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On This Day in Sword Art Online History, Kirito Clears the Game

posted on by Ken Iikura-Gross
Get the latest news hot off the press at Animate Ikebukuro

November 7, 2024 marks a seminal day in the (fictional) history of anime. It's the day the protagonist of Sword Art Online (SAO), Kirito, cleared the titular in-universe virtual MMORPG. Sword Art Online's social media and the Animate Ikebukuro store are celebrating the history-making moment:

sao_cleared
Image via prtimes.jp
©Reki Kawahara イラスト／abec

Several SAO-related X (formerly Twitter) accounts announced Kirito's accomplishment on Thursday. The earliest posts were made just before 3:00 p.m. Japan Time by the SAOand SAO Game X/Twitter accounts. Both accounts announced the titular game had been cleared at 2:55 p.m. Japan Time.

November 7, 2024 14:55
The game was cleared.

◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣
November 7, 2024 14:55
The game has been cleared
◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣◥◣

Following these announcements, the Dengeki Bunko X/Twitter account released a commercial with the “breaking news.” The publisher also released the commercial on its YouTube channel.

[NEWS] Breaking News: Sword Art Online has been cleared
---------------------------------------
✓ November 7 at around 14:55, "Sword Art Online" cleared
✓ 6,000 people trapped in virtual reality wake up
✓ The SAO Incident is resolved
---------------------------------------
※ This is a commercial

In a follow-up post, Dengeki Bunko revealed more videos would be forthcoming.

╭━━━━━━━━━━━━━╮
2024/11/7 14:55
Sword Art Online
GAME CLEAR
╰━━━━━━ v ━━━━━━╯
In commemoration of SAOs completion
We will hold celebratory events such as releasing special commercials and promotional videos!

▼For more details, click here

The Dengeki Bunko YouTube channel subsequently uploaded a recap video of SAO. The video feature super deformed heads of SAO characters Asuna and Kirito with text-to-speech voices.

Along with the videos, the Dengeki Bunko X/Twitter account announced a paper handout styled as a newspaper extra edition was distributed at Animate Ikebukuro. The post noted distribution had ended, but they may be redistributing the paper at other bookstores later.

／
📢SAO Clear
Special edition newspaper flyers now available!
＼

We have released a special newspaper extra edition-style flyer about Sword Art Online
Distributed at the Animate Ikebukuro flagship store on November 7!
https://kadokawa.co.jp/product/200903000507/

※ Distribution in stores has ended, so please refrain from contacting us.
※ There is a possibility that the flyer will be redistributed at select bookstores in the future.

Although Animate Ikebukuro did not make any announcements regarding the distribution of the paper, SAO fans lined up outside the store to get their copy. X/Twitter user @Towasao0713 posted an image of SAO fans crowding Animate Ikebukuro's entrance to receive their copy.

It's an anime from 10 years ago, but this is brutal!!

While physical editions of the SAO paper were only available at Anime Ikebukuro so far, the PR Times service included a link to a PDF version.

Until November 24, Aniplex's online shop is also offering character goods commemorating the day.

Sources: Sword Art Online's X/Twitter account, Sword Art Online Game's X/Twitter account, Dengeki Bunko's X/Twitter account (link 2, link 3), Dengeki Bunko's YouTube channel (link 2), PR Times, @Towasao0713's X/Twitter account via Hachima Kikō

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