Although it didn't start the genre or even fit perfectly into it, Sword Art Online is seen by many as the reason for the boom in modern isekai anime. Its popularity has led to the franchise gracing several different mediums, as well as expanding its narrative into numerous spinoffs. One of these was Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online, or simply Sword Art Online Alternative or Gun Gale Online to fans.
Set after the original Sword Art Online, Alternative features a height-conscious girl who blasts away enemies as a cute avatar in a VR online game. Much like its predecessor, it's seen both an anime and books, allowing anyone who wants to get into it a lot of material with which to do so. Here's the storyline of the SAO spinoff and how to consume it in its various forms.
The Plot of Sword Art Online Alternative
Following the events of the original Sword Art Online, virtual reality online games have become incredibly unpopular with the gaming public. This is until a new version of the technology is put out on the market, allowing VR escapism to become big once again. Someone particularly in need of said escapism is Karen Kohiruimaki, a college student who can't quite get over her abnormal height.
By playing the VR game Gun Gale Online, Karen is able to reimagine herself in a cute and diminutive avatar, realizing her dreams of not being freakishly tall. Unfortunately, she's soon drafted into the game's many battles, with teams pitted against each other in an all-out isekai battle royale for survival.
Where to Read the Sword Art Online Alternative Manga/Light Novels
Sword Art Online Alternative began life as a light novel, much like its predecessor. Written and drawn by Keichi Sigsawa and Kouhaku Kuroboshi, the series began in December 2014 and run for 11 volumes until November 2021. This was followed by a manga adaptation of the story, which had four collected tankobon volumes spread out over six years.
Both of these printed versions of the series are localized in the West by Yen Press, and they're pretty easy to get hold of. The light novels and the manga are carried by online and physical book retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and of course, Yen Press itself. They can also be purchased and read digitally through Kindle and Comixology, which is often a cheaper option.
Where to Watch the Sword Art Online Alternative Anime
The anime TV series for Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online was announced in 2017, finally debuting in April 2018. The show was handled by 3Hz, who had also worked on the anime for Dimension W. Ending its run that summer, the series lasted for 12 episodes. Sadly, there's been no word on further episodes adapting the rest of the manga and light novels, but what was made so far is pretty easy to stream.
The show can be found on Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll and VRV, meaning that anyone with one of the two most universal streaming platforms can stream all 12 episodes. With the franchise still popular, possible that more episodes could eventually be made, so fans should definitely stream as much as they can to keep Sword Art Online Alternative alive.
