Serial Experiments Lain...!?

Question

I personally absolutely loved the series. After just watching one or two episodes I went out and bought the whole set it was so good. It reflects the basic themes of The Matrix, in a way. Serial Experiments Lain was made a year before the Matrix was released (coincidence? or not...?). Who likes the series? What did you think of it? How do you interpret it?

for those of who who don't know what this is/would like to hear more about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_Experiments_Lain

Answer 1

"The series stands as a warning about the future of Japanese culture, where it is headed, and the reprocussions that it could cause. Post-Modern Japan has changed quite a bit since WWII, and as seen in the show, it might be going in a direction nobody is sure of, at a speed that nobody can control. Serial Experiments Lain begins to scratch at the surface of what is on everyones mind, but is not yet full developed. The fears of a nation barreling towards self-oblivion, with ultra high suicide rates, low-paying-high-stress jobs, and family structures that are crumbling because of a lack of communication of emotions, and moral values."
http://everything.blockstackers.com/index.pl?node_id=164328


Lain was the first anime series i ever bought on DVD back in1999 I believe. Beautiful...measured...paced...cerebral and moody...I loved it.
What is it that constitutes being human and if we are a social set of beings ...how does our addiction to technology destroy our need to bond with one another...and truly know ourselves. That is what I got from the series...and I believe it is time to watch it again.
The opening themeis exquisite...one of my all time anime favorites...and the series remains in my top 1%.
The animation perfectly suits the story...and the artwork is gorgeous. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Arigato gozaimasu.

Answer 2

I loved that anime too. I watched it over the summer. I think that the central theme of Serial Experiments Lain was identity and reality. First, reality is not all it may seem to be. I think one message of the anime series is that humans should strive to look for a deeper meaning in life than attach to what is transitory. Look at Lain, for instance. Instead of being preoccupied with what was easily mutable, she was more concentrated (more like obsessed) on what was real, the Wired. Though it was a strange obsession, it wasn't a mistake. Lain concentrated on what was real and what was important.
Another theme was identity and whether everything existed or not. If reality is a hologram, then what everything really is can be called into question. We see this when Lain, a piece of software, questions what she really is throughout the series and never reaches an answer. Since she is a piece of software that can change what seems to be reality, what she is, also, can be called into question. "Who is Lain?" she asks. In the end, the only thing she knows for sure is that you don't exist if no one remembers you, so she makes it that way. It's a bit sad that, by the end, Lain still cannot discover her identity.
I really liked that series. It was very deep.
By the way, has anyone ever suspected that Lain Iwakura could be distantly related to Prince Iwakura Tonomi of Japan? He was, in part, responsible for a journey to other countries with some students in the 1800s to learn Western customs. Just wondering.

Answer 3

I also love SEL. It was revolutionary and I heard that the creators of the matrix were inspired by it a little. Have you seen Animatrix? It's a good tie over anime between the too. The creators of SEL have just released a new anime set on DVD.

Answer 4

That series was fascinating when I watched it on Cartoon Network.

Unfortunately, they have since been running really stupid things like "Squidbillies" and "Venture Brothers".

Answer 5

It looks okay. I heard of that cartoon before.