25 Most Memorable Sword Art Online Quotes
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Sword Art Online is a very popular modern anime show. Combining the best aspects of the isekai genre with both fantasy and science fiction, Sword Art Online built on the MMORPG gaming popularity and created a story with which a lot of modern-day gamers could actually relate.
Anime is usually known for its depth and Sword Art Online has certainly given us its fair share of relevant and memorable quotations.
This list is going to include a total of 25 most memorable Sword Art Online quotes from various episodes and seasons. The quotes are taken from various contexts and situations, and we have decided to group them based on the characters that have said them, as you will see for yourselves.
Kirito’s Sword Art Online Quotes
“I thought that the closer the real and virtual world got, the better the future would be. But the more the boundary between them blurs, the more it starts to trick people.”
Sword Art Online is all about blending the virtual and the real. Kirito, as the show’s main protagonist, has learned some valuable lessons about these boundaries and the experience of both worlds, which is reflected in this philosophical quote from the anime. Kirito learned that the most important thing while fighting the game was to keep a grasp on reality and to distinguish the real from the fictional.
“I’d rather die with someone than let that person die before my eyes.”
The love between Kirito and Asuna is one of the major aspects of Sword Art Online. Their relationship is absolutely amazing and is the basis for a lot of narrative elements, as well as a source of a lot of the quotes from this article. This one doesn’t just reflect Kirito’s emotions towards Asuna, but also his unyielding loyalty, a trait that made Kirito so beloved among fans of the series.
“Whether here or in the real world, you can cry when it hurts. There’s no rule that you can’t show feelings just because it’s a game.”
Going back to the first quote on this list, Kirito had a really good perception of the world he was in. He was aware that it was a game, he was aware that some things were different between his world and the world of Sword Art Online, but his humanity wasn’t. The game made all of them virtual, it gave them powers, but it never destroyed their humanity and their emotions, as witnessed by this quote, which affirms the emotional aspect of the players.
“Everybody can fight. It’s just a choice of whether you should.”
With the experience he has in the game, Kirito knew well how the world of Sword Art Online functioned. But, this quote has so much more beneath the surface, as it is a life lesson, as well as a tactical approach for the game. As we said, Kirito’s immense experience has given him a fair amount of wisdom that he doesn’t hesitate to show when the time calls for it.
“There are limits to what a solo player can do.”
This is also one of those gaming quotes that has a deeper meaning attached to it, and is one of Kirito’s most memorable sentences. This is an obvious reference to the game, as Sword Art Online was devised to encourage co-op play and discourage solo players. Sure, you could play solo, but there were limits to what you could do like that. Interestingly enough, the same thing could be said about life itself, so we’re quite certain that the quote has a double meaning.
“Levels are just numbers. In this world, strength is just an illusion. There are more important things.”
Okay, this is a game-related quote but one that legitimately seems to be connected solely to the game and nothing else. This one is a matter of tactical approach, showing that the whole world of Sword Art Online is an illusion where skills are much more valuable than just power. It goes to show that Kirito was well aware of how the game functioned and that he knew how to play in order to win.
“It is pointless to question who someone really is. All you can do is believe and accept. Because the way you perceive someone is their true identity.”
Kirito had the ability to produce some truly great replicas, and this was one of them. This one went to show how subjective our worldview is and how people are what they are. This is a very philosophical quote that shows Kirito’s accumulated wisdom. Whether it is completely true or not remains debatable, but it goes to show that one can love someone enough to create a better and more beautiful person of them.
“You can go anywhere you want in this world with a single blade. This may be a virtual world, but I feel more alive here than in the real world.”
This is yet another aspect of the game itself, as Kirito remarks that the world of Sword Art Online offers so many abilities. This is also a reference to Kirito’s real world status, as he wasn’t overly popular and the game allowed him to actually live out his personality without many problems. Sword Art Online was an amazing place and it allowed Kirito, for the first time in his life, to live out a full life and to be the person he wanted to be. And the person he really, truly was.
“No matter what, my heart will be forever yours, and I will fight until the day I see you again.”
And another Kirito + Asuna quote. As we have said above, their romance is one of the better and deeper aspects of this show, which is great since it’s not actually a romance anime series, yet the writers manage to incorporate this plot quite well. This one, likewise, reflects both Kirito’s emotions towards Asuna, but also his unyielding loyalty and the fact that you knew you could always count on him.
“Real pain is the result of losing someone you care about.”
And we close out Kirito’s section with yet another romantic quote that illustrates just how much he loved Asuna. Now, Kirito had suffered a lot of pain and injuries before he uttered this sentence, but he managed to survive all of that, knowing that the only thing that would genuinely hurt him, that would genuinely cause him real pain, was the loss of Asuna, whom he cared deeply about. This is a very philosophical quote, as well.
Asuna’s Sword Art Online Quotes
“There is one thing I’ve learned here. To keep doing your best, up until the very end.”
Asuna was a very different character than Kirito. She was a fighter, but she had a lighter approach to the whole world. She was aware of the dangers and the implications of Sword Art Online, but she still never reached Kirito’s level. The was a motivator, and this quote illustrates that very well. This is probably why Kirito cared so deeply for her, because he found that she complemented him completely.
“If we make it back to the real world, I’ll find you again. And fall in love with you again.”
Now, this quote is the other side of the romantic relationship between Asuna and Kirito. Kirito was lucky to have her, as she loved him in the same manner he loved her, and this love was, as we have said, one of the most beautiful aspects of this anime series, especially since it’s actually a science fiction/fantasy focused isekai series and not a romance anime. This quote best illustrates Asuna’s feelings towards Kirito.
“I’d rather stay the way I am until the last moment. Even if a monster beats me and I die, I won’t lose to this game or this world, no matter what.”
Asuna was aware that she might become more powerful if she changed her character, but she was aware of both her strengths and her weaknesses, and she did not want to change that. She grew, she evolved, but she did not change; she managed to keep her stability in the whole process and remain the same loveable character she was from the very beginning. This is what made her so special and likable, and she remained the same despite all the challenges.
“I was just dreaming a little. About my old world.”
Asuna was a dreamer and a rather melancholic character. She was aware of the two realities she was dealing with and she often returned to the one that “made” her, to the one that had the real her in it. To the reality in which, ultimately, she could be with Kirito completely and fully. Her nostalgia is a trait that defined her and one of the reasons we liked her so much.
“I can’t die because…I have to protect you.”
Another Asuna and Kirito moment, where Asuna showed how deeply she cared for Kirito. He knew he could rely on her, as she was willing to sacrifice her to save him, a fact Kirito knew very well. This aspect of their relationship actually strengthened their emotions for one another.
“Every day here is another one lost in the real world.”
As we have said, Asuna never really blended in the world of Sword Art Online. She maneuvered it very well, she was a strong character, but unlike Kirito, she never really became so invested. She was a nostalgic soul and she always wanted to go back home, to return to the real world, where she could live, feel, and love without any illusions, without any data.
“This body will fall only when my heart falls. If so, I can stand forever.”
This is another romantic quote, illustrating just how much Asuna cherished the love she had for Kirito. Kirito was her inspiration and the driving force behind her whole character. She drew her strengths from the love she felt for Kirito, and this quote perfectly reflects how she was willing to do absolutely anything and everything to rescue him.
“When I began thinking of him, I fell asleep. I stopped having nightmares.”
We said above that Kirito was an inspiration to Asuna, but he was so much more. He wasn’t simply a friend, someone she loved, and another player; he was so much more to her. He helped her, he solved her problems and he had a calming effect, which is shown in this exact quote, where she herself affirms that his presence calmed her down completely, completely destroying all the nightmares and terrors she had, simply because she knew Kirito was there for her, to protect her.
“Sometimes the things that matter the most are right in front of you.”
This is another philosophical quote on our list, and a quote that we know very well, as it has – in various forms – appeared in other works as well. We don’t need much to be happy, wise men have said throughout history, but we always either miss that what makes us happy, or we never really find that small thing we need to complete our happiness. This is what Asuna knew very well.
“Life isn’t just doing things for yourself. It’s possible to live in such a way that other people’s happiness makes you happy too.”
And this is Uncle Ben from… nah, it’s still Asuna, don’t worry. But it is a variation of the famous Uncle Ben quote from the Spider-Man stories. We’re not alone, especially if we care for someone, and their happiness should be more than enough to make us happy, and we should always strive to keep them that way.
Other Character Quotes from Sword Art Online
“In every world, once you die, you’re gone.”
Akihiko Kayaba is the author of this quote. This is both a philosophical reflection on the issue of death, as well as a reflection on the game itself. It shows just how high the stakes are, both in life and in the game, and how one should cherish their life without any second thought. This lesson, which we know so well in real life, also translates to the game and Akihiko did not hesitate to stress that out.
“Even if I die, you keep living, okay? Live to see the end of this world and to see why it was born. Live to see why a weak girl like me ended up here…and the reason you and I met.”
Sachi is the author of this one. This one was a heartbreaking moment that showed the depth of the emotion Sachi felt. It was a motivation to continue, it was also a farewell in some aspect, and a very sad quote that also shows how this isekai anime did a lot to emphasize the emotional and human aspect of the characters, whether it’s their real-world “forms” or their virtual presences.
“They say your character is built by life’s challenges, so keep soldiering on young man.”
Klein said this one, and it was a reflection of his personality, his experience, and his wisdom. This is also a great piece of advice for everyone, regardless of the situation or context. There are also numerous similar proverbs in real life, and really, it is true that we grow during the hard times, as – and that is really a play on this one – what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger, which is why we continue soldiering on.
“God would never put us through all this suffering if he didn’t think we could bear it.”
Konno is the author of this quote, although it isn’t truly original. This is best understood if you’re a religious person, which makes it somewhat easier to understand the true meaning behind the quote, as well as the hardships that one endures. Indeed, if you follow this proverb, if you adhere to it, hardships are a part of life that is normal, that is expected and that you can deal with easier, as you know that it will end at one point and that it won’t kill you in the end.
“Life isn’t so bad. It’s not so bad.”
Nishida is the author of our final quote. It’s short and bittersweet. It’s more of a consolation than a proverb, or a piece of advice. It’s how you console yourself or someone when life actually is that bad. This might help, or it might not, it doesn’t really matter in the end. But it is a reflection of Nishida’s worldview and of a certain melancholy that simply breaks out hearts.
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