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Sword Art Online Progressive 9

Author: Reki Kawahara

Illustrator: abec

Label: Dengeki Bunko

Release Date: 7 March 2025

My Score: 3/5

English Release: This series is currently being published in English by Yen-Press so please pick it up if the series interests you.

I feel like I have to reframe my way of thinking about this series. If I see it as it's own thing with a plot I want to see completed, then the lack of progress in the story is frustrating. If I see it as a collection of side stories set in the Aincrad Arc, I think I'll be able to enjoy it more. After all, we've already seen how this story ends. I guess it doesn't matter how long Progressive takes to get there. With all that said, if you see this as a story you want to finish, this volume will frustrate you. They don't even go to a new floor in this volume and instead return to the fourth floor. This volume is spent on continuing the elf tribes plot thread and on finding a way to reverse Kirito's vampiric transformation from the last volume. The series has had such a long hiatus (it's been almost four years since volume 8!) that I barely remember any elf character who isn't Kizmel so I found large chunks of this volume to be a drag to get through. There were some bits that I liked - like Kirito using his vampire powers to tame a kelpie, and there's a really cute KiriAsu moment. The ending also got me pumped for the next volume. Hopefully I'll be able to get into a different frame of mind about this series by the time it's released and will enjoy it more.

#Sword Art Online #Progressive #Dengeki Bunko #Reki Kawahara #abec #2025 releases #March 2025 #3 stars