Top 15 Animes Like Sword Art Online (Animes Better Than Sword Art Online In Their Own Way)

Animes Like Sword Art Online
"Rose by any other name would smell just as sweet"


What Are The Best Animes Like Sword Art Online?

We all remember this 2013 anime that took the world by storm. Ever since then the MMORPG world has never been more interesting! But what could possibly fill the hole left behind by this anime? Here are some animes that will soothe your gaming soul:

15. Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic - Official Trailer

Set in a whimsical world filled with different races, magic items, dungeons, and genies we find Alibaba, Aladdin, and Morgiana. They all set off on a quest to capture dungeons and their genies in efforts to help Alibaba become King.

But as their adventure progresses they find there is more to this then they had originally planned. Enemies come to stop them, allies come to save them, and all the while Aladdin is taking his first steps as a Magi, Morgiana finds her true power, and Alibaba learns what it means to be a king.

Can they handle this world of magic and madness?   

Alibaba sets off on an adventure to become king with help from Aladdin and Morgiana

14. Magi: The Kingdom of Magic

Magi: The Kingdom of Magic English Dub Trailer

Following the victory against Al-Thamen, our heroes split ways. Hakuryuu and Kougyoku are forced to go back home. Alibaba and Morgiana, who were encouraged by Aladdin, go after their own dreams: Alibaba becoming stronger and Morgiana learning more about her homeland, the Dark Continent. Aladdin heads for Magnostadt, a kingdom ruled by magicians, which all our hero's stories revolve around. Will the secrets hidden deep within this kingdom crush the world once again?

Aladdin and his friends set off to face their own challenges, as it all revolves around a mysterious kingdom ruled by magicians

13. Magi: Adventure of Sinbad

Magi: Adventure of Sinbad - OVA First Trailer

How did the most innovative and successful Dungeon-capturer made king start? He was a poor boy born to an ex-soldier in a country ravaged by war. With every obstacle thrown his way, Sinbad showed unparalleled patience. Set on conquering dungeons, making riches, and creating lasting friendships, Sinbad chooses to build his own kingdom, where peace rules, not war. Embark with Sinbad and travel the seven seas!

Young Sinbad sets sails to create his own powerful paradise kingdom

12. Fate/ Zero

Fate/Zero Trailer

Set in Fuyuki, Japan, we are put in the middle of the Fourth Holy Grail War. A magical battle royale where magicians, called Masters, summon reincarnations of legendary souls, called Servants. The last one standing receives the Holy Grail, a magical item that grants wishes. The story centers around Kiritsugu Emiya, a mage killer, and his Servant, Saber. Amidst the battle and turmoil, they find themselves questioning why they fight for the Grail and soon learn what the Holy Grail truly grants. Is the peace of one person worth the suffering of another?

The reincarnation, Saber, is summoned to fight in the Fourth Holy Grail War

11. Fate/ Stay Night

Fate/ stay night Trailer 1

10 years after the Fourth Holy Grail war we find ourselves with Shiro Emiya, the foster son of Kiritsugu Emiya, who is an amateur magician. When he summons Saber, he is dragged into the Fifth Holy Grail War. Forced to team up with Master Rin and her Servant Archer, Shiro realizes this might be more than he can handle. With the help of Saber, Archer, and Rin he begins his training to become stronger. Will it be enough to survive this war?

Shiro, an amateur magician, summons Saber to battle once again

10. The Sacred Blacksmith

Sacred Blacksmith Official Trailer

Follow the story of Cecily Campbell, a knight in search of a blacksmith to repair her father’s sword. Although she is not very skilled in battle this doesn’t stop her from going head-first into trouble. She wants to do everything she can to protect the people in this medieval fantasy land. But when she picks a fight she can’t win, a mysterious man wielding a Japanese Katana saves her. Will this fateful encounter prove to be the ultimate adventure?

Cecily Campbell armed with her father’s sword goes off to find a blacksmith to repair the gift

9. Btooom!

BTOOOM! Trailer

Top player, Ryouta, of the online game Btooom! awakes on an island with no memory of how he got there or why he has a green crystal embedded into his left hand. As he searches for answers he finds other gamers trapped on the island as well. Soon they discover that the island they are on is actually a real-life version of the game Btooom! Friends become foes as the only way to escape the island is to be the last one standing. As Ryouta fights for his life he finds Himiko, his in-game wife, and the two try to make it off the island together. Could you survive this explosive game of life and death?

Ryouta and Himiko team up to survive this game of life and death

8. Summer Wars

Summer Wars - Trailer [HD]

When a young math genius, Kenji Koiso, is asked a strange favor by a classmate, Natsuki Shinohara, he finds himself taken to Ueda to celebrate Natsuki’s great-grandmother’s 90th birthday posing as her fake fiance. But even in this small town, he finds his way on the virtual world where he is coaxed into hacking the algorithm for the virtual world’s artificial intelligence. Did he just accidentally make this world’s A.I. able to destroy the Earth?

The whole world is online and they’re all ready to fight

7. No Game No Life

[No Game No Life] - Trailer

In this pink-paletted world, we find Sora and Shiro, step siblings that are known as Blank, an undefeated team of gamers. They are visited one day by a god of another reality named Tet, who challenges them to a game of chess. When they win, Tet offers to transport them to a parallel world that centers around games. Intent on keeping their title as undefeated gamers, Sora and Shiro set their sights on defeating all sixteen champions of that world and usurping the God of Games himself! Riddled with comedy, colors, and action, there truly is no life without games.

Sora and Shiro live in a world of games

6. KonoSuba!

KonoSuba Trailer

After suffering an unexpected death, Kazuma Satou meets an airheaded yet beautiful goddess named Aqua. She offers to reincarnate him into a world much like a JRPG where he can live out his afterlife. Aqua then tells him he can take one thing into this world and Kazuma chooses to take the goddess herself! They form a party and soon recruit two other crazy women, Megumin and Darkness. They try to lead a normal life but it proves futile as Aqua states that she cannot return to the afterlife, where she belongs unless the Devil King is defeated. Let the adventure begin!

Kazuma is brought to life in a world of JRPG

5. Accel World

Accel World Trailer

Haruyuki is tired of his reality so he escapes to the virtual one. His innate video game skills soon capture the attention of Kuroyukihime, the Vice-President of their Junior High School. She introduces Haruyuki to Brain Burst and asks for his help in defeating the “Six Kings of Pure Colour” and meeting the creator of Brain Burst himself. They work together to reach their shared goal: reaching the highest in-game level and learning the true purpose behind the game. Why live your boring reality when you can thrive in this Accelerated world?

Haruyuki shows us that Brains are stronger than Brawns

4. Overlord

Overlord - Trailer

As the popular game, Yggdrasil comes to an end its top player, under the name Overlord, logs on one last time. But just as the game is about to be disconnected it keeps going, and not just that, it seems that NPCs have developed a conscience of their own! Faced with this mystery he decides to investigate further and while he is at it, why not rule the world? This is “the ultimate ‘trapped in a game’ anime” except he is not trapped with them, they are trapped in there with him!

This online game comes to life just as it was on its brink of death

3. .hack//.Sign

.hack//SIGN - Coming Soon - Trailer

Follow the story of Tsukasa whose mind is trapped in the virtual world. He is aided by Morganna whose intentions are unknown and as the story progresses we find new allies and make new foes. How will Tsukasa make it out? Log into this series that “blurs the lines between gaming and reality.”

Tsukasa is trapped in this MMORPG called The World

2. Grimgar of fantasy and Ash

Grimgar Of Fantasy And Ash Trailer 2016 (English Dub) HD + Subs CC

A group of young adults awake in a town with no memory of how they got there or where they are. They are met by a man who explains that in this land they must fight with whatever wit or skill they possess. Much like the MMORPG, they are used to playing except "If you fight you may die and if you give up you definitely die." Let’s brave this world of Grimgar!

Make a team and survive in this world that came from out of ash

1. Log Horizon

LOG HORIZON - Official Trailer

Set in modern Japan with a huge online virtual reality based on medieval fantasy, 30,000 Japanese gamers log on to their beloved MMORPG world. But they soon find that they can't log out. Each possessing a unique avatar with different weapons and skills, they set off to find a way to leave the game. Filled with action, adventure, romance, and of course magic, watch as this story unravels in the sand.

Shiroe and his friends found themselves logging on, but then couldn’t log out

More on this topic:


After surviving the brutal heat waves of (what feels like) a thousand suns, I bring to you humble villagers, knowledge. It is: "I'm really thirsty and spent all night writing, please read."
Gamer Since: 1998
Favorite Genre: RPG
Top 3 Favorite Games:, ,


More Top Stories