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Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night[lower-alpha 1] is a 2021 Japanese animated science fiction action adventure film based on the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novels written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by abec, which serve as an expanded retelling of Sword Art Online's Aincrad storyline through Asuna's perspective. The film is produced by A-1 Pictures and directed by Ayako Kōno, while featuring character designs by Kento Toya and music by Yuki Kajiura. This is the second film, after Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale of the Sword Art Online series. The film depicts the story of the encounter between Kirito and Asuna, covering the events on Aincrad's first floor, in particular Asuna's initial struggle to cope with the realities of her new world. The film premiered in Japan on October 30, 2021.[3]

Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night
Theatrical release poster
Japanese	劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン プログレッシブ 星なき夜のアリア
Hepburn	Gekijōban Sōdo Āto Onrain Puroguresshibu Hoshi Naki Yoru no Aria
Directed by	Ayako Kōno
Screenplay by	Yukito Kizawa
Story by	Reki Kawahara
Based on	Sword Art Online: Progressive by Reki Kawahara
Produced by	Shintarou Kawakami Kaoru Adachi Yousuke Futami Keisuke Hirai Masami Niwa
Starring	Yoshitsugu Matsuoka Haruka Tomatsu Inori Minase
Cinematography	Yuki Ōshima
Edited by	Kiyoshi Hirose
Music by	Yuki Kajiura
Production company	A-1 Pictures
Distributed by	Aniplex
Release date	October 30, 2021 (2021-10-30)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Box office	$14.03 million[1][2]

Plot

In 2022, Akihiko Kayaba creates a virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (VRMMORPG) named Sword Art Online (SAO). As depicted in the first volume of the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novel series, the NerveGear is a 2nd generation FullDive device developed by a company named Argus, with Kayaba as its creator. It has a single interface that covers the player's entire head. It controls the player's consciousness by redirecting the brain's signals to the NerveGear, such that they can experience and control their in-game characters with their minds without any physical movement. It has its own battery source, as well as a high-frequency electromagnetic microwave transmitter. It is later revealed that attempting to remove the NerveGear will cause it to destroy your brain using powerful microwaves.

On November 6, 2022, 10,000 players log into SAO for the first time, only to discover that they are unable to log out of the game. Kayaba reveals himself to tell the players that they must beat all 100 floors of Aincrad, the enormous steel castle that is the setting of SAO if they want to escape the game. Only then would they be able to log out. Dying inside of the game or having their NerveGear forcibly removed from their head will cause them to have their brains destroyed by the NerveGear, thus killing them in real life as well.

Asuna, who has logged into the game with her friend Mito, initially struggles to cope with her new reality of being trapped inside the game. Asuna's venture eventually leads to her encounter with Kirito, one of 1,000 beta testers for SAO. He has the advantage of knowing important details about the game and the bosses on its floors. He isolates himself from other players and plays the game alone, bearing the label of "beater", a portmanteau of "beta tester" and "cheater". As the story progresses, more is revealed about the players and their struggle with being trapped inside of the game.

Voice cast

Character Name		Voice Cast
English	Japanese	Japanese[4]	English
Kirito / Kazuto Kirigaya	Kirito (キリト) / Kirigaya Kazuto (桐ヶ谷 和人)	Yoshitsugu Matsuoka	Bryce Papenbrook
Asuna / Asuna Yuuki	Asuna (アスナ) / Yuuki Asuna (結城 明日奈)	Haruka Tomatsu	Cherami Leigh
Mito / Misumi Tozawa	Mito (ミト) [5] / Tozawa Misumi (兎沢 深澄)	Inori Minase Ryusei Nakao (Beta Avatar)	Anairis Quinones Kayleigh McKee (Beta Avatar)
Akiyo Sada	Sada Akiyo (佐田 明代)	Sayaka Kobayashi	Michelle Ruff
Keiko Ayano / Silica	Ayano Keiko / Shirika (綾野珪子) / (シリカ)	Rina Hidaka	Christine Marie Cabanos
Ryotaro Tsuboi / Klein	Tsuboi Ryōtarō / Kurain (壷井遼太郎) / (クライン)	Hiroaki Hirata	Kirk Thornton
Andrew Gilbert Mills / Agil	Andoryū Girubāto Miruzu / Egiru (アンドリュー・ギルバート・ミルズ) / (エギル)	Hiroki Yasumoto	Patrick Seitz
Akihiko Kayaba	Kayaba Akihiko (茅場晶彦)	Koichi Yamadera	David W. Collins
Tomo Carina Hosaka / Argo	Hosaka Karīna Tomo / Arugo (帆坂 カリーナ 朋) / (アルゴ)	Shiori Izawa	Kimberley Anne Campbell

Production

After the finale of Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld, an anime film adaptation of Sword Art Online: Progressive was announced on September 19, 2020.[6] A first teaser trailer and key visual of the anime film was also released on the same day.[7] An official teaser trailer of the anime film was released on AnimeUS, which showcases Asuna in civilian clothing staring at an advertisement of the Sword Art Online, a virtual reality (VR) game, developed by the company named Argus and scheduled for release on November 6, 2022.[8] The key visual showcases Asuna drawing her sword, as the massive city of Aincrad floats above her head.[9]

The trailer of the film was released on AnimeUS and Aniplex USA on November 8 and November 19, 2020, respectively.[10][11] The first trailer of the film was released of the official Twitter account of the anime.[12] The official English website of the anime film was launched on November 19, 2020.[13] It was later revealed to be a new film titled Sword Art Online the Movie -Progressive- Aria of a Starless Night, as per the official English website. The film is set to premiere in fall 2021.[14]

Ayako Kōno is directing the film, with Yasuyuki Kai as the action director, and A-1 Pictures returning for production.[15] The voice cast from the anime series returned to reprise their roles in the film, including voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Kirito and Haruka Tomatsu as Asuna.

On March 27, 2021, it was announced that the film would be released theatrically in Japan in Autumn 2021. Along with the new trailer, a second key visual was released, with Inori Minase joining the cast as the new character Mito.[16] On July 3, 2021, at Aniplex Online Fest 2021, a new poster revealed that the film's release date would be October 30, 2021.[17][3]

The film is an adaptation of the first volume of the Sword Art Online: Progressive light novel series. This light novel series is a remake of the Sword Art Online tale that starts at the beginning of Kirito and Asuna's adventure — on the very first level of the world of Aincrad. The title, "Aria of a Starless Night" is taken from the first chapter of the first volume of the light novel series which covers events that took place on first floor of Aincrad.[18]

Mito is an original character created exclusively for the film and did not previously exist in the original Progressive light novel series.

Release

Japan

The film premiered on October 30, 2021, in Japan.[19] The advance ticket booking was announced on December 25, 2020, on the film's official website. The theatrical version of the first limited edition advance ticket using a teaser visual with Asuna standing in front of Aincrad was released on December 28, 2020, and ended on January 11, 2021 (Monday) on the Aniplex+ website.[20] Aniplex announced that the film's first limited edition advance ticket has recorded the world's fastest advance ticket sale. These limited edition advance tickets were expected to be delivered by the end of February 2021.[21]

A stage exhibition for the film was announced on February 18, 2021, to be held at the "Connect Green Stage" of AnimeJapan 2021 from March 27 to March 28, 2021,[22] with the event being held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[23][24][25]

The second limited-edition ticket sales began on March 27, 2021, and end on April 11, 2021.[26] The theatrical version of the first limited edition advance ticket depicting Asuna and Kirito standing against the night sky. These limited edition advance tickets were scheduled to be delivered sequentially from the beginning of June 2021.[27] Another special edition ticket sale was announced namely Mubichike card. The sale of these tickets begins on April 10, 2021.[28] The second edition of this card has been planned.[27] A list of theatres participating in Autumn 2021 release was announced by the official website.[29]

On June 23, 2021, the "Public Commemorative Special Program" will be broadcast on ABEMA TV on July 7, 2021. The introduction of the series and the latest information on the film will be released.[30] On July 4, 2021, more information about the film was released at Aniplex Online Fest 2021. Among the information released were the new "Aincrad" edition poster drawn by Reki Kawahara was released, revealing the theatrical release date for Japan. The second edition of Mubichike card was announced.[31] The sale of these tickets begins on July 10, 2021.[5] This card can be used at theaters nationwide. A new service named "Mubichike Digital Card" was announced to be implemented, setting record to be the first digital movie ticket in history of Cinema of Japan.[32]

International

Aniplex of America licensed the film for release in North American theaters in 2021.[33] Funimation partnered with Aniplex and theatrically distributed the film in both Japanese with English subtitles and an English dub in the United States and Canada on December 3, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand on December 9.[34]

The film was also released in South Africa on December 10 with an English Dub showing.[35]

The film was also released in India on February 25, 2022 with an English Sub.[36]

A virtual exhibition for the film took place during Aniplex Online Fest 2021 on July 3, 2021.[37][38] ODEX Anime via their official YouTube channel announced that the film is coming soon in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Mongolia.[39] The film will also be released in GCC and MENA regions.[40]

The film was also released in the IMAX format, with native IMAX 12-track sound mix.[41] It also remarks the first film in native Dolby Atmos sound mix and Dolby Vision HDR treatment in the series.

Reception

Box office

The film grossed around 1,326,146,793 yen (about US$11.67 million) as of December 13, 2021 in Japan.[42][43] In the United States and Canada, the film made $1.05 million in its opening weekend, finishing tenth at the box office.[44]

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
2022	Newtype Anime Awards	Best Picture (Film)	Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night	Won	[45]
		Best Male Character	Kirito	Won
		Best Female Character	Asuna	Won
			Mito	Nominated
		Best Theme Song	"Yuke" by LiSA	Won
		Best Director	Ayako Kōno	Nominated
		Best Screenplay	Yukito Kizawa	Nominated
		Best Character Design	Kento Toya	Won
		Best Sound	Yuki Kajiura	Won
		Best Prop/Mecha Design	Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night	Nominated

Sequel

A sequel film titled Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night premiered on October 22, 2022.[46][47] It was initially scheduled for September 10, 2022, but was later delayed due to production issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[48][49] It adapts the fourth volume of the light novel series, due to one of the overarching storylines of the series not being completed yet.[50]

Notes

References

External links

• Official website (in Japanese)
• Official website (in English)
• Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night at IMDb
• Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night at Anime News Network's encyclopedia

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