The virtual idol Yuna, a character from "Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale" (originally voiced by Sayaka Kanda, later Risa Matsuda), recently held a special livestream concert on Aniplex's official YouTube channel.
In a heartwarming nod to the film, Yuna's in-universe concert was set for "April 29, 2026." The real-world "Yuna First Live" was held on the exact same date, drawing a massive audience of fans to the livestream.
▼ During the broadcast, the hashtag #YunaFirstLive was still trending at number one on X (formerly Twitter) in Japan.
This special livestream event perfectly aligned with the movie's timeline, bringing "the day Yuna held her concert" to life on April 29, 2026. Featuring Yuna's 3D model performing with Sayaka Kanda's irreplaceable vocals, the event successfully rekindled the emotional experience for fans. Although it only included two songs, "Ubiquitous dB" and "longing," this official initiative deeply moved many viewers.
Despite Sayaka Kanda's passing, the "Sword Art Online" official team had already addressed Yuna's future plans back in 2023. They expressed their hope that Yuna would continue to be a part of "Sword Art Online" for the next 10 to 20 years of the franchise's development, emphasizing that "Yuna's songs are irreplaceable."
Regarding the livestream, original author Reki Kawahara also posted on X, stating: "Honestly, I still haven't fully processed Sayaka Kanda's passing, so there are many thoughts and feelings about this performance that are hard to articulate. But for Yuna, who dreamed of singing in front of everyone, I just wanted to fully enjoy this performance. I hope everyone else could enjoy it too."
The internet was flooded with emotional comments, with fans exclaiming, "I can't believe I got to see Yuna again... I really cried," "It's just watching on YouTube instead of Augma, but that imagined future from back then really came true," and "Thank you to the official team for making this a reality." Many fans were brought to tears.
