Everything You Need To Know Before 'Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online' Starts

What Is 'Sword Art Online'?

Originally created by Reki Kawahara with illustrations provided by abec, Sword Art Online is a series that follows a boy named Kirito after he and thousands of gamers get trapped in a virtual reality video game known as Sword Art Online. The gamers must band together to defeat the game's final level to escape, but Kirito and his guild learn there is more behind their prison than they were originally told.

The series began as a series of light novels published through Dengeki Bunko in 2009, and has been adapted into eight different manga series by ASCII Media Works and Kadokawa. The series has been licensed for an English language release by Yen Press, and has been adapted into an anime series by A-1 Pictures.

Its first season aired in 2012 and ran for 25 episodes, while its second season, Sword Art Online II, aired in 2014 and ran for 24 episodes. The series currently gearing up for its next big arc in the light novel series, "Unitial Ring," and the next season of the anime is set to adapt "Alicization."

What Is 'Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online'?

Spinning off the game introduced in the second season of Sword Art Online, Sword Art Alternative: Gun Gale Online is set in the titular Gun Gale Online (where Kirito played as a female avatar and fans were introduced to Sinon for the first time). The difference here is that Alternative follows a new main character, Karen Kohiruimaki, who is an abnormally tall college student entering the world of Gun Gale Online for the first time.

She chooses a five foot avatar named Llenn, and plays the game just like everyone else. But this time, instead of being involved in the same type of battles Kirito and Sinon fought in Sword Art Online II, Llenn is convinced to join a new type of battle called the "Squad Jam" thanks to another player, Pitohui.

Do I Need To Watch Sword Art Online II?

Since Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online is a spin-off set in the Sword Art Online universe, it's not entirely necessary to watch the first two seasons of the original series to enjoy it. There's nothing in the mainline series that counts as mandatory viewing, but if you want to brush up on the world the spin-off will be set in then it would make a lot of sense to revisit season 2 of the main series.

The first 12 episodes of Sword Art Online II are set in the world of Gun Gale Online, and the spin-off series most likely won't take a lot of time to introduce the different elements of its world as they were already established in Online II. In order to keep up with keywords, callbacks, and the like, then re-watching the first half of the second season would not be a bad idea.

When Does It Premiere?

Stacking on top of the already intense Spring 2018 anime season (which has already kicked off with the likes of Tokyo Ghoul:re and Gundam Build Divers), Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online is set to air on April 7 on Tokyo MX, BS11, Tochigi TV, and Gunma in Japan. For anime fans keeping a close eye on the releases coming this April, they might recognize this release date.

April 7 is also the day My Hero Academia returns for its third season. Fans of both series and anime overall are expected to have a great April 7 as two major series are both set to return on the same day and are both expected to have great premieres.

How Many Episodes Will There Be?

Unfortunately, as of this writing, the series has not confirmed how many episodes the series will run for. It could be anywhere from the 24 episodes the mainline series gets, or 12 episodes as is usual for seasonal anime releases. Most fans are expecting the spin-off to last one cour, or 12 episodes, as most Sword Art Online arcs are completed within that same time frame.

But while the number of episodes is not confirmed, the staff of the series is well known. The series stars Tomoki Kusunoki as Llenn, Yoko Hikasa as Pitohui, Kazuyuki Okitsu as M, and Chinatsu Akasaki as Fukaziroh. Masayuki Sakoi is directing the series for Studio 3Hz, Yousuke Kuroda will handle the series' scripts and series composition, Yoshio Kosakai will serve as the chief animation director and character designer, and Tomori Kusunoki is performing the series' ending theme, "To see the future."

Are There Any Trailers?

Along with the unknown element of how many episodes of the series there will be, much of the series has been kept under wraps as well. Although there have been no big story confirmations, the series has only released one full trailer for the spin-off (which you can find here).

The trailer for the series is a bit short, but it's sweet enough to get the job done. The chaotic nature and presentation of the trailer perfectly encapsulates the kind of frenzied energy the Squad Jam will have in the series. Eagle eyed fans will also note that the trailer paints Gun Gale Online in more of a militaristic light than Sword Art Online did, as Sword Art Online II often included fantastical elements as Kirito fought through hails of bullets with a light sword. But that won't be the same case for Llenn and her crew.

How Can I Watch?

Now that you are prepped for the release of Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online, how do you watch it? Luckily there are a few options to explore for curious fans.

Aniplex of America announced during Sakura-Con that Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online will be available for simulcast on both Crunchyroll and Hulu starting April 7, the day the series premieres in Japan. Although the series has yet to confirm an English dub, at least curious fans will be able to keep up with the series in its native Japanese with English subtitles.

Now you know everything you need to before Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online begins! Are you excited for its premiere? Let us know in the comments!