.hack//Legend of the Twilight (2003)

An anime adaptation of the Legend of the Twilight manga trilogy that you can read about here: Volume I // Volume II // Volume III. You’ll find there information on the background you'll need to fully appreciate the LotT world.

It starts out the same as the manga, but branches off into something different early on. It finds its way back and then shoots off again into places new. That's not necessarily a bad thing, because the manga was lacking excitement for a long time in the middle section - the anime isn't. I also enjoyed watching a story with characters I felt I knew well being taken in a different direction than the one I'd already experienced; the element of surprise was attached to every situation.

The relationship between the siblings is well-defined. The geographical distance between them is bridged by the game world, and their changing feelings for each other are still developing as the story begins.

The character designs are somewhere between chibi and normal. It's near impossible not to like them. However, even though it has the appearance of being suitable for younger viewers, it's not free from fan-service. The bizarre incestuous undertone in the manga is carried over.

The Japanese voices are excellent and suit the characters well. After I'd finished the final episode I went back and picked an episode at random to check out the English dub. There were a few voices I recognised, and while I may praise them elsewhere, they were very ill-suited to the characters of .hack. Sub beats dub.

12 episodes, approx 24 mins each. There's also a 13th episode that isn't a part of the main story; it's a comedy coda that throws up a few surprises.

3 red threads of fate out of 5

.hack//Quantum (2012)

A three-episode OVA set in the ever-expanding MMORPG .hack Universe (The World R:X). The setting will be familiar to long time fans, as will the references to 'Pluto's Kiss' and the 'Descendants of Fianna'. Everyone else may struggle at first, but once you know that a 'PK' is a Player Killer (one who targets and kills other players within the game world) you should be able to pick up on what is happening easily enough. It's not rocket science.

The main characters are a mixed bunch. They're stock types but surprisingly well-fleshed out despite the short running time. One is clumsy (Sakuya), one is sensible (Mary), and one is smart (Tobias). Together, using the character models of Kite, BlackRose, and Balmung, respectively, they get themselves into dangerous situations and together must get themselves out of the same.

The first episode is the standard introduction episode, but if you stick with it you'll be rewarded with more emotional content in episodes two and three.

Music is by Kow Otani, a name many anime fans will recognise. The .hack music is an integral part of the franchise, one that Otani both pays homage to and imbues with his own style.

3 episodes, approx 25 mins each.

3 pick ups of all the things! out of 5

.hack//Liminality (2003)

A small but significant number of players have fallen into a coma while playing a game, an MMORPG titled 'The World'. While the bodies of the afflicted lie in a hospital bed, their online avatars have gone mysteriously missing. A group of player characters band together to find out if there's a connection, and how to reverse the process so they can get their friends back.

.hack// is a huge franchise. I've played games, read novels, manga, watched anime and own soundtracks. Sometimes the works are standalone and sometimes they aren't. The .hack//Liminality OVA requires knowledge of the larger universe, specifically the first four PS2 games (see below*), to understand its history fully. The events that occur in the games are happening concurrently with events that are happening in the real world, although the main characters aren't the same.

For those of you that played the games, the music and distinctive sound effects are recreated. When the tuning fork sound that heralds change, and the drip, drip, drip hit you it takes your mind back into that living, interactive space. For anyone not familiar with those feelings, the anime may seem a little empty.

The first episode was good, full of intrigue and potential that quickly fell away by episodes two and three. The fourth and final episode picks up the pace again, but not enough to make it an essential purchase for anyone who isn't a super-fan.

NOTE: a single episode was included on a DVD with each of the four parts of the first series of PS2 games, so you'll need all four games to complete the set.

4 episodes of varying lengths, 45 mins or 30 mins long -132 minutes in total.

2½ forks, A in C major, out of 5

*There's more .hack// at our sister sites, Nut Load (Games) and Nut Ink (Books).