Anime Movies - .hack//Sekai no Mukou ni

A story about Sora and "The World". It was a pretty much easy going movie with some funny situations and typical school life stuff. That was it until she got herself convinced to join the most popular game everyone was playing, including her technophobic grandpa. "The World" itself was really cool looking and I kept wishing we had the technology to play games like that.

The first encounter with the game was pretty memorable for Sora because she experienced something no one else ever has playing this game. Any normal person would be scared off by the events she witnessed, but not her. Seems like everything started when she got the male avatar.. Well, at least he school life experience was fulfilled with playing the game with her friends. It brought them all closer together.

It was amazing how problems in the game affected the real world as well. While things were falling apart in the game, the reality was suffering from the consequences. It all seemed like some kind of a self-sustaining virus. The final battle with the disintegration of the system was really interesting to watch. I guess all is well that ends well. This was a really nice .hack// movie, a bit unusual because of the animation, but in the end it contributed to a better visual representation of "The World". Don't miss this one!

Genres: action, fantasy, science fiction

Themes: online computer gaming

Plot:

Although all her high school friends are playing "The World", an online role playing game, Sora Yuki is reluctant due to her grandfather who seems to be avert to technology. Things change once she finds out that he secretly started playing this game. Now with no restrictions and with the help of her friends, she timidly enters the game and is thoroughly impressed by it. While still learning the basics of how to play, she witnesses an odd event: a mysterious girl being attacked by a smoke-like entity. The girl has no problem in avoiding its charges, but while doing it she approaches Sora and gives her a strange small cube that enters her online body. From then on, news start to appear that some players are losing consciousness while playing "The World".

Director: Hiroshi Matsuyama

Screenplay: Kazunori Ito

Music: Chikayo Fukuda
Distributor: Asmik-Ace Entertainment
Duration: 110 min
Language: Japanese
Country: Japan