Also known as: 玲音, シリアルエクスペリメンツレイン, serialexperimentslain
A Cyberpunk Horror (Theme) multimedia project including an anime series by Triangle Staff, a PlayStation 1 game by Pioneer LCD, plus a number of soundtracks and artbooks.
By far the most widely known Lain product is the anime, released 1998. The game was released later the same year, although its scenario had been created first. Abe Yoshitoshi designed the characters for both, and mostly his art can be found in the art books, on the CD sleeves, etc. Various Lain products feature small amounts of 4koma strips and manga pages by ABe, even one nine-page story that makes reference to both the anime and the game.
Due to Serial Experiments Lain's non-linear storytelling (even the anime is divided into "layers" instead of "episodes"), the plot is hard to summarize. Main themes include virtual world vs. reality, communication, loneliness, psychology, parapsychology, cyberculture and theology.
Characters
- Iwakura Lain (protagonist of both anime and game)
- Mizuki Alice (aka Arisu; Lain's friend; anime only)
- Iwakura Mika (Lain's sister)
- Iwakura Yasuo (Lain's father)
- Iwakura Miho (Lain's mother)
- Eiri Masami (Antagonist, anime only)
- Yonera Touko (Lain's therapist; game only)