"I want to get into .hack, but I don't know where to start!"

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Fun fact: when I first started working on content for this channel (2015), the very first video I wanted to make was a .hack guide. This video proved too ambitious for me, and to this day it remains unfinished; when I reached 100k subs a few months ago, I saw the perfect opportunity to give it a second try (meaning, yes, this video is effectively my 100k sub special!! Thank you all again so much!!)
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#dothack

[@RedBardIsCool]

Small correction: Looks like Kuon tends to go for more than Quarantine, too--meaning it would be the THIRD rarest/most expensive game on the PS2.

[@PaulHofreiter]

Red Bard also worth mentioning that //GU isn’t a trilogy anymore - the updated Steam version added a Vol. 4 (edit: p.s. thanks for the video, I love .hack so I hope this gets more people into it)

[@geoleo965]

Sadly, the only anime of the franchise that has an actual closure (that is, without any form of interruption by forcing you to follow it with mangas and/or video games) would be _"Legend of the Twilight Bracelet."_

[@geoleo965]

@DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon Hahaha, funny that you mention that, since I actually posted about it... A huge remark with the technicism, indeed, since the final scene is literally frozen by the franchise by making us buy the games instead for the actual true and happy ending... At least the final OVA compensates us in that regard... Sadly, not much in the area of action with the abuse of pseudo-philosophical speeches, monologues and such... And oh boy, how much they loved the drama talk instead in the fantasy world of MMORPG, as much as living in some Mexican telenovela.

[@geoleo965]

@DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon Oh, yeah! I've heard people begging for more episodes because of how great it was... As they also kept arguing to be actually much better than Kakegurui (considering how absurd and ludicrous it got with the games, luck and the sexual tones... I mean, Jesus Christ, the crazy chick with the eyepatch releasing the freaking Niagara Falls in her climax after losing... That was WAY too much for me to take it seriously, so I wouldn't be surprised.) How would you compare the former with the one I mention, overall?

[@Screwy]

I think Haunting Ground is higher than Quarantine too but that still leaves it at a top 5 ranking which is absolutely nothing to scoff at

[@korrochime2432]

"If for... whatever reason *picture of pirates of the caribbean* accessibility isnt a problem for you"

[@AkiAmeko]

OH I GET IT NOW

[@WatcherPrime]

YARRRRRRGH!

[@GamerConnoisseurRei]

Aye mate! It's time set to sail to seven seas you scallywag!

[@jinkurono43]

I never knew other way of getting the ps2 games in my country, that was basically the selling point for the console and the reason pretty much everybody bought the ps2 in those times...

[@XistenceX1]

It made me bust out laughing as soon as it happened.

[@OtioseFanatic]

Man, I love the HD ports of GU but the nature of them being ports actually kills the single greatest Easter egg in all of gaming. If you play the PS2 version of GU while you have any IMOQ save data on the same memory card, any time kite shows up or is referenced (without being called Tri-edge anyway) instead of being called Kite he will have whatever name you gave your protagonist character in IMOQ. It’s awesome.

[@sefatsilverlake3816]

OHHHH I didn't knew that, that is so cool

[@OtioseFanatic]

@@sefatsilverlake3816 yeah. The first time I got to fight ol' tri edge and his health and mp bar is the hud from IMOQ popped up using the name I gave kite in my playthrough I lost my shit. It was soo clever

[@sefatsilverlake3816]

@@OtioseFanatic I'd have freaked out too, sadly I played GU on my cousin's PS2 and not on my own where I had the files. Pretty need. I still think the whole G.U needs a full anime adaptation. That'd be awesome

[@DotHackerBlackWing]

@@sefatsilverlake3816 the closest we have is .Hack//GU Trilogy. And we don't talk about Roots

[@perplexingparadigm]

But wouldn't it be fuego if they Remaster IMOQ AND also put out an update that allows this easter egg to still exist?

[@hummingmostbird]

"Because of quarantine, that's not an option for most people right now" Accidental no-context topical statement

[@poopbuDDiesfan]

7 months later and the topic is still relevant. Rip us.

[@azurastar3223]

I was going to say this. I couldn't stop laughing everytime it was mentioned.

[@panpanya8411]

2 years later, still relevant.

[@splashback788]

still relevant in 2024 :/

[@MooseEatsBears]

Holy shit I thought this video was made during covid at first. That's... Wild.

[@ceomusic7]

I used to read all of the emails and forums on infection as a kid. Truly felt immersed in the idea of the mmo. What an experience

[@HumanPerson_final]

I remember loving .hack//sign on Adult Swim and playing the games as a kid. And at no point did I ever really know what the hell was going on, but I liked it.

[@neku757]

*kicks down a door*DID SOMEONE SAY .HACK?!?!?

[@Yakshimara]

Hey. Fix that door. You're letting the heat out.

[@neku757]

@@Yakshimara my bad!

[@enriquemeseguer8140]

Why did I read that with dunkey's voice on knack...?

[@CroseBuhrn]

Put that door back up so I can kick it down and say the same thing

[@neku757]

@@CroseBuhrn ok ok jeez *puts the door back up*

[@shingshongshamalama]

Sign's ost is directed by Yuki Kajiura. Of course it's incredible.

[@CC-xy8nn]

come thru Xenosaga

[@ferdinandpaguio5060]

and surprisingly she composed for Liminality too... and she composed for SAO too hahaha

[@tykamen5588]

@@ferdinandpaguio5060 say what you want about SAO but in my opinion ost is really good

[@AnnyMouseyMouse]

It's boring but I gotta say Kite is my favorite character. He has a good character arc from being unsure of himself to fully embracing his fate as a hero. I wish he was in more of the post IMOQ media, but also I think in a way it's kinda perfect that he just showed up, saved the day and was like, "OK, i've saved my friend, hooked up with my pals from the game outside in the real world, The World doesn't hold anything for me anymore" and disappeared into legend. Ignoring LINK of course.

[@SacridFire]

I generally prefer Haseo, but that's mostly because I enjoyed his character development over the games. Kite is still cool with me. Infection was my very first .hack game so I have a lot of nostalgia and love for him, even if I think the original quadrilogy hasn't aged super well in terms of gameplay.

[@arthuralmeida6049]

but he is the most refereed at least, has been years since I watched the 3d movie but I remember that Aina appears as adult at some point and even talk about how her brother (ovan) saved the world without saying a thing about haseo, that did most of the dirt work to save everyone, also the MC is a girl with Kite skin won in a concurse that has some of his companions skins too if I remember correct (no haseo skins btw), they did pretty dirt to ma boy haseo

[@JohneAwesome]

crust can be tasty too .-.

[@Jadechamberrr]

Is*

[@aichistarburst3333]

OMG, It's johneawesome. I didn't expect you to be here, I'm so happy to see this

[@chucklemaster9809]

It can! But it's not the whole pizza, y'know?

[@ZakyZulkifli]

Are you gonna play it on your channel? Or have you?

[@kd594]

My favorite yo Kai watch KZbinr❤️

[@Johnny_Shields]

My mom traded my quarantine and the other 3 for a 5$ discount for The Sims.

[@heinokunzelmann8967]

How are you even able to sleep at night with regrets like that?

[@tensai_kodai]

That's even worse than me selling my Pearl and Heart Gold version of Pokémon to some guy for 30$...

[@dotonburi2232]

Oof....

[@danwithaplan3742]

Dear god I hope you let her know what they were worth....

[@Heartkinght]

well I threw my in the garbage cuz I thought it was worthless now that I find this channel telling me it's worth and value it's give me heart attack, talk about having the worst luck.

[@rose-teresafiske2083]

I'm glad this series is still "underground" and not known even by most people who've seen SAO....also can't believe its already been 20 yrs!!

[@Raylightsen]

Gatekeeping?, unexpected

[@HumanPerson_final]

I love the .hack series, but the reason SAO took off into the mainstream whereas .hack is still lesser known is that SAO is simple and easy to watch right from the start. They also have more action and fanservice in the anime, so that all combines to make for a more marketable anime. The books are apparently good as well, though I've not read them. The games are boring, though, as far as I've played.

[@ace-kz9id]

Tbh reason SAO took all if cause the company owning both wanted it to so they pushed it harder ​@MuricaUnicorn

[@redlily2893]

I've always had a slight interest in .hack and I never really knew how to approach the series, so this was extremely helpful. Thanks, Red Bard!

[@Unforgiven11]

I remember getting one of the games for PS2 and just not being able to do ANYTHING. I'm not sure if it required a save file from a previous game or something. I remember just running around an empty limited area getting so frustrated.

[@fleurala]

This shit can compare with fate Just as hard to get into. Wanna know the responses I got when I asked where I should start the anime? "Play the game." Equivalent to "Read the manga"

[@redlily2893]

@@fleurala I recommend the Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Bladeworks series and movies. It's the easiest way to get into the series.

[@fleurala]

@@redlily2893 Okay . I had already watched about 3-4 episodes of it, but was totally lost, so I dropped it. Do they give us like, a flashback or some context? Or sum lore or smthing?

[@redlily2893]

@@fleuralaWere you watching Unlimited Bladeworks? Because they pretty much explain everything in that series. Then theres Fate/Zero which is a prequel you watch after the series.

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

.hack//sign it is what the SAO wishes it was.

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon even the abridged version is what SAO wished it was too. Basically it wishes it was any thing other than SAO.

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon how to sum up the end of SAO, KIRITO “why?” Akihiko Kayaba “Fucked if I know I forgot!”

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon you got one Asian mad skills running forward while being all stabbie even though not worked out how to use inventory.

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon a game that cost so much and still only a small numbers still released 😂

[@theprincipalofficer4273]

DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon SAO for big brained elitist weebs 😂.

[@shingshongshamalama]

.hack//SIGN was a show where a gender dysphoric girl who was abused by her adoptive parents falls in love with a disabled girl and they end up canonically happy together. In like 2006.

[@LunarDelta]

She wasn't adopted, her mother died when she was very young and her biological father was a drunken, woman-hating scumbag. The reason she distanced herself from her gender is because of his hatred and abuse. He hated her femaleness so much he wouldn't even buy her necessary things like bras or menstrual hygiene products. Seriously, fuck that guy.

[@JuniperGreen162]

@@LunarDelta --- shit okay, it's been a long time since I did a full watch of the anime, but I don't remember anything about that last part. Did that go over my head, or was that described somewhere outside the actual show? Damn.

[@LunarDelta]

@@JuniperGreen162 There's a flashback scene where An has been detained by the police for stealing a bra, toothbrush and several other things. Her dad comes storming in and starts slapping the shit out of her right in front of the cops. It's crazy. And then there's the part where he tries to kill her while she's in the hospital...

[@leafox7863]

@@LunarDelta I actually didn't realize he hated her gender, I thought he was just abusive due to the fact that her mother died and had taken to alcoholism. (Also there's one line of dialogue in the last episode, not Unison, where Tsukasa mentions tragic events whilst talking with Subaru that leads me to believe An's mom died in a car wreck)

[@LunarDelta]

@@leafox7863 Well, it's never stated outright that he held those views, but refusing to buy your teenage daughter a bra and beating her because you left her with no choice but to resort to theft is pretty damning. When you add in the fact that she pretends to be a boy online, *believes* that she's a boy even when confronted with evidence that she isn't, (even after her memories of her real life resurface she still isn't sure) it's hard to not conclude that her life circumstances either made her uncomfortable with being female or worsened preexisting feelings. Even after she finally logs out of the world, her inner monologue is still a boy's voice. This is almost certainly a habit she developed long before she was ever trapped in the world. (Her actual voice is surprisingly petite-sounding.)

[@Mafsto]

This is one of the BEST videos explaining a franchise series and where to start as well the order to go by. Thank you!

[@realmtl6829]

Started with Sign and am currently in Vol 3 in the GU games. Definitely an amazing series.

[@SunsetTheDragon]

Correction: IMOQ were actually released in PAL regions. The original PS2 versions of G.U. however never made it to PAL regions, making the PC and the PS4 remaster the only versions of G.U. we have.

[@RedBardIsCool]

Thanks for clarifying!

[@RawrName]

@@RedBardIsCool I own IMOQ PAL versions and I live in the UK, I can confirm we got them. :P

[@mariokarter13]

"IMOQ" .hack: I mock you.

[@gallantmon4]

@@RawrName We did? Cause when I look on Amazon, Mutation has the T rating on the cover but the other 3 games are 12+ Pegi rated.

[@RawrName]

Gallantmon4 Yes we did, it was in stores like GAME all the time when I was a child! Also check ebay not amazon for old PS2 games.

[@zgamer200]

I think, "You Don't Know Jack About .hack!" would have been a better title

[@krvys7226]

why am i wanting red bard to team up with super butter buns for a .hack for beginners...

[@Yakshimara]

Samba samba?

[@josegljr]

I read that line in the English voice of that guy. Online Jack, I don't know how to spell his name so I won't try. He was a video uploader in the G.U. games where he tries to found out the conspiracy of the coma people and the .hack// game

[@josegljr]

Found it, just imagine... Salvador Aihara saying his name then saying you don't know Jack about .hack//

[@NekoYuki]

@@krvys7226 Oh... My... God... I have never wanted anything so much before...

[@TheMenarch]

"Sign can be very slow paced" That might be the understatement of the centaury. It is the only anime I have ever falling asleep to while watching

[@Skeiths]

I thought I was alone in this world.

[@DigiCube4]

No..i'm right here. SKEEEEEIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHH

[@haseoxv9508]

Well no lmao

[@Moots787]

SAMBA! SAMBA!

[@naomimain3690]

DON'T FPRGET ABOUT ME

[@DMetaMonty]

Love this series. Would love to see a remake of the original games. I still have my copies.

[@iamgay5160]

Same! Grew up on the original IMOQ saga, memories!!

[@lowerlifeform]

I regret letting my copies of the IMOQ series go when I was younger so bad now that it's worth a fortune online, I wanna buy the 4 in a bundle set but just the price for quarantine alone is craaazy, I'm pretty sure it's one of the most expensive ps2 games out there if you can manage to get your hands on it.. I never would have thought that IMOQ would become so valuable over time

[@madmachanicest9955]

I never got to to play them because of how hard thy were to come by. I got the g u games instead and loved them.

[@iamgay5160]

Mad Machanicest well if you promise to give them back, I would have no issue trusting an internet stranger

[@madmachanicest9955]

@@iamgay5160 that is vary sweet of you but keep them. There your treasures i will play them some bay and if not then the mystery shall sustain me. Sorry my in or Endrance is showing.🌈😄

[@bomberjack2413]

Thank you so much for this. I remember playing the first (or one of) the .Hack games on the ps2 when I was a kid and remember it being super short but so god damn great that I couldn't forget about it. It wasn't until years later that I looked into it and was confused and passed it off till later. Years later again I saw they ported the .Hack games to steam, bought them and installed them in a heart beat only to figure out it's actually the second half of the series and slipped right back into my usual confusion. Thank you for doing the job that 12, 16, 19 and 23 year old me was never able to do.

[@TheShootingstarhero]

I don't remember the first game being short... hard yes but not short

[@bomberjack2413]

@@TheShootingstarhero I might be forgetting a lot of it then, or I was a dumb kid and somehow only got past the first chapter and thought it was over. Ether way, I've started to collect the first series through various online sources and am currently on the way of going through them after so long.

[@adrammelech6323]

@@TheShootingstarhero Infection is short if you just play the story and ignore all the emails, forums, puchiguso, special keywords and ryu books stuff.

[@mintysoleil]

"Passing life form detected! Begin fuel request! *Oink*"

[@Nanaten]

Mecha Mecha Mecha Grunty

[@leafox7863]

Please insert Chim Sphere! Oink! Hey bro, be a bud! Give me some Chim Sphere, oink!

[@mintysoleil]

It appears to have crashed again, but not in this area.

[@SevenSwordsExia]

"I want to get into .hack, but I don't know where to start!" Answer: eBay and a fat bank account.

[@arturskass4695]

Or just pirate the games that publishers are not selling anymore they are not losing money on them anymore.

[@fadhilghiffary5274]

or emulator and rom download site

[@P1ay3r7]

@@fadhilghiffary5274 That's like pirating with extra steps

[@adrammelech6323]

@@P1ay3r7 but you can actually make them look and run better with emulator than on physical PS2

[@IconicBoar097]

awesome video Kennedy i'm sure this will help loads of people get into the series you were very informational and thorough thank ya as always for all ya hard work ^_^

[@GabrilLokaum]

This video, but every time "The World" is said, it's in DIO's voice

[@akumaramirez4144]

funny hearing it repeatedly

[@kazineverwind5267]

Best part is playing the games with japanese voices. Everyone is DIO!

[@ChiiSan09]

Ok, no. I'm a fan of JoJo. But that's a HARD no from me. All I hear for this "the world", is the startup music from Infection.

[@cactusramune]

My heart soared when I saw how recent this video was. Thank you for covering this series!

[@stolisht8047]

Unpopular opinion probably since I was a bright eyed kid in love with Sign when it came out, I'd still say its the best to start with as an introduction to "The World" as a concept and its kinda the ground floor for the whole Harold and Morgana thing. Edit: spelling

[@JuniperGreen162]

Yes and no. Both Sign and the G.U anime got me to try out the games, but a lot of people tend to find Sign boring upon initial viewing, especially in the modern day of the internet where there is so much other content to watch. The show doesn't do a whole lot to pull people in for long, and has been criticized quite a bit for it's redundant dialog a lot in recent years. I think IMOQ or the G.U games would be a safer bet for getting people invested in the series. Although I would share the anime's music to people, because that was one of the key elements that made me fall in love with the series. It really adds to the atmosphere so much more noticeably than other shows.

[@Adonteon21]

I enjoyed it quite a lot myself too, but I get where the slow is coming from. So its really just one of those you have to have the mindset ready before watching. It has the narrative style of an anime from the 80's or 90's. It's like if you are a Highlander fan and you go back to watch the television show. Still good, but very jarring until you accept it.

[@masterprick1]

Agree, Sign's drawback is that people are thinking is going to be action sci-fi fantasy when in reality is more of a drama sci-fi fantasy. Well atleast the setting looks like fantasy with a sci-fi twist, not sure what to call it, low cyberpunk?

[@Ghorda9]

@@masterprick1 they're also entire episodes where nothing happens, even on the drama/revelation front.

[@willanrac]

But my "oh no melons!"

[@Yakshimara]

Bloody egg!

[@angryfurby]

@@Yakshimara CORDYCEPZ!

[@icebergmm]

@@angryfurby Mandragora

[@merrittanimation7721]

0:54 "A MMO called the World" I didn't know Dio was a video game developer.

[@lettucepizza]

Also a hidden jojo reference at 6:56

[@alezarde211]

“Who developed this fuckin mmo lmao” Dio: “KONO DIO DA”

[@notimeforcreativenamesjust3034]

@@lettucepizza I get it PART 7 FANS WHERE U AT

[@Paul-cn9db]

This is the video I've been searching for over 2 years omg thank you so much for this!

[@case2948]

Thank you so much, this video came out right after I got curious and my cousin gave me his complete set of IMOQ. This is JUST what I needed!

[@tait5477]

Thanks for making this. .hack is one of those things that I've thought about getting into for quite some time, but was always too intimidated by all the different media to jump into. I didn't want to do a bunch of research to figure out where to start and just always passed on it for more straightforward diversions.

[@Reaper11192]

The amount of time it took me to 100% the book of 1000 in Gu was ridiculous but so worth it as a teen. Mecha grunty and Piros soundtracks are amazing! Thank you for making this nostalgia trip ^-^

[@rosequartz4708]

Thank you for getting me into this franchise. I loved playing all of GU last year and I do own infection, though I haven't finished it yet.

[@Doctor7175]

I just finished infection and loved it. I wouldn't have found this gem without your video. Thank you.

[@1ppo]

"Three versions of The World" looks like you forgot to mention Fragment, the beta version of The World.

[@claymornk2405]

Was about to comment that as well

[@rafaelfernandes7842]

I played all 3 starting GU games, they were fun as hell, I loved the atmosphere, the gameplay, screaming RENGEKI all battles, all the different weapons and to be honest many other stuff, they were amazing. Plus using your old save files on the new games, it was a hell of an adventure from start to finish

[@shuyo6073]

I just saw 5 seconds of a video of this game and this was in the recommendations. Guess I'm gonna start a whole new Game franchise

[@cozygoblin]

I appreciate this vid so much! I love hack sign, and played infection (but never beat it!) when it was out. I've wanted to get back into the franchise but over the years it's grown so large I didn't know where to start, so even for old fans this is a great video!

[@Kimri]

Everytime Bard makes an analogy, my brain just has a mild surge of dopamine.

[@ultimate_pawnch]

Ah! He of fair eyes. Let us join in an adventure!

[@scanorugaming7827]

Favorite series and youre awesome for making it more approachable

[@krvys7226]

If I might add, last recode has a little extra section, that offers some side content, including decent summations of IMOQ. While it's not a replacement for the games, you can get the basic just of the story from that. Also anyone seen Haseo around? Haseo: "IM RIGHT HEEEEEEEERRRRRRREEEEE!"

[@Blurns]

All I wanted from this video was to hear your view on //Sign's soundtrack & you did not disappoint.

[@KumoKumiko]

Yessss I've been a longtime fan of .hack, always happy to see some love for the series~

[@ComicCrossing]

Really love your voice! Plus Ive always been looking for a video like this. Thanks for the info!

[@JeuxJester]

Thank you--this was very helpful. There aren't a lot of "how to .hack" videos out there so I appreciate how you broke everything down neatly. Loved how you manged to educate without spoiling anything and your passion for the series really shines. Getting into this has always been on the back-burner for me for years ever since I used to watch Chris Niosi's TTA and TOME series, but I just saw the G.U. Last Recode (these names are a trip xD) HD remake go on sale and I wanted to take advantage.

[@DrCrazyEvil]

How'd it go 3 years later? I love dot hack but found this video on a whim

[@AngelofAmbrosia]

Red Bard: *mentions Mecha Grunty* Me: “But what about best boy-“ Red Bard: *mentions Endrance* Me: “I stand corrected.”

[@lucitheloser1992]

Hell ye! I've been looking forward to this, it makes me so happy!

[@LorentzInvariance]

Thank you! I couldn’t remember the name of this universe, and the wonders of the internet brought me back here. I played IMOQ back in the day (still have all the original disks), I really just want to go back and watch the anime. So excited! Best part about the original IMOQ was making it to the end of one game and porting your save into the next game. Felt like the coolest thing! Again, great video!

[@Rikarikun]

Man I was hoping you’d talk about AI/Buster, too... it’s an excellent second thing to experience if you start with sign or imoq

[@FurikakeHappy]

I really wish they’d remaster the original IMOQ games! 😭😭

[@AugustineDelgado]

i started with sign and am actually rewatching it. it does take awhile to get going but the characters see quite a bit and i feel that the mystery behind it's events actually add to the experience overall.

[@legendzero6755]

I know this is an old video, but you are the first other human I've encountered besides an old school friend of mine that appreciates this franchise. Liked, commented, and subscribed. :)

[@peytonlong2000]

Don't wanna brag, but I have both Quarantine and Rule of Rose

[@peytonlong2000]

@DraakoThe(Game-Breaking)Dragon Sadly not, I just collect PS2 games!

[@ROBOTPETER101]

I want to get into the games, but man, I dont have nearly as much time for RPGs as I used to.

[@Panda-gk6ip]

The new Last Recode port has an option for players to easily breeze through the grindy portions so that they can experience the story faster. A really nice feature for those that don't have a lot of time on their hands.

[@fadhilghiffary5274]

same :(

[@josecolon5070]

This is actually an amazing breakdown and explanation for a starting point

[@FrickedUp]

you have accuratly made a video on this and fate....and those are like the only anime i have ever said this about! its wild. way to go and thanks Red Bard!

[@JuniperGreen162]

I WISH THEY'D RELEASE THE IMOQ ON PC ALREADY. Sigh... I only played like halfway through Infection until my save data gotta wiped, and I just didn't feel like getting into it again. But I really really wanna play through all the games. Maybe if I could just find a good quality playthrough to watch, I could just start with G.U games instead (since their gameplay is a lot more fun looking to be honest). I've been a huge fan of this series since watching all the anime content for it. I will always remember the stellar music from Yuki Kaijura. It really completed the atmosphere of this franchise.

[@DigiCube4]

Watch it like a movie

[@innerg_92]

.Hack//Sign is up there on my all time favs list for sure. Such a great series. Loved the old PS2 games so much!

[@Lavrohas]

Another absolute banger, redbard.

[@repththemant9691]

OOHHH, MON AMI, THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO Seriously, i'm always glad whenever people talk about .hack, it seriously needs more love

[@lynntaylor9681]

Honestly I could care less about the games. I started out with .hack//Sign and loved it. It's been one of my favorite anime for many years.

[@HenshinFanatic]

My guess, since I also think it's one of the best anime of all time, the deep meaningful characterization of the main cast, the exploration of escapism and how it leads to an unsatisfying life, a little bit of the whole coming-of-age thing sprinkled into the narrative, and last, but most certainly not least, the fact that it doesn't treat the viewer as an idiot who needs every single thing explained (though some people complain that the philosophical stuff in the show is dull and uninteresting, I'd say the market caters far too much to such dullards).

[@lanaisontheroad3296]

Or just watch a let’s play of IMOQ xD

[@kiwidoodles462]

Man I remember watching the anime as kid I still have dvd in Mexico 🥲

[@ericlarson3133]

very much appreciate this video. i have been interested in this series since i was a teenager and the curiosity has never left me. however, i havent dived in because i didnt know where to start (coincidentally i was looking at some .hack games at an old game store last weekend but didnt buy any for this reason -- even google wasnt helping). jumped on this video as soon as i saw it on my home screen. thank you.

[@reekocarson]

Dot Hack was the first isekai I watched at least a decade before people even started using the term Isekai 🙏🏾

[@MiloKuroshiro]

The best answer is "Don't. Just listen to the sign soundtrack".

[@merrittanimation7721]

My thoughts: "Oh please it can't be that good-" *listens to about 15 seconds of the ost* "Yes. All of this."

[@corwinnius]

Yes... Yes.(｡>﹏

[@Zeik56]

Fair. If I were to name one thing as the best part of the series I would probably say that. @@corwinnius​: Don't forget Xenosaga 3, one of the best video game soundtracks of all time.

[@ghosttowntomato]

This series is sooooo good! The manga are some of my favorite ever.

[@zerolost04]

Excellent video as always, Sign is what started me on my .hack journey and it’s always been great. I’ve got to say, even going back to when it was originally released, Quarantine was difficult enough to find for a fan looking for it. Still, while GU is probably most fans favorite, IMOQ is where my heart lies, while the gameplay is more tedious, it is far more nuanced and technical once you figure out how it works and I think that overall the story and character development are much better in IMOQ. Favorite side story for me would be A.I. busters, Albireo is just so awesome a character

[@lostandfound6958]

"IMOQ may be a difficult starting point because of Quarantine's price." Bruh! Emulation makes that a complete non-issue.

[@BreadBunz]

A .hack fan who doesn't like sign makes no sense to me.

[@dr.bright6976]

Thanks for the vid! I just started Infection yesterday and I am loving it!!!

[@GoGalactic]

I love you for making this. Dot hack is one of my favorite franchises and any exposure it gets helps its chances of getting rebooted which would be perfect for our technological dependant world

[@user-ii8dz4vu7n]

As someone who started with the anime: Don't do what I did. The anime are incredibly cliche without the back story and the one I watched was basically the old FF anime where Vincent one shots everything. I lost all interest in the series because of that mistake.

[@HighPriestFuneral]

...Are you talking about //Roots? If so .hack//SIGN is FAR from cliche by any stretch.

[@user-ii8dz4vu7n]

@@HighPriestFuneral I think it was twilight.

[@HighPriestFuneral]

@@user-ii8dz4vu7n Oh, worst of the bunch. The manga is great! The anime... not so much, haha.

[@chillmister7328]

I was hoping you'd make this video!!! Now I finally have a reason to play .hack 😌

[@BDCS17]

First vid I've been reccommended of this channel. Series veteran here, this was a great video with clear explanation. Hellyeah 💚

[@covershopkid]

Not sure why this is in my recommended but I’m so happy! I live this fronchise. Top favs of all time!

[@dropdedgothish]

Super Ironic, Literally started watching this series again, glad u made a video on it, as a kid I started with legend of the twilight but that's how I ended up falling madly in love with this series, just finished sign recently n am bout to start the games for the first time ever n I'm excited

[@TheNintendoWizrad]

perfect for me! been trying to get into these games ever since seeing them represented in the project x zone games. Thank you

[@icelandicjam]

wow, this is awesome. i've been thinking about this franchise recently and thinking about getting back into it. i used to watch //sign when it was airing on tv and i didn't have many video games myself, but i would go to my friend's place and watch him play the imoq games. great video!

[@birdbrofalcon9778]

as a .hack fan, there were a few things on that list i didn't know of. Looks like i need to seek those out lol. great video!

[@Asterwisk]

Fantastic video! Big .hack fan myself and always nice to see people spread the love. Someone earned the sub

[@briandanger8165]

I used to be a moderator on a very popular and active-- and very strictly run .HACK// forum. This really brings me back. Great video!

[@TheMeTreeHouse]

I just started rewatching SIGN for the first time in 20 years or something wild like that. I would say start with the older stuff so you aren't taken back by the art.

[@marciorusso6796]

Loved your voice, cheers from Brazil! ❤️

[@Nanaten]

My favorite thing about .hack universe? The peripherals used to play The World. It's basically Google Glass and Sega controller. All those maneuvers the characters do? That's all in-game using the original controller. When Atoli slapped Haseo, that means there's a button input dedicated to slap people *THERE'S A DEDICATED BUTTON JUST TO SLAP PEOPLE IN-GAME*

[@Jordunk]

.hack is a contender for my favorite series ever. It has some of the best everyday mundane life and human interactions I've ever seen in fiction, let alone anything anime/game related. Not to mention the hands down closest depiction to a realistic mmo setting ever made. Sometimes forgot the people on the other side of their mmo characters were fake when playing the story and having email conversations with the characters about their lives. God I want an IMOQ remaster and/or new content from the series. Buying .hack GU Last Recode is the best/only way to get Bamco to consider making more stuff/remasters from this series, as stated by the devs. EVERYONE GIVE .HACK YOUR MONEY!!!

[@connormcintosh4828]

I think I must have been like 8 years old up waaaay past my bedtime and flicking through channels, I was lucky enough to catch .hack//sign airing in order from the first episode. It was my intro to anime and will always have a special place in my heart, and holy grunties in heaven I can not believe how good the OST is!

[@ShinoLia]

I've gotten all nostalgic about my favorite multimedia franchise .hack again after the announcement of the Last Recode Switch port, so I decided to give your video a watch! And honestly, I agree with everything! I was fortunate to get into the series back in the mid-2000s so getting the IMOQ games was still feasible for me, but nowadays I absolutely understand people either skipping it or uhhh finding other options. Honestly, I'm curious how much you might have had to spend to get your own copy of Quarantine! Considering you got into .hack through the XXXX manga. Kudos to you for informing folks about the .hack series in a nice condensed video, may the stars shine upon you until the end of your journey!

[@STIR-FRIED-SUBWAY-RAT]

Great vid. I'm a long time .Hack fan so it's great to see people still care about this franchise.(Haseo is a precious bean fite me). Honestly the PS4 collection was on sale a few weeks ago but I'll save this video for when it goes on sale again.

[@defonoteleazar4998]

The GU remasters weren’t on sale as of the moment, but I did get the demo to just give it a shot, see what it’s about. Boy, was that just THE most 2000s JRPG cutscene dialogue I have seen in a loooooooong while. The anime cheese that just oozes whenever blue Auron is on-screen is goshdang delectable. Thank you Red, I love it!

[@icecooltitan]

This was quite helpful, thanks!

[@closertothefutureme8469]

Piros was and will always be my favorite character! His roleplay speak is absolutely hilarious haha

[@dylanw475]

Haha love your voice! Could listen to you talk all day 😭

[@miniman3112]

Never played a single game, but loved Sign very much (especially the music omg). I might go for IMOQ at SOME point, but playing costs so much time ;_; Thanks for the ", but I don't know where to start!" series in general, very very helpful!

[@tehpwnerer7]

Back in the day I had a friend who played this series, and I just watched him play and cheer him on so we could watch the next part of the DVD series that came with the game. Now with my AYN Odin handheld I'm ready to play through these myself!

[@user-ng4cy2of9b]

Outstanding video! 10/10!!

[@vzdwhyvdh]

Watches video and gets nostalgic vibes. Looks at my .hack collection and smiles with pride. Especially since I had a feeling back then that the original IMOQ would become gems. I was wise to get a second set.