.hack//Legend of the Twilight: Manga Trilogy (2003)

.hack//Legend of the Twilight: Volume 01 (2003)

Author: Tatsuya Hamazaki | Illustrator: Rei Izumi | Page Count: 176

"I'd watch my back if I were you.
Your friend has returned."

A manga trilogy that forms a part of the Project .hack series, the first generation of the .hack universe. It's set chronologically after the first four games that appeared on the Playstation 2 console; i.e. Infection; Mutation; Outbreak; and Quarantine. (See HERE.)

If you're new to The World you'll lack the necessary background and will encounter minor spoilers of events that unfolded in the games. It's not necessary to have played them first, but it's recommended. The book makes some allowances for new fans, but space is limited, so the catch-up is necessarily brief.

If you've a working knowledge of what has gone before, then dive in. Otherwise, you might want to play the games first, if that's an option for you.

Shugo (male) and Rena (female) are fourteen-year-old twins. Rena wins a contest that enables her and Shugo to play the long-running MMO with chibi versions of the avatars used originally by the fabled hackers Kite and BlackRose. Having prior knowledge of the game's history means Rena is naturally excited by the prospect. Shugo, a newbie, is understandably less enthusiastic.

All is well for a time, but when a low-level field breaks in-game protocols the twins are drawn in a dangerous direction for which they're completely unprepared.

The story benefits from having the two primary characters already familiar with each other's mannerisms and failings in the offline world. Actions performed in-game can then be used to reveal each sibling's inner-feelings, creating some hilariously awkward moments. The comedy increases with each successive chapter, which was a pleasant surprise because the tie-ins to the .hack// world can sometimes be too serious for their own good.

.hack//Legend of the Twilight: Volume 02 (2003)

Author: Tatsuya Hamazaki | Illustrator: Rei Izumi | Page Count: 177

"The only ones that can protect this world are the players that live in it…" 

The trilogy was originally planned as a two-part adventure, but it was decided during the writing process that it should be expanded beyond that. As such, a large portion of this middle section is filler, and I've therefore very little to say about it.

Shugo, Rena and their ramshackle party hunt for clues to a mystery that isn't mysterious at all. Nor do they have to hunt for very long because all answers are conveniently sign-posted, which robs the mystery of any weight it would've had, and the journey of any drama it could've had. I'd have accepted a montage of dead ends and empty roads, but we got zip.

Along the way the twins get into a situation that briefly offers a glimpse of how much they care about each other, but it didn't develop into anything deep.

Thankfully, the latter half of the book throws up a surprise or two, so don't toss it in the corner too quickly. It ends on a cliff-hanger, so make sure you have Volume 03 close to hand.

.hack//Legend of the Twilight: Volume 03 (2004)

Author: Tatsuya Hamazaki | Illustrator: Rei Izumi | Page Count: 278

"It's a black box no one should look into."

The events of four years ago are still felt by the system administrators; their fear of a reoccurrence forces them to halt Shugo and Rena's progress, but in doing so they place themselves at the very centre of something that's far beyond even their control.

Tatsuya Hamazaki didn't just hold the best for last, he held about ninety percent of everything for last! Volume 03 is packed with story, shining so bright that it causes the previous volume to throw an even darker shadow of shame. That extra depth required an extra page count, making it much longer.

Friendship and awakening are themes central to the coming of age story that's the backbone of the trilogy and they come to the fore at last. It also throws in commentary on ideals, nostalgia, duty, limitations, family and honour. Some of them sit quietly in the subtext, but are there should you choose to look for them. There's still occasional filler that’s clearly fan-service, but it’s largely forgivable given that it's structured as a further step along the path of realisation.