In 2026, four years after the infamous Sword Art Online incident, a revolutionary new form of technology has emerged: the Augma, a device that utilizes an Augmented Reality system. Unlike the Virtual Reality of the NerveGear and the Amusphere, it is perfectly safe and allows players to use it while they are conscious, creating an instant hit on the market. The most popular application for the Augma is the game Ordinal Scale, which immerses players in a fantasy role-playing game with player rankings and rewards. Following the new craze, Kirito's friends dive into the game, and despite his reservations about the system, Kirito eventually joins them. While at first it appears to be just fun and games, they soon find out that the game is not all that it seems...
In 2026, four years after the infamous Sword Art Online incident, a revolutionary new form of technology has emerged: the Augma, a device that utilizes an Augmented Reality system. Unlike the Virtual Reality of the NerveGear and the Amusphere, it is perfectly safe and allows players to use it while they are conscious, creating an instant hit on the market. The most popular application for the Augma is the game Ordinal Scale, which immerses players in a fantasy role-playing game with player rankings and rewards. Following the new craze, Kirito's friends dive into the game, and despite his reservations about the system, Kirito eventually joins them. While at first it appears to be just fun and games, they soon find out that the game is not all that it seems...
The film's core conflict revolves around the ethical misuse of advanced technology by an individual, and its resolution emphasizes individual agency, skill, and interpersonal bonds. It does not explicitly promote either progressive or conservative ideologies, leading to a neutral rating.
The movie features a cast consistent with its Japanese anime origin, without explicit DEI-driven casting or race/gender swaps of traditionally white roles. Its narrative maintains a neutral to positive portrayal of traditional identities, focusing on its core action and adventure themes rather than explicit DEI critiques.
Sword Art Online: The Movie – Ordinal Scale does not include any identifiable LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The narrative centers on the established heterosexual relationships of its main cast and a new augmented reality game, without exploring queer identities or experiences.
Female characters like Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica, and Leafa participate in numerous combat sequences, primarily against digital monsters and bosses, often as part of a larger group. While Asuna engages a male antagonist, Eiji, in physical combat, she is defeated by him. No female character achieves a clear physical victory over one or more male human opponents.
The film is a continuation of the Sword Art Online series. All established characters from the source material maintain their canonical genders. New characters introduced in the movie are original and do not represent gender swaps of pre-existing roles.
The film features established characters from the Sword Art Online series. Their racial portrayals, including that of Agil, remain consistent with their original depictions in the source material. No characters established as one race in prior canon are depicted as a different race.
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources