Accel World (novel/manga/anime/film/game)

Accel World (アクセル・ワールドAkuseru Wārudo) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HiMA. The series began publication in ASCII Media Works‘ Dengeki Bunko imprint from February 2009 and is licensed in North America by Yen Press. Two manga series began serialization in Dengeki Bunko Magazine from May 2010, with another series beginning serialization in Dengeki Daioh in January 2013. An anime adaptation by Sunrise aired in Japan between April and September 2012. An English-language version began streaming on Viz Media‘s Neon Alley service from April 2013. Two video games were released for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 in September 2012, and January 2013, each containing an original video animation episode. An anime film titled Accel World: Infinite Burst featuring an original story by Kawahara premiered in Japan in July 2016.

Plot

Haruyuki “Haru” Arita is a short, overweight boy who is frequently ridiculed by delinquents at the Umesato Junior High School. Using his Neuro Linker to escape the torment of real life, he logs onto the school’s local network cyberspace where he always plays virtual squash alone, and his innate video game skills bring him to the attention of Kuroyukihime (literally meaning “Black Snow Princess”), the school’s popular, highly intellectual and attractive female student council vice-president.

After helping him against the delinquents, Kuroyukihime introduces Haruyuki to Brain Burst, a secret program that is able to accelerate the human cognitive process to the point at which time appears to stop. Haruyuki soon learns that Brain Burst is more than just a program, but an augmented-reality massively-multiplayer online (ARMMO) fighting game where people fight each other in fierce duels in order to obtain burst points, which can be spent for acceleration abilities in the real world.

Kuroyukihime then enlists Haruyuki’s help in reaching level 10 within Brain Burst by defeating the “Six Kings of Pure Colour” and ultimately meet the creator of Brain Burst to learn its true purpose. With every challenge they face in the accelerated world, Haru and Kuroyukihime, under their aliases “Silver Crow” and “Black Lotus”, gather trusted allies and confront treacherous enemies. Their bond grows stronger while working to attain their ultimate objective: to reach the highest in-game level and meet the game’s creator, who will reveal why the game was created and the true purpose of it.

Light novels

Accel World began as a light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HiMA. Originally, Kawahara entered the first novel in the series into ASCII Media Works‘ 15th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2008 and the novel won the Grand Prize. The first novel was published by ASCII Media Works on February 10, 2009, under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. As of March 2022, 26 volumes have been published. At their Japan Expo USA panel, Yen Press announced the rights to publish the light novels in English. The English version is translated by Jocelyne Allen. The first volume was released on July 22, 2014.

No. Title Original release date English release date
1 Kuroyukihime’s Return
Kuroyukihime no Kikan (黒雪姫の帰還)
February 10, 2009
978-4-04-867517-8
July 22, 2014
978-0-316-37673-0
2 The Red Storm Princess
Kurenai no Bōfūki (紅の暴風姫)
June 10, 2009
978-4-04-867843-8
November 18, 2014
978-0-316-29636-6
3 The Twilight Marauder
Yūyami no Ryakudatsusha (夕闇の略奪者)
October 10, 2009
978-4-04-868070-7
March 24, 2015
978-0-31-629637-3
4 Flight Toward a Blue Sky
Aozora e no Hishō (蒼空への飛翔)
February 10, 2010
978-4-04-868327-2
July 21, 2015
978-0-31-629638-0
5 The Floating Starlight Bridge
Hoshikage no Ukihashi (星影の浮き橋)
June 10, 2010
978-4-04-868593-1
November 17, 2015
978-0-31-629639-7
6 Shrine Maiden of the Sacred Fire
Jōka no Miko (浄火の神子)
October 10, 2010
978-4-04-868969-4
March 22, 2016
978-0-31-629640-3
7 Armor of Catastrophe
Saika no Yoroi (災禍の鎧)
February 10, 2011
978-4-04-870276-8
September 20, 2016
978-0-31-635819-4
8 The Binary Stars of Destiny
Unmei no Rensei (運命の連星)
June 10, 2011
978-4-04-870550-9
December 13, 2016
978-0-31-631761-0
9 The Seven-Thousand-Year Prayer
Nanasennen no Inori (七千年の祈り)
October 10, 2011
978-4-04-870954-5
March 21, 2017
978-0-31-650270-2
10 Elements
Elements
December 10, 2011
978-4-04-886241-7
June 20, 2017
978-0-31-646605-9
11 The Carbide Wolf
Chōkō no Ōkami (超硬の狼)
April 10, 2012
978-4-04-886521-0
September 19, 2017
978-0-31-646606-6
12 The Red Crest
Aka no Monshō (赤の紋章)
August 10, 2012
978-4-04-886795-5
December 12, 2017
978-0-31-646607-3
13 Signal Fire at the Water’s Edge
Mizugiwa no Gōka (水際の号火)
February 10, 2013
978-4-04-891330-0
April 10, 2018
978-1-97-530006-7
14 Archangel of Savage Light
Gekkō no Daitenshi (激光の大天使)
June 7, 2013
978-4-04-891608-0
June 26, 2018
978-1-97-532723-1
15 The End and the Beginning
Owari to Hajimari (終わりと始まり)
October 10, 2013
978-4-04-866005-1
September 18, 2018
978-1-97-532725-5
16 Snow White’s Slumber
Shirayukihime no Madoromi (白雪姫の微睡)
February 8, 2014
978-4-04-866320-5
December 18, 2018
978-1-97-532727-9
17 Cradle of Stars
Hoshi no Yurikago (星の揺りかご)
October 10, 2014
978-4-04-866936-8
March 19, 2019
978-1-97-532729-3
18 The Black Dual Swordsman
Kuro no Sōkenshi (黒の双剣士)
June 10, 2015
978-4-04-865189-9
June 18, 2019
978-1-97-532731-6
19 Pull of the Dark Nebula
Ankoku Seiun no Inryoku (暗黒星雲の引力)
October 10, 2015
978-4-04-865438-8
September 9, 2019
978-1-97-533218-1
20 The Rivalry of White and Black
Shiro to Kuro no Sōkoku (白と黒の相剋)
June 10, 2016
978-4-04-892115-2
December 17, 2019
978-1-97-533271-6
21 The Snow Sprite
Yuki no Yōsei (雪の妖精)
December 10, 2016
978-4-04-892390-3
April 21, 2020
978-1-97-533273-0
22 Sun God of Absolute Flame
Zetsuen no Taiyōshin (絶焔の太陽神)
November 10, 2017
978-4-04-893465-7
September 22, 2020
978-1-97-533277-8
23 Kuroyukihime’s Confession
Kuroyukihime no Kokuhaku (黒雪姫の告白)
September 7, 2018
978-4-04-893917-1
December 15, 2020
978-1-97-533275-4
24 Sword Sage of the Blue Flower
Seika no Kensen (青華の剣仙)
August 10, 2019
978-4-04-912676-1
April 27, 2021
978-1-97-532133-8
25 Deity of Demise
Shūen no Kyoshin (終焉の巨神)
September 10, 2020
978-4-04-913440-7
November 9, 2021
978-1-97-533508-3
26 Conqueror of the Sundered Heavens
Retten no Seifukusha (裂天の征服者)
March 10, 2022
978-4-04-914133-7
August 22, 2023
978-1-97-536784-8

Manga

manga adaptation titled Accel World illustrated by Hiroyuki Aigamo was serialized between April 10, 2010, and June 9, 2017, in ASCII Media Works’ Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The series has been collected in eight tankōbon volumes, released between July 27, 2011, and July 27, 2017. A four-panel comic strip manga titled Axel World. (あくちぇる・わーるど。Akucheru Wārudo) illustrated by Ryuryū Akari was serialized between April 10, 2010, and June 10, 2016, in Dengeki Bunko Magazine. Five tankōbon volumes were released between July 27, 2011, and October 26, 2013. In February 2014, Yen Press announced they had licensed Accel World for an English release in North America. The English translation is by Jocelyne Allen. They released the volumes between September 23, 2014, and December 11, 2018. A spin-off manga, Accel World / Dural: Magisa Garden, written and drawn by Ayato Sasakura was serialized in Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh (published by ASCII Media Works) from March 2012 to August 2017 and collected in eight volumes. It spotlights female burst linkers who attend a private school, Kiyomi Gakuin, in Nakano, Tokyo. Some of the characters from the main story also appear.

Accel World
No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 July 27, 2011 978-4-04-870630-8 September 23, 2014 978-0-316-33586-7
2 July 27, 2011 978-4-04-870634-6 December 16, 2014 978-0-316-29634-2
3 August 27, 2012 978-4-04-886421-3 March 24, 2015 978-0-316-29635-9
4 February 27, 2013 978-4-04-891398-0 July 21, 2015 978-0-316-30216-6
5 February 27, 2014 978-4-04-866389-2 October 27, 2015 978-0-316-30614-0
6 February 27, 2015 978-4-04-869286-1 February 9, 2016 978-0-316-26898-1
7 July 27, 2016 978-4-04-892107-7 March 28, 2017 978-0-316-46920-3
8 July 27, 2017 978-4-04-893296-7 December 11, 2018 978-1-975-32913-6
Axel World
No. Release date ISBN
1 July 27, 2011 978-4-04-870619-3
2 August 27, 2012 978-4-04-886808-2
3 October 26, 2013 978-4-04-866082-2
4 March 27, 2015 978-4-04-869342-4
5 July 27, 2016 978-4-04-892108-4
Accel World / Dural: Magisa Garden
No. Release date ISBN
1 August 27, 2012 978-4-04-886934-8
2 April 27, 2013 978-4-04-891617-2
3 January 27, 2014 978-4-04-866238-3
4 September 27, 2014 978-4-04-866839-2
5 May 27, 2015 978-4-04-865110-3
6 January 27, 2016 978-4-04-865650-4
7 September 27, 2016 978-4-04-892295-1
8 August 26, 2017 978-4-04-893241-7

Anime

An anime television series adaptation aired in Japan between April 7, 2012, and September 22, 2012. The opening theme until episode 13 is “Chase the world” by May’n and the ending theme is “→unfinished→” by Kotoko. From episode 14 onwards the opening theme is “Burst the Gravity” by Altima and the ending theme is “unite.” by Sachika Misawa. Warner Home VideoASCII Media WorksNamco Bandai Games, Sunrise and Genco were involved in the production of this adaptation. Viz Media announced the streaming of the anime on Hulu as of April 6, 2012. An English-dubbed version premiered on Viz Media’s online streaming service, Neon Alley, on April 19, 2013. An anime film titled Accel World: Infinite Burst featuring an original story by Kawahara was released on July 23, 2016. Hanabee Entertainment has licensed the series alongside Little Busters!, and previously From the New WorldCampione! and The Familiar of Zero in May 2014. Muse Communication has licensed the series in Asia-Pacific and is streaming on Muse Asia YouTube channel.

Video games

Two video games based on the series were developed by Banpresto and published by Namco Bandai Games for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. The first of these, Accel World: Awakening of the Silver Wings (アクセル・ワールド ─銀翼の覚醒─Akuseru Wārudo -Gin’yoku no Kakusei-), was released in Japan on September 13, 2012. The second one, Accel World: The Peak of Acceleration (アクセル・ワールド ─加速の頂点─Akuseru Wārudo -Kasoku no Chōten-), was released in Japan on January 31, 2013. The limited edition versions of these games include an original video animation of the anime series (Blu-ray Disc for the PS3 version, DVD for the PSP version). In Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman for PSP, Silver Crow is an unlockable costume. In Sword Art Online: Lost Song, Black Lotus is an obtainable character and is also one of the opponents you can defeat.

An action role-playing game titled Accel World vs. Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight was announced in October 2016. The game is a crossover with Sword Art Online, developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita and released on July 7, 2017. The Windows PC version was released on September 12, 2017.

Reception

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network reviewed the series and gave a story rating of A−, stating a similar basis of Sword Art Online with improved characters. Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku praised the anime for its well-thought out story, relatable main character, and great villain protagonist, but criticizes the anime for its third arc. At the end, he says that the anime starts out strong, but ends on a weak note.

 

Accel World
Accel World cover.png

First light novel volume cover, featuring Kuroyukihime
アクセル・ワールド
(Akuseru Wārudo)
Genre
Light novel
Written by Reki Kawahara
Illustrated by HiMA
Published by ASCII Media Works
English publisher
Imprint Dengeki Bunko
Magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine
Demographic Male
Original run February 10, 2009 – present
Volumes 26 (List of volumes)
Manga
Written by Reki Kawahara
Illustrated by Hiroyuki Aigamo
Published by ASCII Media Works
English publisher
Magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine
Demographic Seinen
Original run April 10, 2010 – June 9, 2017
Volumes (List of volumes)
Manga
Axel World
Written by Reki Kawahara
Illustrated by Ryuryū Akari
Published by ASCII Media Works
Magazine Dengeki Bunko Magazine
Demographic Seinen
Original run April 10, 2010 – June 10, 2016
Volumes (List of volumes)
Manga
Accel World / Dural: Magisa Garden
Written by Ayato Sasakura
Published by ASCII Media Works
Magazine Dengeki Daioh
Demographic Shōnen
Original run January 27, 2012 – June 27, 2017
Volumes (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed by Masakazu Obara
Written by Hiroyuki Yoshino
Music by
Studio Sunrise
Licensed by
Hanabee
MVM Films
Original network Tokyo MXTV SaitamaChiba TVtvkTV AichiMBSAT-XHBCRKBBS11
English network
Original run April 7, 2012 – September 22, 2012
Episodes 24 (+ 2 OVA episodes) (List of episodes)
Film
Video games
  • Accel World: Ginyoku no Kakusei (2012)
  • Accel World: Kasoku no Chōten (2013)

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