Unboxing [US]: Sword Art Online - Box Set 1: Aincrad Part 1: Limited Edition (Blu-ray)

What turned into doubt ended up being probably one of the luckiest pickups I have ever done.

Here's an overview/unboxing for the reprint version of the first of four limited edition boxsets from Aniplex of America for Sword Art Online Season 1.

What can I say about Sword Art Online. It's one of the most hyped anime shows out there with a very big split in the fanbase. I personally enjoyed the series and do acknowledge the flaws that have been pointed out in this anime adaptation like the time-skip (it's not really a spoiler it's blatantly shown within the first few episodes) which was actually there in the light novels. In fact quite a lot of complaints with regards to Aincrad was the different events that were going on, this is actually due to the fact that the anime has placed the story in chronological order. Note that the Aincrad arc was adapted from two volumes of the light novel.

This very expensive and now soon to be out of print limited edition set from Aniplex of America contains the first half of Sword Art Online's Aincrad arc which covers episodes 1 to 7. Note that due to the early release (which is unusual for a lot of English releases) the sets had to be split into multiple parts and as such were given special treatment to make up for the price tag.

The set also provides the first original soundtrack, chipboard artbox, postcards, booklet and on-disc extras including the Sword Art Offline specials and Audio Commentary. Like all Aniplex of America sets, the Blu-ray is region free and contains unlockable subtitles. The audio for this set contains the original Japanese language and an English dub.

Another thing to point out is the audio track for the English audio, like Fate/Zero the content was too big and given Aniplex likes to prioritise on the Japanese part of the discs the English audio had to be reduced to Dolby Digital 2.0. This may be disappointing for many but it's better than not having a dub if you think about it.

Blu-ray Specs (Main Feature):

Languages: Japanese, English

Audio: LPCM 2.0 [Japanese], Dolby Digital 2.0 [English]

Video: 1080p HD Native 16:9

Region: A, B, C

Subtitles: English & Spanish [Japanese language]

Subtitles Locked: No

Discs: 2

Plot Synopsis (via Back cover):

In the year 2022, next-generation game Sword Art Online (SAO) is the world's first true VRMMORPG. A virtual reality helmet known as "Nerve Gear" has been developed, making Full Dives into a virtual dimension possible.

SAO has generated worldwide buzz, and on its official launch day, one player, Kirito, immerses himself in its virtual world. But Akihiko Kayaba, the developer of SAO, proclaims the following to all players. "This game is inescapable unless all levels are cleared. And in this world, 'Game Over' is equivalent to death in the real world."

Extra Content:

Chipboard Limited Edition Artbox

Original Soundtrack 1 from Yuki Kajiura

16-page Deluxe Illustration Booklet

Set of Pin-up Illustration Postcards

Aniplex 'Proof of Purchase' card

Audio Comnentary by Creators and Japanese Cast

Special Animation 'Sword Art Offline'

Original Web Previews

Trailer

1st Season Textless Opening

Sword Art Online is pretty much no longer available as a Limited Edition Blu-ray set from Aniplex of America (unless they release a standard set). The DVD version is still available. For other territories the Blu-ray and DVD are available from Manga UK and Madman.