Society today: a modern world that more and more gets sucked into the fold of the internet, or to be more precise, social networking. The distance barrier between people is long gone, we can communicate at the speed of light with any place in the world that has an internet connection. In a way, this connects us into a somewhat larger collective – a collective in which we retain our identities, are seperate – and yet part of something bigger, together, as one. You can call that anything you want, this is merely my observation.

And this is kind of where Serial Experiments Lain takes off. It seems that we are at a time like this, where computers can handle a lot of stuff. Lain Iwakura is the primary protagonist of the show. She is a young schoolgirl, innocent, appears to have a normal life. Her dad is somewhat obsessed with computers, seems to have many machines connected in a local network in his room. However things do change significantly when her dad tries to share the passion by giving Lain a top-of-the-line “NAVI” – which is basically a computer. Lain develops a strong affection for everything involving computers, and it isn’t so long before she writes programs, modifies her machines… that kind of stuff.

We come to learn that the internet, or some more technologically advanced version of it, is called “The Wired”. It appears to be possible for people to enter it entirely including their soul, and being transferred back again into the original body, using the NAVI as a medium for these kind of connections. The Wired is one of the center stages of this story, and has quite a significant meaning. It should also be noted that more advanced versions of the NAVI are capable of voice recognition, much similar in the fashion Macs can today.

Lain and her friends sometimes hang in a nightclub named “Cyberia”, which is… somewhat unique. Can’t tell you more without spoiling the show, I hope you understand.

As the show is only 13 episodes, I can’t write too much without giving it all away. Let’s just say that this is most definitely one of the top-ten Animes ever made for sure, and that it could be a predecessor to the Zeitgeist documentaries. It shakes hand with Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, and The Matrix. It also touches on certain subjects such as the collective unconsciousness of mankind, or in other words, how we are indeed all connected. And not seperated from time and space, as it is currently assumed.

What’s left to say, is, that although a bit older, this is most definitely one of the shows you should get your hands on, preferably now. It might change some of your perceptions of the reality you live in – even.

Serial Experiments Lain
Director: Ryutaro Nakamura
Genre: Cyberpunk, Psychological thriller
Studio: Triangle Staff
Original run: July 6, 1998 – September 28, 1998
Episodes: 13