Marcus Daly

I've been very curious about the Lain series. The story line and imagery are fascinating. Are they worth picking up?

Joel Mathis

I'll give it a hesitant yes. It's really dependant on a few things. If you enjoy anime for strong visual elements than you'll enjoy Lain. If you like surreal films, then you'll probably enjoy Lain. However, if you're not currently an anime fan it's not a series I would recommend right off the bat (though I think it's very good) and if you're one of those people who need every detail spelled out in a film for whatever reason you won't enjoy it.

Beno

I'm looking at this series as well. I'm just getting into anime again, after almost 10 years.

I really liked Ghost in the Shell and Ninja Scroll, will I like Lain???

Thanks for any feedback...

DVDer

Moving to the Reviews forum.

--Heather

Moderator, DVD Talk & Reviews forums

Marcus Daly

Joel,

Thanks for the response. I'm a big Cronenberg/Lynch fan so I don't need narratives spelled out for me... and a strong visual style is very important. So I'll probably like them. Thanks again!

Cereal-Killer

The Lain series is great. It breaks off into many braches that even if you think you know how it's going to end or what is going on the ride getting there is very unpredictable. It feels like The X-Files by way of David Lynch. It's a radical change from the constant visual onslaught of other anime. The visual style remnds me of comic strips with bold colors and a simple style. I just wish it wasn't so short(13 episodes about a half hour each).

pagansoul

It will come across as very slow for anyone used to the standard anime feature. It does require you to think, if you just like action it will bore you to death.

jsc

I thought the movie was weird, weird enough that it kept me interested. Didn't like the ending.

RADIOHEAD

this series is absolutely gorgeous! If u liked Ghost in the shell then U will like this show. It's a little too high concept for me and i don't grasp all of it (I don't know anybody who really does). But I prefer to look at it like really cool art with fluid images, sure, it's pretentious and kind of self-righteous but it is still better than crap anime like ayane's high kick and wild 7.

Startide

Lain is a very stylistically presented original animation video (OAV) by Pioneer (so it has all the typical production values and voiceovers of Pioneer titles - this is a compliment). Since it is a Pioneer title, you have nothing to worry about technically as Pioneer titles are very homogenous in their presentation and type of extras offered.

If you are spoiled by films with a lot of moving visual detail (Macross, Ninja Scroll, Princess Mononoke, Ghost in the Shell) then you will notice the lack of it in Lain. Lain is very sparse with fine detail. However, it is obvious that the animating crew has the technical merit to give it to you as the animation provided is very clean and smooth.

Lain is not an action, romance, comedy, or horror movie. It is an artistic type of movie that comes out every now and then. If you remember Angel's Egg as another movie with stylistic presentation, then Lain is another in the genre. In local anime circles, Lain has its followers, among of which some like to say "Lain is cool!" simply because they want people to think that they understand this artistic OAV.

If you are building your collection, I again wish to point out that Lain is a series (which means expensive to finish).

And yes, I agree with all those who say Lain is "slow moving". It is not just slow to develop its plot over all its episodes, but slow in pacing.

my slowly growing dvd collection

[This message has been edited by Startide (edited 12-24-1999).]

Mayniac

Nitpick: Lain was a TV series.

If one liked the movies eXistenZ and The 13th Floor, one would prolly like Serial Experiments Lain as well. Lain, as mentioned by others, is very slow in pace compared to other anime that we're used to seeing.

It's definately in the "Must Have" anime collection list just for the great opening sequence alone.

Mayniac

Merlinthemage

Serial Experiments Lain has one comment about it that really describes it well. If you liked the SLOWEST parts of Evangelion, you will like Lain. That is very true since this is a very very strange tv series with very different production values on the series, all art is drawn to be very surreal and strange. The storyline is quite interesting, and Lain is definitely recommended...to some. If you like ghost in the shell and Ninja scroll, it is no definite guanrantee that you'd like Lain since it is completely different. There is basically no action, no sex, just a lot of paranoia, some cyber type stuff, and a lot of things that will make you say..huh? Well unless you're crazy, then you might actually think it's all completely normal

kitok

I found Serial Experiments Lain to be a thoroughly engrossing, thought provoking series. I agree with many on this list, that it isn't for everyone - but if you love David Lynch, the X-Files or anything of that genre you will also be intrigued by this series.

If you are looking for good info on anime available on DVD these are my favorite two sites:
http://www.animeondvd.com/ http://carnage.fanfic.org/

I hope that this was of some help to you.

Jeraden

Resurrecting ancient thread...

I finally got around to watching all the Lains over the past 2 days. I'll just say this has to be one of the most confusing shows I've ever seen, even surpassing Lost Highway. I'm still not sure exactly what happened. The first disc was pretty followable and clear, after that things just got very surreal and confusing. Its actually a good thing though, as I really enjoyed it. A bit puzzled by the ending though...

Dragon Fly

Bleah, Lain really didn't do much for me at all. I am basically a fan of all anime but this one was just to slow paced and out in left field or my taste. Othe stuff I do like are Tenchi, Gundam, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Neon Genesis, and El Hazard.

todd

adamblast

I can't give it a strong recommend, though I certainly enjoyed it and may watch the whole thing again.

It reminds me of the X-Files in a way--it had a central plot once and then lost track of it...

I didn't mind the pacing at all--just the sense that the storyline was incoherant--possibly more than they even intended, although it's meant to be oblique...

But hey, it's got one of the catchiest opening tunes in all of Anime!

RichC2

hehe - Lain is still one of my favorite anime series to date, up there with Cowboy Bebop (and the rising on my list Berserk). The story made close to perfect sense to me at the end, however, I did learn one thing - don't watch the show all at once, watch maybe 2 episodes at a time and give it a few days, it will sink in and stuff will make more sense, I actually liked the ending a lot and as a whole the show plain out kicked ass (entertaining, hypnotic, and competent). But, to each their own. Opening song still kicks ass all these years later, glad to see the band (Boa) got a US Album out finally, heh.

BTW for the few out there that liked the series, check out BoogiePop Phantom, that kicks some serious ass (on DVD later this year)

-Rich