Rating: 
Summary: Not for everyone
Review: I typically shy away from buying a series. But this one is more like a long movie. It is original, and it keeps you guessing as the series evolves. (This applies to the whole Lain set.) It is not typical anime in that it is not saturated with violence, gunfire, and nudity. But for a mindbender, it doesn't get any better than this.
Rating:
Summary: New world.
Review: If this show was done in live action in english in America it would be come a sleeper hit. Each layer(eposide) leaves new questions for a person to ask. Not questions dirrectly in the layer but of a person to ask of themsleves and the new socaity based on the internet. Of the outcasts in schools without friends, who become different people on the internet. "Close this world. Open the next"
Rating:
Summary: Lain is Freaky
Review: The Lain series has all the strangeness of 2 full seasons of the X-Files. Even though I never really fully understood what was happening (even at the end of the series! need to watch again...) I was eager for more and more. The opening theme song is cool (you won't tire of hearing it), the animation is nice and clean, and the voices are good. If you are going to buy this DVD - you should buy the other 3 too!
Rating:
Summary: Seen 'em all, love 'em all.
Review: After hearing about this series for about a month, I thought that I should cheak it out. From the discriptions I heard about it, it was a wierd, psycological kind of anime, just what I was looking for. After geting the subtitled bundle(I always prefer subtitles) I began my Lain experience. Boy, not only was the animation and colors better then I expected, but it was also as bizare and involving as I hoped it would be, even better. I never have any problems with the Japanese voice actors, and Shimizu Kaori does a great job of giving you the mysteriousness and curiousness of the main character, Lain. I don't want to say too much about the actual plot or characters, I find it best to take everything in fresh, which is what I did for this series. So, if you like anime, or films that really stretch your mind and beliefs, then this is the film for you.
Rating: 
Summary: Pleasantly surprising
Review: I was first drawn to this video by the packaging alone. After seeing the unique design for the series' boxes, I decided it would be in my best interest to see the series itself. Not wanting to spend a lot of money on a series I wasn't even sure would be good, I decided to wait until my local video store got a copy. Thank goodness they did, because it turned out to be one of the most impressive pieces of anime I'd ever seen apart from the few Hayao Miyazaki films I've been fortunate enough to view.Right from the get-go, Serial Experiments: Lain is an attention-grabber. I enjoyed the opening theme ("Duvet") by Boa so much that I am currently trying to find their debut album "The Race of a Thousand Camels" somewhere at a decent price. (It's only available as a Japanes import thus far.) The animation in the opening credits sequence is also very creative, due to the fact that it is quite rare to see the hand-held camera look and the use of jump cuts in animation. The show itself took me a while to warm up to. It wasn't until Layer 03 that I realized I was watching an amazing example of anime. It is deliberately slow-paced, so as to give the viewer as much information in the amount of time as the makers so choose. I was quite pleased to view a story unfolding in which I could honestly say that I had no idea where they were going with it. I was also striken by the stark, minimalistic style of the animation, yet another aspect that makes Serial Experiments: Lain such a unique work. Serial Experiments: Lain is obviously not for everybody, but it is sure to please those who are tired of the only successful anime being the blood-and-guts and sex-laden series. Lain is a series that respects both the intelligence and attention span of the audience. Now if only the video store will get the rest of the series...
Rating:
Summary: Computers and Schoolgirls, what more do you want?
Review: Hello Navi. The first time I watched Lain, I was hooked. From the menu screen to the extras at the end, Lain is striking. The animation is very well done, and the plot is wonderfully cyber-punk. Each episode gives only enough information to keep you asking questions.
Rating: 
Summary: The beginning of a goose chase...and the buyer gets goosed.
Review: With all the rave reviews, you would think Lain is the second coming of Walt Disney. In reality, Lain is just a shallow back alley of anime. After viewing the full 13 episodes of the series, the beginning appears to be little more then a string of obfuscated images and events which never fuse into a cohesive or entertaining whole. Lain, the pubesant girl who is the focus of the series, leaves very little for the viewer to adhere to as she begins her path of self realization via interaction with the wired (internet). Drug trip imagery and narration start off instantly and throw the viewer off balance immediately when there could be a better pacing to develope reality and the blurring of its edges. 'Youth consumed by technology' is a darn interesting subject, however the writer lost the point and didn't ever fully examine the scope of his story as an expression or posturing about modern culture. 'Lain' was probably a knee jerk creation derived from a person seeing the internet intrude into popular mainstream culture with decisive force. Never having prolonged exposure or adequate foresight, the creator of 'Lain' uses images and structures of detachment, fear and chaos because the finesse in the central influence behind 'Lain' was never maturely explored by the creator's mind. Since such potential is never even touched on, the philosophy and social value of Lain appears wholly immature. The animation is minimal, and rather bad at times. Many fans of this series get the thrill of trying to extrapolate meaning from thoughtless images and cominations of odd occurances which never proceed to logical conclusion. The pacing is disasterously slow, though the beginning will vex you because of the threads presented, so beware that the first 4 episodes may enthrall you via their wistful and sometimes harsh alignment of images. There are plenty of other anime which present the human element in far more naturally expressive ways without reaching for pretentious (and confusing) plotting to obscure lack of a meaningful premise. 'Lain' will make most anime fans angry to have wasted their money, and the others will feel elevated and envigorated because they have begun to use their dormant imaginations to fill in the gaping crevaces in the story left behind by a writer who had little imagination to begin with. Rent this stink bomb before buying, please.
Rating:
Summary: Lain- as good as anime gets?
Review: Lain is a thought provoking exploration of the nature of reality and how technology effects it. I highly recommend it for anyone who appreciates Japanese animation or who would like to see the best argument for consensual reality ever filmed.
Rating:
Summary: Please exercise caution when viewing this...
Review: clarification. Do NOT watch this alone, do NOT sit for hours watching the entire series in one weekend, and by all means do NOT forget to take breaks between layers. Why? it will take your brain and twist it, it'll play games with the shadows and all you'll be able to do is say Whoa. Do we all really want to become Keanu Reeves? There is really nothing in this series which really needs warning except for the pure weird factor. I know plenty of hardcore sci-fi/fantasy buffs who are having a hard time getting though this thinking of all the plots to the story the first time. All kidding aside, this is an excellent introduction to the series... and truly the whole series is excellent. I am forever indebted to that great guy who told me to look into Serial Experiments: Lain. The first of the anime genre to pull me out of my text-only Gibson dominated world. Definitely definitely advise to all who enjoy a bit of wonder and curiosity and "Huh? Why?" But I do advise watching this with someone else, maybe they picked up on something you didn't - or worst case scenario one of you will have to get up for a minute and you'll be able to exercise your brain and reflect. I loved every minute of it... but really shouldn't have watched them nonstop the first time alone. :)
Rating:
Summary: Weirder than Eva, but easier to understand. Watch it.
Review: This is one of those series that's too complex to explain and still do justice to, so for all of you who like "intellectual, deep" (or whatever you want to call it) series, this is great stuff. The whole series relies on repetition, strangely distant human interaction, and surreal layouts that make you wonder exactly what reality you are looking at. The dubbing is excellent, and the voices are believable and agreeable to the ear. (I have the dubbed collection) The pace may be off-putting to some, but I personally enjoy suspense and deliberation. Not many guns or bouncing breasts. No mecha. You do get to see what God looks like, though. Beware Lain's mom's face....I don't know what is with that woman. The opening song is outstanding; it's one of those that sticks in your head, but you don't mind too much. As for the comparisons to Eva, I see some resemblances, of course, but I also see some relation to The Matrix. All in all, Lain is an accomplished addition to the whole Plato's Cavern/questionable-reality film genre.
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