Shugo and Rena are siblings separated by circumstance. They are given the chance to reunite as they are selected the winners of the legendary characters Kite and Black Rose in the MMORPG “The World.” An unexpected fringe benefit comes in the form of a hexagonal-nut-shaped bracelet with mysterious, unpredictable powers. What perils await the siblings in their new virtual adventure?

“This should have been great…but why did it just turn weird at the end?!”

I had seen bits and pieces of .hack//SIGN, the original series in this MMORPG-inspired anime universe, and it set me up in watching this particular title, even up to a small extent. While I found .hack//SIGN just too self-absorbed in its own World (pun intended) for me to enjoy it properly, .hack//Legend of the Twilight is a far friendlier series.

The plot revolves around Shugo, Rena, their ragtag party and the mysterious bracelet given to Shugo as an unexpected bonus. Being a newbie to The World, Shugo has to learn his way around the unfamiliar atmosphere of the game and is trained accordingly. At first he relies on the powers of his bracelet all too often, sometimes with disastrous consequences, but he later learns how to fend off enemies on his own skills. The bond between Shugo and Rena is also established over the course of the series, although frankly I find Shugo’s affections sappy at best, borderline incestuous at worst.

What interested me in .hack//LotT is the middle of the story arc. Other anomalies pop up in The World, and a sinister plot is hatched by a party of other gamers to trap Shugo and Rena. Unrest has also set in within the ranks of the administration of the company running The World. Administrator Balmung finds himself in a power struggle despite his efforts to investigate the anomalies of The World on his own. All these elements contributed to a meaty story worth finishing…yet somehow the conclusion seemed so ill-resolved it was disappointing. I felt this was a waste after the heady plot developments and that just killed my enjoyment.

Like many sequels, .hack//LotT looks better visually than its predecessor, with more vivid colors and livelier environs with more social activity. I don’t play them, but I really felt like I was in an MMORPG here—the original literally pales (and dies) in comparison. This series opted for a more youthful, pre-teen look to its protagonists, which will be a matter of personal taste for those who watched the original. The sounds are cute, adding to the youthful vibe, although the music continues the tradition of .hack having strange songs in my opinion.

I really want to enjoy this and give it a higher rating, but the ill-resolved ending just killed it for me. It squandered a very good plot and it’s a crying shame it did. Sorry .hack fans.

Individual Rating: Art/Animation 8; Story 7; Characters 7; Sounds 7

This entry was posted on Friday, February 25th, 2005 at 8:14 am and is filed under .hack//Legend of the Twilight, Anime. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.