Whoo hoo! I'm back, here to review .hack//AI Buster 2! It's 182 pages total, without ads. The book has a price of $7.99, but with my UBER MEMEBER DISCOUNT, I got it for $7.62 ~_~ (discount deducted after tax XD) So, in this thread I'll be doing a FULL overview of the stories, writing about their relations to other events and such! Be warned, there are spoilers within, which will probably reduce this post to a giant black box . Let's begin!
Back Cover: Log On to //AI buster 2 The Continuing Adventures! Your favorite .hack characters converge in these mind-blowing stories that delve into the characters' real-world personalities and their in-game avatars-and examine the far reaches of The World...and beyond! Take a journey inside the pages of this hallowed collection:
*Get to know Haruka Mizuhara, the real wman behind Hokuto
*Discover the reason for Albireo's departure from The World
*Cross paths with Kamui, the leader of the Cobalt Knights, who protects The World from bugs
*Meet Rena, a little girl with a big personality
*Find out how Hotaru and Sanjuro first meet
"An instantly discernable and absorbing cyber-reality accessible to anyone with a sense of wonder." --Dave Holverson, Play magazine
Just as a referance, the ISBN of the book is 1598164074.
The book opens with a lovely two-page illustration (monochrome) of Albireo, Kamui, Hokuto, Lycoris, and the Cobalt Knights. The table on contents reads:
History of [The World] * 007
Foreword * 013
Story 1: 2nd Character/Haruka Muzuhara's Situation * 019
Story 2: Wotan's Spear * 061
Story 3: Kamui * 103
Story 4: Rumor * 135
Story 5: Firefly * 153
Afterword * 179
I'll start with the updates soon; I've a Chemistry exam tommorow which I don't intend on failing ^_^ At the very least, I'll post the timeline the book gives, History of [The World] before I go to sleep today.
EDIT: Rather, I'll post it right now ^_^
History of [The World]
End of the 20th Century
The U.S. Department of Defense develops the ARPANET, which becomes the basis of the Internet. By 1999, almost everyone across the world has access.
Beginning of the 21st Century
As the Internet increases in popularity, classified government information becomes harder to conceal and easier to obtain. Hackers continue to attack networks; cyber crime increases.
2002.10
The United Nations subsystem, WNC, is implemented.
2003.1
WNC winter meeting.
2003.4
A new virus called Hello, WNC infects up to ten million users.
2003.12
The Japanese youth who created the Deadly Flash virus is sentenced to death.
2004.4
At the WNC spring meeting, the following bills are passed: Investigation and Research of New Viruses, Technical Security Development Aid, and Strengthening Reinforced Penal Regulations of Net Crime.
2004.8[/i]
Emma Weilant dies.
The net poem Epitaph of Twilight is lost before it can be completed.
The Swiss Bank's main computer gets hacked, losing more than $84 million.
2005.1
Hacking causes the New York Stock market's prices to hike.
2005.12
On December 24th, Pluto's Kiss shuts down the Internet; all network computers and communication control systems crash, only to recover 77 minutes later. A 10-year-old elementary school student causes the virus.
2006.1
America's 44th president, Jim Stonecold, resigns.
ALTIMIT OS becomes The World's most commonly used operating system.
2006 Summer
CyberConnect Corporation (CC Corp.) takes over and becomes the foundation for The World.
Harold Hoerwick sells Fragment to CC Corp.
2007.1
The ALTIMIT OS Corporation (head office in San Francisco) establishes 12 overseas affiliation firms.
2007.5
Watarai and Junichiro Tokuoka begin work on the Japanese version of Fragment, which later becomes The World.
ALTIMIT OS' Fragment begins its test play.
2007.7
Fragment becomes the most popular topic among network game users.
2007.10
WNC announces that all computers switch to ALTIMIT OS.
On December 24th, the United Nations names The Mother Mary's Kiss an international holiday.
CC Corp. announces the release of Fragment.
2007.11 Beginning of the month
Within the beginning of the first hour, The World receives more than 100,000 orders.
2007.11 End of the month
CC Corp. denies the rumors of discontinuing The World.
2007.12.24
The World's Network Security Declaration President, Alex Coleman, is informed of the start of The World's download sale.
2010
While debugging, Watarai meets with the Vagrant AI. (Story #1, 2nd Character)
Watarai investigates the cat PC. (Story #2, Wotan's Spear, based on .hack//SIGN)
The second Internet crash, Pluto Again, occurs. (Based on the PS2 game)
2011
Watarai leaves CC Corp.
2013
Saki Shibayama takes over as official debugger. (Story #3, Kamui)
Rena Kunisaki purchases The World. (Story #4, Rumor)
2014
.hackers Official Limited Edition Character Exhibition. (Story #5, Firefly, based on .hack//Legend of the Twilight)
NOTE: Everything above is typed EXACTLY as it is print in the book. I'll update on Foreword and Story 1 tommorow.
.hack//AI BUSTER 2 Released today!
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- thedudewhosadude
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.hack//AI BUSTER 2 Released today!
Last edited by thedudewhosadude on Fri Feb 10, 2006 1:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
You're only young once, but you're NEVER too old to be immature.
- thedudewhosadude
- Legend
- Posts: 1462
- Joined: Fri May 02, 2003 8:13 pm
Well, I actually don't think I did that poorly on my Chemistry exam! Anyway, moving on!
Foreward
As expected, nothing really important here. Its a breif introduction to the book. Near the end, though, is said "See you soon in .hack//Another Birth!" So now it would seem that they're leaving //ZERO alone for the time being and going straight to //Another Birth.
2nd Character/Haruka Muzuhara's Situation
This is essentially .hack//AI Buster in 38 pages, from Hotaru's POV. Each story has a 'splash page' (two pages) which displays the title and characters involved. The major characters are fully illustrated, and the minor characters are given headshots.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Lycoris:
Job: Wandering AI
Sex: Female
Skill: ??
Like: ??
Hokuto:
Job: Wavemaster
Sex: Female
Skill: Beginner
Like: Poem
Minor Characters
Albireo
Orca
Balmung
Page Count: (with 'junk' pages) 42
Chapter One Summary: [spoiler]The first chapter takes place around 10 minutes before Hokuto first meets Albireo in Mac Anu. We are told this story through the words of Haruka Muzuhara, the player behind Hokuto. She introduces us to her two-bed apartment (with only one living there) by describing it as a mess. She doesn't seem to have high self-confidence, calling herself a "screw-up." We learn that her current occupation is as a freelance translator. However, she recently "screwed up my last project to all hell" and rather than fix it, decides to play "The World."
Haruka logs into Mac Anu as her second character, Hokuto (the first 'meaning' of the title) Haruka also tells us that since her character looks considerably younger than her, she uses voice-modifying software to make her voice match her character. She notices a character with an odd looking spear (Albireo) and is about ready to approach his house when the 'danger' music comes on. She runs over to Albireo's house, and abruptly cuts off, saying that "A moment later, I met Albireo."[/spoiler]
END OF CHAPTER ONE
Nit-picks: I actually don't have much for this chapter, except for a dialogue change; In //AI Buster, the scene goes:
"Who's there?"
"Help! I'm being attacked by a creature! It's about to kill me! HELP!!!"
In //AI Buster 2, the scene goes:
"Who's there?"
"Help! I'm being attacked by a goblin creature! It's about to kill me! HELP!!!"
Yup, told ya it was a nit-pick
It's about midnight where I live, so I'm gonna go make a post on the //G.U. board and go to sleep @_@ Chapter 2+3 tommorow, probably.
Foreward
As expected, nothing really important here. Its a breif introduction to the book. Near the end, though, is said "See you soon in .hack//Another Birth!" So now it would seem that they're leaving //ZERO alone for the time being and going straight to //Another Birth.
2nd Character/Haruka Muzuhara's Situation
This is essentially .hack//AI Buster in 38 pages, from Hotaru's POV. Each story has a 'splash page' (two pages) which displays the title and characters involved. The major characters are fully illustrated, and the minor characters are given headshots.
MAJOR CHARACTERS
Lycoris:
Job: Wandering AI
Sex: Female
Skill: ??
Like: ??
Hokuto:
Job: Wavemaster
Sex: Female
Skill: Beginner
Like: Poem
Minor Characters
Albireo
Orca
Balmung
Page Count: (with 'junk' pages) 42
Chapter One Summary: [spoiler]The first chapter takes place around 10 minutes before Hokuto first meets Albireo in Mac Anu. We are told this story through the words of Haruka Muzuhara, the player behind Hokuto. She introduces us to her two-bed apartment (with only one living there) by describing it as a mess. She doesn't seem to have high self-confidence, calling herself a "screw-up." We learn that her current occupation is as a freelance translator. However, she recently "screwed up my last project to all hell" and rather than fix it, decides to play "The World."
Haruka logs into Mac Anu as her second character, Hokuto (the first 'meaning' of the title) Haruka also tells us that since her character looks considerably younger than her, she uses voice-modifying software to make her voice match her character. She notices a character with an odd looking spear (Albireo) and is about ready to approach his house when the 'danger' music comes on. She runs over to Albireo's house, and abruptly cuts off, saying that "A moment later, I met Albireo."[/spoiler]
END OF CHAPTER ONE
Nit-picks: I actually don't have much for this chapter, except for a dialogue change; In //AI Buster, the scene goes:
"Who's there?"
"Help! I'm being attacked by a creature! It's about to kill me! HELP!!!"
In //AI Buster 2, the scene goes:
"Who's there?"
"Help! I'm being attacked by a goblin creature! It's about to kill me! HELP!!!"
Yup, told ya it was a nit-pick
It's about midnight where I live, so I'm gonna go make a post on the //G.U. board and go to sleep @_@ Chapter 2+3 tommorow, probably.
Last edited by thedudewhosadude on Fri Feb 17, 2006 2:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
You're only young once, but you're NEVER too old to be immature.
After reading 2nd character I won't nit pick the translation (I feel kinda bad for those folks now). I'm about halfway through it myself, I personally enjoyed the two chapters that concerned Alberio and Hokuto, [spoiler]Their meeting up IRL was great.[/spoiler]
Actually I will nit pick, Ouka was mistranslated as Orca AGAIN! Bah!
Actually I will nit pick, Ouka was mistranslated as Orca AGAIN! Bah!
Lycoris: What is the name of your spear?
Alberio: It is the Divine Spear of Wotan.
Lycoris: It is a Spear of God.
Alberio: That's right.
Alberio: It is the Divine Spear of Wotan.
Lycoris: It is a Spear of God.
Alberio: That's right.
Again?! Man, Tokyopop is stupid.Xeno wrote:After reading 2nd character I won't nit pick the translation (I feel kinda bad for those folks now). I'm about halfway through it myself, I personally enjoyed the two chapters that concerned Alberio and Hokuto, [spoiler]Their meeting up IRL was great.[/spoiler]
Actually I will nit pick, Ouka was mistranslated as Orca AGAIN! Bah!
I cast FAIL on those who mock my old signature.