Movie
Description
Hosaka Tomo, known in the world of Sword Art Online as Argo, is an information broker and a former beta tester for the death game. Her full name includes the middle name Carina, but she is almost exclusively referred to by her online alias. Her nickname, Argo the Rat, comes from the distinctive, painted whisker markings on her cheeks, a feature she first acquired during the beta test and kept as her trademark.

Argo is characterized by a sharp, business-focused personality. As an information broker, her profession relies on buying and selling data, quest locations, monster weaknesses, and even player movements, leading many to believe she would sell anything for the right price. Despite this shrewd and somewhat mercenary exterior, she adheres to a strict code of ethics. She refuses to disclose the identities of other beta testers to protect them from persecution and is known to honor her debts. Her primary motivation is not merely profit but survival; by controlling the flow of information, she ensures that all players have a better chance of navigating the deadly floors of Aincrad.

In the film Sword Art Online The Movie - Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night, Argo plays a crucial support role. As the conflict escalates between the two leading guilds, the Aincrad Liberation Squad and the Dragon Knights Brigade, Argo provides essential intelligence to Kirito and Asuna. She is the one who suspects that a third party is deliberately manipulating the friction between the guilds for unknown purposes. Her role in this story involves scouting the dangerous fifth-floor dungeon and providing vital information on the floor boss to help the front liners prepare for the battle ahead.

Her key relationships center on Kirito and Asuna. Having known Kirito since the beta test, she shares a long-standing professional and friendly rapport with him, often calling him Key-boy. She likewise develops a close relationship with Asuna, whom she affectionately refers to as A-chan, and sometimes acts as a subtle guide or observer of their partnership. Argo serves as a connector between the front-line raiders and the rest of the player base.

Throughout the Progressive storyline, Argo shows development not as a fighter, but as a benefactor. While she charges for premium information, she also produces and distributes free strategy guides to novice players, using profits from her other sales to fund these life-saving pamphlets. This dual approach highlights that her ultimate goal is to help everyone survive, despite her reputation as someone who puts a price on everything. In terms of abilities, Argo is built for speed, evasion, and scouting rather than direct combat. She wields a pair of claw-type weapons and relies on high agility to navigate dangerous areas and gather information that would be impossible for slower, heavily armored players to obtain. While not a primary damage dealer, she is a competent fighter who can hold her own when necessary.