Kirito

Kirito is the main protagonist of the Sword Art Online (SAO) series of light novels, written by Reki Kawahara. He is a skilled swordsman and a natural leader, and he is often called upon to help others in need. Kirito is also a very kind and compassionate person, and he is always willing to help those who are less fortunate.

Appearance

Kirito is a young man with short black hair and blue eyes. He is usually seen wearing a black coat and pants, and he always carries a sword with him.

Kirito’s clothes later in the game consisted of black pants with a black belt, a black V-necked shirt, a black trench-coat with gray lining on the sleeves, and black boots with silver shin plates. He also wore a silver plate on the left side of his coat and black fingerless gloves. He had a strap that went over his right shoulder and wrapped around his left side. In the last months of the game, he used “Elucidator” and “Dark Repulser” as his main weapons. After being defeated by Heathcliff in a public duel and forced to join his guild, Kirito wore the red and white uniform of the Knights of the Blood.

At the beginning of Project Alicization, Kirito wore a pale blue short-sleeved shirt with a V-shaped cut on the chest, tied with a light brown cord, along with trousers and leather shoes. Two years later, as a valet in the Sword Mastery Academy, he wore the standard grey uniform. In his second year at the academy, after becoming one of the twelve elite swordsmen, he wore a pitch-black uniform.

In ALfheim Online, Kirito initially appeared as a default “Spriggan” with black hair styled in spikes, mischievous eyes, pointy ears, and dark greyish-blue wings. He wielded a large greatsword designed for larger players.

On June 23, 2025, Kirito changed his hairstyle back to his old SAO style. He also acquired a new coat and switched to a new long sword as his weapon. He obtained the “Holy Sword Excalibur” on December 28, 2025, but only used it sparingly.

In Gun Gale Online, Kirito’s avatar belonged to the rare “M9000” series and had a feminine appearance. The avatar had black hair flowing down to the shoulder blades, larger eyes, a pale white complexion, and red lips. He was often mistaken for being female. He was equipped with a 5.7mm “FN Five-Seven” handgun and a “Kagemitsu G4” photon sword.

Personality

Klein once remarked that Kirito is not the most eloquent individual and tends to be quite straightforward. This stems from his limited social circle and his inclination towards computers, which caused him to close himself off from others. Consequently, he often comes across as rude to people like Lisbeth and Sinon. In fact, at times, he appears to derive some enjoyment from provoking others.

However, beneath his misunderstood exterior, Kirito is actually a kind-hearted person. Despite the prevailing negative perception of Beta Testers in SAO, he refused to abandon a fellow player in need. This resolve only grew stronger after the tragic demise of the Black Cats of the Full Moon. He also provides comfort and support to those who are scared or despondent, such as Silica after the loss of her companion, Pina. Additionally, he feels a sense of responsibility towards female players in SAO, as they remind him of his sister. He harbours guilt for inadvertently pressuring her into pursuing kendo. These acts of kindness have earned him respect and affection from many female admirers. Unlike typical male protagonists, Kirito is perceptive enough to recognize Lisbeth’s intentions of confessing to him before being interrupted by Asuna.

Kirito is also an emotionally-driven individual, occasionally allowing his feelings to overwhelm him. The deaths of Sachi and the Black Cats of the Full Moon haunted him until his eventual marriage to Asuna. He snapped when Asuna’s in-game character was killed by Heathcliff, causing concern among his friends and allies. Kirito possesses a tendency to let guilt consume him if not comforted. Moreover, he prefers to keep his exceptional abilities hidden, avoiding unnecessary attention.

Following his escape from SAO, Kirito endeavours to mend his relationship with Suguha, his cousin. This demonstrates his newfound maturity and willingness to make amends for past mistakes of neglecting her. As the series progresses, Kirito transforms into a composed and mature player who also possesses a mischievous side, much to Sinon’s exasperation, as she becomes his primary target for teasing.

Kirito’s Background

Kirigaya Kazuto was born on October 7, 2008. A year after his birth, his biological parents tragically passed away in an accident, leading to his adoption by his aunt and uncle. Growing up in their care, Kazuto was raised as their own son alongside his cousin. Initially, he trained in the art of kendo at a local dojo under the guidance of his grandfather. However, Kazuto’s fascination with computers took root due to his aunt’s profession as a computer systems magazine editor. Within two years, his passion for programming grew so strong that he abandoned Kendo.

Kazuto’s computer skills soon became apparent as he accomplished remarkable feats at a young age. During elementary school, he assembled a computer from individual parts. At the age of ten, he even managed to locate his erased records in the national registry. Additionally, Kazuto successfully prevented the SAO server from deleting Yui by transforming her program into an object and preserving her as environmental data within his Nerve Gear.

Presently, Kazuto resides in Kawagoe City, situated in the Saitama prefecture, with his adoptive family. Although his uncle is often absent, Kazuto considers his aunt and cousin as his immediate family. Despite his initial training in kendo, his lack of interest in the martial art prompted his cousin to cover for him.

Skills

Kirito is an expert swordsman, and he is also very skilled in hand-to-hand combat. He is also a very experienced player in virtual reality games, and he has a deep understanding of the mechanics of these games.

SAO

Level: 96
HP: 18500
Age: Currently 17. (16 @SAO)
Gender: Male

Main Equipment:

「Anneal Blade」 (One Handed Straight Sword – «Secret Medicine of the Forest» Quest’s reward)
「Queen’s Knightsword」 (One Handed Straight Sword – Dark Elf Queen’s 9th floor Quest’s reward)
「Elucidator」 (One Handed Straight Sword – 50th Floor Boss drop)
「Dark Repulser」 (One Handed Straight Sword – Player-made by Lisbeth)
「Coat of Midnight」 (Leather Coat – 1st Floor Boss drop) – First black coat
「BlackWyrm Coat」 (Leather Coat – Player-made by Ashley) – Last black coat

Skill Slots: 12

Equipped Skills:

One Handed Sword – 1000 «Mastered»
Dual Blades «Unique Skill» – 1000 «Mastered»
Blade Throwing – 967
Parry – 1000 «Mastered»
Battle Healing – 944
Searching – 1000 «Mastered»
Tracking – 963
Hiding – 1000 «Mastered»
Night Vision – 908
Extended Weight Limit – 949
Sprint – 870
Fishing – 604

One Handed Sword Skills

Horizontal Square
Flashing Penetrator
Reaver
Slant
Vertical Square
Vorpal Strike
Weapon Break
Deadly Sins
Sonic Leap

Unarmed Skills

Martial Arts
Flash Hit
Embracer
Meteor Break
Escape «Mastered»

Dual Blades Sword Skills

Double Circular
Starburst Stream
The Eclipse
Snake Bite

(ALO) Abilities and Skills

HP: 400
MP: 800

New Equipment:

Black Iron Great Sword – Large Black Sword bought in Sylvain, Kirito’s default Sword. Replaced by a new Long Sword in the 7th Volume.
Excaliber (from ALO) – The strongest sword known in the SAO/ALO Universe.
Long Sword – A Long Sword that replaced the Black Sword as his main default sword.

Equipped Skills (1st version):

One Handed Sword – 1000 «Mastered»
Blade Throwing – 967
Parry – 1000 «Mastered»
Battle Healing – 944
Searching – 1000 «Mastered»
Tracking – 963
Hiding – 1000 «Mastered»
Night Vision – 908
Extended Weight Limit – 949
Sprint – 870
Fishing – 604

Achievements

Cleared the cursed death game, «Sword Art Online»
Reached the top of the World Tree, «ALfheim Online»
2nd Place in «ALfheim Online» Cross Territory Race
2nd Place in «ALfheim Online» Swordsman Tournament (without Dual wielding)
Co-winner of the Third «Bullet of Bullets» (alongside Sinon), «Gun Gale Online»
Owner of the legendary sword «Excaliber» in «ALfheim Online»

Family and Friends

Kirito’s parents are both deceased, and he was raised by his aunt and uncle. He has one close friend, Asuna Yuuki, whom he met in SAO. Kirito and Asuna eventually got married and had a daughter named Yui.

So, kirito’s family and friends include:

His adoptive parents, Midori and Shigeru Kirigaya
His cousin, Suguha Kirigaya
His best friend, Klein
His wife, Asuna Yuuki
His daughter, Yui