The hit light-novel series turned anime Sword Art Online features many tropes and ideas that fans have been craving to see done in anime form for a long time. While the "trapped in a videogame" formula has been done before with series like Tron and the film Spy Kids 3D, Sword Art Online takes it and finally adds the role-playing game fantasy aesthetic that so many have wanted.
However, when thinking of this anime series, the first thing that comes to anyone's mind has never been references. Not many are aware that Sword Art Online is full of tons of shout-outs to other media pieces. From videogames to films and other anime, Sword Art Online gives a bit of love to every corner of fiction from time to time throughout the series.
10 You Can't Go Without A Reference To Tron
Disney literally changed the game when they made one of the quintessential films of the 80s, Tron. This was one of the first media pieces to put the "trapped in a videogame" trope into the spotlight, especially on the level that this film took it to. The film is now a huge piece of '80s pop culture.
It's likely that this classic Disney film at least partly inspired Sword Art Online. The series makes this belief all the more likely, thanks to a small reference to Tron in the episode lead-ins that feature vector shading and wire-frame designs that allude to the old movie.
9 Arfa-Sys References A Popular Gundam Quote
One of the most popular Gundam series there is Mobile Fighter G Gundam. This series did things differently, feeling a lot more shonen than the rest, thanks to the protagonist and fights shown throughout the series. It also is the host to one of the most iconic quotes in Gundam and anime in general.
Domon Kasshu, the series protagonist quotes, "This hand of mine glows with an awesome power! Its roar tells me to defeat you! Take this! My love! My anger! And all of my sorrow! Erupting God FINGER!" when using his God Finger ability. In Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, the character Arfasys parodies this quote, saying, "This burning fist of mine is glowing red! It screams at me to destroy my enemies!"
8 A Reference To An Infamous Pokémon Episode
One Sword Art Online character, Kikuoka Seijirou, actually references a real-life event in one episode of Sword Art Online. He states that he watched an anime where one episode caused many around the country to suffer epilepsy.
For those unaware, what Kikuoka was referencing was a real-life event due to an infamous episode of Pokémon. This episode was called "Computer Warrior Porygon" and featured a scene with Pikachu using Thunderbolt to stop a missile that resulted in flashing strobe lights. These effects resulted in many suffering epilepsy.
7 The Series Uses Two Horror Movies To Explain
In Sword Art Online, the virtual reality massively multiplayer online game showcased throughout the series is called the Cardinal System. This system was developed by Kayaba Akihiko and is basically the mainframe of the game that everyone is stuck inside.
The Calibur Arc actually features two classic horror movie franchises when the character Yui explains the quest generation process of the Cardinal Systems. The horror films that get referenced via film clips are The Ring and Friday the 13th.
6 Every Anime Needs A Kamen Rider Reference
Many anime are absolutely no stranger to the classic reference to various tokusatsu series. In fact, tokusatsu series like Kamen Rider and Super Sentai are where many different anime tropes originated.
This, of course, makes it no surprise that a reference to the original Kamen Rider, Kamen Rider 1, shows up via his classic pose. In the first episode of the anime, when Klein tries to log out of Sword Art Online, he does the classic Kamen Rider's transformation/henshin pose.
5 Call Of Duty Is Referenced In A Common Build
The Gun Gale Online series added many different changes to the usual build of Sword Art Online, switching things up from the fantasy setting to the somewhat more familiar first-person shooter-based world.
In this series, there is a story of an American Gun Gale Online player named Gabriel "Subtilizer" Miller. This character won the first tournament in the game with the classic combination of a pistol and combat knife. The technique he used was quickly switching from shooting to knifing. This build and combat tactic refers to similar builds and techniques in the Call of Duty series.
4 One Sword References Star Wars
When Sinon and Kirito meet in the series during the "Phantom Bullet" arc, fans are introduced to the phonon sword. This sword made it obvious that not only the arc's title was a reference to Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace, but the sword was as well.
Upon seeing this sword and remembering Jedi's knack for deflecting blaster shots with their lightsabers, Kirito gets the idea to cut bullets. In the anime adaptation of this arc, the phonon sword even goes far enough to share sound effects with lightsabers. In the light novel original, Sinon also mentions that some phonon sword wielders and observers call them "lightsabers."
3 Skyrim Makes A Sneaky Appearance
A few green water bottles show up throughout the anime, starting with Episode five, when Asuna and Kirito eat during the murder investigation.
Upon closer investigation, it's easy to see that these water bottles are clear copies and references to the Alto Wine bottles from the hit role-playing game Skyrim.
2 Thundercats and Lionel Richie Get Referenced At The Same Time
No one would ever expect the leader of the Thundercats, Lion-O, and the singer, Lionel Richie, to get referenced at once and in an anime like Sword Art Online no less.
However, in episode eight of Phantom Bullet, a player enlisted in the BoB tournament named Lion King Richie. With the Japanese word for "king" "oh" sounding similar to el, it's easy to see how the name references Lionel Richie. The "oh" makes it a double reference to Lion-O of Thundercats.
1 A Reference To Berserk Enraged Some Fans
One of the staple easter eggs hidden within the Sword Art Online series actually is Kirito himself. Kirito is often called "The Black Swordsman" by hearing his tales and witnessing his skills.
This is due to his black hair, black attire, and his sword being black. This all comes together, and the title to be a big reference to the "Black Swordsman" of the Berserk series, Guts.
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