The trailer for “Sword Art Online: The Movie – Progressive – Aria on a Starless Night” has been released! The theme song will be LiSA’s “Yuke”, composed by Ayase, who is also active as YOASOBI!

The “Sword Art Online” series of novels by Reki Kawahara (published by Dengeki Bunko) won the Grand Prize at the 15th Dengeki Novel Awards.
The story, which depicts the activities of the main character Kirito in the next generation VRMMORPG “Sword Art Online”, has been highly popular since the first volume of the original novel was released in April 2009, and as of 2021, it has become a huge hit with a total of over 26 million copies sold worldwide. Now, the original author, Reki Kawahara, has created a new version of “Aincrad” from Asuna’s perspective.
The movie “Sword Art Online: Progressive: Aria of the Starless Night” will be released on October 30, 2021!

　

We are pleased to announce the release of this trailer, which takes us back to the origin of the “Sword Art Online” series and the relationship between Asuna and Mito! The trailer begins with the main character and heroine, Asuka Yuki, looking up at a vision at a scramble crossing in Shibuya. While studying hard for her exams, Asuka spends her after-school hours on the school roof with her classmate, Misumi Tozawa. Misumi, who loves games, asks her if she wants to play with her. She is invited to join the world of “SAO” as “Asuna”. After meeting up with Mito (Fukasumi), all the players, including Asuna, are told that “SAO” is a death game where lives are at stake and it is impossible to log out. In the midst of all this, Mito is determined not to let Asuna die. ……

The second half of the trailer features Asuna and Mito fighting hard against monsters, Kirito and Asuna’s encounter, and a sweaty battle scene, accompanied by the theme song “Ouke (Yomi: Yuke),” which was written by LiSA herself and accompanies the work.
The world of “Sword Art Online” will once again be impacted by the “Aincrad” chapter, the origin of the series, which will be depicted as a completely new animation.

|This trailer & new cut

|Theme Song Information

The theme song for this work will be “Yuke” by LiSA (song and lyrics) and Ayase (music), and we have received comments from each artist!
LiSA, who will be in charge of the theme song, has sung the opening theme song “crossing field” for the first season of the “SAO” TV anime series, as well as theme songs for popular anime works such as “Fate/Zero,” “Magical High School for Inferior Students,” and “Blade of Extinction,” all of which have been hits both in Japan and abroad. The song “Benirenka,” which was released in April ’19, dominated the daily distribution charts, winning 38 awards.
The song was composed by Ayase, who is also known as the composer of YOASOBI, and her VOCALOIDO songs with sad and melancholy melodies and lyrics that inspire people to think about them have gained popularity, recording a high number of views, and she has also provided songs for various artists.
The song “Yuke” will be available as a single for download and streaming from October 15 (Fri.), prior to the release of the movie version.

【LiSA Comment】

It’s been about ten years since I was in charge of the opening theme for the Aincrad version with the song “crossing field.

And this time, “Progressive” feels like it touches on the reason for Asuna’s true beauty and strength. She was not strong from the beginning. After overcoming betrayal, sorrow, anxiety, and conflicts, she became a woman with delicate, flexible, and core strength and beauty.
Ayase entrusted me with a melody suitable for singing such Asuna’s heart. Even if the world keeps changing, I hope that we can continue to run straight and strong like her. Come on. Come on, me, come on.

【LiSA Profile】

Born in Gifu Prefecture.
He has sung the theme songs of many popular anime works such as TV anime “Fate/Zero”, “Sword Art Online”, “Magical High School of Inferiority”, and “Blade of Extinction”.
She has sung theme songs for many popular anime titles such as “Fate/Zero,” “Sword Art Online,” “Magical High School Inferiority,” and “Blade of the Demise,” recording hits not only in Japan but also around the world.
The song “Benirenka,” which was released in April 2007, dominated the daily distribution charts and won 38 awards.
It won 38 awards. At the end of the year, she participated in the 70th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen for the first time.
In October 2008, they simultaneously released the album “LEO-NYNE” and the single “Flame”, which ranked No. 1 in the Oricon Daily Album and Single Ranking (dated October 13).
At the end of the year, the song was selected for the “Japan Record Award” on TBS’s “The 62nd Shining! At the end of the year, she won the “Japan Record Award” at the TBS “62nd Japan Record Awards”.
In addition, she participated in the 71st NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen for the second year in a row.
In 2009, she celebrated the 10th anniversary of her solo debut and released her 10th anniversary mini-album “LADYBUG”.
Her overwhelmingly passionate performance and singing ability, as well as her live performances centered on positive messages, quickly gained popularity, and she has become a household name in the anime song scene.
Their live performances with overwhelming heat, singing ability, and positive messages quickly gained popularity, and they have made their presence felt not only in the anime song scene, but also as a live artist active at many rock festivals.
She has also been active as a live artist at many rock festivals.
Her motto: Today is another good day.

【Ayase Comment】

I remember jumping up and down with joy when it was decided that I would be composing the theme song. I’m a fan of “SAO” myself, and I love it. I was also introduced to LiSA’s music through “SAO” at the time. This time, I composed the music and LiSA wrote the lyrics, so we were able to work together as a team. LiSA took the hope, strong will, and light that I expressed in the music and sound, and spun it in her own words, carrying Asuna’s feelings. Whether you’re a fan of the “SAO” series or a newcomer to “SAO”, I hope you’ll enjoy this song from beginning to end.

【Ayase Profile】

Born on April 4, 1994 in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan.
Started posting VOCALOID songs in December 2018. She is popular for her sad and melancholy melodies and lyrics that inspire people to think.
The song “Last Resort” released in April 2019 has surpassed 11 million views on YouTube, and the latest song “Cinema” released in May 2021 has already gained popularity.
His latest song, “Cinema,” released in May 2021, already has over 4 million views. He is also known for his self-covers of Vocaloid songs that he sings himself.
In addition to his activities as a composer for Vocaloid P and YOASOBI, he has also provided music for various artists.

|Staff Comments

Original Story and Story Concept by Reki Kawahara　
This fall marks 20 years since I first started writing the story of Kirito and Asuna.
When I think that I’ve spent almost half of my life with them ……, I feel an inexplicable sense of deep emotion, and it gives me the greatest pleasure that “Sword Art Online: Progressive: Aria of the Starless Night”, the story of the beginning, will be released in this milestone year. It is my greatest pleasure. I sincerely hope that many people will be able to see the film that contains the souls of the many staff and cast members.

abec Original illustration and original character design
This is the second movie version, and it’s all thanks to all the fans. Thank you very much!
This time, the story is depicted from Asuna’s point of view, there is a new element called Mito, and I think the production team has become even more powerful with the combination of newcomers such as Director Kono and the staff who have supported the work up until now. For those of you who have already read the original story, I’m sure this will be a fresh work filled with the same fun of “SAO” as before, but with a new twist. Whether you’re new to the world of “SAO” or you’ve been supporting us for a long time, I hope you enjoy it at the theater!

Director Ayako Kono
To all the fans of the “SAO” series, welcome back to the “Aincrad” chapter, the origin of the series! Once again, it’s nice to meet you!
To be able to portray one of the series that has been loved by so many people all over the world in this way is truly amazing and makes me nervous all the time, but the way the characters in the original work move forward, fragile and vulnerable, is very inspiring.
In “Sword Art Online: Progressive The Movie – Aria of a Starless Night”, we hope you will enjoy the new story of “SAO” that has never been told before!

Kento Totani, Character Design and Chief Animation Director
February 14, 2012, was the first day I worked on the first episode of the TV series as an original artist. It was the cut of the bell that signaled the beginning of the Death Game. Nine years later, I never imagined that I would be participating in the series as a character designer. I hope to make a movie that can be enjoyed by both those who have already seen the TV series and those who are just getting to know “Sword Art Online”.

Yasuyuki Kai, Action Director, Monster Design
I was very conscious of the atmosphere of the previous “Sword Art Online” games, especially the T V series.
I focused on how the battles in the “Aincrad” chapter would look from Asuna’s point of view, and tried to bring the realism of the battle scenes to everyone! We hope you enjoy it!

Yuki Kajiura Music
Now that the main story of 《Alicization》 has come to a close, being able to see the beginning of “Sword Art Online” from Asuna’s point of view is an unexpected joy for me as a fan who has been following the work for a long time.
I will do my best to add the right dramatic sound to the nostalgic and new “Aincrad”.
I look forward to seeing you all there!

 

|Soundtrack Information

Includes 47 songs created by composer Yuki Kajiura for this work!
Sword Art Online The Movie – Progressive – Aria on a Starless Night Original Soundtrack [Limited First Edition] will be released on October 29, 2021 (Fri)

SVWC-70569
Price: 3,300 yen (tax included)

Specifications
1 CD set
Character design and Chief Animation Director Kento Totani’s original jacket specification
Privilege of limited first edition: three-way back case

Store purchase bonus: Jacket illustration A4 clear file
Target stores
ANIPLEX+, animate, Gamers, Amazon (only products with manufacturer’s privileges are eligible), TSUTAYA Online, Seven Net Shopping, Amiami Online Shop
TSUTAYA Online, Seven Net Shopping, Amiami Online Shop
Sofmap/Animega (excluding some Animaiga stores), Toranoana (excluding some stores)
HMV, WonderGOO/Shinseido, Rakuten Books (only carts with [store wide all volume purchase privileges] are applicable), Chara-Ani.com, Tower Records
Chara-Ani.com, Tower Records (excludes some stores)
Joshin Diskopia (excluding Joshin web store), Neowing

|Work Information

INTRODUCTION
The “Sword Art Online” series of novels by Reki Kawahara (published by Dengeki Bunko) won the Grand Prize at the 15th Dengeki Novel Awards. The story follows the exploits of the main character Kirito in the next generation VRMMORPG “Sword Art Online”.
The first TV anime series aired in 2012, and to date, four series (97 episodes*1) have been aired.
In addition, it has been developed into a wide range of media mixes such as games and comicalization.
In 2017, “Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale” was released. In 2017, “Sword Art Online – Ordinal Scale – The Movie” was released and became a huge hit, grossing over 2.5 billion yen at the box office.
Sword Art Online Progressive” is the author’s own reboot series that delves deeply into the trajectory from the first layer of Aincrad, the beginning of the entire “SAO” story.
The original author, Reki Kawahara, has created a completely new animation film of the new “Aincrad” chapter from Asuna’s perspective.
This may be a game, but it is not a game.
Game over directly leads to death in real life. The death game “Sword Art Online”, the origin of everything, opens a new chapter on the theater screen.
1Excluding the compilation and “Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online

Story.
This is the story of “Flash” and “Black Swordsman” before they were called by their names.
On that day, Asuka Yuki, who happened to be wearing the Nerve Gear, was a third-year junior high school girl who had nothing to do with online games.
On November 6th, 2022, the world’s first VRMMORPG “Sword Art Online” was launched.
However, the players, who were still in a frenzy after logging in, were suddenly deprived of the means to log out by the game master, and were trapped in the game world. The Game Master told them.
This is a game, not a game.
Death in the game is directly connected to death in reality.
When all the players heard this, they were confused and the game was filled with screaming and shouting. Asuna was one of them, but without understanding the rules of the world, she set out to conquer the floating steel castle “Aincrad” with no visible top.
As she survives in a world where death is a constant companion, a fateful “encounter” comes her way. And then, “farewell”.
She is at the mercy of the “reality in front of her”, but the one who appears in front of her as she fights hard is the lone swordsman, Kirito.

STAFF

Original Story	Reki Kawahara (“Dengeki Bunko”)
Original illustration/character design	abec
Director	Ayako Kono
Character Design, Chief Animation Director	Kento Totani
Action Director, Monster Design	Yasuyuki Kai
Sub Character Design	Aya Akizuki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Keisuke Watanabe
Prop Design	Hisashi Higashijima
Art Director	Yusa Ito
Art Setting	Akihiro Hirasawa
Color Design	Naomi Nakano
Director of Photography	Yuki Oshima
CG Director	Kengo Oda, Hiroshi Nakajima
2D Works	Yohei Miyahara, Kaori Seki
Editing	Kiyoshi Hirose
Music	Yuki Kajiura
Sound Director	Miwa Iwanami
Sound Effects	Yasumasa Koyama
Sound Production	Sonirudo
Producers	EGG FIRM, Straight Edge
Production	A-1 Pictures
Distributor in Japan	Aniplex
Production	SAO-P Project

Kirito	Matsuoka Teijo
Asuna / Asuna Yuki	Haruka Tomatsu
Mito / Usazawa Fukasumi	Mizuse Inori
Klein	Hiroaki Hirata
Egil	Hiroki Yasumoto
Silica	Rina Hidaka
Diabel	Shuyuki Hiyama
Kibaou	Seki Tomokazu

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■Copyright © 2020 Reki Kawahara/KADOKAWA/SAO-P Project