ソードアート・オンライン 22: キス・アンド・フライ [Sōdo āto onrain 22: Kisu ando Furai]

Sword Art Online #22

by Reki Kawahara, abec (Illustrator), 川原礫

アニメBlu-ray&DVD特典でしか読めなかった4つの物語を文庫化!

『ザ・デイ・ビフォア』――《SAO》攻略のさなか、キリトはアスナにプロポーズし、二人は新婚生活を送ることに。だが新居に到着した二人が目にした光景は、思いがけないもので……?
『ザ・デイ・アフター』――新生《ALO》に新たなアバターでダイブ以来、アスナは謎の《離脱現象》に襲われていた。その原因は《SAO》時代に起こった一つの悲劇にあった――。
『虹の橋』――海底神殿での冒険を終えたキリトたち。しかし海の王リヴァイアサンと深淵の王クラーケンの謎めいた会話は、一行を新たな冒険へといざなう!
『Sister's Prayer』――《SAO事件》のさなか、ある少女が医療用フルダイブ機器《メディキュボイド》の試作機に身を投じた。《絶剣》ユウキ、誕生の軌跡をここに。

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Young Adult, Science Fiction, Manga, Novels, Romance

344 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2019

About the author

Kawahara Reki (川原礫) is the writer of Sword Art Online and Accel World. He also uses the pen name Kunori Fumio. His hobby is cycling.

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reki, you’re going to drive me crazy one day… XD There are spoilers obviously, it’s impossible to talk about these books individually without touching on the rest of the story.

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

Ok, so as short stories, yeah they’re good. I could’ve done without the first three because much as I enjoyed Aincrad and Alfheim and such, it’s not like I wanna keep going back to that story when we’ve already moved along, and the only thing I’m picking up from this is that Reki clearly loves talking about Asuna and Kirito’s cabin in the woods (because the thing even survived Aincrad’s fall) and he also can’t let go of Sachi’s story. It was very sad and moving, but I thought we already had closure on this and I did not like how things turned out in the second story, didn’t make sense for me. The third was ok, it was a regular adventure for our gang, since they always like to go into impossible quests, but nothing that I needed to know.
The one that I truly loved was the last one, Yuuki’s story on how she started playing on Asuka Empire, and what I loved was mostly the different angle on VR for this story, because while everything else is mostly focusing on having fun and just playing and how VR is getting closer to real life, Yuuki’s story focuses heavily on VR as palliative care for terminally ill people in order to truly improve their quality of life, and also talks about how much are you really helping, because I’m the end, you’re still lying on bed doing nothing, but I think there’s a beauty in thinking you can improve emotionally with a VR setting. It will not be the same as physically seeing someone, but the bonds you make are equally important, which is tue whole premise of Alicization. And I also loved Mother Rosario’s book, so this was great.
But honestly, did we need to have this book right now? I mean we were already starting with Unital Ring, it felt so forced to have it stopped for the sake of stories that happened a long while ago. It would have been better to have it before Unital started maybe, I don’t know.

[Tuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically this is the third short story volume but Kawahara considers it the second, which, is also correct considering it, like volume 8, includes stories that were collected in various places. It is nice of Kawahara to note in volume 22 that he decided to do this since buying the anime and other content is expensive for students and young adults. And, back to my initial point, this is the third short story volume, since volume 2 was also short stories that took place during the timeline of volume 1.

Regardless, this volume has four short stories that all please fans. Personally, I found the most enjoyable one to be the Rainbow Bridge one which focuses on more lore in ALfheim Online. While I hope that some day the mythology continues, volume 21 suggests to us that the Seed based worlds as we know them are no longer the same, so shrug, I do hope he returns to continuing the lore of the gods in ALO.

Additionally, another one I enjoyed was the second story where Kawahara explores the lasting trauma that our characters face. While Asuna and others appeared to be resilient and capable of moving on, Kirito, once again as he has always been show, faces strong mental turmoil over the connects he's made in the past. Indeed, in this story the tragedy he first face in SAO is back on the forefront of his mind and leads to a beautiful yet gut wrenching scene. I cried as I always do when the Moonlit Black Cats and Sachi are remembered.

The other stories are alright with probably Sister's Prayer being the more memorable one as it provides much needed backstory and character development for Yuuki and her sister.

The remaining story is largely there to provide development to Argo, the information broker, but she has had development in the movies and in Unital Ring, so its unclear that this contrived plot in this short story does her any favors.

Overall, it was a good volume.

[Niijishima · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost skipped this volume because it is just a collection of mini storys and irrelevant to the new Unital Ring arc but I'm gald I did not.

Those 4 storys are so sweet and heartwarming (or heartcrushing), there adding more to the characters than I expected. The first story is a cute Alice in Wonderland easter egg but the strength lies in Kiritos realization that his feelings for Asuna are genuine. As a big fan of this couple I had a big smile on my face at the end. The second story is a beautiful and bittersweet callback to Sachi and the Moonlit black cats where Kirito could finally make peace with their death. The third one might be the weakest one because it is just about a quest in ALO but I enjoys such SoL chapters where the characters just playing the game for once without a bigger plot around it.

And than there is the last story which crushed my heart way to many times and let me cry a bit at the end. Seeing Yuuki, her sister and Merida seeking for reasons in their short lifes full of suffering made me weak. Especially how Yuuki found her strength to keep going and forming the Sleeping Knights with her friends is just heartwearming. The reason why they found each other is so sad but in the end they can laugh and live together. It is a good reminder that although life can be devastating, there is not only one reason but others as well to keep going and smile, no matter how long life it will be.

[Nishes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive and Surreal

I am delighted that I read and finished this volume notwithstanding I was bit reluctant in the beginning since it was not coherent to the previous volume. In fact, it was side story albeit it was perfectly executed and written beautifully. Since I am huge Kirisuna fan, this chapter was blessing in disguised because I got to read 2 different chapters solely focused on their relationship. In retrospective, we went to Aincrad and explored how Kirito and Asuna got their home back there where they spent their wholesome time. It also gave the clear insight on how much Kirito loves Asuna and vice-versa. We also got to read about Sachi and it was heart drenching. There were also a continuation to the quest of Extra Editions movie prior to the 2nd season. Last but not least, we came to know about Yuki, her sister Ran and their friend Merida. It also tells about how Sleeping Knight was formed. To be honest, it was heart throbbing reading some of the last parts of Sisters prayers chapter where it was emulating their struggle regarding disease they were suffering or contracted allegedly.
To conclude, in spite of being incoherent to previous volume it was fantastic reading where emotion will drive you rollercoaster which can be related to both readers and of course characters.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sometimes comment that things in a series need to be judged on their own merits, but it is nigh unto impossible to ignore that they are in a series. Especially when that series starts a new section of story and then jumps right out of it. This book has a couple of problems.

1> This is a collection of stories that were bonuses for DVD and Blu-Ray releases. So not only is it not the continuation of Unital Ring, but it is stuff that was released already (granted, not to anywhere but Japan). Even so, to start Unital Ring and then drop this next... bad call. Since you were retconning stuff in -- at least make it part of the Progressive series.

2> The stories themselves -- oh sure, it's fun to see some of the characters again, but the retcon for buying the cabin, and even of Progressive was pretty lame. Honestly it gets 3-stars because "Sisters' Prayer". I liked some aspects of the other stories... but oh the retcon, you lose so much because of those, Kawahara-sensei.

I'm not sorry to have read it, but was hoping for something different and bothered by parts of it that attempt to put new information into the old stories. If you want Progressive to be what actually happened, then write more Progressive!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book bothers me enough that I have to vent a little here.
Four stories, none of them neccisary for story or background enrichment. The first one actually pissed me off enough to not fully finish it as it was just a spin off of wizard of oz. I forced myself to skim the second though it was pointless and made me want to hit my head off the wall. Finally I did enjoy the third one, I like reading about some of the quests in alfheim. Last story wasn't about anyone in the gang but someone who is gone now. It was a nice story, touching but still pointless with no insight to parts of the story so far.
Was it all well written, yes. Just disappointing and I can't wait to get back to where it has left off.

[Scott Mattson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was short story Collection so it did not continue from the previous volume. The stories were nice. Kirito and Asuna search for the perfect house in SAO. There is a odd quest in ALO involving norse gods. And the Birth of the sleeping knights.
The sleeping knights story was pretty good. The others were OK. Honestly you could skip this volume
since it does not add to the overall story. Not really a filler story more of a backfiller story.

[Wim Verlinde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm quite sad that it broke the Unital Ring hype that was building up in the previous book but this showcases some more touching side stories that occured adjacent to the main storyline.

I don't think you're missing out on anything if you skip this one to resume the Unital Ring arc but it was a nice little detour.

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

damn, that was heartbreaking, but with a cover like this what else could I expect? Moonlit Black Cats & Mother's Rosario fans, you have been warned.

[Merry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t know he wasted time writing this.

[Martina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Ian]

Read half of it. I didn't feel like reading the rest of the side stories.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why this kind of side stories being accumulated in the main volumes? 😅

[JoanTheSiren · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️