Forum - View topicANN Book Club -- Serial Experiments Lain.
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Aromatic Grass
 Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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After watching the two episodes again, this time dubbed for no particular reason, I feel as though I now have a much better understanding of what's going on than I did before. Oddly, the first time I never even noticed the noise and "voices" coming from the telephone poles. I also think those so-called "blood stains" in the shadows and on the wires look a little celestial, being red and blue/purple (which I didn't notice before either, partially because I'm now watching it in better lighting). They certainly seem "unworldly."
Below I'm going to sorta regurgitate what's been said because that always helps at least me if anyone else, especially if I missed something. Right now, because of what I've read and watched, it seems like they (Chisa, Yasuo, etc.) are trying to get Lain to join the Wired because she's clearly something more special there, which I'm sure we'll find out sooner or later, and yet she obviously doesn't know it herself. It seems her sister Mika does, though. Anyway, there are surreal signs as proof of this, like how Lain occasionally fades in and out of the "real world" and begins to see and affect other things; in episode 1, which I didn't mention the last time, some strange steam(?) came out of her hands and filled the classroom, and she saw a girl being hit by the train, as well as an "alive" Chisa at the very end. In episode 2, she saw this creepy stalking blue-eyed man, and another crazy-faced girl who went straight through her, along with these things that looked like they came right out of Ghost Hound (which I definitely missed last time I saw ep. 2). Then there's the addict -- I'm still trying to figure him out and his "why are you making me do this/the Wired can never interfere with the real world" speech, and then Lain's response. Man, this becomes more awesome every time I watch it. By the way, I forgot to mention that I really like Lain's design. The best part is her hair extension (thing?) that seems to be purposely made to stand out, and in some way her design reminds me of Range Murata. <3
Oh, BE... 
j/k I don't think it really means anything other than them just showing her going in with a few scenes.
Sure thing. |
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Nnnnnaaaaaw, I've seen the whole show now and I know what she means. I just can't spoil it. This again comes from me trying to simplify an incredibly complicated, contradictory, and dynamic set of layers to the story. It's NOT all about people separating themselves from the real world through technology. A lot of it is about blurring the line entirely, and switching their respective definitions through that immersion...and my note about "two personalities in one body" is...too simple for the truth. -.-'
Because this story is so abstract to begin with. You're struggling just to down the events and symbolism in the show, much less discern the prominent themes and subliminal messaging. If it was a straightforward something, like, say, Disney channel TV shows, which I find abhorrent and totally opposed to most of my values in a clean, cotton-candy kind of way, at least I can tell when they're spoonfeeding an agenda. Lain, however, is exceedingly clever and layered and steaming with symbolism, so if you're not on the same page in your own background, you might not even be able to understand what the story is trying to tell you because it's so far removed from how you're "wired" to think. Turn it on its head, if you will. What if someone who didn't know anything about Christianity or its basis, the weight believers place on the crucifixion, watched a film with an overtly Christian message that assumed you at least believed in Christ? It would be hard to approach if it was not explained to you, and although I've studied religion a lot and philosophy a little, existentialism/humanism, (the belief that God's existence is not defined, but of relative unimportance, and reality is shaped by humanity defining its own godlike traits and exploiting the god within to form their beliefs on right and wrong) is VERY foreign to me...mostly because I kind of don't like it.
So, I don't have any beef with Lain, but it's hard for me to grasp when my wiring and worldview are so different from the creators' and the show is SO ambiguous.
Hm. Look at the question this way. Is there a difference between the two? Is there a "switch" in Lain or is it all about knowledge of herself/lack of it in certain situations.
Dude, I never noticed that, but...it does. Keep that in mind. I wish I had. And yeah, AG, it could be overanalysis, but...in this case, I really think it was intentional. You'll have a better idea about seven episodes in what I'm hinting at. .... On a side note, for those of you that have read it, do the elements of the theme of escapism and blurring lines remind you of The Glass Menagerie at all? |
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Aromatic Grass
Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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You're not serious!  And I was about to make a joke in my post about it being the key to unraveling all the mysteries. Honestly, though, the scene seemed pretty harmless to me.
Jeeeeeeez... makin' it harder on me.  
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Don't get me wrong, it's not essential to understanding the story, not by a long shot. I never noticed it until BE said something. The creators aren't THAT bad of Nazis about you paying attention. It's just kind of like a cookie when you've seen the rest of the show and can come back and go, "Whoa! Well, that does make sense..." but you don't HAVE to notice that Lain doesn't really...take much time to get from one place to another until later. |
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Skys
 Posts: 101 Location: Minnesota |
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Ah! I had been busy with High School graduation, and then I started a Japanese Summer class, so I have had barely any time to stop by here. I had nearly forgotten about it, and then I stop by here today and all these ANN Book Clubs are going on for my favorite series. Lucky for me, I am coming in at the beginning of all them! I'm going try and comment as much as I can in them as time allows.
Anyway, just watched episode one of Lain. I had seen this series once before, and I did pick up on a lot of things, but this second time around I am seeing so much more. I took lots of notes throughout the episode writing down things I thought were interesting or deemed important. I'm going to try and form them all into a cohesive thought because when I was taking them everything was rather garbled. To start things off, the opening song Duvet by Boa is great. Secondly, these were the main themes I noticed throughout the first episode: interconnection, the afterlife, technology, and personalities. I believe most things in this episode could be placed in at least one of those categories. Alright, I'm going to just run through the notes I took step by step and add commentary as I go along. The first thing we hear in this episode is a voice saying, "Present day, present time." I believe this is rather significant and can provide some indication about the point the show is trying to make. By the time in a show being the same as the time here, in the real world, it makes a point saying that this show isn't some prediction of some distant future, but it is an interpretation of the world around us today. That viewpoint is one that I can see very clearly in the world today. Look around you, technology is becoming ever more incorporated in daily life and consequently it becomes ever more difficult to live without it; a statement which I believe this show emphasizes strongly. The world that Lain lives in is not so different from out own. Next up we see images of Lain throughout various TV screens. While it could carry possible foreshadowing to later parts of the show it more strongly carries the idea of being connected through technology. An interesting idea which arises when I think of this is how technology is like a coexisting plane of reality to the "real" world. The whole world is only a mouse click away. Another interesting thing I noted at the opening sequence, which I believe some other people noted as well, was the time freeze around Lain. As of now we can only guess at the true significance. Will Lain be able to stop time? Is time only an illusion along with the idea of death? What would it mean if time froze around you? Would you be the only one existing then? Now, onto the actual episode. Bear with me... Besides the bustling city, and displays of technology everywhere, there is another thing which is abundant at the beginning and throughout the episode. The little red dots. They seem to be everywhere, and I think that is the point. They are suppose to symbolize something ever present, but unseen throughout the world. Perhaps it is an extension of the technology which seemingly reaches anywhere. The next thing we come upon in this episode is the girl who takes a leap of faith. Before she jumped I noticed that see seemed to have a smile on her face, like she had nothing to lose and perhaps something to gain. Now, I know this next observation is rather obvious, and I already talked about it a little, but I felt like noting it anyway. Technology is everywhere! It seems like in just about every scene you will see some sort of technological device or you will hear people talking about it. In addition there seems to be a ton of telephone wires. Next thing that I found interesting was the initial train scene with Lain. She seems to strongly dislike everyone talking around her and I believe she even goes to say something like, "Can't you all be quiet." That seems slightly out of character to the quiet and perhaps slightly inquisitive Lain we see throughout the rest of the episode. Next important thing I saw was when Lain arrived at school. She stares at her shadow and it seems to be alive, like it holds an essence to something. Then also, when Lain looks forward at the people entering the school they seem to blur, and then disappear. She then says to herself, "Everybody hurry." It almost seems like Lain is separating herself from the rest of her classmates here. Now we arrive at a classroom scene. A girl is crying and Lain seems to have no idea whats going on. Apparently, the girl and many other classmates had been receiving an email from assuming the girl who jumped in the opening of the episode. Lain's classmates seem to be somewhat surprised of her ignorance when she says she didn't know the student died when the teacher told everybody. If the teacher told everybody, why doesn't Lain know or remember hearing it? Later, Lain is looking at notes on the board and her vision blurs again. She sees things which I would best describe as like particles, almost like the ever present red dots. Lain continues her trend of experiencing weird anomaly when she zones out and her hands start to release smoke. Lain then comes home to an empty house, she ventures to her room where there seem to be many child-like items. If I recall correctly she had stuffed animals on her windowsill, an alarm clock with legs and arms, and she owns a bear suit. Anyway, she creates a new account on her computer and when it boots up it already has an email from the dead girl. I found that interesting. Also, something I noted, she remembers walking home with this girl, but when at school she didn't seem to even know who this girl was. Now the dead girl Chisa seems to do some foreshadowing in their conversation when she says that everyone will understand soon. Understand what? Chisa also says that she knows Lain knows that these emails are real, that Chisa is really dead. Why is Lain so important? Then Chisa makes another intriguing statement, "God is here." What does a God mean in this sense. Next up, the dinner scene. A quiet dinner, but there was an interesting thing I noticed. When Lain mentions to her mom she got mail from a dead girl her mom shows no reaction. I found that strange. Next Lain goes to her father, who has many PCs, and asks for a new navi. He comments about how she must be trying to not be left behind in the dust by her classmates and what not, but he also makes a statement which I feel can really begin to summarize this show. It goes something like this, "Whether it is online or in the real world, people connect to each other. That's how societies function." Another thing I noted, which may be trivial, is that when Lain's father was browsing the wired the faces of people were missing leaving only the bodies. Now the episode starts to get stranger. While Lain is riding the train there is an accident. She then sees blood falling from wires outside the train when everything fades to white. Next thing we know Lain is in the city. Then things fade again and she is at home with no one there. Then she is outside and smoke begins to appear. She sees an image of a girl running and then getting hit by a train when she suddenly wakes up in a cold sweat at class. I believe all this falls under the idea of everything being connected. Perhaps somehow she was all those places at once. It's beginning to sound like quantum mechanics. Anyway, she is back in the classroom and she is looking at the board and it fades again. This time revealing a message to her, "Come to the wired." How did she see that message? Perhaps it has something to do with how she traveled to so many locations and then ended up at the school. Perhaps reality isn't as defined as people believe. It seems like the wired is seeping into it, distorting it; at least for Lain. The final emphasis on the wired's appearance into the real world is Chisa showing up in front of Lain on her way home. If Chisa died then what is this, a ghost. Perhaps more accurately it is Chisa's self from the wired. If the two worlds are merging then perhaps people are beginning to develop multiple selves. The "real" self and the "wired" self. Alright, there's my essay for the first episode... |
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Aromatic Grass
Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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Great to see you back, Skys. I was wondering where you'd gone off to.
Wow, I never even noticed this. It was just a strange little intro thing before the OP that I never put much thought into. His tone and the way he laughs at the end I find kind of interesting, if there's any meaning behind that.
Yeah, I was noticing this stuff constantly, and although I said earlier that these splotchy dots felt kinda celestial, they do give off this sort of ominous "we're watching you" presence (especially because no one notices them). I still think they look like a major blood spill.
Gah, I didn't even pay attention to this either. But you're right, there seems to be a huge focus on technology by the camera which somehow subconsciously is reminding us (me) of the kind of world they (we?) live in. On top of that, there is the same ominus atmosphere around this stuff just like the red dots, especially when they show the buzzing of the telephone wires.
This I actually noticed but had no clue what to make of it. I was expecting to see more dots rather than this sort of "watery" aura. Assuming this is connected to those dots in any way, is there a significance in this aura-esque appearance? As for that as well as the other students fading out for a second, I get the impression that Lain isn't always there, at least 100% sometimes. This brings me back to what JOtaku mentioned above about Lain not taking much time to get from one place to another. Skys just brought up her uncharacteristic comment on the train. And then there's what Mika said about someone else being in Lain's room.
I think this further solidifies what I said above, though it's starting to get a little creepy. Lain needs to lay off the drugs.
Yeah, and from what her dad says, her mother doesn't seem to like technology very much. When Lain's new Navi was delivered, her mother told her to "clean up this mess." I'm waiting to see if there's something that caused this attitude about computers. And although I don't know much about her just yet, her sister seems to have the same kind of attitude about all this stuff.
Another thing I noticed but didn't think to consider further. At first I was just wondering if those were from some kind of shopping catalog (lol), but now they seem more like a chat room or something. They're without faces *and* dressed in fancy "perfect" clothes. You can be anything you want online, even own a completely opposite personality.
And we're back to the thing BE picked up on and JO began to hint at. It's really getting me thinking; BE may just be onto something with his overanalyzing!
But now that I think about it, I actually questioned why she moved around so often in that short amount of time when I was watching but didn't think anything of it. I guess I'm used to characters and scenes that jump around via time gap in other series.
Oh man, this reminds me so much of Ghost Hound (though technically it should be the other way around). Great post! |
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BrothersElric
 Posts: 1996 |
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Yeah, I personally find myself that watching something dubbed actually helps make things easier to analyze/understand. Of course I've been watching it dubbed this whole time, so I wonder if I need to rewatch those episodes as much as I thought. 
I think this is just one of those things that once we get far enough, we'll know more about. All the way up to now everything just seems like a setup for the rest of the series. It just does it in a very mysterious way is all. I think it's kind of like the first couple of episodes of Baccano, where we don't know anything about anything and they just kind of hit us at first, but a rewatch helps make sense of it all. In all actuality, I think this is indeed the case with pretty much everything up to now, not just with this particular matter. We just basically have a good understanding right now of what's going on, but not why.
But no, really, considering the nature of this series it's probably actually not a bad idea to overanalize things. Problem is it get's unnecessary and it ends up hurting my head more than it needs to be hurt..... 
Dude, seriously!? Actually, that kind of dosen't surprise me.... (in a completely modest way ) I actually do think it's this sort of thing I probably need to put all my overanalyzation into. That really does make what skys said and AG's response to it about her being multiple places at once (plus the whole "being there and not being there at the same time" thing... ) veeeeeeery interesting though.....
Trust me AG, you're not alone on feeling like that.
I don't know, I guess I must be special in that way, being able to see it from a different point of view and all. I mean, that part, I get, yeah. I think a good example for what I was meaning to say would be 2 things in particular: The DaVinchi Code and The Golden Compass. From my understanding both presented ideals and main themes that were very offensive to a lot of Christians out there, hence why they were as controversial as they were. But despite that fact, one just has to see it as nothing more than what it is in the end: a good, fictional, fantasy storyline that, despite what anti-christianity stuff might be in there, still at it's very core has good, positive moral themes, even if they are from an anti-christian point of view. That's kind of the same attitude that I'm taking into this as well. It's not really anti-christian or anything, but definitely from a different point of view that we don't belive in. If you've ever played the PS1 game Xenogears, it's very much the same way as well. But it's a good fictional, fantasy storyline nonetheless that actually makes a pretty darn good point.
Man, I swear reading your post was just like rewatching episode 1 all over again!  Maybe I won't have to rewatch them after all.... Naw, I probably still will. But there were some interesting things in there I honestly didn't even think of.
Like at the start of the OP. Like AG, I never just put much thought into it because it was just a strange way to begin the OP or something. But now that you mention it, it's much clearer now. I think the reason why he's laughing while saying it, now that I think about it, is simply because of the sheer irony in his words.
Another thing that really stood out to me was all the stuff you were talking about in regards to all of the child-like items and her bearsuit and whatnot. Of course I'm not sure what that means right now, but that also makes me wonder if my noticing of the bucket of keychains similar to Chisa's when she died is more important than we all think.
Man, talk about the fact that I'm overanalyzing to much..... I can't believe I noticed the password, which apparently is pointless, and put the focus on it, yet I noticed all the faceless people on his screen and thought nothing of it! But that is definitely very interesting though. I'll have to keep that one in mind as well.
As for Lain's shadow having that strange reaction, well, actually, I was referring to that in my earlier post about shadows having strange reactions to the wired. I naturally assumed that's what it was, but could I be wrong?
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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In lain, it certainly can. The series thrives on contradictions.
Uh, I think that's some serious overreaching going on here. It's an interesting point that Skys makes about how Lain seems to seamlessly travel about, but that scene? No way. Just because we're not shown Lain opening the door doesn't mean, y'know, she suddenly "warped" into the club.
Yeah, confused the scenes for a moment -- episode one, not two, right. |
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Aromatic Grass
Posts: 2424 Location: Raleigh, NC |
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There was a little more sarcasm that wasn't expressed very well, but I'll admit I was a little surprised when JO said it was intentional out of something completely random. |
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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I don't know, I just think it may have been a stylistic choice to make you contemplate later how often you see Lain jump from one place to another in and out of the Wired. It's good, even early on, to make her as enigmatic as possible, and her not moving much, yet seeming omnipresent, is a good way to do that. That's what I meant by the shot composition being intentional. Not that she actually teleported into Cyberia, but that she acts more like a being that could if she wanted to. |
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NocturnalUX
 Posts: 448 Location: Portugal |
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I am not too sure whether I will be able to participate in this as much I would like to and odds are most of what I would have to say has already been alluded to, but for the sake of argument I will simply stress out a few things, this being the third time I watch the series:
This was one of the things that I noticed right away. While being a sci-fi in loose terms, Lain takes place in a world that is clearly more akin to ours than that of a far out future-scape. While the infilitration of technology plays a decisive role it is shown in a way that differs considerably from those almost alternative universes in which we have instant teleportation and other avatars of a very distant future.
I cannot comment much on this without spoiling it but you are clearly on the right track here. Regarding the opening sequence: pay very close attention to the bridge on which Lain is seen standing as time apparently collapses. Later on it will be somewhat relevant. Also, the passage of time is reinforced by the events of the second episode and the quasi-drug Accela that apparently accelerates the functions of one's brain. The result is interesting in that the person who takes it seems to undergo a process of dissociation that causes his perception to slow down more than anything else. Which brings me to perception versus (or in cooperation with) reality: through most of these episodes we see the world through Lain's eyes and the strange events that take place, as the disappearing people, the ghostly figures and the message on the blackboard seem to be perceived by Lain and Lain alone. Not everything relies solely on her perception, what takes place at Cyberia clearly does happen (and notice how Lain's voice changes as she addresses the man at the end of the second episode, in the subbed version at least) but Lain does seem to be aware of things that at this point are unseen to others.
This is not trivial at all. Another point to hold on to, it will prove very important in later episodes. Also, regarding Lain's father, he comments that Lain will need a machine that develops and matures along with her relationships with people, which points out to the idea of technology as almost organic. The connection between body and what reality is (or is not) is again present in Accela. It acts on bodily functions and it is through them that it alters how one perceived the world even as it is a technological product. Nano-machines react in the blood stream and create a distortion of sorts that blur the lines. The first two episodes truly set the mood for the entire series and foreshadow many things still to come. I am sorry that my analysis is somewhat hurried and not particularly helpful as personal issues make it difficult for me to truly give it my all as far as discussing such a complex series goes. I will try to put an effort into it but if at all proves impossible I will not clutter the discussion any further. In an attempt to redeem myself, here is the transcript of the description of Accela as shown on screen: "Anti-VEGF Humanized Monocional Antibody The Anti- VEGF antibody is an inhibitor of angiogenesi (blood vessel growth) that may hinder the growth of cancer tumors by starving their blood supply. Genetech is investigating this antibody in Phase II. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a natural protein that promotes angiogenesis (blood vessel growth). VEGF could potentially benefit patients who have a heart that is functioning but has a blocked blood supply due to artheriosclerotic coronar." It took some tampering with the remote and freezing several times but I think I got it all. |
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HellKorn
Posts: 1669 Location: Columbus, OH |
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@JesuOtaku: Eh, I still think it's stretching it. It's just as well to assume that she opened the door and walked over the threshold; there are plenty of other incidents that point to her method of supposed location jump to be odd.
Partly, although the narrator seems to be stressing how one's awareness is heightened. Awareness of what? It'll be clear soon enough.
hahaha Holy shit. I did not even consider this earlier. I mean, that line is absolutely HUUUUUGE. That has the be some of the most subtly blatant foreshadowing in anime. Really... wow. Also, thanks for your transcript. Screen text is common in lain (Konaka says that he was inspired by Godard), so that's no surprise. You also make some nice points in regards to the emphasis on humanity's reality becoming increasingly distorted as technology progresses. |
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Yeah. It's also woooooefully ironic. You mentioned that Lain is a series that thrives on contradiction. That becomes brutally plain in this statement. In many ways, Lain's understanding and relation to others matures through her extensions into the Wired...and in others... 
But that's a topic for later, isn't it? |
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Dorcas_Aurelia
 Posts: 5344 Location: Philly |
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So I finally got around to rewatching the first two episodes (I'd been following the thread based on my memory of the series from the one time I'd watched it about a year or two ago), and I still can barely tell what's going on. I mean, I get some of the foreshadowing, and I can kind of understand what was going on in Cyberia, but this show is just crazy.
Now, this may reaaaaally be stretching, but the delivery guy's comment to Lain about her new navi made me a little curious. He said that she'd get to know all of the features in no time. Probably it's just a casual comment by an enthusiast who wants to share the joy of his hobby (he built his own computer, but is awed by the one Lain is getting), but it seems a little overly optimistic for a young girl who admitted having essentially no knowledge of computers. I would have said something along the lines of "you'll get used to it in no time". But as I said, I'm really working to make this relevant, and at best it's minor foreshadowing. Also, have we brought up how the visual for the ED is Lain inside a giant electronic womb? |
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Ggultra2764
 Subscriber Posts: 3889 Location: New York state. |
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Those are good observations. Both scenes hint at aspects of Lain that will be explored later in the series, especially once she starts exploring the mysteries surrounding the Wired and Chisa's e-mail. |
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