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Serial Experiments Lain - EXPLANATION

This anime is indeed a unique one. I don't really like a long explanations when things are simple so I will try to make this really quick. Please note that this is just my version of explanation that I am now sending to the Wired ^^.

Alright, the first 8 episodes were nothing more than "Eh...WHAAAAT?". In fact I really thought about dropping this anime after the first episode but somehow I managed to keep it up and I don't regret that!

As I said, at first you know nothing. But somewhere around the episode 9 it is starting to be more clear. So as I understand it, Lain was an experimental human created by Eiri Masami, the founder of so called Protocol 7. It was not really explained how Lain came into this world but the probably set up the family and so on to make her feel like a human which she was in the end.

Protocol 7 was implemented as a communication protocol on the Wired (Internet) that had one special thing in it. It somehow managed to connect the human mind to the wired. Masami himself became a being living only in the Wired after he killed his real world body. He called himself the god of the Wired. Lain should have been his ultimate tool to finally completely connect the real world and the world of Wired. He even called Lain a software. In the end however, Lain realizes her own ego and refuses to act as a tool of Masami.

Lain became a human being even though she was designed as a program. It was probably the effect of her body that was natural after all (yea maybe artificially created but still human). It would never happen without Arisu though, who became Lain's best friend and showed to Lain that the world of Wired is not an upper level of the reality, that reality is right here and right now. During that moment Lain realized that humans are more than just a machines as Masami stated and she refused Masami and his visions. She has chosen a human love instead of machine's "perfection". Masami couldn't understand that since he gave up on his humanity and threw away his body. Lain even foreshadowed that maybe there is a real God in this world, not like the fake one Masami wanted to be on the Wired.

Alright but why did all the things happen in reality? Many times in the anime it was mentioned that the real world is just a projection of human mind. That what is not remembered by anyone never really happened. (Remember that famous philosophical question: "If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?") It probably deals with some theories of metaphysics that human mind is the source of everything in this world. Well think about it, is your world the same one that your friends perceive?

Anyway remember the KIDS experiment that Lain talked about with that old dying man? It was about collecting psychic power from children who died after that. I think that Protocol 7 used a similar concept to use the psi energy of people connected to it to make it possible for Wired to manifest in the real world. In the end Masami himself creates a new physical body that even Arisu who is not connected can see.

So in the end Lain, after realizing the truth refuses Masami's vision of the new world and performs total reset of everything that happened. She is even able to revive dead back to life with the psi power accumulated in the Wired. She also removes every memory of her from the world so that she cannot act as a God as Masami did and to make sure nobody will do it again. Some people say it's similar to the Christian concept of Jesus sacrificing himself for us. Yea she suffered cause she felt lonely after all. We can see that she sometimes comes to the real world to visit Arisu even thought Arisu have no idea who Lain is.

But what's interesting is that Lain is not God! Even the whole system with Protocol 7 is not perfect. Arisu have some blurred memories of Lain and not just her. It looks like her father, Masami and everyone else has some strange feelings that they forgot something that happened.

And Lain meeting her father at the table? It might sound weird but I think Lain died after deleting herself (even though she is somehow able to go back) and met God himself...

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Keywords: anime,Lain,review,explain
#paranoiaagent #anime #animeexplained #deepanimequotes

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eve - 6. 7. 2023

But lain was in the wired when it was invented. She´s always been a part of it, protocol 7 allowed her to have a human body but she´s always been there. The creator of the show said that americans wouldn´t understand it as japenese people would, i think it´s because the show has a far more spiritual meaning than we´d think. Lain represents all of humanity´s unconscious, at least that´s what I think since she´s always been present in the wired, which is supposed to be connected to that. Also, the entire speech she gave to masami let us know that he wasn´t the one who thought about protocol 7, an entity (god) gave him that idea, and she hinted that that entity was her.

Hitokage - 6. 7. 2023

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yea, the thing about cultural difference is interesting. Japanese people might think differently than westerners.

jack - 7. 12. 2020

I had the same thought process on everything except on how chisa came back to life. Makes sense in the world of lain, thanks. Yeah I think everyone can agree she met God. It is through the power of God in this story that she can visit arisu maybe since she is maybe dead after deleting her existence.

Akihiko - 8. 8. 2020

I just finished watching Lain and immediately went to find an explanation about the anime. I felt really satisfied with the ending about Arisu being with her teacher (I think?) and I think Lain had gone to heaven when she met her dad on that floating table.

Eduardo - 28. 4. 2020

I also think she met God himself in the final scene which took the form of her "dad". I also believe that the anime hinted at the idea that the wired is actually what connects the human psi to god because just after lain asks "But what is it connected to?" she looks up and she sees a giant version of her dad.

Hitokage - 28. 4. 2020

Yea that makes sense!

Hilda - 12. 4. 2020

After reading this explanation, I feel like I appreciate this anime more

Hitokage - 12. 4. 2020

Glad to read this!

Sparkles - 3. 4. 2020

If she died but is not god, then she truly is an angel

NotKoudai - 7. 8. 2019

Thanks great explanation and deep anime this one is! make me remember of paranoia agent

Hitokage - 8. 8. 2019

Thank you! Hmm Paranoia Agent? Sounds good! Thanks for the tip.

NotKoudai - 6. 9. 2019

Yes, it was produced by satoshi kon and he directed some episodes

Hitokage - 6. 9. 2019

Thanks again! I've already watched it in the meantime :D. It was a really good and unique anime. Liked it even more than Lain.

ThockCheese - 4. 8. 2019

Great explanation! Just finished the series only a few moments ago and it was truly something else. I love the way you explained such a deep and complex anime with simplicity that anyone can understand it.

Hitokage - 6. 8. 2019

Thank you so much for the praise! Yea I like deep anime but also simple explanations :D

Radhi_N - 22. 4. 2019

at several episode from first i think if lain just a shy girl human or girl with obsessed with wired world or related with the girl with glasses who the suicide at first episode or adopted girl ...but its look im wrong... from episode (im forgot) that human growth related with wired world form long ago to the last man masami with seven protocol....with some event(lain stopping a man with gun, lain looks like god in sky(gods..?), another duplicate(maybe) lain and else)...it little bit explained about who is lain... maybe as your said if lain is became human designed from program (look weird...) like a administrator or super user(maybe not) but beyond than that...she also can connect in real world and wired world too and do as she likes...even talk with dead people... and about knights their member... 2 male with 1 woman....not looks like an hacker..its looks an knowledgeable housewife with wired, otaku person (hacker..?)and bussiness man i still dont get it... sorry with my english grammature and my long explanation...

Hitokage - 23. 4. 2019

Interesting thoughts. Thanks for the comment!

Radhi_N - 26. 5. 2019

i'm so sorry if i wanna to reply and try put my deduction about Lain's story again... then first about lain..... Lain has 3 character, Lain Iwakura(shy person, introvert) Lain wired(the opposite Lain Iwakura personality) and Evil Lain(another Lain made by Knight)... In all episode from Anime there just show 2 Lain...no more ...in my thought Lain Iwakura is switching with Lain's Wired several time or..... Evil Lain is disappear, so it just Lain Iwakura and Lain Wired in several last episode. Then I assume if Lain Iwakura and/or Lain wired origin's...is Protocol 7... About Lain's ability is beyond from people in this (anime) world ...since the world in this anime is just database, the memory it called recording so she can do as wished like a god this is my explanation time line: 1)All episode Anime until ep 13 2)In ep 13 Lain Wired (i guess) Awaken with new Protocol 7(rewrite) by Yasuo and back to young when meet Arisu/Alice after 3 years later(i guess)....so i assume Lain Wired replaced to the old Lain Wired from Anime....Also when i say if she back young(11 years), it same old with Mayu and Tomo(based anime) 3)Lain consultation as patient by Yonehara Touko, psychiatrist (based game) 4)in the half story game there had there a clips video(check DC 1029) that explaining about manga the nightmare of fabrication (the weird thing is why there masami looks still alive...?) 5)then following the game story till end(i hate this part when Lain go suicide... ) The proof if the Lain has different 3 years between in anime and the game including the manga also the awaken Lain Iwakura...: >>In the anime, Tomo and Mayu's looks younger than Lain ....but in the game, Tomo and Mayu is same classmates from same elementary school with Lain(check the game's pdf english translate in list LDA while Tomo move to another school).... >>In the game Lain Iwakura never explain about Alice, i assume who is meet with Alice in last episode is Lain wired...that mean if can i say that Lain Iwakura's record(memory) has resetted by new protocol 7... >>we cannot say if Lain's dad real is Yasuo and Lain has a sister, like in anime, Lain is looks as adopted girl. But in the game Lain is only daughter in family >>between Yasuo and her dad (in game) skill....Yasuo is more intelegent than him. Yasuo can setup her Navi just for few minutes(anime) faster than when he and Lain together setup Pc (or maybe we called Navi) need couple hour to finish it... >>Yasuo family abandoned home before telling Lain and call her as "Miss Lain" or "Lain-sama" and say that his job is done...i assume if Yasuo Iwakura's job is watching Lain wired since he and Masami same researcher... >>the easiest is her hair...In the game, Lain is has longer hair than in the anime... Again...sorry for my grammature english language...and long explanation(because i write it all in sticky notes)...

Hitokage - 30. 5. 2019

Really valuable comment! Thanks! So you think that those 3 characters are actually different persons? Or is it just a character development?

Radhi_N - 8. 7. 2019

How i put it...maybe yes ... hmm...i will explain like this... first.... Iwakura Lain is from real world.... Lain Wired and Evil Lain i guess from wired that reach to real world... but how possible?... remember...it just my speculation... Firstly, i will talk about real world and wired... wired's place is in second upper layer from earth(it look atsmosphere maybe...)(i forgot which ep Anime is) ...in ep 7 when Lain wired meet with Tachibana. Lain say "the real world and the Wired is starting to crumble". That mean, even with devices (Evil Lain)or not (Lain wired) people in wired world possible reach real world. Example=in anime SAO, yui from SAO world can reach to real world and meet kirito, asuna and other friends.... Evil Lain exist in real world with device like small chip that Tomo explain to Lain wired that will overwrite existing memories...and how it works is just overwrite another people memory, then it will verify if Evil Lain is exist... different in Lain Wired exist by possessed Iwakura Lain and show itself directly with another people or Iwakura Lain itself in several moment in the anime or the game... Secondly about memory...it said if memory is data and it can overwritten with another data/memory... example=Ana saying if she remember hasnt meet Bani because Bani go to beach...when Ana's memory/data about meeting with Bani is overwritten with another memories, Ana will say she remember meet Bani(fake memories)...even the real Bani in beach right now and Ana verify about Bani(fake) Three about character... Lain Iwakura and Lain Wired is like 2 side in same coin. Lain Wired reach to real world by possessed to Lain Iwakura's body. actually she like god in wired Different than The Evil Lain is existance or origin by device(chip) that Tomo explain to Lain wired that will overwrite existing memories...i was explain this... Sorry for my bad english grammature and long time since i write this comment....thank you...

Hitokage - 9. 7. 2019

Hmm sounds like Digimon :D

Radhi_N - 9. 7. 2019

yeah and seems true...also... Lain's serial anime make me confusing and couriously lot when my first watching anime Lain ... differ another anime monogatari series(in timeline from several character side), mushishi(about perspective light vein/kyoumakusuji, harmonization in human with "mushi"), anime evangelion even movie(has several different story), paprika(real and dream world) and oreimo(2 version ending in season 1, about how good is between the anime and the novel.... and many people had lot bad comment about MC... its look fun...:D) hmm...then i want to share my story when i find out the timeline Lain's series... before then, i make speculation about timeline is because watching cutline video in the Lain game and yoshitoshi artbook...the book has manga nightmare of the fabrication(maybe), when look it Lain has longer hair, her parent are fight, it said if her mom wont tell her dad where is(my first speculation is if her parent is same with the anime and it look if her parent divorce after fight....but not...in anime her parent is so lovely and ignore Lain except Yasuo...Yasuo is care much to Lain and there has epic moment in last anime when Lain talk with Yasuo and you will see same scene in anoter page in this artbook)....Lain room is different and Masami still alive(almost i assume if that time is after Masami dead) but who is Touko?...she hasnt in all anime but she was talk with Lain lot in same look on anime and there no Alice.... so i assume if Lain Wired is Awakening after Yasuo as researcher like Masami rewrite Protocol 7 and the rest story is on the game...in half story there are cutline video about the manga and that make story it connected with the anime..... so its better not talk about how the story will ended.... it look i was talk too much...i m sorry about my grammature in english... i hope the serial experiment Lain explanation will real complete.... then thank you...

Hitokage - 10. 7. 2019

Thank you very much for your deep comments :D. And yea Evangelion and Mushishi is amazing!

Lain - 18. 4. 2019

Please love Lain. She is a part of us all.

Hitokage - 18. 4. 2019

Yea, this anime was deep!