Dot Hack Roots, a New and Better World

Dot Hack//Roots is based on the popular video game series of the same name, the show however may be just a bit better then the games. Dot Hack is a series of video games that is loved and yet hated by many players in the community while anyone who watched the show seems to really enjoy its interesting worlds, colorful cast of characters and deep storyline. Dot Hack// Roots is the third installment in the TV series and the best to date.

We follow the lives of players that have come to "The World" in order to escape the pressures of day to day life in this video game, like most of us would. On player in particular named Haseao is the main focus to begin with, he's weak and pk'd (person killed) very quickly, but soon revived by a very powerful player by the name of Ovon. Ovon is the leader of a guild known as the Twilight Brigade and their mission in the game is to find an object known as "The Key of the Twilight"

This object is said not to exists, just a rumor, no more then a mere fantasy, but Ovon and his followers think differently. Haseao and Ovon part ways, and time progresses. Haseao is attacked once again but saved by a woman known as Shino, another member of the Twilight Brigade. She saves Haseao and convinces him to continue playing the game, because he is important for some reason. Hasaio is issued an invitation to join the guild, but at the same time a rival guild known as Tan also opts to have Haseao for their own purposes.

The storyline of this show is very involved, and at many points references the past shows. This may be a little confusing at first, but their explanations of why the reference was made clues you in. Veterans of the Dot Hack series will feel like seasoned players as they are thrust into this new revision of "The World" while those of us new to the series will fell just like Hasaio, leaning as we go along.

The animation is of course classic anime style, but with much more involved backgrounds. Some of the scenes that were drawn for this show are stunning, and breathtaking. The Cathedral, one of the many places visited in previous installments of the series, is now very haunting and mysterious, while the fields outside of town are beautiful. Some of the characters are even nice to look at because there is such a vast array and variety found throughout the game.

Music is always an important park of a show, with an action adventure series you need some rock and roll, with a Sci Fi series classic orchestra, and with Dot Hack.... Well you can't really place its genera. It seems to be action adventure, but then again it's also a love story and tragic drama, so what's the music like? Awesome! The music showcased throughout the show transitions between scenes like nothing I have ever seen before. In one moment you can be in the midst of battle with an epic fighting balled playing in the background, and in an instant a comrade will fall changing the entire mood of the show as well as the music selection.

Character development is also something Dot Hack Roots got right. At the beginning of the show we see our characters in their most obvious state. Haseao is a cocky emo kid who is not really that committed to anything, Shino is the positive thinking girl, Tabby an annoying yet perky sidekick and Ovon is the stoic leader. As time progresses Ovon fails his team, Tabby becomes a serious fighter, Shino is gone, and Haseao transforms from what we first see him as into a powerful warrior bent on revenge and destruction, completely committed to this game and his friends. The change is dramatic but very good.

I can't say anything for the games, because I have rarely played any, but the anime is amazing, and Dot Hack Roots is the best installment to date. The cast of characters and their growth along with the spectacular environments make this show a must see for anyone that is or was a fan of the series. The time slot that Cartoon Network airs the program is horrible at 5am EST on Saturday morning, but it is very much worth staying up a bit later and sleeping in, or going to be early and getting up. Dot Hack Roots delivers on all fronts and shows no signs of slowing down.