".hack//SIGN" (2002) TV series 2002-

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

1 February 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The only thing he can't do....Is log out

Plot:

A strange boy named Tsukasa appears in the online video game "The World". He claims to be alive, and without a computer.

Plot Keywords:

Multiplayer | Face Slap | Paraplegic | Loss Of Mother | Father Son Relationship

Cast

Megumi Toyoguchi	...	Mimiru (7 episodes, 2002-2003)
Amanda Winn Lee	...	Mimiru (7 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kazuhiro Nakata	...	Bear (6 episodes, 2002-2003)
Brianne Siddall	...	Tsukasa / ... (6 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mitsuki Saiga	...	Tsukasa / ... (5 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kaori Nazuka	...	Subaru (5 episodes, 2002-2003)
Isshin Chiba	...	Silver Knight (5 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mitsuyo Kondo	...	Grunty (5 episodes, 2002)
Paul Mercier	...	Bear (5 episodes, 2002-2003)
Donna Rawlins	...	BT (4 episodes, 2002-2003)
Akiko Hiramatsu	...	BT (4 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kim Mai Guest	...	Subaru (4 episodes, 2002)
Douglas Rye	...	Silver Knight (4 episodes, 2002-2003)
Rie Tanaka	...	Morganna (3 episodes, 2002)
Hiroshi Yanaka	...	Sora (3 episodes, 2002)
Valerie Arem	...	Morganna (3 episodes, 2002)
Dave Wittenberg	...	Sora (3 episodes, 2002)
Shin'ichirô Miki	...	Crim (3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Lex Lang	...	Crim (3 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yumi Tôma	...	Helba (2 episodes, 2002-2003)
Sandy Fox	...	Mistral / ... (2 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn	...	Helba (2 episodes, 2002-2003)
Crispin Freeman	...	Balmung / ... (2 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Directed by
Kôichi Mashimo		(28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yuuki Arie		(9 episodes, 2002-2003)
Shinya Kawamo		(7 episodes, 2002)
Hiroshi Morioka		(7 episodes, 2002)
Koji Sawai		(5 episodes, 2002)

Series Writing credits
Kazunori Itô		(25 episodes, 2002-2003)
Michiko Yokote		(13 episodes, 2002)
Mitsuhiko Sawamura		(10 episodes, 2002-2003)
Hiroaki Jinno		(9 episodes, 2002)
Kôichi Mashimo		(9 episodes, 2002)
Akemi Omode		(9 episodes, 2002)

Series Produced by
Kôji Morimoto	....	producer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kazunori Takagi	....	producer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ken Iyadomi	....	executive producer (27 episodes, 2002-2003)
Daisuke Uchiyama	....	producer (27 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kuninori Egawa	....	producer (20 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ryoji Maru	....	producer (7 episodes, 2002)

Series Original Music by
Yuki Kajiura		(28 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Cinematography by
Katsuaki Kamata		(28 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Film Editing by
Seiji Morita		(27 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yukie Oikawa		(27 episodes, 2002)
Chieko Takayama		(27 episodes, 2002)

Series Art Direction by
Yoshimi Umino		(28 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Production Management
Ryoji Maru	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tomoyuki Kurokawa	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2002)
Hideaki Muraoka	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2002)
Takayasu Shimizu	....	production manager (6 episodes, 2002)
Tatsuya Hamamoto	....	production manager (3 episodes, 2002)
Fumi Matsushita	....	production manager (3 episodes, 2002)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Yuuki Arie	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)
Shinya Kawamo	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)
Kôichi Mashimo	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)
Hiroshi Morioka	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)
Koji Sawai	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)
Shigeki Takagi	....	unit director (26 episodes, 2002)

Series Art Department
Makiko Kojima	....	color designer / color setting: Studio Road (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kôichi Mashimo	....	storyboard artist (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Mari Kawai	....	art manager (27 episodes, 2002)
Yukiko Ban	....	character designer (26 episodes, 2002)
Satoshi Ohsawa	....	character designer (26 episodes, 2002)
Tatsuya Oka	....	mechanical (26 episodes, 2002)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto	....	character designer (26 episodes, 2002)
Minako Shiba	....	character designer (26 episodes, 2002)
Kenji Teraoka	....	mechanical (26 episodes, 2002)
Koji Sawai	....	storyboard artist (25 episodes, 2002)
Shunsuke Tada	....	storyboard artist (25 episodes, 2002)
Chie Iwamoto	....	color setting: Studio Road (13 episodes, 2002)
Natsuyo Otani	....	color setting: Studio Road (13 episodes, 2002)
Hiroshi Morioka	....	storyboard artist (8 episodes, 2002)
Yuuki Arie	....	storyboard artist (7 episodes, 2002)
Shinya Kawamo	....	storyboard artist (5 episodes, 2002)
Naoki Fukutani	....	color setting: Studio Road (2 episodes, 2002)

Series Sound Department
Kôichi Mashimo	....	sound director / sound (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Toru Nakano	....	sound director / sound producer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Keith Arem	....	sound: English adaptation / supervising sound editor (26 episodes, 2002)
Mike Draghi	....	sound re-recording mixer (26 episodes, 2002)
Stuart Provine	....	sound editor: PCB Productions (26 episodes, 2002)
Stephen Robinson	....	sound: English adaptation (26 episodes, 2002)

Series Special Effects by
Masahiro Murakami	....	special effects (28 episodes, 2002-2003)

Series Visual Effects by
Masayuki Kurosawa	....	3D CG (27 episodes, 2002)
Kenji Teraoka	....	mechanical designer (26 episodes, 2002)
Natsuko Taki	....	3D CG (12 episodes, 2002)
Ayumi Kamo	....	3D CG (5 episodes, 2002)
Hitomi Miyatake	....	3D CG (4 episodes, 2002)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Satoshi Fujita	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2002)
Yohei Konishi	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2002)
Seiichi Morishita	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2002)
Hitoshi Saito	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2002)
Kenji Takehara	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2002)

Series Animation Department
Miho Azuma	....	animator / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yukiko Ban	....	character designer / animation director / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Nobuhiko Genma	....	animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yuko Iwaoka	....	character designer / animation director / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tomoaki Kado	....	animator / animation director / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Masahiko Kaneda	....	animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yoko Kikuchi	....	animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tokuyuki Matsutake	....	animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Satoko Miyachi	....	animator / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Atsuko Nakajima	....	animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Satoshi Ohsawa	....	character designer / animation director / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tatsuya Oka	....	animation director / animator / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto	....	original character designer / character designer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Makoto Sawazaki	....	animator / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Minako Shiba	....	character designer / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yukie Suzuki	....	animator / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Kenji Yokoyama	....	animator / key animator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ayumi Kamo	....	CG animator (26 episodes, 2002)
Masayuki Kurosawa	....	CG animator (26 episodes, 2002)
Hitomi Miyatake	....	CG animator (26 episodes, 2002)
Yoshiaki Tsubata	....	animation director (26 episodes, 2002)
Makiko Yamanaka	....	finishing checker: Studio Road (14 episodes, 2002)
Hanae Yokota	....	finishing checker: Studio Road (14 episodes, 2002)
Naoko Shimada	....	inbetween checker / key animator (11 episodes, 2002)
Wakako Yoshida	....	key animator (11 episodes, 2002)
Kyoko Kotani	....	key animator (10 episodes, 2002)
Mika Shirota	....	key animator / inbetween checker (10 episodes, 2002)
Sachiko Mori	....	key animator (9 episodes, 2002)
Takaaki Chiba	....	key animator (8 episodes, 2002)
Takato Nakajima	....	key animator / inbetween checker (8 episodes, 2002)
Sadatoshi Matsusaka	....	key animator (7 episodes, 2002)
Mihoko Nomura	....	key animator (7 episodes, 2002)
Yuki Kon	....	key animator (6 episodes, 2002)
Rie Maehara	....	key animator (6 episodes, 2002)
Akio Shimotsukasa	....	key animator (6 episodes, 2002)
Hiroyuki Takahashi	....	key animator (6 episodes, 2002)
Kazuyuki Igai	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Daichi Kamiya	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Satoshi Kitahara	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Osamu Kurosawa	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Tadashi Muraoka	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Kaori Nakamura	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Kenichi Umemoto	....	key animator (5 episodes, 2002)
Shinji Abe	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Yuichi Akimoto	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Akinori Fudesaka	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Tomoko Ishida	....	inbetween checker (4 episodes, 2002)
Masakazu Ishikawa	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Kumiko Katou	....	inbetween checker (4 episodes, 2002)
Kiyoshirô Katô	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Tsutomu Kikuchi	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Takao Kosone	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Akihiko Mamashita	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Daisuke Nakamura	....	inbetween checker / key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Akiko Nakano	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Motoki Onishi	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Tomoyuki Oshita	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Yudai Suzuki	....	key animator (4 episodes, 2002)
Akihito Aoki	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Jun'ichi Fukunaga	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Takashi Iwao	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Kunihiko Kimura	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Shinya Kokaji	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Takahiro Kuroishi	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Takumi Murakami	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Taeko Oda	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Noriko Onoda	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Mutsumi Sasaki	....	inbetween checker / in-between animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Aiko Sonobe	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Kazuyuki Takayama	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Kotaro Tamamoto	....	inbetween checker / key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Kaname Watanabe	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Kunisu Watanabe	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Odahiro Watanabe	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Masaru Yoshioka	....	key animator (3 episodes, 2002)
Mariko Aikawa	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Ryotarou Akao	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Tomoaki Chishima	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Kumiko Habara	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Keita Hagio	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Koji Haneda	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Miyuki Harada	....	inbetween checker (2 episodes, 2002)
Kaori Hashimoto	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Naotaka Hayashi	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Emi Honda	....	inbetween checker (2 episodes, 2002)
Satoshi Honda	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Shin'ichi Iimura	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Keiichi Ishida	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Saori Kasai	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Eriko Kiguchi	....	inbetween checker / key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Chikashi Kubota	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Kazuko Matsumura	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Takaaki Nagano	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Masafumi Nakagawa	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Shinya Nishizawa	....	inbetween checker (2 episodes, 2002)
Hiroyuki Ookaji	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Kazuhiro Ota	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Shinmei Saito	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Takushi Satou	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Yuji Shigekuni	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Atsuko Takahashi	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Masahiro Takahashi	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Ryûji Tsuzuku	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)
Makiko Yamazaki	....	key animator (2 episodes, 2002)

Series Editorial Department
Masayuki Kurosawa	....	off-line editor (1 episode, 2002)
Kôichi Mashimo	....	off-line editor (1 episode, 2002)

Series Music Department
Tomohito Aoki	....	musician: bass (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Masayoshi Furukawa	....	musician: acoustic guitar / musician: mandolin (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Norimitsu Iijima	....	music coordinator (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Masaharu Ishikawa	....	musician: drums (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yuki Kajiura	....	additional vocals / musician: piano / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Ayano Kasahara	....	musician: viola (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Hitoshi Konno	....	musician: violin (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Hijiri Kuwano	....	musician: violin (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Masato Matsuda	....	musician: percussion / musician: piano (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yasunori Mori	....	music co-producer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Susumu Nishikawa	....	musician: Irish bouzounki / musician: acoustic guitar / ... (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Keiichi Nozaki	....	music producer (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Yoshiaki Sato	....	musician: accordion (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Tomoharu Takahashi	....	musician: bass (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Fumio Takano	....	music coordinator: Torushitsu (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Haruko Yano	....	musician: viola (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Emily Bindiger	....	vocals (26 episodes, 2002)
Kazunori Itô	....	soundtrack supervisor (26 episodes, 2002)
Kôichi Mashimo	....	soundtrack supervisor (26 episodes, 2002)
Yoshiyuki Sadamoto	....	soundtrack supervisor (26 episodes, 2002)
Genji Sawai	....	musician: saxophone (3 episodes, 2002)

Series Other crew
Daisuke Uchiyama	....	series supervisor (28 episodes, 2002-2003)
Fukashi Azuma	....	program chief (26 episodes, 2002)
Shinichirou Inoue	....	planning cooperation (26 episodes, 2002)
Kazunori Itô	....	series supervisor (26 episodes, 2002)
Kazumi Kawashiro	....	planning (26 episodes, 2002)
Shin Unozawa	....	planning (26 episodes, 2002)

Production Companies

• Bandai Entertainment
• Bandai Visual Company
• Bee Train
• Cyber Connect 2
• Project .hack
• Yomiko Advertising

Distributors

• Atari Ibérica S.A. (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Bandai Entertainment (2003) (USA)
• Bandai Visual Company (2002) (Japan)
• Cartoon Network (2003) (USA) (TV)
• YTV (2003) (Canada) (TV)

Other Companies

• APPP  in-between animation
• Bandai Entertainment  English voice producer
• Bee Train Digital  animation finishing (as BeeTrain Digital)
• Bee Train  in-between animation
• Blue Sun Film Company  soundtrack product coordinator: New York
• Cutting Room Recording Studios  music recording: New York
• Cyber Connect 2  soundtrack collaboration
• DAST Corporation  in-between animation
• Half H-P Studio  sound post-production
• Half H-P Studio  sound recording
• M.S.C.  animation finishing
• M.S.C.  in-between animation
• M.S.J Musashino Production  animation finishing
• M.S.J Musashino Production  in-between animation
• MSJ  in-between animation
• PCB Productions  English voice recording
• Production AI  background art
• Production I.G.  in-between animation
• Radix  in-between animation
• Sound Dali Studio  music recording
• Sound Valley  music recording
• Space Craft Produce  soundtrack production
• Sterling Sound  music mastering: New York
• Studio MAT  in-between animation
• Studio Twinkle  photography
• Venet  in-between animation
• Victor Entertainment  soundtrack production
• Xebec  in-between animation

Runtime:

USA:25 min (25 episodes and 3 bonus episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color | Black and White

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Silent

Certification:

Spain:7 | UK:PG (some episodes) | UK:U (some episodes) | USA:TV-Y7 | Australia:PG | Canada:14 | South Korea:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | New Zealand:PG

Company:

Bandai Entertainment

Trivia:

According to director Kôichi Mashimo the opening theme "Obsession" had to be written in English because in Japanese the lyrics would have been profane.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the episode "Party" Tsukasa initially miscalculates the product of 331 and 3 in answering the second riddle. This is only in the English dub.

Quotes:

Subaru:Meeting someone is God's doing, but parting is what humans do themselves.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Yuki Kajiura Live (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Obsession

.hack//Sign is not boring or confusing

.hack//Sign is not boring or confusing. If you have seen Evangelion, which is created by some of the same people, you can see how the "confusion" is actually an important story device called Mystery.

As the other comments eluded to, this series is one in a multi-format anime/manga/game series. Hack sign is only the second part in the series. So the claim that the ending resolves nothing, first realize that this series was never intended to "stand alone", but to complement the other parts. Second, please refer to the other animes done by these people: Evangelion and Ghost in the Shell, both have inconclusive endings, like it or not. If you can't stand a complex plot; you prefer simple, predictable plots; then this show is not for you.

As to the boring part. The show may be slow moving, especially the episode where Mimiru waits for Tsukasa in Dun Lorielag, but if you are paying attention fully, you notice how well written the show is. It is portraying the sometimes tediousness of online gaming, but more importantly, showing how Tsukasa is living on a completely different timeframe from other players. This serves to give the viewers some insight into how Tsukasa must be feeling, and how the other "normal" players must be exerting themselves trying to befriend him. .Hack//Sign is a beautiful story. With well drawn characters and backgrounds, and well written music. The characters and dialogue are complex, as well as the story. I recommend everybody buy/watch this anime, as well as .hack//liminality and also play the games. They are all fun and each are a part in a larger puzzle. This whole series has quite an original concept. It certainly is not boring or confusing.