Summary
Fans inCrunchyroll’s now-defunct comment sectionforThe New Gatehave been referring to the isekai series asSword Art Online’s successor. The season finale dropped a lot of information that actually confirms what these commenters have been saying all along. The problem is that Crunchyroll has yet to announce a second season, so no one will be able to actually seeThe New Gatelive up to its fan-given name any time soon, if ever.
What most viewers ofThe New Gateattributed toSword Art Onlinewas just a backstory that they only learned through quick exposition.The New Gate’s version of Kirito, named Shin, and other players from the real world were trapped inside a MMORPG where they could die, until Shin defeated the final boss. However, while everyone else was freed, Shin remained trapped in a different, and now “real”, version of the virtual world.
The events of the series itself were nothing likeSword Art Online, since there was never an instance where only Kirito was trapped in Aincrad after he freed everyone. However, inThe New Gateepisode 12, Shin learns that there wereother players who were still trapped in the gamelike him, including player killers. Moreover, it was soon discovered thatShin has an equivalent of Asuna.
The New Gate Kept Its Sword Art Online Reference Hidden Until the End
Based on the Light Novel Series by Shinogi Kazanami; Anime Produced by Cloud Hearts and Yokohama Animation Laboratory
The New Gateflips how Kirito and Asuna are later separated from each other inSAO. After Aingard, Asuna is soon forcibly transferred into another MMORPG called ALfheim, and Kirito is forced to jump there to save her. InThe New Gate, Shin’s partner, Marino is greatly implied to be in the real world while he’s stuck in the game. Regardless, it’s just a shame that fans may never get to see this part of the story animated.
Before episode 12,The New Gatewas more accurately inspired byInthe Land of Leadale, as both series' protagonists are transported into the future of their respective games and meet the characters they created after all that time had passed. Regardless of the inspiration, that type of dynamic is arguably very intriguing, and, understandably,the best moments inThe New Gatefollow that story. Unfortunately, after episode 8, the next four installments, including the season finale, completely ignored that aspect of the plot.
In all,The New Gate’s best qualities are inspired by bothSAOandIn the Land Leadale, but, unfortunately, the former is not shown until the very end, while the latter has been dispersed sporadically and far apart. This also includesthe brief arc inThe New Gateepisode 3. While fans are undoubtedly interested to see Shin’s relationships with his other supporting characters, they are understandably more excited about the deeper correlations toSword Art Online, and hopefully, for them, they’ll get it at some point. If not, they can always read the original light novel and later manga adaptation ofThe New Gateby Shinogi Kazanami.
