<p><strong>Accel World came first</strong>. According to their Wikipedia pages, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accel_World" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Accel World</a> light novel started in <strong>February 2009</strong> while <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sword Art Online</a> started in <strong>April 2009</strong>. If you are referring to anime release, then the same can also be said since Accel World anime started airing in <strong>April 2012</strong> while SAO anime started airing in <strong>July 2012</strong>. </p>

<p>As pointed out by @Memor-X, some people say that SAO came first but this most likely refers to <strong>the chronology of the events in both stories and not to the release order of light novels/anime</strong> because as mentioned <a href="https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/2470/are-sword-art-online-and-accel-world-related/2471#2471">here</a>, the events in SAO happened before the events in Accel World on the same universe/timeline. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T11:03:44.117Z
to answer why the OP is seeing people say SAO came first [we have an answer that probably explains why they are seeing that](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/2471/1587)
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T11:07:29.003Z
Oh okay. The question, however, should have mentioned this fact as it is phrased in a way that it seems like it is only asking for the release order of the light novels/anime, not the chronology of the events in the two light novels/anime. I'll edit my answer to include this info. Thanks :)
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T11:11:05.977Z
i think maybe the OP might not know, the question does say *"but it seems like many people saying SAO came first than accel world."* and story chronological order is the only way that explains why they would think that
Memor-X
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T23:44:22.270Z
You have the anime and light novel dates. Unfortunately you missed the fact SAO had a *much* earlier Web Novel.
TUSF
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-23T08:01:48.507Z
@TUSF A lot was changed from the web novels and light novels. If you look up the wiki, you can see the differences with each volume that were released as a web novel. From what I understand, the 'anime story' is based on the light novels (which is what the OP was referring to) and since there were changes (for me, there were a lot of changes) from the web novel, I don't think the anime story in SAO's adaptation was based on the original web novel release.
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-23T22:01:42.093Z
While that's true, I don't think that warrants completely ignoring the Web Novel's existence. Most of the changes from WN to LN are superficial anyways, given the overarching plot has remained mostly the same. All but a few changes are largely inconsequential, so I would say that SAO came first, because its entire plot was already written down and publicly available, before Accel World ever saw the light of day.
TUSF
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-24T02:24:07.417Z
I am not saying I am ignoring the web novel's existence. What I'm saying is that the light novels where the anime story is based upon is different than the web novels. In addition, the SAO pages of anime database sites say that the anime is based on the light novels. Also, I don't think that these changes were superficial, either. An example is in volume 1: http://swordartonline.wikia.com/wiki/Sword_Art_Online_Light_Novel_Volume_01#Adaptation_Notes 'All but a few changes are largely inconsequential' I don't think so since in the original web novel, players do not die immediately.
W. Are
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T10:58:34.663Z
2018-11-22T11:24:10.433Z
2018-11-22T11:24:10.433Z
W. Are
<p><strong>Sword Art Online</strong> was first. Kawahara originally wrote SAO in 2001 for a Dengeki Light novel contest, but due to exceeding the contest's page limit, he posted it online in 2002 under the pseudonym "Kunori Fumio". The story eventually concluded (with the Alicization arc) in 2008.</p>

<p>Afterwards, he decided to re-enter the same contest with what would later be called <strong>Accel World</strong>. His editor (Miki Kazuma) found out about SAO and decided to get that published as well.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-22T23:32:36.343Z
2018-11-22T23:32:36.343Z
TUSF
<p>I saw over the internet that <em>Accel World</em> came out sometime in 2009 and <em>Sword Art Online</em> came out around in 2013, but it seems like many people saying <em>SAO</em> came first than <em>Accel World</em>.</p>

<p>Which came first, <em>Accel World</em> or <em>Sword Art Online</em>?</p>

<sword-art-online><accel-world>
Which anime story came first, Accel World or Sword Art Online?
# Which anime story came first, Accel World or Sword Art Online?
Posted by: username_0 on 2018-11-22
I saw over the internet that *Accel World* came out sometime in 2009 and *Sword Art Online* came out around in 2013, but it seems like many people saying *SAO* came first than *Accel World*.

Which came first, *Accel World* or *Sword Art Online*?
**Tags:** sword-art-online accel-world
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## 2 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2018-11-22. Score: 5
**Accel World came first**. According to their Wikipedia pages, [Accel World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accel_World) light novel started in **February 2009** while [Sword Art Online](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sword_Art_Online) started in **April 2009**. If you are referring to anime release, then the same can also be said since Accel World anime started airing in **April 2012** while SAO anime started airing in **July 2012**.

As pointed out by @Memor-X, some people say that SAO came first but this most likely refers to **the chronology of the events in both stories and not to the release order of light novels/anime** because as mentioned [here](https://anime.stackexchange.com/questions/2470/are-sword-art-online-and-accel-world-related/2471#2471), the events in SAO happened before the events in Accel World on the same universe/timeline.
> **Comments:**
> **username_2** (2018-11-22): to answer why the OP is seeing people say SAO came first [we have an answer that probably explains why they are seeing that](https://anime.stackexchange.com/a/2471/1587)  
> **username_1** (2018-11-22): Oh okay. The question, however, should have mentioned this fact as it is phrased in a way that it seems like it is only asking for the release order of the light novels/anime, not the chronology of the events in the two light novels/anime. I'll edit my answer to include this info. Thanks :)  
> **username_2** (2018-11-22): i think maybe the OP might not know, the question does say *"but it seems like many people saying SAO came first than accel world."* and story chronological order is the only way that explains why they would think that  
> **username_3** (2018-11-22): You have the anime and light novel dates. Unfortunately you missed the fact SAO had a *much* earlier Web Novel.  
> **username_1** (2018-11-23): @TUSF A lot was changed from the web novels and light novels. If you look up the wiki, you can see the differences with each volume that were released as a web novel. From what I understand, the 'anime story' is based on the light novels (which is what the OP was referring to) and since there were changes (for me, there were a lot of changes) from the web novel, I don't think the anime story in SAO's adaptation was based on the original web novel release.  
> **username_3** (2018-11-23): While that's true, I don't think that warrants completely ignoring the Web Novel's existence. Most of the changes from WN to LN are superficial anyways, given the overarching plot has remained mostly the same. All but a few changes are largely inconsequential, so I would say that SAO came first, because its entire plot was already written down and publicly available, before Accel World ever saw the light of day.  
> **username_1** (2018-11-24): I am not saying I am ignoring the web novel's existence. What I'm saying is that the light novels where the anime story is based upon is different than the web novels. In addition, the SAO pages of anime database sites say that the anime is based on the light novels. Also, I don't think that these changes were superficial, either. An example is in volume 1: http://swordartonline.wikia.com/wiki/Sword_Art_Online_Light_Novel_Volume_01#Adaptation_Notes 'All but a few changes are largely inconsequential' I don't think so since in the original web novel, players do not die immediately.  
---
### Answer by username_3 on 2018-11-22. Score: 1
**Sword Art Online** was first. Kawahara originally wrote SAO in 2001 for a Dengeki Light novel contest, but due to exceeding the contest's page limit, he posted it online in 2002 under the pseudonym "Kunori Fumio". The story eventually concluded (with the Alicization arc) in 2008.

Afterwards, he decided to re-enter the same contest with what would later be called **Accel World**. His editor (Miki Kazuma) found out about SAO and decided to get that published as well.
---
