Have you ever heard of Serial Experiments Lain?
It's your turn to meet Lain. "Serial Experiments Lain" is a 13 episode anime about Lain finding her way through the Wired. The genres are psychological, science fiction, and mystery. You might like it if you've watched and liked 'Evangelion', 'Perfect Blue', or 'Ergo Proxy'.
The part 'Serial Experiments' comes from the original idea of making Lain into different media, each putting her in different environments, like in an experiment. Currently, there also exists a PS game that is partly translated from japanese and a manga (The Nightmare of Fabrication) that is also part of the game's universe.
The Plot
Lain Iwakura is an awkward and introverted 14-year-old girl when she receives a mysterious email from a classmate who recently committed suicide. The young girl wasn't very tech-savvy, unlike her peers, but the email made her explore more of the Wired, which is an equivalent of our internet, and a metaverse of its own. Soon enough, strange sightings start happening, and the boundary between reality and the Wired starts blurring, resulting in surreal events.
Let's all love Lain
The impact of the anime is quite big since it's one of the classics but also one of the most unique ones. Messages holding up to the present day, unique visuals, amazing soundtracks, and white noise playing throughout the whole anime. Not everyone will be able to enjoy it, which is why its fans are sure to be unique too.
You've probably heard of Wired Sounds For Wired People. Maybe you know of it as just some creepy website... But in reality, it's just a Lain-related passion project. But have you ever heard of the Tsuki Project ? It's supposed to be a cult that heavily relies on the Lain imaginery. It gained popularity prior to 2018 as a result of YouTubers making videos about it. It was both a web project (before deletion) and a cult (people actually believe in that).
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The Concepts
"Serial Experiments Lain" is an anime that goes in depth about various concepts, with the major one being existence. In the Wired, Lain becomes a symbol of omnipotence, and her consciousness expands to the point where she questions her real self. The lines between reality and illusion blur as she contemplates her identity as the Goddess of the Wired, wanting to leave her physical body behind. The presence of her closest friend, Alice, is the only thing that keeps her connected to the real world. The anime raises philosophical questions about what it means to truly exist, making it quite thought-provoking.
Audio Experience
I never really realized it watching the anime, but it has some pretty amazing soundtrack list. Most of the music is composed by Reichi Nakaido, featuring ambient, electronic and experimental elements, creating a very unique ethereal mood that you're unlikely to get from other anime. One genius aspect of 'Serial Experiment Lain' is it's use of ambient noise and silence. At times watching it sometimes feels really silent, crafting the perfect atmosphere for the anime. The subtle background noises can be surprisingly relaxing and comforting, especially when the story gets confusing.
