Sword Art Online: Phantom Bullet - Recommendations

• Vol: 1+; Ch: 11+
• 2023 - ?

A high school boy, Sora Kamijo, who is addicted to VR games, starts playing Astral Online, a VRMMO that has been talked about as a god game, and suddenly finds himself fighting against the Demon King, the last boss. In addition to the sudden battle, the Demon King casts a curse on him and transforms him into a beautiful silver-haired girl...?　

• Vol: 12+; Ch: 174+
• 2020 - ?

Second-year high school student Rakuro Hizutome loves nothing more than finding so-called "trash games" and beating the crap out of them. When he decides to change things up by playing a new, "god-tier" VR game known as Shangri-La Frontier (a.k.a. SLF), he does what he does best: min-maxes, skips the prologue, and jumps straight into action! Rakuro may be a seasoned gamer, but a meeting with an old rival will change the fate of every SLF player forever. Clad in nothing but shorts and a bird mask, Rakuro (player name: Sunraku) launches into the world of SLF. Things are going well at first as he takes down a goblin, a bunny, and even a python. But then Sunraku comes up against a huge, hard-hitting wolf known as Lycagon the Nightslayer. Will Sunraku's years of "trash game" experience be enough, or is he about to suffer a rude awakening just a few hours into his SLF adventure?

• Vol: 3; Ch: 21
• 2002 - 2004

'The World' is the most advanced online game ever - a game full of fantasy and adventure! When fourteen-year-old Rena wins a contest that allows her to use the avatars of the legendary dot hackers known as 'Kite' and 'Black Rose', she convinces her game-hating twin brother Shugo to give it a chance. But things quickly go wrong, as the beginner players are attacked by a monster far beyond their level. Shugo is killed by it, but is revived by a strange girl called Aura. She also gives Shugo a weird bracelet, telling him that he must carry on the legend of the dot hackers; then she disappears. Together with Rena, and many new friends that he meets while in The World, Shugo embarks on an adventure to discover the secrets of this mysterious bracelet.

• Vol: 2; Ch: 10
• 2014

Sky World takes place in the eponymous world of the MMORPG, Sky World. One day, thousands of players woke up to find themselves in the world. Junichiro Mikimori is one of these players who has now come to live in Sky World. The story begins with Junichiro on Altaria Island. There, he encounters an all-female guild and befriends two of its members. Together, they decide to leave Altaria Island and journey to the highest point of the world: Aion Island, in hopes of being able to find a way back to the real world.

• Vol: 8; Ch: 42
• 2010 - 2017

In a world where everyone connects to an online network, pudgy Haruyuki Arita can't seem to catch a break. Constantly bullied, afraid to face reality and paranoid his two childhood friends pity him, the teenager uses online games as a way to escape his problems. But things change one day when Haruyuki's beautiful upperclassman Kuroyukihime approaches him with a mysterious time-decelerating program known as Brain Burst - there‘s just one catch. To keep the ability, he must defeat other Brain Burst wielders in Accel World, an exclusive, virtual MMORPG, and the newbie player will need all the help he can get. Eager to prove he's not a pathetic weakling, Haruyuki joins forces with Kuroyukihime to challenge fierce competitors and discover just how incredible Accel World and he truly are.

• Vol: 2; Ch: 11
• 2021 - 2022

Follows a dull high school student named Hiro Yuuki when he is tricked into joining a full-dive VR role-playing game. The game, Kiwame Quest, is promoted as "more real than reality" with mind-blowing graphics, impressive NPC behavior, and even the scent of foliage and the sensation of wind blowing against your skin. Unfortunately, the game is already a virtual ghost town, after being flooded with player complaints that the game is little too realistic for its own good. Its quests are nearly impossible to clear, since players have to be as physically fit to complete them as they would in real life. Players feel actual pain when they get hit, and puncture wounds takes days to heal. The only reward is the mere sense of accomplishment. It is the complete opposite of a casual pick-up-and-play game, but Hiro vows to beat this most realistic (and most stressful) game ever.

• Vol: 10+; Ch: 91+
• 2014 - ?

A new type of VRMMO called "One More Free Life Online" is out. He logs in as a young boy avatar called "Earth". Taichi Tanaka (38, single) has a regular office job and enjoys playing video games in his free time. In a world where the player is free to do as they wish, he decides to master a skill that's been deemed to be useless! He makes potions that are too much of a hassle to make, cooks food that is excessively too good, and uses bizarre original weapons to hunt monsters... An adventure manga about an ordinary middle-aged man leisurely enjoying his VRMMO sandbox game!

• Vol: 4+; Ch: 25+
• 2021 - ?

In the new Virtual Reality MMORPG, a new Clan War has begun. The prize: 100 million yen! Since everyone's aiming to be the best, Hayato has been kicked out of his clan. He's chosen crafting skills over combat skills, so will he be stuck without a team? He thought so, until he tried to put an NPC in his clan. Who would have thought, with the right items, it's possible! Cooking, Medicine, Armor, all sorts of crafting is exactly what he needs to make a team of the best NPC's! The result: a maid who loves to eat, a mercenary that loves his sister, a butler with a mysterious past, and many others with their own stories! "You need me on your team! You can die or you can cook for me, the choice is yours!" "Stop that! That's the low HP sound!" Is this team going to be okay? Now begins an RPG fantasy story of the craziest team out there!

• Vol: 8+; Ch: 42+
• 2016 - ?

In the year 2043, Infinite Dendrogram, the world's first successful full-dive VRMMO was released. In addition to its ability to perfectly simulate the five senses, along with its many other amazing features, the game promised to offer players a world full of infinite possibilities. Nearly two years later, soon-to-be college freshman, Reiji Mukudori, is finally able to buy a copy of the game and start playing. With some help from his experienced older brother, Shu, and his partner Embryo, Reiji embarks on an adventure into the world of Infinite Dendrogram. Just what will he discover and encounter in this game world known for its incredible realism and infinite possibilities?

• Vol: 6+; Ch: 50+
• 2018 - ?

She may be new to gaming, but Maple has found the secret to invincibility! Just put all your skill points into defense until you can’t even move. That works, right? She doesn’t want to experience any pain in the VRMMO game she started playing, and somehow it works better than anyone expected. Now she’s got followers??