.hack//Roots (2006) User Reviews

A decent anime with flaws

[brandonm-9 · 6/10 · 20 November 2010]

I have seen this Anime recently, and so far it is enjoyable but with some flaws, which I will get to later.

The good: The plot is great, but doesn't live up to its successor .Hack//SIGN(which I couldn't get over its plot, probably one of the best animes I have ever seen). The animation is also done in a different way, but its a good way.

The bad: I watched this in English, and I thought the voice over was really bad in some segments of the first episodes. It was somewhat forced, and it was mostly the voice over of Tabby. Her voice just ruined the anime for me. Later on, she doesn't talk overly excited or high pitched and talks normal, which should have been like this throughout the whole series. Another bad this is the script. What I mean by this is the dialogue. Sometimes, the dialogue was just too cheesy and caused those awkward moments (especially with Haseo and Shino). This may just be because of the English version, but it really took away from this great show. One last complaint is how slow it starts off..It takes about 15 episodes to get interesting, then will finally pick up. After that, it isn't too bad.

This is anime is alright, but not nearly as good as SIGN. 6/10

Fairly Good Followup to SIGN

[arorashadow_2003 · 7/10 · 5 January 2013]

.hack//Roots is a fine sequel that's kind of bashed because of the plug-in-nature relationship to the .hack//G.U. games. And it's sad it's kind of bashed, because Roots was a really good installment in the .hack// Series. My favorite has and probably will always be SIGN but I found Roots to be very enjoyable at the least.

In terms of the story it struck a fine balance of keeping in the nature of .hack in general with out going over the SAME OLD STORY. While it re-introduced the story of the mystic "Key of the Twilight" as explored in .hack//SIGN and it's sequel quartet. Bringing in all new characters, giving the classic 'The World' a make over with all new classes was the change needed. Of course the story of the .hackers was great and so was the story and drama of Tsukasa in .hack//SIGN and that was good for those, but it was time for a change.

.hack//Roots goes back to the darker more somber story line after it's campy epilogue-like predecessor .hack//Legend of the Twilight (aka .hack//DUSK) which was refreshing change. I can't say I liked Legend straying so far from it's roots (no pun intended) of it's predecessor of SIGN, though it's certainly understandable why. But again I felt it was far better to keep on the darker side of the story line, which is why SIGN captivated me in the first place.

The story dwells much more into the dark human psyche of our personal demons, and can show every character has a purpose for playing "The World" that to me is the darker end of why people like to play games for hours on end. Like with SIGN I felt captivated and relatable to every character. I was able to care about them on such personal levels. It's amazing to see the changes all the characters go through, as the series progresses, which made them much more dynamic foil characters. I recall in SIGN the only one who really changed was Tsukasa. So it was a new direction that worked.

You'll notice a big difference between Haseo and Tsukasa, which is something I found worked well. I thought the idea of Haseo's power-binge to avenge the the PKing of Shino was a brilliant concept, and added to sympathy for his character or otherwise maybe more antagonizing concepts. Haseo's journey into the black abyss of PKKing actually really contributes to the GU storyline.

The overall storytelling didn't stay as strong as SIGN. It started off pretty typically, with the set up and the world-of-the-play but soon dissolved into a pretty weak middle, and picked up slightly at the end. The middle episodes that don't involve Haseo feel much like cheap fillers that simply aren't that needed. It could have stood to be a little shorter in length even though it stands at 26 episodes. That's not to say the entire middle is weak, there are some great episodes in the middle such as "The Forest of Pain" arc, and Haseo's ever growing into the "Terror of Death." Other than that, episodes that show attempts by Tabby and others to form a Medic Union or any episode that features Tabby alone, pretty much fall right away.

As I mentioned earlier Roots is a plug-in story to .hack//G.U. for the PS2, so in the end you will want to play the games to continue the story line. (or you can read the novels). Again it's kind of sad Roots takes a lot of flak for that, because I think it's a clever and very unique way to extend a story line. SIGN in some ways was like that as it all lead into .hack//Infection.

Ali Project's music, was fair to mostly mediocre. Project I am coming to like their work quite a bit, but it was a strange direction and style compared to Kajiura's score for SIGN. I was taken aback by it, but it has grown on me enough that I find it okay but still not good as I've come to expect when Mashimo is the director. It's almost deceptive at first because one of the first after-theme piece you hear is very well composed and orchestrated, but after that it's pretty dull, inattentive, and flat. You will also hear a few pieces that sound eerily similar to works by Danny Elfman which doesn't help the case of the music get any better. It's also at times poorly place and orchestrated. Ali Project has provided a good original score with Avenger, but Roots is considerably dull in comparison to SIGN's musical score. On the other hand Kajiura's opening theme with FictionJunction YUUKA is a really unique theme, much different than Obsession almost more like a melancholy and "searching for" or "yearning for" theme.

In the end ROOTS is good but not great. The introduction of more action and more tension helped the story but still I think SIGN will have the stronger storyline. I can't speak for all fans because some might hate it, others might love it, or some will find it in-between. Absolutely there are aspects about it that could have been better. Not likely Roots will go down as the greatest chapter of .hack especially with it's relationship to GU which by the way is a rather fun game for the story experience. It's both a pro and a con at the same time being directly tied into GU so if you want the full experience of the story it is vital to play GU or otherwise get a grasp of the story in another way.

Roots will be remembered as the best chapter in the .hack franchise.

[Mysterygeneration · 6/10 · 18 January 2024]

The excellent follow-up .hack//Roots is somewhat hampered by its plug-in connection to the .hack//G. U. Furthermore, it's unfortunate that Roots, one of the better entries in the .hack// Series, has received a lot of criticism. SIGN has always been my favorite, and it probably always will be, but I really like Roots.

Regarding the plot, it managed to maintain the essence of .hack without repeating the same old tale in a subtle way. A story about the mysterious "Key of the Twilight" was revisited, as it was covered in .hack//SIGN and its four sequels. The classic 'The World' needed a makeover with all new classes, therefore all new characters were introduced.

After a welcome change to a campy epilogue-like predecessor, .hack//Legend of the Twilight (aka .hack//DUSK), .hack//Roots returns to a deeper, more serious plot. Though it makes sense, I can't say I enjoyed Legend's departure from SIGN, its precursor, all that much. However, I still believed that staying on the darker side of the plot was preferable, which is what first drew me in to SIGN.

In my opinion, the darker side of why people enjoy playing video games for extended periods of time is revealed by the tale, which delves much further into the dark human psyche of our individual demons and demonstrates that each character has a reason for playing "The World". (that is, myself).

There's a significant difference between Haseo and Tsukasa, which I thought was effective. Once more, if you're going to produce a sequel, it better be unique than just another Pokemon game. I thought it was a great idea for Haseo to go on a power trip in order to get revenge for Shino being PKed; it made the character more likable, though there may have been other, more offensive ideas. In actuality, Haseo's descent into the PKKing abyss enhances the GU narrative.

The narrative as a whole wasn't as compelling as SIGN. The play's world and setup came first, and it began rather conventionally. However, it quickly became a very dull middle section before picking up a little near the finish.

As previously said, Roots is a story that can be added to.hack//G. U. on the PS2, thus ultimately, you'll want to play the games to carry on the plot. (Alternatively, read the novels). Once more, I find it unfortunate that Roots receives so much criticism for such a creative and original plot device. That was kind of how SIGN was since everything led to .hack//Infection.

Music was decent. With all due respect, I ignore Ali Project. Though I am starting to enjoy their work a lot, it was a very different direction and manner from Kajiura's SIGN music.

Finally, ROOTS is passable but not outstanding. Although the story benefited from the addition of additional action and tension, I believe SIGN will have a more compelling plot. I can't speak for all of the fans because some may find it in the middle, or they may love it. Yes, there are definitely some things about it that could have been done better. Given its connection to GU-which, incidentally, is a really enjoyable game for the narrative experience-it seems unlikely that Roots will be remembered as the best chapter in the .hack franchise.

I hope the movie better

[granzadam · 26 January 2023]

Hack roots was okay show it not bad it was okay my pombles with the show it was so boring the fight scene well is not that good my favorite part was the main character he was the only good part of the show then he transformation and became a badass and the score was so good my final thought it was Okay I really hope the movie is better than show the fianl episodes was boring what hell it didn't feel like a final episode it like a normal episode well that my review of Hack roots next I well be review the movie I hope it why better than show in till next time this review was by Adam Jon granz I almost forgot the fianl battle was not worth it.