, they aredirecting Kirito to be a comical character, which I personally like. In this movie, Kirito isn't an OP MC and has a harem, which adds more to my liking. My most favorite moments are Kirito's interaction with Asuna, where he is always nervous and jumpy around her. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka uses his voice acting in these parts very well too. [Animation 9/10] Animation is great. Action scenes are natural and very smooth. Other than that, it just has a microscopic scene that burns the animation for like 2 second, which is not a big deal. [Sound 10/10] Music and sound effects are a masterpiece. Although the first half of the movie doesn't include many fight scenes making is very inviting to sleep, the BGM helps a lot, keeping me from sleeping. I enjoy Ayase's OST and LiSA's vocals the most. To be exact, I played the song on repeat for almost 70 times (not lying). About the voice actors, there were no problems with their acting in my opinion. Inori Minase and Haruka Tomatsu did good like their past works. [Enjoyment 7/10] [Overall 5/10] Overall, I enjoyed this series, but at the end of the day, I can give this series only a 5/10 mainly because of the story. Special thanks to my friend that translate this review to English Ver.
slim_chadey
12/05/2021, 03:23 PM
kinda gave off shrek vibes. idk why. it just did. And that’s weird. Cuz it was about sword people fighting Mario villains. Betrayals ran rampant in a world built by a man that, for some reason, wants everyone to die in a video game. The MC sucks at video games, faces of against bees with dripping stingers, and has a friend that leaves her for a rat with a cool sword. Then she is saved by a man (misogyny at its finest). Also this movie was so quiet, I could here Clifford stomping on children in the theatre next door. Yes all this happenedand yes somehow it’s better than the show? Final thoughts: a ripoff of ready player one with too much talk of a creamy bun
yexi
12/05/2021, 08:31 AM
-- Disclaimer this is my first review -- ** This review contains no spoilers ** I feel as though Sword Art Online, otherwise known as SAO, has to be one of if not the most controversial anime series ever created. With many praising the anime as incredible, many also refer to it as horrendous, making this anime a topic of many conversations and arguments. Now for the big question, where does this movie sit when belonging to the infamous Sword Art Online series? STORY 8/10: To start things off, the story is taken from the perspective of Asuna Yuuki's experience with the Aincrad Arc (1st arc)who was the main heroine of the SAO series. The story is similar (some scenes and parts are changed) to the original Aincrad Arc so old SAO fans should compare and contrast this movie to the original series. The movie also provides a backstory of her life before SAO and how she got into the game which I found was really interesting. I feel like one thing the movie did right when compared to the original series was avoiding Kirito's useless harem and going straight to developing the plot that the original series should have been. Overall, the movie is good enough to be seen as a substitution for the original Sword Art Online series and would still make sense as an introduction for people who never watched SAO. The movie has also confirmed a sequel in 2022 which would explain the ending and continue the series from there. CHARACTERS 7/10: There are only three main characters so I will describe them each. Asuna - Asuna is the star of the show so we get to see her develop from what she was before SAO and how she matured because of the situations that were presented to her throughout the movie. I believe she took the role of a heroine in this movie well and it was interesting watching her develop as a character throughout the film. Kirito - Kirito played the role of Asuna's ally in this film. There isn't much to say about him besides the fact that he appeared as a cool and mysterious character when shown from Asuna's perspective. Mito - We never get to see characters that solely connect with Asuna in the Aincrad Arc besides Kirito so it's interesting to finally have one that serves as her companion. Mito takes on a mentor/companion role for Asuna and influences her characterization which I found essential for Asuna. Basically Mito served an important role in this film and it wouldn't have been the same without her. The characters felt more realistic and were able to connect with each other and actually share ideal goals and form bonds that served its purpose in this film. SOUND 10/10: The OST for this film was TOP NOTCH. Every scene was paired with an equally fitting background music that was perfect, nothing felt out of place and fit the mood every time. The ending song by LiSA/Ayase was amazing and served as a perfect collaboration between the two of them. The VA's were also amazing with Mito's VA (Inori Minase) being my personal favorite for the film. The soundtrack for the movie is memorable and is definitely worth listening to. ANIMATION 9/10: Another strong quality the film had was the visuals presented throughout the entire movie. Every scene was consistent and there were no noticeable flaws. The fight scenes were appealing and amazing to watch, the art style is pretty good as well. Enjoyment 9/10: Watching this was very enjoyable, probably one of my favorite films I've watched this year. Highly recommended for people who enjoyed the original series or people who want a better replacement for that. Overall 9/10: I believe this is what the Aincrad Arc should have been more like, not some useless arc that revolves around a dumb harem and unimportant side characters but more of a realistic story that actually makes sense. The film is amazing and I definitely recommend it!
defestore
12/03/2021, 10:58 PM
[spoiler free] Sword Art Online. Infamous for a myriad of reasons, but omnipresent as the anime community's designated punching bag. The Big Bad of animanga. It is undeniable that SAO has its issues, really. I’m well aware. And yet, it has this allure. This captivating magic. I will never, ever forget watching the Aincrad arc and all it had to offer, despite its issues. Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night fixes many of them. In an attempt to remain spoiler-free, I will remain as ambiguous as possible in the coming wording. The Progressive movie is told through the lens of Asuna’s experience on thefirst floor. Thus, how the movie begins is with a focus on her. Her family life, her grades, her school life… her friends. The first twenty minutes of the movie add more depth to her character than all of Aincrad and Fairy Dance could ever dream of. And it is so much better for it. Thus, when we enter the world of the Nervegear, this time with knowledge of what tragedies will befall Asuna, there is a sense of connection and of foreboding. It is visceral. And this is a common theme throughout the movie. As a cascading effect. Because of the solid setup at the start of the movie, grounding Asuna and Asuna’s relationships–especially to Mito, the deuteragonist of the film–served to amplify each character interaction that followed, then contributing to the next scene. Which makes the twist all the more painful and shocking. Call it a subversion of every trope that usually permeates anime and characters *in* anime. What follows is truly a sight to behold. From the ashes of what was called a series with terrible characters rises a phoenix born of the best of SAO… and then some. However, with this added narrative, changes are necessitated. While, to begin, the movie does not diverge much from the established plot in Season 1, by the halfway mark, a rift begins to emerge between that of the main series and the events that are unfolding. And as the credits roll, it is as clear as day – Progressive canon will not be the SAO that you know and love (or hate, but who are you kidding? You love it.) As usual on its SAO projects, A-1 has delivered on the production quality. Hail sakuga and hail LiSA, for they have made their presences known. I cannot wait for it to hit streaming–there are some amazing shots in the fight scenes that would make for incredible wallpapers. A-1 has also done away with that dreadful style that afflicted War of Underworld, which is a significant plus. To summate, SAO:P is a project that puts on full display what Kawahara can really do. It is not perfect, but for what it’s done in its 97 minutes and the promise it holds for the next 97, it is well deserving of a 9.
Inorichi
12/03/2021, 09:04 PM
Actually great. Given how Asuna's character and the entire franchise was practically butchered in Alicization, I pretty much dreaded the idea of a Progressive movie with Asuna as mc and a bunch of anime original content. I had serious doubts about this movie and high expectations and I have to say, A1 did a pretty good job. Story: 8.5/10 Out of all SAO anime media, I think Aria the Starless Night may have the best story. Unlike the TV anime or Ordinal Scale, the cast of this movie boils down to 3 people, 2 for the most part. Rather than a large messy, basically God+Haremcast, the characters in this movie are Asuna, Mito, and Kirito. For once, SAO is able to properly flesh out genuine and relateable characters. The world building is done right and the scenes do a great job adding real weight to the conflict and plot. Art: 10/10 This was probably where most of my doubts were coming in. Ali's sakuga was beyond awful for most of it's runtime and Shingo Adachi, animation director for SAO 1-Ordinal Scale, was nowhere to be found in this movie. Which was a disaster for Alicization, wowever, the scenes were consistent and the sakuga was definitely beyond what anything A1 could have done with a TV anime. While there were some noticeably dopey looking faces here and there, the action was solid and the visuals were cinema worthy. Sound: 9/10 Sound effects don't break the immersion anymore. Whatever janky surreal attempts at sfx they tried in Ali is no longer there. The themes aren't dialed to quadruple bass remix nightcore edition and Yuki Kajiura made some great tracks?/remixes of Swordland, Luminous Sword, etc, the OG themes. While I personally can't recall any new special theme for this movie except the ED from LiSA, the music and sounds were pleasant, not distracting, and greatly added to the movie. Character: 8/10 Asuna is the main character of this movie, if you haven't heard yet, and Mito, a new anime original char, plays a supporting role in the story. Contrary to expectations, Mito's portrayal felt so natural, I would even say that Asuna never would have worked as the mc of this movie without her. Kirito, despite having most of the LN development cut, has his character fleshed out subtly. The chemistry between the characters feel significantly more natural to the audience and the comedy was finally able to work thanks to this. Overall, Kirito, Asuna, and Mito were all relatable and realistic characters to them, despite how SAO has portrayed them before. Overall: 9/10 A very interesting adaptation. A1 did a great job balancing the source material, anime original content, and linking it to the 2012 TV anime. Obviously, there aren't any mind blowing developments in this movie given when it takes place chronologically, but the world building and character development that was sorely missed in the original tv anime are on point for once. The animation and music are definitely a cut above Alicization and the TV anime and Aria of a Starless Night did not disappoint. Despite having poor seating and the lights being left on for half the movie, I ended up enjoying this movie quite a bit and I'll probably watch it one more time before it's out of theaters.
cloakedclover
12/03/2021, 08:18 PM
Prior to watching SAO Progressive in theatres, I rewatched all of SAO for perspective and gave the shows an average of 7/10. Going into SAO Progressive, I expected a higher production-quality rehash of the early events from season one, and was not disappointed. The art, animation, and sound design are substantially better and, though it wasn't the best I've seen by any mark, the fight choreography and implementation of CGI was much better than that of the early episodes of season one. Given the story is essentially the same as season one (and rightfully so; that is the point of the SAO Progressiveseries), there isn't much to be said that hasn't already been said, without spoilers... except the new plot pertaining Tozawa Misumi, AKA Mito. The introduction of Mito as a non-source character was, surprisingly, well executed. Requiring very few retcons and barely altering the flow of events. I feel that Mito supplied some (debatably needed) explanation to a few events in the beginning of, and leading up to, season one. Overall, I found 'Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' to be much more enjoyable than the early episodes of season one, likely due to the amount of time A-1 Pictures has had to polish SAO's rough edges. I would recommend anyone who remotely likes the concept of SAO to watch this movie and see what 9 years of polish can do!
xNishimiya
11/20/2021, 05:27 AM
THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW. As someone who hadn't read the light novels of the original series, but had read the Progressive light novels, I was ecstatic to hear about the anime adaptation for Progressive. And after finally watching it... I emerged from the cinema with an amalgamation of mixed emotions. Let's begin with the positives: the art, battle choreography and sound. Undoubtedly stellar, and are what I can praise wholeheartedly with zero reservations. From Ordinal Scale to Alicization, the movie brought over what it had improved from there and refined it further to deliver a myriad of action-packed skirmishes accompanied with smooth, impactful SFX ofweapons clinking as they collide with one another, flashy skill effects and more. One minor gripe though: Swordland is an amazing OST, and I do like how different renditions of it are played during the most intense moments of any particular season. But it does get old eventually, and it feels rehashed and overused by this point. This also extends to most of the OSTs that were used in the movie, where most of them feel reused and recycled. The movie's overarching plot generally syncs with the light novel it's adapting its material from, but understandably cuts out a sizeable amount of interaction between certain characters due to the restraint of time. In addition, keep in mind that this movie is narrated from the perspective of Asuna, not Kirito, thus there will certainly be variances in their experiences. The introduction of the anime-original character, Mito, does add a certain depth to Asuna's side of the story, but unfortunately falls short in its execution of storytelling, especially during the second half of the movie. For the sake of being spoiler-free, I will not elaborate further, but I wish more time had been spent on Mito for stronger characterization later in the movie, since a conscious decision had been made to include an anime-original character to the movie in the first place. It was difficult to develop any sort of attachment for her when there was already so much content being cut from the light novel to fit the plot of the novel in under 100 minutes. In my opinion, this was where the movie fell short--its storytelling and characterization, particularly after a certain point of the movie. This movie isn't without its glaring flaws, but I still had a relatively enjoyable experience overall. If you've never consumed any SAO material before, I guarantee you'll be satisfied with what there is to be offered. For readers of the Progressive light novels, however, I suggest entering the cinema with no expectations whatsoever, and appreciate the movie for what it is. It might not be a word-to-frame retelling of the book, but it was an entertaining time nevertheless.
SnowingYuki24
11/03/2021, 02:18 AM
MINOR SPOILERS Story - Just watched it earlier here in japan. Story was just not that good it's basically the same as the anime but the main character is Asuna, and there were scenes that we didn't see in the anime. The movie was about 1 hour and 50 mins, and all they could fit was when they defeated the boss located in the 1st floor of the tower. (at least they announced a new movie for next year which I hope will have better writing and more scenes which were not shown in the anime) Art - Amazing. It has a similar art styleto Alicization, the fight scenes were also smooth, and the monsters were also animated well. Sound - Background music is solid. I loved the ending song sang by Lisa. Characters - Character designs were very good and some notable characters in the anime appeared in the movie. Enjoyment - Even though the story is not that good the movie is still good because the art, sound, and characters made it more enjoyable for me.
JongoPorgo
10/30/2021, 11:33 AM
It's no surprise that SAO is one of the most significant franchises in the anime industry. No matter how each of us feels about it. We're not maniacs, are we? I don't even know what to say. Perfect balance. The pacing is great, the visuals and the story are well adapted. (even including Mito) Music from Yuki Kajiura, as usual Godtear. If you are a fan of the franchise, then this is one hundred percent win. But even for people unfamiliar with original anime it will be interesting, or even become the door to the franchise. I went to see the movie with a friend ofmine who stopped watching SAO on the first season and he really liked to. The relationships of the characters who try to grasp the reality of the death-game concept are interesting. The atmosphere of pressure, which grows into a light hope crashed into harsh reality, can also lure the viewer and of course the very spirit of virtual immersion. For me personally, this movie is much better than Ordinal Scale As a fan. My scrore will be 9 but even objectively the film deserves a minimum of 8. P.s ( Unless you are a "crazy hater/troll" who wants to attract attention or something. Just putting 1 point out of 10 without objective facts. Because this is an adult act, right? ) P.S.S ( And yes, please. There is no need to fool people that you allegedly watched a movie (( if you are going )). At the time of this review, it was only viewable in Japan and I highly doubt that presumable future English speaking reviewers live in Japan. There is no need to spread misinformation or hate for the sake of hate. Have self-esteem for others and for yourself. )
starmiya_miyuki
10/30/2021, 05:40 AM
This movie is completely asuna's story. Main character in this movie is asuna and it extremly suits for me. asuna's point of view is so fresh. It is good points to describe the reason why asuna who don't want to play games decide to play "sword art online". I was moved by this passage "In this world, I can't decide how to live but can decide how to die". It is so cool passage, isn't it ?? I recommend this movie to not only boys but girls too. Because we can get courage by asuna's fighting. I haven't read "progressive series" but I have excited. I want anyone who likesasuna to see this movie. I'm sure you can enjoy it !

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア

| Episodes: 1 | Score: 8.0 (109573)

Updated every at | Status: Finished Airing

Type: Movie

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Synopsis

Voice Actors

Matsuoka, Yoshitsugu

Minase, Inori

Nakao, Ryusei

Tomatsu, Haruka

News

Reviews

ZADOCC
02/13/2024, 10:29 PM
I am hugely invested in telling people that this movie is actually good, so I'm going to tell a story about how I discovered this movie. As part of an (ill-advised) attempt to make a comprehensive isekai tier list, I decided to sit down with some friends to watch every piece of SAO media available to me in as close to one sitting as I could get. This was the last piece of media I watched after finishing Ordinal Scale (I didn't realize it was before Alicization. Whoops) and was so checked out of the end of that movie that the bar of expectations was onthe floor for this one. Cue my surprise when half an hour in, I realize I want to go get something to drink but don't feel like I can because I'm too invested in what's happening onscreen. SAO did that? Really? I have no nostalgia for this series, I got into anime early in college. So when I sat down to watch this, I took in all the ugly plot-hole ridden mess that was SAO Seasons 1 and (to a lesser extent) 2. By this point I expected little out of the series, but this movie gripped me in a way nothing that day had even come close to doing. First, the elephant in the room. The SAO Progressive Aria movie is very loosely adapted from the light novel of the same name, and this movie take many liberties in adapting that material. Though a handful of scenes and themes remain from that novel, the first entire half of this movie was fabricated for the sake of this movie. This is objectively a bad adaptation of its source material, and if you go into this looking for that, you will be disappointed. I was not, however, and having since read the novel, I've come to the conclusion that the movie tells a better overall story. What SAO always lacked, in my opinion, was the proper worldbuilding and time to flesh out its death game setting. How people act when put in a game environment under extremely high stress, and how people cope with that. This movie has that in SPADES, all through the eyes of our POV character, Asuna Yuuki. This movie is told through the eyes of Asuna as it tells an alternate point of view of getting through episodes one and two of the Aincrad arc of SAO S1. To that end, Asuna is far from the confident, melancholic badass swordswoman we see in episode two, quite the opposite really. This movie tells the story of both how she learned the necessary skills to survive in SAO's world, how she ends up in the melancholic, doom-and-gloom state she is in episode two, and how she overcomes those things to find renewed purpose. It's more character work than we've ever gotten for the main cast outside of the Mother's Rosaria arc of SAO II, and by a very very long shot. To that end, many of the characters we know and love(?) from SAO are recontextualized to make them fit better in a story about Asuna's growth, and to give them personal stakes in the story of their own. It recontextualizes beta testers, the role they played in SAO, and makes their misunderstood hero status more complicated by the end of the movie. There is a surprising amount of subtlety here if you look for it. The greatest thing this movie does, though, is make Aincrad truly scary again. Trash mobs are legitimate threats. Early in the movie we see a group of players brutally hacked to death because they opened a rigged chest. Our main characters are constantly in danger of being overrun by strong monsters, or hordes of trash mobs that matter so much more because there is no respawning. This game makes you feel the dread of looking at another player, watching them crystalize and knowing they're gone. It's absolutely the thing SAO needed most and we got SO LITTLE of it in the original series. This movie is everything I personally wanted SAO to be. It's not carrying deep messages about the human spirit, no. But it's so much more emotionally engaging than anything the main series has put out. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who was disappointed in the original SAO, if you're like me than this movie was exactly what you're looking for. 9/10
scout_joe
07/11/2022, 08:31 AM
First of all I'm a late fan of SAO franchise I only found out about this anime around 2020 and then I got hooked up and binge every episodes, specials and ova of this anime. Now back to the movie If I were to describe it on short sentence it is definitely like remake or re-telling of the first several episode of season 1 it wasn't half bad as what other people claim it to be in this case it is your typical movie of an anime with a non canon character in it to spice up the story and a with little more detailed aboutthe story of the first season sprinkled with little back story of asuna and her best friend in school who happens to play SAO and encourage her to try it. You can compare the premise of this story to their video game adaptation the story is pretty much the same with the exception of added side stories, side quest, and in depth character background of each character. I recommend it to long time SAO fans to refresh their memory of how asuna and kirito first met. All in all I enjoyed this movie that I rate 10/10.
AkiraChinami
07/10/2022, 06:29 PM
In the most general sense, Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night is a retelling of a story we have already seen before—namely the first and second episodes of 2013's Sword Art Online TV anime. It covers the story from the time just before the launch of the VR game up through the battle against the first-floor boss. However, that doesn't mean that there isn't a ton of new content. The biggest and most obvious difference between the TV episodes and this film is the change in protagonist from Kirito to Asuna. In fact, other than a few flashes here and there,Kirito doesn't even really properly appear until the film's second half. This allows the film to spend a hefty amount of time showing us Asuna as we've never seen her before. When we are first introduced to Asuna in the TV anime, she is a socially isolated, hooded figure who is single-mindedly focused on clearing the game. The first half of the film is the story of how she gets to this point. Not only do we see her daily life in the real world, but also how she adapts to the death game she finds herself trapped in. Her progression from a pampered, innocent girl to a goal-oriented loner is told well—largely thanks to the inclusion of Misumi. Having a friend teach her the basics makes Asuna's survival up to when she meets Kirito far more believable. Of course, this also brings us to the elephant in the room: the existence of Misumi herself. Misumi—known as “Mito” inside the death game—is a new character to the Sword Art Online franchise. She is not seen in either the original novels or the anime—she's not even featured in the Progressive novels on which the back half of this film is largely based. And while her inclusion makes sense logically and thematically, the fact remains that the vast majority of viewers of this film will have seen the original Sword Art Online and know that by the time Asuna encounters Kirito, Misumi is no longer in the picture. And this being the story of people trapped in a death game, it's not hard to guess at where Misumi and Asuna's arc is headed. Luckily, the film seems aware of this fact and plays around with the viewers' expectations. While it's true Asuna has to be alone by the time she encounters Kirito, that doesn't mean that the film takes the easiest or most obvious route to get there. In fact, the story becomes much more interesting and relatable by taking the unexpected path—connecting the two halves of the film into a singular, cohesive whole as it does so. The second half of the film is largely a retelling of the events of the TV anime's second episode—i.e., detailing the first team-up between Kirito and Asuna. While certain scenes are repeated (though notably now experienced from Asuna's viewpoint), there are a good number of newly-animated scenes taken directly from the Progressive novels as well. It's only in the final action climax where the film directly contradicts the source material and previous adaptations in any major way. And while making such blatant changes is risky in a well-established franchise, doing so makes the film a better stand-alone work. Visually, the film looks great. From the sweeping vistas of Aincrad's first floor to the chaotic and flashy battle scenes, the animation looks crystal clear. It's easily on par with the previous feature film and the best the various TV anime have to offer. As for the aural side of things, many of the established soundtracks return as expected—most obviously the commonly used action theme. Interestingly, the film tends to use it only in scenes where Kirito is present—leaving Asuna's own distinct action theme to shine through for most of the story. All in all, while Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night doesn't come close to reaching the heights of the Sword Art Online story, it is nonetheless a solid introduction to Asuna that details her first steps down the path to becoming the charismatic leader and badass swordswoman we know her to be. Likewise, by seeing the story almost exclusively through Asuna's eyes, the relationship between Asuna and Kirito gets put in a new light that adds new context to scenes we've already seen before. But best of all, it sets the stage for future never-before-animated Progressive tales—and more life and death adventure in the floating castle of Aincrad is never a bad thing.
lukyknhas
07/09/2022, 07:22 PM
Finally a SAO show that is well written and well paced, and more specifically without relying on the "God Kirito" thing to do and solve everything on its own. He still exists, and still is very strong and powerful, but now, everything feels well done, maybe even better than the original, especially without the constant feeling that everything was being distorted to fit with the God Kirito narrative, and finally making the characters, the story and world feels more real, more believable, while also maintaining the usual high standards of animation and sound effect, with the best part being obviously the fight choreographies. Seems tobe a very promising change in the way they worked on it, and also gives high hopes for the continuation
MC_TUMER
07/08/2022, 09:38 AM
well... Finally, I watch it, and to be fully honest... It was good, it was really good. using the same artwork from the latest series and sound. The SAO Progressive episode did a good job implementing the sound and art style to the overall movie. It was wary interesting knowing Asuna's story from the beginning, to get the story told from Asuna's perspective. I hope this movie series will tell us more about the SAO that we do not know fully yet More (love) story from Asuna and Kirigaya (kekeke)Hmm... what more to say... let's wait for the next movie I guess. :)
neokkri
03/09/2022, 10:44 AM
[SPOILER AHEAD] Sword Art Online: Progressive was absolutely an amazing watch. The beginning of a grand narrative wherein newcomers into the franchise could experience first-hand watching Progressive. Heavily character-focused. From the source material adaptation to Mito's inclusion into the movie, it was phenomenally fulfilling as a fan of the long-running series. This was Asuna Yuuki's movie from start to finish. (INTRO) First of all, witnessing Progressive's events live with the cast in motion was quite the experience as an LN reader of the Progressive series. The voice acting definitely contributed a major part in Aincrad's and each character's suffering tales. A faithful adaptation that it hits marks along withthe newly added character Mito. To be honest, I was skeptical whether A-1 Pictures was able to pull off adapting the 1st SAO Progressive novel in a movie run-time, having a completely original character too added, in which I supposed Mito would be an ignored character. And yet, they impressed me and fully respected the source material. (CHARACTERS) Tozawa Misumi (aka Mito) - my favorite Inori Minase role by far An elite Tekken player, pro gamer moment, and the beginning factor of Asuna's immense character development. Mito's inclusion led SAO fans to wonder how will she serve and contribute in the Progressive series. But within the 1hr and 30min+ time frame, Mito was able to define herself as a key factor in the movie. Mito greatly grew on my in the little time that she had. She served as Asuna's strength and will, all throughout. Mito knowing Asuna's weaknesses, as a beta tester herself and talent in the gaming world, Mito strives to support and aid Asuna on her short-comings both in the real and game world. Their bond was too pure and wholesome, similarly as to Asuna and Yuuki's relationship. It was honestly refreshing seeing Asuna's journey as a character develop with all these people she encounters. Mito is very much respected and an important factor to the Progressive movie. Add to waifu. Love her. Kazuto Kirigaya (aka Kirito) - the Black Swordsman Beater Kirito played a relatively "side" character role, serving as Asuna's second reliable guide after her parting ways with Mito later in the movie. Kirito encounters an almost 1HP Asuna fighting a field boss. One scene from the novels that the TV series did not show, and was one of my most awaited scenes they pulled off in the movie, was Kirito and Asuna's meeting in the dungeon with a fatigued Asuna overkilling a kobold. A classic encounter LN readers are sure not to forget. Funny how almost at the end, the sudden shift of focus was at Kirito's confession as a beta-tester, knowing he played more of a mentor role in the movie. It was an event which greatly established Asuna's current determination and desire to achieve her set goal. (This is part of the "Beater" was where I hope they'd mention in the movie WHY Kirito did confess; tldr from Progressive Vol. 1, because Kirito wanted to shoulder the blame to beta testers and protect Argo, also a beta tester) Asuna Yuuki (aka Asuna) - the Lightning Flash Progressive Asuna is very very different from the Asuna we know of today. Half-hearted viewers of SAO would be confused as to why she is presented as weak and wimpy in Progressive. Note that SAOP served as Asuna's character's starting point and her introduction of the unknown world of games. Despite being uninformed, she does her very hardest, much as to meeting her family's expectations. Asuna is born into a well-off family where they, especially her mother, immediately anticipate Asuna to perform well academically, putting a big strain or collar on her, unable to grasp a sense of freedom. What even more inside a game, where she barely knows anything? Asuna popped off immensely hard in this movie. It was hers from start to finish. Sword Art Online Progressive did an amazing job adapting her real-life struggles interconnecting with her lacking game knowledge. A grand pay-off in the end, seeing her character develop through countless hardships and short-comings. (ADAPTATION) Sword Art Online Progressive finessed SAO's sceneries and framing. Visuals felt more alive and as a fan, seeing these details recreated with care mattered to me and has put a smile and nostalgia on my face. Fans of the Aincrad Arc certainly would rejoice revisiting Floor 1's beginning and end in an expansive manner; ending with Illfang's defeat and Kirito's last hit which has been such an iconic moment etched into fans. The ruthful despair of being unable to log out, a stroll in the Town of Beginnings, nostalgic and banger soundtracks, sound effects of sword skills, and the grand system of Sword Art Online. All of my favorite parts of the volume made it into the movie. Alongside the dorky and clumsy moments by the beloved cast (bread scene, bath scene, Kirito's quirks). I adored how much care A-1 Pictures had put in. And that Argo cameo . . . almost screamed my hats off in the theatre. I legit thought they wouldn't include the rat in the whole movie smh. (FINAL THOUGHTS) It is the best SAO anime adaptation. Even with added original content, it unironically felt more Progressive than ever. A big respect to the source material and cooperation between producers, directors and author Reki. If Progressive Scherzo of Deep Night and future movies of the franchise continue to receive this amount of care like Progressive Aria of a Starless Night had, we SAO fans are in for a real treat I guarantee. Love this film to utter bits
Abyou15
01/08/2022, 05:08 AM
If you a big fan of SAO aincard u should watch this....this is quite refreshing they completely fill the previous plothole. So here is my revew score Story: 8 Tbh At first I had doubts, because they chose to change the story from the original source and add original characters. but it turned out to be not bad Graphic: 7 for coloring not as detailed and as deep as ALICIZATION and in some scene the caracters looks so thin....but honestly i feel it's better than alicization where the character looks chubby and has a wide forehead. so for color& graphic: SAO ALC> SAO ORDINAL > SAO;P > SAO S1+S2 forcharacters art style : SAO ORDINAL >SAO;P >SAO S1+S2> SAO ALC ANIMATION: 7 The coreography and the camera angles is really good. But at some fight and some scene the animation its look really stiff Effect: 10 Epic!!!! Sound effect: 10 I really dislike SAO ALC sfx especially sword sfx. but man sfx in this movie really good OST & BGM: 8 Ost quite good. For BGM they reusing SAO s1 BGM but well....i must say sao s1 BGM is the best
BowlerConspiracy
12/12/2021, 07:24 PM
Not going to go "full dive" on this one, but I intend to go pretty deep into this, mainly with comparisons to the original show, so BEWARE OF SPOILERS! Cool. Sword Art Online: Progressive is a retelling of the first floor of Aincrad, the first two episodes of the original show, totally from Asuna's perspective. Kirito is present! Don't worry, the unbeatable man of the hour is still here, but he isn't front and center. This is totally fine given that Asuna is infinitely more interesting than her counterpart and, because of this, there are interesting explorations of Aincrad. Taking a look at the world fromthe point-of-view of someone without any game experience versus one who has already given the titular game a two-month shot is a lot better. We get the fear of death, both outside of our main party and within, before Sachi and company in a way that's more effective, and the feeling of abandonment. The completely new character here is Mito, Asuna's friend from the real world, who was a beta-tester and has a want to protect her. Worse comes to worse with a battle encounter gone wrong and the two split off, sending Asuna into the depressive state we see her in at the beginning of the show. Getting the two's trials and tribulations before Kirito is even seen for more than a split second allows the floor to breathe, as well as Kirito and Asuna interacting for a decent amount of time pre-meeting. Lets the world actually sink in. Although I have great nostalgia for the show of old - it was my first anime exposure outside of Ghibli - this is really brought down by source material. So many beats from the original are hit in exactly the same fashion, done in such a way that feels lazy. Kayaba's delivery is still effective, but the gag of the fat and skinny dudes is still here ("You lied about being 16?" "You're not a girl?") and Silica screaming as well. All of the beats from the boss raid episode are here with some added in moments with Kirito and Mito. Kibaou, spiky hair guy, still goes on his rant about beta-testers with Agile swooping in to correct him, Asuna and Kirito still somewhat reluctantly party up with them sharing a meal ("I wouldn't want a party member dying on me, so try not to die tomorrow" and all that is in full form), and their prowess is shown during the final fight. Diabel, blue hair guy, still dies in the same way and Kirito having his post-fight "Beater" spiel... god, I was scared they would cut out that stuff because while it's so bad writing, it's hilarious to watch. They even kept in Asuna's "how did you know my name?" with Kirito. He mentions that she's been in a party before so she should know that the health bar of every party member is present, and the movie even has focuses on Mito's health from her perspective earlier in the film... simply lazy. Given how good the concept of SAO is on paper, I was really hoping for more in this department. The movie ends with Kirito and Asuna joining together instead of him walking away and urging her to join a guild, get stronger. I'm hoping this is an Evangelion 1.0 effect where the first is mainly a retelling with further deviation past this point, but the difference is that this film tells the story better up to this point than the anime (with much more added content) and well, this is SAO so no high hopes. It's good for what it is. SAO's high-point has always been the music. LiSA's themes are always great and the original music usually fits quite well. Sound effects range from Kirito's photon sword in SAO II sounding just like a lightsaber to decent, it's fine here. Surprised at Yoshitsugu's work after seeing Quints and Demon Slayer, he's got talent! All the other voice-acting is standard as well, nostalgia gives the art a special note for me but fits in that same level of 'standard'. The battle sequences are LEAGUES better than the show, and hey, no overly weird fan service or just pure disgusting moments like the show, congrats! Watching this with three friends in an empty theater was a great time, talking and riffing at a normal volume as if we were watching at home. Kind of got that spark I initially did with this series over six years ago. It's good! Not a waste of time even if you've seen the original.
Shingster
12/10/2021, 09:33 AM
Be advised while care ahs been taken to minimize story related spoilers within the review there may still be spoilers within. Please read at your own risk. Back in the year 2012 during the summer anime season of that year while browsing through the list of various anime’s that will be airing within that period there was one anime that caught my eye. Out of the 244 titles that aired that season the one that caught my eye was one entitled Sword Art Online. From the genre tags and the summary provided the premise was something that in the year 2012 was truly unique inthat, unlike its opposite numbers that focused on more standard settings such as schools, supernatural worlds and ancient China the series promised a brand-new world that gamers have always imagined of being able to step into which is that of a game world breathtakingly created to resemble that of a high fantasy world that was far more real than anything else seen before whether in terms of sight, smell, taste and pain. As both a gamer and lover of anime that was what led me to the series and become a fan of what would soon become a most popular franchise not just domestically but internationally as well. While the original series was a trendsetter in the world of anime that pioneered what is now the Isekai genre and popularized it to the public the series itself wasn’t perfect and had plenty of flaws that even the most die-hard fan would have to admit. However, no world is perfect and despite its flaws the series main themes of friendship, bonds and the act of working together with people across all age ranges and social classes to overcome insurmountable odds is one that I enjoyed the fullest through SAO 1, SAO2, Ordinal Scale movie and finally Alicization. Now you may be asking so what does Aria of a Starless Night bring to the franchise that we don’t already know. Let’s find out. The overall story of the movie rather than focusing solely on Kirito and Asuna’s first days within the world of Aincrad after it become the infamous death game that it will later be known as focuses as its centerpiece the life of the series main heroine Asuna Yuki both prior to her entry into the game and her first days in the game itself. While the series itself did an excellent job of introducing and showcasing the character of Asuna as a kind, considerate and friendly girl who fought hard to protect her friends as a powerful swordswoman while being Kirito’s equal in both skill and foresight it in my eyes didn’t serve to give her much depth as a character that can be used to expand upon her. While SAO2 through the Mother’s Rosario Arc did serve to provide some limited expansion of Asuna through the intro of her tense relationship with her mother Yuuki and family situation as a result of the SAO incident the effects on character depth while nice to see was rather limited. In this however the movie’s overall narrative I felt served to provide Asuna with the expansion that she desperately needed to have as a character. While SAO had long revealed to us that Asuna was the daughter of a rich family that had deep connections to the game itself prior to this movie we knew next to nothing about what her daily life was like before SAO. What were her life goals, what concerns did she have as she woke up each day and what kind of issues that she kept hidden behind her ever-present smile? These were all valid questions but the answers for them were not forthcoming until now. While the insight into Asuna’s relationship with her friends, school life and bond with an almost perfect family proved to be interesting it also acted as an excellent foundation from which the series original character Mito would both be introduced formally into the narrative while setting the stage for her eventual personality change that Asuna would go through as she enters the world of SAO with her. Though the social standing of Asuna served to give her a comfortable life that was full of happiness and friends it also, unfortunately, created a sense of loneliness within her as well as there were few people who she can truly open her heart to until she met Mito. On the surface, Mito and Asuna were people that socially were polar opposites in terms of personality and under normal circumstances would have few opportunities to meet let alone interact with each other. While Asuna was warm, friendly and welcoming to all Mito was quiet, aloof and difficult to know. However, this kind of relationship was what made the ensuring bond between the two that much more heartwarming as within the world of SAO the two girls while bonding with each other to become fast friends that could be honest to each other also served to complement each other both martially and personally as via their every interaction they slowly changed and improved each other as individuals. Their bonding moments while sweet and heartwarming to see did well to instill within Asuna the combat knowledge that would prove vital to surviving within the harsh world of SAO. Visually the series I felt was really impressive with particular regards to both the world of SAO itself that we last visited 8 and a half years ago and to the designs of both the main cast, monster designs and combat animation and to the fights themselves. While the locations that were visited within the movie weren’t especially many as they were limited to only the locations featured on the first floor I felt that the one’s that were used synergized well with the monster designs that while doing a good job of showing how dangerous the world of SAO can be also showed just how important friendship and bonds with your allies are as no matter how powerful you get and how proficient you are with your blade of choice there’s a limit to how much you can face by yourself. Combat has always been one of SAO’s chief hallmarks and in this, the fights presented within the movie were I felt flawless as they were both incredibly detailed and backed by the hard-punching OST of the famed musician and composer Yuki Kajiura that made each fight not only brutally clear but also reflecting well on the life and death struggle that those fighting on the frontlines as they confront fearsome and devious monsters and floor bosses go through as they try to cut a path to freedom by putting both their lives and trust in their skill with their blades on the very line. Though the battle with Illfang and his cronies was one that I had already seen back in 2012 the battle presented here was no less tense and awe-inspiring as it was back then and in this instance, I felt it was even more so due to the twin sides of the bonds of trust that tied Asuna and Kirito together and the sense of forgiveness and atonement for Asuna and Mito that served to make the climactic fight against Illfang that much more dramatic and satisfying to see. While the series main voice cast was limited to the trio of Kirito, Asuna and Mito with the support limited to those provided by Agil, Klein, Kibaou and Diavel overall I felt that each of their performances was excellently done with Haruka Tomatsu and Inori Minase’s portrayal of Asuna and Mito being one of the highlights of the movie. Overall conclusion Overall Sword Art Online Progressive Aria of a Starless Night I felt was an excellent movie that had among its main strengths a unique premise that served to provide a much needed and long-awaited expansion of one of the series best characters in the form of Asuna through its strong narrative, excellent characters, combat scenes, music and excellent voice acting. However, while I did enjoy the movie a lot, I felt that as a character while Mito’s surface traits and role within the narrative was finely done I felt that there wasn’t enough depth within her for her assigned seiyuu Inori Minase to work with that limited the potential growth for her as a character a fact that I felt limited her role within the second half of the movie to that of a mere supporter. If Mito is to join the franchise on a more permanent role rather than simply existing within this one movie then I hope that she will be given the expansion that she deserves. As a final score, I would say that the movie easily deserves a final score of 9/10.
thegayfromrulid
12/10/2021, 07:58 AM
As a long time SAO fan and avid reader of the light novels for both the main series and the Progressive series, I approached this movie knowing it was going to be different from what I had watched and read before. Instead of directly adapting the first Progressive novel that I know like the back of my hand, this movie chose to give fans something new that immediately caused debates: Asuna's POV. And it was fantastic. Story - The story deviated from the first Progressive light novel in a few ways, but all of these changes felt very realistic and gave Asuna a more detailed characterthan I think the source material gave us for her at first. There were some lulls in the story, but overall it pulls the audience in to Asuna's experience and makes us want to watch her grow and improve as a character. Art - The art looks very nice mostly in close-ups or action sequences. There were a few wide shots that lost some nice details here and there, but otherwise it is very clean and well-animated. The panoramic shots of the first floor of Aincrad and the locations within it were particularly stunning. Sound - SAO's soundtrack has always been impressive, and this stayed true to that. We heard a mixture of familiar, beloved soundtracks with newer takes on it and newer sounds being included. As always, SAO is pleasing to the ears. It definitely filled me with some nostalgia as a long-time fan. Character - Once again, Asuna's character shines in a way I feel like it hasn't before in the anime. It was a beautiful and emotionally provoking look into Asuna's feelings, connections to other players, and her personal motivations. Aside from Asuna, we are introduced to a brand new character who feels very realistic, and I fell for her without much effort. The pair's interactions were what gave this movie's characterization its strength, no doubt, and I am truthfully disappointed this character is anime-only. To provide a brief note on Kirito, a friend accompanied me who is not a fan of his character at all, and her comment was, "If he were more like this in other parts, I may have actually come to like him. This is the best version of Kirito!" I think her words summarize some of my feelings, even if I have always loved him; this is definitely the best he has looked as a character. Enjoyment - For a story I have watched in the first season and read in a light novel, I enjoyed this movie so much because of its fresh, new take. I was able to walk into this movie knowing there were parts I didn't know. It was wonderful to see a new character I hadn't met yet and make a decision about whether or not I liked her being there. It was also highly enjoyable to me to watch someone else's perspective on the first few weeks of being trapped in SAO. Kirito was beta tester, so his perspective is entirely different from Asuna's, who entered the game for the first time when the service started.
Snolled
12/07/2021, 07:15 AM
Sword Art Online: Progressive Review From a person that has not watched any SAO Series. **This is my first review on MAL** Surprisingly, good except for the storyline. A-1 Graphics and animations alleviates this movie a lot. [Story 4/10] [Character 5/10] The story is very short and doesn't have anything relevant. The whole plot is mostly the intro of the series. The story is brief to the point that I can summarize it in only 5 minutes. Most of the air times in this series are edgy scenes, specifically the MC, who I had to watch his edgy personality for about an hour. About the jokes in this series, they aredirecting Kirito to be a comical character, which I personally like. In this movie, Kirito isn't an OP MC and has a harem, which adds more to my liking. My most favorite moments are Kirito's interaction with Asuna, where he is always nervous and jumpy around her. Yoshitsugu Matsuoka uses his voice acting in these parts very well too. [Animation 9/10] Animation is great. Action scenes are natural and very smooth. Other than that, it just has a microscopic scene that burns the animation for like 2 second, which is not a big deal. [Sound 10/10] Music and sound effects are a masterpiece. Although the first half of the movie doesn't include many fight scenes making is very inviting to sleep, the BGM helps a lot, keeping me from sleeping. I enjoy Ayase's OST and LiSA's vocals the most. To be exact, I played the song on repeat for almost 70 times (not lying). About the voice actors, there were no problems with their acting in my opinion. Inori Minase and Haruka Tomatsu did good like their past works. [Enjoyment 7/10] [Overall 5/10] Overall, I enjoyed this series, but at the end of the day, I can give this series only a 5/10 mainly because of the story. Special thanks to my friend that translate this review to English Ver.
slim_chadey
12/05/2021, 03:23 PM
kinda gave off shrek vibes. idk why. it just did. And that’s weird. Cuz it was about sword people fighting Mario villains. Betrayals ran rampant in a world built by a man that, for some reason, wants everyone to die in a video game. The MC sucks at video games, faces of against bees with dripping stingers, and has a friend that leaves her for a rat with a cool sword. Then she is saved by a man (misogyny at its finest). Also this movie was so quiet, I could here Clifford stomping on children in the theatre next door. Yes all this happenedand yes somehow it’s better than the show? Final thoughts: a ripoff of ready player one with too much talk of a creamy bun
yexi
12/05/2021, 08:31 AM
-- Disclaimer this is my first review -- ** This review contains no spoilers ** I feel as though Sword Art Online, otherwise known as SAO, has to be one of if not the most controversial anime series ever created. With many praising the anime as incredible, many also refer to it as horrendous, making this anime a topic of many conversations and arguments. Now for the big question, where does this movie sit when belonging to the infamous Sword Art Online series? STORY 8/10: To start things off, the story is taken from the perspective of Asuna Yuuki's experience with the Aincrad Arc (1st arc)who was the main heroine of the SAO series. The story is similar (some scenes and parts are changed) to the original Aincrad Arc so old SAO fans should compare and contrast this movie to the original series. The movie also provides a backstory of her life before SAO and how she got into the game which I found was really interesting. I feel like one thing the movie did right when compared to the original series was avoiding Kirito's useless harem and going straight to developing the plot that the original series should have been. Overall, the movie is good enough to be seen as a substitution for the original Sword Art Online series and would still make sense as an introduction for people who never watched SAO. The movie has also confirmed a sequel in 2022 which would explain the ending and continue the series from there. CHARACTERS 7/10: There are only three main characters so I will describe them each. Asuna - Asuna is the star of the show so we get to see her develop from what she was before SAO and how she matured because of the situations that were presented to her throughout the movie. I believe she took the role of a heroine in this movie well and it was interesting watching her develop as a character throughout the film. Kirito - Kirito played the role of Asuna's ally in this film. There isn't much to say about him besides the fact that he appeared as a cool and mysterious character when shown from Asuna's perspective. Mito - We never get to see characters that solely connect with Asuna in the Aincrad Arc besides Kirito so it's interesting to finally have one that serves as her companion. Mito takes on a mentor/companion role for Asuna and influences her characterization which I found essential for Asuna. Basically Mito served an important role in this film and it wouldn't have been the same without her. The characters felt more realistic and were able to connect with each other and actually share ideal goals and form bonds that served its purpose in this film. SOUND 10/10: The OST for this film was TOP NOTCH. Every scene was paired with an equally fitting background music that was perfect, nothing felt out of place and fit the mood every time. The ending song by LiSA/Ayase was amazing and served as a perfect collaboration between the two of them. The VA's were also amazing with Mito's VA (Inori Minase) being my personal favorite for the film. The soundtrack for the movie is memorable and is definitely worth listening to. ANIMATION 9/10: Another strong quality the film had was the visuals presented throughout the entire movie. Every scene was consistent and there were no noticeable flaws. The fight scenes were appealing and amazing to watch, the art style is pretty good as well. Enjoyment 9/10: Watching this was very enjoyable, probably one of my favorite films I've watched this year. Highly recommended for people who enjoyed the original series or people who want a better replacement for that. Overall 9/10: I believe this is what the Aincrad Arc should have been more like, not some useless arc that revolves around a dumb harem and unimportant side characters but more of a realistic story that actually makes sense. The film is amazing and I definitely recommend it!
defestore
12/03/2021, 10:58 PM
[spoiler free] Sword Art Online. Infamous for a myriad of reasons, but omnipresent as the anime community's designated punching bag. The Big Bad of animanga. It is undeniable that SAO has its issues, really. I’m well aware. And yet, it has this allure. This captivating magic. I will never, ever forget watching the Aincrad arc and all it had to offer, despite its issues. Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night fixes many of them. In an attempt to remain spoiler-free, I will remain as ambiguous as possible in the coming wording. The Progressive movie is told through the lens of Asuna’s experience on thefirst floor. Thus, how the movie begins is with a focus on her. Her family life, her grades, her school life… her friends. The first twenty minutes of the movie add more depth to her character than all of Aincrad and Fairy Dance could ever dream of. And it is so much better for it. Thus, when we enter the world of the Nervegear, this time with knowledge of what tragedies will befall Asuna, there is a sense of connection and of foreboding. It is visceral. And this is a common theme throughout the movie. As a cascading effect. Because of the solid setup at the start of the movie, grounding Asuna and Asuna’s relationships–especially to Mito, the deuteragonist of the film–served to amplify each character interaction that followed, then contributing to the next scene. Which makes the twist all the more painful and shocking. Call it a subversion of every trope that usually permeates anime and characters *in* anime. What follows is truly a sight to behold. From the ashes of what was called a series with terrible characters rises a phoenix born of the best of SAO… and then some. However, with this added narrative, changes are necessitated. While, to begin, the movie does not diverge much from the established plot in Season 1, by the halfway mark, a rift begins to emerge between that of the main series and the events that are unfolding. And as the credits roll, it is as clear as day – Progressive canon will not be the SAO that you know and love (or hate, but who are you kidding? You love it.) As usual on its SAO projects, A-1 has delivered on the production quality. Hail sakuga and hail LiSA, for they have made their presences known. I cannot wait for it to hit streaming–there are some amazing shots in the fight scenes that would make for incredible wallpapers. A-1 has also done away with that dreadful style that afflicted War of Underworld, which is a significant plus. To summate, SAO:P is a project that puts on full display what Kawahara can really do. It is not perfect, but for what it’s done in its 97 minutes and the promise it holds for the next 97, it is well deserving of a 9.
Inorichi
12/03/2021, 09:04 PM
Actually great. Given how Asuna's character and the entire franchise was practically butchered in Alicization, I pretty much dreaded the idea of a Progressive movie with Asuna as mc and a bunch of anime original content. I had serious doubts about this movie and high expectations and I have to say, A1 did a pretty good job. Story: 8.5/10 Out of all SAO anime media, I think Aria the Starless Night may have the best story. Unlike the TV anime or Ordinal Scale, the cast of this movie boils down to 3 people, 2 for the most part. Rather than a large messy, basically God+Haremcast, the characters in this movie are Asuna, Mito, and Kirito. For once, SAO is able to properly flesh out genuine and relateable characters. The world building is done right and the scenes do a great job adding real weight to the conflict and plot. Art: 10/10 This was probably where most of my doubts were coming in. Ali's sakuga was beyond awful for most of it's runtime and Shingo Adachi, animation director for SAO 1-Ordinal Scale, was nowhere to be found in this movie. Which was a disaster for Alicization, wowever, the scenes were consistent and the sakuga was definitely beyond what anything A1 could have done with a TV anime. While there were some noticeably dopey looking faces here and there, the action was solid and the visuals were cinema worthy. Sound: 9/10 Sound effects don't break the immersion anymore. Whatever janky surreal attempts at sfx they tried in Ali is no longer there. The themes aren't dialed to quadruple bass remix nightcore edition and Yuki Kajiura made some great tracks?/remixes of Swordland, Luminous Sword, etc, the OG themes. While I personally can't recall any new special theme for this movie except the ED from LiSA, the music and sounds were pleasant, not distracting, and greatly added to the movie. Character: 8/10 Asuna is the main character of this movie, if you haven't heard yet, and Mito, a new anime original char, plays a supporting role in the story. Contrary to expectations, Mito's portrayal felt so natural, I would even say that Asuna never would have worked as the mc of this movie without her. Kirito, despite having most of the LN development cut, has his character fleshed out subtly. The chemistry between the characters feel significantly more natural to the audience and the comedy was finally able to work thanks to this. Overall, Kirito, Asuna, and Mito were all relatable and realistic characters to them, despite how SAO has portrayed them before. Overall: 9/10 A very interesting adaptation. A1 did a great job balancing the source material, anime original content, and linking it to the 2012 TV anime. Obviously, there aren't any mind blowing developments in this movie given when it takes place chronologically, but the world building and character development that was sorely missed in the original tv anime are on point for once. The animation and music are definitely a cut above Alicization and the TV anime and Aria of a Starless Night did not disappoint. Despite having poor seating and the lights being left on for half the movie, I ended up enjoying this movie quite a bit and I'll probably watch it one more time before it's out of theaters.
cloakedclover
12/03/2021, 08:18 PM
Prior to watching SAO Progressive in theatres, I rewatched all of SAO for perspective and gave the shows an average of 7/10. Going into SAO Progressive, I expected a higher production-quality rehash of the early events from season one, and was not disappointed. The art, animation, and sound design are substantially better and, though it wasn't the best I've seen by any mark, the fight choreography and implementation of CGI was much better than that of the early episodes of season one. Given the story is essentially the same as season one (and rightfully so; that is the point of the SAO Progressiveseries), there isn't much to be said that hasn't already been said, without spoilers... except the new plot pertaining Tozawa Misumi, AKA Mito. The introduction of Mito as a non-source character was, surprisingly, well executed. Requiring very few retcons and barely altering the flow of events. I feel that Mito supplied some (debatably needed) explanation to a few events in the beginning of, and leading up to, season one. Overall, I found 'Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' to be much more enjoyable than the early episodes of season one, likely due to the amount of time A-1 Pictures has had to polish SAO's rough edges. I would recommend anyone who remotely likes the concept of SAO to watch this movie and see what 9 years of polish can do!
xNishimiya
11/20/2021, 05:27 AM
THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW. As someone who hadn't read the light novels of the original series, but had read the Progressive light novels, I was ecstatic to hear about the anime adaptation for Progressive. And after finally watching it... I emerged from the cinema with an amalgamation of mixed emotions. Let's begin with the positives: the art, battle choreography and sound. Undoubtedly stellar, and are what I can praise wholeheartedly with zero reservations. From Ordinal Scale to Alicization, the movie brought over what it had improved from there and refined it further to deliver a myriad of action-packed skirmishes accompanied with smooth, impactful SFX ofweapons clinking as they collide with one another, flashy skill effects and more. One minor gripe though: Swordland is an amazing OST, and I do like how different renditions of it are played during the most intense moments of any particular season. But it does get old eventually, and it feels rehashed and overused by this point. This also extends to most of the OSTs that were used in the movie, where most of them feel reused and recycled. The movie's overarching plot generally syncs with the light novel it's adapting its material from, but understandably cuts out a sizeable amount of interaction between certain characters due to the restraint of time. In addition, keep in mind that this movie is narrated from the perspective of Asuna, not Kirito, thus there will certainly be variances in their experiences. The introduction of the anime-original character, Mito, does add a certain depth to Asuna's side of the story, but unfortunately falls short in its execution of storytelling, especially during the second half of the movie. For the sake of being spoiler-free, I will not elaborate further, but I wish more time had been spent on Mito for stronger characterization later in the movie, since a conscious decision had been made to include an anime-original character to the movie in the first place. It was difficult to develop any sort of attachment for her when there was already so much content being cut from the light novel to fit the plot of the novel in under 100 minutes. In my opinion, this was where the movie fell short--its storytelling and characterization, particularly after a certain point of the movie. This movie isn't without its glaring flaws, but I still had a relatively enjoyable experience overall. If you've never consumed any SAO material before, I guarantee you'll be satisfied with what there is to be offered. For readers of the Progressive light novels, however, I suggest entering the cinema with no expectations whatsoever, and appreciate the movie for what it is. It might not be a word-to-frame retelling of the book, but it was an entertaining time nevertheless.
SnowingYuki24
11/03/2021, 02:18 AM
MINOR SPOILERS Story - Just watched it earlier here in japan. Story was just not that good it's basically the same as the anime but the main character is Asuna, and there were scenes that we didn't see in the anime. The movie was about 1 hour and 50 mins, and all they could fit was when they defeated the boss located in the 1st floor of the tower. (at least they announced a new movie for next year which I hope will have better writing and more scenes which were not shown in the anime) Art - Amazing. It has a similar art styleto Alicization, the fight scenes were also smooth, and the monsters were also animated well. Sound - Background music is solid. I loved the ending song sang by Lisa. Characters - Character designs were very good and some notable characters in the anime appeared in the movie. Enjoyment - Even though the story is not that good the movie is still good because the art, sound, and characters made it more enjoyable for me.
JongoPorgo
10/30/2021, 11:33 AM
It's no surprise that SAO is one of the most significant franchises in the anime industry. No matter how each of us feels about it. We're not maniacs, are we? I don't even know what to say. Perfect balance. The pacing is great, the visuals and the story are well adapted. (even including Mito) Music from Yuki Kajiura, as usual Godtear. If you are a fan of the franchise, then this is one hundred percent win. But even for people unfamiliar with original anime it will be interesting, or even become the door to the franchise. I went to see the movie with a friend ofmine who stopped watching SAO on the first season and he really liked to. The relationships of the characters who try to grasp the reality of the death-game concept are interesting. The atmosphere of pressure, which grows into a light hope crashed into harsh reality, can also lure the viewer and of course the very spirit of virtual immersion. For me personally, this movie is much better than Ordinal Scale As a fan. My scrore will be 9 but even objectively the film deserves a minimum of 8. P.s ( Unless you are a "crazy hater/troll" who wants to attract attention or something. Just putting 1 point out of 10 without objective facts. Because this is an adult act, right? ) P.S.S ( And yes, please. There is no need to fool people that you allegedly watched a movie (( if you are going )). At the time of this review, it was only viewable in Japan and I highly doubt that presumable future English speaking reviewers live in Japan. There is no need to spread misinformation or hate for the sake of hate. Have self-esteem for others and for yourself. )
starmiya_miyuki
10/30/2021, 05:40 AM
This movie is completely asuna's story. Main character in this movie is asuna and it extremly suits for me. asuna's point of view is so fresh. It is good points to describe the reason why asuna who don't want to play games decide to play "sword art online". I was moved by this passage "In this world, I can't decide how to live but can decide how to die". It is so cool passage, isn't it ?? I recommend this movie to not only boys but girls too. Because we can get courage by asuna's fighting. I haven't read "progressive series" but I have excited. I want anyone who likesasuna to see this movie. I'm sure you can enjoy it !

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア

North American Anime & Manga Releases for January

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Gets Second Anime Movie in 2022

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'Sword Art Online Movie: Progressive - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' Additional Staff, Cast, Fall 2021 Opening

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Reveals Movie Format, Staff, 2021 Premiere

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Light Novel Gets Anime Project

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア

North American Anime & Manga Releases for January

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Gets Second Anime Movie in 2022

PV Collection for Oct 11 - 17

PV Collection for Sep 20 - 26

PV Collection for Sep 13 - 19

PV Collection for Jul 5 - 11

'Sword Art Online Movie: Progressive - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' Additional Staff, Cast, Fall 2021 Opening

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Reveals Movie Format, Staff, 2021 Premiere

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Light Novel Gets Anime Project

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ 星なき夜のアリア

North American Anime & Manga Releases for January

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Gets Second Anime Movie in 2022

PV Collection for Oct 11 - 17

PV Collection for Sep 20 - 26

PV Collection for Sep 13 - 19

PV Collection for Jul 5 - 11

'Sword Art Online Movie: Progressive - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' Additional Staff, Cast, Fall 2021 Opening

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Reveals Movie Format, Staff, 2021 Premiere

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Light Novel Gets Anime Project

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ 星なき夜のアリア

North American Anime & Manga Releases for January

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Gets Second Anime Movie in 2022

PV Collection for Oct 11 - 17

PV Collection for Sep 20 - 26

PV Collection for Sep 13 - 19

PV Collection for Jul 5 - 11

'Sword Art Online Movie: Progressive - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria' Additional Staff, Cast, Fall 2021 Opening

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Reveals Movie Format, Staff, 2021 Premiere

'Sword Art Online: Progressive' Light Novel Gets Anime Project

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア

Sword Art Online: Progressive Movie - Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria 劇場版ソードアート・オンラインプログレッシブ星なき夜のアリア