.hack//Roots

.hack//Roots
.hack//Roots
Genre	Science Fiction, Fantasy, Drama
Anime
.hack//Roots
Directed by	Koichi Mashimo
Studio	Bee Train
Related Works
.hack (video games) .hack//GIFT (bonus parody episode of .hack//SIGN) .hack//Liminality .hack//Legend of the Twilight

.hack//Roots is a 26-episode anime series, animated by studio Bee Train, that makes up one of the storylines of the .hack//G.U. franchise, a sequel to .hack. It is the first .hack tv series broadcasted in HDTV (720p)

Template:Spoilers .hack//Roots is the prequel to the .hack//G.U. videogames. It follows the story of Haseo, a Multi-Weapon and member of the Twilight Brigade guild. In the year 2015, CC Corp. Building burnt down, and with it, most of its data for The World. By splicing data from what would have potentially been another game, CC Corp. created The World R:2 and released it in 2016.

Set eight months before .hack//G.U., Haseo logs into The World R:2 for the first time and falls victim to the PKs that reside within The World R:2. He is saved by Ovan and Shino, which prompts him to join the Twilight Brigade.

The Twilight Brigade members are on a mission to find the Key of the Twilight, however, the TaN guild opposes this because they want Ovan's character data possibly because of his device in his arm and will stop at nothing to keep the Twilight Brigade from their goal. But possibly the reason is because Ovan is after it.

Their current mission is to find the 6 virus cores before TaN does. Haseo has the green virus core and the purple core, Shino has the red, Sakisaka the Yellow, Ovan the grey, and Gord has the blue one. There is a Lost Ground with 5 towers, where the Brigade use the supposedly-unusable virus cores. When the five are used it transports them to the tower above the 5 small towers to where they can find the last virus core.

Characters

• Haseo - Multi-Weapon: The protagonist of the series, and a newbie within The World R:2. Haseo frequently encounters PKs before joining the Twilight Brigade, his motivation for doing so is unclear, but he appears to be obsessed with Ovan. He is an outsider in real life, and not very good at dealing with people. In the first episode of the series, Ovan tells Haseo that he has a 'special characteristic". What this characteristic is is currently unknown. Though he has displayed bizarre abilities several times within the series.

• Ovan - Steam Gunner: The Guildmaster of the Twilight Brigade, Ovan has some strange device sealed around his left arm. As always, a mystery. A lot of people think of him as weird because of his search for the Key of the Twilight, an item that may not exist. In episode 5 it was seems that the sealed left arm has the power to get virus cores. In episode 9 he began to make his move and went with the Twilight Brigade to find the Key of the Twilight.

• Shino - Harvest: One of the few people close to Ovan and acting as leader whenever Ovan is incapable of doing so. Gentle-mannered but strong-minded, she holds the Twilight Brigade together during Ovan's frequent absences.

• Tabby - Grappler: A 17 year old girl who appears to admire Shino. Tabby has been playing about as long as Haseo and usually fights alongside Sakisaka in the field. She is loyal, friendly and positive.

• Sakisaka - Steam Gunner: Sakisaka left another guild to join the Twilight Brigade and was a member during its previous incarnation, he often helps beginners like Haseo and Tabby level up.

• Naobi - Danse Macabre: The mysterious Guildmaster of TaN, Naobi appears to be obsessed with Ovan's search for the Key of the Twilight, though his motive is unknown.

• Tawaraya - Warlock: One of the members of TaN, Tawaraya is one of the 'old men' playing the game and appears to be a businessman. He acts very business-like while playing and appears to deal in information.

• Ender - Blade: A PK and member of TaN, she acts as the enemy of the Twilight Brigade on Naobi's orders and also assists Tawaraya through illegal activities that he is incapable of doing himself. Little is known about her motives but she seems to plan on taking the Key of the Twilight for herself.

• Phyllo - Harvest: Phyllo does not belong to any Guild and is another one of the 'old men' playing The World R:2. He acts as a mine of information for Haseo but also has connections to TaN through Naobi.

• B set - Grappler: A former Twilight Brigade member from the Guild's previous incarnation and a friend to Phyllo. She joined because she was interested in Ovan, but eventually grew tired of their seemingly meaningless activities and left. Until in episode 9 she returned because she was curious.

• Gord - Twin Sword: Another former member of the Twilight Brigade, Gord considers himself to be a PK, saying that they must 'save the weak and defeat the strong'. He is constantly saying 'defeat Ovan' and appears to hold a vendetta against his former Guildmaster, wishing to prove that he isn't as useless as he believes Ovan thinks. In episode 9 he went to help the Twilight Brigade once Haseo made him believe the Key of the Twilight exists.

• Nasubi - ???: A relatively minor character that has only appeared twice so far. Nasubi is one of Gord's contacts and provides him with information that he believes will be of interest in return for a fee.

Cast

• Takahiro Sakurai as Haseo (Voiced Tomonari in .hack//Liminality)
• Hiroki Touchi as Ovan
• Kaori Nazuka as Shino (Voiced Subaru in .hack//SIGN)
• Megumi Toyoguchi as Tabby (Voiced Mimiru in .hack//SIGN and Sakubo in .hack//G.U.)
• Ryotaro Okiayu as Sakisaka
• Takumi Yamazaki as Naobi (Voice Wiseman in .hack, Harold in .hack//Liminality and Yata in .hack//G.U.)
• Kenta Miyake as Tawaraya
• Sanae Kobayashi as Ender (Voiced Mai in .hack//Liminality and Pai in .hack//G.U.)
• Junpei Takiguchi as Phyllo
• Atsuko Enomoto as B set (Voiced Mistral in .hack and A-20 in .hack//SIGN)
• Hiroshi Yanaka as Gord (Voiced Sora in .hack//SIGN)
• Isshin Chiba as Nasubi (Voiced Ginkan in .hack//SIGN)

Episodes

.hack//Roots has 26 episodes and is currently airing on TV Tokyo.

This list is currently incomplete, as information for more episodes are still coming in.

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Screenshot	Title	Original air date	#

External Links

Template:Ja icon TV Tokyo's official .hack//Roots website