Hack//Sign - Anime Legends Complete Collection

Description

Login to the most successful online game in history. "The World" is being played by millions of people around the world, making it the most popular game ever. Players can go online and trade items, form parties, and go on quests. But none of that concerns Tsukasa. Trapped within "The World", a virtual prisoner - His journey from the digital world to the real world has just begun. From Bee Train! Studios. Series direction by Koichi Mshimo. Concept and character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Genre: Sci-fi/Drama

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Story, but the ending was confusing.......2007-06-10

This story is about a virtual reality game in which the people playing the game are more than just players, they actually feel and relate through the game.

For the protagonist, Tsukasa, the world is his real world ever since he went into an unconscious state in the real world and was unable to log out. Now he can feel and see things in "The World" that others can't. Smells, pain from wounds, fatigue from not being able to sleep, he can't do anything normal and is unable to figure out why he was trapped.

First Tsukasa meets Mimiru after he fights a battle and his real self falls unconscious. He can't remember how he got stuck in the world or if he is a real person or just a character. Sympathetic and curious, Mimiru, a sword wielding girl with a big attitude tries to connect to the withdrawn and depressed Tsukasa.

Next they meet a companion of Mimiru's, Bear, who is another swordsman with blue skin and wisdom. He is a fatherly figure and Tsukasa views him and other adults as "meddling".

The other characters are the Crimson Knights, a group of online police led by a young girl named Subaru and a gruff, rule abiding, and agressive leader who serves Subaru, the Silver Knight.

The founder of the knights, Crim or Crimson, quit after placing Subaru in charge and went on to play the game for fun instead of policing.

At first the Crimson Knights chase Tsukasa and try to arrest and "Bind" him (Meaning trap his character in the game) because his new Guardian (A powerful being with Unlimited HP that does not die easily) that Tsukasa got when he lost his ability to log out, is killing other players, including the Silver Knight.

Tsukasa has many problems adjusting to the world with his problem of losing more memory every time his character dies because his real self isn't conscious. He also doesn't trust others because he feels everyone is selfish.

This is a good series for RPG game goers and for those who want a change in anime, this series is pretty unique.

PLEASE DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE SERIES! WARNING: SPOILERS!!

My only bone to pick is that the series ending is that after Tsukasa breaks free and gets to log out, first he forms a three person team with real players to create a new character and then comes back after his real self (A girl by the way) graduates to college. I don't get why the story didn't just end after he got out, the story introduced all these new characters that weren't at all fleshed out. The reunion and the reaction of the characters was really out of place too.

Not that I don't like female characters or anything, but I think having Tsukasa be a girl in the real world, or involving the real world to be a part of the story beyond Tsukasa's dilema is a mistake. His character is completely destroyed because the conflict is over.

Next, the story is about the World in the game, not the real world. So having the relationship of the characters be ruined by the revelations of the actual people is kind of weird, however interesting it is to have a girl play as the character Tsukasa, it doesn't help the relationship that Subura and Tsukasa had as characters. I liked it better if Tsukasa just became just a character in the game, that character is more powerful.

Well, that's just my view of it anyways. I liked the fact that the people who played the games were more real in "The World" than in reality. I think bringing Tsukasa, Subaru, and Mimiru into the story as their real selves makes their game characters one demensional. They were pretty deep before then. I think a few things weren't really drawn out as much as they could have been, namely the legends of the world: Orca and Balung. And it didn't seem like the conflict was that hard to solve. I was expecting more problems.

Anyways, other than the ending, this was a good series to watch. Short and sweet. Not as violent as you might expect. The graphics were made to look like an RPG, so, it's even less gory than most anime shows. It has fighting though, PKs (player killers) who just try to get the IDs of other players. And monsters.

The music is excellent, I highly suggest looking for the soundtracks. And it was well mixed into the story. Good series, though incomplete, and enjoyable for all anime fans. This is one of the older series, so that animation is not as brightly colored as the others, but it's good because the it matches the tone.

This is a must see, watch and enjoy if you're an anime, RPG, or looking for something new and different to watch, this is it!

.Hack//Sign.......2007-01-26

I love this series very much and I love the games even more. The best thing about this format is that it is cheeper than the tin. I do wish that the hexagonal tin version was cheaper, but this has all the episodes and I can choose the language and the subtitles.

Warning...This version is missing something.......2006-12-25

I loved the story of this anime up until the very ending...when something seemed incomplete...at first I thought it was another great anime with a very crappy ending...kind of like Evangelion...but I was wrong...this version is missing the complete edition...there are 28 episodes to the series and this one only has up to the 27th(including the ones in the extras)...the final episode the 28th...is the most important..."Reunion" wraps it up folks and like many crappy American versions of good Anime, this on falls short...so in short, unless you can get a complete import, don't get this one, you'll probably be just as disappointed in the ending as I was.

A must for MMORPGers.......2006-12-04

My husband, an avid MMORPG player, suggested we watch this series. This a great series for online gamers (and the people who love them). Even if you don't play video games, there's enough explanation that you can follow along.

The animation is great and the music is lovely. I bought the soundtrack as well because the songs are terrific. However, they used some music in inappropriate places, and some instrument choices were...not great. (There are banjos. I am not making this up.)

The only reasons this didn't get 5 stars are:

1) The pacing is horribly slow in places. The series is 6 discs and could easily have been 3 or 4 had the writers kept it tighter.

2) The ending is sort of a cliffhanger. It's got more of an ending than some series, and I understand that the ending is shown in the video game that this series is based upon. Still, after watching six discs, the ending is somewhat unsatisfying.

Those gripes aside, this series is definitely worth watching. It's also a good choice for exposing the gamer in your life to some anime.

Okay, worth the price but there is much better anime out there..........2006-10-27

The Pros:

- If you play MMORPGs, it's definitely an entwining, relevant story.
- If you don't play MMORPG's, you can still catch enough information to let you understand what is going on for the most part.
- Beautiful music, especially Yuki Kajiura's "Key of the Twilight."
- Interesting enough storyline.
- Those Grunties are so darn cute.
- Good price, now that it has gone down significantly due to its age, other .hack series releasing, and popularity.

The Cons:

- The drawing style wasn't the best I've seen.
- They often use music inappropriate to the scene, which can ruin the mood (like playing "Key of the Twilight" during a fight scene).
- If you don't play video games or have never played an MMORPG, there is a lot of information you probably won't understand, like why some of the players have the roles that they do.
- You have to play the video games to see the complete ending. I personally have all of the games but not everyone does.

Hack // Sign - Perfect Collection (Episodes 1-28)

Average customer rating:

Hack // Sign - Perfect Collection (Episodes 1-28)

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

ASIN: B000MK4UH2

Product Description

Synopsis: In the year 2005, a computer virus called "Pluto Kiss" destroys the networks of computers all around the world, subjecting the cyberspace to severe restrictions. Two years later, as free access to the networks recovers, people are now crazed over a full-immersion virtual gaming environment called "The World." However, when reality and virtual reality collide, a whole new adventure unfolds as a mysterious accident leaves Wave Master Tsukasa permanently logged in. Now a group of ciphers must figure out the truth behind Tsukasa while a rash of mysterious game-related incidents in the real world begins to draw the attention of even the most powerful players within the game. All-star anime creative team includes Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion), Kazunori Ito (Ghost in the Shell), and Koichi Mashimo (Noir). Region Code: All code, region free Dialogue: English/Japanese Subtitle: English

Average customer rating:

.hack//SIGN - The Start of Something Evil
Disappointing Ending to Intruiging Series
Buy it before it comes off the market!
From the creators of Neon Genesis....
Sorry but the story and voice acting is just awful!

.hack//SIGN - Terminus (Vol. 6)
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00018D5QC
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Amazon.com

The popular fantasy-adventure concludes as the world of the game grows increasingly unstable. Aided by Subaru and his friends, Tsubasa challenges the vengeful and omnipresent Morganna for mastery of the cyber-realm. As Tsubasa rediscovers his true identity and the role he was destined to play, he reopens the links between the game and reality. He awakens the slumbering Aura and escapes from the game in an emotionally satisfying finale. The alienated Wave Master has learned to love, but Director Koichi Mashimo avoids bathos by underplaying his transformation. Although the story ends with "Return," the disc includes two bonus episodes. "Intermezzo" offers a long flashback of Mimiru and Bear when they were novices at the game; scenes from earlier episodes have been re-edited to recap the main story in "Evidence." Handsomely designed, well animated, and skillfully directed, .hack//Sign stands out as an example of how to turn a game into a series that can stand on its own merits. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

.hack//SIGN - The Start of Something Evil.......2006-04-26

Although best known for sweet, cute, super popular heroines like Lacus Clyne in Gundam Seed and Chii in Chobits, voice actress Rie Tanaka plays Morganna (aka The Voice) in .hack//SIGN, the first in a line of her noteworthy evil villains in Japanese animation, which include Suigintou in Rozen Maiden, Tomoe Marguerite in My-Otome (Mai-Otome), and Leandra Cheviat / Sister Lain in Nishi no Yoki Majo - Astraea Testament (The Good Witch of the West - Astraea Testament). (One turns out to not really be a villain.) Rie Tanaka has received much critical acclaim in Japan and elsewhere for her villain roles.

Disappointing Ending to Intruiging Series.......2005-10-14

Hack Sign: Volume 6: Terminus contains the last three episodes of the fascinating cyber conspiracy-mystery anime series, plus two unrelated episodes. Many questions raised during the series were not answered to my satisfaction. Endings just happened too quickly. What should have been a well thought-out conclusion became smarmy - almost Disneyfied - in its lame preaching about love and friendship.

The extras are lame as well. We have two unrelated episodes, one that tells us about Mimiru's mentor in the world, a mysterious, seemingly all-powerful female warrior. She has a crush on a college guy playing in the world. There are hints it could have been . . . Bear?

The other extra episode is of clips of the series. I watched it, hoping it would answer some of my questions, but alas, I feel I have been logged off of the World before I was ready.

Buy it before it comes off the market!.......2005-07-12

Like I said before, "Buy it before it comes off the market!"
Enough said.

From the creators of Neon Genesis...........2004-07-23

I've watched A LOT of anime way before it became mainstream, so I have had a sample of all the good stuff that made it here before the crappy kids shows. Neon Genesis is a supurd anime, you can't call yourself an anime lover before you watch that, however as much as I liked that anime, I LOVE .hack//SIGN. This sotry is slower moving, you see mostly character development and none of that bloody violence that is prevolent in most anime and other media. If you love getting involved with the characters you'll love this. Every person alive can relate to at least one of the characters in .hack, it's amazing to watch it and see how their lives play out. Even better, if you like this anime enough, there are four games to play that take place 6 months after this story. They pick up where it left off and solve the riddles that are left unsolved at the end of this series. Now I have to say that to be an true anime fan you have to have watched 2 series, Neon Genesis Evangelion and of course, .hack//SIGN! ^_^ \/

Sorry but the story and voice acting is just awful!.......2004-06-23

Yes it is. I have watched all of the dvd's and this show is by far one of the worst!!! I dispise the voice acting!!! the story is awful!!! This show really does not deserve to be this famous! It has comics, anime, videogames, etc. etc. etc.!!! I advise everyone to skip .Hack entirely!!!

Amazon.com

.hack//Sign is set in the world within an online game. Tsukasa, a powerful Wave Master, finds himself lost in the cyberworld, with little memory of how he got there. More significantly, he's unable to log out of the game and is apparently immune to many of its restrictions. He may be the focus of an impending crisis linked to the mysterious Key of the Twilight. As he wanders through different realms, Tsukasa meets spunky girl warrior Mimiru; earnest soldier Bear; the Crimson Knights, who maintain order in the game-world; and genially heroic Crim, a Heavy Spear wielder. Tsukasa also encounters a potent but unseen entity who promises to protect him--and does. Handsomely designed, well animated, and skillfully directed, .hack//Sign stands out as an example of how to turn a game into a series that can stand on its own merits. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

awsome boxed set one of the best that i have seen.......2007-04-02

this boxed set is awsome it has at least 4+ episodes on each disk tons of cool extras such as back ground information,story time line, textless opining and closing songs which are awsome i ammost pleased with the sound tracks of this series the story of this series is amazing it keeps u wanting know more but it is so uniqe that u will either love it or hate it I give this a 5 out of 5 i highly recommend this set to any one who loves the mmorpg genre check it out!!!!!

excellent.......2006-07-03

I really liked this anime. A lot. Especially the music. It's so... haunting. So of course I had to get my hands on the entire soundtrack. Go get "Key to Twilight". Sometimes I just watched the thing to get the music.

That's not to downplay the goodness of the anime mind you. It was good. The only thing that made me sad was the open ending of the anime. You have to play the vid game for the entire storyline. And that sucks because as my husband says "I have no game power." I had so many game overs I lost my passion for the game. I still don't know how it ends. -sigh-

Ok, and then what?.......2006-06-15

I saw this anime at least 1 year before it came to America because all the hype that was between it and its video game counterparts. And honestly I expected a little more... like an ending (sorry for ruining it for you guys who haven't sat through 12+ hours to see it all). The whole purpose of this show is to gear people up for the game. Oh, it will try to fool you though, because none of these characters in the show are in the plot of the game itself (not counting secret unlockable stuff when you finish all 4 games). It starts out with one of the coolest plot devices I have ever seen. Someone locked into a game. "Will he ever get out? Can he ever get out?" in a Batman-esk way was the only thing missing at the end. (old school, Adam West Batman, that is) But from that point on the show just drags and drags. I did manage to watch it in English, and took a little more fancy to it, but I was furious at the non-ending it gave me. Little did I know that the ending is in the video games.

All in all the Music is top notch, to the point that I own the 1st OST and am actively looking for the US version of the 2nd (though I'll probably just break down and go to Akihabara). The art is pretty good. Kinda goofy with the "dumb-bell" shaped data-drain monster, but better than most. Plot it great! Only problem is that there are 20+ "filler" episodes keeping the plot from evolving, and when it does... nothing! Not actually a "to be continued..." ending, just a very big "What happens next?" I'm a fan of Evangelion's TV show's ending, but I couldn't handle this one (until I played the games). So basic, great plot, bad follow-through. I did pick up a bit more the 2nd time through (which was in English, thus much easier to understand what they were talking about).

In summation:
Sound 5 stars
Visuals 4 1/2 stars
Plot 2 stars
Replay-ability 3 stars

Overall about a 3 star total, sorry fan-boys.

One final note, if you must own this, it is so not worth the insane price they are charging here. Just get the "Anime Legends" editions due out Sep 22, 2006. Here's the URL:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FJH4YQ/qid=1150372915/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-8296600-4689435?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130

Like Avalon, only better.......2006-05-26

If you liked the Polish movie "Avalon" you will really enjoy .Hack//Sign and .Hack//AIBuster. There wasn't enough character development in Avalon. In .Hack we get to know and care about the "players".

If you've never played an online game stay away from .Hack and Avalon.

frigg'n awesome.......2006-03-05

this anime is a great contrast to the oh-so-plentiful Über-violence anime one usually encounters. although there isn't much violence in it (so the blood-hungry might wanna steer away from it), the plot is simply wonderful (not gonna spoil it here though). this anime makes you think, a lot. you don't fully understand what is going on until you've watched the entire series a couple times, its pretty deep. also, the characters were designed by the extremely talented Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, who worked on Neon Genesis Evangelion. great plot, characters, and music combine to form an anime that easily crosses the line into my top 5 favorite anime series.

if you like a good, serious story and/or like RPGs then this is for you. if you like violence and blood and gore and nothing else, don't watch it.

Note: you have to watch the entire series to fully appreciate it.

Average customer rating:

Serious story development

.hack//SIGN - Omnipotence (Vol. 4)
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0001BMM04
Release Date: 2003-09-16

Customer Reviews:

Serious story development.......2005-04-05

.Hack//SIGN - Vol. 4: Omnipotence contains episodes 15 - 18 of the fascinating series about a virtual reality online game called The World and the characters trying to unravel a strange mystery.

I watch these DVD's straight through; the story is so absorbing. The backgrounds are clever and enchanting, and especially realistic at twilight. The colors in the sky are gorgeous. I confess I have a bit of a crush on Bear. I also really admire the Silver Knight and feel Subaru is in the wrong.

Episode 15 - "Depth" - Tsukusa "dies" a painful and terrifying death within the World. His screams are something awful. Tossed out of the Twilight Eye, Mimiru and Bear are worried about Tsukasa. Mimiru is overjoyed when he makes his appearance again, but he has forgotten an important conversation they had.

Meanwhile, Lady Subaru finds out that Silver Knight has been keeping messages from her to prevent her from seeing Tsukasa. Subaru finds Tsukasa and they share a special moment. We see she is deeply in love with him, and he is beginning to have feelings for her too.

Episode 16 - "Conflict" - BT is shot down by Krim (in his "The King and I" outfit) as he says their tryst in the real world was a mistake, but he would like to be partners with her in the game. She is very hurt. We learn a little more about BT in this episode. She and Tsukasa open up a little to each other.

Episode 17 - "Declaration" - The Silver Knight and Subaru argue about the true purpose of the Crimson Knights in the World. He wants to stop and bind malicious players to protect other players in the world. Subaru does not like the vigilante style and insists on only sending stern e-mails to players who flout the rules. The conflict between Silver Knight and Tsukasa reaches a head, and she takes drastic action.

Episode 18 - "Recollection" - A "princess" with no knights to protect her, Subaru is vulnerable and shy in the World. Crim comes to his lady's rescue. He gives her some good advice to boost her self-confidence. Unfortunately, Crim cannot always be with Subaru, and she is attacked. Weak and hurt, she finds Tsukasa and falls into his arms.

In this episode, we learn who Subaru really is in the real world - a bit of a shocker.

Average customer rating:

Intriguing
from the creators of neon genesis...
Classic Anime at its best!
Cool ^^
Not worth the money....

.hack//SIGN - Vol. 1: Login
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000089UBP
Release Date: 2003-03-18

Amazon.com

Based on a popular PlayStation2 game, the fantasy-adventure .hack//Sign is set in the world within an online game. Tsukasa, a powerful Wave Master, finds himself lost in the cyberworld, with little memory of how he got there. More significantly, he's unable to log out of the game and is apparently immune to many of its restrictions. He may be the focus of an impending crisis linked to the mysterious Key of the Twilight. As he wanders through different realms, Tsukasa meets spunky girl warrior Mimiru; earnest soldier Bear; the Crimson Knights, who maintain order in the game-world; and genially heroic Crim, a Heavy Spear wielder. Tsukasa also encounters a potent but unseen entity who promises to protect him--and does. Handsomely designed, nicely animated, intriguingly scripted, and refreshingly free of unnecessary dialogue, .hack//Sign looks like a winner. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Intriguing.......2005-01-24

The plot premise of Hack seems a little thin at first glance. A boy is trapped in an online multiplayer interactive RPG. He need his friends to help him get out. Tron, anyone? But upon viewing this first disc of the series hack//:SIGN, there is something very intriguing about this series. THere is something very Matrix-like about it. I was instantly hooked, as I suspect many other people are. I cannot wait to watch the second volume.

The animation is standard Saturday morning, yet is oddly beautiful with all the varied backgrounds and colors. The characters are fascinating. So much has yet to be revealed. I greatly preferred the English dub to the original Japanese voice actors. English just seemed to fit better.

from the creators of neon genesis..........2004-07-23

Classic Anime at its best!.......2004-07-18

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be Mario's world? To be able to live in the game for awhile? Add more people and this would describe what dotHack has to offer. The name of the game is "The World" and they are able to act just like it was a real world. But, something disturbing has happened. Tsukasa, having an extra ordinary gift, is causing confusion and chaos among the top players and the administrators. However, the only thing Tsukasa is worried about is trying to log out of the game.

The story is given the five stars, because it has some amazing twists. I was very surprised when I first watched the movie.

To rate the DVD itself, I would give it four stars. The music over powers a lot of the movie and it is hard to hear some of the dialog. This shouldn't stop you from buying it. It just took me to turn up my TV on some parts.

Conclusion. If you like anime, played an Massive Multilayer Game Online, like video games, or curious about the whole plot, then this DVD is for you.

Cool ^^.......2004-07-11

If you're a real big .hack//SIGN fan, you need this thing. Just be careful. If you don't choose and look carefully, you'll get some DVD set with none of the cool stuff with it. One more thing, the .hack//SIGN series moves very very slowly and can be difficult to follow sometimes. If you don't speak Japanese, leave the subtitles on for some of the later episodes, or else you'll be totally confused, and won't get the actual meaning of some of the words that appear. It's really worth it to try and follow the series. I found myself almost crying when I watched episode 28, which is the last of them. So, if you're willing to stick with it, and try to understand the series, you'll probably really love it.

Not worth the money...........2004-06-04

I bought this at the recommendations of many of my friends and after reading several reviews. This is purely a character-driven story and only has one or two fights that are actually worth watching. All in all not up to the standards of a all-around good anime...

Average customer rating:

From the creators of Neon Genesis
The story deepens.
The Saga Continues
Goregous DVD
Best Anime Ever?

.hack//SIGN - Vol. 2: Outcast
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

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DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B00008NGBU
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Amazon.com

The story of this fantasy adventure continues to unfold in intriguing ways. Unlike most game-based series, the characters in .Hack//Sign realize they are in the cyberworld of an online game. Events in the real world affect the game, although it's not clear if the reverse is true. Most of the characters remain focused on two mysteries: (1) who and what is Tsukasa and (2) what is the Key of the Twilight--if it exists at all. Mimiru meets an immature player named A-20 and begins instructing her in the ways of the game, while BT, Crim, and Bear search for more information about the Key. Subaru explains it was mentioned once on a message board, but the message was in German and quickly deleted. A curious character who resembles Puss-in-Boots appears to Tsukasa, leading him on, as the filmmakers lead the viewer on. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

Tsukasa has been captured by the Crimson Knights! Subaru talks with him and tries to understand his plight, but the unbalanced Sora stages a jailbreak and disrupts everything! Confusion mounts within the group as Mimiru confronts BT about her betrayal. Mimiru decides to give it all up, but after a chance encounter with another player, she changes her mind. As the clues unfold, everything points to a powerful legendary item called "The Key of the Twilight". Could this be the source of all the trouble in "The World"? Everyone seems to think so. Alliances are formed and plots are hatched as all eyes fall towards uncovering the whereabouts to this new item.

Customer Reviews:

From the creators of Neon Genesis.......2004-07-23

The story deepens........2004-06-24

SIGN continues as Tsukasa's situation is further explored and we get character studies of Mimiru and Bear - two of the three people, along with Subaru, who will ultimately be closest to him throughout his ordeal.

As this volume begins, a distraught Mimiru - who of course has no way of knowing yet that Subaru means Tsukasa no harm - is desperate enough to ask Sora to help break him out. This he does in outrageous fashion, though not without a run in with Subaru's friend Crim. Considering that Sora's game strategy offends Crim's sense of chivalry and Sora is more than a little annoyed at being fought to a draw, it's pretty much loathing at first sight for the two - beginning a rivalry that will continue through the penultimate episode of the series. Tsukasa, meanwhile, bolts and runs.

Thus begins Mimiru's highly amusing subplot as, while waiting to see if Tsukasa reaches out to her again, she's used and abused by a newbie named A-20 who she tries to help. To add insult to injury, much to her dismay she also seems to have become Sora's new best buddy - and can't simply brush him off because he's started to feed her accurate information from a hacker named Helba that might eventually help Tsukasa. Fans who do like Sora - and there are more than a few - will likely point to these episodes when asked why. His strange sense of humour can be infectious, and while he obviously knows that his best chance of finding Tsukasa is probably by sticking to her like a bad penny, he gets more chatty with Mimiru than he really has to, at one point even more or less revealing what kind of person he is in the real world - something that you may have already guessed.

Meanwhile, B.T. is mildly worried about Bear, who's in an uncharacteristic depression that seems to run deeper than some disturbing suspicions he has about Tsukasa's real identity. We get a look into his personal life that gives us a sense of why he's so affected by Tsukasa's plight and why one of his preferred gaming partners is a young girl who has to be less than half his age.

By the end of the volume, Mimiru and Bear's efforts have results. They've reached out to Tsukasa, and spurred by a miserable day he hesitantly responds. They can now begin the task of trying to help him in earnest, and the story is truly underway.

The Saga Continues.......2004-04-05

The storyline continues to develop and suck you in more and more. I really feel sorry for Tsukasa. A must have.

Goregous DVD.......2004-03-07

I love how Bandai setup these DVDs and Volume 2 is no different. The beautiful menus and a ton of extras. I got the LE of this. Fantastic. I liked the Character Design Gallery.

Best Anime Ever?.......2003-07-08

Possibly. The amazing colour that goes into everything creates a fantasy world. The characters are as different and variated as in reality. And the music. Ah, the music. Not enough can be said about the music to express the unhindering awe I have of it. All in all, everything is simply perfect.

I'll admit, the first time I rented the first DVD, I got so lost in the voices, colours and music I didn't pay much attention to the plot. The plot is very complex and confusing at times, since while there isn't a lot of action, there is a lot of talking and theor[ies] and to remember it all is hard. However, once you start to weed out the important aspects the series is really amazing. The character relationships and grow of the characters is really something to look at.

Overall, if you're into fast paced anime, I'll agree, this probably isn't the anime for you.However, I have found it extremely enjoyable and would recommend it to those with a lot of paitence.

Average customer rating:

.hack//SIGN - The Start of Something Evil

Disappointing Ending to Intruiging Series

Buy it before it comes off the market!

From the creators of Neon Genesis....

Sorry but the story and voice acting is just awful!

.hack//SIGN - Terminus (Vol. 6) (Limited Edition)
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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.hack//SIGN | Characters & Series | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video
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.hack//SIGN - Uncovered (Vol. 5)

.hack//SIGN - Omnipotence (Vol. 4)

.hack//SIGN - Gestalt (Vol. 3)

.hack//SIGN - Vol. 2: Outcast

.hack//SIGN - Vol. 1: Login

ASIN: B00018D5QM
Release Date: 2004-03-16

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

.hack//SIGN - The Start of Something Evil.......2006-04-26

Disappointing Ending to Intruiging Series.......2005-10-14

Buy it before it comes off the market!.......2005-07-12

Like I said before, "Buy it before it comes off the market!"
Enough said.

From the creators of Neon Genesis...........2004-07-23

Sorry but the story and voice acting is just awful!.......2004-06-23

Amazon.com

The quest for the Key of the Twilight continues as the appearance of undefeatable monsters and mythic heroes shakes the online Game World. As the relationship between Tsukasa and Subaru grows closer, he takes her to the hidden forest of the sleeping girl--and is severely punished. The voice that once promised to accompany Tsubasa abandons him, taking the sleeping Aura and the Puss-in-Boots-like Macha to a weird, aqueous realm. While the odious Sora and BT connive, Crim joins Bear and Mimiru in the search for clues about the mysterious Key. With the help of the seeress Helba, they discover that the aged failure of the upside-down dungeon is a manifestation of Harald Hoerwick, the creator of the prototype game world. Director Koichi Mashimo uses tantalizing but ambiguous clues to build the suspense as this intriguing series moves toward its climax. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

The group seems to have disbanded! BT doesn't log on much and neither does Subaru. But soon, the quest for the Key of the Twilight begins anew with Tsukasa taking Subaru to see the 'sleeping girl' and discovers her missing! Elsewhere, Bear realizes that the man in the upside-down castle was none other than Harald Hoerwick, creator of 'The World' and that he may hold the key to this mystery! The final battle is near and each of the party members must decide whether they will fight or not...

KEY SALES POINTS:
Genre: Fantasy/Action
FIRST EVER - Cross media property: .hack//INFECTION PS2 Game / .hack OVA series / .hack//SIGN anime / .hack Manga.
* .hack//INFECTION PS2 Game to be released Feb 03 / May 03 (2 of 4 games planned for 2003)
Continued broadcast on Cartoon Network
.hack is a bonafide best-selling HIT in Japan AND North America.
* .hack//INFECTION (PS2) is one of the best selling RPG's of the Year!
* .hack//SIGN continues to rank #1 for all anime television programming in Japan (Newtype magazine).
.hack Manga to be released in North America soon by Tokyo Pop

DVD FEATURES:
Interactive Animated Menus
English/Japanese language
English subtitles optional
Anamorphic Widescreen presentation
Dolby Digital Surround Sound
Dolby Digital Isolated Score Audio Track
Character Gallery
Bandai Previews

Customer Reviews:

wasn't that impressed..........2004-12-17

yes ive seen all the episodes and played through two of the games, infection and mutation, and i found this anime series obnoxiously flat with a very slow moving plot. the soundtrack to the series is wonderful along with the artwork but i found the story to be non-gratifying in any way shape or form for me.

granted i watched the horribly translated sub version from japan it probably wouldnt be fair for me to really recommend .hack// or not, but to take caution and rent a few of the volumes before investing money on purchasing them, unless of course your a die hard .hack// fan :P

If you like Neon Genesis get prepared for their newest work!.......2004-07-23

Once more unto the breach, dear friends..........2004-07-21

The party gets assists from Helba and, in a brief cameo, Subaru's powerful friend Balmung - who we haven't met yet but has previously been mentioned as helping out offscreen - as the final conflict draws near.

Of all the people he's come to care for, Tsukasa's closest tie is to Subaru, and he now trusts her enough to share Aura, the sleeping girl with her. This does not go over well with The Voice, however, and once Subaru leaves she punishes him severely - a serious setback, as Tsukasa is left traumatized and shell shocked.

In other developments, the whole party is now on the same page, with Bear and Mimiru working in concert with Subaru and Crim for the first time. With the appearance of unkillable boss monsters hearalding the fact that they're running out of time, they try to bring their lost sheep back into the fold.

Previous comments from Crim have suggested that the Silver Knight isn't really a bad guy if given a nudge in the right direction, and indeed we find him taking the fallout of the Knights' dismantling - which was certainly never his intention - even harder than Subaru. B.T. - who's been seesawing through the whole series - wants back in, but doesn't see how that's possible considering her recent behavior and the messy way she's left things - until she finds to her surprise that Bear still maintains an almost childlike faith in her. For that matter, the "old man" hasn't entirely given up on Sora either.

There's always one problem case, however, and it looks like he might be wrong on that count. Until now, Sora hasn't really done anything more dire than play The World rather unscrupulously. However, it should be starting to register that a real child is in trouble and this is no longer just a game, and his antics are starting to wear thin. Finally even threatening Mimiru - who he had seemed to like if he liked anyone - he seems to be a lost cause. And like the young boy it's been implied he is in the real world, he starts playing with fire...

The chess pieces are on the board, and zero hour is approaching.

Things are starting to tie together..........2004-04-05

I can't get enough of .hack. I continue to be surprised by this series. Our heroes are starting to get closer to solving the mystery of the Key of the Twilight. You must get this.

Loving This Series..........2004-01-25

Okay, so I'm a huge fan of both the anime series and the game, so I may be a bit biased... I started with the game, and was worried that I wouldn't like the series, or that it wouldn't compare to or measure up to the game. However, the series parallels the game, and there are some nice tie-ins between the series and game now. The characters in the series are nicely developed, and the storyline is very involved without being over-developed or entangled. The story has taken some good twists, and I love it! I'm also a fan of the music that's in the series. It nicely accompanies the story, and is something that I can listen to anytime. I highly recommend this series for anyone who's ever played the game, or for someone who happens to love anime. Thumbs-up from me!!!

Average customer rating:

Still going strong
.Hack//sign. Vol. 3
Argh...
Good DVD - Below average CD
.hack//sign - Gestalt

.hack//SIGN - Gestalt (Vol. 3)
Starring: Mitsuki Saiga , Megumi Toyoguchi , Kazuhiro Nakata , Akiko Hiramatsu , and Kaori Nazuka
Director: Kôichi Mashimo
Manufacturer: Bandai
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009AV95
Release Date: 2003-07-15

Amazon.com

Tensions between reality and the cyber-realm of the "the World" intensify as Wave Master Tsukasa remains trapped within the game, unlike the other characters who log on and off when they choose. Bear believes that Tsukasa is actually a girl in a coma whose consciousness has become divorced from her physical existence, but Tsukasa dismisses this notion. As they search for the mysterious Key of the Twilight, the characters converge on an upside-down dungeon that echoes Befuddle Hall in Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland. Crim remembers how to reach it from earlier versions of the game; Tsukasa simply teleports there. Confronted by an aged man who "failed as a father," Tsukasa announces, "I may have found it"--only to be struck down by the Puss-in-Boots figure who has guided him. Every revelation introduces new mysteries as this intriguing adventure continues. (Rated 13 and older: violence) --Charles Solomon

Description

Tsukasa has been captured by the Crimson Knights! Subaru talks with him and tries to understand his plight, but the unbalanced Sora stages a jailbreak and disrupts everything! Confusion mounts within the group as Mimiru confronts BT about her betrayal. Mimiru decides to give it all up, but after a chance encounter with another player, she changes her mind. As the clues unfold, everything points to a powerful legendary item called 'The Key of the Twilight'. Could this be the source of all the trouble in `The World'? Everyone seems to think so. Alliances are formed and plots are hatched as all eyes fall towards uncovering the whereabouts to this new item.

Customer Reviews:

Still going strong.......2004-04-05

The series continues to develop without losing the interest of the viewer, which is amazing, considering the lack of action, which I am fine with, but others may not be. I can't get enough of this series.

.Hack//sign. Vol. 3.......2003-12-20

This is a really great series!! Great music and beautiful animation! I like the plot too. I am an anime fan, and i recommend this to any anime fan. The only problem I have with it, as the same with any anime dvd, is the price. Very expensive!! Especially for a 13 year old like me..I'm so poor!! T.T I assure you though, it is worth the price. Just buy it and watch it! I assure you, you will love it!!! ^_^ :P

Argh..........2003-12-20

First off, let me just say that I've only watched .Hack//Sign up to the end of Gestalt. Also, this is more of a review on the series up to this point, rather that Gestalt alone. You can form your own opinion from that.

Now, at first I loved .Hack//Sign. I was captivated by the entire concept of character relationships inside an online game. But soon, the effect wore off. The episodes became so bland and monotonous, even major events in the series (like the last episode in Gestalt) failed to rekindle my interest in Tsukasa's plight. Most of the scenes just feel like filler... as if .Hack//Sign, up to this point in the series at least, could have been done with half the episodes.

As for the soundtrack, it's mediocre. A few good instrumental songs, but nothing to scream about.

But if you like the .Hack video games, I'm sure you will enjoy this series more than I. It just seems to me that there are better animes out there that focus on character development... even if they do lack .Hack//Sign's original concept.

If you've sincerely enjoyed .Hack//Sign up to Gestalt, then you will most likely enjoy this DVD. If you're having doubts about where this series is going, than you may want to save your money.

Good DVD - Below average CD.......2003-10-28

I love the DVD and the series.
This is just a note to those who might be getting the DVD with the CD as I did.
Disk 3 and 4 have what can only be described as moderate music disks. I like most all the songs on the first two disks but the third and fourth music disks have almost nothing new or nothing worth making mention of. Decent enough for background noise but not for active listening. Maybe one or two real good songs on each of these CD's.
It's simply my opinion that if you know someone else who is collecting the series with the music dics to borrow them before you pay for them.

.hack//sign - Gestalt.......2003-10-28

This is so far the best of the .hack//sign series I have seen to date. This volume contains a lot of action as Tsukasa, Bear, and Mimiru search for the Key of the Twilight. When I first watched it I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

If you are looking for a really fast paced series then I would not recommend this one, but if you are looking for a story with an intricate plot, developed characters, and a theme that asks some very key questions about the worlds (both online and off) then I would recommend this one.

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