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Serial Experiments Lain
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Animation - 8.3 |
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Sound - 8.3 |
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Story - 8.5 |
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Character - 7.8 |
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Value - 8.1 |
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Enjoyment - 7.8 |
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Average - 8.1 |
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| Average |
9.3 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| Note: This review is based on KAA fansubs which have pretty good quality considering the age of the show and flawless translation. Recommended.
Quote:
All the functions of human body, without exception, can be put into words and explained in materialistic terms. The body is nothing but a machine. If the physical limitations of the body restrict mankind's evolution, it would be as if the fall of the species called "man" had already been decided by the god that doesn't even exist.
Originally created by Yoshitoshi ABe (Haibane Renmei, Texhnolyze) and directed by Nakamura Ryutaro (Kino no Tabi) Serial Experiments Lain is, like other Yoshitoshi Abe's works, a masterpiece. Superficially it seems to tell a story about a life of an unsocial teenager girl, but the further the plot goes, the deeper it gets. Social troubles are left in the corner and the show delves deep into the world of philosophy, psychology and science. It touches Jung's collective consciousness, contemplates about the meanings of humanity's existence, introduces a whole scientific thesis on consciousness, finally, gives the viewers enough hints to reach conclusions themselves. Serial Experiments Lain is a magnificent tribute to anime world and one of the reasons I watch anime. It opens the mind, sophisticates and educates its viewers, it's a show which should be seen, if not for enjoyment, then for respect. Not only it gets better the more times you re-watch it, it gets better whenever you learn more scientific things about the world and can connect them to it.
Conclusion: Recommended for everyone of age 13 and above, Serial Experiments Lain is a must-see masterpiece by anyone who has interests in either philosophy, psychology, science or art. It's never too early to open your mind and I must say some of my best memories from younger days is watching Serial Experiments Lain for the first time and getting complete brain overload. It's a show best seen first when you are young and then re-watched periodically every few years. The smarter you'll get, the better and more novel this masterpiece will appear to you. It's one of the vital parts of my life and it might become yours too, check it out. Other shows of similar fashion are Neon Genesis Evangelion, Haibane Renmei, Texhnolyze, Boogiepop Phantom and Kino no Tabi. They are not "like" Lain, but they are some of those very few shows which also open the minds of their viewers.
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| Average |
8.5 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| Rarely does an anime like Serial Experiments Lain's value continue 10 years after its original airing. With a small cast and poor backgrounds most would pass SEL as something to forget. Fortunately one of the most thought provoking stories does not need animation to cloud the mind and amaze. Those who enjoy simple stories need not watch this, the complexity alone makes it wonderful.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
6.8 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
6 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| One of the most bizarre anime out there, Serial Experiments Lain pulled off the psychological and social elements deftly. It did not become overbearingly pretentious as anime of this genre usually suffer and it never once presented itself as dumb just to appease the ones who simply do not get its cryptic narrative. That's quite a feat even now.
Serial Experiments Lain is a cyberpunk anime starring an aloof, socially inept girl named Lain. Everything changed when she discovered the Wired, the show's equivalent of the World Wide Web. She then delves into the vast realm and begins to transform herself and everyone around her.
At first glance, Lain looks like standard art fare, nothing seems to grab your eyesight in particular, but once the show starts closing in on the characters, it's indescribable. The facial expressions and the eyes. The eyes...just by staring at the orbs makes the viewer see the characters feelings and thoughts. If Lain was shown in a live action format, it would not have had the same dramatic effect. It was an innovative take that puts Lain among the ranks of top independent films shown in festivals. Kudos to character designer, Yoshitoshi Abe. The backgrounds and scenery are often used for symbolism as well. The sights set a subtle impression to the show's indirect storytelling. Once you get past the bland skin deep environments at first, it opens up to become an entity that goes hand in hand with the story. On a side note, I was a little disappointed that the anime doesn't look quite as good as the official artwork, but seeing as how the money that the staff will have to put through for this would be astronomical, I guess it's just a pie in the sky.
There's not much to soundtrack as it is the voice acting. Lain relies a lot more heavily in dialogue, whether its expository or a narration. What it has of its tunes are both the highly acclaimed "Duvet" by Boa (not to be confused for the Korean pop singer of the same name) and the less popular but still entertaining and slightly sardonic "Toi Sakebi" by Nakaido Reichi. Just by listening at the former really makes one think how the song has such a strong connection to Lain and her "world." Voice talent is impressive that they fully grasp the show's feel. The simple and quiet tone the voices of the cast perform reflects what their roles are: ordinary people. Just by their conversations, it really strikes back at home as to how similar it is to real life.
The overall storyline, which Lain is famous for, does deserve most of the credit. The series works in an episodic manner loosely connected to one another in the beginning and towards the end comes to full circle and closes in an openly interpretive, but satisfactory conclusion. There are little to no plot holes and execution has been handled at the right place and at the right time. A word of caution that it gets convoluted and I suggest viewers keep regular sessions of watching Lain to avoid losing yourself to what is now going on.
Characters are just as complex as the plot. The star of this show is Lain, but the side characters get ample screen time as well. Being in a genre that works best with minimal characters, it does its job although I would like to see more of Lain. She is just the most interesting out of the bunch. An honor that is necessarily not awarded to the main character especially in anime. She is very easy to be sympathetic to in whatever persona she dons. Lain is undoubtedly a postergirl for the round and dynamic character types in fictional writing. Anyone else who says otherwise, I would gladly tell them to see it again.
Chances are, the typical viewer will not be able to comprehend everything about what is going on in Lain so it definitely cries for another rewatch. The show is a "hit or miss" so it isn't everyone's cup of tea. For those who dig this, you might want to check out other Serial Experiments Lain merchandise, particularly the art books. The official artworks are just so dang good that passing out on this is a huge mistake (I know I did.). If you can find it at your local bookstore, grab it now.
Having fun is probably not the best reaction that you get by seeing something like Lain. It is more of a pondering feeling for a moment that it gets to you and that by itself is refreshing.
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0 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
9.7 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
10 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| This anime is amazing. I can think of no way to make it better. The premise, the plot, the characters, the themes, the end... its all amazing. I've seen it three times and own the box set, and plan to watch it again. If you are looking for action and comedy, well for one thing you probably haven't seen truly great anime, but also won't find it here. If you love truly meaningful anime (and this one does it without romance! no joke!) then watch it. If you are into comedy and action, then please use this anime as your gateway into the deep realm on anime.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Lavos |
(2007-11-18 22:39:37) 2007-11-18 22:04:50 |
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
| I tried watching this a few years ago but didn’t make much sense of it, I don’t even remember if I finished it. Also, the fact that it was a crappy VHS-rip version didn’t help. But somehow, I decided to pick it up again, and I’m glad I did. This anime is one of a kind, and that is a thing I value greatly: uniqueness.
I understand some people can be put off by the animation style. Personally, I found it to my liking; It has got a very distinctive feel to it, and I’d bet if I could recognize most characters from this show if I saw them somewhere else. It’s not because they “stand out” per se however, rather, they have a very unique “dullness” to them that makes them different to any others. Ah yeah, eye pupils. Pay close attention to character’s pupils in this show.
Outstanding opening and ending themes; especially the opening(perfect mood-setter). Imagery in both is strikingly good as well. Too bad the rest of the soundtrack falls short (I can only recall the music that plays in the “documentary” parts and I’ve just finished watching this anime--Very disappointing). Nonetheless, sounds effects are used in a very clever way, and seiyuu performances are correct.
There is not really a story to talk about here. It’s more like… a stream of consciousness. The most structured of watchers are going to be definitely puzzled by the plot exposition in this show. For example, just when they start explaining what's going on, in a sort of “documentary” fashion, they’ll suddenly cut off the scene and show Lain walking in the street for example. Prepare to feel your mind is being messed up. My advice will be to simply sit back, and enjoy the show to the end. Then, start to hypothesize on things, if you try before you’ll only end up frustrated. Being familiar with the concepts of Existentialism is recommended, but it’s not mandatory. Some of the type of questions this show poses are: What makes a human, human? Where is our sentience stored? What is “real”? Could there be a time when virtual reality could overlap “real” “reality”? If we could erase all memory other people have of ourselves, would that “erase” us as well? What is the meaning of our existence? How do we know if we EVEN exist?? ---Ramble with these all you want, I doubt you’ll reach the truth ^_^ .But it’s big fun, at least for me is.
Lots of amazing concepts are thrown around is this anime. For example, the MJ12 directive, hormone/time perception altering drugs, the Roswell Incident, manipulation of the low-frequency ELF band… if you are a bit of a conspiracy nut, and/or if you’ve played and enjoyed the videogame “Deus Ex”, you’ll do good by watching this. Trust me on this one.
The “problem” is that all those concepts are tossed in without any congruence, so are you’re left on your own to put the pieces together, like with one giant jigsaw puzzle. I have to admit that I’m usually very critical of entertainment medias that employ this feat, as it makes me suspect the writer’s intentions. But I wasn’t annoyed here, for some reason.
There is only one important character in this show: Lain. From the very first time I saw her I noticed what would become her strongest trait: otherworldliness. She just doesn’t seem like she belongs to the world. Throughout the anime, it seems almost as if like… she had been “taken” from somewhere else and put there. Numerous clues abound, such as how her “family’s” behavior. And I don’t want to spoil anything, but when finally her nature is revealed… actually she wasn’t normal at all. All the other characters serve more as plot devices than as characters if you will, but still, they’re pretty well done. There is also a love story. In fact, Serial Experiments Lain IS a love story, as most of the characters’ motivations are powered by their feelings; be it for a friend, humanity, themselves, technology or whatever. It’s just what drives humans.
This has tremendous re-watch value, as it’s certain that no matter your mental capabilities or familiarity with the themes exposed, you will have missed some things. I will certainly re-watch this.
As a conclusion: SEL is a wondrous gem, but it’s quite wild and unpolished; you’ll have to polish it yourself. It’s for shows like this one that I feel proud to call myself an otaku.
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2 of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Cataphract |
(2007-05-11 17:23:58) 2007-05-11 15:31:31 |
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| Average |
5.0 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
5 |
| Story |
5 |
| Character |
4 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
4 |
| Within the first few minutes of Lain, I was pretty sure I wouldn't like it in leiu of my positive expectations going in. Despite having an innate fascination with philosophy, it was the manner, not the substance, which really turned me away. In fact, because of how Lain is designed, my scoring system is virtually useless as it doesn't really apply to anything in the series.
Take the animation, for instance. Lain doesn't have your standard animation with character designs, scenery, and the like being a strong focus. Instead, the animation is virtually all about imagery; for example, the flashing of the busy city lights isn't representing the actual lights but rather the innate disconnection of humans in a city atmosphere. Colors (or the complete lack thereof) are all specifically placed, as are other things which would normally be considered harmful to the animation experience. Scenes with poor and choppy animation are fully intended to look as such, as they contribute to the surreal quality that Lain strives to obtain.
Unfortunately, at least for me, it gets boring rather quickly. It's very apparant that in many spots the writers are going for a dead or lifeless atmosphere, but that in itself is where I have my complaints. Because of these qualities I simply had no visual interest in what was going on; it felt as if watching paint dry would be more mentally stimulating. It probably didn't help that I possessed little fancy for the philosophical contexts Lain was aiming for either. In my opinion, the philosophy indicates whether or not you'll care for Lain's visuals; despite my qualms, I can certainly see how people like it.
The sound score goes hand in hand with my slight distaste for Lain's animation style. The opening is a really nice song, but it's actually only one of the few tracks for the series. Aside from a handful of pieces scattered here and there, musical presence is sparse, and you're left pretty much with only sound effects and voices. This isn't always bad, however, as subtleties like the juxtaposition of the static on a computer screen and the monotone buzz of powerlines are emphasized to great effect. Again, it's driven entirely by style and imagery, so it's hard to judge Lain as you would another series. The Seiyuu is somewhat (purposely) distant and detached, and this contributes toward the atmosphere Lain was aiming for as well.
Ultimately, however, despite its intentions, I was just never interested. Appreciation does not equate substance or enjoyment. Lain's purpose is to be somewhat mysterious but largely philosophical, hoping to turn the show into an introspective look into the ideas of human mind, body, and soul. The problem here is that Lain never did anything to make me interested in it's approach to the subject matter; it lost me right after setting up its framework. It felt very sluggish and slow in its execution, almost of if Lain were the brainstorm for an essay but not the actual work. By its very nature, though, brainstorming only makes much a subtantial amount of sense to the brainstormer, and unless the author organizes his/her thoughts (which would then equate an essay) its very hard to try to pull meaning out of it. Through various random dialogues scattered throughout each episode, little bits and pieces of the philosophy are presented directly, but not enough to really hold my interest.
Though not the best analogy, look at it this way: I can state that gravity is the force that makes an apple fall from a tree to the ground. How interesting a statement is this? Not very. However, I could instead state the mechanics of gravity, explaining why it causes the apple to fall to the ground. This second statement intertwines the "why," and the why is ultimately what makes the statement interesting. This was Lain's biggest mistake -- it never really told me why.
To conclude this somewhat awkward review, Lain is a hit or miss series: either it captivates you or it doesn't. As such, it really depends on the individual, so it's hard to say distinctively whether to watch or not to watch this, and I have no recommendation. Despite the fact it didn't click with by no means implies Lain is bad -- it isn't. See it and try for yourself.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
6.2 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| This sadly is failure to tell what could have been a great story and original. I think it truly would have made a great book. It’s too bad they decided to tell the story in the most awkward way possible.
Animation: The animation is average nothing really that special the characters look good but nothing incredibly thrilling about it.
Story: The story is fickle and tries to hard to be different. It doesn’t even begin to really pick up until six chapters into it then continues to disappoint. Imagine the most tedious and annoying way possible to tell a story and this anime truly does it. It does sometime have its interesting moments only for something bizarre and just stupid to happen. It seems to jump around constantly hardly ever going to in depth into any of the ideas. It’s more like it keeps throwing ideas at you until maybe one of them will stick. It almost makes me wonder if some kind of schizophrenic wrote the story.
Charaters: Lain is practically the only interesting character in this anime everyone else is just extras except one other girl I cant remember the name of so obviously wasn’t that important.
Value: overall this isn’t worth your time watching unless your really interested in something different and you don't care how mindless it can become.
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rezerekted |
(2009-09-07 23:57:35) 2006-11-02 23:43:12 |
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| Average |
7.5 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
6 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Hmmm where do I begin with Lain? I can start by stating that it is a pretty intense show, and I am not talking about intense action or power ups and crazy attacks and whatnot. Lain is, in many ways, the exact opposite; drawing intensity from it's atmosphere and abundant suspense. In fact it's a lot of what there isn't, and less of what there is that make the bulk of SEL, sort of a less is more style. This approach to story telling, unconventional though it may be, is still I think what makes Lain a show to check out in most people's eyes. I would definitely recommend checking it out just on it's uniqueness alone.
The story itself focuses around a young girl named Lain. She is a quiet and normal girl when we meet her, but she does undergo a fascinating change through out the story. She lives with her bizarre family in suburban Japan. Early into the series she is introduced to the internet, or "The Wired" as it is referred to in the show. It is also interesting to point out that this show was created during the course of 1996 and 1997 when the internet was a fraction of what it is today. Before IM had truly taken the hold it has today. Before blogs, before streaming audio and video sites, before youtube, before anything really. SEL is a stark and surprisingly accurate look at what technology (mainly the internet) can lead to if it becomes too integrated in our lives.
The show centers around many philosophical ideas and questions that pertain to both the human psyche and the merriment between technology and the human individual itself. I would like to say that SEL is satyrical, but that isn't quite doing justice to the seriousness and almost complete lack of emotion that the series strives for and greatly achieves.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Bonci |
2006-09-01 16:28:50 |
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| Average |
7.0 |
| Animation |
7 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
6 |
| I was a bit disappointed.
I find this anime overphilosophized. I think I understand most of the messages of the anime, but I think they used the wrong tools to express these messages.
You don't know what is reality and what is not. I think one of the main points in the anime is this but they did it in a wrong way. While in other movies (eg. Total Recall) this reality or not question was perfectly fit into the story, in Lain it is, how to say, arbitrary.
Animation and sound average.
Main characters are good.
Story feels overcomplicated, which worsens value and enjoyment.
I personally wouldn't recommend this anime, only if you are greatly interested in hardly understandable philosophy.
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|
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| Average |
5.0 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
5 |
| Character |
4 |
| Value |
4 |
| Enjoyment |
4 |
| Like all dementia based anime, Serial Experiments Lain (SEL)was going to be a hit-or-miss case. With a theme based on the internet (in Lain's terms The Wired) and self (ego), it was expected from the beginning itself, that this was going to be a heavy anime. Like most anime of this genre, it starts out with un-explained events, obscure dialogue about life, and things which do not make any sense what so ever. Slowly, we are introduced to Lain's (very awkward) family and events start to unfold which give the series some sort of cohorence.
Note that I said - "some sort of". There is not really much to make out in this anime. Lain is a simple introverted girl, who is urged to go out and events take place which reveal her into something totally different from what she is (basically not an introverted girl). The storyline never really picks up - there is always a hint of what is going on - but nothing is made all clear. If you think of this series to make 100% sense, with everything laid bare - go somehwere else. By the middle of the series, new events take the series into a totally tangentially direction from where it was heading. Then from episode 9, more events occur which only add spice to the un-explained factors and take yet another 90 degree turn. By the end of the series - you are left with - "So, whats uh.. the deal? What really happened?" I found the answers to this on fansites, wikipedia etc.
Perhaps the weakest par of the series is are the characters. Lain's family for one, is practically equivalent to 4 strangers under one roof. Lain's sister is the biggest question mark on the series. (I still don't know what happens to her). Her friends are wierdos and other characters such as Knights, the three kids are plain enigmas. The last character introduced is yet another "turn of the screw" character. And with most characters talking about techno-philosophical stuff like - ego, self, wired, protocols, god, free will, holograms on the world etc. by episode 13 my head was starting to take the whole series as a farce. To top it all, no characters (except Lain, in a strange way) go through any shred of character developement troughout the series' entire run. Oh, and did I mention they are all sleep inducing?
Did I like SEL? No. It just doesn't make sense. I cannot digest the nature of man, god and the internet to be interrealted as how they have tried to show in SEL. By the end, it was as if the story-writer went on an acid-trip and came up with a series about god, holograms, the internet and wierd characters all rolled into one. Do I recommend this? No, I wouldnt recommend this to anime viewers unless you like your series with the config of 30% said, 70% unsaid. I would also not recommend this to dementia based viewers - watch Boogiepop instead. For all those who liked Paranoia Agent - this is up your street. A for me, I witll not be putting SEL in my "not so great list".
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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|
|
| Average |
7.3 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
8 |
| Value |
7 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| One of the most unique and surreal animes ever created, Serial Experiments Lain will have you thinking from beggining to end, questioning and guessing about the plot.
Right off the bat, the animation will set the tone for this surreal anime: dull colors, the use of spots in shadows and the background, and the pervasive power lines in the distance and foreground. While not spectacular (the anime was created in 1999) the animation is solid and captures the mood of the story and of Lain herself extremely well. It is especially interesting to see the conceptualization of "The Wired".
The sound is good, I loved the ending song, and the soundtrack also set the mood for the story. The ever-present electric hum of the power lines and the crackling of the hard drives will set the mood for this surreal anime. The pulsing techno beats of the Wired is contrasted with the stready hum of the real world and makes you question the reality of Lain's world.
The story is incredibly complex and non-linear. There isn't an evil to defeat or a quest to achieve or an objective to conquer. Lain is merely stumbling her way into finding out about herself by questioning and exploring both the real world and the Wired to find out about her reality. While there is much about the plot that is left unexplained, the mysterious and surreal qualities of the series are left intact throughout the series. Even after the series is finished we are left with questions about Lain's true self and as to what is really "reality".
However, one drawback about the story is its' fairly slow pace and lack of action or intense drama. For some, this might turn them off of the story completely, but for me, the surreal and mysterious aspects of the story kept me entertained and interested.
Lain is a truly fascinating character. At first a shy, introspective girl with no friends and no interest or knowledge of the "Wired", she develops over the course of the series tremendously; becoming almost a completely different person, yet staying at her core the true Lain. Lain's conflicts with and questioning about whether or not she has "another self" is also fascinating.
I also found the "God" character and Alice to be interesting, especially Lain's interaction with the two characters and how her personality and character changes and develops due to those interactions and the knowledge she gains from each of them.
The only characters I have a problem with are the Knights and the two mysterious men in suits, neither of whose motivations are ever truly explained or fleshed out. I would have liked to see more of these characters in the series.
Lain has value because of its' unique nature, but its' slow pace makes it hard to rewatch unless you are attempting to discover new things about the plot which you missed the first time around.
I enjoyed this anime, and truly loved the Lain character and the surreal nature of the anime.
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|
|
| Average |
2.8 |
| Animation |
5 |
| Sound |
3 |
| Story |
1 |
| Character |
2 |
| Value |
5 |
| Enjoyment |
1 |
| Ok listen up people who rated this anime. What I think this anime is worth overall is a 3 out of 10. It may be a mysterious story but it is a boring one. Usually the point of making a mysterious story is to keep the audiences watching. It doesn't explain very well of what is going on with all that comp language. Which leaves us watching until we try to find out but left dissapointed.
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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|
|
|
| Average |
6.0 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
3 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
4 |
| Enjoyment |
4 |
| I loved how this started out: full of mystery and intrigue. Then steadily as I watched all 13 episodes, my interest declined. Finally, when the "being" explained things towards the end, I was totally put off by his psycho-babble.
Overall: Disappointed.
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petran79 |
(2007-11-23 14:36:31) 2006-03-30 07:34:17 |
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| Average |
7.7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
7 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| I admit that I admire that sort of abstract and slow paced movies in generall that leave the viewer some space to think and not trying to be so manipulative. Fortunately SEL was one of those movies. Since this was an anime it was the more impressive. And at a moment I was wondering what anime to watch, this increased my interest in anime even more.
As far as the story is concerned I didnt find this so terribly difficult to grasp. Though the messages hidden in the story are far more complex. The central problem I couldnt comprehend was how the internet and the Navi computers in Lain's futuristic society were functioning. I couldnt grasp how the protocol v7 worked exactly and how the subconscious was connected to it. Now that is not possible to be explained adequately in an animated feature. I have to read relevant books and theories but regardless whether the theories applied in SEL are feasible or not (I highly doubt it) at least the concept works in a symbolic manner for the sake of simplicity. Just regard the current conflicts of how to control the flow of information and the loss of privacy emerging from this, being valid at an even greater and dangerous rate in SEL world. Of course there are tons of sites explaining the world of Lain and the many theories regarding the Wired and its way of functioning. Some I visited were very interesting. But I'd recommend visiting them after watching the anime since they include spoilers
As far as the stylistic and musical appearance of the anime goes I felt mostly impressed. Dont expect beautiful landscapes or action-paced battles. Just the cold, realistic and depressing urban backgrounds, the soulless Navi computers (accompanied by the nerv-racking humming of the computer fan and the noise of the hard disk), the psychedelic images in the Wired and lastly the deafening and upheaving club music. The melancholic and very nicely composed opening theme predisposes the viewer to the climate of this anime.
I was satisfied with the characters. A character doesnt necessarily have to be talkative or rouse feelings and get the viewers sympathy or dislike. Lain as a character is exceptionate. Her expression as she realizes her true identity and how the world around her slowly transforms into something that left me deeply impressed and pondering how closely related to today's world the story is, is convincingly adapted to animation. A film would perhaps be more suitable but for an anime they've done a remarkably good job.
One of the most serious animes available and a necessary watch. It is complex indeed and recommended at experienced viewers but the fact that it manages to maintain an accessible pace makes it captivating. It just requires patience. Having watched similar films or animes or having read similar books is a necessary prerequisite to grasp what is going on.
Demands a couple of viewings and it may not be that enjoyable the second time but overall it is worth having in your collection, especially for dementia lovers
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1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
9.0 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
10 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
10 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| It is just fascinating the way this series is idolatred by some ones and got really low marks from anothers.
I would say, Serial Experiments Lain is the sort of anime that are highly oriented to a specific public and not to common public. Knowing a little more than the basis in IT, ->NETWORKING<- and physics is recomendable or necesary I should say. Having the right knowledge helps to improve greattly the enjoyment of this series.
At first I watched at this series with almost no knowledge on networking and I would say it was a kick in ....... to keep with the series but then some years later I have watched it after being really specialized in networking and I really enjoyed Serial Experiments Lain.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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MACHO |
2006-03-12 14:19:41 |
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| Average |
6.7 |
| Animation |
6 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
7 |
| Value |
6 |
| Enjoyment |
5 |
| Serial Experiments Lain is a very abstract anime. It's extremely difficult to follow because the plot just jumps around and doesn't flow like your typical anime. Just when you think you're finally understanding what's going on the next episode throws you off again. The animation is a bit old since this did come out in 98, but besides that everything else is mediocre.
If you're the type of person that likes to think about what the anime truly means then you might enjoy S.E.L. The open ended ending enables the viewer to think about the plot and to interpret it however they want to.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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|
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| Average |
9.0 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
10 |
| Serial Experiments Lain will screw with your head a lot. I've been to boards about Lain, and each person has a different point of view of what Lain means because this anime never tells you a concrete answer of what has happened. It will confuse you, it will decieve you, and it will make you scream.
Lain is a story about a girl that becomes addicted to the Wired (possible, just the internet). As Lain connects to the Wired and relies more and more on the Wired for information, her world between the real world and the wired begin to blur. She is then asked to believe that there are more than one of her, and if she is the real one or is there another one in the wired.
The animation is old, pretty bad to me. All i can remember in the music is the buzzing of the electric lines, but the opening theme (Duvet by BoA) makes the audience interested in Lain. This is one of the only opening songs ive actually watched through because it was so well done.
Try watching Lain sometime. After you do, ask yourself if you fully understand it. Did it mess with your head? Did it make you think hard? Did you understand it completely? Serial Experiments Lain is praised because it raises these questions.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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Donal |
(2006-02-25 04:13:40) 2006-01-01 16:14:45 |
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| Average |
7.7 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| First time I've started watching Serial Experiments Lain, I was captivated by the opening. It was so perfect I wouldn't risk to deceive myself with the first episode. The song, the fine and acute but simple drawings, the voice (a lovely one), this lonely crow eating some trash papers, and a girl with an haircut I would never have dreamt of, what else could I ask ?
This is the first (and I expect, the last) anime of which I have watched the full opening each episode.
Still, after a few viewings of the opening (hm...I didn't count, ok ?), I took the risk to know more, or to be more accurate, to know less. That could be expected when dealing with such serious issues as Reality, God, Humain Being, Men in Blacks and Aliens.
The end let me a twisted feeling. However I've watched through the 13 episodes with expectation, curiosity, intense thinking and sometimes true boredom. I recommend you this if you are tired of animes fulls of clichés.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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| Average |
6.8 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
7 |
| Story |
8 |
| Character |
6 |
| Value |
5 |
| Enjoyment |
7 |
| One of the weirdest and messed up animes i have ever seen.This series is definitely not for everyone.while not bad at all the story seems to drag on and show no sign of life.
The animation is pretty good and creates that dark atmosphere with dark colors.you hardly see any bright colors.
The sound was nothing too special.The opening was very catchy while the ending was just a horror to listen to.
The story is very original and unique.Maybe even too unique.The plot gets deeper and more complex with every epsiode and some people(like me)may get very confused towards the end.While it has a deep story , it seems to get boring quick and requires alot of patience to sit through.
The characters are some of the emptiest and dullest people i have ever seen.no life in them at all.They're practically all blocks of wood that show no emotion or reaction to anything.boooring characters overall.
value is not too high.hard to sit through to re-watch(tends to make me fall asleep) although some people absolutley cherish this anime.(some people like watchin f*cked up people that live in f*cked up societys)the bizarre story will only be appreciated by a small audiance.
it was very difficultt enjoy the series.Altogether, a dead atmosphere,3rd world boring characters,and a crazy bizarre story makes SER a great sleeping pill,unless you like bizarre messed up psycotic stories of course.
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0 of 0 people found this review helpful.
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|
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| Average |
8.3 |
| Animation |
8 |
| Sound |
8 |
| Story |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Value |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
8 |
| Serial Experiments Lain really creates an alternative universe where one ends up questioning what reality is (or isn't?) The plot can be confusing at times but it is worth trying to keep track of it all and can be interpreted in many different ways. Trippy, cerebral, well worth watching.
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