While the next Sword Art Online anime film won’t be coming out until 2028, dedicated fans don’t have to wait that long for an anime from the franchise’s creator: Reki Kawahara. On November 6, 2026, a brand new anime series adapted from the light novel series called Devils’ Crest by Sword Art Online’s creator will release exclusively on Amazon Prime.
What is Devils’ Crest about?
At first look, Devils’ Crest looks a lot like Sword Art Online. A group of kids “dive” into a virtual world (called ‘Actual Magic’), engage in battles, and look like they’re having fun. However, there’s clearly a much darker note here than anything we ever saw in Aincrad right away: as they leave the virtual world and emerge into reality, we find that the monsters from the game have mixed with reality.
Rather than a proper Isekai, this looks like more of a reverse Isekai. And I’m here for it.
Devils’ Crest source material is four light novels
Demons' Crest, Vol. 1 (light novel): Reality Erosion (Volume 1)
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Just like Sword Art Online, the new Devils’ Crest anime is based on a light novel. Light novels have become incredibly popular over the last decade thanks in part to the massive success of SAO. Kawahara is currently writing four different light novel series between Sword Art Online, Sword Art Online Progressive, Accel World, and now Demons’ Crest. That’s right: the light novels have a different name than the anime – I’m not sure what that’s about.
However, what makes Demons’ Crest stand out is that – unlike the other three mentioned series – it does not seem to inhabit the same world. Whereas SAO and Accel World are really parts of one larger and interconnected world both in terms of universe and timeline, Demons’ Crest appears to be its own thing.
What’s up with the card in the novel’s picture?
One thing that stands out to me right away when looking at the cover of the light novel is that Yuuma is pictured holding a card. He uses these cards to store magical creatures that he can then use in battle.
Could that be a nod to trading card games? Perhaps we’ll get a Devils’ Crest UNION ARENA set in the future? Who knows – either way, I guess we’ll have to wait and watch the anime to find out.
Devils’ Crest characters
The first season of Devils’ Crest will focus on four main characters. See their key character visuals officially revealed below:
Demons’ Crest is Kawahara’s first “commercial” project
While Kawahara wrote the story that would one day be hailed “light novel of the decade” in Japan, sell more than 10 million video games, and ignite a phenomenon that would reshape anime as we know it, he did all that in a world that looked very different than the one we know today.
In fact, Sword Art Online actually didn’t originate as a light novel at all: it was originally a web novel by Kawahara as a passion project before Kadokawa picked it up and published it as a light novel.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how this story differs from the author’s earlier works—and how 2020s audiences, now completely used to the genre he helped pioneer, will receive a project built specifically for them.
Should Sword Art Online fans check out Devils’ Crest?
For dedicated Sword Art Online fans, nothing can beat seeing the anime adaptation of Unital Ring, or even the upcoming feature-length film, Integral Domain.
However, if you love SAO, you should absolutely give Devils’ Crest a try. Even just from the trailer you can see how core visual and story elements from SAO are echoed in this new story.
While not nearly the same thing as another adventure with Asuna and Kirito, it will likely be an easy on-ramp for anyone who loves the idea of how virtual and real worlds mix. Plus, I typically like anything by Kawahara: I recently watched Accel World for the first time and loved it.
Check out Devils’ Crest on Amazon Prime Video today and experience the first two episodes for yourself!
