Customer Reviews

Serial Experiments Lain

5 star:		(111)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Serial Experiments Lain is a show which leaves most people with a distinct impression of 'huh?'. It is the story of a girl named Lain, who is rather socially inept.

In the first episode, a classmate of Lain's jumps off of a building to her death. Afterwards, people start receiving E-mails from this girl. And that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the 'weirdness' of Lain.

As the series progresses, so does Lain. Because of the dead girl's E-mail, she gets a little interested in computers. She learns more and more of the Wired, which is like our Internet. From the individuals on the Wired, and from her own experiences there, she slowly learns the truth about the Wired, and the world.

Lain is a nicely slow, somewhat pretentious anime. It questions what we know as the real world, using real-seeming characters.

In some ways, the series has an 'X-files' (the multi-part episodes) feel to it. You never quite know what's going on, who's who, and just when the pieces are about to come together, the storyline takes another twist.

A good look into the psyche of the Internet, Internet users, and the world.

The boxed version contains all four DVDs (Navi, Knights, Deus and Reset). For reviews or tech specs of the individual discs, visit their pages.

You know I love disturbing and confusing movies but this show takes both those concepts to the extreme. We have here a show about a shy girl who finds herself becoming increasingly fascinated by The Wired(a futuristic version of the internet).

This in itself is something that many ppl can relate to.
What's different about it though, is that in the show you can actually project yourself into the Wired as a physical entity.

The show begins with a girl jumping of an apartment building. This grisly event sets the mood for the rest of the show..
What's even more creepy is that a few days later all the girls in her class start getting email from her about how she 'merely abbandoned her body and how she is living in The Wired'. Everyone ofcourse is terribly upset about this but Lain being curious replies to the message...

That's the beginning of a terribly deep, confusing and fascinating tale.

The overal question in the series is wether or not Lain is a real girl. Other topics covered are "what is reality" and "what exactly is God".

This isn't a cutesy and simple anime like Pokemon. this is how anime should be. Deep and intelligent. This makes you think and ponder about life. Plus it gives some interesting perspectives on what the internet is.

Highly reccomended

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

Serial Experiments Lain is deep, very deep. As an anime almost indescribable, it will stick will you for life as it haunts you with its silent mysteries. Never have I seen an anime anything like this one. I remember the nights where Lain just stood in my head, as I wondered how the true secrets would eventually uncover from their cloaked darkness.

The artwork that was shown in this raging series was that of which reminded me of something from a basic MTV cartoon. Of course this isn't awful at any bit, it's just a different style with a nice appeal of eye candy and detailed but somewhat creepy designs. The unique computer (or according to this anime title, "Navi") and electrical designs/styles were done very beautifully and caught my eye every time. I curiously noted much of the Navi features and I thought about the terrific effort that was placed into animating each little part of the visually pleasing features. If you look hard enough at Serial Experiments Lain's art, you'll spot marvelous examples of well-done (and not to mention talented) Japanese animation creations. So, although the visual artwork can be a tad strange every once and awhile, it is fine non-the less and is something oddly different.

A major part of Serial Experiments Lain to me was the puzzling, tragic, and disturbing story to it. I was almost completely lost during the first and second volumes, but then once you hit a little further into the series, everything starts to slowly pile together and make sense.

Lain is fourteen years old, regular amount of friends, quiet and un-social, but lately Lain seems to be different. What is happening to her the life around her... her world... what is it? After getting an unknown e-mail from a girl in Lain's class who has killed herself, everything starts becoming different... but why? "The Wired" (or this anime's version of something very similar to the internet) is the popular thing to the many kids (are they really kids...?) around her. Everyone's on it. What's so good about it? Could it be holding some sort of lethal secret that Lain is to find out? But... why Lain? What is this "Wired?" Is the "Wired" the reasoning for all of the ghostly events that have been happening recently?! Could a world of some sort be slowly dripping into our own.....

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

The seiyuu went marvelously well with the characters they played. Although the Japanese voice actors selected for Lain were none of which seemed too, too popular and well known, I still enjoyed listening to their smooth voices. Even Lain's seiyuu had special inside scenes (called "Devices") at the end of each DVD where you could see a part of the body interact and be described unusually by her. I found this very interesting. The seiyuu picked for Serial Experiments Lain were = Shimizu Kaori as Iwakura Lain, Igarashi Rei as Iwakura Miho, Kawazumi Ayako as Iwakura Mika, Obayashi Ryuunosuke as Iwakura Yasuo, Asada Yoko as Mizuki Arisu, Chiba Shigeru as Nezumi, Mizuno Manabi as Katou Juri, Morizumi Ari as JJ, Muto Kotomi as Yomoda Chisa, Neya Michiko as Yoshii Keiko, and Tezuka Chiharu as Yamamoto Reika. Quite an interestingly and nicely picked selection, I truly believe.

There wasn't very much music of any type played throughout the series. I recall seldom hearing background music, but the background music that was played fit well with the actually incident that was occurring at the time. The outstanding and catchy "Duvet" opening song (which in either type of version of Lain you view) is in English. Actually to tell you the truth, when I first heard the song, I thought it was sung by one of my favorite songwriters of all time - Alanis Morissette (which of course, is a good thing). In fact, the female who does sing the song, strangely does remind me of an Asian-type Alanis. I must also compliment on the ending song, which had more of a rock theme to it, unlike the pop opening. So, definitely a high score for the music.

Be warned before you even think about purchasing this splendid anime series, that it is horror-filled anime that may seriously disturb children under thirteen years of age due to the highly mature themes, mysterious and creepy aspects of life, emotional unbalance, strong language, uneven occult-action, and wondrous themes such as the ones I have already listed! ^^ But definitely don't miss Lain if you're looking for a different emotionally haunting anime that will make you reflect on your life and what could be awaiting in your future. I remember first watching Lain and asking myself, "What is this life...?" Serial Experiments Lain will amaze you at how it leeches your open mind and makes you think about... the unknown...

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

Serial Experiments Lain is deep, very deep. As an anime almost indescribable, it will stick will you for life as it haunts you with its silent mysteries. Never have I seen an anime anything like this one. I remember the nights where Lain just stood in my head, as I wondered how the true secrets would eventually uncover from their cloaked darkness.

The artwork that was shown in this raging series was that of which reminded me of something from a basic MTV cartoon. Of course this isn't awful at any bit, it's just a different style with a nice appeal of eye candy and detailed but somewhat creepy designs. The unique computer (or according to this anime title, "Navi") and electrical designs/styles were done very beautifully and caught my eye every time. I curiously noted much of the Navi features and I thought about the terrific effort that was placed into animating each little part of the visually pleasing features. If you look hard enough at Serial Experiments Lain's art, you'll spot marvelous examples of well-done (and not to mention talented) Japanese animation creations. So, although the visual artwork can be a tad strange every once and awhile, it is fine non-the less and is something oddly different.

A major part of Serial Experiments Lain to me was the puzzling, tragic, and disturbing story to it. I was almost completely lost during the first and second volumes, but then once you hit a little further into the series, everything starts to slowly pile together and make sense.

Lain is fourteen years old, regular amount of friends, quiet and un-social, but lately Lain seems to be different. What is happening to her the life around her... her world... what is it? After getting an unknown e-mail from a girl in Lain's class who has killed herself, everything starts becoming different... but why? "The Wired" (or this anime's version of something very similar to the internet) is the popular thing to the many kids (are they really kids...?) around her. Everyone's on it. What's so good about it? Could it be holding some sort of lethal secret that Lain is to find out? But... why Lain? What is this "Wired?" Is the "Wired" the reasoning for all of the ghostly events that have been happening recently?! Could a world of some sort be slowly dripping into our own.....

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

The seiyuu went marvelously well with the characters they played. Although the Japanese voice actors selected for Lain were none of which seemed too, too popular and well known, I still enjoyed listening to their smooth voices. Even Lain's seiyuu had special inside scenes (called "Devices") at the end of each DVD where you could see a part of the body interact and be described unusually by her. I found this very interesting. The seiyuu picked for Serial Experiments Lain were = Shimizu Kaori as Iwakura Lain, Igarashi Rei as Iwakura Miho, Kawazumi Ayako as Iwakura Mika, Obayashi Ryuunosuke as Iwakura Yasuo, Asada Yoko as Mizuki Arisu, Chiba Shigeru as Nezumi, Mizuno Manabi as Katou Juri, Morizumi Ari as JJ, Muto Kotomi as Yomoda Chisa, Neya Michiko as Yoshii Keiko, and Tezuka Chiharu as Yamamoto Reika. Quite an interestingly and nicely picked selection, I truly believe.

There wasn't very much music of any type played throughout the series. I recall seldom hearing background music, but the background music that was played fit well with the actually incident that was occurring at the time. The outstanding and catchy "Duvet" opening song (which in either type of version of Lain you view) is in English. Actually to tell you the truth, when I first heard the song, I thought it was sung by one of my favorite songwriters of all time - Alanis Morissette (which of course, is a good thing). In fact, the female who does sing the song, strangely does remind me of an Asian-type Alanis. I must also compliment on the ending song, which had more of a rock theme to it, unlike the pop opening. So, definitely a high score for the music.

Be warned before you even think about purchasing this splendid anime series, that it is horror-filled anime that may seriously disturb children under thirteen years of age due to the highly mature themes, mysterious and creepy aspects of life, emotional unbalance, strong language, uneven occult-action, and wondrous themes such as the ones I have already listed! ^^ But definitely don't miss Lain if you're looking for a different emotionally haunting anime that will make you reflect on your life and what could be awaiting in your future. I remember first watching Lain and asking myself, "What is this life...?" Serial Experiments Lain will amaze you at how it leeches your open mind and makes you think about... the unknown...

We're all connected... Come to the "Wired" as soon as you can... Why won't you come? ...Why won't you come...?

In the world of anime, for many people, Serial Experiments Lain holds the title as the most disturbing, most convaluted series of all time.

Quite frankly, I agree with them.

But there is also more to S. E. Lain than its mere "freakish-ness." Lain, like its fellow notoriously controversial self-analytical anime, Neon Genesis Evangelion, makes a point of taking typically over-played, over-used philisophical concepts and questions posed in many darker, psycho-analytical animes, and proposing them in a new light. Lain's analysis of the human condition and of human nature through the characters of the series is truly deserving of praise as well. As a matter of fact, when one watches Lain, they may get the feeling that the characters hold a purpose less as characters, and more plot devices used to embody and demonstrate the questions and concepts proposed by the series (as is especially evident with the character Alice/Arisu), as do many of the events that occur throughout the series as well. This is not neccessarily a bad thing, in that S. E. Lain is more a concept/analysis based than a plot based one. Yet, even in all of the "psycho-babble" that Lain is based on, the series sets itself apart from other animes in that it does not attempt to act as if it can truly answer all of the questions that it itself poses; as if there is some sort of absolute truth that everyone is bound by. All in all, the entire story serves as a metaphor. What that metaphor is, you must decide for yourself.

I would recommend watching the Neon Genesis Evangelion series before watching Lain, as the two share many common concepts, and having watched Evangelion adds a bit more intrigue to watching the series. In the end, Serial Experiments Lain is one ot those love-it-or-hate-it animes. Personally, I loved it. It's also one that you appreciate more and more every time you watch it over again. And you WILL end up watching it a good number of times before you can finally put it down. Trust me.

There's not much I can say that others haven't said before, and the stars speak for themselves. The animation is outstanding, with the few "reused" bits of animation serving a symbolic purpose rather than just filling space; the music is absolutely perfect, with (as everyone else has mentioned) beautiful and appropriate opening (Duvet by BOA) and ending themes. Other people have reviewed the actual basic storyline, so I'll just curb my comments to my reaction to this outstanding and pivotal anime.

This series is nothing like other anime, at least none that I've seen. The story is enough to warp your mind forever...

The first time I watched this, after every episode, I sat through the ending theme, barely even listening to it, just stunned by the visual and mental tidbits thrown at me during the episode. I have never thought so hard about an anime; even after watching it, even when I was nowhere near my dvd player, I kept thinking about it, and about how some of its points apply to today's technology-driven world.

Do not be worried if you do not "get it" in the first volume, or the second, or even the third. This is a puzzle for which you need ALL the pieces (every episode) before you even begin to comprehend what is going on, and how everything fits together. Repeated viewings are a necessity if you really want understanding, so if you are looking for a light-hearted anime that doesn't require a lot of thought, this is NOT for you.

Astonishingly pertinent to today, this series is an absolute must-see for those who love shows that are different, who love to have their minds messed with (in good ways), and who love beautifully-crafted works of intelligent art.

Without question, Lain is deep, philosophical, and introspective. I had the fortune (perhaps misfortune) to see the whole series in one sitting. I was deeply touched by the ending. What choices would I have made if I were Lain? Perhaps, the same. The plot isn't simple and exists on many levels; this is no DragonballZ, my friends. I will have to rewatch again at a more leisurely level.

Some people have brought up Buddhist thought in interpreting Lain. I think another interesting comparison are the Essenes and Gnostics in "understanding" Lain. Pretty deep stuff and no run-of-the-mill anime.

For people who need more action I would recommend the whole Cowboy Bebop series. Fantastic. Perhaps the best anime in recent times (next to Lain of course ;-)

Lain is Lain. Its visuals are, of course, incredible, but how could they not be? However, visuals alone do not create the mind-altering masterpiece which is Lain; yet they are a good foundation. It is the sense of reality that is warped by the storyline and redirected to the viewer that has the most impact on the mind and that makes it most memorable. The story of Lain also holds subtle truths behind it, and the fact that these truths are twisted into becoming almost obscure, yet still remain true, gives off a feeling of uneasiness to whoever happens to be watching it.

One thing is for sure: that Lain should not be held to any classifications or standards previously set. In fact, I don't believe that it should be considered "anime" beyond the fact that it is animated. I would recommend this series to anyone wanting another possible outlook on the world around them.

The show attempts, not to answer, but to broaden many questions that we as people ask ourselves, ranging from "Why are we here", to "Who (or what) is God?" It leads us to ponder them a little more than we would have otherwise.

The characters are real, the plot is very complex, and the action is psycological. You'll finish this series with a lot of questions and, if you paid enough attention, a little paranoia. This series is worth every penny you'll spend.

Lain is something that truly engrosses the viewer, steals there mind, throws it into the washing machine, gives it to the dog as a chew toy then, shoots it back into their head for the three point shot of absolute confusion. This series is for anyone willing to take a deeper look into someone elses views on life, relationships, reality, and existence. When you first watch this show you'll completely have no idea of what's going on, but that's the point in my opinion. Every detail in the first few episodes is later either explained or provides as a reason for what may currently be going on in the series at that moment. Also it holds an important view about communication and understanding others. After finishing this show you'll possibly feel the need to cry without knowing why. More so the desire to know and understand the meaning of this series will have you pondering for hours if you didn't get it all the first time - I know I did -. Also if you pay attention the age old proverb of too much knowledge leads to sorrow may come into play.

When it comes to the animation of this story it is simply beautiful. The characters are purely amazing and so true to life. -My personal favorite is Alice who seems to pose the classic portrayl of Ophelia, and someone you can truly connect with- Also the evolution of Lains expanding interest in the wired ( internet ) is profound. I only wathced the dubbed version , but the voice acting is really good. The music for this show is perhaps one of the best parts of this show. It gives one a psycadelic feeling as well as a homey and warm one.

There's so much more I can say about this show, but in all honesty it is up to the viewer her/himself to decipher the meaning of this tale, and establish their own ideas of the two worlds and what it means to connect without devices. If you're looking to be spellbound beyond belief then you should get Serial Experiments Lain, it's one that will never leave the depths of your psyche.

Hope this review was helpful.

Buying this box set was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It not only includes the 4 DVDs of the whole series, but you get a lunch box and a limited edition CD of Boa, the group that sings the theme song to the series. It has four songs on it and the theme song really gets stuck in your head. I did, unfortunatley, bought mine for $119.99 at a mall so I didn't really save anything:

lunch box................. $ 10

limited edition CD.... $ 10

4 DVDs................... $100

Watching the entire series of Lain while eating out of your cool new lunch box and listening to the theme song over and over..... priceless.

(Sorry! Was given the opportunity and had to do it.) Besides, I would never eat out of the lunchbox, it is too nice and in great condition. I use it to store the Lain series inside if it.

I have to say this is a really good series. I think it's rated for viewers 16 and up. I would have to say that is a suitable. There is nothing too bad in it to make it unsuitable for younger teens except for the fact that people commit suicide, the regular pervertedness and love you'll find on most anime, and that there is realastic blood in it, and that people go insane and crazy. But some of the concepts and things they talk about little kids would not understand and would not enjoy it. It took me a little while to understand it, and my friend watched part of it with me and I had to attempt to explain a few parts of it to her. This anime is deep and has some philosphical and psychological aspects to it. Plus religion is tied into it, I know the obvious ways religion it tied into it but I can't figure out or see the deeper picture.

It is sort of like the Matrix. Two different worlds that only a few people know about and "The One" is the chosen one to be able to cross between the two worlds freely. Like Neo, Lain knows and can do what normal people can not. Like in the Matrix, the general public are just puppets to be used and that all your family is not really your family but rather just put there by a computer. Only the few exceptional people are hackers that work together, but get hunted down by the officials like in the Matrix. And like Neo, both sides try to Lain to their advantage.

Anyway, it was a great series and I watched the entire series all in one sitting. It's a big change from watching Sailor Moon and Card Captors. As you can see, I'm not the intelligent, articulate, kind of person. I really don't even act my age and everyone thinks I am 4 years younger than I am, but I really enjoyed it and it made me really think. the beginning was a little slow, but the ending was so unexpected and it just makes you cry.