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Recommended order for the .hack series...




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Gcman



Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 1
Location: Kent, WA
PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:13 pm Reply with quote
Can anyone give me a recommended order to watch/read/play the different series in the .hack world?
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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:53 pm Reply with quote
This is the order I saw them in:

//SIGN TV show:
In my opinion it's the best thing to come out of the franchise thus far. A definite must see.

Original PS2 games (//Infection, //Mutation, ect):
Fun games, but very short. I took about eight-to-ten hours to beat each game. The fourth game has a very thorough overlook of the .Hack universe as a extra on the Liminality disc. It's interesting, but if you want to figure the story out for yourself it's SUPER spoilerific.

//Liminality OVAS:
Come with the original PS2 games. They're extremely boring and don't really add anything to the story. I'd recommend skipping them.

//GIFT:
hilarious OVA that comes with the fourth game on the Liminality disc.

//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet manga:
It's cute and entertaining, but it's not great. It's only three volumes long, and the ending feels a bit rushed.

//Twilight Bracelet anime:
Extremely cute, but pales in comparison to //SIGN. You'll either love it or hate it.

//AI Buster novels:
The first novel is pretty good, but the second one is unbearabley bad. I couldn't finish it.

//Roots anime:
I haven't seen enough episodes to comment. (three)

//Another World novel:
Currently sitting on my bookshelf, but I haven't started it yet. The second AI Buster scared me out of reading it.

Other parts of the .Hack universe I've yet to read/watch/whatever:

.hack//Intermezzo
.hack//Unison
The new PS2 videogames the //Roots TV show is based on.
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 3338
Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK)
PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:54 pm Reply with quote
Gcman wrote:
Can anyone give me a recommended order to watch/read/play the different series in the .hack world?


Certainly! I really enjoy the .hack series so let me break it down for you.
First off I would start with SIGN which is an anime with 26 (I think it was at least) episodes. Next you could move onto the 4 PS2 games and the four anime disc that comes with each game, after that I would recommend Legend of the twilight. LOTT comes in either a manga or anime form, I haven't read the manga but I liked the anime even thought it not very well liked by fans.

After that there are the AI buster Novels which fill the gap inbetween the SIGN and the games. After that the new Another birth novels could be read if your interested.

Next I would check out the new Anime .hack/Root which will lead into the three new games for PS2 the first one being GU which should be out in october or so.

wolverine princess wrote:
//Another World novel:
Currently sitting on my bookshelf, but I haven't started it yet. The second AI Buster scared me out of reading it.
I think you mean Another Birth....but I would check it out if your into the games. Also the second AI buster isn't as great as the first but some of later stories are interesting.

Also not yet released (in the US) is the novel .hack/Zero which is also take place during Sign, I think.

wolverine princess wrote:
//Roots anime:
I haven't seen enough episodes to comment. (three)


I have seen up to the latest episode of root, it's similar to SIGN in that it very much dialogue driven. If you didn't like SIGN all that much you probably won't like it. .Hack is one of those Universe that you really like everything or it just isn't your thing.

If you have any more question on anything feel free to PM me.
Till next time,

Delta Kiral
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the Rancorous



Joined: 08 Feb 2006
Posts: 2249
Location: Sac, Ca USA
PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:55 pm Reply with quote
since this topic was made, I'd like to ask if Legend of the Twilight manga would make a good intro into the .hack world? I bought volume 1 a couple days ago to check out the .hack series but I haven't really read much of it yet. Is it a good place to start? or should I hold off and check out SIGN first?
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Kelly



Joined: 17 Nov 2003
Posts: 868
Location: New York City
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:25 am Reply with quote
SIGN is one of my favorite fantasy anime, Rancorous, and it also happens to be first in the timeline. Definitely check it out first.

I haven't read the manga, but I have to say I'm one of those who don't like the Legend of the Twilight Bracelet anime very much. It was clearly for a much younger audience than SIGN, which really puzzles me as most people watching it are presumably coming from SIGN, and I thought that it was dumbed down. Some people do like it better though, mainly those who felt that SIGN was too serious and liked that LOTTB lightened things up a bit. I'm not one of them.

From what I've been reading, Roots is apparently turning out to be more like SIGN, but that probably won't be available in Region 1 for a while yet. I would guess that it will show up eventually on all the stations that have been airing the franchise so far.
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Ataru



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 2350
Location: Missouri (Strikeman)
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:37 am Reply with quote
Next time, do a search. I remember that this question was asked not too long ago.

As for the PS2 .hack games that are out in the States, Game, OVA, Game, OVA, Game, OVA, Game, and then OVA. Watching them in that order will make sense of what's going in the games and the OVAs. As for the game length, depending on the chapter, can range from 15 to 25. 8 to 10 is if you do a second run of it.
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Shiroi Hane
Encyclopedia Editor


Joined: 25 Oct 2003
Posts: 7595
Location: Wales
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:14 am Reply with quote
I thought the first AI Buster (I on;y have the first volume) came before .hack//SIGN spoiler[since it deals with one of Aura's failed predecessors]?
IIRC the only direct link between AI Buster and the other series' is to udeden since the mail character in udeden is the mentor of the main bad guy in udeden (the manga that is).
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Mylene



Joined: 07 Feb 2006
Posts: 2792
Location: Indiana
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:38 am Reply with quote
Deltakiral wrote:

wolverine princess wrote:
//Another World novel:
Currently sitting on my bookshelf, but I haven't started it yet. The second AI Buster scared me out of reading it.
I think you mean Another Birth....but I would check it out if your into the games. Also the second AI buster isn't as great as the first but some of later stories are interesting.


Agreed about the second AI Buster. It actually does get better in the later stories, although the first couple I didn't like. Well, I liked what I think was the first or second story (focusing on the 'poet'). Then there were a few I didn't like, and then a few I did, and a few I didn't...it's kind of up and down, but worth reading.

Once my one month "No buying anime or manga" fast is over (okay, so I did buy one DVD, but it was under special circumstances), I will be getting Another Birth. I'm really looking forward to seeing things through Black Rose's eyes. As for .hack//Zero, I'm waiting on getting it for the time being, because I'd rather not have to translate it myself. Particularly since I've been eying the .hack Encyclopedia for awhile as well. I wish they'd bring that over... But regardless of the language, I must have .hack//Zero. I've heard mention that Subaru is in it, even only just a little bit. I'm a bit obsessive about Subaru and Tsukasa (I couldn't sleep for 2 months after finishing the series, until I got the LE version of the last disc and saw Unison), so anything that has mention of either of them will automatically go on my 'buy list'.

Shiroi Hane wrote:
I thought the first AI Buster (I on;y have the first volume) came before .hack//SIGN spoiler[since it deals with one of Aura's failed predecessors]?
IIRC the only direct link between AI Buster and the other series' is to udeden since the mail character in udeden is the mentor of the main bad guy in udeden (the manga that is).


The first AI Buster is set before .hack//SIGN, but it wouldn't really make any sense to read it first. Without better knowledge of the World, I wouldn't think it'd be a very enjoyable read. And it'd probably be best to read after .hack//Legend of the Twilight, since as you said, that's where it's clearest link occurs.
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DuelLadyS



Joined: 17 Mar 2006
Posts: 1705
Location: WA state
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:02 am Reply with quote
the Rancorous wrote:
since this topic was made, I'd like to ask if Legend of the Twilight manga would make a good intro into the .hack world? I bought volume 1 a couple days ago to check out the .hack series but I haven't really read much of it yet. Is it a good place to start? or should I hold off and check out SIGN first?


It's not an especially good place to start, in my opinion. It's set after SIGN and the games, and the tone is signifantly lighter... it's seems to me like it's more of a "chaser", to help refresh your mind after the heavier TV show/games.

I'd get SIGN first.
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Deltakiral



Joined: 07 Oct 2004
Posts: 3338
Location: Glendora, CA (Avatar Hei from Darker than BLACK)
PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:16 am Reply with quote
Mylene wrote:
Once my one month "No buying anime or manga" fast is over (okay, so I did buy one DVD, but it was under special circumstances), I will be getting Another Birth. I'm really looking forward to seeing things through Black Rose's eyes. As for .hack//Zero, I'm waiting on getting it for the time being, because I'd rather not have to translate it myself. Particularly since I've been eying the .hack Encyclopedia for awhile as well. I wish they'd bring that over... But regardless of the language, I must have .hack//Zero. I've heard mention that Subaru is in it, even only just a little bit. I'm a bit obsessive about Subaru and Tsukasa (I couldn't sleep for 2 months after finishing the series, until I got the LE version of the last disc and saw Unison), so anything that has mention of either of them will automatically go on my 'buy list'.


I have to wait for it to be released into english since I don't read any Japanese so I am screw waiting for that to come stateside, I was hoping that during the CON season some company would of pick it up. I know the novel have done well enough because Tokyopop said they weren't planning on releasing the the second AI buster but sales were pretty good on the first so why not. Also I believe Zero tell the story of Sora as well......


Mylene wrote:
The first AI Buster is set before .hack//SIGN, but it wouldn't really make any sense to read it first. Without better knowledge of the World, I wouldn't think it'd be a very enjoyable read. And it'd probably be best to read after .hack//Legend of the Twilight, since as you said, that's where it's clearest link occurs.


Exactly AI buster makes the entire world more enjoyable after you have been introduced to by SIGN. That's really SIGN telling point is that it really did such a great job introducing people to the world. LOTT is better off left for after you have played the games, because then the characters carry a larger emotional value (at least for me) and not only that there are specific characters only from the game, and you'll be happy to see them.
Till next time,

Delta Kiral
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