The deep worldview and story of .hack//Roots - Review and Recommendation

.hack//Roots - Dot Hack Roots - Comprehensive evaluation and recommendation

Overview

.hack//Roots is a TV anime series that aired on TV Tokyo from April 6 to September 28, 2006. It is based on the original work by .hack Conglomerate, a game series called ".hack". It consists of 26 episodes and aired in a 30-minute slot every Wednesday night from 1:30 am to 3:00 am. It is directed by Koichi Mashimo, produced by BEE TRAIN and CyberConnect2, and produced by Bandai Visual and TV Tokyo.

■ Story

Many players enter the game world to escape the real world, and Haseo, who chose to play The World of Black, is one of them. He had no clear purpose for playing The World. However, his encounter with the gun warrior Ovan changes his fate. Ovan tells Haseo, "You have the qualities." Since then, players such as Philo, Ender, and Shino gather around Haseo, and they all seem to be related to Ovan's words. What are Haseo's qualities, and what is the purpose of the guild Ovan leads, the Dusk Brigade? The story will explore these mysteries.

■Explanation

.hack//Roots, the third TV anime adaptation of the ".hack" series, is set in the network game "The World R:2." When Haseo logs in for the first time, he is drawn into the lawless world of the game and loses interest in playing, but his encounter with Ovan and the "Twilight Brigade" changes his mind. The story is positioned as one that delves into the origins of "GU," depicting how small ripples in the game world can have big effects.

■Cast

The main characters are voiced by:

• Haseo: Takahiro Sakurai
• Ovan: Hiroki Tochi
• Shino: Kaori Nazuka
• Scented Hill: Ryotaro Okiayu
• Tabby: Megumi Toyoguchi
• Philo: Junpei Takiguchi
• Naobi: Takumi Yamazaki
• Ender: Sanae Kobayashi
• Tawaraya: Kenta Miyake
• Gord: Hiroshi Ienaka
• Set B: Atsuko Enomoto
• Yata: Takumi Yamazaki
• Pie: Sanae Kobayashi
• Saburo: Shizuka Ito
• Kuhn: Shinichiro Miki
• Fujita: Kenta Miyake
• Hideyo: Hisayoshi Suganuma
• Seisaku: Ryotaro Okiayu
• Syllabus: Daisuke Sakaguchi
• Gaspar: Akiko Yajima

■ Main staff

The production team is as follows:

• Original: .hack Conglomerate
• Published in: .hack//GU The World (Kadokawa Shoten)
• Director: Koichi Mashimo
• Series Composition: Kawasaki Miu
• Character Supervision: Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
• Character design: Seiichiro Hosokawa
• Character design: Satoshi Osawa
• Concept design: Kitahara Satoshi
• Art director: Yoshimi Umino
• Color design: Sayuri Yoshida
• Director of photography: Katsuaki Kamata, Takashi Aoki
• Edited by: Masayuki Kurosawa
• Sound Director: Toru Nakano
• Music: ALI PROJECT
• Music Production: Victor Entertainment
• Producers: Koji Morimoto, Fukashi Azuma, Takayasu Shimizu
• Production cooperation: CyberConnect2
• Produced by: BEE TRAIN
• Produced by: Bandai Visual, TV Tokyo

■ Main Characters

Details of the main characters are as follows:

• Haseo: An armorer. After being saved by Ovan, he joined the "Twilight Brigade." He pretends to be passive and cool, but he gets heated up easily.
• Ovan: Gunfighter. Guildmaster of the "Twilight Brigade". A mysterious character who disappeared.
• Shino: A sorcerer. A member of the "Twilight Brigade." She trusts Ovan and has a strong will to support the brigade in his absence.
• Sagisaka: A gun warrior. A member who transferred to the "Twilight Brigade". In charge of supporting new recruits, he is a hot-blooded man with a side that makes him a bit of a troublemaker.
• Tabby: A martial artist. A beginner who joined the "Twilight Brigade." He loves fun and has a positive personality.
• Filo: A sorcerer. He values ​​etiquette and is a good confidant for Haseo.
• Naobi: A demon fan master. The shadow ruler of the huge guild "TaN". He is silent and keeps an eye on Ovan.
• Ender: Swordsman. One of the three executives of "TaN". He admires Naobi and hates Ovan. He will use any means to achieve his goal.
• Tawaraya: Mage. Guild master of "TaN". A central figure in trader activities, he has a merchant's temperament.
• Gord: A martial artist. Former member of the "Twilight Brigade." He calls himself a righteous PK and cares about Haseo.
• Set B: Gunfighter. Former member of the "Twilight Brigade." Interested in Owen, he often talks with Philo.
• Yatagarasu: A demon fan master. The guild master of "Raven". He is the person in charge of "GU" and is searching for an "Inscription User".
• Pai: A boxer. An "inscription user" of "GU". A loyal subordinate of Yatagarasu, he is quick-witted and skilled.
• Saburo: A swordsman. He follows Pai's orders, but after meeting Haseo, he changes his mind.
• Kuhn: A bayonet. Former vice-captain of "Kestrel", he founded "Canard" to help beginners.
• Tota: A magician. He appears as a new character after "TaN" disbands and gets involved with Haseo.
• Hideyo: A sorcerer. He is invited by Seisaku to start "The World R:2". He says what he thinks, but he is not harsh.
• Seisaku: A sorcerer. A kind-hearted but silly girl who thinks of online games as a place to meet people.
• Syllabus: Swordsman. Member of "Canard". Kind, caring and sensible.
• Gaspar: A magician. A member of "Canard." He is clumsy and cowardly, but loves "The World."

■Subtitle

The subtitles of each episode are as follows:

• #1: Welcome to "The World" (2006/04/05)
• #2: Twilight Brigade (2006/04/12)
• #3: Join (2006/04/19)
• #4: Forefeel (2006/04/26)
• #5: Distrust (2006/05/03)
• #6: Conflict (2006/05/10)
• #7: Intrigue (2006/05/17)
• #8: Starting (2006/05/24)
• #9: Melle (2006/05/31)
• #10: Missing (2006/06/07)
• #11: Discord (2006/06/14)
• #12: Breakup (2006/06/21)
• #13: Tragedy (2006/06/28)
• #14: Unreturner (2006/07/05)
• #15: Pad (2006/07/12)
• #16:Resolution (2006/07/19)
• #17: Painful Forest (2006/07/26)
• #18: Limit (2006/08/02)
• #19:Violation (2006/08/09)
• #20: Pursuit (2006/08/16)
• #21: Defeat (2006/08/23)
• #22: Bonds (2006/08/30)
• #23: Trial (2006/09/06)
• #24: Confront (2006/09/13)
• #25: Truth (2006/09/20)
• #26: Determination (2006/09/27)

■ Related works

Related works to .hack//Roots include:

• .hack//SIGN
• .hack//Liminality
• .hack//Integration
• .hack//GIFT
• .hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet
• .hack//GU Returner
• .hack//GU TRILOGY
• .hack//Quantum
• Let's go! Our Chim Chim!!
• Dot Hack Beyond the World

■ Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs are as follows:

• OP1: Silly-Go-Round
  • Lyricist: Yuki Kajiura
  • Composer: Yuki Kajiura
  • Sung by: FictionJunction YUUKA
• ED1: Catharsis of the Awakening of the Ruined Nation
  • Lyricist: Arika Takano
  • Composer: Mikiya Katakura
  • Sung by: ALI PROJECT
• ED2: KING KNIGHT
  • Lyricist: Arika Takano
  • Composer: Mikiya Katakura
  • Sung by: ALI PROJECT

■ Evaluation and recommendation

.hack//Roots offers viewers deep insight by depicting the boundary between games and reality. The story begins from Haseo's perspective and follows his growth in The World R:2. Through his encounter with Ovan and his experiences with the Twilight Brigade, Haseo comes to understand the meaning of his own existence and the value of friendship. The work depicts how events that occur in the game world affect reality, providing many insights for the viewer.

The characters are well-drawn, with Haseo's growth and Ovan's mysterious presence helping to enhance the story. Supporting characters such as Shino and Filo are also appealing, and their presence enriches Haseo's journey. The voice actors are also excellent, with Sakurai Takahiro's Haseo and Tochi Hiroki's Ovan both leaving a strong impression.

Visually, the beautiful animation by BEE TRAIN brings the world of "The World R:2" to life. The color design and art direction work have also been highly praised, and the visual appeal of the work enhances the overall look. The music also adds depth to the story with ALI PROJECT's unique atmosphere, and the ending themes "Boukoku Kakusei Catharsis" and "KING KNIGHT" are sure to leave a lasting impression on viewers.

This work is recommended not only for fans of the .hack series, but also for those who are interested in the world of MMORPGs and those who like stories with themes of human relationships and self-growth. .hack//Roots is a wonderful work that explores the boundaries between games and reality, providing viewers with deep emotions and a trigger for thought. Please give it a watch.