Japanese animation (anime) - .Hack//Sign

Name: .Hack//Sign
Episodes: 26 eps + 2 extras (OVAs)
Vintage: 2002, 2003 OVAs
Style: Ficção

.Hack//Sign - Preview

Setting

The World is a MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online RPG) which runs on a totally immersive virtual reality, played by thousands of people around the globe. Tsukasa, one of such players, mysteriously cannot log out from the game. Now, after hours, maybe days, locked inside the game, nobody knows what is happening to his body at the real world as Tsukasa?s mind is in the game, neither do them know how to make him leave the game.

Development

Mysteries, surprises and a dense psychological adventure fill Hack/Sign, which focuses on an isolated and unexpected fact that eventually raises questions about the reality (what is real? What is imaginary?). Although somewhat slow paced, the viewer that gets involved with the characters and the mystery will eventually find this a very interesting title.

Hack//Sign is part of the huge Bandai?s Hack Project, which includes other anime titles (Hack Liminality and Hack tasogare), a PS2 game (divided into 4 games), and a manga. In theory, to be able to fully understand the whole plot, one would need to watch and play all the animes and games. Even so, Hack//Sign is able to keep itself as an isolated title, showing basically the story of Tsukasa. However, to fully (hopefully) understand the main mystery and it?s secrets about how and why people get locked inside ?The World?, it would be needed to watch everything and play the game.

Because of such factor, the ending actually is not conclusive, and might not please some viewers. It?s intention is clearly to show a ?sub-plot?, based on the characters of the title and not only the main mystery. For this, the title does have certain sense of closure.

Hack/Sign tries to focus on Tsukasa?s plot, and does leave the main plot as a side plot, which makes the title loose some of it?s reason and, eventually, have a wide open ending. However, the character development is well portrayed and actually suitable, focusing on the relationship between Tsukasa and Subaru. If you like the other characters, you might still be left with the taste of ?wanting something more? after the conclusion, though the extra episodes add something more into that.

All Hack series anime titles (including hack/roots) are meant to SELL GAMES. The ending and any explanation is given ONLY in the game, therefore, DO NOT watch this if you cannot play the games or you WILL be disapointed

Comments

Both extra episodes, and OVA?s, come after Hack//Sign ending, and helps the closure of this particular title (but not the overall mystery). Apparently, however, even for those who did follow the game and the manga, the main plot still remains a mystery.

(better sequence for Hack series: Sign -> Liminality -> Tasogare)

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