Sword Art Online Light Novel, Anime and Manga Comparison Review
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
- Hey guys!
I'm reviewing and comparing the Sword Art Online light novel, manga and anime adaptation. Hope you guys find it helpful!
For closer shots of each book, come on over to pinterest:
/ sword-art-online
Follow me at:
littlecloudcuriosity.com
/ littlecloudcuriosity
/ curiouscloudy
/ curiouscloudy
Shoutout to Yenpress for licensing the Sword Art Online manga and light novel over here to North America.
![[ASMR] My Sword art Online Manga/Novel Collection|Tapping|No Talking](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zOjADIOM_8E/mqdefault.jpg)
Thank you so much for the review! It helps me a lot for preparing my presentation about SAO in school :)
wow i started watching this and then looked at the date holy crap 2014
I get every complaint for the series, but I still love it. Its a huge guilty pleasure of mine. But the light novels are so much better, I read them after I watched the anime. The story is actually darker and grittier which fits the world very well. I genuinely think the light novels are good books.
Really helped a lot and cleared things up about the differences between all of them. Awesome job. ^^
This video really helped me decide to get into the light novel series. I watched the anime (and even though it happens to be one of my favourite of all time next to fmab) I felt it was missing something. So thank you!
SAO is my second favorite anime
Its definitely really fun! Im following the new season of GGO rn! 😄
6:34 that scene also happens on the anime...
dat Asuna fighurine tho
Kori that thing is fucking expenisve
At about 6:30 you talked about the question of their relationship status outside of the game. And that is in the anime, I don't know if it is more in depth in the novel but it shows everything as you describe it, I think it was during the fishing episode.
Wow im glad to hear the actual light novel is more in depth than the anime, i really enjoyed the aincrad arc of the anime and ive jeard so many people complain about SAO after that arc was over which made me interested in seeing how the light novels were in comparison.
Also, im hearing that season 3 of SAO is pretty good so thats good
Thank you for this review its helped me figure out how best to approach this franchise outside of the anime... I'm brand new to it and within a week of watching the first season of the anime, I've fallen in love with it, so had to see about the source material, I'll probably get the physical light novels as they seem to include some illustrations and formatting the ebooks have missed out and it seems everyone agrees that they go way more in depth than the manga (I found out that they are all adapted separately which is why some arcs are finished and some aren't)
I accidentally bought the whole collection of the light novel thinking it was the manga. This made me not regret it. Thank you!
Did you read the progressive version and which do u recommend?
@@yunessh4071 progressive is way better written but volume 1 and 2 of that main series is AWESOME (still not as good as progressive tho)I recommend reading the first two from the main series and read the rest of progressive then move on to volume 3 in the main series and onward I've read up to volume 6 of the main series so I haven't quite finished the whole series yet mostly because I'm not much of a reader but I'll probably finish volume 6 over Christmas and another thing I didn't really enjoy the gun gale arc I actually think the anime did better in that arc but it's still decent
in the anime, kirito does ask asuna if their relationship is real and asuna tells him that her feelings are real and all that good stuff. it sounded like you were saying that that scene wasnt in the anime.
I just got the first volumes of the manga and novel. Thanks for this quick review to show me what they may be like! :)
Thank you. I wasn't sure which to buy.
I'm a fan of comic books so I figured the Manga would be the right way to go for me but I wanted a more in depth look at the mmo world so after some research and watching this review I see that the light novel is definitely the way to go :) thanks again
The light novels actually explain what the characters are thinking and how game mechanics work, as well as world building.
Meaning instead of Kirito yelling and stuff happening, you'll know exactly what he's doing and why.
Alicization light novels are significantly better than the anime. Same for Progressive
The novels are pretty heavy on inner monologues and world building, which the anime just axes entirely. About the only thing it does better is putting Aincrad in order. Alicization also suffers from some pretty significant content cuts, and WoU specifically makes some changes I do not even remotely enjoy.
It's a really mediocre adaptation at the end of the day.
Thanks a lot! I was kinda confused on whether to get the light novel or manga, but after watching your comparision review, I get which is better(the light novel, of course). Thanks again!
I ordered both volumes 1 and 2 of the light novels of SAO (and the first Attack on Titan Light Novel that started selling near the end of September), about a week ago. And I am still anxiously, waiting for them to arrive.
Can I ask where you ordered them? :) please and thank you
Amazon...
BoyScouts1 haha I knew that but, I thought you'd be more specific. Like the company or whatever it's called because I know there's different places that sell them.
I got my copy from Amazon... www.amazon.com/Sword-Art-Online-1-Aincrad/dp/0316371246/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421118413&sr=8-1&keywords=sword+art+online+light+novel
BoyScouts1 thanks! Very much appreciated :)
Ok i need to know something
Is alicization the last season or theres more?
Cuz idk i watched one vid and it said it was the last one but i found that in the light novel theres more:unital ring and moon cradle
Are those the continuation or just extra,non canon to the series?
Moon cradle is an Alicization spinoff which takes place before the end of the Alicization arc. On the other hand SAO Unital Ring is a new season which takes place after the Alicization arc.
Muhammad Subhan thank you for the information
I really love the anime compared to the manga only because I am more of the visual type of person and I like color popping out everywhere! Have you seen the second season yet? It's awesome!
I really want the book
i love this light novel series
im waiting for volume 14 to finish being translated
im definitely still buying this
Thank a lot, I wanted to know which to get the manga or light novel but I didn't know the difference so thank for clarifying that, looks like I'm getting the light novels for Xmas :3
Is the Fairy Dance stuff any better in the light novels or is it about the same as the anime? I REALLY hated Fairy Dance in the anime and I'm wondering if I should just skip them if I like the light novels for Aincrad.
Darnell5000 the GGO in the SAO ll is good also, but I agree with your opinion on the fairy dance
I am not sure if I should get the individual books or the platinum collector's which is way to big and bulky to read properly and portable.
You know I love SAO and i was thinking about reading the Light Novel but wasnt sure....until now. Im totally gonna start thanks and awesome indepth vid lol
Thanks, I think I'll buy the novel over the manga version, was kind of on the fence of which to buy and i never bought a light novel before so I'm excited. Very helpful video.
Does it have 16.5?
I wish
LOL
***** Oh my friend, Kirito and Asuna sex scene
Personally I didn't mind that
Are we just going to ignore the fact that kirito basically raped asuna she said no like 50 times lol
Where I can buy the big Manga you have? I have the box that contains only 2 Mangas
How many manga are the for sword art online are there and dvds
This review video is just on point!! I wish I could pull off a presentation like this!
Tysm >
Thanks! This was super helpful!
Awesome review I wanted to get it but I wanted to see some reviews thanks to you I'm so planning to collect thanks to you ^^
#16.5
Best chapter
Yup
Thanks for your review! I just finished watching SAO anime and wanted to get into the manga but when I amazon'd it I noticed there was a light novel version and was undecided of which one to get....until now :) THANKS!
Hi I'm trying to get back to reading more than watching anime. Could you please tell me what's the difference between light novel, novel, manga, and anime lol. Me and my brother have been discussing this for the past 30 minutes lol.
+Jamie Martin Light novels are shorter than novels, usually 100 pages. They include artwork but not as much as manga. The manga focuses on the artwork and might not take you as deep as the light novels. Anime is just an animated version of manga/ln (depending on which one it is based on).
Thanks so much
Couple of years to late but I just bought the first 2 volumes based off of this cant wait to read!
What do you prefer the manga or the light novels?
I’m thinking of getting the platinum light novel 1-20 vols as I’ve already got the entire blu ray collectors edition of all released seasons
(except for war of Underworld)
I'm a year late BUTT the light novels definitely! I hope you can update me telling me what you eventually got. Progressive in the LN were absolutely amazing, it's like that feeling when you play a brand new mmorpg that you've waited for, for so long. That's how good it is.
It's funny, you look almost identical to my locker neighbor, who also was an otaku all through junior high... Any how great channel you have going, and keep making these types of videos, it was highly informative, and surprisingly well done. Maybe you could review the Vanguard manga that just came out and bag some more views...
So to someone who really hated most of the anime, would you still recommend the light novels to them? I would be willing to read them if the stories really aren't as insufferable as the adaptions'
I liked your review, and I mostly agree. The manga wasn't super amazing, but the light novel was awesome, with abec's (just adding this as a side note, it's pronounced abeshi.) illustrations (apparently she did them when she was still in high school OAO) and the depth of the story.
Great review, keep it up :D
So is there only those 2 out right now? any fairy dance or ggo novels out?
Fairy Dance releases next month (Volume 3)
Yen Press releases volumes every 4 months.
Where do you buy that i want one how much?
is the Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad Manga only part 2 of Aincrad or can I find a manga for the first part aswell?
it's only 1 book (the reason it's thick) they start from the beginning of the anime where they heard being trapped in the game till kirito wakes up after beating the game and that was the whole airncard arc then you have also 1 volume of fairy dance (which is alfheim online) ^_^ hope I informed you enough
Lol well im dumb lol i opened it up wont through a few pages and see it starts later by saying 2 years earlier xD Thanks
No problem ^_^
Do they have a second volume for manga for alfheim? Cuz bought first and wanna see if I can keep going with it or switch to light novel plz reply
Afrobacon2002 there are 2 light novels released in english
And yes they have a second volume for alfheim ^_^
Does the 1 Manga cover all of the aincrad story? Or will I have to read multiple volumes?
It covers a section, the other sections are split into different novels. Volume 2 is based on aincrad side stories, and there is another section called progressive, that's based on unseen and unheard content in aincrad. AND ITS AWESOME, so if you want to read all of aincrad get volumes 1 & 2 and all 7 progressive mangas. I'm a year late but I hope you got what you were looking for!
im confused so was there a manga and light novel because i just got the light novel and it is words and then i saw another but it was like a manga but if there is two different versions of this which is better
Hi, I cant read Japanese but I really want to read the light novels w/ the most accuracy. I know that when they're translated, they might not always be exact. I can read both Chinese and English (native to both), which version do you think is the best, with the most accurate translations?
I'm looking for a sao manga, on Amazon there's a novel and a manga, The novel has nothing but words right? The manga looks different, does the novel have manga too?
Do you think they have it in the US, maybe at Barnes and nobles?
They do
Can i buy these SAO light novels online? Im looking for all the books, someone pls help me :'
I found them on Amazon :)
The book depository
Only 2 of the light novels are out in english the 3rd is comming out in december...
there 15 of them btw
yeah i got them both now, thank you guys, waiting for the third one too C:
im buying the first sao LN now yay
Do the light novels come in two parts or is the manga part one and the light novel part two? I'm asking because I recently got into SAO light novels. Thanks
Hey goodjob in your video. Where are you from?? Can u suggest any manga or anime to me? Thanks 🙂
Sorry guys I'm stupid lol, but could anyone give me a link of all the books in order or a link because I really want to check them out I just don't know what order they are in plz and thank you.
Haha thanks I figured that out after I posted this comment lol. But thanks anyways.
How many novels are there
Sword art online volume 2 comes out this summer. On the 26th of august. I think its the 26th but it is august
awesome! thanks for the tip :)
Ni problem
I mean no problem
Sword Art Online 2 comes out in July this year. Just so you know
Nice review, thanks a lot! :)
"Intense Scenes"
Do you have volume 18? Where can i buy the translated version?
Nice Review :)
thanks kirito-kun ;)
Would you recommend both to buy?
good review , I watched the anime & did not like some parts of it so I want to read the novels & see if they are better or not
I'm planning to read the manga first and then the light novel. Is that a good idea?
Sorry if this is late. No because the manga is way behind the Light Novels. They are barely on the first Alicization light novel. You should read the Light Novels if you want more of the story. Secondly, it doesn't capture the full essence of the Light Novels. The LNs show what Kirito is thinking, what he will do in a bad situation, and showing that he's not just a rad dual-wielding swordsman. The manga just portrays Kirito as a badass swordsman with not much development in his character. Lastly, the light novels are the original. They are the source material for the anime. If it weren't for the LNs, Sword Art Online wouldn't be popular today.
Nah b I’m gonna read the manga adoption progressive and hope they reboot sao even tho I watched every season etc but yeah
The book is way better imo, make sure to get your money's worth! I also bought all of the audiobooks. Which has the actual voice actors reading it. So you get to hear Kirito scream haha...and btw they probably won't continue the SAO anime till like 2025...but I heard there is a new movie coming out (not progressive) kind of like ordinal scale. They released ordinal scale before season 3 came out (alicization) so I guess Kawahara is doing the same thing soon. BTW I thought ordinal scale was a great movie.
Good review. Subscribed.
Nice review :) liked it
theres like 3 different versions of each light novel, can anyone help me? Is there like 1 book per "season"?
check amazon and the volumes arent written chronologically
Oo! Would you do a comparison video like this about No Game No Life Light Novel and Manga as well? I'm not sure which one to buy though I'm more interested on the light novel cuz 1) I don't wanna see ecchi scenes ; w ; 2)Its more detailed. But if manga is better, I'll buy it instead OR! If I like it so much I'd buy both o.o. Hope you do that > w < !! Great video as always c:
-Mavis Senpai
So it a light novel pretty much a chapter book with a few pictures but manga is comic...nothing but comics....hell if anything why not get both?
You explained everything I want to own the books so Ill go with the light novel thanks
on amazon they have all four English novels is that true idk
I have a question is it english subtitles.
Amazing review :)
I'm thinking about buying the light novels of this series, for I love this series a lot! An I would like more information on SAO then what the manga may tell me.
+lazymusician10 There are SO MANY spin-off manga series now. There's one on Asuna's pov too!
curiouscloudy Oh cool! I'll eventually buy al the good light novels or manga that I like :)
Where did you buy the light novel
Well my mom is not letting me have this book
@@youtubehat5780 that's dumb I hope you got it now!
Hello boys and girls :-). I completed all anime of sao day ago, it was awesome. Today i completed first season once more, and once more cried like kid. I dont know when season 3 starts so can someone type me? I have quick question, because i heard in anime we have not seen alot from original SAO. Could you tell me, what are differences in anime, manga and light novel? I would like to know everything about SAO so i should start to read this but i dont know where and what to buy. If there is a light novel, is there dark novel too? Are these ''books''' in parts or something? Im from Poland and i think someone can help me. Answer as fast as it is posibble please :> What will I lose exactly if I will not read anything of them? Have a good day !!
+Juras Kwiatekk The light novel(s) is more detailed.
Hold up I’m confused, it there’s 17 volumes in the light novel and the first on take up the entire sao part and second is short stories, then are there volumes where it goes on with the story past where the anime went
Well of course
Great job doing your video
+Marcos Reyes Thank you!!
it goes Books1-3/SAO eps 1-14(aincrad Arc)
Book 4/SAO eps 15-25(Fairy Dance arc)
Books 5 and 6/SAO II eps 1-13 (Phantom Bullet Arc) 14 was just a recap ep of the Phantom bullet Arc.
Skip Books 7 and 8/SAO II eps 15-24(Calibur arc and Mother's Rosario arc). no im serious. just skip to book 9(alicization arc) if u want to get back to the main story. Books 7 and 8 are side stories.
Nice review
where I can find this manga i want it
Amazon, or some bookstores
i want to know where can i buy this in canada D:
i got mine at a convention from a comic book store called Conspiracy but you can also grab it at Chapters or Indigos I believe =)
i think i may start writing a light novel, any tips xD
+PuipinM - Official DONT go to far with your topic in the beginning, i write fan- fiction and writing too much at the start is a BAD idea, just keep it simple and have one major twist, but make it happen fast and don't just throw that it there make it upsetting or happy.
Ethan Metzger Thanks, So far the only issue is finding a publisher. That's the only step in which I will have a lot of trouble in the future.
PuipinM - Official No problem, and finding a publisher can be easy and hard, honestly start small use wattpad maybe even present the idea to a company that isn't too big and can get your idea to a layer of success. Honestly, in my experience, Have 3 ideas, present them, and then show your best one with a basic plot. I can tell that i will be buying one of your books in the future! Have a Great Day
Ethan Metzger xD, thanks again. And wicked fast response. If anymore questions arise, may I please ask? And have a nice day to you too!
Yea, can't say i will always be on. like last time (although i love youtube) School, tv, and dance is controlling. Feel free to ask me any more questions most likely i will have answers!
Someone said there are 15 or so SAO novels? Is that true?
And if YEN PRESS is only releasing 1 novel every 4 months then it's gonna take 5 years to catch up?
Oh man...
yes ! it exist 14-15 Volumes .
i think the 15th it's a new story for GGO
Vlad Filen Ah~ Thank you very much for confirming that! I'm looking forward to the 'Gun Gale Online' arc the most. Gonna take a while coming though. ^^
what i did was download the digital version of the volume (translated obviously) and put it on my kindle
thats how i read my light novels
Cyan Arceus Many thanks! That's not so bad then! : )
Lol i love how the one page you turn to for drawings is asuna half naked.
I am The King of Duels!
Is it ok to read the light novel instead of the manga
+Rynoh Kk tysm btw
Thanks for the rewiev. ^^
you should read the Progressive manga, much better than the anime.
The anime is good btw
Yehezkiel Siahaan
👍
I have the light novel
Is the Chinese one easy to read I am like normal in Chinese I can speak better then I can read Is it hard to read
+ΛηιmuŌji It's not SUPER easy to read cause it's still fantasy and you have to get used to the way the Japanese names are translated. But if you have a good grasp of grammer you should be fine ^^
i love all light novels of SAO, and i realy like GGO, but after they make this arc in the anime i realy don't like at all, but i prefer SAO light novels than the manga or anime
Imma get it now!! Loved the SAO anime :D
Thank you ^^
March 5th is my birthday!!!
Did you just say... Menga?
Shut up
Light Novels are just those doctor novels for single women in their 40's but for weebs.
Puh. The Light Novel sounds much better. The Anime was so all over the place, and the manga just looks horrible. I'll be checking that out, thanks! ;D
I got this book too
but is japanese version .....
Lol i love how the one page you turn to for drawings is asuna half naked.