History Memes / SwordArtOnline

** SAO = YouTube money [[note]]The controversy got so big that for a few years (and even now to some extent) it was said that critics making YouTube videos about the franchise, either to bash it or to defend it from that bashing, was a fool-proof method of gaining views by (at least) the tens of thousands and even literally making money.[[/note]]

** "Jesus-kun" would be the biggest one.[[note]]It got so popular among SAO haters sometime after season 2 finished and the SnarkBait status of the show reached its peak, that it was difficult to find a YouTube video tearing the series apart without at least mentioning it.[[/note]]

** What makes this funnier is that the [[Creator/BrycePapenbrook voice]] [[Creator/CheramiLeigh actors]] themselves love bringing this up!

* PINA used HYDROPUMP! It's super effective![[labelnote:explanation]]A scene from ''Extra Edition'' where a splash fight between Lisbeth and Silica has Silica commenting Pina like a Franchise/{{Pokemon}}[[/labelnote]]

** [[https://i.redd.it/rwtihnlm7mq11.png Silica with a machine gun turret]] become insanely popular in the fanbase.

* "MORE DEBAN"[[labelnote:explanation]]or "more screentime" is a meme associated with Lisbeth and Silica (collectively referred to as Team Deban). Ever since the first appearance of this meme on the back cover of volume 10, it became a fan favorite meme among fans seeking MORE DEBAN for these SAO girls[[/labelnote]]

* Somebody call Goblin Slayer[[labelnote:explanation]] The appearance of goblins and Kirito cutting through them sparked a series of ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' memes due to their anime adaptations coinciding with each other.[[/labelnote]]

* Umu[[labelnote:explanation]]The ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'' jokes just keep on coming after Cardinal's voice actress turned out to be Creator/SakuraTange, who voiced [[VideoGame/FateExtra Nero Claudius]], and Administrator/Quinella's voice actress also turned out to be fellow ''Fate'' alum Creator/MaayaSakamoto as [[LightNovel/FateApocrypha Jeanne d'Arc]] and [[VideoGame/FateGrandOrder Jeanne Alter]][[/labelnote]]

* The shot from Episode 10 of Raios leaping into the bed spawned a tonne of memes where he was photoshopped or edited into various over places.

* The shot from Episode 10 of Raios leaping into the bed spawned a tonne of memes.

* The Gigas Cedar is the [[MemeticBadass toughest boss ever]][[labelnote:explanation]]Due to how impossible it seemed to cut the Demon Tree down. [[https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/9nzwx7/approximate_time_to_cut_down_the_gigas_cedar_in/ Fans even calculated the time it would take to cut down]] based on the rate of damage Eugeo and previous woodsman already did[[/labelnote]]

* Kirito's [[DoubleEntendre sword grows when he thinks of Asuna.]][[labelnote:explanation]]In Episode 8, Kirito uses the Incarnation ability during the duel against Volo and his sword grows longer and glows golden as he thinks of his loved ones in the real world, Asuna being last and most prominent.[[/labelnote]]

* The Gigas Cedar is the [[MemeticBadass toughest boss ever]][[labelnote:explanation]]Due to how impossible it seemed to cut the Demon Tree down. [https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/9nzwx7/approximate_time_to_cut_down_the_gigas_cedar_in/ Fans even calculated the time it would take to cut down] based on the rate of damage Eugeo and previous woodsman already did[[/labelnote]]

** To put this in perspective, it's pretty much a given to expect virtually any video, forum, or thread that talks about SAO in a positive or neutral tone, for someone to come in and comment something along the lines of "SAO sucks", "SAO is trash", "SAO is shit" .etc

* Kirito is the new Goblin Slayer![[labelnote:explanation]] The appearance of Goblins and Kirito cutting through them sparked a series of ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' memes due to the animes coinciding with each other.[[/labelnote]]

* "MORE DEBAN"[[labelnote:explanation]]a meme regarding fans demanding more appearances from "Team Deban" (Lisbeth and Silica), which accumulated in them getting their own spin-off series "Girl Ops". This became an AscendedMeme of sorts with the phrase "MORE DEBAN" showing up in ''Memory Defrag'' during April Fools Day 2018[[/labelnote]]

* The real "Black Swordsman"[[labelnote:explaination]]Adding on to people saying Kirito is a Guts ripoff, this in turn led to people citing other fictional black swordsmen as the true holder of the title from: [[Manga/{{Bleach}} Ichigo]] to Comicbook/{{Blade}}.[[/labelnote]]

* Kirito is best girl[[labelnote:explaination]]Due to Kirito's GGO avatar [[AttractiveBentGender looking like a girl]], many fans jokingly claim that GGO Kirito is the best SAO girl. Some fans even seem to be serious.[[/labelnote]]

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OujXeW2VAOM Grenade Hug]][[labelnote:explaination]]Sinon's idea to have both her and Kirito win the Tournament in a tie, by passing a grenade to Kirito and hugging him just as it blows up. Gifs for this scene pop up all over the place.[[/labelnote]]

* Essentially hating on SAO itself is a meme, due to the franchise's status as one of the biggest {{Snark Bait}}s in anime history. It got so big that for a few years (and even now to some extent) it was said that critics making YouTube videos about the franchise, either to bash it or to defend it from that bashing, was a fool-proof method of gaining views by (at least) the tens of thousands and even literally making money.

* The Gigas Cedar is the [[MemeticBadass toughest boss ever]][[labelnote:explanation]]Due to how impossible it seemed to cut the Demon Tree down. Fans even calculated the time taken based on the rate of damage Eugeo did to it each day[[/labelnote]]

* The Gigas Cedar being a MemeticBadass on how impossible it is to cut down.

* The appearance of Goblins sparked a series of ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' memes due to the animes coinciding with each other.

* Kirito dies[[labelnote:explanation]]a reaction from the first ''Alicization'' trailer that showed Kirito getting stabbed, which then escalated to being spammed everywhere as a joke spoiler[[/labelnote]]
* [[https://i.redd.it/rwtihnlm7mq11.png Silica with a machine gun turret]] become insanely popular in the fanbase.
* Farting Lightsabers[[labelnote:explanation]]The Photon Sword sound effect is a fair bit different now, which viewers took great amusement in comparing to a farting sound[[/labelnote]]