Fans of Sword Art Online and high-stakes game worlds just got a new series to watch. Demons’ Crest（デモンズ・クレスト）, a mixed-reality death game light novel by author Reki Kawahara with illustrations by Yukiko Horiguchi, has officially been greenlit for an anime adaptation—right as volume 4, Demons’ Crest 4: Haken∽Soudatsu, prepares to launch from Dengeki Bunko on December 10, 2025.
Mixed-Reality Death Game From the Sword Art Online Author
Demons’ Crest is billed as a completely new series from Kawahara, the creator of Sword Art Online and Accel World, but it returns to one of his favorite questions: what happens when virtual worlds and reality fuse together for real. Set in a “mixed reality” where the VRMMORPG Actual Magic bleeds into everyday life, the story traps an entire sixth-grade class inside a deadly new world where game mechanics and real bodies are bound by the same rules.
Story Setup and Themes of Demons’ Crest Volume One
In volume 1, Demons’ Crest 1: Genjitsu∽Shinshoku, protagonist Yuuma is playing Actual Magic when the classroom around him twists into an unfamiliar landscape. His classmates from Yukika Elementary 6-1 are still there—but some of them now look like monsters, including once-perfect class idol Sumika. The famous line “This is a game—and also reality” sums up the core tension: kids who were just trying to clear a raid now have to treat every encounter as life-or-death, with trust and fear constantly crashing into each other.
Rising Stakes Through Volumes Two, Three and the New Fourth Book
The sequels steadily push that tension higher. Volume 2 sends Yuuma and friends back into Actual Magic to rescue childhood friend Nagi, guided—maybe manipulated—by the demon Valac, while the class fractures under pressure. Volume 3 centers on a hidden traitor whose attacks literally turn classmates to stone inside the mixed-reality cage, forcing Yuuma into even riskier dives. In the brand-new volume 4, Haken∽Soudatsu, the “majinn” Kisanu suddenly turns on the group, classmates are captured one after another, and quiet boy Konken is tempted by a voice that offers power in exchange for blood, hinting at a new demon awakening.
Anime Announcement and Expectations for This MR Series
On December 2, 2025, KADOKAWA announced that Demons’ Crest is officially getting an anime adaptation, revealing a new illustration by Horiguchi alongside the news. Staff, studio and broadcast date are still under wraps, but this timing—four novels out, manga and webtoon already in motion—suggests the anime will have plenty of material to adapt, likely starting with the initial “world merge” arc and the early stages of the class death game. For SAO fans, it looks like the next big “this was supposed to be just a game” story to watch.
Light Novel, Manga and Webtoon Paths Into the Franchise
Right now there are multiple ways to dive in. The core is the Dengeki Bunko light novel series, with volumes 1–4 all featuring Horiguchi’s illustrations and English-friendly summaries on the official special site. Manga readers can start with the tankōbon Demons’ Crest 1 from KADOKAWA’s MFC line, which adapts the opening arc. And if you prefer scrolling on your phone, there is a full-color vertical webtoon version running on the HykeComic app and partner platforms, introduced as a simultaneous project alongside the original novels. You can explore the world and characters via the official special page at this Demons’ Crest hub or check the latest volume details on KADOKAWA’s product page.
Choosing Your Starting Point Before the Anime Airs
So where should you start? If you want the “pure Kawahara” experience and the most world detail, volume 1 of the light novel is the best entry point, with volume 4 now perfectly timed as the “current” place to catch up. If you just want to taste the premise and visuals, you can sample the manga or webtoon’s free chapters first, then decide whether to dive into prose. Either way, keeping an eye on the Dengeki Bunko special site and the official webtoon account—and browsing the webtoon itself on HykeComic’s Demons’ Crest page—will keep you ready for when the anime drops and for whatever new demons wake up next. 👹✨
©川原 礫 イラスト／堀口悠紀子 背景：Whomor
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