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New Cutting-Edge Alternate Reality Game Unveiled for Superfans of serial experiments lain to Celebrate 25th Anniversary

8 JUNE 2023, SINGAPORE – The team behind cult-favourite anime, Serial Experiments Lain, is responding to the overwhelming anticipation from superfans as the show approaches its 25th anniversary with the launch of an alternate reality game (ARG) called “Layer 3301: De-Cipher”.

“Layer 3301: De-Cipher” is an immersive gaming experience that provides fans with a unique opportunity to engage with the enigmatic world of lain. The ARG was created under the supervision of Ueda Yasuyuki, the visionary producer behind the anime, as a collaboration between digital collectible anime studio Kasagi and Tokyo-based company Anique, to commemorate the anime's milestone.

The anime series explores a future where humanity is dependent on connections with others through a digital network called "The Wired," which is analogous to the Internet as we know it now. The protagonist, a girl named Lain Iwakura, must traverse this environment and find her place in both the physical and digital world.

Layer 3301: De-Cipher can only be accessed through the soon-to-launch digital collectibles named Protocol Keys – a nod to the ‘Protocol’ technology in the lain narrative that lets users interact with The Wired. The alternate reality game will allow superfans to unlock new aspects of the lain storyline as they use their Protocol Key to interact with digital elements. Rewards for clearing the game include limited digital, physical and ‘phygital’ memorabilia, and as well as never-before-seen original cel art – the hand drawn or painted stills from the animation – used to produce the lain anime, which will be provided by producer Ueda.

By venturing into a digital universe accessible exclusively through the interactive collectibles, the lain community can now further explore the concept of Network Spirituality, a theme that has captivated viewers since the series' inception.

Ueda Yasuyuki, Producer of Serial Experiments Lain said, “While it wasn't our intention at the time to anticipate the future, I think Serial Experiments Lain is still relevant today because we wanted to create the story of what we thought was an extension of the future, mixed with a bunch of elements that we thought were interesting. It's a bit occult and a bit fantastical, with humanity at the center. As for how much fun puzzle-solving would be for everyone, I don't know yet. But I would be happy if I imagine that long-time fans could make some kind of connection that doesn't end with the digital world, so I turned our warehouse upside down to offer up some prizes. I hope that this will be a new possibility not only for lain, but also for animation culture as a whole. My hope as lain's creator is that it can represent the spirit of experimentation, not bound by genre, social norms or economic agendas, and I'd like to thank Anique and Kasagi for this opportunity”

Kendrick Wong, CEO of Kasagi said, “more than 25 years ago, Serial Experiments Lain earned its loyal sci-fi following by predicting the rise of digital reality - a concept we've come to appreciate amidst today's digital advancements. Its exploration of Network Spirituality – where people communicate by tapping into a shared consciousness – is one that resonates most with lain superfans, which is why it's so fitting that this virtual collection is launching to introduce an interactive experience unlike any other.”

Abe Yoshitoshi, Illustrator of Serial Experiments Lain said, “early in production, one of our team members remarked that we should design lain's world so that whenever someone watches it, it'll feel like a near future that's just three years away. Our hope is that Serial Experiments Lain and the 25th anniversary's Layer 3301 event invokes the Japanese “zashiki-warashi” spirit - the idea that something is lurking or quietly hiding in the small hollow spaces of the Internet. Sometimes, you might find a sign or symbol that could mean something, only to realize that it has disappeared before you know it.”

More details about the ARG will be released closer to its launch. In the meantime, early access to Layer 3301: De-Cipher can be accessed via the purchase of a Protocol Key, which will debut in June 2023 at https://en.serialexperimentslain.io.


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