Common Sense Media Review
By Tom Cassidy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Anime spin-off has violence, strong female role models.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night
What's the Story?
In SWORD ART ONLINE: PROGRESSIVE - ARIA OF A STARLESS NIGHT, players of a new virtual reality online game must learn its secrets to survive, for if they die in the game, they die in real life. Non-gamer Asuna (voiced by Cherami Leigh) relies on her experienced friend Misumi (Anairis Quinones) to show her the new virtual world.
Is It Any Good?
A reimagining of the first two episodes of a beloved anime series, this animated adventure will feel familiar to fans of the original TV show but might take flack for its additions and adjustments. But as a thrilling, visually stunning, and breathlessly exciting anime movie on its own terms, Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night is a winner. Cinema's video game spin-offs are notoriously bad, missing the point of what made the game so compelling. Anyone who's played an RPG or action adventure game will instantly understand the visual language of Sword Art Online and its most impressive feat is capturing the feeling of being immersed in a great game.
Here Asuna gets her backstory filled in and a friend, Misumi, is invented for the movie. Their friendship is moving without being overly sentimental. Their time together is warm and realistic, with conversations about anything but crushes on boys -- a typical trap writers fall into when putting teen girls together on-screen. Their character growth feels realistic too, and when Asuna meets up with the series' male main character, Kirito (voiced by Bryce Papenbrook), her previously mysterious demeanor fades as she blossoms. With its soaring music, sizzling visuals, huge stakes, and inspiring lead characters, Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night is a recommended anime for series fans and newcomers alike.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in Sword Art Online: Progressive - Aria of a Starless Night. Did the fantasy element and the fact that it was largely bloodless make it less intense? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
What's the difference between watching violence on a screen and experiencing it more directly via a video game? Does exposure to violent movies or video games make kids more aggressive?
Would you describe Asuna as a positive role model? If so, why? What character strengths and life skills did she demonstrate?
How did the movie compare to the TV or video game series? What's the appeal of movies based on video games?
In the movie, a mirror item strips players of their created character skin and shows their real selves. Thinking about this, how has social media changed how we relate to other people? Should you believe everything people write about themselves online? How can social media be used as a tool to hurt someone?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 3, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : November 24, 2022
- Cast : Cherami Leigh , Anairis Quinones , Bryce Papenbrook
- Director : Ayako Kawano
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Queer Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Aniplex America
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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