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animonkey



Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 115
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:30 pm Reply with quote
Just started reading .hack//Legend of the Twilight (the manga), and am actually really liking it. Too bad there's only three volumes. I thought the TV series might be interesting, although I noticed there are many different series (.hack//SIGN, .hack//Legend of the Twilight, etc.), what order are they in, first, last etc.? Also, do you need to watch the different series in order, or will they make sense out of order. If they make sense out of order, which is the best?
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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 1634
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 1:46 pm Reply with quote
ok here is a short chronological format:

1: .hack//Sign, .hack//Sign: GIFT and .hack//Sign: Intermezzo take place in the same time frame. .hack//Sign: Intermezzo is basically backstory on Mimiru and is mostly just a filler episode really. .hack//Sign: GIFT is a wacky OVA mostly just to treat the fans of the tv series.
2: The .hack// games and .hack//Liminality happen at the same time. .hack//Liminality is about another group of players trying to solve the mystery of the World.
3: .hack//Integration follow the ending of the games and tv series by bringing the characters from both the games and tv series together.
4: .hack//Legend Of The Twilight is a sequel to the games in that Shugo and Rena have the Kite and Black Rose player characters.

Well this is a somewhat accurate order.
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Ataru



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 2327
Location: Missouri (Strikeman)
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 4:26 pm Reply with quote
IchigoK90 wrote:

2: The .hack// games and .hack//Liminality happen at the same time. .hack//Liminality is about another group of players trying to solve the mystery of the World
It's best to watch the OVAs after beating the games. Most of the events in the OVAs take after the events in the game.
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animonkey



Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 115
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:49 pm Reply with quote
If I never play the games (don't have a ps2) will I get the series?
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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 1634
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:11 pm Reply with quote
Well if you're talking about Legend Of The Twilight then yes. Its a completely new series that follows a new story. The only similarities are the designs for the main characters.
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Necros Antiquor



Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 571
Location: Funny in a car crash sort of way
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:06 pm Reply with quote
Just wanted to toss in a few more notes, because I'm like that. Wink

The original name of the .hack manga was .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet. Tokyopop dropped the "bracelet" from the title because it was too long.

The story for the .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet anime begins to differ greatly in episode six, which corresponds to the chapter in the manga where they visit the haunted house area (which I believe is at the start of volume 2). The endings are completely different (I actually prefer the anime's ending, as it's more complete); for example, there is no mention of the Zefie plot that occurs in the manga. Also, Sanjuro from the PS2 games is an additional character in the anime.

There are also some novels with artwork by the same artist who drew .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet. The novels released by Tokyopop so far are .hack//AI Buster volumes 1 and 2. I was actually surprised myself to find out there was a second volume of this novel, since I had heard no mention of there being two of them, but apparently the second volume is coming out in February 2006. These two novels happen before .hack//SIGN and are the earliest .hack stories continuity-wise.

There is also a novel called .hack//ZERO (possibly two volumes as well, from what I read) that happens between .hack//SIGN and the 4 .hack PS2 games. However, this hasn't been translated into English yet.

Though there are only 26 standard episodes of .hack//SIGN, it actually has two more episodes that are considered part of the same series because of the identical opening and closing. As said before, .hack//INTERMEZZO is just a Mimiru-centric episode, and it is questionable if it's official name is indeed "INTERMEZZO" and it's a separate OVA or if it's just an additional episode tossed onto the DVD as an exclusive. (Its episode name is Intermezzo; it's episode 27.) .hack//INTEGRATION, otherwise known as episode 28, "Reunion," can safely be called a separate OVA even though it is part of .hack//SIGN because it happens after the events of the PS2 games.

Concerning .hack//GIFT: this OVA would likely happen after .hack//INTEGRATION if it had to be forced into a continuity, rather than around the time of .hack//SIGN as stated above. However, there is no way anything in that OVA actually happened. Also of note: it has .hack//SIGN's opening and ending, but with touches of the "unique" art used in the actual episode.

.hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet can stand on its own, but if you want the real .hack experience, you have to play the PS2 games, since that's where the bulk of the story occurs. Also of note is another major expansion of the .hack story is coming up with the new PS2 game .hack//G.U., which will release in three volumes (thankfully longer than the previous volumes) and happen after every other part of the continuity so far. An MMORPG game titled .hack//FRAGMENT is also in the works.
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animonkey



Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 115
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:18 pm Reply with quote
Well, I've watched some of the .hack//Legend, and hated it, and some of .hack//Sign, and loved it. There are some major differences. How come .hack//LOTTB is so much different in the anime and manga versions (in the anime the bro and sis live apart, in the manga in the same house. in the manga they fight a golem, in the anime a giant metal armor thing, the weird angely moderator has a different name in the anime than in the manga)
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Necros Antiquor



Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 571
Location: Funny in a car crash sort of way
PostPosted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:07 pm Reply with quote
animonkey wrote:
Well, I've watched some of the .hack//Legend, and hated it, and some of .hack//Sign, and loved it. There are some major differences. How come .hack//LOTTB is so much different in the anime and manga versions (in the anime the bro and sis live apart, in the manga in the same house. in the manga they fight a golem, in the anime a giant metal armor thing, the weird angely moderator has a different name in the anime than in the manga)

I couldn't really tell you for sure, but it might have to do with tying it in more tightly with the other parts of the .hack series. It also makes a more compelling story, in my opinion, spoiler[to try to prevent the collapse of an online world], as opposed to spoiler[guiding a NPC to another NPC to...talk]. I mean, I really was intrigued by where the second volume of the manga was going, and then the third volume hit, and it all built up to the last chapter, and...nothing really happened. At least there was an actual strong source of conflict in the anime version, and it made more sense in terms of the other parts of the .hack continuity. I'm hoping that the anime becomes part of the official canon instead of the manga, but your opinion may vary.

Oh...I just thought of something I forgot. I believe that the anime had started being produced in the middle of the manga's run, and when the anime catches up to the manga...well, you know the drill. It's either create filler or just move forward with your own story a la Fullmetal Alchemist.
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animonkey



Joined: 11 Oct 2005
Posts: 115
PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:05 pm Reply with quote
fullmeta alchemist anime has a different story than the manga? I didn't know that (also, if the new story for the FMA anime is written by the guy who does the anime, as opposed ot the manga, then isn't it just permanent filler?)
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The Frankman



Joined: 19 Sep 2004
Posts: 1160
Location: Binary Culture HQ
PostPosted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 8:11 pm Reply with quote
Just want to throw in my two cents as a rabid .hack// fan.

Necros Antiquor wrote:
The original name of the .hack manga was .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet. Tokyopop dropped the "bracelet" from the title because it was too long.

Didn't understand why TP did this. Many fans got confused as what .hack//LOTTB reffered to, since spoiler[there was the event The Twilight and the Twilight Bracelet]. I saw a lot of questions regarding that on [as].

Quote:
The story for the .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet anime begins to differ greatly in episode six, which corresponds to the chapter in the manga where they visit the haunted house area (which I believe is at the start of volume 2). The endings are completely different (I actually prefer the anime's ending, as it's more complete); for example, there is no mention of the Zefie plot that occurs in the manga. Also, Sanjuro from the PS2 games is an additional character in the anime.

I understand the Japanese anime needed to be similar to the manga, but the animation to me was horrid. After seeing SIGN and LIMINALITY, maybe I'm spoiled but I didn't like it. Also, spoiler[did they HAVE to rip off of the "Please take care of my Grunty" episode in SIGN]?

Quote:
There is also a novel called .hack//ZERO (possibly two volumes as well, from what I read) that happens between .hack//SIGN and the 4 .hack PS2 games. However, this hasn't been translated into English yet.

I'm seriously hoping this isn't a Gundam situation developing.

Quote:
Concerning .hack//GIFT: this OVA would likely happen after .hack//INTEGRATION if it had to be forced into a continuity, rather than around the time of .hack//SIGN as stated above. However, there is no way anything in that OVA actually happened. Also of note: it has .hack//SIGN's opening and ending, but with touches of the "unique" art used in the actual episode.

So in other words, the people at Project DotHack don't know what they're doing. Not hard to make a timeline here, people.
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soulless_mariuno



Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 33
Location: Honky Tonk
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:09 am Reply with quote
I saw .hack/legend of the twilight before .hack//sign and got the jist of it.The only problem was the innumerable refrences to events that took place in the prequel(.hack//sign).The ending was however quite "different".spoiler[Shogo and Rena just dissappear as they save "The World"?]Did it represent some sort of self sacrifise?Or only there player characters suffered?Nevertheless,it was a mediocre show.I preferred .hack//sign.
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The Frankman



Joined: 19 Sep 2004
Posts: 1160
Location: Binary Culture HQ
PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:14 pm Reply with quote
soulless_mariuno wrote:
I saw .hack/legend of the twilight before .hack//sign and got the jist of it.The only problem was the innumerable refrences to events that took place in the prequel(.hack//sign).The ending was however quite "different".spoiler[Shogo and Rena just dissappear as they save "The World"?]Did it represent some sort of self sacrifise?Or only there player characters suffered?Nevertheless,it was a mediocre show.I preferred .hack//sign.

Therein lies the rub. In my opinion the viewer is treated to more or less quality animation in the first 3 chapters and then the "last" one - the one that is supposed to convey the most impact - comes off as toony. Compare the main character(s) in each show, and ask "Which seems the weakest"?
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Necros Antiquor



Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 571
Location: Funny in a car crash sort of way
PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:47 pm Reply with quote
The Frankman wrote:
In my opinion the viewer is treated to more or less quality animation in the first 3 chapters and then the "last" one - the one that is supposed to convey the most impact - comes off as toony.

The art style in .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet was supposed to be cartoony. The creators wanted a story that would still have plot and relevance, but give .hack fans a small break from the heavy plot and mood of the other parts of .hack. (Apparently, this wasn't enough, since they went and did .hack//GIFT.) However, I agree with you that .hack//SIGN looked much better than the cartoony art style, and I prefer pretty much any other part of .hack to .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet.
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IchigoK90



Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 1634
Location: Scarborough, Ontario
PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 5:45 pm Reply with quote
I'd also like point out that I heard that the .hack//A.I Buster novel was set before .hack//Sign and all the other .hack// stories. Is this true?

"Believe it!"

- IchigoK90
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Iemander



Joined: 18 Jun 2005
Posts: 443
PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 6:42 pm Reply with quote
I've seen only a few episodes of .sign but it just frustrates me to no end, why does ANYONE even care about Tsukasa, he's the most whiney, annoying protagonist ever. There's even little to no conversation with him and still everyone's chasing him around as if he's God or something. Laughing

Anyhow, at some points I just wanted to cry out : "COULD SOMEONE PLEASE SHUT THIS GUY THE HELL UP!"

/end rant
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