Copyright © 1998 Triangle Staff/Pioneer LDC

Followup to the previous review in EX 4.5:

Perhaps the most evocative and intriguing anime released in English this year, SERIAL EXPERIMENTS LAIN offers dramatic discoveries and even more mysteries as it continues in these two excellent volumes.
LAIN is a moody and intense series, and these episodes run the gamut of human emotions while distorting the conventions of cybernetic science fiction. "Layer 05: Distortion" is a creepy plunge into the shattered consciousness of Lain's sister Mika as she is dragged into Lain's mysterious presence in the Wired. At the other end of the spectrum, "Layer 06: Kids" follows Lain and a shadowy group called the Knights that is killing children, but the truth about the Knights turns out to be more subtle and even more menacing.
"Layer 07: Society" further questions the role of modern technology in our troubled times while leading Lain closer to the ominously goggled men in black who have been shadowing her. "Layer 08: Rumors" compounds the troubling split between Lain's wired and off-line personalities, revealing the terrifying price of information that moves faster than the thought of its consequences. It also hints at the tremendous power Lain finds at her disposal, in both the digital and the physical worlds.
"Layer 09: Protocol" is easily my favorite episode to date, as it masterfully mixes the tone of a PBS science documentary with the sentimentality of a wild conspiracy hacker. This episode traces the history of computers and psychology up to the development of the Wired, cleverly combining historical fact with animated fiction to flesh out the stunning environment Lain finds herself within. The final episode of these volumes, "Layer 10: Love," brings Lain face-to-face with the entity calling itself God inside the Wired.
LAIN's ongoing themes of personal identity and the impact of technology are woven gracefully into these terrific volumes. The series' stunning atmospheres and refined animation style that integrates inventive computer graphics provide solid background to the story. Its intense plot tendrils have only just begun to be tied together, as each episode illuminates, yet deepens, the mysteries. There is only one volume left, and the clues given here make you want to learn more, propelling the questions about Lain's origins and her destiny at the speed of light across optic fibers.

Volumes 2-3 (of 4)
Released in N. America by Pioneer Entertainment (USA) L.P.
VHS | DVD, 75 minutes (Rated for ages 13 Up)
Vol. 2 - VHS dubbed: PIVA-2232D $24.98
VHS subbed: PIVA-2232S $29.98
DVD PIDA-2232V $29.98
Vol. 3 - VHS dubbed: PIVA-2233D $24.98
VHS subbed: PIVA-2233S $29.98
DVD PIDA-2233V $29.98
Available now in the USA
Where to buy