The 5 Best ‘Sword Art Online’ Characters, Ranked by ‘SAO’ Fans
Sword Art Online started as a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara. However, when A-1 Pictures adapted it into an anime series, it quickly grew popular. While it doesn’t boast 1000+ episodes like One Piece, SAO has become a staple in the anime community. You can find several fans cosplaying their favorite Sword Art Online characters at most anime conventions. And with Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of a Dark Dusk releasing in 2022, here’s a list of the five best SAO characters, according to fans on Ranker.
5: Yuuki Konno appears after the first ‘SAO’ series in ALfeim Online
Yuuki Konno first appeared after the original Sword Art Online incident in ALfeim Online in the Mother’s Rosario Arc. She led the Sleeping Knights guild and earned the nickname “Absolute Sword.”
She managed to achieve something that few other Sword Art Online characters could claim. Her nickname came from winning 67 consecutive duels, even defeating the SAO series protagonist Kirito. While he’s not as unstoppable as a character like Saitama from One Punch Man, some call him overpowered. It makes Yuuki’s feat even more impressive.
Her kind personality made her ultimate fate bittersweet to fans, placing her at number five.
4: Gun Gale Online player Sinon was one of the ‘Sword Art Online’ characters from the second series
SAO Season 1 brought Sword Art Online characters from the Aincrad Arc and the Fairy Dance Arc to life. However, fans met a new hero during the Phantom Bullet Arc in SAO Season 2. And her skills with modern weapons, she had more in common with Iron Man than the magical games in SAO.
Instead of Sword & Sorcery games like Sword Art Online or ALfeim Online, player Sinon preferred Gun Gale Online. She helped Kirito track down a mysterious player who hunted down top players and killed them both in the game and real life.
Calm, cool, and collected, she charmed SAO viewers with her level-head in battle, and noble attitude toward others, setting her at number four.
3: Eugeo debuted in ‘Sword Art Online: Alicization’
One of the longest storylines SAO has ever tackled came in Sword Art Online: Alicization. Eugeo was one of the Sword Art Online characters who debuted during the first part of this arc, and he had a lot of character development to go.
When he first appeared, he always followed the rules. While this characterization is common in many anime and Studio Ghibli films, Eugeo learns with Kirito in SAO that following the law is not always the right path to take. His character growth helped him rank at number three.
2: Asuna is a fan-favorite among the anime community
Asuna was one of the 10,000 players trapped inside the original Sword Art Online game with Kirito, Lisbeth, and others. She stands as one of the most popular Sword Arts Online characters and one of the more popular female anime heroes.
Asuna has a strong will. She threw herself on the front lines when she learned players were in danger of dying in real life. However, a softer side comes out when Asuna and Kirito have alone time.
She developed a resolve to move forward despite enduring a lot of trauma. Fans voted her as one of the best SAO characters.
1: ‘SAO’ fans voted Kirito the best of the ‘Sword Art Online’ characters
Possibly a surprise to no one, SAO main character Kirito was voted the best of the Sword Art Online characters by fans. Cool, powerful, great hair, and a penchant for wearing everything black, Kirito might have his critics, but he has far more fans.
Like every series protagonist, from Naruto to Dragon Ball Z, Kirito has a vast arsenal of sword skills and abilities. After the events of Sword Art Online, the Japanese government brought him into cases where crimes in virtual reality resulted in death or injuries in real life.
The cool and driven Kirito earned the number one spot among all other Sword Art Online characters.
