Tokyopop will publish the first volume of the .hack manga series in September.  Conceived as a multimedia project from the start, the .hack phenomenon includes an anime series and video games as well as the manga series; the creators endeavored to use the innate narrative abilities of each medium to tell a different part of the entire .hack saga.  All three elements of the .hack narrative are in play in Japan already, but only the anime series, released in the U.S. by Bandai (see 'Details On .Hack Limited Edition') and currently showing on the Cartoon Network, and the video game (see 'Dot Hack DVD With PS2 Game') have been released in the U.S.

Published in Japan by Kodakawa as .hack//tasogare no udewa densetsu, the manga series will be known in the U.S. as .hack//Legend of the Twilight.  Featuring character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto that cross over and function as a unifying force among all three media, the manga series was written by Tatsuya Hamazaki and illustrated by Rei Izumi.  Given the popularity of the anime series and video games, the .hack manga appears to be a good bet to do well in pop culture shops and make an early appearance on the BookScan list of best-selling graphic novels in bookstores.