Rating: 
Summary: Serial Experiments Lain
Review: A great series!Its very simple animated and yet its beautiful to watch, the music is superb from the Magnificent Opening theme Duvet to the far shout ending theme. Very good characterization of the main character and one of the best emotional animes I have ever seen It has very original story This series will confuse you heavely and I had to watch it twice to understand what was going on, this is so much better then the matrix will ever be and is recommended to people who loved Neon Genesis Evangelion series.
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Summary: I'm confused...
Review: It is very hard to review this item, for a few reasons. First, I would be giving away a lot of the storyline if i told you too much about the show. Plus, I don't fully understand it. It focuses on a young schoolgirl named Lain. She is very quiet and keeps to herself mostly. But when she gets her new "navi" computer system and gets all involved in the wired (A network for information exchange, gaming, and socializing) she comes to realize that she is not who she thinks she is. There are many different Lains. There is real world Lain, wired Lain and maybe even some others. After each episode, you will find yourself with a dozen more questions than before. When you see the last episode you will be begging for more answers. Overall, Lain is an awesome show this boxed set is definitely a good buy for anyone who has seen the show even once and liked it.
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Summary: Who Am I? Which Am I?
Review: This series is proof (if such was ever needed) that Japanese anime is far more than cartoon entertainment. It is a tightly worked study of innocence lost and the inherent destructiveness of the virtual 'wired' mindset. Using the story of Lain, a girl on the verge of womanhood, the series follows her 'adventures' in a Wonderland gone amok. Not so much a coming of age story as a warning that too much knowledge can be poisonous. When we meet Lain she is a computer ingénue, uncomfortable even using her Navi to talk to friends. Gradually Lain and the world within the computer become enmeshed. Almost without here awareness, her online persona takes on a style of its own - louder, more cynical, possible even evil. Lain finds that she is not sure which personality she really is, assuming that she is either one. The series spins layer upon layer, until the viewer is no more positive than is Lain. I am not going to dig any further into the plot, since I have reviewed the individual DVDs elsewhere. But I can promise that the story is both predictable and unpredictable. A tragic whimsy where final nirvana is played in somber tones. An extraordinary essay in the visual arts. The artwork and music for this series are as exceptional as the story. Visual and aural clues abound on a symbol-ridden landscape. Stylistically it uses static backgrounds with foreground animation to present a continually graphic effect. Both the progression of scenes and the images presented are complex, demanding viewer attention. Lain has had a cult following for some time (it won the excellence prize in Japan's 1998 Media Art Festival) but has come to US audiences slowly. This is a beautiful, experimental piece of film work. If that interests you than you will no doubt want the whole series. And the set is the best and most economic way way to accomplish that.
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Summary: Not for the beginner.
Review: Unlike much of the anime that makes it's way to the US, and then into American fanboi culture, Lain is not accessible to most of the worlds average viewers. Lain is sometimes dark and brooding, and at other times excited and rushed. I believe it is meant to represent the division in Lains mind. What is she? Who is she? Who is God? These questions are all important, and are all answered.. sort of. We're left with a sense of fulfillment, when all is said and done, but also a sense of mystery. Nobody knows exactly what is going on, a statement to the state of the world, and perhaps more importantly.. nobody should. Power corrupts. Definitely a must see, but only after you begin to understand the methods that Anime employs to carry it's points. Unlike live action film, Anime has the ability to show things in the way the creator actually wants the things to be shown, so one doesn't have to imagine much going on. Characters are also inflated in some sense, to make up for the inherent inability to document every single movement and inflection that a person is capable of. Fantastic over-all, though perhaps not meant for the casual viewer.
Rating:
Summary: Teddy Bear Pajamas rock the spot
Review: Back, back, back in ancient times, the captivating Sphinx posed Oedipus her famous riddle: what has four legs in the morning, two legs in the midday sun, and three legs in the evening? Of course, the answer is a human being. While this riddle has unfortunately become somewhat of a cliché, the Sphinx implicitly presented a question that has been at the heart of Greek and modern philosophy: What is a man? In these later stages of the world's history, questions such as "When is a man not a man?" and "What makes a man a man?" have yet to be satisfactorily answered; in the end, the Sphinx may have the last laugh. Arguably, these basic questions of human identity have become even more imperative given new developments in technology and artificial intelligence. "Serial Experiments Lain" courageously and humbly dares to weigh in on these crucial and complex issues. What is most fascinating about "Lain" is how it approaches the conception the "self." Our first glance of Lain occurs in an overexposed scene flushed with light: she opens the door to her house and tentatively steps onto her porch and down a flight of stairs. The series progresses from a Lain who is withdrawn and insular to a Lain who embarks on a terrifying odyssey into the Wired, a futuristic and more encompassing incarnation of our Inter Web. As she integrates herself further and further into the Wired, her identity begins to splinter. Nakamura provocatively invites us to explore the nature of the "self:" is Lain still Lain even if she only exists in fragments? A byzantine and labyrinthine narration accompanies and mimics Lain's faltering sense of self. It immerses the viewer in a world of violence, danger, possibility, seclusion, and thinly veiled sexual tides. Japanese society and the geographical island of Japan itself create a particularly adept ambience for this series of intense schizophrenic realism: Japan is a nation of gross arrogance and abject humility; a culture that fosters both a collective mentality but can spawns morbid introverts, and a society that is overflowing with information (or more precisely "infonography") but has been stricken by collective amnesia for the last fifty years. Its landmass is small and claustrophobic while providing more than enough aesthetic and conceptual area for terrifying hidden worlds and lonely paradises. The Anime world has recently witnessed a plethora of series that deal with these hidden worlds with a distinct emphasis on visions of the apocalypse. "Lain" is no different. The most immediate example of mass obliteration is "End of Evangelion." Many have accused "Lain" of plagiarizing "EoE's" central themes. Some of the criticism is well founded, but "Lain" is far from a slavish imitator of "EoE's" prophecy of a devastated wasteland: "Lain" delivers a much more optimistic verdict of humanity's future. Whereas Hideaki Anno's pessimism robs us of any possibility of renewal within our time, "Lain" contends that the Self is a protean and enduring being capable of escaping annihilation. Ryutaro Nakamura suggests that salvation lies in simple displays of kindness and empathy, acts that give Lain the faith to pursue the terrifying truth of her identity and the power to dispel the false gods. In the end, expressions of compassion and humanity may be the true measure of a person. It may just be what makes a human a human.
Rating:
Summary: Lain hits the mark!
Review: Let me start off by saying that the animation and imagery of Lain is absolutly stunning. However, Lain is not for everyone. I'll be honest, this series, or movie, starts off making very little sense. However, as the "layers" build a story really begins to form. This is definately the sort of anime that you need to watch several times to really comprehend, however once you do you'll find that Lain is deeper than than it seems at first glance. In the first viewing you'll be lucky to really scratch the surface of the real story of whats going on in Lain's world. If you like a story that is strait forward, told in order and always from the same point of view, then Lain is not for you. If you like a solid and conclusive ending that brings closure to the story, then Lain is not for you. However, if you like beutifully animated anime that is presented in a very psychological and fractured way with a story and ending that is thought provoking, then Lain IS for you. I loved every second of Lain, so I give it 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: A question of reality
Review: Lain is purely unique in every possible way. It is one of the few anime series that I own, but it was just that captivating. Plus, owning the entire series allows you to truly understand it. However, understanding it is a much elusive issue. It is open to almost infinite interpretations and questions, and those tend to build up as the "layers"(episodes) progress.
At the beginning of Lain, it is HIGHLY likely that you will understand absolutely nothing about what is going on. Also, The graphics in Lain our very unique and you may have trouble comprehending the pictures or persepctives that are presented to you. That is perfectly OK. This confusion will continue as the story unfolds, but you will begin to get hints and small pigments of what is to come. Serial Experiments Lain questions our reality if anything else. Is it an illusion?..., and if so, what IS real? I will not spoil anything concerning any aspect of the storyline, but I assure you that the pieces will begin to snap together at the end. You will sit there, in front of your TV for perhaps a few minutes staring silently into the screen, pondering your own existence. It is just that influential.
I'll keep this short and sweet though. This series is not like a mirror, where you see things that you instantly understand. It is rather a rippling pond, where you see your image as warped and unrecognizable. However, that ripple soon halts and you are left with a clear image. Basically, what I mean is that it is not like an anime where you sit down and just watch what happens, like in Dragon Ball Z or tons of others. You have to invest time into understanding it and coming up with your own conclusions. If you don't like to think about things, fine- Lain is not for you. But if you would actually like to take some time to think, this is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Give it an Oscar
Review: I know that there are some ppl out there who doesn't seem to know what Lain is about.
I've watched all Layers, all DVDs and it is THE BEST movie ever. I mention not only Anime here on purpose as Lain is not "just" an Anime. Its a movie.. no, its even more than a move.. "Is it the truth?".
I can only suggest to everyone: WATCH IT! Trust me you won't regret it. And open your mind and find the words between the lines.
It is right that this is not an action movie and this is also not how it was ment to be. But this 'opus' will keep you in front of the screen until you have watched all 'layers'. It's misty atmosphere will never loose its excitment to see what happens next. Don't worry if you don't understand a scene immediately, you can be sure it will be shown later from a different point of view and you will learn to understand.
If I could, I would definately nominate 'Serial Experiments Lain' for an Oscar. And this is really not a joke. In my oppinion its really the best movie ever. Just think of a mixture of the atmosphere in "Odysse 2001", the science fiction of "Matrix", the deepness of a drama.. combined in one 'momentum'. Actually "S.E.L." doesn't fit into a special genre.. cauz "S.E.L." has its own genre.. or is it the foundation of all genres? Who knows.. watch it and found it out on yourself......
Rating:
Summary: The Sharing of Ideas...
Review: Lain is Lain. Its visuals are, of course, incredible, but how could they not be? However, visuals alone do not create the mind-altering masterpiece which is Lain; yet they are a good foundation. It is the sense of reality that is warped by the storyline and redirected to the viewer that has the most impact on the mind and that makes it most memorable. The story of Lain also holds subtle truths behind it, and the fact that these truths are twisted into becoming almost obscure, yet still remain true, gives off a feeling of uneasiness to whoever happens to be watching it. One thing is for sure: that Lain should not be held to any classifications or standards previously set. In fact, I don't believe that it should be considered "anime" beyond the fact that it is animated. I would recommend this series to anyone wanting another possible outlook on the world around them. The show attempts, not to answer, but to broaden many questions that we as people ask ourselves, ranging from "Why are we here", to "Who (or what) is God?" It leads us to ponder them a little more than we would have otherwise. The characters are real, the plot is very complex, and the action is psycological. You'll finish this series with a lot of questions and, if you paid enough attention, a little paranoia. This series is worth every penny you'll spend.
Rating:
Summary: A Fading World....
Review: Eleven year old Lain doesn't like computers.In fact she spends most of the time being by herself.Her father is a work a holic and her morther doesn't really spend alot of time wither her, and her older sister is less inthused about being home with her.
When Lain learns that her friend Chisa suposingly kills her self .She starts to learn the intersting and frighting truth about the world that she lives in.
With graphic contents and fight scenes this story can get gorey for some people.But if you are the type that has sometimes asked "is this world real?' Then you will enjoy this a great deal.
With awsome background effects and colorful taste.The story of cute little Lain is stunning and thrilling.With her cute teddy bear outfit, you realize that Lain isn't really the typical bomb shell anime babe.
However extremly intersting and silence...
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