I won't talk about the story too much, as saying pretty much ANYTHING would be a spoiler, at least in my opinion. The most basic I can make it is that this young girl named Lain lives in a time where computers are everywhere, and something known as "The Wired" is drawing people in, becoming more than just a portal to the world wide web. This includes one of Lain's classmates, who's recent death is more suspicious than it first seems. The plot deals with themes such as technology's role in peoples daily lives, how we relate to everyone around us, and the value of human interaction. It's not a show you'll "get" the first time, at least not 100%. But Serial Experiments Lain is unique in that even though I didn't always understand what was happening, I was NEVER bored! The story has a way of drawing you in it, much like the wired does to many people in the show. It's an amazingly well paced and deep story which I won't dare say another word about, in fear of giving too much away.
The art is amazing. The art was unique for it's time because the art director of the show was actually forbidden from watching anime while growing up, so he had no idea what the typical anime style was. The characters look relatively less cartoony and more real than a lot of other anime, which makes sense because this show is far from cartoony! The colour pallet is very dark, lot's of blues, beiges, and dark greens giving the vibe of cyberpunk, which I love. The animation is also solid, never looking cheap or half-assed.
The sound is another standout element of this series. As far as music goes, their's very little. Sometimes a psychedelic, backmasked guitar may appear to make a scene particularly visceral or mind blowing, and it always works. Aside from that, a lot of the soundtrack consists of ambient noise. Wires humming with electricity, idle chatter of city streets, keyboards and mice clicking. It's all done to give you the feeling that there is no moment of total silence in this world, that Lain is always surrounded by technology or people, most of the time both! The sound design adds to the atmosphere wonderfully, and can be quite relaxing! Side note; watching this show right before you go to bed is a great idea! The opening is somewhat unique, in that it's in English, done by an English speaking band! The song is called "Duvet" by a British band called "Boa", and it's absolutely fantastic. It fits the show perfectly, is achingly beautiful, and was my favourite opening of all time before I had even seen the show!
As far as characters go, the only one that really matters is Lain. She starts out as your usual quiet, shy student who's perfectly content keeping to herself. But as she is exposed to the wired, new elements of her personality begin to come to the surface. As a character Lain is very interesting because it's really up to you what exact role she plays! You can find hundreds of theories on what Lain is and why she is the way she is. There are side characters, like Lain's sister, and her family, as well as her small group of friends. They are not explored as much because really, they don't need to be. Lain's family is about as drab as they come, never talking to each other, and never showing any emotion towards each other. With the theme of this show mainly being human communication in a world overrun with technology, this makes total sense.
Overall, I enjoyed this show immensely. If it was any longer than it is, it probably would have gotten a little tiresome. But at 13 episodes, it's the perfect length and makes sure that this will be a series I'll be revisiting some time very near in the future! The show can be streamed legally for free on Funimation's official website, as well as being available for purchase in a blu ray/DVD combo pack from Funimation as well.
