I've come to find recently that while I've been exploring, Serial Experiments Lain is one of the animes that has struck me the most. It stands out on my shelf and for great reason.
Stylistically, it is instantly recognisable to those who consume this medium, but of course I love it for many things besides:
A stunning techno/ambient meld soundtrack with many highs, the emotional state of Lain you feel spiraling as you watch her episode by episode, including foreboding themes of connectivity and identity, all wrapped up in a leering hallucinogenic atmosphere. For me, too many bloody things to mention.
Wait there though! The oddest thing is that this was the first Japanese animation I ever watched, which (as it happens) is the polar opposite to public consensus of it NOT being an anime for a newcomer. Of any sorts, people are still baffled by it now!
Detour. If we get away from 1998 for now, since then, there's been a few projects frontheaded by ABe (of Haibane Renmei and the unfinished Despera), so today I thought I would open up a discussion on he and Konaka's work besides S.E.Lain to The Playground.
Two questions to ask:
1. If you are unfamiliar with any of the above, has this topic got ya interested?
2. Do you love Lain?
