Rating: 
Summary: from the creators of neon genesis...
Review: 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! ^_^ \/
Rating:
Summary: It's all fun and games till somebody losses a soul.....
Review: It's all fun and games till somebody losses a soul.
That's the premise of .hack//SIGN. There's millions of people playing the ultimate online RPG called The World. The players are running around having a good time oblivious to the fact that for one player this is no longer a game and is now life threateningly real. The series opens with the main character Tsukasa waking up in a cave with a case of partial amnesia. He eventually realizes that his consciousness is trapped inside The World and that's he's very powerful and uncontrollable. From there we start to meet the rest of the cast of characters, learn the rules of The World and try to figure out what's going on.This is a series that takes it's time revealing things to you. It makes sense to me that they would present things this way since the main character doesn't know what's happening to him and this is mostly his experience. If you were thrown into a world that is completely different from what you are use to, with little idea of who you are or who you can trust you would probably act weird and not understand what's going on either. Add to that the people you are dealing with are all more or less playing make-believe and your stuck with a very confusing situation.
There's a general feeling of mystery and after awhile a feeling of dread. There's definitely something malevolent laying just under the surface of The World. The characters have even less of an idea then the viewer does of what is threatening them. We at least get to see flashes of the real world and the characters inner musings/memories to give us clues into who the various people really are and what their motives might be.
This is a series all about characterization and plot. There's very little violence or action and it only alludes that people might be having sex in the real world. Mostly what goes on is people sitting around talking to each other. Personally, I like these people, they remind me of people I know. They keep my interest by being believable, even if the situations they are in are not. And you will need to pay attention to what they are saying because they are constantly dropping clues, most of which won't be clear until you watch the whole series, repeatedly. As a result if you miss a single episode you will probably be lose later on.
Lucky for us while they are talking we have absolutely gorgeous animation to look at and amazing music to listen to. The artistic style of the series might not work for everyone. It reminds me of impressionism and realism thrown together. I will admit that at times it feels like they add music for the heck of it instead of trying to match it to the scenes taking place. Generally I let this go because I really love the music and it's not bad enough to detract from what's going on. By the time you get done watching the 5th episode you will either care about the characters and want to know what's behind the mystery or you will have lapsed into a coma from boredom. Which is why it might be a better idea to rent, borrow or buy just the 1st DVD if you have not already seen some of this series. I saw the first few episodes and was hopelessly addicted to everything about this series. So buying the box sets not only feeds my addiction by getting me more episodes and soundtracks sooner but costs less money in the long run because it's cheaper then buying the DVDs and soundtracks separatively.
Rating:
Summary: ^-^ I luv .hack!
Review: One of my favorite shows of all time; though I do admit, its strange. I love the goodies! I'll never wear the shirt--I'm gonna frame it. ^-^ The music is awesome--in my opinion. I didn't really need the soundtrack but hey I got it anyway. This is totally worth the money. The only problem I have with the .hack series is its length:
.hack//Sign Anime (26 episodes; 6 DVD volumes--I believe; 3 soundtracks)
.hack Games (four games; four OVAs; 3(?) soundtracks)
.hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet [.hack//Dusk] (12 episodes; 2(?) cds[op and ending singles]) so basically, for the .hack experience, you have to be willing to be in it for the long run to fully understand everything. I'm still partially confused in the series, but I have seen all of .hack//Sign, and have the avalibility to watch .hack//dusk, which I refuse to watch until I finish the games So, I you have no knowledge of .hack, and you're willing and able to stay in the series, it IS worth it. .hack//SIGN does drag at the begining, but does pick up; oh did I mention he music is awesome? (I know I did). The story is original and doesn't seem like any other series which I have seen. I have yet to decide wheter I would call this series a Sci-fi or a fantasy (or both). Maybe if you wish to know, you can see for yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: not too good the only...
Review: the only thing that was good about this series was the music.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing
Review: 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.
Rating:
Summary: Not for everyone, but when it hits you, it hits hard
Review: This is one of the few anime that I've seen where the series is almost entirely dialogue driven. Despite the large swords and spears and such, you won't see them used much. Regardless, the characters are incredibly deep as the story evolves into something much deeper than you'll imagine. This anime, taking place prior to the events in the PS2 game, is an excellent introduction to the .hack series. Don't get me wrong though, this anime is NOT just a long commercial for a video game. Standing on it's own it is one of the most powerful anime out there. Every episode is just dripping with emotion, from total despair, to total happiness. I should also note that the music, performed wonderfully by the talented Yuki Kajiura, is simply incredible. It was the music alone that made me want to see this anime so badly. Still, it is not for everyone. If you want hope to see all kinds of action and explosions and whatnot, look away. But if you want a mature story with depth and emotion, then this is for you.
| 
