Serial Experiments Lain - whats it like?

IanC

Adventurer
Pretty much the question... I wonder mainly cus i just ordered the entire series pretty cheap from The Right Stuf (breaking one of my Laws about getting the UK release if i can, i know :( but if i like it enough ill probably pick up the uk release down the line)
 
Mind bending, thought provoking story set in a cold, modern day atmosphere. Be ready to put your thinking cap on, just like Evangelion, it took me several viewings before I was able to grasp certain things about Lain.

It's not an anime that will be loved by everyone- it's slow moving and often confusing, but it has gained respect in cult circles for daring to be different and having faith in the intelligence of it's viewers.

Oh and to make up for your temporary defection to R1, you can buy Texhnolyze from MVM in June- another great series from the brains behind Lain (not to mention Haibane Renmei) ;)
 
Well if l said it was the reverse matrix without guns l would be lying, likewise if l said it was a technified Dark City. The plot is very difficult to describe. As Paul said it is different. Very different. It also seems to do two very difficult things to pull off. One is to be slow but not dull, the other is when they give you an answer the give you three more questions, and making it so you don't want to throttle the writer.
Would recomend watching it, but would advise renting ALL of it before buying as it is one of those that is very much polarised into 'got it' and 'didn't get it', with very little room in the middle, and NOTHING to distract from the mind bending. No GDR's, no gunfights, no kung fu, no tk battles, nada.
Now will say some spoiler type ranty things
Didn't really like the ending as it was a little too much of a Blue Pill, ie click fingers and all is right with the world.
 
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Paul said:
Mind bending, thought provoking story set in a cold, modern day atmosphere. Be ready to put your thinking cap on, just like Evangelion, it took me several viewings before I was able to grasp certain things about Lain.

It's not an anime that will be loved by everyone- it's slow moving and often confusing, but it has gained respect in cult circles for daring to be different and having faith in the intelligence of it's viewers.
Oh i like the sound of that. Boogiepop phantom certainly had me intrigued, and this sounds like its in a similar style. (often confusing, may need more than one watch, been different etc)

Oh and to make up for your temporary defection to R1, you can buy Texhnolyze from MVM in June- another great series from the brains behind Lain (not to mention Haibane Renmei) ;)
Both of them are already on my to get list :p
I especially cant wait for Haibane Renmei :D

Just that in this case, i couldnt resist a deal....
 
Still haven't watched my Lain DVDs yet, Texhnlyze was enough thinking for me for a while :lol:

I just wanted to add another title to the list by the Lain people that no one ever seems to mention and that's Niea Under Seven. Extremely under rated but soooooooooooooo worth watching. :D
 
This serie was a mind ****. You need to have a very open mind when watching it. Its not one of them serie you can watch late at night when you feel abit sleepy it needs your full constracen.
 
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