Celebrate Kirito and Asuna’s Wedding Anniversary with These 5 Light Novels
Every year on October 23, Sword Art Online fans celebrate Kirito and Asuna’s wedding anniversary. And while the original Aincrad wedding took place over a decade ago, as we have officially caught up with the SAO timeline in real time, this year’s anniversary would technically be the couple’s second anniversary.
Whether you are celebrating by watching your favorite anime episodes, or picking up some exquisite merch to mark the occasion, one excellent way to dive into the SAO world is to read these Kiriasu-centric light novels.
These novels are handpicked because each of them focuses on a special aspect of Kirito and Asuna’s relationship, and are the perfect next read whether you are a longtime Sword Art Online light novel fan, new to the series, or maybe a devoted anime enjoyer who has never taken the plunge into the wonderful world of light novels!
#1 Kiss and Fly – Vol. 22
Sword Art Online 22 (light novel): Kiss and Fly
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Kiss and Fly is an excellent volume to pick up as it is a collection of stories never before seen in the anime. Two of these stories are very near and dear to the occasion of Kirito and Asuna’s wedding. Indeed, the first story in the light novel literally entitled “The Day Before,” is all about the events directly leading up to Kirito and Asuna’s marriage.
While at its heart, this story is all about the meaning of marriage and relationships – especially in the virtual setting – Kirito and Asuna go on an interesting quest together that has very literary roots (as do most of the stories in SAO). They also meet up with a beloved character that fans of Sword Art Online Progressive will particularly enjoy.
The other story that fits the celebration perfectly is “The Day After.” While the circumstances of the couple in this story are quite different than in the first story, the end theme is still about one thing: marriage, and the strong tie that continues to bind Kirito and Asuna long after leaving Aincrad.
#2 Sword Art Online Progressive – Vol. 5
Sword Art Online Progressive 5 (light novel) (Volume 5)
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While there are many Sword Art Online Progressive light novels that could be a good stand-in on this list, Vol. 5 is a good fit for reflecting on Kirito and Asuna’s relationship.
What’s really fun about Progressive is that unlike the rest of the works in the series, the core story takes place long before Kirito and Asuna are ever officially and romantically a couple.
While they travel through floor after floor of Aincrad as a team, they are “temporary partners” brought together by circumstance rather than love and affection.
This lends an interesting insight into their relationship dynamic that you don’t get to see much of in the main series, and few books show the growing chemistry between the two better than Vol. 5.
Apart from the wedding anniversary context, Vol. 5 is an effective entry point to SAOP for fans who want to dive into the story immediately after the Progressive anime films left off.
#3 Sword Art Online Vol. 1: Aincrad
Sword Art Online 1: Aincrad
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Of course, everyone should read Sword Art Online Vol. 1: Aincrad. Overall, it is the single most read volume in the entire series, helped launch the phenomenon that would change the world of light novels and anime forever, and also one of the best books I’ve ever read.
That being said, Aincrad can be a little funny for some readers who pick it up for the first time. Much like the anime, the storyline moves very quickly. Even quicker than the anime, in fact, as the anime adds in chapters from later volumes to smooth out the story and draw the Aincrad arc out.
All of that being said, the core foundation for Kirito and Asuna’s relationship is set in this sweeping narrative about a group of teenagers trapped in a death game.
If you haven’t read it, you really should.
#4 Sword Art Online Vol. 24
Sword Art Online 24 (light novel): Unital Ring III (Volume 24)
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Jumping back ahead in time again, Sword Art Online Vol. 24 is part of the Unital Ring arc. Whereas Progressive is enjoyable to read because of Kirito and Asuna’s relationship being in the immature, budding phase, Vol. 24 is the opposite: it’s a reflection on the love story of two people who have been through a lot together.
The core moment that matters today is the private scene that occurs between the couple as they celebrate Asuna’s 19th birthday. I don’t want to spoil anything here, but the gift Kirito gives Asuna truly embodies the richness and longevity of the relationship that has come to inspire so many, making it a fulfilling moment in a volume that is also action-packed on its own without it.
#5 Sword Art Online Vol. 7: Mother’s Rosary
Sword Art Online 7: Mother's Rosary - light novel
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Last but not least is Volume 7: Mother’s Rosary. While quite a popular volume and anime arc, you wouldn’t typically think about this story as being central to Kirito and Asuna’s relationship as a couple. After all, on the surface the volume is primarily about Asuna’s relationship with Yuuki. However, at its core, the volume perhaps more than any other is a key turning point for Asuna’s relationship with Kirito outside the virtual world.
Within the virtual world, it’s easy for Kirito and Asuna to be together. He’s the strongest swordsman – she’s the famous and beloved “Berserk Healer” or whatever cool-sounding epitaht she currently has, and together they are like a match made in heaven.
Outside the virtual world, however, things get murkier. In the real world, Asuna is from Japan’s elite class. Her family is seriously loaded, and has been for years. Kirito, on the other hand, comes from a modest, working family. While he clearly has samurai heritage (you can tell that right away from the traditional style of his house and the family’s emphasis on kendo), by modern standards, he’s nothing special.
Yet Mother’s Rosary is largely about Asuna’s ability to outgrow the expectations of the strict world around her so that she can choose who she is with – not just in the virtual world but in the real world, too.
While this story is told from Asuna’s perspective rather than Kirito’s, and features less time together between the two, it’s a real turning point for their relationship and growth as a couple (and the exact arc that makes the decidedly more coupely Ordinal Scale scenes possible).
Any one of these light novels is the perfect read for Kirito and Asuna’s wedding day, giving you a slightly different perspective on their relationship in each book. Read and enjoy for yourself, and stay tuned for more Sword Art Online and light novel updates!
