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Sword Art Online

Read up on the latest Sword Art Online franchise News, Reviews and Features from the team at CBR.

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Haruhi gets ready to party and Princess Malty greets Naofumi 1
10 Most Controversial Writing Decisions In Anime History

By changing the manga's story or turning heroes into villains, anime writers have enraged dedicated fans countless times.

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Madoka dances happily and Cid laughs at his enemies 1
10 Anime That Ruined Their Genre

Whether they were too over the top or just cringe, anime series like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Sword Art Online killed their genre.

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Two characters from the cover of the Sword Art Online: Mother's Rosary manga. 1
Sword Art Online’s Manga Adaptations Are It’s Least Successful Incarnation

Sword Art Online is seemingly popular in almost every medium, but it hasn't seen nearly as much success in its manga adaptations.

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Tanjiro from Demon Slayer and Kirito from Sword Art Online in front of Eren as Founding Titan in AOT 1
15 Worst-Written Anime Heroes

Some popular anime heroes lack real growth, such as Tanjiro from Demon Slayer, Kirito from SAO, and Eren from AOT, making them way too predictable.

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Adult Simon from Gurren Lagann; Jonathan Joestar from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure; Sailor Moon Posing from Sailor Moon.  1
10 Worst-Written Main Characters From Great Anime

From Sailor Moon's annoying personality to Jonathan Joestar's underwhelming presence in JJBA, many anime protagonists could've been written better.

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Yor Briar-Spy x Family, Fuyutsuki-The Ice Guy & His Cool Female Colleague, Tohru Honda-Fruits Basket 1
15 Most Compassionate Anime Waifus

Fans love compassionate anime waifus like Yor Briar from Spy x Family and Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket for their kindhearted natures.

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Elizabeth & Meliodas - Seven Deadly Sins, Tamaki Kotatsu - Fire Force, Miko & Hana - Mieruko Chan 1
10 Great Anime Series Ruined By Fan Service

Unfortunately, stellar series like Seven Deadly Sins, Fire Force, and Mieruko-chan are dragged down by needless fan service.

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25 Powerful Isekai Anime Characters, Ranked

Isekai characters like Dr. Stone's Senku Ishigami and SAO's Kirito are extremely overpowered, making them fearsome forces in their new worlds.

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Thorfinn Thorsson (Vinland Saga), Denji (Chainsaw Man), Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan) split image 1
10 Heroes Who Define Modern Anime

Heroes like Thorfinn Thorsson (Vinland Saga), Denji (Chainsaw Man), and Eren Yeager (Attack On Titan) define the modern anime landscape.

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Muramasa - Bleach, Vice Admiral Jonathan - One Piece, & Mugen scratching head in Samurai Champloo 1
10 Best Anime Filler Arcs, According To Reddit

Although filler is a contentious subject in anime, fans agree that some arcs are pretty good, from Kill La Kill: Recap to One Piece: G-8.

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Seiya and Rista (Cautious Hero) and Seiichi and Saria (Fruit of Evolution) collage 1
15 Worst Couples In Isekai Anime, Ranked

Isekai couples like Seiya and Rista (Cautious Hero) and Seiichi and Saria (Fruit of Evolution) should never have gotten together.

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Ryuko Matoi (Kill La Kill), Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail), and Mikasa Ackerman (Attack On Titan). 1
10 Strongest Anime Swordswomen, Ranked

Anime features some awe-inspiring swordswomen, including Ryuko Matoi (Kill La Kill), Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail), and Mikasa Ackerman (Attack On Titan).

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Sword Art Online and Irregular at Magic High School Characters 1
SAO and Irregular at Magic High School Are Divisive for the Same Reasons

Sword Art Online has a lot of critics, and many of the series' issues are shared with the similarly reviled The Irregular at Magic High School.

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On the left, Killua of 'Hunter X Hunter' plays with a yo-yo. On the right, Kurisu of 'Steins;Gate' stares out thoughtfully. Luffy of 'One Piece' is seen in the middle, smiling and holding his straw hat. 1
35 Most Popular Characters In Anime History (According To MyAnimeList)

MyAnimeList is a great way to gauge which characters fans prefer at any given time.

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Yusuke from anime YuYu Hakusho and Asuna behind bars form anime Sword Art Online 1
10 Worst Rescue Arcs In Anime

From Naruto's Sasuke Retrieval Arc to the Haru Rescue Arc in Beastars, some anime rescue arcs aren't all they're cracked up to be.

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Haruhi Fujioka pointing, nestled into Tamaki Suoh’s arm from Ouran High School Host Club; Mako carrying an injured Korra from The Legend of Korra; Kirito and Asuna standing back to back and crossing their swords, looking determined at the camera from Sword Art Online.  1
10 Worst-Written Anime Couples, Ranked

From Korra and Mako in The Legend of Korra to SAO's Kirito and Yuuki, several anime couples are written with toxic traits.

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Argo the Rat from throughout the Sword Art Online series. 1
Sword Art Online's Unital Ring Arc Brings Back a Long-Forgotten Character

The latest arc of the Sword Art Online light novels brings back a classic character, and it could signal the end of the long-running series.

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Suguha and Kirito from Sword Art Online 1
Sword Art Online: Why Kirito and Leafa Attend Different Schools

Kazuto and his cousin Suguha are around the same age and live in the same house, yet they attend different schools. Here's why that is.

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Mikasa Ackerman on the attack from Attack on Titan, Tamaki Kotatsu holding a ball of fire and charaging form Fire Force. 1
15 Worst Written Female Anime Characters From The 2010s

From needy and insecure to damsels in distress, several female anime characters from the 2010s are wasted potential that disappointed viewers.

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Akame Ichigo and Mugen 1
20 Best Swordsmen In Anime, Ranked

Swordsmen and women are an iconic staple of shonen anime, and these are some of the finest blade wielders ever animated.

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