Unboxing: Sword Art Online – Part 1 (Limited Edition Collectors Box Blu-ray) [AUS]

You maybe wondering why I am doing another ‘unboxing’ of Sword Art Online – Part 1 and the answer is simple, this is the Limited Edition Collectors Box version which is currently only available within Australia. What differences does it offer? Well lets take a look.

As it stands Sword Art Online – Part 1 is currently available as two different versions in Australia, a standard and Collectors Box version, with the Collectors Box including an art box that allows all four volumes to fit into, thus making it look like a complete series set as opposed to four individual cases. Whichever version you choose the disc content remains the same as the UK release, with the only difference being the art work and that the UK version includes a DVD in addition to the Blu-ray.

So what’s on the inside? Well inside this art box, which has the characters from the Aincrad Storyline on one side and characters from the Fairy Dance Storyline on the other, you get a single Blu-ray case with detailed artwork. The Disc itself contains 7 episodes along with extras such as a textless opening and closing song, the same ones seen on the UK Release. The other surprise I found is that with this Australian release you get several art cards, with each one offering some impressive art work. As it stands i’m not sure if the art cards are exclusive to the Collectors version, but its a nice touch seeing them included.

Some may not like the sleeve and disc art work for Australia’s (Madman Entertainments) release of Sword Art Online, however compared to the UK release I do find it much more colourful. Packaging aside this Collectors version can be picked up for under £20 (including postage) which makes it considerably cheaper than the UK versions, but that aside it’s the artbox that is the main attraction – as for whichever version (UK or Australia) you go for they all fit inside and look natural.

Sword Art Online – Parts 1, 2 and 3 are currently available on both Blu-ray and DVD within the UK and Australia with Part 4 being released during March 2014.