Hack//Sign

Director
Kazumi KawashiroKazumi Kawashiro, Keith AremKazumi Kawashiro, Keith Arem, Koichi MashimoKazumi Kawashiro, Keith Arem, Koichi Mashimo, Satoshi OhsawaKazumi Kawashiro, Keith Arem, Koichi Mashimo, Satoshi Ohsawa, Tatsuya OkaKazumi Kawashiro, Keith Arem, Koichi Mashimo, Satoshi Ohsawa, Tatsuya Oka, Yoshiaka Tsuhata
Production
Bandai, Bee Train, Yomiuri Advertising
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2002

.Hack//Sign

By Mike Lewis
9th May 04

Dot Hack Sign, what an amazing idea. The story and show all take place in an online game called "The World". Nah its no car and sky scraper game, its got knights, magic and monsters. Isn't that Ever Quest? Kind of, but this game has MILLIONS of players not just around a million, MILLIONS. The players take the game extremely seriously and try to keep real life separate from the game. That plan doesn't last long as people start to go comatose while playing "The World".

The story line centers around finding out why people are being killed/seriously hurt by the game. Real life problems begin to mingle with the game and the players start to feel scared, something is happening that will change the game for ever, something must be done to either prevent it or help it along. The problem is what is going to change the game? No one knows. Or at least not yet�.

Hmm sounds like a pretty sick (good) story line eh? I'd have to say I agree, but wait watch the series. Ouch I may as well be watching Young and the Restless. Sheesh I thought Online games were action packed, etc. Nah "The World"/series quickly becomes some advanced chat line. The whole series is them standing around talking!!! What a piss off!!! I watch anime to see stuff getting it's ass absolutely WHIPPED!! I mean there were battle scenes but if you blinked you'd miss them. So if your looking for an action packed series this isn't it.

To sum up Dot Hack Sign, it's a story of love and emotion. Yeah sure they carry swords but they don't really seem to ever use them, some episodes actually never have action. All in all I see Dot Hack Sign as something that was very easily sold to todays audiences with all the online games out there. But the fact is, I would rather watch ass kicking then some kid TALKING about his problems for episode after episode. The only reason I watched episode after episode is because I thought the kid would flip at one point!! Low and behold he never does.

My advice to all is don't play the video games (they suck worse then the anime because they are so retarded and repetitive!!! The storyline never advances neither does the game play!!! Hey doesn't that sound familiar?) and don't watch the series, unless you want a bad story of love. Don't become another clone of commercialism!!! Spend your time getting the opposite sex, it's much more gratifying then this failure of an anime!!! Or play an online game it's funner.

3/10

-- Mike Lewis 9th May 04

Hack//Sign Images