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Feature Presentation:
Wow, after a cool starting of this new dot hack series, now it's getting really serious. DOn't worry, they will be some funny & sexy part, like Ohka in a swimsuit! We finally found out who is really causing the problems of "The World", four unknown hackers. Wow, that's a big surprise. I always though it was something wrong with the program, nothing more. Shugo & his legendary bracelet is the only thing that is stoping them from archiving their goals, so they have decided to get rid of Shugo, by sending him a message that supposely come from Aura. Strange enough, Shugo still thinks it's just a game & decided to play along. However, once there, they found out it's a trap & Rena disappeared. I find it touching when Shugo is out in search for Rena with all of his heart. What brotherly love! Everyone helps in, but no luck finding Rena. As if that wasn't enough of a problem, a new group is making them harder, call the Cerulean Knights. If you seen the first series, .hack//SIGN, it looks familiar, but this time, they are official sanction by the CC Corporation after what happen before. Wow, they are tough with a zero tolerence in hacking. Maybe some of the MMORPG games should have something like them, but not as strict. However, someone from the past returns for a final show! Though, the title of that episode given that away!
Video:
Bandai Entertainment did a very great job. I found no problem, the image are clear & the color looks perfect. To top things off, the series is feature on Widescreen format. If you got a Widescreen TV, you're going to enjoy this even more. Each episodes are separated into 5 parts: the introduction, part A, part B, the preview & the ending for the next episode! The last episode playing on this volume have an extra ending with an translated English version credit! The episodes are on different tracks, so when moving to the next episode, there will be a small loading time. I do note that you can skip all those warnings & logos when you first load the DVD by just pressing the "Menu" button on your remote control.
Dubbing: English:
The dubbing remains the same, though, I didn't like the voices for the four hackers, but that's my opinion. It's about 85% of the original Japanese.
Audio 01: English 2.0:
No problem found.
Audio 02: Japanese 2.0:
No problem found.
Subtitle:
Bandai Entertainment have selected a great font, very easy to read. They use green for the introduction & ending themes, the rest is yellow & white for Japanese signs & text. There are two tracks of subtitling. One track is for the sign subtitling & the other one is for the Japanese dialogue. Oh, you might even noticed that for the introduction & ending theme, both the original Japanese lyrics (white) & the English translation lyrics (green) are both displayed.
Menu Option:
The menu is also in widescreen format, but if got just a regular full screen TV, it will display in that format with no problem. The menu remains the same as the first volume, just lots of hexagone spinning around with the clip from the episodes in this volume playing in them. There is the "Play All", "Episodes", "Setup" & "Extras". The menu background music is one of the music from the series, as well as the other section.
DVD Extras:
This time, there isn't much at all. Just a art gallery with a few characters pictures. I'm sure they can dish something up!
Packaging:
The package actually fellows the same design as the .hack//SIGN packaging, except it's very colorful. On the cover, you see the sexy Ohka, along with Rena & Shugo. I'm glad they still kept that "Platinum Series" logo away. In the back, there is a same design of hexagone with screenshots in them. The insert have the same picture as the cover. It also have a list of the cast & staff. Inside the insert is just a mini-poster of Ohka, Mireille & Hotaru. On the DVD disc itself, it's the same image as the cover with the title of the series is left out of the silver of the DVD. Yup, still using those cheap cases. I wish Bandai Entertainment would stop useing them.
PC Viewing:
Watching it on the PC is the same as watching it on the TV. Very clean, no problem at all, very little pixel (little squares popping in & out), both normal mode & full screen mode. The sound is just great. Since the episodes are on different tracks, there will be a small loading time when you move on to the next episode. Like on your regular DVD player, you can skip the warnings & logos when you load the disc, just use the "menu" option to go to the menu screen.
Overall DVD Rating:
As things getting more stranger, but I was surprise that all the problems that the World is having is cause by four hackers. Though, I'm kinda glad that this series actually relate it from the original .hack//SIGN series, little hints here & there, Can you spot them? I can't wait to see what happen next!
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