Elder Tale, a wildly successful MMORPG released its twelfth expansion, and subsequently pulled in 30,000 Japanese players! The players must fight and try to live on in this world they’d only been players in before. Through many trials and a lot of error, the players finally learn how to come together and find a way to live with each other peacefully in this strange new world. However, all is not as it seems and their peace is threatened. Shiroe and his friends, Naotsugu and Akatsuki go through these trials together and find creative (sometimes devious) solutions to the many problems they face.

This anime has a very similar world setting as SAO, as well as comedic relief styles. All in all if you loved SAO (at least the first part!) like we did, definitely give Log Horizon a shot!

In the year 2046 neural links have been made that allow people to access computer information by thinking about it, combining the virtual and real worlds. Haruyuki Arita, the lowest of the low in his schools social status, is offered a program said to change the rules of reality. Because of his social situation he accepts the program from Koroyukihime, the most popular girl in the school. His entire life is flipped upside down in a matter of moments when the program Brain Burst completes its installation.

This popular anime shares the same world setting as SAO, and is by far one of our favorites. If you can get past the initial pathetic-ness of the main character, you will love this show.

Ryouta Sakamoto awakens on an island, with no idea how he got there or what was going on. All he remembers is he was playing the hit game Btooom! on his computer, of which he was one of the best players. He’s got a days’ worth of provisions and a bag of (what he quickly learns are) bombs. He later learns the only way to escape the island is by being the last competitor left alive in a twisted real life game of Btooom!

This is a thrilling tale that brings a video game to real life in this twisted thriller. If you haven’t yet heard of this, you need to jump on it!

Amano Yukiteru, a 2nd year in middle school goes about his days writing in his cell phone diary of the events that occur around him at all points in time. He invented a God of Time and Space named Deus Ex Machina to speak with when he gets lonely, who turns out to be a real God! Deus decides to bestow upon him and 11 others different cell phones, each with the ability to tell an aspect of the future. The point of this, however, is for them to use their phones to systematically kill each other off until there is only one remaining. The last contestant left alive with take the place of Deus himself as the new God.

This is a thriller of thrillers, relating to SAO in how it is so action-packed and you barely have time to recover from one twist when the next comes along. Added bonus of a psychotic stalker girl named Yuno Gasai, you’re sure to be on the edge of your seat while you binge-watch this incredible series!

In what is known as the predecessor to shows like SAO, this series is set in an MMORPG called only, “The World.” The main character, known only by the alias Tsukasa, wakes up in The World with slight amnesia and the inability to log out. He quickly finds a rare item known as a Guardian who swears to protect him from all harm. His only quest is now clear, to find out what happened to him and why he’s not allowed to leave. With the help of some friends and allies, they search for the answers.

This being the predecessor to the video game sub-genre, we highly suggest watching it. The story is enriched and leaves you wondering what exactly is going on. By the third episode you want the same answers Tsukasa wants, and you’ll stick by his side until he gets them!

Jil is a fighter with the desire to do nothing more than vanquish all the demons in the tower during the “Summer of Anu.” During this time, all the demons lose their power thanks to the Sky-God Anu, and the people, soldiers and “climbers,” fight to destroy the tower and gain peace. That’s not all there is to it though: it is said at the top of the tower lies a legendary treasure known as the Blue Crystal Rod all the climbers’ desire.

The first episode of this show will throw you for a complete loop, and you’ll be left more confused than when you started. This is a good thing! The show itself bases the more realistic acts on the imagination of Jil in the first episode (which is hilarious). The sense of the tower, and fighting their way up definitely relates to SAO and you will not be sorry you watched this through to the end.