.hack//SIGN Review

.hack//sign is an anime that takes on the idea that you could get sucked into a game and find yourself unable to leave.

The main character Tsukasa wakes up in the MMORPG known as "The World" and finds out that he can't log out. Strange events start to surround him as he attempts to figure out the relationship between the mysterious girl Aura, the cat character Macha, and the strange voice that talks to Tsukasa from nowhere at all. Other characters come in to try and help out from both inside the game and in the real world, but Tsukasa's personality pushes them away the more they try to help.

The anime itself is great in my opinion, but for most people it's way too slow from the beginning to the middle of the series. Anyone who has ever played an MMORPG will understand that there is normally a lot of dialog between characters and relatively little action most of the time, but this doesn't help the slow story and plot progression.

There are two major pluses, and a huge reason to at least watch this anime. First is the soundtrack, which is stellar. It's a beautiful mix of beats and techno with astounding vocals tied in. Even if you aren't a fan of this anime, the music is a must have for any anime buff. The second reason is the character development. Each character has a flaw, a story and a personality that makes the characters seem more real. Most everyone who watches this anime will be able to relate to one character on one level or another.

On one last note I will say that this anime will leave you confused. .hack//sign will take you all the way to the start of the 4 part video game series for the PS2, as well as the short dvd video's the games come with. After watching the anime, playing the games, watching .hack//liminality, and then going back to the anime was i able to understand more of the anime itself.

~Tsukasasoul