The BEST episodes of .hack

Every episode of .hack ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of .hack!

In a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game called the World, everything is just fun and games. However that is not the case with Tsukasa. He is unable to log out of the World and, unlike other players, he can feel pain. However, he also gains a Guardian with immense power. Mimiru befriends Tsukasa and is shocked to discover his condition. She and Bear try to help but Tsukasa ends up attracting the attention of the Silver Knights, the moderators of the World. After Tsukasa's Guardian struck down their second-in-command, Silver Knight, and several other players, Subaru, the leader of the Silver Knights, though hesitant at first, calls for the capture of Tsukasa. However, as they go deeper into the mystery surrounding Tsukasa's problem, things become more complicated as the problem sprouts from the very core of the World.

Last Updated: 12/25/2024Network: TV TokyoStatus: Ended
The End of the World
star
8.88
41 votes

#1 - The End of the World

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/19/2003

Shu-go and the others somehow manage to defeat the monster. But then an AI shows up and launches an attack useing NPC's. The AI inflicts further damage by infecting them with a virus via Rena's member address book (which Shu-go and the others have stored

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Mansion of Terror
star
8.78
41 votes

#2 - Mansion of Terror

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/5/2003

Four kids are sitting around computers discussing how their modified monster just lost. They realized that their opponent used data drain and the only person to obtain such a power is Kite and that he must be eliminated.Shugo and the girls decide to head to the beach. Rena and Shugo see a couple of boys trying to take a rare ball from a little girl on the beach. So, they head over to the girl and get her ball back from them. When Shugo gives her back the ball, the girl takes his Member's Address and then quickly teleports away.In the real world, Shugo finds out that he has an email from Aura asking him to help her. Most of the text is fragmented and difficult to read so Shugo asks Mireille to decipher the information. She tells Shugo that Aura wanted him to go to Haunted Woodland Muderhouse. When Shugo and the others arrive at the mansion Rena gets scared and determines to show them how brave she is so decides to go off on her own. While the groups is searching for Rena, th

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Kite's Bracelet
star
8.74
42 votes

#3 - Kite's Bracelet

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/15/2003

Shu-go and Rena encounter Mireille, a Wavemaster intent on collecting rare items. At her invitation, the two participate in an event that has them figShugo logs in, and Rena immediately scolds him for being late. During this scolding, Mireille shows up ready to join the party and go out on an adventure. Instead of politely turning Mireille down, Rena grabs Shugo's hand and uses a Speed Charm and makes a run for it.When Rena and Shugo stop, they realize that there was a special event going on today involving trying to make the Cherry Blossoms bloom. Shugo is really interested in getting over to the field and winning a rare item, but Rena suggests that the field might be tough and they could use a wavemaster. Luckily Mireille just happens to be around and ready to lend a helping hand. At the field, Mireille does her best to try to get the trees to bloom, by casting healing spells. Realizing that doesn't work she wanders off thinking that a rare item might help. Shugo takes this t

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Capitol of Illusion
star
8.71
41 votes

#4 - Capitol of Illusion

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/12/2003

Shu-go and the others -well aware of the danger but determined to help Rena arrive at a sever that's not yet open to the average player. When they enter the sever(which connects to the Area where Rena is located), they encounter a monster that by all rights shoudn't appear in that Area. What's more, the monster's data has been altered to the point where Shu-go and the others' have no effect on it. They find themselves on the defensive. Meanwhile, Rena wanders around alone, looking for a way out of the Area she has been imprisoned in. In her wanderings, she encounters a mysterious individual who emits a faint light.

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The Phoenix Feather
star
8.69
42 votes

#5 - The Phoenix Feather

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/22/2003

Late one night in the world, a reddish-brown haired girl asks another girl named Hotaru for a favor. She is going to be logged off for 3 days, and was hoping Hotaru would watch her Grunty. Although Hotaru knows nothing about raising Grunty's, she accepts.The next day, Shugo learns that since his bracelet is such a high level, his level must be higher in order to use it properly. Rena, Mireille, and Ouka convince Shugo that they should go train in an intermediate level area. This will help him level up faster and hopefully be able to control the powers of the bracelet. Balmung and Reki get together to talk about the Kite and Blackrose contest. CC Corp claims that they did not authorize the contest and that they know nothing about it. Balmung thinks that either they truly know nothing about it, or that they are refusing to talk. Balmung tells Reki to report is as a number one emergency claim. Hopefully then someone will decide to talk.On the field, Ouka, Mireille, and Rena te

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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The Legend Begins
star
8.65
43 votes

#6 - The Legend Begins

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 3/26/2003

Shu-go and the others fight against the AI and his minions, but their attacks have no effect. In the middle of this, Shu-go notices that of all the members of his party, only Komiyan the Third appeared to suffer no damage (though he has Rena's memeber address the same as everyone else). Shugo theorizes that Komiyan's resistance to viral infection due to his haveing recieved the Data Drain. Shu-go begins formulating a plan to eliminate the virus...

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Tanabata Night
star
8.62
42 votes

#7 - Tanabata Night

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/30/2003

The episode starts with Sanjuro training Shugo about how to fight the monsters in ""The World"" When they are done, they teleport back to the city where Rena is waiting for them, and she tells Shugo the he has spent a lot of time playing with Sanjuro lately. Shugo replies that they were not playing they were training. Sanjuro chimes in and says that a warrior needs to train. Rena replies that Shugo is not a warrior and that she is feeling neglected that they should spend more time together.In Mac Anu, the Shugo and Rena learn about the Festival of the Weaver Maiden that will be held later that day. In the field Distant Azure River, where the festival of Tanabata is scheduled to take place, Shugo is already there waiting for the others to arrive. When Mireille shows up, she is wearing a rare yukata that she received as a rare item from a very tough battle. Shortly after, Hotaru, Ouka and Rena teleport in and they, too, are wearing yukatas. According to Tanabata tradition, everyone

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Tempest
star
8.15
137 votes

#8 - Tempest

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 8/14/2002

First, Tsukasa takes Subaru to the place where the sleeping girl lays, only to find she isn't there. Then, Bear decides that the ""Key of the Twilight"" issue should be resolved. He calls BT, Crim, Subaru and Mimiru together to discuss what they should do. Meanwhile, Sora and BT are forming an alliance to find the Key first, apparently for selfish reasons. They enlist the help of Silver Knight, but only intend to use him as a pawn. They are probably after the forces that still follow him. Their plan is to take all the information BT will obtain from ""Bear's Party"", and then use it to try to get to the key first. Their logic is that they can move faster than Bear and co. Tsukasa returns to where the sleeping girl was. Suddenly he is picked up and held over the bed. He appears to be in pain. He asks if he is being punished for bringing Subaru, and a voice answers yes. He is raised over the bed, then a sort of explosion, then implosion occurs with Tsukasa as the epicenter. Then

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Party
star
8.13
141 votes

#9 - Party

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 6/12/2002

Bear, Mimiru, and Tsukasa form a party in an attempt to complete a rare item quest. During the adventure, Tsukasa starts to get closer to Bear and Mimiru and eventually he learns to not rely on his guardian for protection but on his fellow party members.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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The Solitary Knight
star
8.10
70 votes

#10 - The Solitary Knight

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/26/2003

Shu-go decides to make use of the illegal ""Data Drain"" skill in order to locate Rena. CC Corperation , the company that oversees the online gaming envoirment of ""The World,"" also has sentries that patrol the game, locating characters whose conduct is against the rules. It's not long before the sentries get word of Shu-go's Data Drains...

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Evidence
star
8.09
75 votes

#11 - Evidence

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 7/10/2002

Recap Episode. There are a few new scenes, but most is flashbacks to previous episodes. Originally aired as Episode 15. Listed in DVD Box Set as a Bonus Episode, numbered Episode 27

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The Legendary Hero
star
8.07
73 votes

#12 - The Legendary Hero

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/8/2003

A boy named Kunisaki Shugo checks his email to find that he has won a contest that allows him to play The World as the legendary .hacker Kite. Shugo calls up his twin sister to tell her the good news and she informs him that she too has won the contest and that her character will be remodeled after the character Blackrose (also a legendary .hacker). Shugo mentions that he never entered in any contest and that he does not even have the software to play the game. That is when Rena informs Shugo that she entered him in the contest and that just incase one of them won, she installed the world on his computer.When he logs in, he meets up with his twin sister Rena and they decide to go to a field. On the field, Rena and Shugo watch as a Level 1 class monster appears in front of them. Shugo attacks, but is easily knocked to the ground by the monster. Rena performs Calamity Cut to take out the monster and then she offers her brother a healing potion. After being reprimanded by Rena, Sh

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Trap of the Steaming Hot Water
star
8.04
70 votes

#13 - Trap of the Steaming Hot Water

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/12/2003

Rena goes missing during the battle with the monsters, so Shu-go and the others look for her. Just then an anonymous e-mail arrives, its sole contents being a certain Area of the game. Shu-go and the others think that perhaps Rena's disappearance is simply an ""event"" bulit into the game. They head to the Area named in the e-mail to check it out.

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Twilight Moon
star
8.03
70 votes

#14 - Twilight Moon

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 2/19/2003

Shu-go and the others sweep the Area looking for Rena but come away empty-handed. Balmung and Sanjuro therorize that Rena's disappearance may be a result of someone wanting to get their hands on Kite's bracelet, an item Shu-go currently possesses. The two of them at last Shu-go in on the secret details of their past.

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Footsteps of Collapse
star
8.03
70 votes

#15 - Footsteps of Collapse

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 3/5/2003

Shu-go and the others finally uncover a clue to Rena's whereabouts. Unfortunately, that place appears to be on a server that's not open to the average player. Shu-go tries to enter the server via ""Data Hacking"" another power of the bracelet he possesses.

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Catastrophe
star
7.99
80 votes

#16 - Catastrophe

Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 9/18/2002

The players leave the Net Slum and separate for a bit, but meet up again in the Church and safeguard Subaru and Tsukasa. Sora is sent after them by Morgana and is given help by her to defeat them. A great battle ensues, and Tsukasa decides to fight back and not run anymore. Maha starts to disobey Morgana, and is hit by one of her creations. Subaru, Tsukasa, and Mimiru are transported to an unknown destination.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Return
star
7.95
83 votes

#17 - Return

Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 9/25/2002

The Finale! Tsukasa, Subaru and Mimiru are separated in a special field, and encounter alternate versions of each other. After realizing the trickery, they are transported to Morganna's realm where they find Aura. Despite Morganna's protests, Tsukasa wakes Aura and they escape to NetSlum, only to to trapped by Skeith. Helba, taking extreme measures, deletes the field, and Tsukasa is finally able to log out.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Castle
star
7.91
139 votes

#18 - Castle

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 7/3/2002

Crim and BT go to a mysterious castle to search for the Key, followed by Sora. Thanks to the code that Helba gave them, Bear, Tsukasa, and Mimiru also reach the castle. But traps line the way, and there seems to be an evil atmosphere to the place.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Captured
star
7.80
149 votes

#19 - Captured

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 5/1/2002

In a desert region, a male long arm is running through the area shouting that he is back. Tsukasa is sitting alone in the dungeon, when the male long arm introduces himself as Crim and asks if Tsukasa needs any help. Tsukasa denies Crim’s help and teleports out of the area. Back in the root town, Mimiru waits for Bear to arrive, when he does, she asks him why are there wanted posters out for Tsukasa’s arrest if this is a game. Bear explains that there are rules, and that Tsukasa broke them. In a field with dark clouds, BT waits for Sora to arrive. When he does, she tells him she wants to exchange some information with them. He replies by saying unless the information he receives is of equal value, then it is not a trade. She tells him that she has a plan to lure Tsukasa out of hiding. As Subaru and Silver Knight walk about the city, Sora appears and asks them if they have found a way to lure him out. Sora says that he has a plan and proceeds to ask if they are interested. She te

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Epitaph
star
7.79
141 votes

#20 - Epitaph

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 5/29/2002

A girl meets Tsukasa and tells him that she will be out of town for a little while and that she would like him to help take care of her Grunty. While taking care of the Grunty it eventually becomes sick and the only cure is a hard to find purple cherry. While Tsukasa is searching for the cherry all the other characters are discussing the Key of the Twilight. Sora mentions that he may know someone that might be able to help them in their search...the great hacker Helba.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Compensation
star
7.78
145 votes

#21 - Compensation

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 6/5/2002

After denying his son money for a new car, Bear talks to B.T. and she suggestions that the reason he is so protective of Mimiru and of Tsukasa in ""The World"" is because he feels that he isn't being a good father. By looking out for them, he is providing the fatherly role which he can't provide to his own son. Meanwhile, Subaru tells Silver Knight to contact her immediately if anybody wants to talk to her. Silver Knight agrees, but when Tsukasa wants to contact Subaru, Silver Knight tells him that she doesn't want to see him. Not much later we see Tsukasa sulking on the Bridge in Mac Anu. When Subaru seems him, she leaves the boat and tries to get closer, Tsukasa teleports away before Subaru could ever reach her and she returns to her boat with a saddened look on her face. All the while, BT and Crim continue to search for clues regarding The Key of the Twilight.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Depth
star
7.78
139 votes

#22 - Depth

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 7/17/2002

Tsukasa suffering from his attack awakes in Aura's domain, he seems to be fine and learns he cannot die in this place, but will come back. The other players know not of what happened to Tsukasa, but want to find him. Tsukasa meets up with Subaru and they have a small talk where she reassured him of his situation. Mimiru recalls Tsukasa's reaction to something the broken man said and wants to find him to know what.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Conflict
star
7.68
140 votes

#23 - Conflict

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 7/24/2002

BT is wandering around the world looking for someone to rely on but can't find anybody. She goes to Crim to see if he would like to meet in the real world, but he turns her down. BT later gets called by Subaru, but instead of helping Subaru out, BT ends up insulting and putting her down. BT later goes with these two guys on a treasure hunt, but it turns out they tricked her and only want to kill her for her experience. BT ends up getting saved by Tsukasa, and Tsukasa and BT end up bonding with each other.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Entanglement
star
7.66
140 votes

#24 - Entanglement

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 6/19/2002

The episode starts out in the real world with a man standing over the coma victim debating whether or not the plug should be pulled on life support. In the game, Mimiru talks to Tsukasa about how she wishes she could trade items in The World for real world items. Shen proceeds to talk about a handbag that she would like to get from Shimakita and Tsukasa inquires if it was the store at the southern exit? Mimiru is a bit surprised and asks him if he is from Tokyo. In Tsukasa's secret place, large thorny vines entangle Aura. As he tries to free Aura, the vines tighten their hold around her. It seems the harder he tries to free Aura, the thicker the vines grow back. The mysterious voice asks Tsukas if he knows the story of the Little Mermaid. He then realizes that as long as he stays there, Aura will be fine. However if he leaves the world, Aura may be hurt.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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Recollection
star
7.66
138 votes

#25 - Recollection

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 8/7/2002

We learn about the past of Subaru and how she founded the Scarlet Knights. Later, Subaru is wandering the world and word of her disbanding the Knights has spread. She is attacked by another character, and comes to find Tsukasa badly beaten. They bond even closer and we see a glimpse of the real life Subaru.

Directors: Kôichi Mashimo
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