To summarize Serial Experiments Lain’s plot is not a simple task. The show is very trippy, feels pieced together, and is able to be interpreted as it goes along. It starts off when Lain receives an email from a deceased classmate whom had recently committed suicide. In it she talked about how she no longer had a need for a body and that “the wired” is the true reality. From there, the story unfolds as Lain finds her identity and what the wired, the next step in human evolution, really is.
There is a lot that can be taken from in Serial Experiments Lain. Depending on how you look at it, there are a lot of existentialist themes pertaining to religion as well as Computers and AI. Serial Experiments Lain is a show that really should be paid attention to. Mindlessly watching doesn't work and isn't much fun as it’s such an interpretive piece.
Similar to its story, Serial Experiments Lain does a number of unique things in its own respect. Throughout the show, it uses twentieth century 3D computer graphics and animations for sequences where characters are in the wired or things going on screen. It also occasionally uses red paint splatters on shadows and psychedelic words on screen.
Beyond Lain’s creative aspects, the show is not much to look at. The visuals look fairly dated and coloring is either washed out or muted. Character designs are akin to that of Studio Ghibli’s style but throughout the anime switches to a creepy, more detailed version model that doesn't look right with the show.
To Serial Experiments Lain is a mysterious creepy show which is complimented by its sound. Bridget Hoffman does an excellent job portraying the shy protagonist’s soft and monotonous voice in the English dub. A lot of sound effects include buzzing, clicking, and other computer related noises that make it feel more technological. There is not much music but when there is, it is often guitar riffs or techno which add a little to the scene, but nothing memorable.
Overall, Serial Experiments Lain is a weird, yet intriguing anime. Most of what makes it worth watching is its bizarre and interpretive writing. It is one you really have to be paying attention to in order to begin to understand what is going on and get something out of it. The art and sound are not very special aside from the heavy 90’s technological vibe, but complement the story well. It is not something that pertains to my taste, but if you are into trippy and confusing stories, than it may be worth a watch.
