Serial Experiments Lain - DVD

Lain Iwakura is an awkward, introverted fourteen-year-old middle school girl living in suburban Tokyo with an emotionally distant family. Her quiet existence is shattered when she and her classmates receive mysterious emails from Chisa Yomoda—a schoolgirl who recently committed suicide. In the emails, Chisa claims she has not died, but has merely abandoned her physical body to live within the "Wired," a vast global digital network. Intrigued, Lain upgrades her personal computer system ("NAVI") and begins exploring the digital realm. As she dives deeper into the Wired, the boundary between the virtual network and real life begins to collapse. Surrounded by cyber-cultists known as the Knights of the Eastern Lotus, mysterious men in black, and strange surreal visions, Lain is confronted with unsettling questions about her identity, memory, and whether she is a normal girl—or something far more omnipresent.

Directed by Ryūtarō Nakamura (Kino's Journey), written by Chiaki J. Konaka (The Big O, Hellsing), and featuring iconic original character designs by Yoshitoshi ABe (Haibane Renmei, Texhnolyze), 1998's Serial Experiments Lain is a seminal, visionary cyberpunk masterpiece. Animated by Studio Triangle Staff, the series presciently anticipated the social, psychological, and philosophical impacts of the modern internet age long before its time. Celebrated for its avant-garde sound design, haunting soundtrack by Reichi Nakaido, and atmospheric noir tone, this landmark anime remains one of the most influential psychological thrillers in animation history. Released on DVD domestically by Pioneer Entertainment, this complete series collection delivers all 13 "Layer" episodes across individual volumes in classic dual-language format.

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Ryūtarō Nakamura (Kino's Journey, Ghost Hound)
Screenplay & Series Composition: Chiaki J. Konaka (The Big O, Digimon Tamers)
Original Character Design: Yoshitoshi ABe (Haibane Renmei, Texhnolyze)
Studio: Triangle Staff
Music: Reichi Nakaido
Cast:

• Kaori Shimizu / Bridget Hoffman as Lain Iwakura
• Yōko Asada / Patricia Ja Lee as Alice Mizuki
• Keito Shingo / Barry Stigler as Yasuo Iwakura (Lain's Father)
• Rei Igarashi / Petrea Burchard as Miho Iwakura (Lain's Mother)
• Ayako Kawasumi / Emilie de Ravin / Dan Lorge as Mika Iwakura
• Chiharu Tezuka / Alexis Lang as Taro

DVD Features

• Clean Opening Animation ("Duvet" by Bôa)
• Clean Closing Animation ("Tōi Sabi" by Reichi Nakaido)
• Yoshitoshi ABe Original Character Conceptual Galleries & Sketches
• Interactive Menus & Episode Index
• Pioneer Animation Lineup Previews & Trailers

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: シリアルエクスペリメンツレイン (Serial Experiments Lain)
Runtime: ~325 Minutes (13 Episodes)
Director: Ryūtarō Nakamura
DVD Release Year: 1999–2001 (Pioneer Entertainment USA Individual Volume / Box Set Releases)
Original Air Date (Japan): 1998
Publisher: Pioneer Entertainment (USA) Inc. / Geneon
Rating: 13+ / TV-14 (Contains Psychological Horror, Dark Cyberpunk Themes, & Violence)
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Anime, Sci-Fi, Cyberpunk, Psychological Thriller, Mystery
Themes: The Wired, Cyber Identity, Consciousness & God, NAVI Computers, Perception of Reality

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.