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Gempak Starz Licenses Sword Art Online Manga Adaptations, Spinoffs

Malaysian publisher Gempak Starz announced on Wednesday that it has licensed Tamako Nakamura's Sword Art Online: Aincrad manga. Gempak Starz also revealed that it has the license to all Sword Art Online manga. The company will release the first volume Sword Art Online: Aincrad this month in both Malaysian and English language versions.

Nakamura's manga adapts the first story arc of Reki Kawahara's original light novel, which focuses on the titular Sword Art Online massive online multiplayer role-playing game. Using NerveGear that allow players to control and experience the game neurally, players explore the game's world of Aincrad. When the game's creator traps players all over the world in the game using the NerveGear and threatens their lives, Kirito, a beta tester of the game, must use his skills to beat the creator in his own game. Gaining an ally in fellow player Asuna, the two explore the mystery of the game, as time runs out for them and 10,000 players all over the world.

Nakamura launched the manga in Kadokawa's Dengeki Bunko Magazine in August 2010, and ended it in April 2012. Kadokawa published two compiled book volumes for the series.

Later manga adaptations of the story focus on further arcs from the light novels, or highlight other aspects of the world (such as in Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online).

The novels inspired two television anime series, an anime special, and the Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale film, the latter of which opened in Japan on February 18. The novels have also inspired multiple manga series, games, and a virtual reality demonstration in Japan. Skydance Television is planning a live-action television series based on the novels.