.hack//SIGN Episode 7

Episode 7: Reason

Mimiru meets up with a new character named A-20 who pushes Mimiru to her limits. While exploring a dungeon with A-20, Mimiru looks for a reason to stay in touch with Tsukasa even though the two of them had a fight.

Haha, I think I like A20 probably because of the way she looks. She’s got those stereotypical Asian eyes they always look closed but some how she manages to see through them. She’s also a bit of an airhead, which usually bothers me in people as well as characters, but there’s something kind of endearing about her. She’s like a little sister in a way; maybe that’s why she manages to be lovable as well as annoying.

Mimiru still can’t find Tsukasa and she’s not really sure what to do about it since the last time they spoke they had a misunderstanding. I really wish they’d get on with this business of developing the plot, I feel like I’m watching fillers or doing a bunch of side quests in World of Warcraft and either way I’m bored! I will say A20 made the episode for me though, she’s a nublet who’s only been playing for a week even though she lied to Mimiru and said 2 weeks. She joined the game because of two of her classmates who play; she’s trying to figure out what it is about the game that is so attractive. Since joining she hasn’t been able to find anyone to help her clear a dungeon. This is where Mimiru comes in; A20 goads her into helping go to one of the toughest dungeons in the game despite her lack of experience by making Mimiru question why she herself plays the game.

I think that’s fair, it’s like if you’re not going to help the newcomers in the game then why do you still play, to wander around aimlessly? Now I’m not going to lie and say that I haven’t wasted GOBS of time wandering around WoW, because I have, I’ve fished in so many random places I can’t even remember them all. Like Mimiru I usually turn down people who want me to run them through something because I don’t like giving handouts, unless they’re in my guild. From what I can tell the only guild are those Crimson Knights and they seem to be a bunch of self proclaimed moderators. LAME!

Oh guess what, I still want to punch BT right in the baby maker. She was in this episode for .2 seconds and I couldn’t stifle an eye twitch.

While A20 and Mimiru were in the dungeon I couldn’t help but think of all the times when I was a little nub wandering around trying to level up with people I knew, sometimes with people I didn’t know, mostly with people I knew, let’s be real. It made it a little more enjoyable for me to watch, then again they were doing a lot of walking and not so much fighting so I didn’t really understand how that dungeon was so hard, I guess I need to accept that they just weren’t showing us, the viewers, all the parts where they were clearing trash mobs. They should have though, it would have made it much more amusing.

I wonder if A20 is going to make a regular appearance in this series, I hope so; she at least makes up for all the characters who drive me nuts.

.hack//SIGN Episode 6

Episode 6: Encounter

Tsukasa has been captured by the Crimson Knights. Subaru listens to his story about just how real the game and The World have become to him and she takes pity. She decides to release him, but Sora arrives to "rescue" him before she can do so.

Mimiru and BT aren’t getting along now especially since Mimiru is convinced BT lied to trap Tsukasa…which she did so Mimiru is in the right on this one! BT really gets on my nerves, just watching her/listening to her talk makes me want to punch her in her baby maker.

This whole rescue mission is bogus by the way. First of all Subaru (who’s a car) already said he could go, so technically he’s not even being held hostage anymore, and talk about a WORTHLESS conversation! Someone needs to teach her how to interrogate someone. Granted he really didn’t know the answers to some of the questions she asked but seriously. I would have punched that kid too!

At first he acts depressed (oh wait what’s new) almost a little scared, but as soon as she starts talking to him and tells him she’ll let him go as long as he doesn’t hurt anyone else with that whale his demeanor changes. He goes from moody well to moody, but a different kind, more smug almost over confident. Talking all that nonsense about everyone just leaving him alone!

Then that jerk off treats Mimiru like shit when he finally gets out of that place, her and Bear are really the only two people that Tsukasa has encountered that have a genuine care about his wellbeing. I’m sure Subaru cares but I don’t know entirely why she does yet. So far with her it’s mostly been about the welfare of the game and the players.

The way she’s treating Crim too is down right terrible especially because I like him WAY mo BETTAH than I like her! She’s acting like she got dumped, and quite frankly she needs to get over that! Plus Mimiru going to Sora for help to rescue the runt was a bad idea too! I understand she wants to help but the dude associates with BT, so what kind of company do you think a lying snake keeps? MORE LYING SNAKES!

Now we’ve got reviving monsters to deal with but these ones are not like the Guardian, but sort of kind of are. Silver Knight is still annoying and apparently doesn’t like the fact that he can’t chase down Tsukasa anymore, even though he failed to keep Sora out of that building, he wants to try and catch the kid again? Dude needs a wake-up call!

.hack//SIGN Episode 5

Episode 5: Captured

Tsukasa has gone into hiding from the Crimson Knights who are out to capture him and his rogue guardian. Tsukasa slowly learns how to control his guardian but Sora and Silver Knight hatch a plan to lure him out so the Crimson Knights are able to capture him.

I’m just going to be honest and say right here and now… episode 5 I’m still having a hard time getting into this anime. I had started this series once before and couldn’t get past the first episode, then I started this blog so I kind of have to finish it, but it’s SO much work!!

So we meet CRIM finally! He’s a Long Arm; his avatar is a male with spiky blue hair, a red jacket, flared red and yellow pants, and a wave symbol on his chest. He founded the Crimson Knights with Subaru (who’s a car) but eventually left for one reason or another. But now he’s back! As you can see from this episode, he’s very happy-go-lucky, easy going and sociable.

But there was something weird about Subaru (who’s a car) and his meeting. She seemed like she wanted to see him when she left Silver Knight but then when she actually got there, she came off as a little cold and uncomfortable. Maybe they had a falling out or a weird parting of ways? Perhaps she confessed to him and he rejected her and then eventually left the game, now he’s back! scary music

I find Subaru (who’s a car) to be passive aggressive, which is a little annoying. She’s SO, so, SO soft spoken too, someone needs to mic her asap!

Anyway, everyone is all a flutter, and by everyone people like Bear, Mimiru, BT and Sora all for different reasons of course but they can easily be paired. BT and Sora seem to have the same interests and the same goes for Bear and Mimiru. The latter actually having genuine concern for Tsukasa and Sora and BT pretty much just want whatever the hidden item is.

Also, what is that thing with BT barely even trying when she was “hunting” down Sora, she basically pretended to try and “let” Sora win, butter up his ego a little before trying to get him to go along with whatever scheme she had brewing in that blond head of hers.  Which is basically what happened.

That veiled world still looks like shit and the talking but not really talking reincarnation of his mother in the body of a cat was of no help. Other than to tell him that she was supposedly mad, and that he was weak. Although I didn’t hear that with my own ears, the very low self-esteemed Tsukasa who seems to be pretty worthless with out that Guardian he can’t control interpreted it for me.

I was under the impression that after that cat “talked” to him about becoming stronger that maybe that’s what he had been doing since we saw him last but no, he shows up in that trap and relies on his Guardian but then gets OWNED by Crim fist bump.

I can’t believe he fell for that trap either! Believe the rumor BT and Sora started about another dude carrying around a sword with a similar if not the same whale. Sigh how naïve, and he managed to summon that whale inside the barrier, which I didn’t really understand; then again he summoned it in the beginning against Silver Knight while there was a barrier up. I guess because it goes against the rules of The World it can pretty much do whatever it damn well pleases.

Pats Mimiru on the back I’m glad you put two and two together even if it was too late to actually save Tsukasa and realized that BT is a lying bitch. That’s right, I said it! Anyone who associates with Sora has something wrong with them, basically they want something a little TOO much, take the Silver Knight for example. Going behind Subaru’s (who’s a car) back to try and trap Tsukasa.

That little moment between Subaru and Tsukasa was kind of sweet, they were locked in a gaze with one another but it was short lived because the whale started attacking her and killed whatever henchman that tried to jump in and save her. Don’t get me wrong he did save her! I laughed pretty hard when I saw the cow/horse mount that Crim rode in on with the sunglasses that was probably the best part of this episode. The mount yes, but Crim as a character. He should continue to make frequent appearances.

Ugh, and despite all of that Tsukasa didn’t get any stronger, still can’t control his whale and continues to remain a weepy kid.

.hack//SIGN Episode 4

Episode 4: Wanted

Tsukasa's guardian is out of control and has been attacking other characters. Subaru gives the order to make him wanted across all the game servers - she needs to talk to him before it's too late.

I love how Tsukasa is doing next to nothing to try and lay low, what with him flaunting his whale around! He’s got everyone in the game talking about him. I also can’t believe after Subaru checked the logs he’s been in that game for 10 straight days and even after seeing that they still have DOUBTS as to whether or not that could be possible. Ugh.

That flashback leads one to believe that the voice is that of his mother’s. I’m curious as to how his dead mother has managed to log herself into a game, as a ghost? Or is someone steering his desires so that he comes to these conclusions himself. Hmm… scratches head

I’ve already said this but BT can’t stand Sora, but as soon as Mimiru get’s mail from him she’s all “let’s go see him.” GREEEEDYYY, all she cares about is that hidden item. I thought it was kind of lame of her to ditch Mimiru after she more or less got what she wanted out of Sora. Doesn’t she understand the “girl” code? Never leave your home girl with a creepy guy! Same rule applies in game as well as out!

It’s only been 4 episodes and I’m already done with this Silver Knight person, complaining about Sora, complaining about Tsukasa. Seems a little possessive, or over protective, clenching his fist when Subaru (who's named after a car) zones out thinking of what Crim would do in their current situation. Talk about temper as well, so quick to draw his sword and I don’t even think Sora said anything in particular that was offensive. Oh Silver Knight… loyal to a fault. “If there’s anything you need…” It probably wouldn’t matter who was in charge with this guy following, as long as they’re powerful, he’ll follow.

I’m not going to lie I was a little confused with the cut away scene of a guy smoking in the rain outside of a hospital. I didn’t know who that was supposed to be, so far most of the cut aways have been flashbacks and they’re apparently done the same as “real” world scenes, so I guess I’ll have to pay closer attention to try and differentiate between the two. But REALLY BEAR?!  You think you may have found Tsukasa’s real body in a coma and it was a girl?!

Did anyone else find it strange, the reaction of Tsukasa when Mimiru asked if he was a girl in real life? Something sounds fishy… that avatar is hiding something; I’m beginning to think that it was he in the hospital and that he’s really a girl out there in the world! Hmph… claiming he’s a boy and scoffing. Running away YET again!

HOLY HAREM batman! 4 girls against 1 little Wavemaster and a whale! Those players didn’t stand a chance, seeing how he’s lost control of his Guardian yet again. I guess there really was nothing left for Subaru (who's named after a car) and the Crimson Knights but act. Oh you done it now little man!! YOU WANTED! Not to mention what the hell happened in the veil land as I’m currently calling it because I don’t know what it is. It was really pretty, with grass and trees everywhere. Now it’s like a barren wasteland, hmm… any connection to the Guardian going AWOL?

.hack//SIGN Episode 3

Episode 3: Folklore

BT and Sora come to the conclusion that Tsukasa is related to a legendary item known as the Key of the Twilight. Mimiru tells everyone that Tsukasa may be a victim of the system as another character was able to take control of Tsukasa's guardian.

I’m really enjoying the music in the series so far, although I can’t really say I support having music with lyrics playing over characters talking. It’s a little distracting especially if the level isn’t set in such a way that the music is more background instead of foreground. Probably doesn’t help that I’m reading subtitles, listening to Japanese speaking, and English lyrics.

I’m finally glad to hear someone say “it’s just a game,” Subaru (which is also the brand of a car) is a female Heavy Axeman with blue-green hair, a puce-colored tattoo on her forehead and ornamental wings on her back. She seems to have founded the Crimson Knights along with another character Crim who has been mentioned but not yet seen. She had to tell that Silver Knight guy to simmer down! So rowdy! I’ve played with people like that; who think everything is the end of the world if one thing is out of the ordinary.

Silver Knight is a Blademaster who is the second-in-command of the Crimson Knights under Subaru (which is also the brand of a car) his avatar is an edited version of the standard Crimson Knight design, with full chest and back plates added to his armor, horns added to his helmet, and red eyes instead of blue. I think he is actually a she in the real world at least that’s what it looked like when he was knocked out by Tsukasa’s Guardian.

Now everyone is going on about this Hidden Item and everyone seems to think that Tsukasa has it, seeing how it would make sense because it appears he’s not playing under the same rules of everyone else in The World. The name of this Hidden Item is The Key of the Twilight and for some reason they say it in English, I don’t speak Japanese so perhaps it’s a translation thing, or it’s supposed to hold more weight being spoken differently.

Sora’s creepy… the end.

No but seriously, something is off about that guy! Just the way he talks to the girls and his overall demeanor. One could say he’s too cool for school, no wonder why BT doesn’t give him the time of day. That and I suppose she doesn’t because of all the times he’s ganked her in the game. Sora is like that creepy uncle that’s coming over for the holidays. Even though he makes you uncomfortable and you’d rather scrape your skin off with a dull rusted razor blade, you’re forced to sit next to him during dinner while he regales the family with stories from his youth breathing a combination of halitosis and cigarette smoke in your face. Meanwhile, he’s managed to slip his hand onto your knee under the table when no one else is looking and all you can do is sit rigid in your seat.

At least that’s how I feel about Sora, so far at least, I know it’s only episode 3 but he’s done little to redeem himself.

Mimiru is cute, it’s like she can’t help herself, and she so very much wants to hate Tsukasa because Tsukasa acts like he hates her but Mimiru isn’t that type of person. She seems like she wants to be everyone’s friend, after all who knows how long she had been sitting at that chest trying to get in touch with him. Not to mention sending Bear in her stead for fear of fighting further with Tsukasa and possibly making things worse between them. It’s funny when she tries to act all cool like she can’t be bothered any further with emo face and his pet that looks like a pair of balls with a ring to separate them.

Meanwhile Tsukasa is in that… otherworld? Like a tear in the veil if you will, staring down the floating girl, who evidently makes him see his past? At least I’m going to go out on a limb here and say it was Tsukasa in the real world, at a young age. Couldn’t actually see if it was a little boy or girl, troublesome age identifying gender.

Poor kitty!!! =^^=

Also, what’s the point in having a bed, whether it is indoors or out if all you’re going to do is float above it all exorcists like? If anyone has some insight on that, I’d love to hear it!

Can we talk about Tsukasa’s Guardian that looks like balls with a ring to separate them sounding like a whale? When I first heard that I thought I was going to see Free Willy come barreling through the happy place where Guardian’s live. I don’t know what sound I expected it to make, but it probably should have been something a little less identifiable especially when it doesn’t resemble what it sounds like. I’m just knit picking I suppose but that might be because the series is still picking up momentum so things like that are sticking out to me.\

Hmm… I don’t know how I feel about BT yet, she seems to hang around Bear a lot, willingly and Sora seems to be more of a play thing, someone to pass the time/shoot the breeze and while they’re doing that they tend to share information, more on Sora’s end than from BT. She’s a Wavemaster as well and her avatar has blonde hair and dresses in light green robes. She seems to be pretty focused on finding the Key of the Twilight and can’t really be bothered with Tsukasa’s predicament. She’ll most likely tag along if it means finding what she wants.

Yeah, I get the feeling that this Bear character and BT as well might be on the older end of the age spectrum in real life; especially the way they reason/talk to everyone. Haha, poor little Tsukasa doesn’t take criticism or yelling very well. If only it were really that easy to just teleport out of every confrontation so you didn’t have to deal with someone lecturing you about things you couldn’t be bothered with. It was sweet though how he was disappointed (what’s new?) that Mimiru didn’t come to see him, even though she arrived after he had already bailed.

.hack//SIGN Episode 2

Episode 2: Guardian

Mimiru and Bear are worried as Tsukasa is unable to logout of the game. The Crimson Knights look upon Tsukasa as an illegal character and are out to capture him. He arranges to meet with Mimiru and Bear to show them his guardian monster.

Wow, where to begin with this episode. Again just a lot more stuff that I’m not really sure about. Turns out the Crimson Knight that Tsusaka’s guardian owned ended up passing out in front of their computer and waking up with amnesia. Shenanigans!

Tsusaka meets up with Bear and although he chats with him for a quick second doesn’t really spend too much time dealing with him, not to mention completely blowing Mimiru off.  We meet a new character Sora, I’m not sure who that blond chick is yet, or maybe I just missed them saying her name not to mention that other chick with the “wings” and axe. Anyway, Sora is a Twin Blade Player Killer who seeks out attractive female characters and attempts to obtain their personal member addresses.

I’m still trying to understand this cat character and what its deal is. Also, how crazy do you have to be to hear voices in real life let alone hear voices while you’re stuck in a game world? The cat’s talking but nothing is coming out of its mouth and Tsukasa is yessing it and then follows it! Often times on the internet people usually create an alter ego, someone they can’t be in real life, because lets face it if you’re spending that much time in a game it’s usually because you’re trying to get away from something that’s going on in your life or you just don’t have friends. I’m beginning to think that Tsukasa isn’t just emo in the game but is emo in real life too. I can’t understand for the life of me why someone would want to create a sad, moping alter ego to act out on the Internet. There have been subtle and not so subtle hints of not really wanting to get back to the real world.

So now Tsukasa is walking through walls much to Sora’s chagrin and he’s off finding pretty floating girls with a teddy bear and a bed out in the middle of the woods. It’s like an outdoor bedroom.

Haha, I wish someone WOULD tell me to reset the terminal ONE more time! It’s like they’re so obsessed in thinking that it’s impossible not to be able to log out that they just keep circling back to, “oh he just needs to reset his terminal” eye roll am I the only one listening? Dude already said he’s not sitting in front of his monitor he’s IN the game, like IN it to WIN it.

What’s the point in having a Guardian you can’t control and then magically gaining a soft spot of Mimiru? Tsukasa needs to make up his mind and Bear needs to simmer down before he ends up like that Crimson Knight. Although having the power to move about the servers with out the use of the gates is pretty sweet.

It’s definitely like an RPG in the sense that you start out by yourself and then as you try and figure “something” out usually a quest you pick up people a long the way to form your group. Even though most of them are interchangeable we all know that you have your core group which Tsukasa’s is currently made up of himself, Mimiru and Bear… and who knows, Sora might be a floater… I don’t know what Sora is, or those other two chicks, at least in relation to Tsukasa.

.hack//SIGN Episode 1

I'm just starting this series I don't know much about it other than what I've read via plot summaries. I'm kind of excited though because it has to do with RPG's and getting stuck in the video game world! I am very much into MMORPG's like World of Warcraft as well as Sim games/Civilization games. The thought of actually logging in to a game one day and not being able to log out would be rather frightening, people become absorbed in video games easily enough without adding insult to injury. It'll also be interesting to see how these people become friends via the game even though they haven't met face to face. I have made countless friends online playing games some of whom to this day I've never seen a picture of. It's crazy to think about!


Episode 1: Role Play

Tsukasa wakes and finds himself in The World, an online game. He can't recall who he is and doesn't know why he is in The World, but he soon finds that he is trapped and attempts to look for a way out.

After watching this episode I have a better idea of what The World looks like. Of course it's only the first episode so I don't really know a lot about any of the characters just surface stuff, in which case I don't even think the main character Tsukasa introduces himself. He comes off very aloof, probably because he woke up extremely out of it and still in the game! Tsukasa is the protagonist; he is a Wavemaster whose consciousness becomes trapped in The World while his real body is in a coma. He is a young silver-haired boy clad in grey robes.

The second character we meet is Mimiru who is a female Heavy Blade, first impressions?? She seems kind of clingy to me! Throughout the episode she keeps popping up wherever Tsukasa is and she won't leave him alone!! Even after he outright tells her, I don't like you, then repeats himself when she asks him if that's what he said later on! Then in typical girl fashion, she doesn't like what she hears and slaps Tsukasa, which he feels physical pain as a result, odd... they're supposed to be in a made up world. I don't think it's intended to be set up like the Matrix, where if you die in the Matrix you die in real life. 

I thought it was actually pretty funny too how Mimiru lectured him on game etiquette, a lot of times when you play these types of games there are all those "unspoken" rules of how you should play the game with other people. Like, don't be a dick so you can still find a group to do instances with. I have always thought it was dumb when people who log in to play a game try to turn the game into REAL life. If I wanted to deal with all that crap, I would just log off and deal with people in the real world. I play games to escape, in Tsukasa's case, well he can't help but stay logged in, even though is solution at the beginning was "I'll just log out."

The 13th Squadron of the Crimson Knights seem like douche bags who take their job too seriously. They're basically game moderators who's job is to look out for illegal game activities and keep them in check. *yawn fest*

It cracked me up when Tsukasa was just looking for things to do so he ran around on his mount which looked like there was a game glitch causing it to run into walls. Reminded me of when I would get bored in WoW and go fishing or just ride around the map. 

Later on we meet Bear for a quick minute who was apparently taking a break from helping someone quest/kill something. He's a large, burly Blademaster and most of his body and face is covered in blue wave tattoos. He tries to talk to Tsukasa but that's a no go, I'm kind of curious what level Tsukasa is because the way he runs around and keeps teleporting or whatever they call it in this game, you'd think he was a low level who was constantly afraid of being ganked by people!

The end of the episode kind of has me confused in the sense like...wtf? We learn that this cat Tsukasa hasn't been able to remember, he suddenly remembers and calls it Macha before it disappears then a weird monster that supposedly has never been in the game appears! What happened to the Crimson dude? The way he was attacked by that monster it kind of looks like he might be dead, dead... like really dead. I like Tsukasa's "when in Rome" mentality after all that drama he's just kind of like... well I can't log, so I'm not out there, and being in here, might not be so bad, then *SIRENS!*