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Sword Art Online II's Opening Shown in Original Animation Sketches

posted on 2014-08-21 15:10 EDT by Karen Ressler

Animator Tetsuya Takeuchi's Kirito sketches unveiled

Sword Art Online II's opening sequence. The video plays the scene once, and then again in slow motion.

Sword Art Online II adapts the third arc, Phantom Bullet, from and Daisuki are streaming the series as it airs in Japan.

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This Week in Anime - The Danmei Controversy

Jun 12, 16:00

6 comments

comics

Coop and Chris discuss the censorship of Chinese novels focusing on the romantic attraction between men and the legal persecution of its authors. ― Coop and Chris discuss the censorship of Chinese novels focusing on the romantic attraction between men and the legal persecution of its authors. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime ...

interview

4 comments

Look Back Director Discusses Artistic Struggles, Anime Adaptation Philosophy, and AI's Role in Creativity

Jun 12, 15:00

4 comments

anime

― Studio Durian's film adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's emotionally resonant one-shot manga, Look Back, is arguably one of the most moving pieces of art to come out of animation in quite a while. As evident by its booming box office success both in Japan and North America and numerous award circuit sweeps, Look Back stands as a testament both to the grueling labor of love that ...

review

100 Meters Anime Movie Review

Jun 12, 14:30 anime

Debuting at Annecy, 100 Meters is a gorgeous work from the creative team behind On Gaku: Our Sound and the creator of Orb. ― If you were to map the film onto the circumstances of its making, Kenji Iwaisawa's feature debut ON-GAKU: Our Sound fit perfectly—a project made by self-taught animators about embracing your love of art despite your level of talent. His sophomore feature 100 Meters is less clea...

news

4 comments

'Light-novel Anime' Project Announced Adapting 4 Original Stories From Popular Light Novelists

Jun 12, 12:20

4 comments

anime

Anime omnibus project based on 4 original stories streams on YouTube, also airs on TV starting on July 12 ― A website launched on Thursday to announce a new "Light-novel Anime" project, which will feature four anime works adapting original stories from popular light novel authors, partnered alongside character designs from popular illustrators. The short anime are being released in parts as vertical ...

news

3 comments

Yūki Dōmoto's I Want to End This Love Game Manga Gets TV Anime

Jun 12, 09:38

3 comments

anime

Romantic comedy manga about childhood friends playing love game until high school launched in 2021 ― Shogakukan announced on Thursday that Yūki Dōmoto's I Want to End This Love Game (Aishiteru Game o Owarasetai) manga is getting a television anime adaptation. Dōmoto posted an illustration to commemorate the announcement. Dōmoto launched the manga on the Sunday Webry website in 2021. Shogakukan publis...

news

1st Golden Kamuy Spinoff Novel to Bundle New Anime on Blu-ray

Jun 12, 02:53 anime

Anime adapts "The Lightning Thief and Viper Ogin" chapter plus "Shimaenaga" mini-episode ― Golden Kamuy: Tsurumi Tokushirō no Shukugan (Golden Kamuy: Tokushirō Tsurumi's Aspiration), the first official spinoff novel based on Satoru Noda's Golden Kamuy manga, will go on sale on October 17, and it will have a limited edition that bundles a Blu-ray Disc with new anime. Historical mystery writer Amon Ibu...

review

1 comment

Jinsei Anime Film Review

Jun 11, 16:00

1 comment

anime

There is an eclectic collection of influences at play in Jinsei, from acclaimed Norwegian comedy-drama The Worst Person in the World to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey ― It's easy to reduce Jinsei, 30-year-old Ryuya Suzuki's feature directorial debut, to this year's On-Gaku: Our Sound. It's not like the two films have nothing in common, either. Both share a sheer sense of independent filmmaki...

news

26 comments

Samurai Troopers Gets New Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers Sequel Anime

Jun 11, 14:33

26 comments

anime

Hiiro Ishibashi stars in new Sunrise anime in January 2026 ― Sunrise announced during an anniversary screening for the Yoroiden Samurai Troopers anime at Shinjuku Piccadilly on Wednesday that the series is getting a new sequel anime Yoroi Shin Den Samurai Troopers in January 2026. The staff unveiled a teaser trailer and visual: The anime stars: Hiiro Ishibashi as Gai Yōichi Fujita (Gintama, Mr. Osoma...

review

The Last Blossom Anime Film Review

Jun 10, 16:00 anime

The first film from the creator of Odd Taxi makes it clear Baku Kinoshita loves to show the gradual cracks in the shell of a taciturn man. ― Alhough the debut feature film from Baku Kinoshita, The Last Blossom, is strikingly different from his series OddTaxi, it's clear the man loves to show the gradual cracks in the shell of a taciturn man. In this case, it's the stoic yakuza Minoru Akutsu, first sh...

column

1 comment

This Week in Anime - Want Your Bad Romance

Jun 10, 14:00

1 comment

korean

Lucas and Steve explore the "Toxic Together" K-Comic special on Lezhin. ― Lucas and Steve explore the "Toxic Together" K-Comic special on Lezhin. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Every manhwa title mentioned in this column is available to read on Lezhin. @RiderS...

your score

2 comments

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, May 27-Jun 2

Jun 9, 19:00

2 comments

anime

While The Apothecary Diaries is solidifying its hold on the cumulative, slow-starting series Ninja & Assassin and Too-Perfect Saint are lately picking up steam. ― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season, based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are b...

news

2 comments

Oni no Hanayome Light Novels Get TV Anime

Jun 9, 18:07

2 comments

anime

Light novels, manga have 5.8 million copies in circulation ― The official X (formerly Twitter) for Kureha's Oni no Hanayome (Bride of the Ogre) light novels announced a television anime adaptation on Monday. The manga adaptation artist Jun Togashi drew an illustration to celebrate the announcement. The illustrator for the light novels, Yū Shiroya, also created an illustration in celebration. ...

review

13 comments

Nobody's Boy Remi Anime Series BD Review

Jun 9, 16:00

13 comments

anime

While Nobody’s Boy Remi doesn’t have the fidelity of other World Masterpiece Theater adaptations, it’s still historically important and a solid work in itself. ― Based on the 1878 novel by Hector Malot, Nobody's Boy Remi (originally called Sans Famille, meaning “without family") is part of what appears to be AnimEigo's “Ruined Childhood” collection. That tongue-in-cheek label (the series is famously ...

interview

4 comments

Merging Western Comics and Anime: An Interview with Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Writer Kazuki Nakashima

Jun 9, 16:00

4 comments

anime

“I think it's rude for a creator to talk about the essence of a character. What's important is if people can watch the work and feel that on their own." ― Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a superhero anime film that takes DC Comics' Justice League of America and reimagines them as yakuza. But that's only the start of how over-the-top this film gets. It's got everything from sudden musical numbers to...

column

12 comments

Answerman - How to Hire a Japanese Studio to Produce Your OVA

Jun 9, 14:32

12 comments

anime

Jerome explains the ins and outs of how to get your OVA produced by a Japanese studio. ― A reader asks: “I've read your article "how to get my idea into an anime," but I want to learn the process and etiquette of how you hire a studio to make your content. I was a Japanese major and currently work as an assistant animator, so this is a serious endeavor I want to take once I can front the cost. So, h...

giveaway

The Great Dr. STONE Battle Craft X Giveaway Week 2

Jun 9, 14:04 games

The second round of The Great Dr. STONE Battle Craft X Giveaway has launched. Enter now for your chance to win some of the $2000 of prizes we're giving away! ― Dr. STONE Needs you! We are calling on all Dr. STONE fans to mobilize and the official Dr. STONE Battlecraft X (@dsbc_staff_en). 18 people who heed this call to arms will be rewarded with their choice of one US$100 prize packag...

news

10 comments

Shingo Natsume, Natsume Ono, Madhouse Team Up for Original Theatrical Anime 'ghost'

Jun 9, 08:00

10 comments

anime

Film slated for release in 2027 ― Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on Monday that Madhouse is producing a new theatrical anime project tentatively titled ghost. The anime is slated for release in theaters in 2027. The first visual below depicts a mysterious girl named Nike holding a glass sword. Shingo Natsume (ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., One Punch Man, Sonny Boy, Space Dandy) is both direct...

news

15 comments

Pokémon Developer Game Freak Unveils Beast of Reincarnation Game

Jun 9, 01:48

15 comments

games

Post-apocalyptic action game slated for Xbox X|S, PC, PS5 ― Game Freak Inc. announced during the Xbox Games Showcase livestream on Sunday a new game titled Beast of Reincarnation for the Xbox Series X and S, Xbox PC, and Xbox Cloud in 2026. Game Freak later confirmed that the game will also be available on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam. The company describes the game: In post-apocalyptic Japan, a la...

News Sword Art Online II's Opening Shown in Original Animation Sketches

News
Sword Art Online II's Opening Shown in Original Animation Sketches