ソードアート・オンライン 5: ファントム・バレット [Sōdo āto onrain 5: Fantomu Baretto]

Sword Art Online #5

by Reki Kawahara

　《SAO》 事件から一年が経った。
　ある日。キリトは、総務省 《仮想課》 の菊岡誠二郎から奇妙な依頼を受ける。
　銃と鋼鉄のVRMMO 《ガンゲイル・オンライン》 で突如発生した怪現象 《死銃》 事件。漆黒の銃を持つ謎のアバターに撃たれたプレイヤーは、実際に現実世界でも 《死》 に至る……。
　その不気味な事件の捜査を断り切れなかったキリトは、《仮想世界》 が 《現実世界》 へ物理的に影響を及ぼすことに疑いを抱きつつも、《GGO》 へとログインする。
　《死銃》 の手懸かりを掴むべく、不慣れなゲーム内を彷徨うキリト。そんな彼に救いの手をさしのべたのは、長大なライフル 《へカートII》 を愛用するスナイパーの少女・シノンだった。
　彼女の力を借りたキリトは、自らが 《死銃》 のターゲットとなるべく、全ガンナーの頂点たる対人トーナメント 《バレットオブバレッツ》 に挑む……!!
　新エピソード突入！

Genres: Light Novel, Fantasy, Manga, Science Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, Japanese Literature

297 pages, Paperback

First published August 10, 2010

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

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars, just too much technical gun information for my taste. I much prefer the Aincrad or ALF setting, hope book 7 gets us back there.

[GiGi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, so that's the formula. Enter a new virtual world in which crimes have a real-life effect, flirt with a girl he can't be with while his gf waits at home. Girl falls for him then is embarrassed when his identity is finally revealed. Oh and we save the world again but who's really paying attention?

[Hud-c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sword Art Online - Phantom Bullet (Volume 5) has the same setting as the last four volumes - that is the virtual world. Compare to the previous volumes, SAO Vol 5 seems more darker. The story starts with the mysterious death of a player - who dies in the real world after being disconnected in the VMMORPG - Gun Gale Online or GGO for short. A mysterious player of GGO proclaimed that he has the power to kill people in the game and directly in the real world.

SAO Vol 5 has a nice plot. As I said it differs a lot to the other previous volumes; it emits this inexplicable allure - a thrilling death mystery and the quest to solve that mystery. Other than that, the newly introduced heroine - Sinon (GGO)/ Asada Shino (real world) has a queer personality. Compare to Asuna and Suguha, Shino's character/personality is more dynamic (not in a cheerful defining way) but there's a kind of attractive pull I've always experience with characters that are strange, gloomy or broken within; and Sinon exudes such imagery. Moreover, the chemistry she built with Kirito is riveting. (No romance in here). Two people who have a troubled past and trying to cope with their present dilemma and own pain, I have such weakness for that kind of element used in a story. Besides those praises, what I found out as a defect in the plot is that the shrouded mystery wasn't really pursue in a grander feat. Kawahara-san could have exploited that angle more - well, if that's the case, then more deaths would occur, yet he chose to focus on Sinon and Kirito's predicament. That's only my opinion. It could have been better that way, which actually IMHO again, that could turn out like a Deathnote kind of story.

Finally, Asuna isn't here. What's wrong with the world of SAO?

Despite everything, the plot + character + flow of story (those action scenes) this equals to a 3.75 star.

[Jo Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short novel, compared to the rest. It spans a long meeting, a date with Asuna, a few snatches of Shino IRL and then the first rounds of BoB. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the gun scenes. I already knew I'd love Shino's storyline from the anime, but I was pleasantly surprised with the gunning.

What I didn't like:

How little we get to see Asuna. I'm hoping by the size of the next book we get to see more of her. I understand Kirito's reasons for not wanting her in the game, but I still missed her. It was nice to see a scene between them at the beginning of the novel to remind readers of their relationship, and I guess due to the time span of the novel there wasn't anywhere else she could slot in. The story is definitely "to be continued..." in Phantom Bullet 006.

What I liked:

Sinon doesn't go bananas for Kirito. I really liked that she was super open to helping Kirito because she thought he was a girl. It wasn't because she was in love with him like Leafa or Lizbeth. In a series where there are a million female characters introduced to one male, it was amazing to have Sinon thrown into the mix. She already has a boyfriend lined up for when she gets over her personal issues, and it's not Kirito. Kirito as usual gets into her personal space, but that's just his personality, and it was great to see a girl not respond to it with romance.

Shino's backstory. I LOVED it. It's super unique and pulls on my heartstrings.

Overall:

I don't have much else to say. This book felt super short and not much happened overall (especially when you think about Aincrad 001 and how much that spanned). It was an enjoyable read. Nothing particularly wow about it, but I wasn't bored at all. I'm quite looking forward to the next installment - and of course hoping to see more of Asuna! :)

[Khari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one probably the most so far.

Kirito is turning into a little snot and it's great. I like his jokes and his humor. Probably only because I am not the butt of them.

This isn't really a novel though, it's more like the introductory chapter of the next big story arc. It was interesting to hear more about Shion. The anime didn't express her thoughts so it was good to see the details in her.

I think maybe that was one of the reasons that I likes this book so much. It's interesting to see the struggle for strength. I thought one of the most powerful moments was when she told some girls who were bullying her 'no'. It takes a lot of strength to do that. It's interesting to see into her mind. Even though she obviously has moral fortitude, she doesn't see it herself but is constantly searching for more. The other people around her look up to her and are impressed by her strength but she doesn't see that either. It reminds me of how blind we are to how other people see us.

[Danyka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the manga, and it's anime.

I actually read the manga, and watched it's anime. Both are awesome.

[Stephanie Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me minute to get into this installment. GGO is not my favorite part of SAO. But it was really nice to have more perspective from the characters as compared to the show.

[Cat Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhalt:
Kazuto Kirigaya, besser bekannt als Kirito, wird von Seijirou Kikuoka, einem Staatsbeamten der Abteilung für Virtuelles, beauftragt, sich in das VRMMORPG „Gun Gale Online“ einzuloggen und etwas über einen mysteriösen Spieler Namens Death Gun herauszufinden und der Ursache zweiter Todesfälle in der wirklichen Welt, die möglicherweise mit Death Gun zu tun haben, auf den Grund zu gehen.
Für Kirito ist es das erste Mal, dass er ein Shooter-Game spielt und so braucht er anfangs ein wenig Hilfe, um sich zurechtzufinden. Doch er begegnet der talentierten Scharfschützin Sinon, die ebenfalls ein schweres Päckchen zu tragen hat.

Fazit:
Im fünften Band der Sword Art Online-Reihe von Reki Kawahara beginnt der „Phantom Bullet“-ARC, der sich gänzlich um das VRMMORPGs „Gun Gale Online“ dreht.
Kirito taucht erstmals in die Welt der Shooter-Games ein, in dem PvP-Kämpfe Alltag sind. Als SAO-Überlebender kommen somit viele Erinnerungen hoch und er muss sich in diesem Band erstmals so richtig den Geschehnissen der Vergangenheit stellen, die doch tiefere Wunden gerissen haben, als zunächst angenommen. Unterstützt wird er in diesem Spiel von Sinon, einer talentierten Spielerin, die im wahren Leben Shino Asada heißt und ebenfalls Geheimnisse hat, die sie schwer belasten.
Dieser Einblick in die Gefühlswelten beider Charaktere haben mir sehr, sehr gut gefallen, zumal sie die Dramatik der Vergangenheit noch einmal detailliert durchleben und dem Leser so die Möglichkeit geben, besser zu verstehen, was in ihnen vorgeht.
Und genau das weiß ich an den SAO-Light Novels so sehr zu schätzen: Sie sind gut durchdacht, immerzu spannend und eröffnen Abgründe des menschlichen Seins. Seien es nun die Guten oder die Bösen, die Starken oder die Schwachen.
Auch wenn Reki Kawahara im Nachwort zugibt, dass er eigentlich absolut keine Ahnung von Schusswaffen und deren Gebrauch hat und wohl jeder Kenner über seine Texte den Kopf schütteln würde, ist es ihm durchaus gelungen, dass ich immer wieder dachte: „Wow, der weiß, wovon er redet!“ Naja… dann ist dem halt nicht so… Egal! 😀 Mich hat er zumindest vollends überzeugt!
Zwar hatte der Band auch seine kleinen Längen, jedoch liegt das allein daran, dass ich den GGO-Arc im Anime nicht sonderlich gerne mochte (Sinon hingegen schon – ihre Beziehung zu Kirito ist einfach toll!), weil ich generell kein Fan von Shootern bin. Trotzdem ist die laufende Hintergrundgeschichte unheimlich spannend und hat mir beim Lesen viel Spaß bereitet.

[Edwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

this light novel has a lot of action. Gun Gale Online (GGO) revolves around Kirito and a new character named Shino. Unlike in Sword Art Online (SAO) and ALFehiem Online, GGO uses guns instead of swords. It all starts one day in the virtual world when one player who calls himself DeathGun, points at a tv and shoots the person in broadcasting, and the person gets disconnected. Later the come to find the player in the real world dead. Since Kirito has played SAO, also know as the deadly game, the people are investigating this case ask for his help. He decides to help out and goes into GGO. when he enters the game, he notices that his character looked feminine, and tricked the people around him by his looks. thats when he meets Shino, who offers help since she know he was lost. of course she didn't know Kirito was a guy, and thats how the two meet. later the enter a competition that gives you real life money to the winner, but kkirito entered to find the one who has been killing people threw the game.

personally i enjoed this novel. even tho it is a bit slow in the begining , it gets really interesting in the middle. iIts dull in the begining becausse its trying to explain the new characters backkstory, but when thats done BAMM it gets good.i was only planninng to read a chapter a day but i ended up staying up reading... i regret nothing. its also awsome that the author was still aable to put the characters from the other novels innto this one, Asuna was one of them that i didnt expect to come out.

i recommend this book ONLY if you have read or watched the first 4. its is important to understand this especially the first two because it has to do with a dark guild named "the laughing coffin". also there is a part two to GGO so get ready to read. this book shows how a person you just met can change your life and also that even if you tried forgetting the past, it will always find its way back to you.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another novel (part 1 of 2), another VR-MMO game, another death-threat crossing over into reality! Phantom Bullet brings back what made Aincrad so damn good - IRL threat to players, female lead who's too busy to get boxed into damsel or 'love interest'/crush category. (The illustrations were just 'meh'. The cute~moe style doesn't quite work for the setting)

This time the game at the center of the plot is Gun Gale Online - a sorta post-apocalypse FPS PvP ...thing [insert your own Halo/CoD/Borderlands joke here] Can we take a moment to appreciate the hilariously bad irony of GGO being a PvP gun-nuts American game where the more cold-blooded the player (AmuSphere's vitals feedback) the better their aim/accuracy?

Kirito is back to play this new game (transferring over his ALO rebooted stats, and bringing a freaking sword LIGHTSABER to a gun fight), crazy things happen and we get a new girl chara. Who comes from the school of "lets self-medicate my horrible trauma from the past by playing a game FULL OF MY TRIGGERS" (sorry, bad pun is bad)

[Gabriel Martinez Zaldivar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sword Art Online phantom bullet is a light novel by Reki Kawahara. This book talk about the virtual game Gun Galaxy Online ( GGO) where happened a crime. Death Gun, a stranger player, who killed a player into de game and this player died in the real world. Now Kirito a survivor of the bloody virtual game Sword Art Online is responsible to investigate this case, but it came into trouble when log in into the game because his avatar look feminine. He knew Sinon the sniper who helps him. He enters Bullet of Bullets tournament where saw to Death Gun and remembered that he was in Sword Art Online too like him. I think that this book is interesting for all those people who love fiction stories and Manga. Also could be a futuristic vision of the world in some years, showing how the technology develop with the years.

[Aja: The Narcoleptic Ninja · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you survived Fairy Dance then Gun Gale is your reward. First of all, there's actually something at stake again. It's not an all around death game like Sword Art Online, but it's not like Fairy Dance with no risk either. There is one single player who has the ability to kill people and it's Kirito's job to find this person.

Then, thankfully, there are interesting characters again. Sinon has an interesting history and maybe (hopefully) won't be joining Kirito's harem of girls who have a crush on him. She's a good female protagonist and I'm enjoying reading about her whereas chapters about Suguha in the last two books were a serious grind to get through.

[Ryan Kasyfil · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was more 'gaming' than the previous fourth. It was also logical, except for the reason of the could killed the players in real world when killed them in virtual world. of course the explanation was untold yet.

however, the storyline was slow, so I got bored in the beginning of the story, I mean about 100 pages without "real battle" is too boring for me. Nevertheless. the battle between kirito and sinon was exciting though sinon's.reason for fighting kirito was too exaggerate.

I love this novel's series, but I think ALO is much better than GGO

[Magus Tor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the translated version. Was very good, Kirito facing his past, with Shinon learning to cope with her own demon by seeking strength to overcome it.

[kerrycat · Rating 5 out of 5]

and with non-specific unnamed references to both Pokemon and Star Wars, along with super romantic Kirito/Asuna moments at the beginning - what's not to love?

[Callum Forsyth · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it deviates slightly from the well-established messy mould that is Sword Art Online, Kawahara makes little effort to correct the complications that have plagued the previous volumes, and has only reinforced the sexist undertones of his work whilst adding manipulation to his repertoire.

My last review of a Sword Art Online volume was rather flippant, and for good reason in my opinion. Fairy Dance is plagued by blatant sexism, poor characterisation and a lack of true meaningful direction in its narrative. So how does the Phantom Bullet arc, or at least the first part of it, compare to the steaming dumpster fire that was the previous arc? Simply put: it's better, but not by much.

It's a slight twist off of the beaten track for Phantom Bullet which focuses on a murder-mystery of sorts set in a new VRMMORPG: Gun Gale Online. Think Call of Duty meets a World of Warcraft/Warframe hybrid and you've got it. Kirito is tasked by a government agent (of course he is...) to discover the truth behind a string of murders related to the game allegedly committed by a player who goes by the name 'Death Gun'.

I'm going to highlight what I think was the shining point of this book, and the reason why I gave it two stars, first: the character of Shino Asada, who goes by the gaming handle Sinon in GGO (Gun Gale Online.) Shino delivers to the story what actually feels like a meaningful subplot. Shino’s trauma in regards to the childhood shooting has a profound impact on her reasoning behind wanting to be the best player in GGO, which actually makes Kirito's reasoning behind wanting to be the best player look weak by comparison.

The trouble, and perhaps the inherent problem with this novel (or series, take your pick) is that any female character, Shino Asada in particular, is undermined at any given point. Whether it's a nurse character introduced in a scene purely to make a reference to raunch culture or the constant reference to femininity in a character, females in the SAO universe are clearly meant to be purely objects of the male gaze. Shino makes very clear (to the reader) that she dislikes her in-game avatar and the attention it draws from male players, but this is completely offset by how much Kawahara focuses on her physical appeal. There's even an illustration later in the novel of Sinon in her underwear.

This, of course, ties quite nicely into why I have discovered new depths to the hatred I harbour for the character of Kirito (Kirigaya Kazuto.) To say that Kirito has a god complex is putting things mildly ("As Kirito, the man who prematurely ended the Aincrad time line and unleashed The Seed upon the world, I didn't have any other choice in the matter.") but this novel explores a darker, more predatory nature to Kirito, which ironically synchronises with the predatory nature of Death Gun.

As Kirito converts his character data over to GGO, he is given a feminine-looking avatar. This is immediately focused upon in a brief exchange with a male player who mistakes him for a woman. When Kirito happens upon Sinon, she too mistakes him for a female player. What clearly sets these two exchanges apart is how Kirito reveals to the male player that he is a male, but refrains from giving this information to Sinon, who then opts to help him get some equipment and get started in GGO. It isn't until after Sinon has helped him get equipment and enter the tournament, and stripped down in front of him in a Kawahara-obligatory female character diminishing scene, that Kirito reveals the truth of his sex, which prompts an understandably furious reaction from Sinon.

As if this were bad enough, Kirito then tries to reason (to the reader) that he was in the right, claiming that he "hadn't identified himself as a woman, nor had [I] used any specifically female speech." Kawahara then has the audacity to have Sinon come to a belief (again, to the reader) that she was partially to blame. Kirito intentionally used Sinon's misunderstanding about his sex to his advantage and didn't reveal the truth until they were in a particularly compromising situation; he manipulated her, and is entirely to blame for his actions.

I've refrained from touching upon the Mary Sue nature of Kirito that continues to expand in this novel because, in comparison to the heavy sexist nature of the story, it really takes second place to the problems plaguing the novel. Kawahara once again demonstrates inability: this time to ensure a well-crafted character remains compelling. His predatory, sexist nature is the blood to the beating heart of both Kirito and Sword Art Online, and it is but one of the many problems that prevents the SAO series from gaining any true credence as a compelling story.

[Noel Thingvall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been a few years since I read the last arc, but had no problem settling back in. Gun Gale Online is an interesting new setting, and I like the biting world-building of an American game all about gun culture and machismo, that's unwelcoming to female players, and is built on pure capitalism and gambling. It's such a rich concept that I hope we get to explore it deeper. I also like the character of Sinon, and the exploration that while violent games can be an outlet for the nastier tendencies of some, they can also be a way for others to explore and confront their past psychological trauma in a way to hopefully move past it. Her backstory wasn't what I expected, and was very compelling when it was revealed. The battle sequences are well staged, and it does a great job of getting into the mechanics of both the world and the mystery. That said, you could cut Kirito out of this and I think it would be a much stronger story. His technique continues to be magically convenient in how easily he overcomes anything he faces, while also stumbling into characters and clues to his mysteries by pure luck. The whole Death Gun setup just isn't that compelling, and I wish the mystery built more on the capitalism aspect of the game and how it's an unending funnel of player funds. The cut off for the next volume is also abrupt and leaves this book completely lacking in any form of a singular arc, and Kawahara still falls into lolicon and moe fanservice tropes that feel more shoehorned in for sales than natural parts of the characters or story. There's even some pretty gross absolutes about gender that come up in the gaming politics of his world, which feel very narrow and dismissive when this collection of virtual societies is such a rich setting in which that could be explored. He even has odd gender play and jokes made at the expense of Kirito's new avatar which don't even make any sense aside from playing out more misgendering tropes.

[Tuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phantom Bullet continues the tradition of SAO switching up VRMMOs every two volumes. Instead of using classical fantasy worlds instead we use classical sci-fi worlds, one that is post-apocalyptic with a world ravaged by war and a base established by humans who returned to this post war world. Mostly filled with men soldiers, females are uncommon. Once such female, Sinon, serves are our resident girl trying to rise to the top among all the men. At the core of her being lies a vulnerable heart still afflicted by a traumatic experience involving guns. With real world therapy failing her, she takes it into her own hands—trying to get over this fear by confronting it via a videogame.

Kirito, on the other hand, used to his classical worlds has little to no interest in using guns yet has too as he investigates a player that when they kill someone in game they are killed in real life. This utilization of guns results in him infiltrating this world, befriending Sinon, and facing Death Gun himself.

I found the setup and execution to be intriguing and compelling. After getting through the first 50 or so pages, the volume became quite a page turning. Simply seeing Kirito wield a beam saber, as he does on the cover, make it work in this world of guns is something else. Beyond that, Sinon is a refreshingly well written character that just leaves you wondering how she will handle dealing with Kirito as well as her own issues.

It is a shame, however, that some side characters, like Shinkawa, are upstaged and pushed aside when Kirito is involved. How girls are simply enamored by Kirito instead of the dudes that legit have crushes on them, even confessing to them, is beyond me…jk, I think Kawahara just likes having everyone vying for his affection.

Overall, like the volume, and, for people who watched the anime, in my opinion, it feels like the emotional storytelling is stronger here than there.

[Jacob · Rating 5 out of 5]

V.5 of Sword Art Online's light novel series covers the first half of the Phantom Bullet arc. Set in a grim, gun-based shooter MMO, the tone is quite different from the prior SAO stories.

Kirito, feeling he owes a certain debt to the man who coordinated his post SAO recovery (and helped him find Asuna's IRL location), agrees to help him investigate a new problem: A Gun Gale Online player who appears to be able to kill people by shooting them in-game. Neither Kirito nor his "boss" can conceive of how such an awful thing could be pulled off, but Kirito agrees to touch base with the character and see what he can figure out. This leads him into a game unlike anything he's played before, where his path to this player leads through a major Battle Royale tournament. Can Kirito's gaming skills translate to the world of guns? Can he survive long enough to procure the information needed to see if these real life deaths have an in-game cause?

Author Reki Kawahara is really clever here, able to translate the core ideas of Sword Art Online into a new context without feeling like a retread. I'm not sure how many scenarios she can construct around dying in-game before they start to feel stale, but at least this arc holds up very well.

The half of the arc covered by v.5 is my favorite part of the Gun Gale Online saga: Kirito's introduction to the game, his meeting of Shino and how she gives him a crash course to the game, his first encounter with the so-called Death Gun, and the preliminary stages of the tournament. It's very good, and while the near absence of already established characters (Asuna, of course, as well as his sister) is a drag, the context for their absence makes sense.

[Payton Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little late, but I’ve been busy. Sword Art Online Volume 5 kicks off the Phantom Bullet Arc. It was always one of my favorite arcs in the anime, so I like it just as much here. About 3/4ths of the story take place in a newly introduced VRMMO called Gun Gale Online, which is a dramatic departure from the swords and fantasy that we’re used to seeing from this series. GGO is all about guns obviously, and takes place in a barren wasteland. There is an annual battle royals tournament (written before those were cool btw) called the Bullet of Bullets, and the prelims are the center of this book. The first section focuses on introducing us to Shinzo Asada/Sinon, and she’s probably my favorite thus far (aside from Asuna). She’s playing GGO to overcome trauma from her past. It’s a very interesting character dynamic as she passes between her real self and her virtual world counterpart. Kirito is obviously here too and is still kicking butt. The overarching story for this arc is, like the previous two arcs, something in the virtual world having an affect on reality. In this case, there’s a player going around who is able to kill players in real life by shooting them in the game. Tensions are high, and we still don’t know much. Well, onto the next book! I just realized that Sword Art Online is effectively my first light novel series ever, let’s hope this turns into a long relationship!

[Jesus Sanchez Ramirez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Si volviera a tener 12 años le hubiera puesto 5 estrellas porque era bien otaku haha.
Kirito la verdad es un protagonista que todo lo puede y aunque parezca que fallará muy rara vez lo hace.
No diré que es horrible porque al menos se le intenta dar un giro a la formula con el nuevo juego, pero eso de hacer a kirito siempre especial cansa y ha cansado desde las novelas anteriores y cansó en la serie.
Hacer a kirito mujer solo sirve para cumplir con el fanservice a los lectores, pues solo genera situaciones donde la gente o se quiere ligar a kirito o kirirto casi ve desnuda a tal o cual perosnaje. Considero que sinon fue lo mejor que le pude pasar a la novela púes robarle un poco de protagonismo a kirito es muy bien agradecido aunque tampoco e sel personaje perfecto y termina cayendo en la garras de ser solo otra kirito girl.
En fin, la verdad no vale la pena leer esto, vean la serie hay algunas cosas mejore en la novela pero no vale la pena leerla solo por esos pequeños detalles.
Una lectura solo para otakus y no tiene nada de malo si lo eres y te gustó, solo que tal vez se exagera al llamar a su franquicia la novela ligera de la epoca.

Sinon real world best waifu

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit that Phantom bullet is not my favorite of the story arcs so far. I'm just too much a fantasy girl, and while I am not unfamiliar with guns I am not such an enthusiast that I understand what types of guns they are referring to and cannot tell if the author did his research effectively. But I still can't help giving one of my favorite light novels/anime 5 stars. It was fun to get another gaming world based on FPS games, and the setting and new characters well described. I like Sinon as another character and the light novel gives her a compelling backstory and inner dialog. This installment also deals more with inner strength and a slight mystery which gives it a slightly different feel than the previous novels. Continue to enjoy Kirito as our main character, he still has his wit and sarcasm intact even in a whole new world.

[Daulat Rachmanto · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this is a new game called Gun Gale Online (GGO).
If you have read the previous 4 volumes or you maybe have watched the 1st season of the Anime, and get used to 'sword story'. Well, you'll find something really new in this volume, cuz basically it's about Gun (just like the game name).
The story is good, really good for me.

But, if you have watched the 2nd season of the Anime (which is took the story of the 5th and 6th volume of the Novel), and you feel the Anime is good, or you feel the Anime is (Of Course) not satisfying, you really need to read the Novel. Cuz i really enjoy this volume (and 6th volume too) but when i watched the Anime, well Tldr, it's not that good.
So i really recommend you to read this volume cuz it's soo better than the Anime :)

[Colby · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This might be a game, but it isn't meant to be played." -[Sword Art Online] Programmer: Kayaba Akihiko. The Sword Art Online series is a ten-volume collection written by Reki Kawahara with Phantom Bullet Part 1 being the fifth installment of the series. This volume was originally written in Japanese and later translated by Black Cats of the Full Moon.The story is set in in the year 2022 and onward as mankind has finally become advanced enough to create the first, full-dive, virtual reality game know as "Sword Art Online" (SAO). Upon entering the game, the 10,000 players notice the disappearance of the main menu's logout button and later discover that in order to leave the game, they must defeat the boss who awaits on the one-hundredth floor. The challenge however, is the fact that once one's character dies in the virtual world, so do they. The story of Phantom Bullet takes place three years after the "SAO incident" with the emergence of a new-virtual-reality-massive-multiplayer-online-role-playing-game (VRMMORPG) knows as "Gun Gale Online." This world features many real-world and fictionalized guns, as well as light saber type weapons, in which the players can select from; this, in contrast, to "the world of swords and magic" wherein the first four volumes take place. However, a rumor has gone around concerning the existence of a player known as "DeathGun" who possesses the ability to kill people in the real world from the virtual one. Therefore, the technological department of the government must call in a strong player to dive into the game and win the upcoming event known as "The Bullet of Bullets" in order attract DeathGun's attention and confirm this rumored ability. Who they call in is none other than our hero Kirito, who later teams up with this volume's main heroine Sinon in a pursuit to win The Bullet of Bullets competition.

After thoroughly enjoying the previous stories of Sword Art Online and Alfheim Online (ALO), I had high expectations for this particular volume. As foreseen, it definitely did not disappoint. It was exceedingly entertaining while still providing much food-for-thought and many lessons to be learned. Comparatively, ALO did not do as well in this department for one important reason; the special ingredient found within the intense formula of SAO was, unfortunately, omitted. This aspect of the storyline was an overarching principle of death wherein the characters had to actually risk the one life they had in order to progress toward their goals. Reki Kawahara made a wise decision in bringing back this plot device as it made the character's feelings and desires feel more "real." Kirito must become strong enough within the game to attract DeathGun's attention, however he must also avoid becoming a prime target to this mystery killer or else it is "game over." This creates conflict within our hero's mind and he goes about completing his mission in more interesting ways. This significantly contrasts the charge in head first, take a bunch of hits, die, then respawn tactic as used in ALO. Making "Gun Gale Online" another "death game" really helped in conveying a lot of the protagonists personal philosophies and principles. Phantom Bullet explores issues such as the effect excessively immersing oneself within the virtual world has on the real-world person. Through the character of Kirito, the book then proceeds to offer a solution to the conflict individuals have of converging their virtual-world habits and judgments with their real-world actions. It was this aspect of the book that I particularly enjoyed. For this reason also I am compelled to say that Reki Kawahara really knew his audience when writing these books. Being an avid MMO gamer himself, it is said that the character of Kirito is created to represent the noble, number-one-player that all middle-classed gamers aspire to be. Whether you are a gamer yourself or not, the image of Kirito can surely be applied to any sort of competitive activity, overall, making this character a memorable and loved persona. However, this affection developed for characters is undesirably limited. With Sinon as the only other prominent character within this particular volume, the story really only provides two individuals to care about. Normally, this would not be an issue due to the fact that the story provided by this duo is enough to make up for a lack of a bigger cast. However, a problem arises where the reader cannot decipher who's perspective the story is being told from at a given time. Collectively, the story is comprised of four, first person perspectives; one, belonging to a character who is only present for a short time, and the other point of view belonging to DeathGun himself which serves to open the story. Upon looking back on Phantom Bullet it is fully apparent that the latter two perspectives mentioned are unnecessary. There also lies a few hic-ups within the translation of the story, however this is to be expected from any given, foreign book and it is, by no means, overwhelming or hindering to the presentation.

Despite its flaws, Phantom Bullet is a fantastic read. It explores issues that are not as touched upon as they should be and caters to the audience it was intended for in an extraordinary way. The story will leave you with a great love for its characters and a desire for more. Sword Art Online, Volume 5: Phantom Bullet part 1 receives an overall recommendation from me and a personal guarantee of entertainment.

[Bill Blume · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having already watched the anime of this story’s arc, the book doesn’t hold any surprises within the plot, but I enjoy the extra insight the book provides.

I love how Reki Kawahara builds real life stakes into a virtual reality game. The original “Aincrad” arc did this better than any other I’ve seen. Can’t say I was crazy about “Fairy Dance,” which is why I’ve skipped those books.

My only gripe here is that an inordinate amount of time is spent telling Sinon’s backstory. This got a tad “info-dumpy.”

Overall, this is a fun book, and I’m looking forward to reading the next book.

[Rick Castle · Rating 4 out of 5]

SAO volume 5 covers the first part of the Phantom Bullet arc. What makes SAO strong in my opinion is the tension you feel where death in the game means death in real life. Phantom Bullet brings this tension back in a spectacular way when a new player in the VRMMO Gun Gale Online manages to kill two people. Kirito is send on an investigation which turns out to be closely connected with his time in Aincrad. Sinon is a wonderful new protagonist and volume 5 manages to show a new side of Kirito. Reki Kawahara's writing style is as good as always. Definitely a great start to a new story arc!

[Jäger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is everything I love in a good book and more.

I know for some people, the technical details on the guns aren’t their cup of tea, which is fine. However, as a competitive shooter who dabbles in long range shooting from time to time, I thought it was the greatest thing ever. I love the attention given to Sinon, she is a well written character and one I was wholeheartedly rooting for through the entire duration of the book. (Kiroto is cool too… lol.) This is the best book I’ve read in a long time.

[emily_oriley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saving most of the review for when I finish volume six but same issue I had with Fairyland: not enough Kirito POV. However, I didn’t hate hanging out with Sinon so it wasn’t as bad as before. Though it takes practically half the book before we get to the actual heart of the matter (ie Kirito in GGO). Other than that, it’s a good story so far.

[Heather Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of the anime I'm greatly enjoying experiencing the story all over again in a new format. I think this was a great addition to the series. I especially love the characterization of Sinon and the various (and varied) interactions between her and Kirito in this volume. Heading right into volume 7 to see the end of the arc playing out.

[Peter Marendeak · Rating 3 out of 5]

Az alapsztori lezárását követően arra számítottam, hogy a folytatás bele lesz erőltetve az univerzumba, de pozitív meglepetés ért. A szerző továbbra is jól ír, az új karakterek is rendben vannak. Sőt, ebben most azt érzem, bőven van még tartalomra lehetőség. Nem is tudom, hogy fogja lezárni ezt a szálat a következő kötetben, mikor még éppen csak felvezette.