Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale Manga Adapts Another Story

There are so many ways to get into the Sword Art Online story now. You can go with the original light novel, the manga, some game adaptations, or even Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale. It is a lot to take in. Yen Press picked up another option and tells a different tale, and we can Sword Art Online:Ordinal Scale in manga form instead of watching it. After going through the first volume, I feel like it’s a way to experience the adventure in greater detail.

Editor’s Note: There will be minor spoilers for the first Sword Art Online story in this Ordinal Scale manga article.

The Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale manga begins with a quick refresher that reminds people how the original SAO MMO ended and a promise Kirito and Asuna made to meet again in the real world. However, while those survivors are returning to real life, there’s a hint that some other threat is lurking. We then see that the promises to reunite came true, as Kirito and Asuna are together hanging out with Lisbeth and Silica. The Augma is a new device for staying connected and even playing games, and the latest people turn to is Ordinal Scale. The title ties into real-world promotions, so all three girls are into it. Especially since the Returnee School where survivors attend all got an Augma for free.

It’s about then that the manga introduces to a pivotal character: Yuna. She’s an AI idol in Ordinal Scale and its mascot. Everyone at Kirito and Asuna’s school gets to attend her show. That excitement is tempered by the aforementioned threat. The SAO bosses are appearing in the new game. While some consider them a special event, Kirito seems suspicious. Naturally, the next fight the couple undertakes ends up being one of those inexplicable ones against Kagachi the Samurai Lord. Yuna appears to sing and provide buffs for the fight. 

I’m honestly not sure I’m as much of a fan of this form of presentation for the story. Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale offered pretty great pacing, and the abrupt shifts between perspectives and moments felt a little more natural with that type of medium. In the manga adaptation, those transitions are more abrupt. They don’t have the same framing and presentation. So even if we do get a little more focus on certain actions or nuances with these stills, it doesn’t come across as naturally. 

Also, I feel like the manga adaptation makes it a bit more difficult to really capture what’s going on with the antagonist. The way the film is organized, it’s okay for there to be these shadow games and quick glimpses with little introduction. The brevity and nature of the medium helps build the mystery. When we have months between volumes and this more abrupt take, it draws it out in a way I feel isn’t as satisfying.

I’ve read… and watched… and played a lot of Sword Art Online in my time. I think the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale manga is fine and an interesting take, even though I preferred the pacing and execution of the film. It’s a great addition to the catalog, and I’m glad it is available in English. However, I think its real sense of worth I think comes from being an incredibly accessible way for a newcomer to quickly hop in and catch up with that story if they don’t have the ability, time, or desire to watch the film.

Volume 1 of the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale manga is available on February 18, 2025, and volume 2 is expected to release in May 2025.