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Sword Art Online Franchise Confirms Event On Game's In-Universe Launch Date

On November 6, 2022, the fictional Sword Art Online VRMMORPG launched within the series' universe. Fans of the franchise have joked that the staff should hold an event to celebrate the occasion. Their voices have been heard, because the anime's 10th anniversary event at AnimeJapan 2022 announced that the franchise will hold an in-person event on November 6 to look back on Sword Art Online history.

Voice actors Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Kirito), Haruka Tomatsu (Asuna), Ayana Taketatsu (Leafa), Miyuki Sawashiro (Sinon), Rina Hidaka (Silica), Kanae Itō (Yui), Aoi Yūki (Yūki), Ai Kayano (Alice), Nobunaga Shimazaki (Eugeo), Hiroaki Hirata (Klein), Hiroki Yasumoto (Agil), and Inori Minase (Mito) will attend the "Sword Art Online Full Dive memorial event at the Tokyo Garden Theater. Application forms are bundled with Japanese Blu-ray/DVD copies of the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night anime film.

The staff unveiled a new visual (shown top-right) for the home video release, which will ship on July 8.

Also announced at the event: an art exhibit titled "The Art of Sword Art Online" scheduled for July 2 to 24 at Tokyo's Ueno Royal Museum, and a rebroadcast of select Sword Art Online TV anime episodes in July. The episodes will be decided by fan vote; you can make your picks now through the anime's 10th anniversary website.

The event further revealed a teaser video for the Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Kuraki Yūyami no Scherzo (Scherzo of a Dark Dusk) film, and announced the Sword Art Online Variant Showdown smartphone game.

Sources: AnimeJapan 2022 stage presentation, press release