For example, by the last episode, it is heavily implied that Lain was "born" in the Wired, without a counterpart in the real world. Thinking back on the events of the series, it's entirely possible that when Lain walks out of her house in episode 1, that is her first time stepping foot outside as a "real" person. The beginning of the series actually makes a lot more sense when rewatching it with that possibility in mind. "If you stay in a place like this, you may not be able to connect," one of the early on-screen messages reads. But this question is never answered directly. It's not even insisted that the viewer ask such a question; it's just something that occurred to me, as I'm sure it's occurred to other fans of the series. Just like it may occur to you on second viewing, when you realize that Lain can manipulate reality itself, that she probably forced that guy in Cyberia to kill himself, whether she was completely aware of what she was doing or not. For some viewers, this narrative style can be frustrating, but others welcome the challenge. You're not just idly observing an unfolding story, waiting for everything to be explained. You're actively creating your own version of it as you think over the events and information given on screen. It's not a question of "how deep is this show?" it's "how much does it stoke your imagination, and what does your perspective bring to the table?"
That said, by nature of the themes the show touches on, it does engage with ideas about identity, technology, reality, and connectedness that few series broach as deftly. However, it's easy to overlook the importance of themes like mental health, family and a child's social reality to the show. The irony is that everything is connected through the wired, everyone loves Lain in the wired, but in the real world Lain feels completely alone. She only really has one good friend in Arisu, who knows almost nothing about her. Her parents are rather hands off to put it generously, and her sister thinks she's a freak. Of course, they're not actually her real family, but she doesn't know that the whole time, and it's heartbreaking for her when she finds out. Just one moment in the series that shows how desperate Lain is for personal connections in the real world.
Lain isn't a girl who has created a fantasy online persona to make up for feelings of inadequacy in the real world. Lain's not escaping into the Wired. She's trying to escape FROM the Wired, though unbeknownst to her, she's been plopped into the real world according to someone else's agenda. She WANTS to be a normal, happy girl with friends. She seems incapable, but it's not all her fault. The world is a harsh place, and almost nobody seems to have an interest in the "real" Lain. This is perhaps exactly because of how the presence of the Wired has shaped real world interaction.
One way to think of this show, without getting distracted by the layers of symbolism and detail is that it's about a young girl, a social outcast, who happens to be given the ability and the choice to collapse reality. If she does, she will become a literal god, who can manipulate reality itself, and is revered by everyone. Instead, she chooses to preserve reality and erase herself from everyone's memory. The reason she makes this decision is that her friendship with Arisu proves that there is still value, still hope in the real reality that the virtual reality of the Wired sits on top of.
The more the world rejects the "real" Lain, the more she retreats into herself and into the Wired. I recently made a post touching on this while trying to defend the show from claims that it's lacking in terms of character depth, emotion, action, while overly interested in spewing out dry metaphysical and socially critical content (which obviously, I don't think is true at all). I'll quote that post here:
"...above all the thing I like about the show is how Lain is humanized. To me the moments between Lain and Arisu were extremely moving, and the most important part of the series. My fav scene is when Lain is on the roof of the school [episode 7] and she says "The real world isn't real at all." I think a lot of anime centered on similar themes would leave the scene at that, and that's the part of the scene a lot of people seem to remember. But what's special about [Serial Experiments] Lain is that Arisu comes to check on her in this moment, and asks "Are you ok? You're slipping away again lately" and Lain is clearly moved by her friend's concern. It shows that Lain's lack of belief in reality is a reflection of how little she feels she is a part of it. She doesn't feel connected to the "real world" because it doesn't seem to her like anyone cares about the "real" Lain..., which Arisu disproves."
After rewatching this scene I am struck by how clearly shaken Lain is by the thought that Arisu thinks Lain isn't happy about their friendship. She's so visibly terrified, and seems to be on the verge of tears. And Arisu reassures her by simply holding Lain's hands and smiling for a moment. I was tearing up myself just revisiting this scene. It also reminds me of the scene when Arisu first asks Lain to go out to Cyberia. The other girls are "teasing" Lain, saying they think they saw her at the club (they probably actually did see the Wired Lain, whether they know it or not). It's obvious Lain is some kind of quiet outcast by this point. The kind of person that often gets written off and labeled "gloomy" by her peers in anime. In this scene, Lain's expression makes her look completely helpless and uncomfortable, and Arisu steps in immediately to get her friends to stop picking on her. By choosing what action to show and when to show it carefully, and expressively drawing the characters, the show accomplishes so much with so little. This short scene is invaluable for getting the viewer to pity Lain and feel a sense of gratitude toward Arisu for simply being there for her.
Which brings me to the final element that solidifies this show as something truly incredible to me: The aesthetic and the detail. Every expression, every gesture, every ambient sound (the infamous electrical wires); the abstract scenes, the melding of the real and the wired, the layout and design of the environment, and the shots that turn real objects and patterns into symbols (the electrical wires!! and the trippy shadows). Every single moment and detail in this show oozes potential significance. It looks great, and truly creates and drags you into a unique world where you can feel Lain's desperate loneliness and confusion. It all contributes to the mood and disorients the viewer like Lain is disoriented in her desperate search for someone who will offer her some connection, some help to figure out what's going on. The hum of electricity that accentuates the physical quietness of the setting, but also the stifling omnipresence of the Wired. Often while initially watching it, I would pause, think about what I was looking at, rewind, replay, etc. just feeling overwhelmed from all of the detail present in a given scene.
Of course, as I mentioned earlier, the exact meaning of the detail is something you have to provide as a viewer. I don't think things like the shadows or wires literally inherently mean something in the show, but they're an example of a deliberate choice made by the show's designers that encourage the viewer to ask "what does this mean? What do I really think about what I'm seeing and hearing?" where they could've gone with simple, functional designs for the settings as is the case in tons of anime. In this show, each detail can hide meaning, and every aesthetic decision reinforces the mood, along with the thematic and emotional content playing out onscreen. From the moment I see those blurred cityscapes at the beginning of an episode, even today, I am immediately taken back into the world of Serial Experiments Lain!
While it may not have been the happiest world, like Lain, I am happy I had the chance to live in it.
