Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
Anime series · 13 episodes · Triangle Staff · directed by Ryuutarou Nakamura
DramaMysteryPsychologicalSci-FiSupernatural
Triangle Staff's Serial Experiments Lain is a psychological sci-fi mystery directed by Ryuutarou Nakamura. It follows a quiet 14-year-old girl, Lain, as she delves into the Wired, a global communication network, after a deceased classmate seemingly contacts her from within it. The series explores the blurring lines between reality and virtual existence, artificial intelligence, and human consciousness.
Serial Experiments Lain screencaps & stills
Reference frames from Serial Experiments Lain.
Serial Experiments Lain in motion
Short loops for study, each cut to a single shot.
The story
Lain Iwakura, a reserved 14-year-old, lives in a world increasingly intertwined with the Wired, a sophisticated global network. Her quiet life takes an unsettling turn when a classmate, who recently committed suicide, sends Lain an email from within the Wired, claiming to have merely abandoned her physical body. This inexplicable event propels Lain into an investigation of the digital realm, questioning the very nature of life and death.
As Lain delves deeper into the Wired, she encounters enigmatic figures and discovers the profound connections between the physical world and its digital counterpart. The series explores themes of augmented reality, philosophy, and denpa, as Lain grapples with the implications of artificial intelligence and the shifting boundaries of her own identity. The narrative is driven by Lain's quest to understand the truth behind her classmate's message and the true extent of the Wired's influence on reality.
Credits & cast
- Studio
- Triangle Staff
- Director
- Ryuutarou Nakamura
- Character design
- Takahiro Kishida
- Voice
- Kaori Shimizu as Lain Iwakura
Where to watch Serial Experiments Lain
Streaming services that list it. Availability changes by country.
Serial Experiments Lain colour palette
The main colours across the whole series, by share of the picture.
Colour script
The dominant colour of each sampled frame, from the first minute to the last.
Where Serial Experiments Lain happens
streetnighturbanlightabstractagainstcitydigital
Serial Experiments Lain background art
Frames with no characters in them: the places, as painted.
More from Triangle Staff
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Junkers Come Here 1994
Legend of Crystania: The Motion Picture 1995
Catnapped! The Movie 1995
Chocchan Monogatari 1996
Ultra Nyan: Hoshizora kara Maiorita Fushigi Neko 1997
More by Ryuutarou Nakamura
Ghost Hound 2007
Legend of Crystania: The Motion Picture 1995
The Life of Guskou Budori 1994
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Looks like it
Matched frame to frame, on style and colour.
Macross Plus 1995
Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report 1998
Robot Carnival 1987
Similar stories
Ghost Hound 2007
Angel's Egg 1985
Questions about Serial Experiments Lain
Who made Serial Experiments Lain?
Serial Experiments Lain (1998) was animated by Triangle Staff and directed by Ryuutarou Nakamura.
Where can I watch Serial Experiments Lain?
Crunchyroll list Serial Experiments Lain. Availability changes by country.
What anime are like Serial Experiments Lain?
Fans most often recommend Neon Genesis Evangelion, Boogiepop Phantom, Ergo Proxy, Perfect Blue. In look: Macross Plus, Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team - Miller's Report, Robot Carnival.
See more of Serial Experiments Lain
Every reference frame and clip, searchable by what is in the shot — a character, a place, a light.
Frames and loops from Serial Experiments Lain (1998) © Triangle Staff, shown at reduced size as reference for study and commentary. Rights questions: copyright@framethrower.ai.