The creator of Sword Art Online has a new anime series planned for release later this year, and a first glimpse has been revealed. While not the very first of its kind, Sword Art Online is definitely one of the most impactful anime in the ‘isekai’ genre today. Reki Kawahara’s original light novels became a huge anime hit over ten years ago, and that makes each new project from him highly anticipated, as fans hope it will be just as successful.
Kadokawa, the publisher behind anime adaptations of works by Reki Kawahara like Accel World, is now bringing his latest story, Devils’ Crest, to the screen. This new anime is set in a world where a virtual reality game has become indistinguishable from reality, and promises a different experience than his popular series, Sword Art Online. You can find a first look at the teaser trailer and poster for Devils’ Crest below.
Devils’ Crest Teases 2026 Debut With First Look Trailer and Poster
The light novel series, officially titled Demons’ Crest (and licensed in English by Yen Press), will be known as Devils’ Crest when the new anime adaptation is released in English by Warner Bros. Japan. The novels are written by Reki Kawahara, the creator of Sword Art Online, with illustrations by Yukiko Horiguchi. This first look at the anime has also revealed that it’s scheduled to premiere sometime this year, though a specific date hasn’t been announced yet.
Kenichiro Komaya will direct the upcoming anime, Devils’ Crest, with Shinji Ushiro as chief director. Eiji Umehara is writing the scripts, and Yuki Hayashi will compose the music. The character designs will be done by Yukiko Horiguchi, the artist behind the original light novels. Haruka Shiraishi and Konomi Inagaki will star as Yuma and Sawa Ashihara, respectively, forming the anime’s main characters.
What Is Devils’ Crest About?
As of now, Devils’ Crest is a relatively new light novel series, so it’s hard to say where the story will go or how long it will last. However, it shares similarities with the author’s other works while introducing a unique premise: a group of sixth graders become trapped in a massive online game that begins to merge with reality.
In Devils’ Crest, a demon takes control of Yuma’s sister, forcing the two of them to team up and protect a group of children from upcoming dangers. Given the huge impact Sword Art Online had on anime, and the fact that other series like Accel World didn’t achieve the same success, there’s optimism that Devils’ Crest will connect with a wider audience.
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2026-03-23 19:10