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Serial Experiments Lain

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Lain using her custom computer
Lain using her custom computer

Serial Experiments Lain is an anime series about a young girl in suburban Japan named Lain Iwakura. The original idea of the series was produced by production 2nd, story was written by Chiaki J. Konaka, and the original character design was done by Yoshitoshi ABe.

Plot

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The series begins with the suicide of Chisa Yomoda. Lain Iwakura is one of Chisa's classmates who recieves a posthumous email from Chisa explaining that she has abandoned her flesh and is still alive in the Wired (a large computer network with striking similarities to the Internet). Lain begins to tentatively explore the Wired and the series follows her transition from normal schoolgirl to omnipresent being on the Internet and collective unconsciousness.

Serial Experiments Lain raises questions about God, the collective unconscious, the Internet, and many other themes common in cyberpunk literature.

Fans of the series generally believe that it is a good example of how anime can require a lot of thought to enjoy. It raises two new questions for each one it answers. At the end you're left with several possible explanations to choose from, or you can formulate your own.

Publications

The series ran for 13 episodes of one half hour each, between July 6 and September 28, 1998, on TV Tokyo.

There are several art books available.

  • Omnipresence In The Wired - hardbound, is 128 pages, 96 color (A possible binary reference) with Japanese text. It features a chapter for each layer (episode) and concept sketches. It also features a short color manga titled "The Nightmare of Fabrication". [1] It was published in 1998 by Triangle Staff/SR-12W/Pioneer LDC. (ISBN 4-789713431)
  • Visual Experiments Lain - paperback, is 80 full-color pages with Japanese text. It has details on the creation, design, and storyline of the series. It was published in 1998 by Triangle Staff/Pioneer LDC. (ISBN 4-789713423)
  • Scenario Experiments Lain - paperback, 335 pages. By chiaki j. konaka. (Uncapitalised in original.) Collected scripts with notes and small excerpted storyboards. (ISBN 4-7897-1320-2)
  • Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide - paperback. A guide to the Playstation game.

Soundtracks

  • Serial Experiments Lain Soundtrack - The first OST featuring music by Nakaido "Chabo" Reichi. It features the opening and closing theme songs and a number of tracks inspired by the television series.
  • Serial Experiments Lain Soundtrack: Cyberia Mix - A second OST featuring a number of electronica songs inspired by the television series, including a remix of the opening theme song.
  • lain BOOTLEG - 1 CD, Soundtrack, 45 tracks, limited edition. Contains ambient music from the series and, ironically, is often confused with the Sonmay bootleg of itself. Released by Pioneer Records (Item# ASIN: B00005FXU7).

The franchise also has spawned a video game and an open source operating system project, LainOS, was created as an homage to the operating system of Lain's Navi in the series.

References made by the series

See also

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