is a 2008 Japanese CGI anime original video animation (OVA) directed by Hiroshi Matsuyama based on CyberConnect2's games .hack//G.U.. It was released on January 25, 2008 on DVD and Blu-ray format. The OVA features the voice talents of Takahiro Sakurai, Ayako Kawasumi, Hiroki Touchi and Kaori Nazuka. Its story focuses on an online gamer known as Haseo who seeks to find the player killer Tri-Edge who sent his friend Shino on a coma after her character was killed in the game.
Director Matsuyama aimed to retell the story from the .hack//G.U. trilogy but with enhanced visuals, following issues with fans of the series who were not able to play the game as a result of lacking enough free time. Feeling the need to add new content not seen in games, Matsuyama came with the idea of giving Haseo another redesign. The OVA features a theme song "Deepest Memories" by Japanese music artist Tomoyo Mitani.
Upon release, critics were divided in regards to the OVA's narrative, finding it too rushed due to the inclusion of too many characters in too little time but praised the bond Haseo forms with Atoli as well. The presentation, though, received mostly positive response for the fights provided with the visuals as well as the performance from the main voice actors.
Plot
In a popular online game called "The World", a player named Haseo searches for a Player Killer (PK) called Tri-Edge to save his friend, Shino, who was PKed and rendered comatose in real life as the result. One day, he encounters a girl named Atoli, who uses the same PC as Shino after a disagreement with Atoli's superior, Sakaki, regarding his PKK activities. Haseo meets his former guild master, Ovan, who informs Haseo that Tri-Edge will appear again at the place where Shino was PKed. Haseo fights the fighter but is defeated and loses all his PC's powers.
The defeated Haseo is taken by a group of CC Corp system administrators called G.U., which consists of its leader Yata, and his two subordinates Pi and Kuhn. They reveal that Haseo is one of special PCs known as the Epitaph Users that possesses special power to control a being known as Avatar. G.U. offers to help Haseo in finding Tri-Edge in exchange he joins G.U. and help to exterminate an unknown A.I bug called AIDA that causes multiple players to fall into a coma in real life. Wishing to help, Atoli approaches Haseo and starts to spend times with him, but Haseo later rejects her in rage. Ovan manipulates Atoli to look for Tri-Edge to gain Haseo's acceptance. Learning Atoli's disappearance caused by an AIDA phenomenon, Haseo pursues Atoli with Pi and Kuhn. When they found Atoli, Tri-Edge appears once more. Haseo awakens his Avatar, Skeith, and defeat his nemesis. Upon his defeat, however, Atoli is attacked by AIDA, causing her PC data to deteriorate. To save her, Haseo shares his PC data with Atoli. During the process, Ovan hacks into G.U., transporting Haseo and Atoli to an area. In Atoli's mind space, Haseo confronts the AIDA-infected Atoli, freeing her from its influence. When they regain consciousness, they are shocked to find Pi and Kuhn's PCs destroyed with a Tri-Edge sign left behind. Ovan appears, revealing an AIDA arm. Ovan PKed Atoli and admit to being the true Tri-Edge who killed Shino.
Shocked and angered by Ovan's betrayal, Haseo's rage transforms him, but is still not enough to surpass Ovan. Atoli helps him to remember his true reason for fighting, enhancing his PC again. As Haseo wins the fight, it is revealed that Ovan has unintentionally made his sister, Aina, comatose, after being infected by AIDA. To save her and eradicate all AIDA, Ovan successfully awakened his sister at the cost of himself, leaving Haseo grief-stricken. Atoli uses her Avatar's power to send Haseo to the sea of data to save Ovan. After the battle, Haseo meets Atoli at Hulle Granz Cathedral and is approached by Shino who has regained her consciousness. Realizing Haseo and Atoli's mutual feelings for one another, Shino gives them her blessing.
In the post-credit scene, Aina is playing on a field with Ovan happily. Meanwhile, Pi's player, Reiko Saeki, is contacted by an unknown man, reporting that the threat has been dealt with and a group known as Schicksal is on the move.
Cast
The cast follows: Takahiro Sakurai as Haseo Ayako Kawasumi as Atoli Hiroki Touchi as Ovan Kaori Nazuka as Shino Sanae Kobayashi as Pi Shinichiro Miki as Kuhn Takumi Yamazaki as Yata Akiko Hiramatsu as Bordeaux Atsuko Enomoto as Aina Katsuyuki Konishi as Sakaki Maaya Sakamoto as Aura Masumi Asano as Alkaid Sayaka Aida as Azure Kite Toshihiko Seki Genius (voice at the end)