In which he states that the existence of an individual and their identity can truly be verified only through another person.Ĭonsidering this philosophy, we may find ourselves at a crossroads. This theme is in line with Georg Hegel’s work, The Phenomenology of Spirit. This leads to various depictions of Lain, even though she has acted as herself the entire time. While on the other hand, support characters have a completely different perception of Lain and her online interactions. The show illustrates how the perception of ourselves differs from the people we interact with.Īs viewers, we gradually understand Lain and grow closer to her.
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Serial Experiments Lain does a phenomenal job at incorporating this theme.
The second theme in Serial Experiments Lain tackles an even bigger concept identity. What differentiates the virtual world from reality? And, why does this matter? Because she has come to the conclusion that her physical body restricts her from being her true self.Īnd we as viewers are tasked with figuring out the answers to these questions: This philosophy is further explored following the death of Chisa and the spread of her email. And with most users having the ability to express themselves freely on the internet, it is quite possible that the virtual world is more ‘real’ than the actual world. The Internet is a medium for exchanging information across the globe. Serial Experiments Lain takes this notion one step further and challenges the viewers to ponder if this distinction changes anything. By bouncing back and forth between the two worlds, it’s easy to see how the lines can blur. The first theme correlates directly with an existential paradox - what exactly is reality? This is demonstrated when Lain questions herself and whether the people she encounters are real or virtual entities in the Wired. However, there are many themes to explore after watching the show. The ambiguous plot and experimental nature leave the show open to interpretation. With Lain completely immersed in the Wired, Alice not only helps Lain but also helps the audience distinguish between reality and the digital world. In fact, Alice’s role becomes an integral part of the storyline. Lain’s best friend Alice comes across as an unimportant character in the first few episodes, however, she gains more prominence in the latter half of the series. Which allows viewers to feel and understand the world at a similar rate.
Her lack of technical experience makes her the ideal character to learn more about the world as the plot unfolds. Lain is an introverted, somewhat antisocial, and curious individual who drives the entire narrative of the show. Overall, these characters mostly serve to aid the progression of Lain and help her obtain the answers she seeks. While other characters do exist, their significance and contributions are often negligible. And Lain gets most, if not all, of the screentime.
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Charactersĭue to the series being relatively short (13 episodes), the side character development for Serial Experiments Lain is quite limited. Needless to say, some may find this annoying, so this is not a show for everyone. This results in many fans re-watching the anime several times and drawing their own conclusions about the ambiguous nature of the plot.
So it’s easy to gloss over vital points if the viewer isn’t attentive. Instead of spoon-feeding the audience, this anime takes a more artistic approach that is reminiscent of a David Lynch film. And as time passes, Lain delves deeper into the digital realm and suffers an existential crisis.įrom the viewer’s perspective, the plot of Serial Experiments Lain unfolds in a subtle and abstract fashion. The email spurs Lain to explore The Wired for the purpose of decrypting the email left by her friend.
But that changes after she receives the email from her late colleague. Lain is a shy, reserved, and soft-spoken girl who has had little to no interaction with technology. One of the recipients of this ominous email is our protagonist, Lain Iwakura. ‘The Wired,’ as we discover, is another word for the digital world, or the internet. The email states that Chisa is not completely dead and that although she has parted from her physical body and became part of something far bigger - The Wired. And after her tragic passing, things take a turn for the weird when some of her classmates receive a post-mortem email from her. Serial Experiments Lain begins with the tragic suicide of a young girl named Chisa Yomoda.
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