.hack

After winning a contest, twins Shugo and Rena enter The World as legendary hacker characters. Shugo is defeated by an unexpectedly powerful monster, which leads to his resurrection by a mysterious woman.

Balmung decides to throw an event to make cherry blossom trees bloom, which Shugo, Rena, and their new sidekick Mireille decide to attend. After a monster appears, Shugo must rely on a furry friend for help in battle.

Shugo levels up by letting the members in his party do all the work. Next, he helps another player whose sick grunty can only be cured with an item located in a dangerous part of The World.

Sanjuro begins to train Shugo, and Rena is selected as the damsel in distress in an event that can make wishes come true.

Rena falls into a trap that was intended for Shugo. Her disappearance leaves the group wondering where she’s gone.

The search for Rena begins. A mysterious message leads the search party to a dangerous location. The party is caught off guard by heartbreaking news.

Rena remains in a comatose state and is unable to log out of The World. Balmung reveals that several other users have been affected in a similar way.

Balmung has his role as an administrator taken away, and Rena attempts to contact Shugo with the help of Aura.

Shugo uses a new ability to try and reach Rena. The two are almost united, but a rogue AI complicates the situation.

Shugo continues his training with the group, and their teamwork is tested by the appearance of a new monster.

After fending off a dangerous wave of attacks, the group learns of Aura’s plan to maintain the balance of The World through the use of unconventional methods.

A virus prevents the party from achieving victory in battle. With data drain left as the only option, Shugo must use his abilities like never before to save Rena.