.hack//Cell

.hack//CELL
Author(s)	Ryo Suzukaze
Illustrator	Akira Mutsuki
Country	Japan
Series	.hack
Genre(s)	Science fiction, Anime
Publisher	Kadokawa Shoten, Tokyopop
Publication date	November 2005
Media type	Print (Paperback)
Pages	257 pp (paperback edition)
ISBN	4044271844
OCLC Number	170000110
Preceded by	.hack//Legend of the Twilight Bracelet
Followed by	.hack//G.U.

.hack//CELL is a novel series written by Ryo Suzukaze, serialized in the magazine .hack//G.U.: The World, and published in paperback format by Kadokawa Shoten as a chapter in the .hack universe. It follows the experiences of a female Edge Punisher, Midori, as she hires herself out to players who want to fight her without resistance. Tokyopop has obtained that rights to .hack//CELL and was released on March 2, 2010.^[1]

Characters

See also: List of .hack characters

Midori (碧^?) is the main character of .hack//CELL, and a female Edge Punisher. Midori charges other players a certain amount of GP, and allows them to attempt to PK her for a total of 1 minute, where Midori does not counterattack. If the player successfully defeats her, they are granted a prize.

Adamas (アダマス, Adamasu^?), a Blade Brandier, is also a main character of the novel, and acts as Midori's "manager."

Haseo (ハセヲ^?), a black-clothed Adept Rogue, is the main character of .hack//G.U. and .hack//Roots. He meets Midori while she is being attacked by Bordeaux and her fellow PKers. Haseo inquires if Midori knows anything about Tri-Edge, but Midori is reluctant to tell Haseo about her experience with him.

Tri-Edge (三爪痕, Toraiejji^?) is a mysterious player killer who has been credited as the one who puts players into comas. Midori witnesses a fight between him and Ovan, and soon finds Tri-Edge to be pursuing her as well.

Midori Shimomura (下村みどり, Shimomura Midori^?) is a high school girl who is described as being in a coma because of an unspecified degenerative disease. A sample of her blood was taken and used to create a "virtual cell" in hopes that it could be used to stimulate her back to consciousness.

Story

.hack//CELL takes place at the same time as .hack//Roots. The main premise of the story covers the happenings that Midori and Adamas witness and experience in The World R:2, an extremely popular MMORPG that is a new version of the original game, The World. Midori meets numerous characters from .hack//Roots (most notably Haseo,) and .hack//G.U. (such as Silabus and Gaspard.) The main plot centers around Midori selling herself out to would-be PKers, and some real-world events that center around the girl who also bears the name Midori who is in a coma. It is later revealed that Midori is a sentient PC, and was a result of the "virtual cell" that was taken from Midori Shimomura's blood. After Midori Shimomura wakes, she enters The World with a PC identical to Midori.

Chapters

No.	Title	Japanese release	English release
1	The Ending World Owaru sekai (終わる世界)	August 31, 2006 ISBN 9784044271848	Mar 2 2010 ISBN 9781427817181
Vol.1 Vol.2 Vol.3 Vol.4 Vol.5 Vol.6 Afterward
2	Infinite Liberation Mugen no kaihō (無限の解放)	January, 2007 ISBN 9784044278168	November 30, 2010 ISBN 9781427817198

Notes and references

1. ^ "Happy Cafe, .hack//CELL, Kokaku Listed by Amazon (Updated)". http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-06/happy-cafe-.hack/cell-kokaku-listed-by-amazon.ca.