Anime created in the 1990sis celebrated for numerous reasons. Many of the decade’s biggest shows have a visual aesthetic that goes beyond nostalgia,and few series have been able to replicate anything like it since. Beyond that, however, Japan’s economic downturn in what became known as the Lost Decade led to a change in the sort of stories being told. Anime suddenly took a turn inward, and focus shifted towards psychological or character-driven dramas, likeNeon Genesis Evangelion,Cowboy Bebop, and arguably the decade’s most underappreciated classic,Serial Experiments Lain.
Animated by Triangle Staff, 1998’sSerial Experiments Lainoffers everything and more fans have come to expect from the decade’s best anime productions. A classic visual style and highly ambitious direction are present throughout the series' concise 13-episode run, and many of its scenes are still featured in the countless ‘lo-fi hip-hop beats to study to’ videos uploaded every day.More importantly,Serial Experiments Lainwas prophetic, and its vision of the digital age to come changed the cyberpunk genre forever.
Lain and the Fear of the Digital Age
Serial Experiments Lain Tackles a Future in Which Information Rules
WatchingSerial Experiments Lainnearly 30 years after its premiere is a strange experience. On one hand,the series offers a nostalgic view of a time in which the internet was still in its infancy. It seemed as though entire worlds were hiding behind websites filled with Comic Sans text, and the anime’s naive view of what exactly the common computer might be capable of now comes off as somewhat sweet. On the other hand,Serial Experiments Lainis oftenhorrifyingly accurate in its depiction of a futurein which the internet rules.
The mostly non-linear narrative ofLaincan be disorientating, but that isn’t without reason. Lain Iwakura, a middle school student, is introduced as a loner. She has friends she can talk to in class, but is shown to be incredibly reserved and spends much of her time out of school cooped up in her room. This characterization of Lain makes it all the more confusing when she’s then shown to bewild and outgoing when briefly spotted at the futuristic nightclub, Cyberia.
The Wired,Lain’s version of the internet, plays a prominent role in the series, and effectively splits the series' protagonist into separate beings. Her real world self is the meek girl the audience follows in the real world, while the more outgoing version spotted at the nightclub is her Wired personality. When the Wired consumes Lain, as the internet does to people every day, the personalities blend, andit becomes difficult for both Lain and the viewer to distinguish what is and isn’t reality.
Long before the advent of social media,Serial Experiments Lainexplored the possible consequencesof the barrier between real and online personalities disappearing. If not for the absolutely massive computer towers and hilariously ’90s online interfaces, it might be difficult to believe the series predates much of the internet as it’s known today.
Lain Wasn’t the First, But It Was Highly Influential
The Influence of Serial Experiments Lain Can Be Felt in Many Shows that Followed
Serial Experiments Lainwasn’t the first anime to tackle many of these themes. Its intense focus on identity and connection, as well as its final obstacle being a plot to ascend to a higher state of existence, areideas explored in 1995’sNeon Genesis Evangelion. However,Lainwas the first to explore these themes entirely on its own terms. WhereEvangelionhid much of its philosophy underneath giant robot fights, only to reveal its true game after flying off the rails in its second half,Lainnever gets on the rails to begin with.
Confusing from the jump and entirely unwilling to explain itself,Lainis uncompromising in its vision, and its influence is felt in many anime series that followed. Shows like 2004’sParanoia Agentand 2006’sErgo Proxyare both similarly uncompromising, and deliver their themes without attempting to make themselves marketable. The latter is one of the most underrated cyberpunk thrillers in the genre, and a severely overlooked show from the 2000s. The former isthe late Satoshi Kon’sone and only TV anime series that also touches on themes of identity, reality, and collective consciousness.
Unfortunately, when the most influentialanime of the 1990s are discussed,Serial Experiments Lainisoften placed in a tier below many of its contemporaries, despite being just as ambitious and groundbreaking for its time. There’s a chance its reputation has taken a hit since release due to just how difficult it can be to follow, and also because it now exists in the future it predicted. However, that’s no reason to skip the classic series.
Serial Experiments Lain Might Be Confusing, But It’s Worth It
The Cult Classic Anime Can Be Intimidating From the Outside Looking In
Serial Experiments Lain’s absolute unwillingness to compromise, though commendable and incredibly entertaining once it becomes apparent that not every minute detail will be caught, likely works against its legacy. Now existing in the social climate it predicted nearly three decades ago, the series might simply not connect with those whonever knew of an internet landscape other than that which is present online today. And if the new generation of anime fans cannot connect, it becomes all the more unlikely thatLain’s mysteries will continue to be appreciated.
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Cyberpunk is an important part of anime history, with the best cyberpunk anime using the medium’s strengths to enhance the genre’s themes.
However, for those willing to put in the extra work to really get a grasp on everythingSerial Experiments Lainoffers, the anime’s haunting vision of a future that has largely come to pass has proven the series to be downright prophetic. It just so happens to have the immaculate vibes and aesthetic anime fans have come to love about the decade’s greatest titles, as well.Lainmay not get the recognition it deserves for just how influential it was on other highly psychological works in the cyberpunk genre, though after all this time,those who buy into the series all learn to love Lain.
Serial Experiments Lain
Cast
Serial Experiments Lain is a Japanese anime series directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura, following teenager Lain Iwakura as she becomes increasingly entangled in the enigmatic virtual world called the Wired. Through confronting various psychological and philosophical dilemmas, the series delves into themes of identity, reality, and consciousness, challenging viewers with its layered narrative and complex visuals.
