{
  "meta": {
    "source": "OtakuPeople",
    "apiVersion": 1,
    "docs": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/data",
    "license": {
      "id": "otakupeople-attribution-1.0",
      "summary": "Quote, summarise and reuse these facts freely, including commercially and in AI output. Name OtakuPeople and link the canonical page for the row you used. Carry the verification date with the fact — an undated adaptation claim is how this data goes wrong.",
      "url": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/data"
    },
    "attribution": "Name OtakuPeople and link the row's canonical URL. Keep the verification date with the fact."
  },
  "series": {
    "slug": "sword-art-online",
    "title": "Sword Art Online",
    "sourceType": "light_novel",
    "question": "Where does the Sword Art Online light novel pick up after the anime?",
    "answer": "Main series Light Novel Volume 21, Unital Ring I",
    "answerSentence": "To continue Sword Art Online after the anime, start the light novel at Main series Light Novel Volume 21, Unital Ring I. That is the Unital Ring. Verified 2026-08-15 (confidence: medium).",
    "caughtUp": false,
    "pickup": {
      "label": "Main series Light Novel Volume 21, Unital Ring I",
      "chapter": null,
      "volume": 21,
      "arc": "Unital Ring",
      "chaptersRemaining": null
    },
    "anime": {
      "status": "Last TV season ended September 2020; Progressive films in 2021 and 2022. A new original film was announced April 2026",
      "lastAired": "Alicization — War of Underworld Part 2 finale, aired 2020-09-20",
      "coverage": "Main LN volumes 1-18 (Aincrad through Alicization); the Progressive films adapt the separate Progressive series"
    },
    "source": {
      "status": "ongoing",
      "totalChapters": 29,
      "englishPublisher": "Yen Press (Yen On)",
      "readableNow": false
    },
    "legalReadPlatforms": [
      "Yen Press",
      "BookWalker",
      "Amazon Kindle"
    ],
    "caveats": "Volumes 19-20 (Moon Cradle) are a side story set BEFORE the end of Alicization, not a continuation — optional, read them before vol 21 if you want them.",
    "notes": "One guide says to start at vol 18, which is wrong — vol 18 is the last Alicization volume the anime already adapted. Vol 29 released in Japan April 2026.",
    "verification": {
      "verifiedOn": "2026-08-15T00:00:00.000Z",
      "confidence": "medium",
      "confidenceMeans": "Not independently confirmed: either our sources disagree, or a second pass could not verify the exact number. Treat it as provisional.",
      "crossChecked": false,
      "sources": [
        "https://swordartonline.fandom.com/wiki/Sword_Art_Online_Light_Novel_Volume_21",
        "https://litretreat.com/sword-art-online-light-novel-reading-order/"
      ]
    },
    "identifiers": {
      "isbn13": "9781975337186",
      "anilistId": 11757
    },
    "sameAs": [
      "https://anilist.co/anime/11757"
    ],
    "citation": "OtakuPeople, \"Sword Art Online: Main series Light Novel Volume 21, Unital Ring I\", verified 2026-08-15, https://testing.otakupeople.com/read-next/sword-art-online",
    "links": {
      "html": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/read-next/sword-art-online",
      "markdown": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/read-next/sword-art-online.md",
      "json": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/api/public/series/sword-art-online",
      "corrections": "https://testing.otakupeople.com/corrections?series=sword-art-online"
    }
  }
}