Kiss and Fly 2 prioritizes Yuuki, Aiko, and Merida

The Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga volumes are heavily focused on relationships in the world SAO series. For example, much of the first section focuses on Kirito and Asuna. Although we see the two and their closest allies play important roles in an ongoing story in the first part of the second part, I feel like another one really steals the show. Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly part 2 marks the debut from the manga adaptation of the Sisters’ Prayer storyline, doing a fantastic job of telling the story of Yuuki, Aiko and Merida and showing a different side of FullDive VR games and experiences.

Editor’s note: There will be some spoilers for the first part of the Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga part 2 “Sisters’ Prayer” storyline and the characters Yuuki, Aiko and Merida below.

In general Sword art online series, we hear about the life-threatening ones SAO incident that resulted in deaths in the real world, but the story ‘Sisters’ Prayer’ looks at another way the FullDive VR games can impact people’s lives. The second half of part 2 of the Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga introduces the new retelling of this story. Yuuki and Aiko are terminally ill sisters who actually live in the hospital, with Aiko sacrificing the opportunity to experience more advanced, experimental Medicuboid FullDive technology so that her sister can be in a safer environment. The two inhabit a Serene Garden hospice VR world. It is peaceful, without fighting or risks.

So as we are introduced to the situation for the first time, we see these two young women dealing with the knowledge that the person behind the systems they use and the experience they enjoy was also connected to the deadly SAO incident. So there is a point where the sisters, and we as readers, have to reconcile the idea that Akihiko Kayaba could be responsible for vile, criminal behavior, and could also be responsible for technology that gives suffering individuals a chance to be free, to live. and to make even more memories.

In doing this, we also start to bring up the relationships between Yuuki and Aiko, and later Merida Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly. The three girls with terminal illnesses meet in Serene Garden, where they bond over catching bugs, pancakes and VR games. It is heartwarming to see this direct connection. It’s like the reasons why they can be in this VR world take a backseat. Instead, they can form a real and meaningful bond together. They make plans to spend time together, something they probably would never be able to do otherwise.

It means that we also have the Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga’s ‘Sisters’ Prayer’ storyline touches on a different topic. Are these VR games valuable? Is it something that should be used for these hospice patients? Are they missing out on final real-world experiences here and ‘wasting time’? I appreciate the way it’s handled, even briefly.

Given the nature of the Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga series, what we see here of Yuuki, Aiko and Merida is more of a teaser. It is the first part of a larger piece that will be further explored later. But what is here is very valuable. In a short time, important connections are made and the reader is made to think about interesting questions about the creator of certain VR technologies and their use.

Part 2 of the Sword Art Online: Kiss and Fly manga is available now from Yen Pressand part 3 will too debut on January 21, 2025. It also covered the light novels and outside Japan. The anime is streaming Crispy roll.