The Bandai Namco Entertainment Southeast Asia YouTube channel has dropped the first 20 minutes of Unanswered//butterfly, the CG anime that serves as promotional content for soon-to-launch Sword Art Online action RPG Echoes of Aincrad. The opening scene sets up Sword Art Online protagonist Kirito as an antagonistic figure to Unanswered//butterfly‘s main characters Emirun and Lex.
The full anime, which totals at more than 110 minutes of runtime, is included with Echoes of Aincrad‘s Ultimate Edition. The synopsis reads:
The world’s first full-dive VRMMO, Sword Art Online—known as SAO.
What was meant to be a dream come true has instead transformed into a deadly game where dying in the virtual world means dying in reality.
Emirun and Rex, who once knew each other in the real world, reunite by chance within SAO.
They join a scouting party to learn how to survive in this unforgiving world.
One day, however, they encounter a mysterious PK (Player Killer) known only as the Black Swordsman.
When Emirun rushes to the scene, she finds Rex collapsed in despair, and the Black Swordsman standing over him.
The one who wiped out their entire scouting party—was the Black Swordsman.
Determined to avenge their fallen comrades, Emirun and Rex seek out the legendary prodigy swordswoman Asuna, and begin intense training under her guidance.
Unanswered//butterfly is directed by Tadahiro Yoshihara (Star Wars Visions Volume 3 “The Bird of Paradise“) at Polygon Pictures and written by the game’s scenario writer Keisuke Makino (Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut anime series composer and light novel author). The cast includes Tomoyo Kurosawa as Emirun and Koki Uchiyama as Lex.
Echoes of Aincrad will be out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam on July 10 (in Japan, the console versions will launch on July 9), with a DLC expansion scheduled for December 31. The Game Studio Inc.-developed title has been described as a “reboot” of the Sword Art Online series’ opening “Aincrad Arc” that focuses on Aincrad’s first two floors. Features include a customizable original player character and a Death Game mode that deletes the player’s save upon a game over.
Source: Bandai Namco Entertainment Southeast Asia YouTube channel
