Sword Art Online Director Comments on Anime's Midseason Delay

Sword Art Online has kept fans hanging on for seasons at this point, but the show says it is almost done. The final cour of Sword Art Online: Alicization has been touted as the final one, and it was slated to kick off this month. But due to the new coronavirus and its ensuing pandemic, those plans have changed. The chief animation director behind the season is now speaking up, and Suzuki Gou has a message for fans following the last-minute postponement.

Taking to Twitter, the artist posted a black-and-white sketch of Kirito in costume. It was there Gou relayed his thanks to fans for keeping up with Sword Art Online and to continue looking forward to this final cour.

"Although the second cour has been postponed, I think it's good to protect our staff's health, so thank you for understanding. The wait may be awhile, but I hope you will continue looking forward to the second cour of Sword Art Online: Alicization - War of Underworld," Gou shared.

2ndクールが放送延期になってしまいましたがスタッフの健康あっての作品制作だと思いますのでご理解の程宜しくお願い致します。
少しお待たせすることになってしまいますが引き続き「SAO アリシゼーション WoU」2ndクールを楽しみにお待ちいただけたら幸いです。 pic.twitter.com/hBgvottW6n

— 鈴木 豪🐾 (@kurogomasama) April 13, 2020

For fans, this statement has helped ease the shock they experienced upon hearing Sword Art Online's delay. The news was confirmed earlier this week, so it has not been long since it went public. The announcement had to go live before Sword Art Online was slated to return this month. But now that the final cour is eyeing a July 2020 premiere, fans are being asked to have a bit more patience.

This delay is one of the biggest to be announced in light of the ongoing pandemic, but Sword Art Online is not alone. The first major postponement belonged to the second season of Re:Zero with other anime like No Guns No Life and Princess Principal.

Will you be tuning into this new season of Sword Art Online when it drops later this summer? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!