Over the past decade, isekai has become one of the most popular sub-genres in anime. The idea of a protagonist traveling into a different world to fulfill a quest has captured the imagination of worldwide fans, who eagerly devour each episode of their favorite show. One of the stand-out isekai series is Sword Art Online, where MMORPG player Kirito is trapped in the virtual gaming world of Aincrad.
The hit anime first came out in 2012 and has since reached 3 seasons of almost one hundred episodes. An adaptation of Sword Art Online Progressive is due for release in October 2021. The world of Sword Art Online keeps growing every day, and the characters are a big part of what makes it so great. Many of them have earned the admiration and respect of fans and fellow characters alike, even if it hasn't always been warranted.
10 Sakuya Is The Wise & Noble Leader Of The Sylphs
A supporting character in the Fairy Dance Arc of the anime, Sakuya is the leader of the Sylph race. Known for her generally calm demeanor and wise words, she is both a fierce fighter and a valuable strategist. She rallies a force of Sylphs and Cait Sith, assisting Kirito in reaching the top of the World Tree. During the Alicization arc, she transfers her account to the Underworld and later sacrifices herself for her friend Rue. Her noble character and skills in combat make her stand out among the cast of secondary characters in Sword Art Online.
9 Diavel Is The First Leader To Shine In The History Of Aincrad
Diavel is notable in the history of Sword Art Online for having been the first player to add some level of organization to the chaotic world of Aincrad. He organizes the raid against the first boss Illfang the Kobold Lord, rallying the desperate, confused players under his leadership. His death in the ensuing battle leads to Kirito being branded as a "beater" as many characters blamed Kirito for Diavel's death.
8 Sinon's Sniping Skills Make Her Both Feared & Respected
Asada Shino, known by her username Sinon, is one of the main characters in the anime, particularly in the Phantom Bullet Arc. After having killed a man during a robbery, she struggles with heavy PTSD and is even ostracized for her past. She becomes Kirito's valued friend and ally in Gun Gale Online, and the two win a Bullet of Bullets tournament together, all the while finding the villain killing players in the real world. In Sword Art Online: Alicization, she uses the avatar of the Sun Goddess Solus. Her sniping skills are legendary, and she is both feared and respected by her foes.
7 Alice Is One Of The Strongest Integrity Knights In The Underworld
A resident of the Underworld, Alice is Eugeo and Kirito's best friend. As a young girl, she is a dedicated student of the Sacred Arts. Her childhood is torn apart after she is taken by the Administrator. She becomes Alice Synthesis Thirty, and her childhood memories are erased and replaced by devotion to the system that created her. Her skill in combat makes her one of the most respected figures in the Administrator's service.
Later, she frees herself from her captor's control and plays a big role in the War against the Dark Territory. Her demeanor is able to even earn the respect of apprehensive humans in the real world. Through her strength, she proves artificial life forms deserve rights too.
6 Bercouli Is A Respected Mentor & Fearless Warrior
Like Alice, Bercouli is an Integrity Knight, brainwashed by the Administrator to join her army of loyal slaves. He is the oldest Integrity Knight of all, the commander of the unit, and Alice's mentor. In the second part of Sword Art Online: Alicization, he is one of the main leaders fighting against the forces of the Dark Territory. He is finally killed in battle with Emperor Vecta, but the strength of his character remains a guiding light for everyone he leaves behind.
5 The Administrator Leads The Underworld With An Iron Fist
The main antagonist in the first part of Sword Art Online: Alicization, the Administrator has a history that is a twisted version of Alice's. She is born as Quinella, the daughter of a high-ranking noble. An incredibly talented user of the Sacred Arts, she discovers killing other creatures grants her power. By constantly improving herself, she earns the respect of everyone around her. Eventually, she becomes the leader of the Axiom Church and the head of the Human Empire. She is even able to hijack the role of the Cardinal System, the administrative force designed to regulate not just the Underworld, but all virtual worlds. She may have earned the respect given to her through abuses of power, but she still remains one of the most notable villains in Sword Art Online.
4 Konno Yuuki Dies In The Arms Of Her Friend, Surrounded By The People Who Love Her
Yuuki is the driving force of the Mother's Rosario arc in Sword Art Online. Having contracted AIDS as a child due to a blood transfusion, she is rejected by her peers at school. She begins to use a Medicuboid to enjoy the last days of her life in virtual worlds. When she reaches Alfheim Online, she becomes known as Zekken after winning sixty-seven duels in a row. Kirito is among the people she defeats. Together with her guild, the Sleeping Knights, she befriends Asuna as they seek to destroy one of the floor bosses. She finally dies in Asuna's arms, and countless people come to pay their respects to her.
3 Kayaba Akihiko Is A Killer But Is Still Acknowledged & Respected As A Genius
The creator of the game Sword Art Online, Kayaba Akihiko is a controversial figure in the anime. He engineers the deaths of countless players in Aincrad and shows no real regret for their deaths. Using his avatar, Heathcliff, he helps build the Knights of the Blood, with the secret agenda of finally betraying them after reaching the last floor. But after his defeat at Kirito's hands, he becomes a tentative force for good. He assists Kirito during the battle with Oberon in Alfheim Online, granting him the administrator privileges he needs to defeat the villain. He also passes on The Seed to Kirito, and through his research, countless virtual worlds are created. In the Alicization Arc, he uses a robot as a shell to come to the aid of the people on the Ocean Turtle. Regardless of how characters feel about his original actions, his genius has earned their respect.
2 Lightning Flash Asuna Becomes Kirito's Goddess & Queen In Alicization
The lead heroine of SAO, Asuna, is remembered as Aincrad's Lightning Flash Asuna. She inherited the Mother's Rosario move from Yuuki and later gained the title of "Berserk Healer." For much of the Fairy Dance Arc and even in Alicization, she is unable to shine as much as she does in the first season of the anime.
When she does finally join Kirito in the Underworld, she becomes the Creation Goddess Stacia and is instrumental in stopping the invasion of the Dark Territory. After Kirito is stuck in the Underworld, she chooses to stay behind with him, and the two ultimately become the leaders of the Underworld.
1 Kirito Is Aincrad's Hero & The King Of The Underworld
The protagonist of the anime, Kirito earns the gratitude of most SAO players when he clears the game. Even those who dislike him respect him for his skills, and Kikuoka Seijorou specifically recruits him to investigate the Phantom Bullet incident and to join the Underworld. After he defeats Quinella, he is left comatose, but he returns to his friends toward the end of the anime. Despite the fact that he wins the battle against Vecta, he is unable to return to the real world. Asuna remains with him, and together, they lead the Underworld for two hundred years. Throughout that time, their people even advance to other planets. The brief return of Kirito, Asuna, and Alice to the Underworld shows the Integrity Pilots becoming tearful at seeing their beloved sovereigns again.