Otaku USA Staff
June 5, 2013 
While Psycho-Pass graces the cover of the latest issue of Otaku USA magazine, there’s no doubt that one of the most-demanded features is Sword Art Online. Readers asked for it, and Mike Dent pulled double duty to deliver a piping hot overview of the anime series based on Reki Kawahara’s light novels. So what do you get when you and thousands of excited players find themselves trapped in the Virtual Reality MMO you so anticipated? Well, hopefully you fight your way through all 100 castle floors and stay alive, because if you die inside the game you die for real.
This concept of a virtual world with real-world consequences isn’t exactly novel, but Mike explores what separates Sword Art Online from the pack and makes it something worth watching. Between the action, the core cast, and the fantasy-drenched story that “hits all the right marks,” plenty of anime fans will likely find something here to savor.
Mike also takes a dip in one of Kawahara’s other works, Accel World, which has more than just its author in common with Sword Art Online. There’s a light novel sidebar, as well, cracking open the gates on spoilers for those of you who want a glimpse into the future of Sword Art Online.
Read our full story on Sword Art Online in the August 2013 issue of Otaku USA Magazine, on sale now. It also includes in-depth coverage of Psycho-Pass and AKB0048, an interview with director Mamoru Hosoda, and more of your favorite anime and manga.
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