Technically, Sword Art Online debuted before the release of the light novel series in April 2009 as Reki Kawahara wrote a novel version in 2001and released it as a web novel under the pseudonym Fumio Kunori.
However, after Kawahara won the he 2008 ASCII Media Works Dengeki Game Novel Prize with Accel World, ASCII Media Works asked him to remove Sword Art Online from the web in aniticipation of a formal release., with the first light novel (featuring illustrations from abec) releasing on April 10, 2009.
In celebration of that release, the Japanese video streaming website AbemaTV will air a 3-hr speical (from 5-8PM) featuring 10 SAO cast members. Each cast member was free to pick one episode to be shown:
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Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Kirito) - Sword Art Online II Episode 4 "GGO"
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Haruka Tomatsu (Asuna) - Sword Art Online II Episode 24 “Mothers Rosario"
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Ayahi Takagaki (Lisbeth)- Sword Art Online Episode 7 "The Temperature of the Heart"
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Rina Hidaka (Silca) - Sword Art Online Episode 4 "Black Swordsman"
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Kanae Ito (Yui) - Sword Art Online Episode 12 “The Heart of Yui"
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Ayana Taketatsu (Leafa) - Sword Art Online” Episode 22 “Grand Quest"
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Shimazaki Nobunaga (Eugeo) - Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 24 "My Hero"
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Yuuki Aoi (Yuuki) - - Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 16 "The Osmanthus Knight"
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Ishihara Kaori (Tiese)- Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 8 "Swordsman's Pride"
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Kondou Reina (Ronye)- Sword Art Online Alicization Episode 9 "Nobleman's Responsibilities"
Following these 10 episodes, which will feature special commentary from the cast, Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale will be streamed.
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