Forum - View topicBuried Treasure - Serial Experiments Lain
|
Goto page Previous Next Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Reibooi
 Posts: 394 |
|
|||
|
Having just rewatched Lain not a month ago I have to say that the series still sent chills up my spine. Lain is one of my favorite series which seems to be a abnormal thing.
Alot of my other friends who seen it either A) Dont understand it and give up after about 4 episodes or B)Watch the whole thing and dislike it because they didn't understand Oh and I have one friend who wont watch it just because it's a older show and the animation isn't really comparable to stuff coming out now but that is a very petty reason not to see such a great show. |
||||
|
||||
|
LordPrometheus
|
|
|||
I totally understand, Justin. Like I said, I was just surprised, but in a good way. 
I would like a comment from you though, as to why you left out any mention of the obvious inspiration Lain had on The Matrix. |
||||
war angel
 Posts: 6 |
|
|||
|
I've been meaning to watch Lain forever...and now its a buried treasure. Guess it might be time to finally watch it
|
||||
|
||||
prime_pm
 Posts: 2352 Location: Your Mother's Bedroom |
|
|||
BLASPHEMY! STONE THE ALIEN! THE MUTANT! THE HERETIC! Actually, I used to be like that when I was a noob to anime. Thought I shouldn't see Voltron because it was too old, instead of the more obvious fact that the english storyline was completely retarded. I mean special. I've grown over that phase now, and I've begun a trek searching for classic anime from the lost ages, recounting the second movie for Urusie Yatsura, searching for ways to find all of Galaxy 999, figuring out where the tv series of Dirty Pair can be found, even that one obscure Studio Ghibli production that never came overseas. Someday... |
||||
|
||||
|
Beruda
Posts: 114 |
|
|||
|
I liked Lain but I still don't understand the ending. A friend told me that the series actually ended in the video game that came after the series, is this true?
B. |
||||
|
||||
penguintruth
 Posts: 8485 Location: Penguinopolis |
|
|||
|
Serial Experiments Lain was one of those shows that (along with Neon Genesis Evangelion) broke me away from the humdrum anime routine of watching Dragon Ball Z, Flame of Recca, and Pokémon. It showed me that anime isn't just about stylistic action or cute, quirky animal mascots, but has a real ability to engage the mind as well. I think the show had me from the moment "Duvet" played.
Realistically, though, I think I understand the show better thematically than I do narratively. At times, it felt like it was being unnecessarily avant-garde for a show that seemed to be trying to tell a cohesive story. This bothered me at several points, even turning me off upon repeated viewings, where I wrote it off as being "just weird for weird's sake". Upon further reflection, this still may ring true, to an extent, but people needn't regard a show that tries to engage your thoughts and concept of reality as "pretentious". I think that it was completely genuine, if very confusing. Also, I have a Lain plush, her in her bear pajamas. Adorable. |
||||
|
||||
Dardre
 Posts: 166 |
|
|||
It's well worth it, the series is very good. Though I suggest (strongly) that you brush up on Freud (Id, Ego, Super-Ego) and Jung, both will go a long way in helping you understand the series; you'll need to pay attention to the narrated info-dumps too (reading up on how the brain works might help too  ).
On a side-note, Lain's epiphany in the last episode is a scene that, to this day, still chokes me up .
|
||||
|
||||
|
prime_pm
Posts: 2352 Location: Your Mother's Bedroom |
|
|||
Reading a Philip K. Dick story wouldn't hurt either. |
||||
|
||||
Ggultra2764
 Subscriber Posts: 3943 Location: New York state. |
|
|||
|
It's ironic to have Lain be this week's feature when the show first premiered 10 years ago. Still, it's one of my personal favorites and I have the entire series on DVD. It was one of the very first anime, alongside Furi Kuri, to have me think about the underlying meanings of specific scenes and traits to the characters. And it painted a very good vision of humanity's dependence on technology in the future considering nowadays, we pretty much thrive on it as a major convenience for our everyday lives.
What's next for 10th anniversary Buried Treasures: Kare Kano or Outlaw Star? 
|
||||
|
||||
|
fighterholic
Posts: 9193 |
|
|||
|
Rightstuf still has some copies left, so it's not totally obscure. Talking about the show, half of it I couldn't even get. One episode towards the end was just flashbacks from the previous episodes, and some of the things Lain would do while in cyberspace didn't seem to make sense. I watched the entire series at the Long Beach Anime Expo, where I took my TV and DVD player into my room
Boy, that was fun (the room part).
|
||||
|
||||
Avacado Burger
 Posts: 85 |
|
|||
|
I've always wanted to get back into Lain. I was watching anime for about 2-3 at that point when it came out, but I was weaned on Akira, violent OVAs, and the occasional endless gender-swap martial arts comedy; so I didn't quite 'get' Lain when I watched it.
Now that I have years of different series of all types under my belt, I'd love to watch this again and get a better appreciation of it.
I'd definitely be all over a Buried Treasure: Kare Kano, as I STILL watch it to this day. |
||||
|
||||
|
sepherest
|
|
|||
|
I didn't really know Lain was old enough to be considered a Buried Treasure, but I'm still hoping for something like Legend of Basara or Kaze To Ki No Uta to pop up in this column.
I actually saw some Lain DVD's today, but they're a tad bit expensive despite FYE always having sales on their Geneon anime. |
||||
Labbes
 Posts: 890 |
|
|||
|
Serial Experiments Lain is the first (And until now, only) anime where I bought "merchandise" other than CDs from. The wallscroll is simply great, and nearly all people I know like it.
One month ago, I bought the box set from ebay for ~35$, but I still didn't rewatch it. It is an awesome show, from the creepy "present day, present time", to the soothing opening song. What a wonderful show. I find the depiction of the dad especially frightening when you consider how many people today get "lost" in the internet (Me too sometimes). Lain's ending didn't actually leave such a great impression on me; where some shows tend to force as much emotion as possible into the last two episodes or so, Lain endet on a very low-key note. There are just so many great, memorable moments in this show, I don't even care about understanding it or not. I like 2001 and Donnie Darko too and I didn't understand them (2001 in particular). Last but not least, Lain has the best recap episode ever. The guitar in the background freaked me out, in a good way. |
||||
|
||||
AirCooledMan_2006
 Posts: 594 Location: Delaware, U.S. |
|
|||
Talk about a board Nazi here. I've only got the first three DVDs, and still need vol. 4. (I don't see any reason why this gem shouldn't be rescued. Just because something's an older title doesn't mean it shouldn't get a license rescue!) |
||||
|
||||
KabaKabaFruit
 Posts: 1882 Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba |
|
|||
|
When I was first joined an anime club back 8 years ago, Serial Experiments Lain was a big big show we had going at the time. Everyone loved it just for its subtlety, its philosophy, and its calm, yet cool pacing. Of course, everyone also got a big kick over "PRESENT DAY, PRESENT TIME! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!" which I consider to be one of the best opening lines to any anime ever!
We also had one special anime event day for this show called "Lainstock" where we watched all 13 episodes of the show and enjoyed fresh baked cookies and kappa rolls.
By the way, I don't know about the rest of you but I considered Lain's dub to be top notch, one of the best dubs that Pioneer had ever produced. There wasn't one voice in that show that I didn't like. Although I have to admit that the exchange between "God" and Lain in episode 11 or 12 about the existence of God had to be one of the biggest mindscrews I've ever heard. In fact, it was such a mindscrew, I completely forgot what they were talking about.
Finally, to all of you who are worried about forgetting this show... "If Lain isn't remembered, she never existed".
|
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group