Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 26
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Apr 4, 2002 to Sep 26, 2002
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 7.261 (scored by 34606 users)
Ranked: #21172
Popularity: #231
Members: 60,775
Favorites: 720 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
adventure drama fantasy game |
SynopsisA young wavemaster, only known by the alias of Tsukasa, wakes up in an MMORPG called The World, with slight amnesia. He does not know what he has previously done before he woke up. In The World, he is suspected to be a hacker of the Crimson Knights, as he was seen accompanying a tweaked character in the form of a cat. Unable to log out from the game, he wanders around looking for answers, avoiding the knights and other players he meets along the way.
As Tsukasa explores The World, he stumbles upon a magical item that takes the form of a 'guardian', which promises him protection from all harm. Subaru, the leader of the Crimson Knights, along with several other players who became acquainted with Tsukasa, set out to investigate why Tsukasa is unable to log out, and attempt to get to the bottom of the problem before it gets out of hand.
[Written by MAL Rewrite] |
Related AnimeSequel: .hack//Legend of the Twilight, .hack//Roots, .hack//Intermezzo, .hack//Unison
Alternative setting: .hack//Liminality
Side story: .hack//Gift
Other: .hack//Quantum, .hack//The Movie: Sekai no Mukou ni
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
Reviews
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Arowind91
70 of 97 people found this review helpful
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26 of 26 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
To the many people who play them, video games, can be a form of escapism from the real world. What could be more stress relieving than diving into a fantasy world where you assume the role of the character in the game? It sounds very tempting but if one should stay too long in the virtual world you could lose yourself in it with no way to return to the real world. In the worst case scenario you may forget which world is real and which is fake.
That is the premise of .Hack//Sign. .Hack//Sign is a part of the .Hack series which surrounds the MMORPG called “The World” and the different characters who find the mysteries surrounding this virtual land.
.Hack//Sign follows the story of Tsukasa, a Wavemaster (Spell caster) in “The World”, who suddenly wakes up in a dark dungeon with no recollection of how he got there and what he was doing prior to his collapse. While trying to gather his bearings a female Heavy Blade (sword wielder) by the name of Mimiru passes by and strikes a conversation with him. To her surprise Tsukasa instantly warps back to the town leaving her behind. It’s while he is in town that Tsukasa realizes that he can’t log out of “The World”. He is trapped in the virtual world with no way to get back to reality.
If your thinking this will be an action packed show with monster fighting and adventuring you would be mostly wrong. While there is small tidbits of fighting and adventuring this show is very slow paced and mostly revolves around Tsukasa and the people he interacts with. .Hack//Sign also has noticeable dark elements to it especially when the real world is involved. The idea of escapism is really brought out when you see the character’s real life counterparts and the struggles they go through. But that is just a small part as Sign is mostly set in “The World”.
Due to the slow pacing every character in this show has a chance to develop and feel more realistic. “The World” allows characters to express themselves in a way that the real world doesn’t allow. The result of this is that characters are intriguing to watch and thus provide a deep story. However this slow pace does cause most people to drop the show, as the pacing may be a little too slow and sometimes it feels that some scenes drag on. Another problem is the ending which is very abrupt and quick. I won’t spoil anything but let’s just say there is a reason why this is a part of a series of Anime shows and games. Overall the story is solid and enticing.
The animation in .Hack//Sign is a very well done and fits the fantasy setting of “The World”. Every location has its own emotional feel that lends itself well to the slow pace of the show. The uniqueness of each area helps set the tone for the current situation in the Anime, as each area has its own theme and setting that really makes “The World” feel as big as the real world. Tropical forests, barren deserts and frozen wastelands litter the land with vibrancy. While this is true for the virtual world, the real world on the other hand resembles old black and white silent films.
The real world is depicted as bleak and hopeless as text show up to replace verbal sound. This contrast between the vibrant virtual world and bleak real world becomes very important in portraying how “The World” seems to be a perfect escape from real life issues. The character designs are also very well done, since each character has their own design which fit the grander design that “The World” sets up. There are some parts that were a little bit grainy as I would call yet overall the design of this virtual world is truly something to appreciate.
The music and overall sound in .Hack//Sign is where it really sets itself apart from other anime. The opening song Obsession gives off a feeling of trance and emptiness that really fits the mood of .Hack//Sign while the background music has a sense of tranquility and sadness that backs up the visual aspect of the show. The music also has a folklore aspect in a sense that it makes you feel like it’s telling a story or possibly narrating the situation your currently watching. One big plus is the background music with vocals in them. Key of the Twilight is one of the best songs in the soundtrack and really exemplifies how music is able to set the tone of a scene and possibly the show. However there are some points where the music overpowers a certain scene in the show which can ruin the mood but it rarely happens. So my advice is to pay attention the music as it can really pull you into the story and set the mood.
Overall .Hack//Sign is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. The story of escapism gone wrong will leave you wondering if this could happen to you. The animation is compelling and imaginative while the music really sets the emotional tone of the show. I must warn you again that if you hate slow paced shows or want some action then steer clear of this show but for those who want a good mystery with a fantasy setting then.Hack// Sign is for you. read more
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AuronSurmount
16 of 25 people found this review helpful
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28 of 26 episodes seen
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| Overall |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
I came into .Hack//Sign with mixed reviews and no knowledge of the characters or the plot / setting. I was pretty skeptical because a couple of my really good friends said it was very boring. Then again I had friends that said it was amazing. With that being said, i just had to see for myself.
Right off the bat I need to address one HUGE CON of this anime. The use of flashbacks and how many episodes they used. The large majority of .hack//sign was used having flashbacks. But not even stuff that we haven't seen yet. There was one scene (that was several minutes long) that was played AT LEAST 10 times in the series. Not to mention for a WHOLE episode they did a review of everything that had happened thus far. When you are dealing with an anime that is only 26 episodes long there is no need to do a 20 minute recap of everything that happened in the first 14 episodes! I can understand if you are on episode 150 and want to recap what has happened, because a lot of information can be forgot... but not in 14 episodes.
It is my personal opinion that this anime could have been finished in 12 episodes. There were moments when the anime was boring as all Hell. Where I wanted to just say "screw it" and go to the next anime or skip that episode. There is tons of pointless information that could have been left out or scenes that were just not necessary. But in the end, within a couple episodes it had my attention again.
Now for some Pros. There was many times in the series where I was very into the series. For example the Grunty scene where Su Casa was searching for the purple berries. It was very emotional and kept me on the edge of my seat. I did find myself yelling at the characters from time to time, At how stupid they were or in anticipation of what would happen next.
There were many characters that I connected with. For example Sora. Sora was by far one of the greatest characters on the anime. His use of humor and whatnot was unparalleled.
In the end the anime was good. It had its cons and pros. But evened out the anime was good. even Though it was good, the chances of me watching it again are not too high.
I recommend watching it at least once and come with your own conclusion.
OVERALL: 8 / 10
Rewatch value: Low read more
Recommendations
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As the king of the faux-MMORPG arena (.hack started development in 2000, then released in 2002; SAO was first wrote in 2002), .hack can claim a lot of the responsibility for SAO. In the anime universe, the idea of being trapped in a fantasy virtual reality setting, via playing a MMORPG, is already 10+ years old. Even Yuki Kajiura's wonderful (though underwhelming, in SAO) music became famous as a result of her best-soundtrack-ever work on .hack//SIGN.
Virtual-Reality MMORPGs of the near future have a nasty tendency to trap people inside the game, it seems.
They also share the same composer, Kajiura Yuki, lending a rather epic feel to the shows. The tone and focus of the two series are quite different though.
While .Hack//Sign was an anime released back then in 2002, Sword Art Online is quite newer. Released after around 10 years from the first it obviously shows "new way to imagine how technology could be, new stuff in the game" and so on..
However, regardless the year they have been producted, both series are still very similar:
- both start off in this special "super new virtual" MMORPG, where the technology is the highest than ever.
- both, obviously show all the characters in this game
- Trapped in the game: on HS there's the main chara who can't log off and in SAO instead everyone can't log off due the game master's insane idea to doom everyone inside the game until someone reaches the top level of the tower.
- of course there are also: special powers, battles against monsters, quests.. and everything else that a game normally has.
And many other things. Just keep watching and you'll see!
If you like the idea of an "inside a video-game" story both of them are recommended!
the game world... actually this kinda look like a copy, but SAO is made with much better quality
Both anime started in near future. Shows about persons who trapped in MMO-game. Gamers use cyber-helmets to syncronise their bodies with game.
The main character cannot disconnect from the online game in both series
Epic music and original soundtrack.
In both anime, there is a virtual game world where people (and in .Hack the main character) are stuck.
Similarities:
- Both are fantasy/sci-fi/shounen/adventure
- Both include characters that play online games and can seamlessly interact with their environments
- Both include games that can affect the well being of the people playing the game
- .Hack// has characters that fall into a coma, and get trapped in the game.
- Sword Art Online has characters that get trapped in the game, and die if they cannot clear it.
The similarities are over whelming. Though I have not seen Sword Art Online yet, I'm guessing the pace will be a lot faster than that of .Hack//Sign. However, if you like the general scenario of the anime, chances are you'll like .Hack//Sign as well (and vice versa).
"I Can't Log Out!"
These series are extremely similar. Both take place in a virtual reality MMORG with a fantasy setting, and revolve around characters who are unable to log out, and rendering what happens within the game to be 'real', and these changes were both enacted by the games mysterious creators.
The primary difference you'll notice straight off is that only one particular person has this problem in .Hack/SIGN, and the main point of the show is to find out the mystery behind why and and how this happened, and how to fix it as well as what is actually going on in the game--while in Sword Art Online, it's the entire game population that can't log out, and the issue faced is for the main character to survive to complete the game and earn his freedom.
Both shows right down to it have the same general concept, players get trapped in a game, and are unable to log out.
.hack//Sign maybe be around 10 years old at this point, but it still holds up. It was one of the earlier examples of the virtual world thing.
person trapped in a computer world and if they die in the computer world they also die in real life.
they are both virtual works where players risk death by playing and some are unable to log out. Some players are in comas while the main character is unable to log out.
well i would guess its easy to say but ya there both trapped in a game world with no way out although in sao( sword art online) if u die u die for good, and in hack//sign if he dies he just resets. i would recommend sao if u liked hack//sign cause its just an amazing action and mystery anime where u wonder y the creator of the game trapped them in the game world. (spoiler!!!)
both are in virtual MMO games and they try to help fix the game
pt:Possui o mesmo gênero e uma historia similar, porem foi criado anteriormente, e sua historia é cheia de intrigas e mistérios, possui a melhor trilha sonora de um anime, que não seja sobre musica, que eu já vi.
eng:It has the same gender and a similar story, however was created earlier, and his story is full of intrigue and mystery, has the best soundtrack of an anime, it is not about music, I've ever seen.
a boy trapped in a game can't log out have some romance and fantasy and developing powers the only thing different that the main character wake up in the game with slight amnesia
Both anime where you go into a virtual reality MMO, and there is some sort of consequence of death or coma in game.
They are both about a life in the vitural reality.
Both these anime are based in an online world and have at least someone stuck inside the game unable to leave.
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There's a similar atmosphere in both of these animes - at the same time tense and playful. Both stories drop you into the middle of things and give you one piece of the puzzle at a time, as well as having a similar trio of main characters. There's a certain darkness in the background in both; a sinister something which we only catch glimpses of at a time, but which moves behind the scenes and may have power for either good or evil.
Absolutely different stories and worlds. But when I was watching Pandora Hearts it strongly reminded me .hack//... Both have very beautiful music and it creates very similar deep atmosphere ^_^
The most obvious resemblance is their music composer, Yuki Kajiura. The musical style she uses in both anime are very similar, dominated by emotional piano pieces, violin solos, techno beats and haunting vocals.
The general premises of the two anime are also similar: young ineffectual boy encounters disaster and is thrown into a foreign world, gains a unique power, struggles with his sense of identity and his acceptance of his existence itself, learns to be more courageous through the course of the story, develops an attachment to female protagonist, etc.
Both anime also have a pervading atmosphere of unreality (protagonists protect themselves through denial), fear, and angstiness, while almost every character has a hidden dark background, uncertain motives, crippling weakness, etc.
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Opening Theme"Obsession" by See-Saw
Ending Theme"Yasashii Yoake (優しい夜明け)" by See-Saw
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Related Clubs.hack//G.U. vol 1-3,roots,4koma,sign,conglomerate, Anime Video Game Club, The Otaku Underground, Anime/Manga Discussion , Anime/Manga Sanctuary, Anime Princesses Club , !~~tsubasalover's Friendships~~!, Dot Hackers, Toonami Faithfuls, Green Haired Anime Characters, Existentialism, That Black Club, .Hack [The Wolrd] R:3, ~The Yuki Kajiura Fanclub~, Anime/Manga Discussion , Mimiru Fanclub, ~Rie Tanaka Fan club~, The Super Cosplay War Ultra Fanclub, AMV Makers Society, Actores y actrices de doblaje de Latinoamérica / Latin spanish seiyuuMAL Rewrite, Cyberpunk Club, Anime Dimenzija, Crispin Freeman Fan Club, Claim an Anime Studio Club! , Tsukasa fanclub (MMORPG addicts anonymous), English Dub Fanclub, A- N.O.T.E, .hack//FAN Club, [The World].r2., Photoshop ANIME FUN Club, .hack//fan, Watch With Me, A.S.A (Adiktus sa Anime), Fantasy Anime Club!, Purple and Blue Haired Characters, ~✬Tsuzuku✬~ ☯The Anime/Manga Connection☯ ~{Currently under slow remodeling}~, AnimeWorld, ~* SAIGA MITSUKI FANS *~, a.w.e. ☜♡☞, Vampires, Clones, Magiciancs, Demon, Angels Gallors, WE ROCK!!!!, Justice or InJustice?!, Badass Chicks, Bee Train, This Character is NOT Emo!!, vampireproductions studio, tHE .HACK oF tHE wORLD, Random Club Dollars, Into Another World Anime & Manga, Get Your Quota! For MAL Claims Clubs, ✰ Kawaii Otaku Clan ✰, Claim an winged character, .hackers, Machines and Cyborgs, Classic Toonami FanClub, Yuki Kajiura Fan Club, Broken Wings, ShadowAlex Anime Room, Zoki land. (CHECK THE FORUM HERE), Ultimate Heroine, Random Cards Club (R.C.C), ~ Takai's LEAGUE ~, JaPaNeSe AdDiCtS, Maaya Sakamoto fanclub, Anime Madness, Armitage's Dimension Radio, Akatsuki Otaku Club, .Hack//ECHO, Arabic Yuri/ Shoujo ai Club $~(•.•)~$, Polski FC Bohaterek Walczących Bronią , OtAku-sb's Anime FC, TOP_RANKS ANIME AND GAME DC (AG&DC), Secret Identity, HOLol, Anime Drama Club, Eleventy Billionth Club, ShadowAlex Anime Room, Swordsmen/women Club, .Hack Universe, Dark Fashion FC, Claim a Soundtrack Club!, Bandai Entertainment, Aironic's Club for the Underrated, ***Legend of Anime***, English Dub Watchers, F*CK YOU, HOLLAND, Shinichiro Miki Fanclub, Cards Collectors Club [.CCC.], Purple Eyes Fanclub, .Hack // ROLEPLAY, ShadowAlex Anime Room, Mascots, Game Forum, Emo Characters Club (Claim is available), The Noble Heroines, A-20 Fanclub - 'YOU LOOK STRONG', Toonami Faithfuls Unite! see all
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