‘Sword Art Online: Alicization’ Anime to Air This October

Aniplex announced today on March 24 that Sword Art Online: Alicization, the upcoming third TV anime adaptation of Reki Kawahara’s sci-fi action adventure light novel series Sword Art Online, is set to premiere in October 2018. The latest adaptation is based on the novel’s fourth arc told from its ninth to 14th volumes.

The first TV anime Sword Art Online was aired for 25 episodes from July to December 2012, then the second season Sword Art Online II followed with 24 episodes two years later. Instead of the first two’s Tomohiko Ito, Manabu Ono (Saki, The Irregular at Magic High School) is newly served as director at A-1 Pictures. The third season’s official website is updated with a key visual introducicing Kirito, Alice, and Eugeo, drawn by anime character designer Shingo Adachi below.

Teaser PV

《アリシゼーション》編、スタッフ情報＆最新PVを公開！新監督は小野学さんに決定！

原作：川原 礫（「電撃文庫」刊）
原作イラスト・キャラクターデザイン原案：abec
監督：小野 学
キャラクターデザイン：足立慎吾／鈴木 豪／西口智也
制作：A-1 Pictureshttps://t.co/86ZYUv3w0P　#sao_anime pic.twitter.com/9b9PhlZ8rh

— アニメ ソードアート・オンライン 公式 (@sao_anime) March 24, 2018

Main voice cast:

Kirito/Kazuto Kirigaya: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka

Asuna/Asuna Yuuki: Haruka Tomatsu

Alice Zuberg: Ai Kayano

Eugeo: Nobunaga Shimazaki

Alicization takes a different approach to the Sword Art Online formula as it focuses on mystery and psychological elements as Kirito adapts to living in a virtual world in which he is the only the human. With no past memories, Kirito struggles to uncover the mystery of Underworld while learning survival skills.

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka and Haruka Tomatsu reprise their roles as Kirito and Asuna respectively. Ai Kayano will voice Alice and Nobunaga Shimazaki will voice Eugeo.

Additional cast and production details will be shared at a later time.

Source: Aniplex press release