Accel World aired in early 2012 but failed to capture audiences’ attention at a level its successor (technically prequel) Sword Art Online did. Nonetheless, it’s a great watch if you’re into the MMORPG anime genre.
Compared to SAO, Accel World is a bit shounen-ish but focuses much more on the characters and their interpersonal relationships than just the two MCs. No hate to SAO, of course.
More importantly, Accel World has a straight and simple watch order. So, let’s get started.
1. How to Watch Accel World in Order?
The recommended way to watch Accel World is by following the release order:
| # | Title | Type | Air Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accel World | Season | 04/07/2012 |
| 2 | Accel World: Acchel World. | Special | 07/25/2012 |
| 3 | Accel World EX | OVA | 09/13/2012 |
| 4 | Accel World: Infinite∞Burst | Movie | 07/23/2016 |
For an enhanced viewing experience, you should watch Sword Art Online anime first, as it is a prequel to the Accel World. This is strictly optional because the two stories aren’t connected except for sharing the same fictional world.
2. How to Watch Accel World in Chronological Order?
The chronological order for Accel World is the same as its release order. Here you go:
Short list features Episodes, Movies and OVAs only.
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Accel World: Acchel World.
Dvd Link for Accel World: Acchel World. -
Accel World EX
Dvd Link for Accel World EX -
Accel World: Infinite∞Burst
Stream Link for Accel World: Infinite∞Burst Dvd Link for Accel World: Infinite∞Burst
3. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are Accel World and SAO connected?
Sword Art Online and Accel World share the same world but aren’t exactly connected regarding characters’ storylines. SAO is the “prequel” to Accel World as it showcases the start of the founding technology “NerveGear,” which dominates the Accel World plot.
While they aren’t connected, watching Sword Art Online before Accel World is best to better understand NerveGear’s beginnings.
How many volumes of Accel World are there?
As of February 2024, the “Accel World” light novel series by Reki Kawahara has 25 volumes published in Japan. The series began serializing in February 2009 and released the anime in April 2012. The latest installment came in July 2016 – Accel World: Infinite∞Burst movie.
Is Kirito in Accel World?
Kirito does not appear as a character in Accel World. However, there are references to Sword Art Online within the Accel World series, such as mentions of the virtual reality technology known as the NerveGear.
Is Kuroyukihime Kirito’s daughter?
No, Kuroyukihime is not Kirito’s daughter. While both “Accel World” and “Sword Art Online” share similar themes of virtual reality gaming and technology, there is no familial relationship between Kuroyukihime and Kirito.
Are Accel World OVA’s canon?
Accel World OVAs and special episodes aren’t technically canon, but they add depth to the story. You won’t miss out on any plotlines if you skip them. And you can easily watch them later after watching the anime and movie.
4. Where to Watch Accel World with English subs and dub?
Unfortunately, everything related to anime isn’t readily available for streaming since it’s not mainstream. I know, bummer. You can find the full streaming list here:
| Title | Where to stream with Eng subs? | Where to stream with Eng dub? |
|---|---|---|
| Accel World | Hulu, Tubi, YouTube, Apple TV, PrimeVideo, Hoopla, Microsoft | Crunchyroll, Hulu, YouTube, PrimeVideo, Hoopla, Microsoft |
| Accel World: Acchel World. | N/A | N/A |
| Accel World EX | N/A | N/A |
| Accel World: Infinite∞Burst | Tubi, PrimeVideo, Apple TV | Tubi, PrimeVideo, Crunchyroll |
5. Where to Watch Accel World Outside the US?
| Title | Canada | UK | Japan | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accel World | Crunchyroll, Tubi, Apple TV, Hoopla | N/A | Hulu, PrimeVideo | N/A |
| Accel World: Acchel World. | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Accel World EX | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Accel World: Infinite∞Burst | N/A | N/A | Amazon (Buy) | N/A |
6. Can you download and watch Accel World offline?
You can download and watch the anime and movie on PrimeVideo, AppleTV, and other services below. However, the special episodes and OVAs aren’t available for streaming.
| Website | Subscription Packages | Offline Viewing |
|---|---|---|
| Crunchyroll | Fan – $7.99/mo | No |
| Mega Fan – $9.99/mo | Yes | |
| Ultimate Fan – $14.99/mo | Yes | |
| Hulu | With Ads – $7.99/mo | No |
| No Ads – $17.99/mo | Yes | |
| Tubi | Free | Yes |
| PrimeVideo | $14.99/mo | Yes |
| Hoopla | N/A | N/A |
| Microsoft | Rent | Yes |
| YouTube | Rent | Yes |
| AppleTV | Rent | Yes |
If Accel World anime isn’t available on any streaming website in your area, you can use a VPN to bypass the geo-block. Some of the top VPN service providers in the game are ExpressVPN, Nord VPN, Proton VPN, Cyberghost, and Private Internet Access, to name a few.
All you have to do is connect to a country where your preferred anime is streaming, and voila, you can now watch the anime even if it is unavailable in your region.
There are many unpaid VPN services at hand or free browser extensions. However, low-tier VPN providers might decrease your speed and block you from streaming services. Connection drops and unsecured encryption are also other disadvantages.
The important thing is that Accel World is available on several streaming services, so set your VPN to a suitable location to access the anime from anywhere.
8. How much time will it take to complete Accel World?
It’ll take 12 hours and 10 minutes (730 minutes) to watch the Accel World anime, movie, OVAs, and special episodes. You can get done in only ~9.5 hours if you only watch the anime and skip the extra content.
Here is the runtime of each installment of Accel World:
| Title | Time |
|---|---|
| Accel World | 9 hours and 36 minutes |
| Accel World: Acchel World. | 24 minutes |
| Accel World EX | 48 minutes |
| Accel World: Infinite∞Burst | 1 hour and 22 minutes |
About Accel World (Series)
Accel World (アクセル・ワールド) is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara.
The series follows Haruyuki Arita, a socially marginalized high school student who discovers the virtual game “Brain Burst” through Kuroyukihime. In this neuro-link world, players engage in duels that impact their real lives. As Haruyuki navigates the game’s challenges, he uncovers a dark conspiracy and faces powerful adversaries.
