Sword Art Online Episode Ratings Heatmap
2012 · 4 Seasons · 96 Episodes · Overall Score: 7.6/10 (25 rated)
Season 1 holds the highest collective average score across the series.
Season 1 Details →Lowest score variance (σ = 0.33), maintaining an average of 7.6.
Complete Episode Rating Matrix
Interactive score chart by season and episode number. Darker green indicates higher ratings; amber and red denote lower reception.
| Episode | Season 1 | Season 2 | Season 3 | Season 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 1 | 8.5 | – | – | – |
| Ep 2 | 8.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 3 | 7.8 | – | – | – |
| Ep 4 | 8.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 5 | 7.6 | – | – | – |
| Ep 6 | 7.7 | – | – | – |
| Ep 7 | 7.8 | – | – | – |
| Ep 8 | 7.3 | – | – | – |
| Ep 9 | 8.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 10 | 7.7 | – | – | – |
| Ep 11 | 7.5 | – | – | – |
| Ep 12 | 8.0 | – | – | – |
| Ep 13 | 7.7 | – | – | – |
| Ep 14 | 8.1 | – | – | – |
| Ep 15 | 7.5 | – | – | – |
| Ep 16 | 7.3 | – | – | – |
| Ep 17 | 7.5 | – | – | – |
| Ep 18 | 7.3 | – | – | – |
| Ep 19 | 7.5 | – | – | – |
| Ep 20 | 7.2 | – | – | – |
| Ep 21 | 7.4 | – | – | – |
| Ep 22 | 7.1 | – | – | – |
| Ep 23 | 7.4 | – | – | – |
| Ep 24 | 7.3 | – | – | – |
| Ep 25 | 7.5 | – | – | – |
| Season Avg | 7.6 | – | – | – |
Ratings Analysis & Trajectory
Across 4 seasons and 96 episodes, Sword Art Online has earned an overall series rating of 7.6 out of 10. The series displays remarkable consistency across its narrative arc, maintaining reliable ratings from premiere to conclusion.
The single highest-rated hour of television in the series is Season 1, Episode 1 ("The World of Swords"), rated at an extraordinary 8.5/10 with 52 ratings. Conversely, the lowest-rated installment is Season 1, Episode 22 ("Grand Quest"), landing at 7.1/10.
The most precipitous single-episode shift occurred in Season 1 between Episode 14 ("The End of the World", 8.1) and Episode 15 ("Return", 7.5), a swing of 0.6 points.
Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes of Sword Art Online
| Rank | Episode | Title | Score | Votes | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Season 1, Ep 1 | The World of Swords | 8.5 | 52 | Jul 8, 2012 |
| #2 | Season 1, Ep 14 | The End of the World | 8.1 | 22 | Oct 7, 2012 |
| #3 | Season 1, Ep 2 | Beater | 8.0 | 26 | Jul 15, 2012 |
| #4 | Season 1, Ep 4 | The Black Swordsman | 8.0 | 22 | Jul 29, 2012 |
| #5 | Season 1, Ep 9 | The Blue-Eyed Demon | 8.0 | 22 | Sep 2, 2012 |
| #6 | Season 1, Ep 12 | Yui's Heart | 8.0 | 21 | Sep 23, 2012 |
| #7 | Season 1, Ep 3 | The Red-Nosed Reindeer | 7.8 | 24 | Jul 22, 2012 |
| #8 | Season 1, Ep 7 | The Temperature of the Heart | 7.8 | 24 | Aug 19, 2012 |
| #9 | Season 1, Ep 10 | Crimson Killing Intent | 7.7 | 24 | Sep 9, 2012 |
| #10 | Season 1, Ep 6 | Illusionary Avenger | 7.7 | 22 | Aug 12, 2012 |