Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
.hack//FOREVER, June 20, 2004
With the success of the original .hack releases behind them, Bandai went on to make a short series out the .hack mange, which have also only just appeared in translation. Set four years after the first crisis it is the story of two new players, Shugo and Rena, who are introduced to The World as part of a promotion where they win the right to use the characters of the original dot hackers - Kite and Black Rose. The same events that heralded the first crisis are beginning to reappear. Balmung, who has become a system operator, is concerned that Twilight is returning. When Aura appears to give the new 'Kite' his data drain bracelet and dangerous creatures begin to appear in beginner's dungeons we know that once again The World needs saving. Shugo and Rena bring a lighter and more human touch to the story though which seems to make it all the better. The differences from the manga series are subtle, but significant. In the TV series, the twins have been separated in their parents divorce, and the relationship between them is a primary focus for the story. The World is the only place they can meet. Several of the internal relationships are rearranged as well. Shugo is a bit more inept as a fighter, some episodic details are left out, and new characters are introduced to smooth the way. But the over all story is the same. It's difficult to compare manga and TV series, since the media are so different in what they can allow. The TV Series flows much better than the manga, and the characters come across as a bit older (in behavior) than they do in the comic. All of the changes are favorable, and I found myself enjoying the lighthearted touch of the TV series much more than I expected to. Artwork is better than the first TV series and the viewer gets a genuine feel for what life is like in the artificial reality called the world. Well worth watching for any .hack fan. Be warned though that I experienced the same technical problem on one of my DVD players that a previous reviewer did - with the disk loading the trailers/previews repeatedly. These disappeared when I used my computer's player though. This is a serious issue from a purchase point of view, and you should insist on a trial period when buying.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cool series! Watch it!, September 3, 2004
This story is so well done, and the climatic ending is philosophically profound as always, leaving you with a "whoa". What I really love about these .hack anime is that they incoporate so much philosophy into it, giving you a complete experience. Of course, this is the type of excellent work I expect from the makers of "Evangelion".
The characters from the series are so loveable too! From Shugo's goofy , tooth-missing smile to Reina's "Oni-chan" to what's-her-name's rare item obsession, its great. Anyhoo, watch the anime in its orginal language with the English subtitle, you'll get a much better experience. Japanese voice actors are superb, unlike some dubbing artists ;)
Enjoy! And this series rock!
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
The last .hack series delivers fun kawaii, not much story..., March 9, 2004
After the games resolve much of the mystery and dilemma in THE WORLD, you have to assume that KITE and BLACKROSE were booted from the game for some reason, because their characters are revived and raffled off to hopefuls. The hopefuls who recieve the characters are a brother and sister team of Rena and Shugo who live apart due to schooling in Japan/Tokyo. They soon play in the WORLD and use it as a place to be together while living apart. However, Kite gets drawn back into problems left unresolved in the game and is given the data drain bracelet again. Through a series of light hearted adventures in a kawaii anime style, they meet some of the adventurers from the video games, and reveal some of the minor mysteries left unanswered from previous .hack installments. One of the funnest episodes in the first DVD is where the same girl from SIGN who dumped an ill Grunty of Tsukasa does the same to one of the TWILIGHT characters, but is revealed at the end to be scamming people so she didn't have to care for her pet...and the girls deal with her off screen. This kind of resonance helps make TWILIGHT seem like more then a minor appendix to .hack.While it is a very cute and fun little series, involving more animation and action then SIGN, TWILIGHT doesn't have the kind of deep, emotional story of its predecessors. TWILIGHT is a 12 episode series with a beginning, middle and end, and in some ways mirrors the video games. Within the episodes, you will see Balmung, Sanjuro and Mistral but none of the SIGN characters. It's cute! It is fun. It isn't great. While some light hearted sexual interest is encountered, the oddest element is a kind of incest implied again and again between the brother and sister as Kite gets nervously arroused over Black Rose's design. The animation is a little soggy, but it doesn't kill the idea of the series - cuteness.
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