Genre: Science Fiction

Creator: Yoshitoshi Abe

No of Episodes/Volumes of Manga: 13 episodes

Reviewer: StorminNorman

Review:

The first thing that strikes you about Serial Experiments Lain is how different from all other anime it is. From the opening theme song (Boa - Duvet) through to the visual style of the characters, Serial Experiments Lain is unlike any anime I have ever seen. All of the characters have brown hair, and brown eyes, and they all look, well -- normal is the easiest way to describe them.

The difference is also carried over into Lain's storyline. It centres on a 13 year old girl, Lain Iwakura, a quiet student who makes Rei Ayanami look extroverted. One day she recieves an email from a girl who died three days before, and then things start getting really weird. Over the next 13 episodes, Lain discovers secrets about herself, and her relationship to reality, and the online world of the `Wired'. Comparisons between Lain and other anime is difficult, as it shares few traits with other series. Much of the dark psychological stuff is very similar to Neon Genesis Evangelion, and the story covers similar territory to Masamune Shirow's Ghost In The Shell. But Lain is much deeper and darker than either of these, making it clear from the outset that it is going to be a long and difficult journey to the end of the series.

One of Lain's great strengths is the way it presents technology. Not only is it one of the most realistic presentations I've ever seen, but also one of the easiest for nontechical people to understand as well. And if you're a fan of Apple's Macintosh computers, there is an even bigger bonus, as many of the computers and computer references are for these legendary machines. In fact, in one episode, Apple's current corporate slogan, `Think Different' appears on the screen.

Visually, Serial Experiments Lain is stunning. From the computer imagery used to represent the Wired, to the street scenes where there is blood in the shadows, this series looks great. It moves well too: the animation quality is quite good. Some episodes even feature live video footage, overlaid with animation to get across video in the Wired.

The audio side of Lain is just as good as the visuals. The musical soundtrack (provided in part by Nakaido `Chabo' Reichi and DJ Wasei) is perfect, suiting the themes of the series. Chabo's guitar licks form the most prominent musical accompaniment, while Wasei adds the more esoteric electronic sounds. Sound effects are another interesting feature of Lain. Most sequences occurring outside of Lain's home are accompanied by the electric hum of power lines, which adds to the high-technology feel of the series. One neat effect is the use of the Macintalk Whisper voice to say the name of each episode at the start, just one more thing to make the Mac heads happy.

A lot goes on in Lain. Over the course of the series, she develops from a quiet girl who wears a cute little bear outfit around her home, into something far more sinister. By the end of the series, it is hard to know whether she was a good person or a bad person.

Unlike Evangelion, Serial Experiments Lain has an easily understood ending, which dramatically raises the impact of the series on the viewer. If you are a technology geek, then there is a lot in Serial Experiments Lain that will make you smile, however non-technical people should enjoy the series as well, especially if you liked Ghost In The Shell or Neon Genesis Evangelion. Personally, I think that Lain is one of the best anime series ever made. See it. Now.