Serial Experiments Lain wiki - User contributions [en]

The Nightmare of Fabrication

2014-01-29T01:09:15Z

Cyber: since this is the redirect for manga, I added info about chibichibi lain.

The doujin manga of [[Serial Experiments Lain]], titled ''The Nightmare of Fabrication'', appears in the [[Omnipresence in Wired]] artbook. The manga serves as the missing "Dc1029" file from the [[game]] and appears to take place in the same continuity as the game, although there are elements of the [[anime]] as well.

==Plot Summary==
Lain is alone in her room, in desperate want of human contact. In a state of isolation relating to events from the game, Lain lists off her various prior connections, including [[Touko]] (who has been moody around Lain), her parents (who are now at this point divorced), [[Tomo]] and [[Kyoko]] (who she has cut ties with) and finally [[Misato]] (who has been exposed as imaginary).

After cutting off the collar of her toy dog, [[Bike-chan]], Lain vehemently exclaims that Misato is not imaginary, but has trouble finding evidence of her memory upon discovering art supplies she had bought with Misato are not in her room. After doubting her own memory and becoming distressed over the mounting evidence that Misato may not have been real after all, Lain begins to worry that becoming completely isolated would cause her existence to end.

To prevent this, Lain decides to modify Bike-chan, although her cutting the dog with scissors makes her feel guilty. She writes a program for a very basic artificial intelligence extremely quickly and cuts open Bike-chan to install various electrical devices, all the while shushing the dog in an almost motherly tone, trying to reassure it (and very likely, herself), that she isn't hurting it. The automation eventually causes the dog to bark and say its own name repeatedly, to Lain's delight.

It is revealed that Bike-chan's automation is a sort of field test for Lain's later plans. After completing Bike-chan by giving him mobility and the ability to talk, Lain would then make a robot of her [[Father]], Tomo, Misato, Kyoko and her [[Mother]], the latter two with adjustments to their personality so that they would treat Lain better than their counterparts. By surrounding herself with artificial friends and family, Lain feels that she can be "connected" and would prevent her loneliness and avert her fear of disappearing from isolation.

However, Bike-chan explodes, his automation failing for some reason or other, to Lain's shock and despair. After breaking down and sobbing apologies to the dog's remains, a voice calls out to her, offering to bring the dog back to life. The hazy form of [[Eiri]], claiming to be from a higher plane of existence, reassures Lain of his powers and gives her an identical stuffed dog, telling her to act as though this dog is the same as the original and telling Lain that if nobody knew that Lain had killed Bike-chan, then it never happened. Lain opposes this at first, since she would still remember the previous Bike-chan, but Eiri reassures her that she need only rewrite her own memories.

Eiri then informs Lain that she has killed Bike-chan several times before and hints that he had replaced him, calling the validity of Lain's memories into question, and also remarking that Bike-chan looked rather new for a toy that was supposedly twelve or thirteen years old, which calls into question either the time of Lain's birth or how old the dog really was. Lain begins to panic as Eiri informs her of how alone she really is and how few of her experiences she has shared with other people, causing Lain to have an apparent anxiety attack as she weakly defends the validity of her memories. Eiri comments that her perception of reality is based entirely on memory and that perception of what is and what really is are far apart, while remarking that Lain might have the ability to consolidate the two somehow and further Eiri's plans, referencing her role in the anime.

Lain abruptly awakens, finding Bike-chan on her desk and thinking that what had happened was all a dream. As she walks away from her desk after holding the dog in her arms, she discovers the bell she had cut off from the previous Bike-chan's neck on the floor. In a panic, she buries the bell and tries to repress the memory of the "dream", repeating Eiri's principle of what isn't remembered never happened, and thus in her mind erasing the dream's existence.

==Effect On Lain's Mental Health==
The incident (or series of identical incidents) implies that Lain has been involved in a cycle of denial for a long time, mainly due to her unfortunate social and home circumstances. This may also apply to her vehement denial of Misato's nonexistence, despite there being large amounts of evidence suggesting the contrary. As such, the description of her activities with Misato in [[Game|Lain's Diary]] and her counseling sessions may also be fabricated or heavily modified by Lain, while simultaneously being only vaguely aware that the changes were made.

The incident also shows that Lain has trouble accepting her own existence and fears that total isolation will cause her to stop existing somehow. This could be taken literally, that she believes that relationships are proof of existence, or it can be taken as an implication that Lain is afraid that isolation could drive her to suicide, losing any reason to exist anymore. The latter appears to be true, as Lain eventually ends her physical life after the disappearances or deaths of the people she considers close to her.

During this incident, Eiri taunts her for not having other people around her to verify her memories and by extension her lack of friends, which could serve as a subconscious impetus towards Lain's growing obsession with creating friends for herself, particularly her father, whom Lain's relationship with was most healty, whom Eiri mentions by name, and whom Lain begins to create an automaton for first.

==Trivia==
*This is Yoshitoshi ABe's first color manga. In addition, the entire manga was completed in roughly 24 hours.
*This manga was the first major work of ''serial experiments lain'', published in AX magazine in March of 1998.
*This manga has direct continuity with the game; however, there is a possibility that an altered form of Eiri's conspiracy still exists in the universe of the PSX game, and Lain's eventual suicide leads to Eiri's success, contrasting with Lain's refusal to kill herself in the anime.
*ABe has also written humorous [[Chibi Chibi Lain|short manga]] about Lain.

{{Media}}
[[Category:Books]]

Chibi Chibi Lain

2014-01-29T00:48:30Z

Cyber: i did some research. if there is anyone who owns the artbooks or limited edition bd boxes, please take a moment to confirm the info.

''Chibi Chibi Lain: The Empire Strikes Back'' (ちびちびレイン　帝国の逆襲）is a series of six humorous 4-panel comic strips by [[Yoshitoshi ABe]]. They feature a chibified Lain in ridiculous situations, generally acting cute and/or vulnerable and often weeping excessively. They appeared in the original Restore booklets packaged with Geneon Universal's 2010 Japanese release of Serial Experiments Lain Blu-ray BOX|RESTORE. Funimation's 2012 Limited-Edition BD+DVD release came with an English-translated version of the Restore booklet that did not include the comics.

The artist Gomennasai has written some similar 4-panel comic strips which may have been inspired by ABe's ''Chibi Chibi Lain''. Refer to [[Fanworks]].
===Sources===
The last three strips are visible in [http://twitpic.com/31k6zn this twitter photo.]

The first three can be glimpsed momentarily in [http://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=NNEwjf6qqdk#t=94 this unboxing video.]

There are two other full-page color comics that appeared in the original Restore booklet. The first is 8 panels long, the second is 20 panels. They can be glimpsed momentarily in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?f&v=3qaLITVuHj8#t=85 this unboxing video.] Little is known about the first comic; the second comic is confirmed as being included in the original [[Omnipresence in Wired|Omnipresence]] artbook, but not in the ab# rebuild.

[[Category:Content]]

List of fanworks based on Serial Experiments Lain

2014-01-28T07:20:02Z

Cyber: even more linksssss

==Related Websites==
===English===
* [http://per.hedbor.org/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain: Root] ([[Serial Experiments Lain: Root|article]]) has a collection of Lain media for download, including cover scans and soundtracks.
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain] ([[Thought Experiments Lain|article]]) is owned by Lawrence Eng aka Lawmune. It includes, among other things, a review, fanart contest and glossary. It is perhaps best known for the [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm list of Apple references in Lain].
* [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/ Omnipresence] is full of information about SEL and includes episode transcripts, screencaps, a fanlisting and a very outdated list of links. It is impossible to navigate. Content is [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/wired.html here].
* [http://www.mebious.co.uk/ Mebious.co.uk] ([[Mebious.co.uk|article]]) comes from a URL that appears briefly on a pressure gauge. Sometimes called "Mebi" or "Mebby". Allows anonymous text or image posting. The most recent 10 lines of text are displayed.
* [http://www.mebious.mobi/ Mebious.mobi] ([[Mebious.mobi|article]]), sometimes called "Mobi", is inspired by Mebious and notably includes features such as music upload and auto-refresh.
* [http://mebious.com/ Mebious.com] hosts this very wiki.
* [http://asphyxia.su/ asphyxia.su] Collection of every background image from mebious, going back over a year.
*[http://easterncalcul.us/ ahania's boards] are available intermittently. /ec/ is for general discussion and /l/ is for all things Lain. Feel free to start or join in a discussion.
*[[VisualWired]]
===Japanese===
*[http://www.konaka.com/alice6/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain], a site by [[Chiaki Konaka|Chiaki J. Konaka]], has interviews, information about [[Books|books]], and links related to Lain, as well as a font that was used in the anime.
*[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/index.html Deep Researches Lain] has a glossary of terms from the anime and a quiz game.
*[http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/grifonsgarden/garenwarehouse.htm Grifon's Garden] has pictures and descriptions of at least 6 homemade Lain figurines.
===Russian===
*[http://boards.haruhiism.net/abe/ Old Home], an image board that is is primarily for discussions related to [[Yoshitoshi ABe| ABe]].
*[http://lain.xq3.ru/ lain game] contains files from the Serial Experiments Lain [[Game|PSX game]], extracted using jPSXdec.
==Past Related Websites==
===English===
* [[Thewired.info]]
* [http://misslain.homestead.com/index.html Lain - Alive in Cyberspace] included reviews, screencaps, poetry, and a rather intriguing [http://misslain.homestead.com/cyberqs.html dialogue] on Lain. Site has been disabled.
* [http://cerealexperiments.com cerealexperiments.com] Website that used to have an imageboard that was sometimes Lain-related.
*[http://hr.deadgods.net/hr/index/ Wakachan's ABe board], R.I.P.

==Essays==
===English===
* [[VKK 320: Decoding Virtual Culture in the Media - a case-study of Serial Experiments Lain]]
* [[Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era]]
* [[The role of technology in modern society according to Serial Experiments: Lain]]
* [[The Problem of Existence in Japanese Animation]]
* [[The Sight of Your God Disturbs Me: Questioning the Post-Christian Bodies of Buffy, Lain, and George]]
* [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?]]
* [[To what commodity end are concepts of the ‘post-human’ and the ‘cyborg’ marketed? Give screen and theoretical examples of each.]]
* [[The Real Verses the Virtual]] [sic]

==Other articles==
===English===
* [[All I Ever Needed To Know In This Fragile Layer Of Existence We Call The Real World I Learned From Serial Experiments Lain]]

==Games==
* [[Lain visual novel project]], a project to create a Serial Experiments Lain visual novel, started on [[mebious.co.uk]] and worked on here.

==Analysis==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjaG8gqE7uY&feature=g-u-u Youtube video] Analyzing exactly what happened in the anime.

==Fanfiction Recommendations==
===English===
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2196634/1/Stopped Stopped], a short story that concisely captures the essence of Serial Experiments Lain.
"Lain's watch stopped..."
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6974007/1/The_Gods_Themselves The Gods Themselves], an odd crossover between SEL and Puella Magi Madoka Magica in which Lain and Madokami are indistinguishable and [[Alice]] discusses [[God]] with Homura.
""Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.*" Lain. Madoka. Homura. Arisu. I am uncertain what genre to classify this under."
(*Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)
===Japanese===
*[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=14756418 せりあｌ　えｘぺりめんｔｓ　ぁいｎ], a manga by Gomennasai on Pixiv, probably inspired by [[Chibi Chibi Lain]].
*[http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52044575.html One], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52064879.html two], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52067572.html three] threads archived from news4vip at 2ch.

[[Category:Media]]

List of fanworks based on Serial Experiments Lain

2014-01-28T06:59:06Z

Cyber: added link

==Related Websites==
===English===
* [http://per.hedbor.org/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain: Root] ([[Serial Experiments Lain: Root|article]]) has a collection of Lain media for download, including cover scans and soundtracks.
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain] ([[Thought Experiments Lain|article]]) is owned by Lawrence Eng aka Lawmune. It includes, among other things, a review, fanart contest and glossary. It is perhaps best known for the [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm list of Apple references in Lain].
* [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/ Omnipresence] is full of information about SEL and includes episode transcripts, screencaps, a fanlisting and a very outdated list of links. It is impossible to navigate. Content is [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/wired.html here].
* [http://www.mebious.co.uk/ Mebious.co.uk] ([[Mebious.co.uk|article]]) comes from a URL that appears briefly on a pressure gauge. Sometimes called "Mebi" or "Mebby". Allows anonymous text or image posting. The most recent 10 lines of text are displayed.
* [http://www.mebious.mobi/ Mebious.mobi] ([[Mebious.mobi|article]]), sometimes called "Mobi", is inspired by Mebious and notably includes features such as music upload and auto-refresh.
* [http://mebious.com/ Mebious.com] hosts this very wiki.
* [http://asphyxia.su/ asphyxia.su] Collection of every background image from mebious, going back over a year.
===Japanese===
*[http://www.konaka.com/alice6/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain], a site by [[Chiaki Konaka|Chiaki J. Konaka]], has interviews, information about [[Books|books]], and links related to Lain, as well as a font that was used in the anime.
*[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/index.html Deep Researches Lain] has a glossary of terms from the anime and a quiz game.
*[http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/grifonsgarden/garenwarehouse.htm Grifon's Garden] has pictures and descriptions of at least 6 homemade Lain figurines.
===Russian===
*[http://boards.haruhiism.net/abe/ Old Home], an image board that is is primarily for discussions related to [[Yoshitoshi ABe| ABe]].
*[http://lain.xq3.ru/ lain game] contains files from the Serial Experiments Lain [[Game|PSX game]], extracted using jPSXdec.
==Past Related Websites==
===English===
* [[Thewired.info]]
* [http://misslain.homestead.com/index.html Lain - Alive in Cyberspace] included reviews, screencaps, poetry, and a rather intriguing [http://misslain.homestead.com/cyberqs.html dialogue] on Lain. (Site has been disabled).
* [http://cerealexperiments.com cerealexperiments.com] Website that used to have an imageboard that was sometimes Lain-related.
*[http://hr.deadgods.net/hr/index/ Wakachan's ABe board], R.I.P.

==Essays==
===English===
* [[VKK 320: Decoding Virtual Culture in the Media - a case-study of Serial Experiments Lain]]
* [[Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era]]
* [[The role of technology in modern society according to Serial Experiments: Lain]]
* [[The Problem of Existence in Japanese Animation]]
* [[The Sight of Your God Disturbs Me: Questioning the Post-Christian Bodies of Buffy, Lain, and George]]
* [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?]]
* [[To what commodity end are concepts of the ‘post-human’ and the ‘cyborg’ marketed? Give screen and theoretical examples of each.]]
* [[The Real Verses the Virtual]] [sic]

==Other articles==
===English===
* [[All I Ever Needed To Know In This Fragile Layer Of Existence We Call The Real World I Learned From Serial Experiments Lain]]

==Games==
* [[Lain visual novel project]], a project to create a Serial Experiments Lain visual novel, started on [[mebious.co.uk]] and worked on here.

==Analysis==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjaG8gqE7uY&feature=g-u-u Youtube video] Analyzing exactly what happened in the anime.

==Fanfiction Recommendations==
===English===
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2196634/1/Stopped Stopped], a short story that concisely captures the essence of Serial Experiments Lain.
"Lain's watch stopped..."
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6974007/1/The_Gods_Themselves The Gods Themselves], an odd crossover between SEL and Puella Magi Madoka Magica in which Lain and Madokami are indistinguishable and [[Alice]] discusses [[God]] with Homura.
""Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.*" Lain. Madoka. Homura. Arisu. I am uncertain what genre to classify this under."
(*Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)
===Japanese===
*[http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=14756418 せりあｌ　えｘぺりめんｔｓ　ぁいｎ], a manga by Gomennasai on Pixiv.
*[http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52044575.html One], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52064879.html two], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52067572.html three] threads archived from news4vip at 2ch.

[[Category:Media]]

Chibi Chibi Lain

2014-01-28T06:39:14Z

Cyber: If anyone knows whether or not they appear in any of the art books, please confirm it.

VisualWired

2014-01-27T19:18:48Z

Cyber:

'''VisualWired''' is a weekly video stream for SEL Fans.

It is regulary every Saturday, 23 UTC on http://www.livestream.com/visualwired

==Suggestions==
''please no series over 16 Episodes / 6 hours''

*Despera
*Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin-roh Wikipedia])
*Malice@Doll ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malice@Doll Wikipedia])
*Boogiepop Phantom ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogiepop_Phantom Wikipedia])
*Mardock Scramble (3 Movies, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardock_Scramble Wikipedia])
*Paranoia Agent ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_Agent Wikipedia])
*23 (1998 German movie, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23_%28film%29 Wikipedia])
*World on a Wire ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_on_a_Wire Wikipedia], [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvlQ8TQsmQA Trailer])
*Ghost in the Shell
**1995 Movie
**GitS 2: Innocence
**Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society
**Arise series
*Mind Game
*Fantastic Planet
*We live in Public
*Fritz the Cat
*Rebuild of Evangelion series
*5 Centimeters Per Second ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5_Centimeters_Per_Second Wikipedia])
*Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
*Now and then, here and there

==Watched==
*All About Lily Chou-Chou (on fauux's channel)
*Serial Experiments Lain
*Black Mirror
*2013 Wipe
*Kino no Tabi
*Baccano!
*Summer Wars
*Akira
*Animatrix
*Metropolis
*My Neighbor Totoro
*Freedom
*Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki
*Seven Samurai
*Gunslinger Girl
*Puella Magi Madoka Magica
*Paprika
*Angel's Egg / Tenshi no Tamago ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel%27s_Egg Wikipedia])
*Spice and Wolf S1

Bike-chan

2014-01-27T10:24:16Z

Cyber: added some trivia

[[File:Index.png|thumb]]'''Bike''' (びけ ''Bike''), '''Bike-chan''' is a toy dog owned by [[Iwakura Lain]] that is unsuccessfully automated by her an unknown number of times. It appears in the [[The Nightmare of Fabrication|manga]] and the [[game]]. Lain has reportedly owned it since birth, although there is no way of knowing how many incarnations it has had.

==Trivia==

A stuffed toy dog closely resembling Bike-chan appears in the [[anime]]; it is dropped at Lain's feet by a young girl in [[Shibuya]].

In the official translation of the manga, its name is written as "Bikeh" as an aid to proper pronunciation.

{{Characters}}
[[Category:Characters]]

Metaphorize

2014-01-27T10:18:11Z

Cyber: I took out the stuff about the word's part of speech. Technically it was only used as a noun, but that's because of Engrish and stupid translators. To nominalize it you'd have to coin a new word, something like "metaphorysis" or "metaphorization"

[[File:Metaphorlize.jpg|thumb|In episode 7, metaphorlize (''sic'') briefly appears on the screen.]]

Within the context of ''Serial Experiments Lain,'' '''metaphorize''' (メタファライズ)　is to project a digital incarnation of one's personality into the Wired. Lain is highly admired in the Wired partly because of her ability to metaphorize herself so completely. The word is used several times in the original Japanese dialogue of the anime as well as the English dub, and even flashes across the screen once in [[Layer 07]], misspelled as "metaphorlize." In the English dub and subtitles, it is sometimes mistranslated as "metamorphosis," or some variaton thereof. This might be because "metaphorize" is not a commonly used word in the English language, not even appearing in most dictionaries.

See also: The Japanese-language glossary of terms from SEL at [http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/dictionary-layer.html#4| Deep Researches Lain] includes a definition of metaphorize.

[[Category:Themes]]

Source Code

2014-01-27T09:56:18Z

Cyber:

[[File:Life.jpg|300px|thumb|right|CRowView.CL]]
[[File:Walker.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL]]

In [[Layer 07]], there is a scene where Lain is in class, surreptitiously working on her [[HandiNAVI]] instead of paying attention. For a few seconds, her NAVI screen is visible, and we can see her rapidly scroll through two files of Common Lisp source code, named CRowView.CL and Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL.

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL is the source for a code walker. This was probably included for its tongue-in-cheek reference to [[Apple Inc. references | Apple]] in a section of code that is commented out. The full file can be found [http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/lisp/code/codewalk/walk/new_walk.cl here.]

CRowView.CL contains code for [[Wikipedia:Conway's Game Of Life|John Conway's Game of Life.]] The creators probably selected this code because of its seemingly [[God|omnipotent]] implications, i.e. creating worlds and life. The full file can be found [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-repository/ai/lang/lisp/code/fun/life.cl here.]

Some more tenuous, coincidental links between CGoL and Lain include the fact that the recently established [http://www.catb.org/hacker-emblem/ Hacker Emblem] was inspired by the Game of Life, and Lain can be described as a hacker; and that CGoL also inspired the [[Wikipedia:Poietic Generator]] while Lain [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?|has been described as an autopoietic entity]].

[[Category:Technology]]

List of fanworks based on Serial Experiments Lain

2014-01-27T07:49:26Z

Cyber: recategorize

==Related Websites==
===English===
* [http://per.hedbor.org/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain: Root] ([[Serial Experiments Lain: Root|article]]) has a collection of Lain media for download, including cover scans and soundtracks.
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain] ([[Thought Experiments Lain|article]]) is owned by Lawrence Eng aka Lawmune. It includes, among other things, a review, fanart contest and glossary. It is perhaps best known for the [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm list of Apple references in Lain].
* [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/ Omnipresence] is full of information about SEL and includes episode transcripts, screencaps, a fanlisting and a very outdated list of links. It is impossible to navigate. Content is [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/wired.html here].
* [http://www.mebious.co.uk/ Mebious.co.uk] ([[Mebious.co.uk|article]]) comes from a URL that appears briefly on a pressure gauge. Sometimes called "Mebi" or "Mebby". Allows anonymous text or image posting. The most recent 10 lines of text are displayed.
* [http://www.mebious.mobi/ Mebious.mobi] ([[Mebious.mobi|article]]), sometimes called "Mobi", is inspired by Mebious and notably includes features such as music upload and auto-refresh.
* [http://mebious.com/ Mebious.com] hosts this very wiki.
* [http://asphyxia.su/ asphyxia.su] Collection of every background image from mebious, going back over a year.
===Japanese===
*[http://www.konaka.com/alice6/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain], a site by [[Chiaki Konaka|Chiaki J. Konaka]], has interviews, information about [[Books|books]], and links related to Lain, as well as a font that was used in the anime.
*[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/index.html Deep Researches Lain] has a glossary of terms from the anime and a quiz game.
*[http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/grifonsgarden/garenwarehouse.htm Grifon's Garden] has pictures and descriptions of at least 6 homemade Lain figurines.
===Russian===
*[http://boards.haruhiism.net/abe/ Old Home], an image board that is is primarily for discussions related to [[Yoshitoshi ABe| ABe]].
*[http://lain.xq3.ru/ lain game] contains files from the Serial Experiments Lain [[Game|PSX game]], extracted using jPSXdec.
==Past Related Websites==
===English===
* [[Thewired.info]]
* [http://misslain.homestead.com/index.html Lain - Alive in Cyberspace] included reviews, screencaps, poetry, and a rather intriguing [http://misslain.homestead.com/cyberqs.html dialogue] on Lain. (Site has been disabled).
* [http://cerealexperiments.com cerealexperiments.com] Website that used to have an imageboard that was sometimes Lain-related.
*[http://hr.deadgods.net/hr/index/ Wakachan's ABe board], R.I.P.

==Essays==
===English===
* [[VKK 320: Decoding Virtual Culture in the Media - a case-study of Serial Experiments Lain]]
* [[Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era]]
* [[The role of technology in modern society according to Serial Experiments: Lain]]
* [[The Problem of Existence in Japanese Animation]]
* [[The Sight of Your God Disturbs Me: Questioning the Post-Christian Bodies of Buffy, Lain, and George]]
* [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?]]
* [[To what commodity end are concepts of the ‘post-human’ and the ‘cyborg’ marketed? Give screen and theoretical examples of each.]]
* [[The Real Verses the Virtual]] [sic]

==Other articles==
===English===
* [[All I Ever Needed To Know In This Fragile Layer Of Existence We Call The Real World I Learned From Serial Experiments Lain]]

==Games==
* [[Lain visual novel project]], a project to create a Serial Experiments Lain visual novel, started on [[mebious.co.uk]] and worked on here.

==Analysis==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjaG8gqE7uY&feature=g-u-u Youtube video] Analyzing exactly what happened in the anime.

==Fanfiction Recommendations==
===English===
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2196634/1/Stopped Stopped], a short story that concisely captures the essence of Serial Experiments Lain.
"Lain's watch stopped..."
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6974007/1/The_Gods_Themselves The Gods Themselves], an odd crossover between SEL and Puella Magi Madoka Magica in which Lain and Madokami are indistinguishable and [[Alice]] discusses [[God]] with Homura.
""Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.*" Lain. Madoka. Homura. Arisu. I am uncertain what genre to classify this under."
(*Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)
===Japanese===
*[http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52044575.html One], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52064879.html two], [http://elephant.2chblog.jp/archives/52067572.html three] threads archived from news4vip at 2ch.

[[Category:Media]]

List of fanworks based on Serial Experiments Lain

2014-01-27T05:25:06Z

Cyber: added some interesting links

==Related Websites==
===English===
* [http://per.hedbor.org/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain: Root] ([[Serial Experiments Lain: Root|article]]) has a collection of Lain media for download, including cover scans and soundtracks.
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain] ([[Thought Experiments Lain|article]]) is owned by Lawrence Eng aka Lawmune. It includes, among other things, a review, fanart contest and glossary. It is perhaps best known for the [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm list of Apple references in Lain].
* [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/ Omnipresence] is full of information about SEL and includes episode transcripts, screencaps, a fanlisting and a very outdated list of links. It is impossible to navigate. Content is [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/wired.html here].
* [http://www.mebious.co.uk/ Mebious.co.uk] ([[Mebious.co.uk|article]]) comes from a URL that appears briefly on a pressure gauge. Sometimes called "Mebi" or "Mebby". Allows anonymous text or image posting. The most recent 10 lines of text are displayed.
* [http://www.mebious.mobi/ Mebious.mobi] ([[Mebious.mobi|article]]), sometimes called "Mobi", is inspired by Mebious and notably includes features such as music upload and auto-refresh.
* [http://mebious.com/ Mebious.com] hosts this very wiki.
* [http://asphyxia.su/ asphyxia.su] Collection of every background image from mebious, going back over a year.
===Japanese===
*[http://www.konaka.com/alice6/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain], a site by [[Chiaki Konaka|Chiaki J. Konaka]], has interviews, information about [[Books|books]], and links related to Lain, as well as a font that was used in the anime.
*[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/index.html Deep Researches Lain] has a glossary of terms from the anime and a quiz game.
*[http://blog.livedoor.jp/hikarisaka/archives/1914091.html A BBS thread] about Serial Experiments Lain.
*[http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/grifonsgarden/garenwarehouse.htm Grifon's Garden] has pictures and descriptions of at least 6 homemade Lain figurines.
===Russian===
*[http://boards.haruhiism.net/abe/ Old Home], an image board that is is primarily for discussions related to [[Yoshitoshi ABe| ABe]].
*[http://lain.xq3.ru/ lain game] contains files from the Serial Experiments Lain [[Game|PSX game]], extracted using jPSXdec.
==Past Related Websites==
===English===
* [[Thewired.info]]
* [http://misslain.homestead.com/index.html Lain - Alive in Cyberspace] included reviews, screencaps, poetry, and a rather intriguing [http://misslain.homestead.com/cyberqs.html dialogue] on Lain. (Site has been disabled).
* [http://cerealexperiments.com cerealexperiments.com] Website that used to have an imageboard that was sometimes Lain-related.
*[http://hr.deadgods.net/hr/index/ Wakachan's ABe board], R.I.P.

==Essays==
===English===
* [[VKK 320: Decoding Virtual Culture in the Media - a case-study of Serial Experiments Lain]]
* [[Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era]]
* [[The role of technology in modern society according to Serial Experiments: Lain]]
* [[The Problem of Existence in Japanese Animation]]
* [[The Sight of Your God Disturbs Me: Questioning the Post-Christian Bodies of Buffy, Lain, and George]]
* [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?]]
* [[To what commodity end are concepts of the ‘post-human’ and the ‘cyborg’ marketed? Give screen and theoretical examples of each.]]
* [[The Real Verses the Virtual]] [sic]

==Other articles==
===English===
* [[All I Ever Needed To Know In This Fragile Layer Of Existence We Call The Real World I Learned From Serial Experiments Lain]]

==Games==
* [[Lain visual novel project]], a project to create a Serial Experiments Lain visual novel, started on [[mebious.co.uk]] and worked on here.

==Analysis==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjaG8gqE7uY&feature=g-u-u Youtube video] Analyzing exactly what happened in the anime.

==Fanfiction Recommendations==
===English===
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2196634/1/Stopped Stopped], a short story that concisely captures the essence of Serial Experiments Lain.
"Lain's watch stopped..."
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6974007/1/The_Gods_Themselves The Gods Themselves], an odd crossover between SEL and Puella Magi Madoka Magica in which Lain and Madokami are indistinguishable and [[Alice]] discusses [[God]] with Homura.
""Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.*" Lain. Madoka. Homura. Arisu. I am uncertain what genre to classify this under."
(*Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)

[[Category:Media]]

Serial Experiments Lain (game)

2014-01-27T04:09:18Z

Cyber:

Released on November 26, 1998 for the PlayStation, the [[Serial Experiments Lain]] game consists mostly of pieces of information collected in a random order that allow the player to piece together [[Lain]]'s story.

There is guidebook for this game titled [[Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide]].

==Summary==
Source: [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lainpsx.txt] written by Keisuke Shindo.

This file is hosted on 'thought experiments lain' - http://www.cjas.org/~leng/open.htm - by Lawrence Eng

>I have played Lain PS game about a month ago. I have a mixed impression.
>But, now I know there are many people who want to know about it, I'll try
>to write.
>
>
>I can't recommend this "game" to other people. especially non Japanese
>speakers. But It really has a completely another Lain story.
>
>It contains about 5 minutes anime movie and fragments of dialogue by recorded
>voice (total about 2 hours?). There is no Japanese texts. English text
>won't help
>to understand the story. You have to understand from the japanese dialogue
>without Japanese text or character animation. I know that it is hopeless
>for non
>Japanese speakers. But I think that the release of the English version is also
>hopeless.
>
>I can't say that it is a "game". I think that it is like a database
>software which
>has it's own interface. There is always Lain wearing special costume at
>the center
>of the screen. Whenever you command to Lain by Pad , Lain picks up one icon by
>animation and play the fragments of animation or dialogues of the icon.
>The story
>was recorded like radio dramas and they were chopped and dispersed randomly to
>each icons. You have to seek out the fragments and you have to think what is
>going and what it means by yourself.
>
>At first, you can see only a little data fragments. And you can't play
>the data by
>time order. As you find out more data, You'll see more about what was going in
>past.
>
>Good thing:
> -The atmosphere is similar to TV series. Very odd and complex.
> -Cool display design. Same designers as the CG scene of the TV series.
> -Many AB's artworks.
>
>Bad thing:
> -I think this is NOT a game.
> -User Interface is horrible. You'll feel frustrating by the slow response.
> -Character design of anime part is not so good compared to the TV series.
> (I think that Lain's character design in TV series is almost perfect.)
> -You have to think by yourself what is going from the fragments of the story.
> (But it was made so on purpose.)
>
>Same as the TV series:
> -Lain's producer Ueda Masayuki. Lain was originally planned to make 2
> different stories.
> -Lain's voice actress Shimizu Kaori.
> -Lain's hair style.
> -Wired space.
> -Philosophy(?).
>
>Different:
> -Character design.
> -All of other characters. (There is no Alice, Deus, Knights...)
> -Story. No connection to TV series timeline.
>
>Summary of the story <spoiler>
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>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Iwakura Lain is a 11 years old ordinary girl.
>
>Yonera Touko is a 27 years old psychiatrist.
>
>This game(?) contains Lain's personal diary, Touko's personal diary, Touko's
>council records with Lain, Touko's medical records and few others, and
>animation
>movies for about 5 minutes which was chopped to about 30 pieces.
>
>Lain visited to Touko. She had been annoyed by hallucinations. Touko began
>to councel her. When Lain was asked about her hair style, she answered.
>"It enters from right. And perhaps it goes out from left. so..."
>
>Lain became interested in psychopathology, and asked many things to Touko.
>She answered the expert knowledge about psychopathology in order to keep
>close to Lain. Lain became to like Touko.
>
>Lain entered junior high school. She had her best friend Misato. And she
>became to hook on network. She became to communicate to other people
>in the wired, and also to be able to cracking. Lain always talked to Touko
>about Misato and the net. There are also many things about them in Lain's
>diary.
>
>One day, Lain's father disappeared. No one told where he went. Lain began
>to make her own robot "father". She made an AI and his body by a machine
>connected to the computer. But the "father" doesn't have the head and the
>lower half of the body. Her "father" began to study from net.
>(Her true father was killed by someone. But it is not certain who did it.)
>
>Touko felt frustrating that she can't do enough her own study because she had
>to help her boss's own study, and because her only patient Lain looked no
>problem. She became to hate her boss. After for a while, her boss killed
>himself.
>
>3 years passed since Touko began to councel Lain.
>
>Touko thought that she has no problem now. But other patient was not assigned
>to Touko. Touko began to be impatient. At the same time, Touko knew that her
>lover Takashi married to the other woman. She became to love the other guy
>Yoshida who was a salesman in Tachibana Lab. He gave her a trial piece of
>machine for relaxation. But he also refused her.
>
>One day, Touko found out that Misato doesn't exist. But Lain denied the fact.
>Touko began to diagnose Lain again.
>
>Lain realized that the "father"'s machine body is not necessory. She
>programmed
>her father into the wired, and broke the body. And she also began to program
>herself into the wired.
>
>Touko became emotionally unstable. Lain began to worry about Touko, and
>now Lain
>has even more knowledge than Touko. So, Lain began to diagnose Touko. Touko's
>medical records became Lain's medical records. (It seems that the machine from
>Tachibana Lab. made Touko unstable on purpose.)
>
>"Close the world , Open the nExt."
>At a girder bridge, Lain met another Lain, and talked to each other.
>"It ended. It began."
>Lain put her gun out and shut herself.
>
>Lain appeared to Touko. Touko knew that she was taken in by Lain who is an
>existence
>more than human beings. Touko died.
>
>Lain "What will I need in the wired?" "Existence, will. Others are only data."
>
>Now Lain and Touko only lives in the wired and began to talk to "player".
>Lain "From now, I am always with you."
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>It made me feel as if they really exists in my PlayStation. Many thinks
>that this ending
>is fearful and too hopeless (including me)...
>
>This story was not arranged by time order. I have seen all data (perhaps)
>and I
>estimated that this story is like above. It seems that there are still
>many mysteries.
>But this game(?) seems to be aimed to make us think about the story by
>ourselves
>and to have empathy for this story and Lain.
>
>I think that It is similar to what Lain's TV series aimed to. It makes us
>confusing
>the fiction with our reality. And It will also make us feel as if Lain
>really exists.
>You'll see what I mean at the end of the TV series. But it is not so
>hopeless as
>this.
==Characters==
[[Iwakura Lain]]
An apparently ordinary girl with a highly introverted nature and low self-esteem. At age 11, she begins to see and hear hallucinations, most prominently a double of herself. As a result, she sees a therapist at Tachibana General Laboratories. Lain also proves to be adept at psychology and computer science. Most of all, she is unbearably lonely.

[[Yonera Touko]]
Recently graduated from an American university, Touko serves as Lain's counselor. She is a new employee, and Lain is her very first client, establishing quite a good relationship with her.

[[Makino Shin'ichirou]]
An ordinary office worker who encounters Lain online. Impressed with her abilities, he provides news, data and computer parts for her.

[[Tomo]]
A boy in Lain's elementary school class that Lain has a crush on.

[[Kyoko]]
A girl in Lain's elementary school class that Lain is somewhat friendly with, who treats Lain like a younger sister.

[[Mayu]]
A friend of Kyoko's.

[[Kaori]]
A girl in Lain's elementary school class that tries to be friendly with everyone.

[[Father]]
Lain's father. He and Lain are very close and he treats Lain very kindly, often buying her presents. He is a businessman that occasionally needs to travel.

[[Mother]]
Lain's mother. She and Lain are on slightly less good terms, and she is a bit harder on Lain than her father. She still treats Lain very well and looks after her when she needs help. She is a housewife.

[[Misato]]
Lain's (imaginary) friend in her middle school class. Getting along extremely well, Lain and her do all sorts of things together, at least in Lain's memory. Misato is an ideal girl, able to play the violin beautifully, paint exquisitely, and is also very beautiful and elegant.

[[Harumi]]
Touko's longtime friend. She rather abruptly gets married.

[[Kanako]]
Touko's longtime friend. She's a hardworking woman trying to become a publisher.

[[Takeshi]]
Touko's boyfriend, met while studying abroad. He works at Tachibana General Laboratories alongside Touko. Their relationship is very platonic.

[[Yoshida]]
Touko's other lover. He works at an exercise equipment manufacturing company that visits Tachibana General Laboratories from time to time. He is popular with women.

[[Professor Takashima]]
Touko's boss. A well-meaning man that often dumps chores on Touko, impeding her research. Touko hates him.

[[Mr. Rabbit]]
A friend that Lain made online. He teaches her how to hack.

[[Shock Spammer]]
A malevolent user online that sends encrypted shock images to Lain's inbox.

[[Progenetis]]
Lain's father. After the disappearance of Father, Lain begins to make artificial replacements of her friends and family, starting with Father.

[[Bike-chan]]
A stuffed toy that allegedly has been Lain since her birth. Lain seems to view it as a friend.

[[The Other Self]]
A hallucination of another Lain that appears nude. She is the reason that Lain starts seeing Touko.

[[CLN-1]]
An unnamed woman that shoots her boyfriend in public.

==File System==
The game's interface is designed to be somewhat similar to a database, apparently called the "life instinct function" or "lif", which appears to be located on a server at [[Tachibana General Laboratories]]. The name of the database could hint that it is serving the purpose of keeping lain alive somehow. The database is divided into two Sites: Site A and Site B. Site B is locked when the player begins the game, and can only be unlocked by finding updates hidden in the files. Each file in the site contains an invisible version number. The version of the player's in-game media player must be greater than or equal to that number in order to play the file. The media player can be updated by finding various upgrades hidden in the files.

Located within the database are several different filetypes:
*'''Lda''', standing for lain's_DIARY in game, is a collection of 237 diary entries written by Lain over the course of roughly three years. The diary was given to Lain by Touko early into the counseling sessions as a place to confide her often negative and personal feelings. Interestingly, there is an image included in the game of Touko giving Lain a physical book, but the diaries themselves have evidence to show that the diaries are electronic. It is possible that Lain writes the diaries and then records herself reading them.

*'''Tda''', or TOUKO'S_DIARY, is a collection of 92 diary entries written by Yonera Touko over the course of roughly two years.

*'''Cou''', or COUNSELING_REC. is a collection of 53 recordings of counseling sessions between Lain and Touko. While the earlier sessions had Touko acting as a counselor to Lain, in the final recordings the roles are reversed after Touko becomes unstable. Lain acts as a counselor using her wide knowledge of psychology from independent study.

*'''Dia''', or DIAGNOSIS_CLN## is a collection of 48 diagnoses by either Touko or Lain regarding their patient's behavior and actions to be taken as a result. Touko's recordings bear the designation CLN_01 (referring to Lain) and Lain's bear the designation CLN_00 (referring to Touko). The final recording is done by both.

*'''TaK''' is a series of 181 recordings of a single sentence each by either Lain or Touko, seemingly addressing the player. These sentences are often random questions. Unlike other filetypes, which are mostly presented in chronological order by level number, these files are presented in two apparently parallel chronologies, one consisting of the recordings by Lain (TaK001-TaK121) and the other by Touko (TaK122-181). There is no label for this filetype, but the Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide calls them "Talk" files.

*'''Ekm''' is a series of 6 recordings of conversations between Lain and Kyoko. The label for this filetype is "DATA of CLN01", but the Serial Experiments Lain Offical Guide calls these files "Extra Kyoko's Memory". These files only exist on Site A.

*'''Ere''', or RESEARCH_"Ky" and RESEARCH_"Ka" is a series of 10 interviews between Touko and some of Lain's classmates regarding Lain. The Serial Experiments Official Guide calls these files "Extra Research". These files only exist on Site B.

*'''Eda''' or RESEARCH_"Ma" is a series of 4 counseling sessions between Makino and possibly Professor Takashima, and 1 news report. The fifth file has the designation NEWS_SHOW. The Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide calls these files "Extra Data". These files only exist on Site B.

*'''Sskn''' or SaiSei-kun is a collection of freeware upgrade apps for the game's movie playing tool. Each successive update unlocks more content. There are seven upgrades available. The designation for these files is "mT up-date App."

*'''P2-''' or POLY-TAN PARTS are pieces of a virtual bear model named Poly-tan. Collecting all parts unlocks some files, according to the Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide. There are 6 in all, all of which are located on Site A.

*'''GaTE''' is a series of network applications that are needed to proceed from Site A to Site B. There are 4 in all.

*'''Dc1''', or DATA of CLN## is a series of 57 animated video files, mostly of Lain. While the numbers do go up to 058, Dc1029 is missing. Unlike the other filetypes, these files are presented in mostly random order, Site A containing the first 28 and Site B containing the latter 29. Each video file has its own name. Interestingly, the name "drive" is used twice. It is unknown who filmed these files or for what purpose, or whether there was even a cameraman at all. While some files have a distinctly handheld look to them or are clearly for the purpose of filming a counseling session, others are far more unusual; some appear to be hidden cameras, others appear to be professionally edited to show a series of events from a certain angle, and still others appear to be impossible or difficult shots, like aerial shots or shots of Lain in a bathroom mirror with no visible camera behind her. The CLN number, or client number, varies occasionally, but for most of the files is CLN01, or Lain. A few files in Site B use the designations CLN00 (Touko) or CLN-1 (a seemingly unnamed woman). The missing file, Dc1029, appears to be located between Site A and B, and its contents are located in the short manga "[[The Nightmare of Fabrication]]". The Serial Experiments Lain Official Guide calls these files "Movie".

*'''Env''' or network voices? is a series of 12 files that contain nothing but static and assorted voices. The server data for all these files are corrupted. These files are extra content and are not part of the regular game. All of these files are located on Site A's Level 0.

*'''Xv0''' is a collection of unused video clips. These files are extra content and are not part of the regular game.

*'''Xa''' is a collection of miscellaneous audio. Most of these files contain Touko in an apparent state of distress, though the first and last files contain Lain's voice. These files are extra content and are not part of the regular game.

==Connections between the game and the anime==
This game explains many elements in the [[anime]] that are taken for granted or left unexplained. It can be considered an alternate timeline to the anime, perhaps one where Lain is incarnated into a different environment.

*Lain's haircut

In the game, it is revealed that Lain cut her own hair. The longer lock of hair where she clips her [[hairclip]] is meant to prevent something that "enters from the right" from "going out through the left". Not much is known about the context of this statement (at least to the English-speaking fandom), but it has been theorised that Lain's hairstyle wards off demons or prevents her memories from disappearing.

*The chip from [[Layer 09]]

This may be the same in nature as the machine that [[Touko]] received from [[Tachibana Labs]].

*Shared [[themes]]

As part of the same franchise, both the game and the anime cover topics such as the reliability of [[memory]] and the nature of existence and [[reality]].

==Translation==
The game currently remains untranslated. There are currently two attempts to translate the game.
*'''The Serial Experiments Lain PSX Game Translation Project''' located at [http://psx.lain.pl/doku.php]
*'''ain's translations''' located at [http://ain-and-lain.tumblr.com/tagged/lain-psx-translation]

{{Media}}
[[Category:Media]]

The Nightmare of Fabrication

2014-01-27T04:06:26Z

Cyber:

Talk:Conspiracy

2014-01-25T06:51:10Z

Cyber:

Concerning the last section of the article, it should be noted that the Wikipedia page on John C. Lilly currently makes no mention of ECCO; also, that Project Xanadu is not a conspiracy theory. (I don't think ECCO is really a conspiracy theory either.) The only reason they mentioned Project Xanadu was because of some flimsy relationship it has with Nazca lines, which people have suspected of being an alien landing site. In fact, the whole point of all that trivia in Layer 09 was not necessarily to introduce conspiracy theories, but to relate the history of the Wired to the paranormal. They meant to imply that the world's neural network has extraterrestrial origins, that it was created due to the influence of aliens. It's a point that seems to be largely ignored by Lain fandom. Think about the LGM, the MIBs; it's all about the extraterrestrials. The Wired, Protocol 7, and Lain were all created because of aliens- either as a means of communicating with them, or by the aliens themselves in order to serve their purposes. Probably. [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 06:38, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:Conspiracy

2014-01-25T06:40:24Z

Cyber:

Concerning the last section of the article, it should be noted that the Wikipedia page on John C. Lilly currently makes no mention of ECCO; also, that Project Xanadu is not a conspiracy theory. (I don't think ECCO is really a conspiracy theory either.) The only reason they mentioned Project Xanadu was because of some flimsy relationship it has with Nazca lines, which people have suspected of being an alien landing site. In fact, the whole point of all that trivia in Layer 09 was not necessarily to introduce conspiracy theories, but to relate the history of the Wired to supernatural phenomena. They meant to imply that the world's neural network has extraterrestrial origins, that it was created due to the influence of aliens. It's a point that seems to be largely ignored by Lain fandom. Think about the LGM, the MIBs; it's all about the extraterrestrials. The Wired, Protocol 7, and Lain were all created because of aliens- either as a means of communicating with them, or by the aliens themselves in order to serve their purposes. Probably. [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 06:38, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:Conspiracy

2014-01-25T06:39:00Z

Cyber: aliens!!!

Concerning the last section of the article, it should be noted that the Wikipedia page on John C. Lilly currently makes no mention of ECCO; also, that Project Xanadu is not a conspiracy theory. (I don't think ECCO is really a conspiracy theory either.) The only reason they mentioned Project Xanadu was because of some flimsy relationship it has with Nazca lines, which people have suspected of being an alien landing site. In fact, the whole point of all that trivia in Layer 09 was not necessarily to introduce conspiracy theories, but to relate the history of the Wired to supernatural phenomena. They meant to imply that the world's neural network has extraterrestrial origins, that it was created due to the influence of aliens. It's a point that seems to be largely ignored by Lain fandom. Think about the LGM, the MIBs; it's all about the extraterrestrials. The Wired, Protocol 07, and Lain were all created because of aliens- either as a means of communicating with them, or by the aliens themselves in order to serve their purposes. Probably. [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 06:38, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era

2014-01-25T00:24:10Z

Cyber:

Who wrote this? Where did this come from? It only says "tribbett". [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 00:03, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

Never mind, I found it with a little searching. Added links to source and author's site.
Incidentally, I wonder if it's really ok to archive people's essays on here. [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 00:24, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era

2014-01-25T00:19:53Z

Cyber:

Back to [[Fanworks]]

Tribbett

''“But then where is the real me after all is said and done? Ah there is no real me, I guess that’s it. I only exist inside those people aware of my existence. But what about the me that I can hear talking right here and now, it’s me isn’t it? This me that’s talking . . . who is me, who’s me?”''

Serial Experiments: Lain is a revolutionary anime series from director Ryutaro Nakamura. The story follows Lain, a thirteen-year-old student living in Tokyo. This visually stunning anime tells a story in which the lines between the ‘real world’ and the ‘wired world’ (the world that exists in computers, through networks) are beginning to blur. But the series also asks serious questions that reflect the anxieties of modern Japanese living in the digital era. In Nakamura’s version of modern day Japan, Lain struggles to exist within the vastness of the digital age while trying not to loose her identity. These themes are a direct result of the tensions that have been building up for centuries in post war Japan. When Japan opened its doors to Westernization there was a huge collision between traditional Japanese culture and the ‘modern’ industrialized West. Like Pandora’s box, this collision gave birth to serious issues, issues that stem from the Japanese need to reevaluate their position in the world and to consider what toll their rapid industrialization has taken on themselves. Japan today is the world leader in technology development, but at what cost?

At the beginning of every episode the viewer is met with the same distortions of modern Tokyo. Busy streets, bright lights, tall buildings, and the silhouettes of power lines all serve to emphasize the incredible industrialization of modern day Japan. In addition, every episode contains countless frames of power lines looming over the city – the hum of their electrical current a constant reminder of the technological revolution and the existence of the wired. In this Tokyo a world has been created that functions much differently from the ‘real’ world. This world is referred to as ‘the wired’ and it is the world that exists in the flow of information across the worldwide network. In Serial Experiments: Lain a consciousness is forming on the wired and that consciousness is beginning to affect the events of the real world.

In the first episode, the viewer is introduced to Chisa Yomoto, a shy classmate of Lain’s. Our introduction to Chisa consists of Chisa’s swan dive from the top of a downtown skyscraper, leading to her quick and rather messy end. A few days later many in her class start receiving emails from her, including Lain. In the email sent to Lain, Chisa says that, “I have only given up my body, you see by sending you email I can use this system to explain to you that I am still alive.” This notion of being able to exist solely as a consciousness through technology is a fairly common theme in Japanese animation. Other series like Cowboy Bebop also explore this theme, in addition to features such as Ghost in the Shell. This theme speaks directly to the bizarre and complicated relations between what we consider ‘reality’ and the reality of the wired. Given the Japanese’s cultural history this theme also relates to their notions of self and social interaction.

First consider the practical differences between the physical world and the world of the wired. In the wired there are no distinctions of social position, race, gender, age, level of education, etc. that are very important aspects of the Japanese social atmosphere. Dorinne Kondo speaks about these interpersonal relationships in her book Crafting Selves. Kondo points out that the Japanese have a system of interacting that is based on a hierarchical model. Ruth Benedict also asserts this in her book, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword in which she writes,

''Any attempt to understand the Japanese must begin with their version of what it means to ‘take one’s proper station.’ Their reliance upon order and hierarchy and our faith in freedom and equality are poles apart and it is hard for us to give hierarchy its just due as a possible social mechanism. Japan’s confidence in hierarchy is basic in her whole notion of man’s relation to his fellow man and man’s relation to the State. (43)''

Within the wired, there are no distinctions between individuals with which to base a hierarchical system on. It is there, on the wired, that the Japanese therefore are forced to exist outside of what they are comfortable with. Their identities, without having to conform to the tight social constrictions of the hierarchical system, become more individualized, more based upon a person’s ‘true self’. Both Takeo Doi and Erving Goffman speak about this concept in their books. Goffman, in The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, calls attention to the fact that whenever a person is forced to interact with another person, that person is putting on a performance, carefully analyzing every move they make in terms of how the other person will react or how the other person’s image of them might change. This concept is related directly to the Japanese in Takeo Doi’s book, The Anatomy of Self. Doi writes of the difference between the Japanese omote and ura. Loosely translated they can mean ‘façade’ and ‘inner truth’ respectively. As to the Japaneseness of these concepts Doi writes, “I think omote and ura correspond to the distinction between soto (outside) and uchi (inside) that is often prominent in the Japanese consciousness of human relations” (24). These concepts of façade and inner truth are intertwined heavily into the theory of the Japanese hierarchical social structure. But as we will see, the hierarchical structure dissolves when faced with the world within the wired. The wired then exists as a world in which identity is relative – where the need for ‘masks’ is nonexistent.

One of the stereotypes of the Japanese is their group-oriented mentality. We have already been introduced to this kind of mentality through the discussion of the Japanese social structure where all social interactions are based on a person’s relative position in the larger social hierarchy. But there are other aspects of this group mentality that are also represented in Serial Experiments: Lain. The Japanese term amae is discussed in Takeo Doi’s essay, Amae: A Key Concept for Understanding Japanese Personality Structure: “Amae is the noun form of amaeru, an intransitive verb that means ‘to depend and presume upon another’s benevolence’” (121). While this concept is perhaps not completely foreign to Americans, the fact that the English language lacks a word for such a concept shows that perhaps it is not as important a concept in the West than it is for the Japanese. Amae implies a natural and deep need for and reliance upon others, which is the backbone for all of the Japanese’s interpersonal relations. This concept of amae is represented in many ways in Serial Experiments: Lain, namely in the family atmosphere, in Lain’s relations to her peers, and in Lain’s presence on the wired.

In his essay, Takeo Doi asserts that amae originally arises out of what a small child might feel toward their mother (123). It is therefore important to look at Lain’s family situation. Lain is the youngest of two daughters in her family. Lain’s father is a career man who probably works with computers. Lain’s mother is a housewife who seems to be rather bored with life. The structure of the family is very typical of the Japanese household, while the relations within that structure turn out to be very atypical. While some of the stereotypical family dynamic is sacrificed for plot development and the representation of themes, there are still aspects of it that serve this argument. Lain from the beginning has been very shy and independent. As we see her relations to her parents, it is clear that she has very little if any feeling of amae for anyone in her family. Lain appears like a stranger in the family, doing her best to pretend to be her parents daughter. Lain’s mother is perhaps the best example for our purposes here. She is seemingly in a state of detachedness from the world. She hardly ever speaks, and spends most of her time staring off into space. Her movements are very mechanical and her face is always expressionless. She seems to be so devoid of energy that often is the case that when she is spoken to she will not reply. It would be hard for anyone, especially a thirteen-year-old girl, to have a meaningful relationship with someone who lives this kind of non-existence, almost as if in a coma. What this means is that Lain has grown up in a household in which she was unable to develop her understanding of the hierarchical form of socialization. The small bit of understanding of this system that she may have had, she slowly looses as she dives deeper and deeper into the world of the wired where that kind of socialization is nonexistent.

Another result of Lain’s dysfunctional family life is that she has also never felt part of a group. For the Japanese who define themselves by their relation to the group Lain is lonely and searching for a group that she can belong to. At school, the place one might expect most receptive to the formation of groups, Lain is shy and awkward and does not have any close friends. Lain therefore finds it easier to ‘fit in’ in the world of the wired, a world not controlled by the hierarchical socialization system. Lain therefore becomes a representation of the Western notion of individualism as she is alone in a world that functions within the parameters of a hierarchical group model of socialization.

Takeo Doi writes of this theory of individualism and its origins in his book, The Anatomy of Self, in which he says that, “the importance of the individual was generally recognized in the West only after the beginning of the twelfth century, and that until that time, the word individuum itself did not have the meaning it has today” (54). Doi then goes on to say that the so-called ‘discovery of the individual’ occurred “because of massive and rapid social change during this period. No longer able to seek behavioral norms outside of themselves, people in the West began to privilege personal experience” (54). This is the exact same situation that faced the Japanese at the onset of Westernization. The social norms of the Japanese were changing swiftly due to outside (i.e. non Japanese) influences, and many Japanese, unable to keep up, sought comfort and stability by turning to themselves and to individuality. Lain then seems to represent the individualistic result of the mass Westernization after the war. The question then arises of what will become of Lain (or of Japan) as the technological revolution sweeps through the country?

The issues dealt with in Serial Experiments: Lain are issues that arise from the emergence of technology in Japan. As John F. Embree writes in his book, Suye Mura: A Japanese Village, the Japanese have “a remarkable docility” (3). This ‘docility’ is understandable when one considers the Zen, Confucian, and Shinto influences on Japanese life. The lives of old men are often good representations of what we in the West might refer to as ‘the good life’. The old, freed from many of the social, economical, and political responsibilities they may have had in their youth, are freer to live life how they choose, at a slow and leisurely pace. This is clearly illustrated in many anime series, including Cowboy Bebop and Ranma ½. This desire to live a ‘peaceful’ existence has clear roots in Confucianism and has become a social ideal of the Japanese.

This ideal is reflected in the slow pace of Serial Experiments: Lain. The story unfolds slowly, carefully, going for minutes at a time with no dialogue. The stillness of life is represented to the fullest. But this has another purpose besides the naturalistic expression of real life. This slow paced world of the real also stands as a blaring contrast to the fast paced world of the wired. The wired is a world of high-speed communication, of confusion, hysteria, chaos, bright lights, and loud music. This is perhaps best illustrated by the club that Lain is brought to in the second episode: Cyberia. This club, as the name suggests, is a good representation of the technological boom in Tokyo. The club is populated with hackers and techno-punk teenagers. They dance to the loud sounds of electronic synthesizers and distorted noises with multi-colored flashing lights making the room glow. On top of this it is also here that we are introduced to the drug ‘accela’. Accela is a nano-mechanism that is said to stimulate the secretion of a synthetic neurotransmitter that speeds up the rate at which the brain can process information by a factor of 12. In this world technology is the fast paced road to the future.

But one of the more important things to take note of in this contrast between the high speed world of technology and the slow paced world of everyday life is the relevant importance of identity in each. Cyberia, as well as the wired are very crowded places, with an innumerable amount of people sending and receiving information. In some instances, when Lain enters the wired, her voice is practically drowned out by the other voices around her. In Cyberia, she is small and quiet in comparison to the loud music and the packed dance floor. It is in the world of technology in which Lain begins to loose her identity. In Lain’s case, the fast paced world of technology is quickly encroaching upon her rather dull life, and before long she is caught up in the tidal wave, with no way of escaping.

And this is exactly the problem that faced, and faces, Japan in the post-war era. When Japan was opened to the West, an insurgence of culture and technology flooded the country. There were now new Western ideas to challenge Japan’s traditional modes of living. Besides the obvious issues of struggling to maintain a cultural identity, the Japanese also had to deal with the attacks on their culture made by Western individualism. The Japanese group oriented social structure found itself being questioned and reanalyzed by the very people that had supported it before Westernization.

A lot has changed in the fifty plus years since the war. Today, Japan is the world leader in the development of new technology. Since the bust of the early 1990’s, the optimistic economy of Japan has been almost forgotten. But as Chris Anderson writes, “there is another Japan: Japan-as-metaphor. This is the Japan that represents hyper-modernism in all its dimensions, from advanced technology to individual alienation to urbanization run amok”. Technology, whether we like to admit it or not, minimizes real human contact. It is this ‘individual alienation’ that is the result of the digital era. Serial Experiments: Lain addresses these issues of technology and its effects upon the Japanese social structure. As Lain dives deeper into the world of wired, she slips away from the few real people in her life. She becomes increasingly alienated from her friends and the already pathetic relationship she has with her parents quickly dissolves. In the end, when Lain has fully embraced her technological pursuits, she has completely lost the ability to relate to and interact with her fellow humans.

The blurring lines between the physical world and the world of the wired in Serial Experiments: Lain are representative of the move from a rigidly organized hierarchical social system to one of almost chaotic individualism as a result of the Westernization of Japan. These are issues that the Japanese have had to deal with for decades now, either on a subconscious or on a conscious level. Through the example of Lain we have seen how concepts of self and group, omote and ura, and the individualization effect of technology, have affected and changed modern day Japan. The anxieties of the Japanese in the digital era become apparent when Lain asks, confused and alone, “Who is me, who’s me?”

By [http://mitchelltribbett.wordpress.com/ Mitchell K. Tribbett]

Source: [http://www.corneredangel.com/amwess/papers/lain_essay.doc|Source]
[[Category:Essays]]

Talk:Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era

2014-01-25T00:03:00Z

Cyber:

Who wrote this? Where did this come from? It only says "tribbett". [[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 00:03, 25 January 2014 (UTC)

List of fanworks based on Serial Experiments Lain

2014-01-24T22:00:07Z

Cyber: shuffled some links around

==Related Websites==
===English===
* [http://per.hedbor.org/lain/ Serial Experiments Lain: Root] ([[Serial Experiments Lain: Root|article]]) has a collection of Lain media for download, including cover scans and soundtracks.
* [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain] ([[Thought Experiments Lain|article]]) is owned by Lawrence Eng aka Lawmune. It includes, among other things, a review, fanart contest and glossary. It is perhaps best known for the [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm list of Apple references in Lain].
* [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/ Omnipresence] is full of information about SEL and includes episode transcripts, screencaps, a fanlisting and a very outdated list of links. It is impossible to navigate. Content is [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/wired.html here].
* [http://www.mebious.co.uk/ Mebious.co.uk] ([[Mebious.co.uk|article]]) comes from a URL that appears briefly on a pressure gauge. Sometimes called "Mebi" or "Mebby". Allows anonymous text or image posting. The most recent 10 lines of text are displayed.
* [http://www.mebious.mobi/ Mebious.mobi] ([[Mebious.mobi|article]]), sometimes called "Mobi", is inspired by Mebious and notably includes features such as music upload and auto-refresh.
* [http://mebious.com/ Mebious.com] hosts this very wiki.
* [http://asphyxia.su/ asphyxia.su] Collection of every background image from mebious, going back over a year.

==Past Related Websites==
===English===
* [[Thewired.info]]
* [http://misslain.homestead.com/index.html Lain - Alive in Cyberspace] included reviews, screencaps, poetry, and a rather intriguing [http://misslain.homestead.com/cyberqs.html dialogue] on Lain. (Site has been disabled).
* [http://cerealexperiments.com cerealexperiments.com] Website that used to have an imageboard that was sometimes Lain-related.

==Essays==
===English===
* [[VKK 320: Decoding Virtual Culture in the Media - a case-study of Serial Experiments Lain]]
* [[Serial Experiments: Lain as a Reflection of Modern Japanese Anxieties in the Digital Era]]
* [[The role of technology in modern society according to Serial Experiments: Lain]]
* [[The Problem of Existence in Japanese Animation]]
* [[The Sight of Your God Disturbs Me: Questioning the Post-Christian Bodies of Buffy, Lain, and George]]
* [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?]]
* [[To what commodity end are concepts of the ‘post-human’ and the ‘cyborg’ marketed? Give screen and theoretical examples of each.]]
* [[The Real Verses the Virtual]] [sic]

==Other articles==
===English===
* [[All I Ever Needed To Know In This Fragile Layer Of Existence We Call The Real World I Learned From Serial Experiments Lain]]

==Games==
* [[Lain visual novel project]], a project to create a Serial Experiments Lain visual novel, started on [[mebious.co.uk]] and worked on here.

==Analysis==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjaG8gqE7uY&feature=g-u-u Youtube video] Analyzing exactly what happened in the anime.

==Fanfiction Recommendations==
===English===
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2196634/1/Stopped Stopped], a short story that concisely captures the essence of Serial Experiments Lain.
"Lain's watch stopped..."
* [http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6974007/1/The_Gods_Themselves The Gods Themselves], an odd crossover between SEL and Puella Magi Madoka Magica in which Lain and Madokami are indistinguishable and [[Alice]] discusses [[God]] with Homura.
""Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens.*" Lain. Madoka. Homura. Arisu. I am uncertain what genre to classify this under."
(*Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.)

[[Category:Media]]

Layer 05

2014-01-24T09:38:38Z

Cyber: fixed retarded problems

'''LAYER 05: DISTORTION'''

'''Original Air Date:''' 1998.08.03

'''Main Characters Introduced:''' None

'''Script: ''' [[Layer 05 Script]]

'''Analysis:''' [[Layer 05 Analysis]]

'''Previous episode:''' [[Layer 04]]

'''Next Episode:''' [[Layer 06]]

==Short summary==
*[[Deus]] speaks to [[Lain]]
*Lain asks a doll to tell her a story that she doesn't know yet - but there is nothing she doesn't know
*The [[news]] reports a traffic information transmission error that caused an accident
*[[Mika]] receives a pack of tissues with a bad omen written on it
*Lain stands at an intersection and her face appears on a screen
*[[Alice]], [[Reika]] and [[Juri]] comment on junk mail that says "fulfill the prophecy"
*Mika is haunted by the words "fulfill the prophecy"
*Mika loses her soul

==Long summary==
The Tokyo streets pass at night with the familiar flash of the crosswalk lights. A voice is heard "If you can hear it, it is talking to you. If you can see it, it is your…"

[Title: Distortion Layer:05]

A variety of cityscapes and crowd scenes pass, as if viewed through a distortion filter. A male voice narrates: "Humans may not evolve anymore. The occurrence of cancer in humans is much less than in other animals. There is a theory that the human being will never further evolve. If that is true what stupid animals they have become. They forgot the force which operates them, and they are merely satisfying their desires. Don't you think they are worthless? Human beings aren't much at all." The view now shifts and the distortion comes into focus. The narrator continues: "But you don't have to remain such a miserable human. Now human beings have created the only exit." Through the crowd we see Lain walking. "What is it? She asks. "Network. The Wired. Lain" the narrator responds. "Who are you?" Lain asks. "I am God" the narrator responds. Hearing that, Lain is frozen staring upward at the sky as busy city dwellers pass her by.

The scene shifts to Mika dressing in her school uniform and checking herself in a mirror. A boy's face comes up behind her. She is in his apartment. He asks "Shall we get a bite to eat?" Mika just ignores him and turns to leave. "Why don't we go to a swimming pool next time?" the boy asks, but again he is ignored and is greeted with the sound of a shutting door.

Out on the street, Mika surveys the crowd waiting for the crossing light to change. She crosses the street against a current of people walking in the opposite direction. She turns as a wild car races through the crowd. As others seem to watch in horror, Mika walks away disinterested.

The scene shifts to a smiling Lain. "Tell me a story," she says and we see the black-and-white image of a Jenny doll in a frilly lace-collared dress. Lain kneels on the floor in her room, looking into a dark corner where the doll appears to be floating in air. "Please, please," Lain implores, "tell me a story." A female voice, apparently coming from the doll, responds "Which story do you want, Lain?" Smiling, Lain says "Tell me one I don't know." "What you don't know doesn't exist," the doll explains. "I can't tell a story which does not exist. You understand don't you?" Then the doll continues, "Well how about this? Every event is predated by a prophecy. Only when the prophecy is there, will the event occur." Lain stares, stunned. "Who? Who will tell the prophecy?" Lain asks.

From the flashing screen of Lain's Navi, a voice is heard reading some news. "At various places in Tokyo, the VTCZX Traffic Information Service System sent some wrong information. At the crowded crossings, the automatic driving control systems for cars and trucks interfered with each other and went out of control. This resulted in an accident which led to a fatality in Shibuya, Tokyo. In addition, the information agency reported that the system was already fixed and that it will never happen again."

On the Navi a view of one of Tokyo's many giant video screens shows news footage of car accident in one of the city's complex intersections. Lain now appears to be standing in the intersection, still, almost floating, as others pass by. Lain then walks through the crowd and a man hands her a packet of tissue. The man tries to give tissues to others who do not accept them. Lain turns, walking away. Mika then appears, making her way through the small assembled crowd. The tissue man comes to her and hands her a packet. Mika stares at the packet and stands stopped in the middle of the street. From behind she hears a boy saying "excuse me." She turns and sees Taro standing behind her. Casually taking a sip from his soda can he asks, "Mind if I hit on you?" Mika turns, offended, and tries to pass him. She bumps him and he spills soda on her uniform jacket. Taro turns and says "Later" then runs through the crowd. "Wait a minute!" Mika cries. To avoid a stain, she takes out the tissue packet from her pocket and begins to open it. She is about to use the tissue to wipe her jacket when she notices writing on the tissue. Scrawled across it in red characters is a message reading "Hell is full of the dead and the dead will wander." "What is this?" she asks herself, then wads the tissue up and throws it to the ground. "It's a bad omen."

Mika places her hand to her head as if to thwart off an impending headache. She hears voices around her saying "How terrible… what is she doing?… she must be crazy." The red "don't walk" crossing light flashes and we see Lain standing in the middle of the busy intersection as cars whiz by. Crowds of people cross the walk in the opposite direction. Lain looks at the ground with dead eyes and whispers. Mika is among the people crossing with the flow and stops in the middle of the crosswalk, looking stunned and watching Lain standing in the traffic lane as cars zip by. "Lain? What is she doing?" Mika asks her self as she beings to continue on her way. Mika stops in the crosswalk again, and stares up at one of giant Video screens on a building. The screen is flashing a ghostly pale, and then suddenly Lain's super-deformed face appears in it, staring back at Mika.

We are now back in Lain's bedroom, where she kneels as she did before. A tribal mask hovers above her office chair. The mask says, "The prophecy will be executed, Lain." "It couldn't be a prophecy," Lain protests. "Yes, it is a prophecy," the mask responds. "History is not just a collection of independent points which were passed by. The lines were connected by someone, in fact they were forced to connect." "Who? Who connected them?" Lain asks.

We now see Mika again, standing at the intersection, staring at the green flashing crossing light as it prepares to change to its red, "Don't Walk" state.

Now we see Lain's classroom at school. Lain is sitting at her desk opening her school bag as the other girls mill about the room. Lain looks up into the hall and sees Alice, Juri, and Reika waving to her. She gets up and joins them. "What did you do yesteray?" Juri asks. "I didn't know you were already that advanced." Alice adds "You're already able to do such a 'hacker' thing!" "What do you mean?" Lain asks, confused. "Don't play innocent," Reika chides. "I really don't know," Lain protests. "Didn't you do that?" Alice asks. "What?" Lain inquires blankly.

We now see Lain's Navi screen with the flashing Tachibana logo. A male reporter announces "They reported that the network accident yesterday afternoon may have been deliberate and the Information Agency’s　Information Monitoring Center began to investigate the cause. The network was…" as the voice fades off, we again see Lain's face appear on the screen.

We now see a digital display. The numbers "218" followed by "948" appear. The camera pans back and we are in a fast food establishment. A boy is at the counter placing an order. As we survey the restaurant we see Alice, Reika, and Juri sitting in a booth. Alice is looking at her hand-held computer display. "I got more today," she says. "More of what?" Juri asks. "Spam. Its indiscriminate mail. It is so persistent." Reika says, "Let me guess, it says 'Execute the Prophecy.'" "Is it a declaration of war by some group?" Juri asks. "I talked to this geeky friend of mine," Alice explains, "she said that they were sent by the 'Knights'". "Who are the Knights?" Juri asks. "I've heard it's a group of super-hackers," Alice replies. "But I thought that hackers don't usually get together," Reika insists. Alice looks up and says "True, but I don't think the Knights are really the type of thing one usually describes as a group. At any rate, they are very influential in the Wired and do many things behind the scene." "It's a secret society!" Juri interjects. "Do they think it's fun to do these kinds of things?" Reika wonders. Alice continues "I get the feeling that they aren't in it for the money or for kicks."

We see Lain in a dark room. She turns her head and sees a black and white projection of her mother. "It is appropriate that the wired is an upper layer of the real world," her mother appears to say. Now we see Lain kneeling again, staring at the apparition as it hovers over the floor. Her mother continues "The physical world is just a hologram of the information in the Wired." "Mama?" Lain asks, but her mother continues, "Because human consciousness is just a physical phenomenon of electrical synapse signals."

"I…" Lain says. She outstretches her hands and stares at them. "The reason your flesh exists," her mother continues, "is to confirm your existence, as you're doing now." "Are you really my mother?" Lain asks. The image of her mother just fades away. "Please…" Lain says.

We are now in Lain's dining room and the entire family is gathered at the table. Mika watches the proceedings. She appears to be distant and disturbed as she watches her mother serve more tea to her father from a thermal carafe. The father sits with his head turned from the family as he watches something in the distance, out of site. Lain sits and stirs her food, not eating, just playing with it. "Lain," Mika asks, "weren't you in Shibuya earlier?" Lain looks up, surprised. "Never mind." Mika says. Mother and Father seem to be ignoring this conversation engrossed in her rice and his tea.

Mika goes to take a drink of milk. The surface of the liquid in the glass sparkles and we are back in Shibuya at the intersection with the crossing light flashing red. Mika looks up, stunned. Mika has now become the one standing unprotected in the center of the intersection with the cars passing her by. She falls to her knees and looks up, seeing the gaping crowd. As she stares at them, the images of the crowd change from discrete figures to wispy shadows of energy. They approach her and terror wells in her eyes. The camera pans back and she becomes small and super-deformed. We see her sitting in the middle of an interesting shadow. It projects her kneeling at the top of a pyramid. Crossing the top of the pyramid is a archway that is topped by a crescented "G" like shape. The entire shape is in a circle with hash marks, like minute markings, around the outside.

Suddenly we are back at the fast food restaurant from earlier. The view is from the booth next to the one where Alice, Juri, and Reika were sitting. From this vantage we can see the back of Mika's head as she watches the other girls in the next booth. She turns her head and then the girls in the next booth appear to be different girls, not Lain's friends. Mika appears to be disappointed. She reaches down to open her cup of coffee, with a packet of sugar and stirrer at the ready. She struggles to remove the lid from the cup and spills its contents on the table. As she licks her finger the liquid on the table begins to move and form a message. "Execute the Prophecy" it reads. Shocked, Mika stands. "What prophecy?" she asks. She stands, and the restaurant is now deserted and quiet as the scene shifts to video static.

Footsteps as Mika runs to the restaurant's restroom. She looks at herself in the mirror. "Why? I was having dinner with mom and dad.." The lights suddenly go out and Mika stands in darkness "Why?" The squeak of a door opens behind her and she turns to look. "Is somebody there?" she asks. "I know you're there," she says, and proceeds, walking through the darkness into a bathroom stall. The lights come on behind her and the stall door slowly swings shut. "Execute the Prophecy" is scrawled across the door in red lettering. Breathing heavily she backs against the wall.

A bright light appears. As the camera pans back the light appears to emanate from the reflections of Father's glasses in black and white. We are in Lain's room again. She kneels in front of the floating figure of her father. "Are you really my father?" Lain asks. "In the Wired there may be more than just electrical information," he explains. "When the telephone network and the radio were created, I believe that the other world may have been generated." "Excuse me…" Lain asks. Her father just continues, "God is only a concept in this real world. But I think that there may be a Deus-like entity in the Wired." "A God?" Lain asks. "I don't know if it should be called a God or not," her father says. "But I think that he may rule the Wired, as it is written in myth." "I may have talked to God," Lain replies. "Deus in the Wired may affect this real world in some way," Father continues. "Yes, by a prophecy." "Prophecy?" Lain asks.

Mika runs to through the front door of her house. She is frightened and totally disturbed. She slams the door behind her and crouches to her feet, her back to the front door, crying. Suddenly she looks up. Another Mika is there already, dressed in a pink hooded sweater. Fearful and crazed, the Mika at the door watches, stunned. She stands and runs forward and the two Mikas face one another in the hall staring. As Lain approaches the "new" Mika, the school-girl Mika disappears. "What's up?" Lain asks. The "new" Mika turns and responds mechanically "Nothing to be worried about," then turns and walks mechanically up the steps. Lain turns to look in the entry. There she sees an ethereal phantom of a girl, in which the faint figure of Mika can be made out, with hollow eyes and a huge frown. Lain looks on, concerned. The figure then fades away.

Lain enters her darkened room and turns on her monitor. While we cannot see the entire Navi, there are now several monitors glowing in the dark surrounding Lain in an eerie light. As she stares into the screen she asks "Who will it be today?"
[http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors-layer05.php (Source] )

{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Episodes]]

Omnipresence in Wired

2014-01-19T02:44:02Z

Cyber:

[[File:Omnipresence in wired.jpg|200px|thumb|right]]

Omnipresence in Wired is the [[Serial Experiments Lain]] artbook that was released only in Japan in 1999. A modified version, ab# rebuild, was released in 2002 in both Japan and the United States.

It contains, among other things, illustrations by Yoshitoshi Abe that were originally published in 1998 issues of MediaWorks' ''Dengeki Playstation'' and Sony Magazines' monthly ''AX'' (エーエックス, not to be confused with bi-monthly alternative manga anthology アックス). The manga [[The Nightmare of Fabrication]] is included.

==Contents==

<center>{{Media}}</center>
[[Category:Books]]

Layer 07

2014-01-13T06:29:55Z

Cyber: clean up

'''LAYER 07: SOCIETY'''

'''Original Air Date:''' 1998.08.17

'''Main Characters Introduced:''' [[The Knights]] [[Men in Black]] "[[Boss]]" [[Masatsugu Shou]]
 
[[Masatsugu Shoko]] [[Nezumi]]

'''Script: ''' [[Layer 07 Script]]

'''Analysis:''' [[Layer 07 Analysis]]

'''Previous episode:''' [[Layer 06]]

'''Next episode:''' [[Layer 08]]

==Short summary==
*[[Lain]] talks to her [[NAVI]] while [[Mika]] watches blankly
*A weird wannabe [[Knight]], [[Nezumi]], wanders the streets, drawing a lot of attention
*[[Alice]] shows concern about Lain's recent quietness
*The [[delivery man]] gives [[Shoko]] her new NAVI
*The [[MIB]] take Lain to their [[Boss]] in [[Tachibana Labs]] and she fixes a NAVI for him
*The Boss questions Lain's knowledge of herself and her family
*Shoko disposes of the mysterious extra item delivered to her
*Nezumi is seen dead in a ditch

==Long summary==
The very, very familiar opening of the city at night. A female voice says, “I’ll tell this only to you. You’re the only one who doesn’t know what happened in this society, and what is going on.”

[Title: SOCIETY Layer:07]

It is twilight. Outside of Lain’s window is a grouping of wires. The wires are all coiled together in a manner reminiscent of internal organs. Lain’s Navi system is even larger than ever. It fills most of her room. Lain is seated in front of her Navi. She is once again having a conversation with the voices from the Wired. Lain says, “No, it’s not.. I’m just looking at …” The voices communicate via strange sounds. Lain says, “In the Wired… I will change.” A strange sound is heard then Lain says, “I’m not certain.” Another strange sound is heard. Lain asks, “Who?” then turns her head towards the doorway. There stands her sister Mika. Mika attempts to speak but can only make guttural sounds, “a….e…” Lain asks, “My sister?” Lain then turns back to her Navi. “My sister has changed nowadays.” She pauses. “I wonder.” Lain pauses again. “ I don’t know.” The Navi responds with more strange sounds. Suddenly the word ”WARNING” flashes on her Navi screen.

The scene shifts to show an infrared style camera scanning people in a crowd. A male voice declares, “I know that the Wired and the real world have a linear connection. I can exist anywhere.” A message flashes across the camera screen in English, “ I am the best.” The man’s voice continues, “No matter where my flesh is, I can send my consciousness anywhere.” The voice belongs to a bizarre man. He is walking around the city wearing a strange head-mounted display apparatus on his head. It is connected to a large backpack which seems to weigh heavily between his shoulders. People in the crowd cast curious glances in his direction before moving out of his way. He is walking with a broad smile across his face. He seems to be bobbing his head to sounds only he can hear.

An office door is pushed open by an attractive female. She crosses the room and seats herself across from a man typing on a computer keypad. She appears to be his secretary as she announces his next meeting time. “EMA Motors Consortium. It’s time for dinner with them.” He looks up at his secretary. He appears to be somewhat young and must be very important to have such a grand office. He grunts to acknowledge her statement. There seems to be a flirtatious quality to their interaction. The secretary does a little ‘Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct’ crossing and uncrossing of her legs. Her boss is watching. His Navi interrupts the moment by announcing he has mail. The boss informs the secretary, “Wait for three minutes. I’ll come downstairs.” The secretary acknowledges his statement, gets up, and leaves. The boss waits until he hears her close the door before activating his mail. A strange symbol appears. It looks like the compass used for drawing circles but this image has a triangle behind it. The man grins at the screen. He asks it, “What would you like to play this time?”

Lain’s teacher is writing on the blackboard. Lain is accessing her HandiNAVI during class. Alice is watching Lain. Alice looks concerned as she notes what her friend is doing.

The sky appears to be overcast. The power lines are humming. A man is sitting in an extremely messy apartment room. Trash is all over and the sink is overfilled with dishes. The man is working on a Navi. The man laughs and says, “take this!” On his screen is the same symbol and message that was sent to the business man. The messy man laughs again. “He he. That's right, you idiots.” The man has an unkempt appearance. He is wearing glasses and a thick red headband. He gleefully mutters, “I’m better than you. Hee hee!”

Lain is outside on the roof of her school. She is kneeling and holding onto the railing as she peers down at the buildings around her school. She says aloud, “ The real world is not real at all.” Alice appears and speaks her name, “Lain.” Lain looks up to see her friend standing next to her. Alice continues, “Lain are you okay? “ Lain responds, “ Eh, what do you mean?” Alice answers. “You look like your old self lately.” Lain gives a nod. Alice says, “We only wanted you to cheer up, so we took you out to some places.” Lain has a sad look on her face. Alice continues, “We’d really hoped you would. But if that’s not what you wanted I apologize.” Lain hurriedly stands up and faces her friend. “No,” Lain says, “not at all. I was happy to…” Lain shakes her head no repeatedly and emphasizes, “That’s not it at all.” Alice turns to look at her. Lain seems very earnest, as if she really does not want Alice to think going out was a mistake. Alice’s smile broadens. She reaches down and gently takes Lain’s hand in between her own. Alice says, “I’m glad,” then walks away. Lain stands there momentarily looking at her hand. She quickly turns and stops Alice’s departure by saying, “Alice, thank you for worrying about me.” Alice replies, “We’re friends aren’t we? See ya.” then turns to leave. Lain watches her go. A truly happy look is on Lain’s face.

A computer screen is showing a variety of images of scenery and animals. A male voice states, “This afternoon, someone cracked the firewall of the Information Agency’s　Information Monitoring Center. Now the information in the Wired is disordered. Be aware that although this news was sent now, it may be received tomorrow or yesterday.”

A different computer screen is flashing lights and images. The word “KNIGHTS” can be seen. Muttering voices can be heard. A male voice says, “I heard it was done by Knights.” Another voice asks, “What are Knights?” The screen shows the words, “What’s Knights?” The female Navi voice answers. “Knights. They are very influential in the Wired. There is no information about the members. They are not only distributing information in the Wired but they are also developing and distributing illegal information devices.” The computer flashes a sentence in English, “Take aim? Shooting down?”. A male voice says, “I heard that Lain was　being targeted.” Another male voice asks, “Who is Lain?” The computer screen shifts to show the Infomana search engine. The keyword for the onscreen search is “Lain” The female Navi voice reports, “There is zero information about ‘Lain’” The English words “make me sad” twist across the screen. A male voice says, “I haven’t seen Lain lately.” More English words roll across the screen, “With no wings…with no things…one love” then “make me mad” then “double bind…no double minds” and last, Cmake me feel all right”. Another male voice asks, “Who’s Lain?” Someone responds, “A girl.” Incredulous voice, “A girl?” Another voice says, “She’s strong!” Male voice, “What’s strong about her?” Someone answers and their words float across the screen in English, “[[Metaphorize]]. Will. Power. The light in the eyes. Existence.”

A dialogue written in kanji and hiragana is also on the screen. The text reads, “Live monotony the rest of your life.” A new line appears, “God bless you.” Another line appears and reads, “Who are you?” “Have you ever seen the Lain?” The male voice questions the other speaker, “May I ask a question?” The response is, “What?” He states the question, “Are you are member of Knights?” The screen clicks off.

A doorbell rings at a nice apartment complex. A female voice yells, “Yes.” The door opens and a delivery man is waiting. He walks into the apartment and announces, “It’s for you.” The home owner approaches him. She has short brown hair. She says, “Oh, you need my signature.” and runs off to get her name stamp. The delivery man checks out her rear as she hurries to fetch the item. He notices a Navi system on her table. She reappears and apologizes, “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He says, “No problem.” The woman hands him her stamp, “Here you go.” The delivery man attempts a conversation with the woman. “Is that the newest Navi? It’s nice isn’t it?” he asks her. She giggles and says, “My side job let me buy it.” The delivery man says, “I can’t afford one, even though I’m working at this job.” He hands her a package. She replies, “Keep working at it.” He says, “Yes. I have to work more. I’ll teach you how to use it, if you want.” His eyes roam down her body, and seem to say, “I have a special package of my own I’d like to teach you to use.” The woman does not miss the innuendo and coyly responds, “Hmm, you’ll teach me?” The delivery man does not back down and says, “Yes. I’m confident enough in my ability.” The woman teases him, “Do you often tempt wives like this?” The delivery man runs his fingers through his hair and says, “Not at all…well maybe.” A young boy with a backpack runs past them, shouting, “I’m home.” The woman thanks the delivery man and shows him out the door. He stands outside, stunned that his seduction has failed and walks off in a huff.

The woman’s boy is seated in front of the television. He is playing a jet fighter video game. He asks, “Mom, may I go play at Kinya’s house?” His mother replies, “You can play a game with him over the net.” She removes a bubble wrapped item from the package. Her son continues, “He's going to teach me how to play it.” His mom is not listening. She stares at the item. It has the strange compass/pyramid shape on it. The mom says, “The Wired is the same as the real world.”

It is dusk. Lain is walking home from school. She is startled to see the black car is parked in front of her house. The doors open and the two men in black get out. Lain appears to be slightly shaken by their appearance. She mutters to herself, “What?” The shorter man says, “Iwakura Lain? Would you come with us?” The taller man says, “We won’t force you to come. We are only asking that you do.” The shorter man says, “We won’t harm you physically.” Lain asks, “Who are you?.” The taller man removers his headgear/visor to reveal his face. Lain seems shocked. He says, “We’ll tell you when you come with us.”

The strange street camera man is still walking the streets. He continues to view the Wired and the real world simultaneously through his visor. He comments, “I don’t want to remain in such a place. I can do this. Look! I’m breaking the barrier between the real world and the Wired.” The word “PEEPING” pops up in a window in his visor screen. The man continues to talk into his headset. “Please. I am as skilled as any member of Knights. Please let me join you in Knights.” A window pops up and with the English word “ACCEPTED” in it. The man continues, “Applaud me. I found it myself. Your secret channel. Please let me join.” His camera lens moves around. It focuses on a blurred infra scanned image of Lain. The man asks, “Who?” The Lain image just grins.

The black car pulls up to an apartment building. Lain’s image is reflected in the car window. She is looking up at the building. The shorter man has also removed his headgear. He opens the door to let Lain out of the vehicle. Lain exits and follows the men into the building and up a flight of stairs. A sign on the wall reads, “Tachibana Lab- Shinbashi Office”. The taller man opens a door. Lain is reluctant to enter. The shorter man gives her a gentle push into the room. A male voice says, “Come here. I can’t make this machine be recognized by the firewall at the head office. I did all I could with the applications.” Lain looks around and sees the room is empty except for the man, the chair he is sitting on, and his Navi system, which is on the floor.

The equipment is rather primitive. A standard rotary phone and an older computer make up this man’s system. “It seems impossible to do with this outdated Navi”, he says. “I’ve been using this for a long time so I don’t want to have to get a new Navi.” Lain walks towards the man. She has yet to see his face as he has kept his back to her. He turns toward Lain and says, “I’m so old.” He does not look all that old. No sign of gray in his hair and relatively few lines on his face. He laments, “If I were young like you…” Lain looks from the man to his system and says, “That jumper…” She kneels down by the Navi and points out, “Pull this…and that jumper off.” The man points and says, “I’m sorry, but would you do it?” Lain turns back and looks at him. The two men in black are standing guard at the door. Lain uses a set of tweezers supplied by the man to make the alterations to his Navi. She completes her task and turns on his Navi. The female Navi voice says, “Authorized.” Lain’s name appears as the user identification. The man leans down to the Navi and says, "huh."

A male voice emits from the Navi, “Lain! Are you a member of the Knights?” Lain sits up and is clearly shocked. The voice continues, “You are, aren’t you Lain? I didn’t know that you are.” On the screen is an image of Lain. It is similar to the image seen by the strange HMD man. The screen Lain calls the male voice an idiot.

The scene shifts and we are seeing the world through street camera man’s eyes again. He pleads, “Wait! Wait! It was so much fun what you did with the kids.” But I have better ideas. Please let me join you in Knights.” A window appears in his visor, again with the word, “PEEPING”. Lain is watching the street camera man on the outdated Navi with the mystery man. He tells Lain, “There are no national barriers in the Wired.” He pushes a button to turn off the screen. He continues, “There are many anarchists who are talking nonsense.” Lain stands up. The man is sill talking, “And there are too many fools who believe that causing mischief in a society is a revolution. But Knights seem different from them.” Lain repeats, “Knights…” The man replies, “I don’t know if you were aware of it, but your existence in the Wired is very unnatural. And Knights seemed to have a special interest in you.” Lain has started to perspire. She asks, “what are you saying?” She is trembling with fear. The man says, “Knights. You have talked directly to them.”. Lain stammers, “But I um…what?” The man closes his eyes and says, “Anyway, they want to use you for something. We have to stop it. No matter what.” Lain asks him, “You…what…? Who are you guys?” He does not respond.

It is nighttime and augmented reality man is still lurking about. He says, “I’ll keep the secret of course. I know you believe in Deus. I’ll obey you too.” Augmented reality man heads for a flight of stairs. He says, “But is it true? I can’t believe that there’s a God in the Wired now. But I’ll know more about it when I join. I’ll believe in him.” His camera zooms in on the image of three people standing in front of him. They appear to be the blurred images of the businessman, the housewife/mother, and the messy red headband guy. Street camera man says to them, “ You guys? You’ve come to meet me?” Then his camera blinks out.

Lain and the man are still in the empty room. “My name?” he says. “My name is of no value to you. They have no names”, he refers to the men in black. “Nor do I.” Lain walked away from him and towards the men in black who are standing by the door. The man asks, “Tell me, Iwakura Lain. Are you the same person as ‘Lain in the Wired’?” Lain just stands there sweating and trembling. He repeats, “Who are you?. Lain stammers, “I…I…” He fires another question at her, “Are your parents really your parents?. Lain spins around to face him. “What?”, she asks. His barrage continues. “Is your sister really your sister?” Lain is stunned. “What are you saying. Of course they…” He shows no mercy. “When is your father’s birthday? Lain is sweating profusely. She says, “My dad is…” He does not let her finish. Instead he stands for the first time and asks, “When is your mother’s birthday? When did your parents marry? Did they marry for love? Or was it an arranged marriage.” Lain is almost hyperventilating as she gasps, “They are…” Cruelly he declares, “Why don’t you know? Have you never heard? Have you never celebrated their birthdays with your family?” Lain collapses to her knees, sobbing. He asks more gently, “When and where were you born?” Lain is still sweating and crying. She pleads for him to stop. The man states, “You don’t know anything about yourself. Are you all right? You really know absolutely nothing…”

Lain staggers to her feet. She steadies herself and snorts, “Annoying jerk. You ask about trivial matters. Nonsense.” She is strangely calm and decidedly different than the Lain who was crying. All three of the men notice the tremendous change in her personality. It is almost as if she is another person. The main man asks, “Are you ‘Lain in the Wired’?” ‘Lain’ responds, “So what if I am.” The man continues. “You know the border between the Wired and the real world began to break without devices.” ‘Lain’ says, “So What.” The man replies, “We think it is dangerous.” ‘Lain’ has an arrogant look on her face as she retorts, “It’s interesting.” She then turns to leave. ‘Lain’ commands the two men in black to let her pass. She pushes on through them when they don’t respond. The taller man grabs her arm and pulls her back. He tells her, “You are also dangerous.” ‘Lain’ glares up at him. The main man addressed the taller man by his name, “Carl”. Carl let’s ‘Lain’s’ arm go and she struts out of the room.. The main man tells Carl and the shorter man , "She’s right. Something interesting is beginning. Let us sit back and observe.”

The scene shifts back to the housewife’s home. Her son is still playing the jet fighter video game. The moms sing songs his name, “Sho-chan.”. He answers, “What’s up mom?” She replies, “Let’s play together!” Sho says, “Did you finish your business?” She replies, “Of course. I’m awesome. I’ll beat you Sho chan!” She then flops down on the floor beside him and grabs a controller. She squeals, “Get ready for it! See?” In the kitchen we see her garbage can. At the top of the trash is a burnt object. It is the remains of the item that was delivered to her.

Cars are zooming on a busy street. It is nighttime. There is a ravine off the shoulder of the road. A body lies still at the bottom. It is the augmented reality man. He is dead but his visor is still operating. The symbol of the compass/pyramid can be seen on the screen of the dead man's Navi screen.
[http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors-layer07.php (Source] )

{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Episodes]]

Yasuo Iwakura

2014-01-11T09:50:20Z

Cyber: metamorphisized is not even a word

{{Infobox
|image = File:Iwakura yasuo.jpeg
|gender = Male
|age =
|family = [[Iwakura Miho]], [[Iwakura Mika]], [[Iwakura Lain]]
|affiliation = [[Tachibana Laboratories]]
|navi = [[Iwakura Yasuo's NAVI]]
|debut = [[Layer 01]]
|featuredin = [[Anime]], [[Game]]
|location = [[Lain's house]], [[Shibuya]]}}

[[File:Lain isn't scared!.jpeg|left|thumb|Lain asks for a new NAVI in [[Layer 01|''Weird'']].]]

'''Iwakura Yasuo''' (岩倉康男 ''Iwakura Yasuo'') is the surrogate father of [[Iwakura Lain]].

He's a [[Tachibana Laboratories]] employee, seen working on [[IPv7]] with [[Masami Eiri]] in a flashback. He is proficient with computers and has a high-end [[NAVI]] with multiple screens at home.

In [[Layer 01]] Lain approaches him -- a rare occurrence, according to Yasuo -- and asks for a new [[NAVI]]. He is amused by and encourages his daughter's new-found interest for NAVIs and the [[Wired]], approving her request due to her own machine being rapidly outdated and that she should not be afraid of the growing societal emphasis on the Wired. He asks Lain why she is interested, and she replies that she has to meet a [[Chisa Yomoda|friend]].

In the next episode, Yasuo informs Lain that her NAVI has arrived, and Miho says to clean up quickly due to the hardware blocking the way. Yasuo offers to set the NAVI up for Lain after dinner, commenting that the new model is so powerful that he would like to use it himself. His daughter asks if he can set it up now, surprising him, but he complies. Just before Lain begins using her [[Lain's NAVI|NAVI]], he warns her not to use it too much with kids, championing the importance of more 'advanced' communication systems in more mature relationships. His daughter does not reply, instead addressing her NAVI, and Yasuo says that she can show off her new NAVI to her friends.

In [[Layer 03]] he interrupts Lain before she can read her mail, asking her if she has gotten used to her NAVI. When she doesn't respond he asks if there's something wrong. She shows him her [[Psyche|new device]] and asks if he knows what it is. He responds coldly that he doesn't know.

In the [[Layer 04|next layer]] he is first seen watching Lain's flurry of activity on her NAVI. He confirms to Miho over dinner that Lain is acting "weird". Later in the episode he confronts Lain and warns her that the Wired is just a communications platform, and should not be mixed up with the real world. Lain responds firmly, saying that "The border is not so well-defined. Soon, I'll be able to enter it and I'll be metaphorized completely with full range and motion," and when he says that even the newest commercial NAVI cannot simulate reality, his daughter states that she can because she modified it. Yasuo asks if that is because of her Psyche chip, and Lain assures that she will always be herself.

[[File:Ghostly Yasuo discussing the Wired with Lain.jpeg|left|thumb|"Yasuo" discusses the Wired with Lain in [[Layer 05|''Distortion'']].]]
Yasuo is less prominent in the [[Layer 05|fifth episode]], paying little attention to Mika when she asks if Lain was in [[Shibuya]] earlier. However, in Lain's room he manifests as a pale, ethereal figure and she asks if he is really her father. He talks about the Wired, and theorizes that the development of electricity and phones, which brought about the Wired must have created [[Reality|another world]]. They then discuss the existence of a [[God]], only a concept in the real world while a [[Deus]]-like entity may lurk in the Wired, of power "...that is written of in myths". He then says that it is possible that such an entity could affect the real world, perhaps by a "prophecy".

In [[Layer 06]], Yasuo is shocked by the changes in Lain's room, pockmarked with puddles of water and filled up almost completely with hardware. His concern is magnified when she does not seem to notice him. Yasuo does not appear in the next episode, though the [[Boss]] mercilessly interrogates Lain using details of her supposed family.

After not appearing for four episodes Yasuo bids Lain farewell, addressing her as "Miss Lain". He says that "our work is finished," and that she should have it figured out for herself now. Lain doesn't respond. He pities that he could not have done more for her in such a short time, but says that she is now free to become whatever she wishes, or rather, she was always free. Yauso goes on to say that though he was not allowed to say goodbye, he loved her. Lain is still speechless, and her 'father' says that he did not enjoy pretending to be a family, but says that he envied a being like Lain. As he leaves, Lain begs him not to leave her alone. Without turning to face her, he says "Alone? You're not alone. If you connect to the Wired, everyone will welcome you. That's the sort of being you were". With that, Yasuo and the rest of the Iwakura family disappear.

In [[Layer 13]], the reset returns the Iwakura family to normalcy. He tells Miho to make sure to receive and pay for a package. "Computer parts again?" she says. He doesn't reply. Yasuo is the only person that notices Lain's disappearance. He appears later, looming over a despaired Lain when she desperately questions her existence. Both Lain and Yasuo appear seated at a floating table. He says that Lain doesn't need to wear [[bear suit|that]] anymore. Lain nervously asks if "knows," and that "I...everyone". Her father interrupts her, saying with a knowing smile that "You love them? Isn't that right?" Lain begins to cry, and Yasuo says that he'll "...make us some nice tea next time. Hey, with some [[wikipedia:Madeleine (cake)#Literary reference|madeleines]]! Definitely. They're great."

{{Characters}}
[[Category:Characters]]

Source Code

2014-01-09T03:03:35Z

Cyber: rephrase

[[File:Life.jpg|300px|thumb|right|CRowView.CL]]
[[File:Walker.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL]]

In [[Layer 07]], there is a scene where Lain is in class, surreptitiously working on her [[HandiNAVI]] instead of paying attention. For a few seconds, her NAVI screen is visible, and we can see her rapidly scroll through two files of Common Lisp source code, named CRowView.CL and Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL.

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL is the source for a code walker. This was probably included for its tongue-in-cheek reference to [[Apple Inc. references | Apple]] in a section of code that is commented out. The full file can be found [http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/lisp/code/codewalk/walk/new_walk.cl here.]

CRowView.CL contains code for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life John Conway's Game of Life.] The creators probably selected this code because of its seemingly [[God|omnipotent]] implications, i.e. creating worlds and life. The full file can be found [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-repository/ai/lang/lisp/code/fun/life.cl here.]

Some more tenuous, coincidental links between CGoL and Lain include the fact that the recently established [http://www.catb.org/hacker-emblem/ Hacker Emblem] was inspired by the Game of Life, and Lain can be described as a hacker; and that CGoL also inspired the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poietic_Generator Poietic Generator,] while Lain [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?|has been described as an autopoietic entity]].

References to Apple, Inc.

2014-01-09T02:58:02Z

Cyber: added link

[[File:20thgold.jpg|thumb|174px|right|The 20th Anniversary Macintosh]]
[[File:Oldnavi.jpg|frame|Lain's old navi]]

There are several references to Apple Inc. and their products in the [[Serial Experiments Lain (anime)|anime]]. Most of the effects were created on Macintosh computers and the series writer [[Chiaki Konaka]] is a fan of their products.

More detailed information can be found on [http://www.cjas.org/~leng/apple-lain.htm Thought Experiments Lain].

== See also ==
*[[Source code]]

[[Category:Themes]]

Source Code

2014-01-09T02:53:18Z

Cyber: i messed up

[[File:Life.jpg|300px|thumb|right|CRowView.CL]]
[[File:Walker.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL]]

In [[Layer 07]], there is a scene where Lain is in class, surreptitiously working on her [[HandiNAVI]] instead of paying attention. For a few seconds, her NAVI screen is visible, and we can see her rapidly scroll through two files of Common Lisp source code, named CRowView.CL and Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL.

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL is the source for a code walker. This was probably included for its tongue-in-cheek reference to [[Apple Inc. references | Apple]] in a section of code that is commented out. The full file can be found [http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/lisp/code/codewalk/walk/new_walk.cl here.]

CRowView.CL contains code for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life John Conway's Game of Life.] The creators probably selected this code because of its seemingly [[God|omnipotent]] implications, i.e. creating worlds and life. The full file can be found [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-repository/ai/lang/lisp/code/fun/life.cl here.]

Other coincidental links between CGoL and Lain include the fact that the recently established [http://www.catb.org/hacker-emblem/ Hacker Emblem] was inspired by the Game of Life, and Lain can be described as a hacker; and that CGoL also inspired the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poietic_Generator Poietic Generator,] while Lain [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?|has been described as an autopoietic entity]].

Source Code

2014-01-09T02:50:58Z

Cyber: ;)

[[File:Life.jpg|300px|thumb|right|CRowView.CL]]
[[File:Walker.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL]]

In [[Layer 07]], there is a scene where lain is in class, surreptitiously working on her [[HandiNAVI]] instead of paying attention. For a few seconds, her NAVI screen is visible, and we can see her rapidly scroll through two files of Common Lisp source code, named CRowView.CL and Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL.

Afx-n-nPrv-View.CL is the source for a code walker. This was probably included for its tongue-in-cheek reference to [[Apple Inc. references | Apple]] in a section of code that is commented out. The full file can be found [http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/lang/lisp/code/codewalk/walk/new_walk.cl here.]

CRowView.CL contains code for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life John Conway's Game of Life.] The creators probably selected this code because of its seemingly [[God|omnipotent]] implications, i.e. creating worlds and life. The full file can be found [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-repository/ai/lang/lisp/code/fun/life.cl here.]

Other coincidental links between CGoL and Lain include the fact that the recently established [http://www.catb.org/hacker-emblem/ Hacker Emblem] was inspired by the Game of Life, and Lain can be described as a hacker; and that CGoL also inspired the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poietic_Generator Poietic Generator,] while Lain [[Give some examples of cybernetic systems at play in specific visual texts. What metaphors of the body in contemporary society do they suggest? And to what commodity end are they marketed?|has been described as an autopoietic entity]].

File:Life.jpg

2014-01-09T02:41:42Z

Cyber: A capture of Game of Life source code from Layer 07.

A capture of Game of Life source code from Layer 07.

File:Walker.jpg

2014-01-09T02:40:26Z

Cyber: A capture of code walker source code from Layer 07.

A capture of code walker source code from Layer 07.

Talk:Layer 01

2014-01-08T12:05:34Z

Cyber: listed edits

Tried to clean up this article a bit, but it's still kind of retarded and juvenile, style-wise.
*I changed all instances of mail to email.
*I changed the smoke coming from Lain's fingertips to ectoplasm, because it's described as ectoplasm in [[Visual Experiments Lain]]. The track that plays in the background during that scene is also titled ectoplasm, incidentally (track 2 of bootleg cd).
*Whoever originally wrote this needs to work on their listening comprehension. They misheard "yomoda chisa ''kara''" (from yomoda chisa) as yomoda ''sakura'', and they misheard "lain ''to ha''" (with lain, more or less) as lain ''sama''. It even says 「玲音とは」 right there on the screen, without a ''sama'' in sight.
*Made many other minor corrections.
[[User:Cyber|new pic post!!!]] 12:05, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

Layer 01

2014-01-08T12:01:20Z

Cyber: See talk page.

'''LAYER 01: WEIRD'''

'''Original Air Date:''' 1998.07.06

'''Main Characters Introduced:''' [[Yomoda Chisa]] [[Iwakura Lain]] [[Mizuki Alice]] [[Kato Juri]] [[Yamamoto Reika]] [[Iwakura Mika]] [[Iwakura Miho]] [[Iwakura Yasuo]]

'''Script:''' [[Layer 01 Script]]

'''Analysis:''' [[Layer 01 Analysis]]

'''Next episode:''' [[Layer 02]]

==Short summary==
*Chisa jumps off a building
*Lain's classmates discuss receiving an email from Chisa
*Smoke comes from Lain's fingertips - a sign of hallucination
*Lain starts up her [[NAVI]] for the first time in ages and reads Chisa's email
*Lain asks her father for a new NAVI and he agrees to get one
*Lain snaps awake in her classroom
*The blackboard tells her to come to the [[Wired]] soon
*Lain sees Chisa on her way home

==Long summary==
A crowded street at night in Tokyo's [[Shibuya]] district. A voice asks "Why did you come here, You'd better come here".

[Title: Weird Layer:01]

A breathless teanage girl drops her school bag as passersby point and giggle. The scene cuts to a floating text which reads "Why do you have to do this?" and then "You have to think of yourself". A man and woman pass near the building. He is trying to get her to go "somplace fun" with him.

We now see the girl on the roof of a building. She removes her glasses and positions herself on the edge with her arms outstreched. We see here smiling mouth as she says something inaudible. Again we see floating text "I don't need to be here". Then she falls from the building. The lovers are interrupted in mid-kiss as the girl's body is crushed by a falling building sign. Our last view of this scene is the girl's school bag with a cute character dangling in the breeze.

The scene changes to overhead power wires. A low frequency hum and muffled voices can be heard. Floating text appears reading "If I remain in a place like this I won't be able to stay connected."

The door to a house opens and a young schoolgirl emerges. It is Lain. She is wearing a typical Japanese school uniform with a short plaid skirt, jacket, and small bowed tie. She rides the train and we again hear the sound of electrical wires. The girl says "Shut up. Why can't you just shut up." For a moment there is silence and then more hum of wires.

As the schoolgirls approach their building, Lain stops and looks at her shadow on the ground. In it, misty whisps seem to float. Lain looks up and watches the girls enter the school. Their images seem to fade into whispy images as well. Floating text appears reading "Hurry everybody".

Lain arrives in her classroom to the sounds of a girl sobbing. We see three girls at the back of the room. The crying girl is Juri and she is comforted by Alice who says "It will be alright". Alice approaches Lain and asks "Did you receive it too?". Lain says "what?", and Alice asks "an email." Lain asks "email?" and Alice says "An email from Yomoda Chisa" Lain indicates that she's not very good at using computers, and Alice chides her "You should check your email every day".

Reika comes up to Lain's desk and says "Lain is still like a kid, isn't she". Lain hears Juri's cry again and asks "Why is she crying?" Reika says "Because she received an email from Yomoda Chisa." Lain asks "Who is Chisa?" Reika explains that Chisa was in Class B -- she was the girl who committed suicide last week. Alice explains that many other classmates received the same mail, and that dead people don't send mail, but somehow it was received.

As Lain is watching the teacher write on the blackboard, the words she sees become fuzzy. Lain is confused. She looks at her hands as the sound of chalk on board echos in the room. Suddenly small outlets appear in her fingers and ectoplasm drifts from them to swirl around the classroom. Floating text appears reading "When you die? It hurts, lol."

Outside again, Lain is walking home accompanied by the hum of the overhead wires. Lain enters her house which seems neat, yet lifeless. No one is home and Lain does not call out with the typical Japanese "I'm home." She enters her large bedroom which contains only a small bed, a desk with books and her computer. Her window ledge is lined with stuffed animals. Lain sits at her desk, dons a bear-eared hat, and turns on her computer. Lain logs into her computer and is informed that she has mail. It is from Yomoda Chisa. Lain chooses to read the email. It reads "Hello. How are you? I went home from school with you once. Do you remember?" Lain says "Yes". The letter continues "I have only abandoned the flesh. This way, I can tell you I am still alive. By sending you this mail I can show you the way. Do you understand? No need to understand now. Soon you will understand it. Everyone will."

Lain asks "Why did you kill yourself?"

The letter continues "It seems there is a rumor that its a prank mail by someone at school. But that's not the case. I want you to understand that." Lain asks, "But why? Why did you kill yourself?" The computer responds, "Because here, God exists." Lain says, "What?"

It's dinner time. Lain, her mother, and sister Mika are eating. As Lain stirs her soup, Mika leaves the table with her food relatively untouched. She explains that she had a late lunch today and thanks her mom for the meal. Lain tells her mother about the mail she received from the dead girl. Her mother doesn't respond. She just keeps on eating.

Lain is now in her bedroom. She lying on her bed with her back to the windowed wall. She is wearing hooded pajamas that are fashioned as a bear-suit. Outside you can hear a car approaching and parking.

Inside his office, Lain's father tinkers with an array of computers. Lain enters and he asks her what she wants, since it unusual for her come into his office. Lain drops the hood on her bearsuit. Humbly, she asks her father for a new "Navi". Her father is amused that she is finally interested in it. He says that now that she is in junior high, she will be outpaced by her friends without a better machine. He says "In this world there are both the real world and the wired. Everyone is connected to each other. And that's how human societies are organized. Even kids like you can get friends quickly. There is no need to be afraid. I wonder why your mom doesn't understand it." Hesitantly Lain says, "I'm not afraid of it." Her Dad asks "But why the sudden interest?" Lain replies "I have to meet a friend." Her father laughs and doesn't respond, preoccupied with his computer.

Lain is on the train again and suddenly the train slams to a halt. An announcement over the PA apologizes for the inconvenience. The train had to be stopped because of an accident. Lain places her hand to the window and watches an electrical wire as blood begins to drip from it.

Now it appears as if Lain is transported to another place, first on the street, then at the bottom of a subway entrance. She sees misty figures dissolving to nothing as they exit. Now she is in a plaza, then her empty living room, and finally at a railroad crossing. Smoke envelops the scene. As she stares down the rail tracks, she sees a girl in a sailor school uniform go under the crossing gate and stand on the tracks. Lain tries to shout at the girl, but no sound comes from her mouth. The girls face is shown alternating between smiling and screaming and ends smiling contentedly as the train finally bears down upon her. Lain crouches beside the tracks as the train passes at blinding speed.

Suddenly we back in Lain's classroom where we see tears falling on paper. She is slumped as sweat and tears drip from her chin. Her teacher, oblivious to her condition, reminds Lain that the information will be on the exam. The English words on the blackboard begin to blur until she sees a message reading "Come to the Wired quickly."

Lain is again walking home from school. As she walks she notices Chisa walking in the opposite direction. Lain turns around to see Chisa standing there. She calls to her "Chisa-chan, where are you?" Chisa just smiles. Then after panning across the reflection of the electrical wires on her glasses, Chisa disappears in a spiraling ribbon. Lain pleads "Wait!"

[http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors-layer01.php (Source] )

{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Episodes]]

User talk:Cyber

2014-01-03T03:51:40Z

Cyber: Created page with "HI ~~~~"

HI [[User:Cyber|CLICK_HERE]] 03:51, 3 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:JJ

2014-01-03T03:50:47Z

Cyber:

If I recall correctly, Lain found the Psyche chip in her locker. However, he did give her an envelope containing a memory chip in episode 9. [[User:Cyber|CLICK_HERE]] 03:50, 3 January 2014 (UTC)

Talk:JJ

2014-01-03T03:50:17Z

Cyber: Created page with "If I recall correctly, Lain found the Psyche chip in her locker. However, he did give her an envelope containing a memory chip in episode 9."

If I recall correctly, Lain found the Psyche chip in her locker. However, he did give her an envelope containing a memory chip in episode 9.

JJ

2014-01-03T03:47:18Z

Cyber: removed erroneous information.

{{Infobox
|image = File:Jj.jpeg
|gender = Male
|age =
|family =
|affiliation = [[Cyberia]]
|navi =
|debut = [[Layer 02]]
|featuredin =
|location = [[Shibuya]]
}}

The DJ who works at [[Cyberia]].

{{Characters}}

[[Category:Characters]]

Layer 06 Script

2013-12-30T20:26:28Z

Cyber:

Back to [[Layer 06]]

==Japanese==
==English==
Voice: When everyone is connected, small voices will grow larger.

Voice: When everyone is connected, even life will grow longer.

Voice: So...

Title: KIDS Layer 06

Father: Lain, I'm coming in.

Father: Lain?

Lain: Thank you.

Lain: But I've already confirmed that "name list".

Lain: It's very interesting.

Lain: I agree. It would be better if the next protocol version is released soon. When it is, I'll be able to...

Lain: But why are you so kind to me?

Lain: I don't think so. I was just wondering.

Lain: Because I don't have many friends...

Lain: Thanks, everyone in the Knights.

Lain: Yes, yes.

MobileNavi: Connected...

Reika: You're working really hard, hmm?

Alice: Lain, you seem like you're becoming more like your old self again.

Juri: Let's hang out together again.

Juri: If you're alone, your life will become really miserable!

Lain: But I'm not alone.

Juri: Eh? Who's with you?

Lain: Many people come to me. No, that isn't it... Maybe I go to them.

Reika: What, you mean on the Wired? "Net pals" aren't the same as real friends.

Alice: Reika sure is an old fogey about some things.

Juri: Old fogey.

Reika: That's fine, I don't mind being this way.

Reika: But Lain, which sites have you been visiting?

Lain: It's a secret.

Reika: Keeping quiet, huh?

Juri: Tell me!

Juri: It matches Lain.

Reika: I don't think so.

Juri: I think this is better.

Alice: No, I think this is better. Lain?

Juri: Let's go to that shop we went to before. There's a 30 minute all-you-can-eat ice-cream event there.

Reika: What?

Alice: What is it?

Juri: What is that kid doing?

Reika: I have no idea.

Juri: Hurry up, let's go.

Alice: Let's go now, Lain.

Alice: Lain? What!?

Reika: Really?

Man: What is that?

Alice: Is that... Lain?

Mother: You're coming back early these days.

Mother: Instead of you, Lain is coming home late now.

Mother: Did you get a recommendation for college?

Mika: A... a...

Mother: She's back.

Navi: There was an extraordinary phenomenon in the sky in Tokyo.

Navi: Many people began to panic.

Navi: Is it someone's prank?

Navi: Is it just a natural phenomenon?

Navi: Or did someone do this for some purpose?

Lain: Hello Navi.

Lain: Connect Wired.

Mouth: Are you Lain?

Mouth: You're amazing. You can [[metaphorize]] your real world body so completely.

Lain(wired): You're acting like a Cheshire cat.

Mouth: I can do only this much with my user permission level.

Mouth: Most people can only form an ear. I'm better than them.

Lain(w): Don't waste your breath on that. Give me information.

Mouth: If I help Lain, everyone here will call me a hero.

Lain(w): You make too much noise.

Lain(w): Do you know the game which is popular with children right now?

Mouth: Game? There are too many types of children's games.

Lain(w): Idiot.

Mouth: Does your intuition say it's a children's game?

Lain(w): Everything can be a game to children.

Mouth: Oh... You found a "result". I see. This man may know the answer.

Lain(w): ...The child-killing scientist.

Mouth: You're Lain all right, finding him all by yourself!

Mouth: In the real world, he is only an old man waiting for death in a hospital ward.

Mouth: I helped you. A little. Ask about "KIDS".

Lain(w): I know everything. I didn't need your help, Cheshire cat.

Lain(w): Professor Hodgeson. Now it's your turn. Tell me everything.

Hodgeson: You look very lifelike even in the Wired, young lady.

Lain(w): What is KIDS?

Hodgeson: What a peaceful time.

Hodgeson: Until my body in the real world rots, I want it to stay peaceful.

Lain(w): You must know what happened. What is KIDS?

Hodgeson: A beautiful time, with a silence that seems eternal.

Lain(w): Professor Hodgeson. Let me see the data of the experiment from 15 years ago.

Hodgeson: I didn't want to put children in danger.

Lain(w): This isn't about 15 years ago, but about the game which children are playing now.

Lain(w): Isn't it a reproduction of your experiment 15 years ago?

Hodgeson: Someone found it in the trash.

Hodgeson: I thought I'd deleted all of the data.

Lain(w): Tell me about the "Kensington experiment".

Hodgeson: "PSI", psychic energy. Almost all children have it even if it is very little.

Hodgeson: It can't do much in terms of ESP. Just some intuition and a physical force just enough to bend a coin.

Lain(w): What are these things over their heads?

Hodgeson: We called them "Outer Receptors", and they're used to receive "PSI".

Hodgeson: This is a "KID". Even though they are weak individually, if I collect the power of many kids...

Lain(w): What did you expect?

Hodgeson: Something unpredictable. I wanted to see something like that, young lady.

Lain(w): What did you think you were doing?

Hodgeson: I thought that science is not only about experiments on the hypothesis.

Lain(w): I'm not asking about that.

Lain(w): Didn't you think of the children?

Hodgeson: No, I didn't, as you said.

Hodgeson: We converted the weak electromagnetic waves from the brain, which the Outer Receptor received.

Hodgeson: The "KID System" is used as an extension of some functions of the brain.

Hodgeson: It is called "KIDS".

Lain(w): When all of their PSI was collected, so much power was generated...

Lain(w): Stop it.

Lain(w): Stop it!

Hodgeson: I broke them completely, never to be saved.

Hodgeson: But the schematics of the machine were leaked somewhere on the Wired, and eventually precipitated.

Lain(w): Someone found it.

Hodgeson: They modified it to function without the outer receptor.

Hodgeson: It was really amazing that they could make it so widespread just by "emulating" it.

Lain(w): Do you only think about science? Don't you think the children are also important?

Hodgeson: The children won't return to the real world no matter what I think.

Hodgeson: Moreover, I don't know anything about the current children...

Lain(w): How selfish of you. Who are using it now?

Hodgeson: Young lady, I'm tired of talking. I'm glad to have met you.

Hodgeson: I don't know what you are trying to do or what you are trying to be.

Hodgeson: But, you are strong. Extremely strong.

Hodgeson: You must be blessed by the God of the Wired, if he exists.

Lain(w): I... I don't...

Hodgeson: Where did your enormous power come from? You're different from those who are playing a prank using KIDS.

Lain(w): Prank?

Hodgeson: Well, let me go now. I'm a little tired.

Hodgeson: Now my embers of life have died down. My wish has also been fulfilled.

Lain(w): Knights...

Lain(w): Shut up!

Lain(w): What are you?

Lain(w): Why were you trying to tell me things?

Lain(w): Was I only a toy to you? Was it just a game?

Lain(w): What do you want to accomplish by KIDS? Is it just for fun?

Lain(w): You do anything just because you can and you're interested.

Lain(w): If you that, you're just monkeys!

Lain(w): Why isn't nyone answering?

Lain(w): They are... I see!

Lain(w): You! You are the Knights! Aren't you?

Lain(w): Aren't you Knights?

MIB: Lie down.

Lain(w): What?

MIB: It's the cooling system in your room.

Lain(w): What?

MIB: They sent a "parasite bomb" to your cooling system.

Lain(w): You say that like you had nothing to do with it.

MIB: We didn't.

Lain(w): Who? Who did it?

MIB: The Knights.

(Adapted from [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors/06kids_en.txt] and from memory. Originally translated by Keisuke Shindo.)
[[Category:Scripts]]

Layer 07

2013-12-30T20:25:36Z

Cyber:

'''LAYER 07: SOCIETY'''

'''Original Air Date:''' 1998.08.17

'''Main Characters Introduced:''' [[The Knights]] [[Men in Black]] "[[Boss]]" [[Masatsugu Shou]]
 
[[Masatsugu Shoko]]

'''Script: ''' [[Layer 07 Script]]

'''Analysis:''' [[Layer 07 Analysis]]

'''Previous episode:''' [[Layer 06]]

'''Next episode:''' [[Layer 08]]

==Short summary==
*[[Lain]] talks to her [[NAVI]] while [[Mika]] watches blankly
*A weird wannabe [[Knight]], [[Nezumi]], wanders the streets, drawing a lot of attention
*[[Alice]] shows concern about Lain's recent quietness
*The [[delivery man]] gives [[Shoko]] her new NAVI
*The [[MIB]] take Lain to their [[Boss]] in [[Tachibana Labs]] and she fixes a NAVI for him
*The Boss questions Lain's knowledge of herself and her family
*Shoko disposes of the mysterious extra item delivered to her
*Nezumi is seen dead in a ditch

==Long summary==
The very, very familiar opening of the city at night. A female voice says, “I’ll tell this only to you. You’re the only one who doesn’t know what happened in this society, and what is going on.”

[Title: SOCIETY Layer:07]

It is twilight. Outside of Lain’s window is a grouping of wires. The wires are all coiled together in a manner reminiscent of internal organs. Lain’s Navi system is even larger than ever. It fills most of her room. Lain is seated in front of her Navi. She is once again having a conversation with the voices from the Wired. Lain says, “No, it’s not.. I’m just looking at …” The voices communicate via strange sounds. Lain says, “In the Wired… I will change.” A strange sound is heard then Lain says, “I’m not certain.” Another strange sound is heard. Lain asks, “Who?” then turns her head towards the doorway. There stands her sister Mika. Mika attempts to speak but can only make guttural sounds, “a….e…” Lain asks, “My sister?” Lain then turns back to her Navi. “My sister has changed nowadays.” She pauses. “I wonder.” Lain pauses again. “ I don’t know.” The Navi responds with more strange sounds. Suddenly the word ”WARNING” flashes on her Navi screen.

The scene shifts to show an infra red style camera scanning people in a crowd. A male voice declares, “I know that the Wired and the real world have a linear connection. I can exist anywhere.” A message flashes across the camera screen in English, “ I am the best.” The man’s voice continues, “No matter where my flesh is, I can send my consciousness anywhere.” The voice belongs to a bizarre man. He is walking around the city wearing a strange camera/visor/goggles apparatus on his head. It is connected to a large backpack which seems to weigh heavily between his shoulders. People in the crowd cast curious glances in his direction before moving out of his way. He is walking with a broad smile across his face. He seems to be bobbing his head to sounds only he can hear.

An office door is pushed open by an attractive female. She crosses the room and seats herself across from a man typing on a computer keypad. She appears to be his secretary as she announces his next meeting time. “Immota Consortium. It’s time for dinner with them.” He looks up at his secretary. He appears to be somewhat young and must be very important to have such a grand office. He grunts to acknowledge her statement. There seems to be a flirtatious quality to their interaction. The secretary does a little ‘Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct’ crossing and uncrossing of her legs. Her boss is watching. His Navi interrupts the moment by announcing he has mail. The boss informs the secretary, “Wait for three minutes. I’ll come downstairs.” The secretary acknowledges his statement, gets up, and leaves. The boss waits until he hears her close the door before activating his mail. A strange symbol appears. It looks like the compass used for drawing circles but this image has a triangle behind it. (It is the same symbol that appeared over Mika in episode 5 - Shades) The man grins at the screen. He asks it, “How will we play now?”

Lain’s teacher is writing on the blackboard. Lain is accessing her pocket Navi during class. Alice is watching Lain. Alice looks concerned as she notes what her friend is doing.

The sky appears to be overcast. The power lines are humming. A man is sitting in an extremely messy apartment room. Trash is all over and the sink is overfilled with dishes. The man is working on a Navi. The man laughs and says, “Here!” On his screen is the same symbol and message that was sent to the business man. The messy man laughs again. “He he. Yes you idiot.” The man has an unkempt appearance. He is wearing glasses and a thick red headband. He gleefully mutters, “I’m better than you. Hee hee!”

Lain is outside on the roof of her school. She is kneeling and holding onto the railing as she peers down at the buildings around her school. She says aloud, “ The real world is not real at all.” Alice appears and speaks her name, “Lain.” Lain looks up to see her friend standing next to her. Alice continues, “Lain are you okay? “ Lain responds, “ Eh, what do you mean?” Alice answers. “You look like your old self lately.” Lain gives a nod. Alice says, “We only wanted you to cheer up, so we took you out to some places.” Lain has a sad look on her face. Alice continues, “We’d really hoped you would. But if that’s not what you wanted I apologize.” Lain hurriedly stands up and faces her friend. “No,” Lain says, “not at all. I was happy to…” Lain shakes her head no repeatedly and emphasizes, “That’s not it at all.” Alice turns to look at her. Lain seems very earnest, as if she really does not want Alice to think going out was a mistake. Alice’s smile broadens. She reaches down and gently takes Lain’s hand in between her own. Alice says, “I’m glad.” then walks away. Lain stands there momentarily looking at her hand. She quickly turns and stops Alice’s departure by saying, “Alice, thank you for worrying about me.” Alice replies, “We’re friends aren’t we? See ya.” then turns to leave. Lain watches her go. A truly happy look is on Lain’s face (as opposed to Lain’s scary happy faces- Shades).

A computer screen is showing a variety of images of scenery and animals. A male voice states, “This afternoon, the Information Agency’s firewall was cracked by a hacker. Now the information in the Wired is confusing. Be aware that although the news was sent now, it will be received tomorrow or yesterday.”

A different computer screen is flashing lights and images. The word “KNIGHTS” can be seen. Muttering voices can be heard. A male voice says, “I heard it was done by Knights.” Another voice asks, “What are Knights?” The screen shows the words, “What’s Knights?” The female Navi voice answers. “Knights. They are very influential in the Wired. There is no information about the members. They are not only distributing information in the Wired but they are also developing and distributing illegal information devices.” The computer flashes a sentence in English, “Take aim? Shooting down?”. A male voice says, “I heard that Lain was aiming for them.” Another male voice asks, “Who is Lain?” The computer screen shifts to show the Infomana search engine. The keyword for the onscreen search is “Lain” The female Navi voice reports, “There is zero information about ‘Lain’” The English words “make me sad” twist across the screen. A male voice says, “I haven’t seen Lain for a long time.” More English words roll across the screen, “With no wings…with no things…one love” then “make me mad” then “double bind…no double minds” and last, “make me feel all right”. Another male voice asks, “Who’s Lain?” Someone responds, “A girl.” Incredulous voice, “Girl? So strong.” Male voice, “What is strong?” Someone answers and their words float across the screen in English, “[[Metaphorize]]. Will. Power. The light in the eyes. Existence.”

A dialogue written in kanji and hiragana is also on the screen. The text reads, “Live monotony the rest of your life.” A new line appears, “God bless you.” Another line appears and reads, “Who are you?” “Have you ever seen the Lain?” The male voice questions the other speaker, “May I ask a question?” The response is, “What?” He states the question, “Are you are member of Knights?” The screen clicks off.

A doorbell rings at nice apartment complex. A female voice yells, “Yes.” The door opens and a delivery man is waiting. (It is the same delivery man from episode 2) He walks into the apartment and announces, “It’s for you.” The home owner approaches him. She has short brown hair. She says, “Oh, you need my signature.” and runs off to get her name stamp. The delivery man checks out her rear as she hurries to fetch the item. He notices a Navi system on her table. She reappears and apologizes, “Sorry to keep you waiting.” He says, “No problem.” The woman hands him her stamp, “Here you go.” The delivery man attempts a conversation with the woman. “Is that the newest Navi? It’s nice isn’t it?” he asks her. She giggles and says, “My side job let me buy it.” The delivery man says, “I can’t afford one, even though I’m working at this job.” He hands her a package. She replies, “Keep working at it.” He says, “Yes. I have to work more. I’ll teach you how to use it, if you want.” His eyes roam down her body, and seem to say, “I have a special package of my own I’d like to teach you to use” (^_- / Shades). The woman does not miss the innuendo and coyly responds, “Hmm, you’ll teach me?” The delivery man does not back down and says, “Yes. I’m confident enough in my ability.” The woman teases him, “Do you often tempt wives like this?” The delivery man runs his fingers through his hair and says, “Not at all…well maybe.” A young boy with a backpack runs past them. “I’m home.”, he informs his mother. The woman thanks the delivery man and shows him out the door. He stands outside, stunned that his seduction has failed and walks off in a huff.

The woman’s boy is seated in front of the television. He is playing a jet fighter video game. He asks, “Mom, may I go play at Kinya’s house?’ His mother replies, “You can play a game with him over the net.” She removes a bubble wrapped item from the package. Her son continues, “But I want to ask him how to play the game.” His mom is not listening. She stares at the item. It has the strange compass/pyramid shape on it. The mom says, “The Wired is the same as the real world.”

It is dusk. Lain is walking home from school. She is startled to see the black car is parked in front of her house. The doors open and the two men in black get out. Lain appears to be slightly shaken by their appearance. She mutters to herself, “What?” The shorter man says, “Iwakura Lain? Would you come with us?” The taller man says, “We won’t force you to come. We are only asking that you do.” The shorter man says, “We won’t harm you physically.” Lain asks, “Who are you?. The taller man removers his headgear/visor to reveal his face. Lain seems shocked. He says, “We’ll tell you when you come with us.”

The strange street camera man is still walking the streets. He continues to view the Wired and the real world simultaneously through his visor. He comments, “I don’t want to remain in such a place. I can do this. Look! I’m breaking the barrier between the real world and the Wired.” The word “PEEPING” pops up in a window in his visor screen. The man continues to talk into his headset. “Please. I am as skilled as any member of Knights. Please let me join you in Knights.” A window pops up and with the English word “ACCEPTED” in it. The man continues, “Applaud me. I found it myself. Your secret channel. Please let me join.” His camera lens moves around. It focuses on a blurred infra scanned image of Lain. The man asks, “Who?” The Lain image just grins. (This is the scary Lain grin-Shades)

The black car pulls up to an apartment building. Lain’s image is reflected in the car window. She is looking up at the building. The shorter man has also removed his headgear. He opens the door to let Lain out of the vehicle. Lain exits and follows the men into the building and up a flight of stairs. A sign on the wall reads, “Tachibana Lab- Shinbashi Office”. The taller man opens a door. Lain is reluctant to enter. The shorter man gives her a gentle push into the room. A male voice says, “Come here. I can’t make this machine be recognized by the firewall at the head office. I did all I could with the applications.” Lain looks around and sees the room is empty except for the man, the chair he is sitting on, and his Navi system, which is on the floor.

The equipment is rather primitive. A standard rotary phone and an older computer make up this man’s system. “It seems impossible to do with this outdated Navi”, he says. “I’ve been using this for a long time so I don’t want to have to get a new Navi.” Lain walks towards the man. She has yet to see his face as he has kept his back to her. He turns toward Lain and says, “I’m so old.” He does not look all that old. No sign of gray in his hair and relatively few lines on his face. He laments, “If I were young like you…” Lain looks from the man to his system and says, “That jumper…” She kneels down by the Navi and points out, “Pull this…and that jumper off.” The man points and says, “I’m sorry, but would you do it?” Lain turns back and looks at him. The two men in black are standing guard at the door. Lain uses a set of tweezers supplied by the man to make the alterations to his Navi. She completes her task and turns on his Navi. The female Navi voice says, “Authorize.” Lain’s name appears as the user identification. The man leans down to the Navi and softly says a word, which is unintelligible.

A male voice emits from the Navi, “Lain! Are you a member of the Knights?” Lain sits up and is clearly shocked. The voice continues, “You are, aren’t you Lain? I didn’t know that you are.” On the screen is an image of Lain. It is similar to the image seen by the strange street camera/Navi man. The screen Lain calls the male voice an idiot.

The scene shifts and we are seeing the world through street camera man’s eyes again. He pleads, “Wait! Wait! It was so much fun what you did with the kids.” But I have better ideas. Please let me join you in Knights.” A window appears in his visor, again with the word, “PEEPING”. Lain is watching the street camera man on the outdated Navi with the mystery man. He tells Lain, “There is no national barriers in the Wired.” He pushes a button to turn off the screen. He continues, “There are many anarchists who are talking nonsense.” Lain stands up. The man is sill talking, “And there are too many fools who believe that causing mischief in a society is a revolution. But Knights seem different from them.” Lain repeats, “Knights…” The man replies, “I don’t know if you were aware of it, but your existence in the Wired was very unnatural. And Knights seemed to have a special interest in you.” Lain has started to perspire. She asks, “what are you saying?” She is trembling with fear. The man says, “Knights. You have talked directly to them.”. Lain stammers, “But I um…what?” The man closes his eyes and says, “Anyway, they want to use you for something. We have to stop it. No matter what.” Lain asks him, “You…what…? Who are you guys?” He does not respond.

It is nighttime and street camera man is still lurking about. He says, “I’ll keep the secret of course. I know you believe in Deus. I’ll obey you too.” Street camera mans heads for a flight of stairs. He says, “But is it true? I can’t believe that there’s a God in the Wired now. But I’ll know more about it when I join. I’ll believe in him.” His camera zooms in on the image of three people standing in front of him. They appear to be the blurred images of the businessman, the housewife/mother, and the messy red headband guy. Street camera man says to them, “ You? You’ve come to invite me to join?” Then his camera blinks out as we hear him scream.

Lain and the man are still in the empty room. “Name”, he says. “You don’t need our names. They have no names”, he refers to the men in black. “Nor do I.” Lain walked away from him and towards the men in black who are standing by the door. The man asks, “Tell me Iwakura Lain. Are you the same person as ‘Lain in the Wired’?” Lain just stands there sweating and trembling. He repeats, “Who are you?. Lain stammers, “I…I…” He fires another question at her, “Are your parents really your parents?. Lain spins around to face him. “What?”, she asks. His barrage continues. “Is your sister really your sister?” Lain is stunned. “What are you saying. Of course they…” He shows no mercy. “When is your father’s birthday? Lain is sweating profusely. She says, “My dad is…” He does not let her finish. Instead he stands for the first time and asks, “When is your mother’s birthday? When did your parents marry? Did they marry for love? Or was it an arranged marriage.” Lain is almost hyperventilating as she gasps, “They are…” Cruelly he declares, “Why don’t you know? Have you never heard? Have you never celebrated their birthdays with your family?” Lain collapses to her knees, sobbing. He asks more gently, “When and where were you born?” Lain is still sweating and crying. She pleads for him to stop. The man states, “You don’t know anything about yourself. Are you all right? You really know absolutely nothing…”

Lain staggers to her feet. She steadies herself and snorts, “Noisy bastard. You ask about trivial matters. Nonsense.” She is strangely calm and decidedly different than the Lain who was crying. All three of the men notice the tremendous change in her personality. It is almost as if she is another person. The main man asks, “Are you ‘Lain in the Wired’?” ‘Lain’ responds, “So what if I am.” The man continues. “You know the border between the Wired and the real world began to break without devices.” ‘Lain’ says, “So What.” The man replies, “We think it is dangerous.” ‘Lain’ has an arrogant look on her face as she retorts, “It’s interesting.” She then turns to leave. ‘Lain’ commands the two men in black to let her pass. She pushes on through them when they don’t respond. The taller man grabs her arm and pulls her back. He tells her, “You are also dangerous.” ‘Lain’ glares up at him. The main man addressed the taller man by his name, “Carl”. Carl let’s ‘Lain’s’ arm go and she struts out of the room.. The main man tells Carl and the shorter man , "She’s right. Something interesting is beginning. Let us sit back and observe.”

The scene shifts back to the housewife’s home. Her son is still playing the jet fighter video game. The moms sing songs his name, “Syo chan.”. He answers, “What’s up mom?” She replies, “Let’s play together!” Syo says, “Did you finish your business?” She replies, “Of course. I’m awesome. I’ll beat you Syo chan!” She then flops down on the floor beside him and grabs a controller. She squeals, “Get ready for it! See?” In the kitchen we see her garbage can. At the top of the trash is a burnt object. It is the remains of the item that was delivered to her.

Cars are zooming on a busy street. It is nighttime. There is a ravine off the shoulder of the road. A body lies still at the bottom. It is the street camera man. He is dead but his visor is still operating. The symbol of the compass/pyramid can be seen on the screen of the dead man's Navi screen.
[http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors-layer07.php (Source] )

{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Episodes]]

Layer 07 Script

2013-12-30T20:24:39Z

Cyber:

Back to [[Layer 07]]

==Japanese==
==English==
Voice: I'll say this only to you.

Voice: You are the only one who doesn't know what's happening in this society...

Title: SOCIETY Layer 07

Lain: No, that's not true.

Lain: I'm only looking.

Lain: In the Wired...I change.

Lain: I'm not sure.

Lain: Who is it?

Mika: a... e...

Lain: My sister?

Lain: My sister is different nowadays.

Lain: I don't agree.

Lain: I don't know.

Nezumi: I know that the Wired and the real world are connected by a line.

Nezumi: I can exist anywhere.

Nezumi: My body is everywhere, I can send my consciousness anywhere.

Secretary: It's time for dinner with E-Motor Consortium.

Takuyoshi: Yes.

NAVI: Mail.

Takuyoshi: I'll go downstairs in 3 minutes.

Secretary: Understood.

Takuyoshi: What will we play next?

FatMan: Hehehe, here!

FatMan: Hehehe, yes, you idiot!

FatMan: I'm better than you. Hehehe.

Lain: The real world isn't real at all.

Alice: Lain, are you alright?

Lain: What is it?

Alice: Lain, you seem like you're becoming more like your old self again.

Alice: We hung out with you in some places because we wanted you to open up more.

Alice: We really hoped you would.

Alice: But, if you weren't enjoying it, I'll apologize.

Lain: Yes, I was. I was enjoying it...

Lain: I was...

Alice: Good.

Lain: Alice, thank you for worrying about me.

Alice: We're friends, after all. Bye.

Navi: This afternoon, the firewall in the Information Agency was crashed due to someone's cracking.

Navi: Now, the information in the Wired is mixed up.

Navi: Please be aware that although this news was sent now, it will be received tomorrow or yesterday.

Man'sVoice: I've heard that it was done by the Knights.

Man'sVoice: What is the Knights?

Woman'sVoice: The Knights. "Knights of the Eastern Calculus".

Woman'sVoice: They are very influential in the Wired. There is no information about the members.

Woman'sVoice: Not only do they disrupt the information in the Wired, but they also develop and distribute illegal information devices.

Man'sVoice: I've heard that Lain was targeted.

Man's Voice: Who is Lain?

Woman'sVoice: "Lain", 0 results found.

Man's Voice: I haven't seen Lain for a long time.

Man's Voice: Who's Lain?

Man's Voice: A girl!

Man's Voice: A girl?

Man's Voice: She's strong!

Man's Voice: What's strong about her?

Man's Voice: Her [[Metaphorize|metaphorisation]]. Her will. Her power. The light in her eyes. Her existence.

Text: Have you ever seen the lain?

Text: Live in monotony for the rest of the life.

Text: God bless you.

Text: Who are you?

Man's Voice: May I ask a question?

Man's Voice: What?

Man's Voice: Are you a member of the Knights?

Carrier: It's for you.

Shoko: Oh, I'll get my stamp.

Shoko: Sorry to keep you waiting.

Shoko: What is it?

Carrier: Is it the newest NAVI? I also want it.

Shoko: I bought it with my side job.

Carrier: I can't buy it even though I'm working this job.

Shoko: Work harder.

Carrier: Yes. I have to work more. I'll teach you if you want.

Shoko: Hmm, will you teach me?

Carrier: Yes, I'm good at it.

Shoko: Do you always tempt married women like this?

Carrier: Not at all... Yes.

Shou: Hi, I'm back.

Shoko: Thank you.

Shou: May I go to Kin-ya's house?

Shoko: You can play a game with him through the net.

Shou: But, I want to ask him how to play it.

Shoko: The Wired is the same as the real world.

MIB: Iwakura Lain-san. Will you come with us?

MIB: We will not force you to come. We are only asking you.

MIB: We will not harm you physically.

Lain: Who are you?

MIB: We will tell you when you come with us.

Nezumi: I don't want to stay in a place like this.

Nezumi: I can do this. Look!

Nezumi: I'm breaking the barrier between the real world and the Wired.

Nezumi: Please. I have enough skills to be a member of the Knights.

Nezumi: Please let me join the Knights.

Nezumi: Praise me, I found your secret channel by myself.

Nezumi: Please let me join.

Nezumi: Who is it?

Sign: Tachibana Labs. Shinbashi Office.

Man: Come here. I can't make the firewall at the head office recognise this machine. I did everything I could using applications.

Man: It seems impossible to do with this old-style NAVI.

Man: I've been using this one for a long time, so I don't want to change to a newer NAVI.

Man: I'm so old. If I were young like you...

Lain: That jumper...

Lain: Pull this...and this jumper off.

Man: Did it work?

Navi: Authorized.

Nezumi: Lain! Are you a member of Knights?

Nezumi: Aren't you, Lain? I didn't know that you are!

Lain(w): Idiot!

Nezumi: Wait, wait! It was so amazing what you did using KIDS.

Nezumi: But I have better ideas. Please, let me join the Knights.

Man: There are no national barriers in the Wired.

Man: There are too many anarchists who are talking nonsense.

Man: And there are too many fools who believe that a prank on society is a revolution.

Man: But, the Knights seem to be different from them.

Lain: Knights...

Man: I didn't know you were aware of them. Your existence in the Wired is very unnatural.

Man: The Knights seem to have a special interest in you.

Lain: What ...are you saying...?

Man: Knights. You have talked to them directly.

Lain: But... I... What...

Man: Anyway, they want to use you for something.

Man: We have to stop them at any cost.

Lain: You... What? Who are you?

Nezumi: I'll keep it secret, of course.

Nezumi: I know you believe in Deus. I'll obey him too.

Nezumi: But is it true? I can't believe that there is a God in the Wired now.

Nezumi: But I will learn more about it after I join. I'll learn to believe.

Nezumi: You? You come to invite me!

Man: Name? You don't need our name.

Man: They and I have no name.

Man: Tell me, Iwakura Lain. Are you the same person as "Lain of the Wired"?

Man: Who are you?

Lain: I... I...

Man: Are your parents really your parents?

Lain: What...?

Man: Is your sister really your sister?

Lain: What are you saying? Of course...

Man: When is your father's birthday?

Lain: My dad...is...

Man: When is your mother's birthday?

Man: When did your parents marry? Did they marry for love? Or was it an arranged marriage?

Lain: They are...

Man: Why don't you know? Have they never told you?

Man: Have you never celebrated any birthdays with your family?

Man: When and where were you born?

Lain: Stop it...

Man: You don't know anything about yourself.

Man: Are you all right? You really know nothing at all...

Lain(w): Shut up! You're only asking about trivial matters. Nonsense!

Man: Are you "Lain of the wired"?

Lain(w): Yes, so what?

Man: You are aware that the border between the Wired and the real world began to break without devices.

Lain(w): So what?

Man: We think it is dangerous.

Lain(w): It's interesting.

Man: Hmm...

Lain(w): Let me go.

Lain(w): What do you want?

MIB: You yourself are dangerous.

Man: Carl!

Man: She is right. Something interesting is beginning. Let's just watch.

Shoko: Shou-chan.

Shou: What's up, Mom?

Shoko: Let's play together!

Shou: Did you finish your work?

Shoko: Of course. I'm the best.

Shoko: I'll beat you, Shou-chan.

Shoko: Prepare yourself. Here!

(Adapted from [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors/07society_en.txt] and from memory. Originally translated by Keisuke Shindo.)
[[Category:Scripts]]

Layer 04 Script

2013-12-30T20:22:13Z

Cyber:

Back to [[Layer 04]]

==Japanese==
==English==
Voice: I don't need parents.

Voice: Everyone is alone...

Voice: And is connected to nobody.

Title: RELIGION Layer04

Mother: What about her?

Mika: Lain is acting strange. She was always strange, but...

Father: No, she's not strange.

Mika: Huh? What do you mean?

Mother: Mika, be careful what you say to your father.

Mother: Is that true?

Father: Yes.

HighSchoolBoy: What? What is it?

HighSchoolBoy: Shit! Shit!... What?

HighSchoolBoy: Shit! Shit!

LittleGirl: Gotcha! (adult female voice)

Juri: We're lucky. Next class is self-study.

Reika: It's strange for there to be a sudden staff meeting.

Alice: Is it true?

Reika: what do you mean?

Alice: I've heard that somebody this high school killed herself.

Juri: Suicide?

Lain: Sorry, What?

Reika: You wouldn't know about it.

Lain: About the suicide?

Reika: Do you know about the suicide? Really?

Lain: I only heard it from someone.

Alice: Where did you hear it?

Lain: Wired.

Alice: You got used to your new navi. Could you show us later?

Lain: Sure. But right now, I'm altering it a little.

Juri: Altering? Are you interested in hacking?

Reika: You look a little different...

Lain: Do you think so?

Juri: Really?

Reika: You look different somehow.

Alice: Then, what does the rumor in the Wired say?

Lain: I've heard that it's a game.

Reika: Game? Is it an online game?

Lain: I'm not sure, because I don't play it.

Lain: But I've heard that all of the dead kids were hooked on it.

Juri: Boys like things like that.

Alice: Game... But why?

Lain: I'm not sure. But...

Reika: Don't eat so quickly. You'll choke.

Lain: Can I go home now?

Reika: You don't need our permission.

Juri: But why?

Lain: I want to assemble my Navi soon. I still haven't completed it.

Juri: You're choosing a machine over your friends.

Alice: Juri!

Alice: Lain, show it to us when you complete it.

Lain: Sorry, bye.

Alice: Certainly, she's been changing.

Alice: Sorry. Here.

LittleGirl: No, It's my fault. I'm sorry.

Lain: Login.

Navi: Authorized.

Navi: Voice mail.

Man's Voice: Hi, Lain.

Man's Voice: As I couldn't answer your question, I asked my friend in my laboratory.

Man's Voice: If you really have a psyche processor, you have to set the oscillator to "Variable" mode, as you thought.

Man's Voice: Almost all parts of the Navi are up to standard.

Man's Voice: But there are still some differences.

Man's Voice: I hope you succeed. Ask me if you need help again. Bye.

Lain: JJ! Do you know about the game that the brats are hooked on?

JJ: Yes, it's "PHANTOMa". Skip it. It's not for an adult like you.

JJ: Right, Lain?

JJ: Really? It seems like I misheard.

Boy: I tried to stop. I couldn't do anything.

Boy: This isn't the Wired, so why?

Lain: Wait! Don't run!

Boy: Who are you?

Boy: Are you also a "PK"? Help me!

Lain: I can't go to where you are.

Boy: What is it?

Boy: Don't make fun of me!

Boy: Bullet charge! Gauge 5!

Boy: Die! Die! Die! Die!

Boy: Die! Die! Die!

Boy: I was just scared.

Boy: I didn't notice that it was just a little girl.

Boy: It wasn't my fault. I didn't know anything.

Boy: PHANTOMa is a game where players battle each other through the Wired.

Boy: I downloaded the client for it from an illegal server to play it.

Boy: It looked like an action game in a dungeon.

Boy: I don't know why, but it merged with the children's tag game.

Boy: It wasn't my fault.

Navi: A mail has arrived.

Lain: Open it.

Man's Voice: Hi, Lain. I didn't expect you to be interested in PHANTOMa.

Man's Voice: Yes, I investigated, but I'm not certain.

Man's Voice: It's a very common type of game in the wired.

Man's Voice: The problem is the function of connecting to other programs.

Man's Voice: It seems that there's a strange "hole" in the protocol.

Man's Voice: We think it was made by the "Knights".

Lain: Knights...

Father: Lain, you seem to be getting used to communicating in the Wired very quickly.

Lain: Yes.

Father: Let me give you a warning.

Lain: What?

Father: The Wired is just for sending and receiving information and for communications.

Father: You must not mix it up with the real world.

Father: Can you understand my warning?

Lain: No, that's not true.

Lain: The border isn't so clear.

Lain: Soon, I'll be able to go inside.

Lain: And it will "[[metaphorize]]" me with "full motion and full range".

Father: Even with the newest model, it's impossible with a commercial Navi.

Lain: I can, because I altered it.

Father: Is it a Psyche processor? But...

Lain: Don't worry. I know what I'm doing.

Father: I doubt it.

Woman's Voice: I was waiting for you for a long time. Why? Why didn't you come?

Man's Voice: ... (Non-Japanese)

Woman's Voice: This is a fortune... If you get... you will have good luck.

Man's Voice: This means that the Knights are not a real group.

Man's Voice: But they control people's thoughts in the Wired.

Man's Voice: In a way, the Knights rule like a religion in the Wired.

Boy's Voice: If you love someone more than me, I'll give you up. But, if...

Man's Voice: ... (Non-Japanese)

Girl's Voice: ...Believe me, I was followed by someone...

Girl's Voice: Lain, Why don't you come here soon?

Lain: Go away.

Lain: Go away!

Navi: Intruder. Interrupted.

(Adapted from [http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors/04religion_en.txt] and from memory. Originally translated by Keisuke Shindo.)
[[Category:Scripts]]

Layer 04

2013-12-30T20:19:10Z

Cyber:

'''LAYER 04: RELIGION'''

'''Original Air Date:''' 1998.07.27

'''Main Characters Introduced:''' None

'''Script: ''' [[Layer 04 Script]]

'''Analysis:''' [[Layer 04 Analysis]]

'''Previous episode:''' [[Layer 03]]

'''Next episode:''' [[Layer 05]]

==Short summary==
*[[Lain]]'s family talk about her recent behaviour
*A man is chased by a little girl
*[[Alice]], [[Reika]] and [[Juri]] comment on how Lain has changed
*Lain asks [[JJ]] about [[PHANTOMa]], the latest popular MMORPG
*The man from before shoots the girl with his PHANTOMa weapon
*Someone on the [[Wired]] tells Lain about PHANTOMa and how it interferes with [[reality]]
*[[Iwakura Yasuo]] warns Lain that the Wired cannot be mixed with the real world and Lain disagrees
*Lain sees the [[MIB]] watching outside her window and makes his eyepiece shatter

==Long summary==
Again we see a busy Tokyo street, the familiar opening. A voice is heard: "I don't need parents. Every human is alone and is connected to nobody."

[Title: Layer:04 Religion]

It is evening and the wires are humming. In Lain's room, fans blow cooling her upgraded Navi. Many pieces are strewn about, as Lain consults a textbook. The computer system is significantly larger. Lain's father peers in the room, frowning, watching Lain's activity. In the kitchen of the house, Mika sneaks a drink of a soft drink directly from the bottle. In the living room, Lain's father sits with her mother. Lain's mother asks "How is she?" Mika enters and comments: "Lain is weird, I mean she's naturally weird, but.." "She's not weird," her father interjects. "What do you mean?" Mika asks. Amazingly, Mom speaks to tell Mika its not good to talk to her father like that. As Mika leaves, the Mother asks "Is it so?" and Father says it is. Mother rubs Dad on the head and then Dad draws her near him [Balto: Bootie time].

The scene shifts to a man running, panicked up a flight of stairs. As the man screams we see the foot of a small child walking, apparently in the man's direction. The man continues to scream as night scenes float by. The man tries to open an apartment but cannot get the key in the door in his panic. He drops his keys and tries to find the correct one. As he turns, he see a small girl in a frilly pink dress and holding a stuffed dog. The girl stands and watches but her eyes cannot be seen. As the man watches her, the girl's face shifts to appear like a head with large black holes for eyes. The man cries "Why are you doing this to me." As he tries again for the door the girl's hand reaches around him. She appears to be floating, eyes closed with a contented smile on her face. An adult voice comes from her saying in English: "Gotcha". The scene shifts away to the man's scream.

At the school Reika , Alice, and Juri are discussing some news. There will be a study hall because a special staff meeting has been scheduled. Apparently an upperclassman committed suicide the previous night. Alice asks Lain, who had her back turned to them, "Right, Lain?". Lain turns to face them. She is smiling and holding a book behind her back. "Sorry, what is it?" Lain asks. Juri says "Lain wouldn't know anything about it," but Lain continues "about the suicide?" Reika is surprised and asks Lain, "You know something about it?" Lain explains "I only heard from someone." Alice asks where, and Lain responds "On the Wired." Alice comments "Then you must have used your new Navi. Could you show it to us later?" Lain agrees, noting "but I'm modifying it a little at the moment." Juri is surprised and adds "I didn't know that you were interested in hacking." Reika has noticed the improvement in Lain's demeanor and points this out to Lain. Lain, pleased, responds "You think so?" Juri agrees, but Alice looks at Lain, with worried eyes, frowning.

After school the girls have stopped to buy some ice cream. Juri asks "What other rumors are there in the wired?" Lain responds "I heard there's a game." Alice asks "Is it a network game?" Lain responds that she doesn't play it, but adds "I heard that all of the kids that died were hooked on it." Juri notes "Boys like those kinds of things." Alice wonders "A game, but why?" Lain starts to reply but then gags as she stuffs the rest of her ice cream in her mouth. Alice tells her to be more careful, and Lain asks "May I go home now?" Reika responds quizzically, "You don't need our permission!" Juri asks what Lain's hurry is and Lain tells her that she can't wait to get home and work on her Navi. Juri whines "You prefer a machine to friends," but Alice defends Lain saying "You shouldn't be saying something like that." Juri thinks her comments are just fine. Alice smiles and asks "Lain, show it to us when you complete it." And Lain smiles and nods yes, then skips off down the street. Alice, showing her worried frown again, notes "Lain certainly has changed."

Suddenly Alice turns as something bumps into her. The strangely scary stuffed dog from earlier lands at her feet. Alice apologizes and picks up the dog and hands it to the girl. It is the strange girl from earlier, but she does not look as threatening. The girl hugs her dog, looking as cute as can be, and says "No, it was my fault." She turns to walk away with an older female.

Evening and Lain is in her bedroom working on the Navi. Larger than ever, it now encompasess several machines that appear to be networked together with multiple monitors. We see a number of communication devices including an ISDN terminal adapter. Lain speaks to the Navi to login. She checks for mail and has a new voice mail. A man's voice is played: "Hello Lain. Since I can't answer your question I asked my friend in my laboratory. If you really have a Psyche processor you have to set the oscillator to 'Variable' mode as you thought. Almost all parts of the Navi are up to standards. But there are still some differences. I wish you luck." While listening to the message Lain continues to tinker with the computer parts. The message finishes "Well, ask me again if you've got other questions." Lain returns to the keyboard and stares blankly into the flashing displays.

At Cyberia we see JJ the DJ sorting out recordings. A voice calls "JJ" and continues "Do you know the game that those brats are hooked on?" He responds "Yeah, its Phantoma. Forget about it. It's not for adults like you." [Notes for Shades and Balto: Phantoma sounds strangely like Ultima, a very popular, very real online game.] He turns then and says "Right, Lain?" but no one is there. "I don't get it," he says, "I could have sworn that I heard her."

It is still night and the camera pans across outside scenes. We see the top of a building and the patter of running feet. On the roof of tbe building we see a boy who appears to have been cornered against a chain link fence. As he stares at what appears to be chasing him our view shifts to a view of passage ways reminiscent of the popular real video game Doom. The boy turns saying "I already stopped it! I'm done with it!" He appears to be yelling at no one. He runs again falling down some steps. As he looks up, the game like passages appear again with a shadowy figure which faintly resembles lain approaches. The boy screams with fright as the figure advances. The figure is seen more clearly and is definitely Lain. The boy runs back on the rooftop again, and the scene fades away into the game grid again. It seems as if the game itself is chasing the boy. He runs through clotheslines hung with white sheets. [Shades: He deserves to be hunted for wearing that hideous cat sweater.] As he leans over to catch his breath he throws the handheld computer which was in his back pocket to the ground, shattering it. Its display, however, continues to glow eerily.

We hear the boy's voice again, searching through the game maze. "This is not the Wired!" he cries. "Why?" Lain's voice calls out "Wait. Don't run away." The boy stands, looking almost digitized and says "Who are you? Are you also a 'PK'? Help me!" Lain responds "I can't go to your place." "What's going on," the boy pleads. Suddenly an array of glowing palms appear blocking his way. "Stop making fun of me!" the boy says, shrugging. As he backs up he stops and turns to see a short haired little girl smiling at him, floating above the floor. She opens her mouth and moves forward looking as if to bite. The boy raises his hands as if he was holding a gun and says "Blast Charge, Gauge 5!" He cocks the invisible weapon and states "Go to Hell!" He pulls the invisible trigger and fires again and again saying "Die! Die! Die!" We see the girl floating and bullet holes appear to riddle her smock. Her face changes from meancing to angelic and surprised. A very diferent looking girl as she falls to the ground. The boy continues to shoot until his invisible gun just seems to click, its rounds spent. The virtual world fades away and we again see the rooftop. The boy sits against the fence dazed and staring into space, as the white laundry sheets flap in the wind. In front of him, wrapped in a sheet, lies a lifeless body. As the camera pans backward we see an etherial vision of Lain, standing on the edge of the building look sadly over the scene.

We now see the boy talking, as if from a digital display. He says "I was only scared. I didn't notice that it was just a little girl." As the scene fades to black he says "But I didn't know."

Now we see visions of the strange game-like halls. A voice tells us: "Phantoma is a client application, a network game played over the Wired. I downloaded the client from an illegal server and played it. Its interface looked like a video game set in a dungeon. I don't know why it was attached to a tag game for little kids." We now see a strange screen that looks says Phantoma. The camera pulls back and we notice that this is on the screen of Lain's Navi. She is crouched, turned away from the screen as it shifts to the standard Tachibana logo. "Mail has arrived," the Navi announces. "Open it," Lain instructs. A male voices is heard: "Hi Lain. I didn't expect you to be interested in Phantoma. Yes, I investigated. But I'm not sure. It's a very common game in the Wired. But the problem is in its function of connecting to other programs. It seems that there is a strange 'hole' in the protocol. We guess that it was made by he Knights." Lain turns back to the Navi and re-loads Phantoma. Her dad has stealthly entered and speaks to her: "Lain. Looks like you've gotten used to communicating in the Wired a lot." "Yes," Lain replies cautiously. "Let me give you a warning," her father says, "The wired is just of communications. You must not mix it up with the real world." Lain stares at her father as he continues, gravely "Do you understand my warning?" Lain smiles, hauntedly and says "You're wrong. The border is not so well-defined. Soon, I'll be able to enter it and I'll be [[Metaphorize|metamorphisized]] completely with full range and motion." Her father repsonds "Even with the newest model, a commercial Navi can't do it." Lain laughs, almost snidely "I can because I modified it." "Is it the Psyche processor?" her father asks. Lain, smiling with wide possesed eyes tells him "Don't worry. I will always be myself." "Is that so?" he asks and turns to leave. Lain just smiles as he exits, then returns to the screen.

The Navi screen flashes text of an apparent chat room. A variety of voices speak, first a female: "I was waiting for you for a long time." Another female voice: "Why? Why didn't you come?" In audible male voices scream. Yet another female voice: "This is a fortune. If you get…" A male voice: "As a result, Knights is not a real gorup. But it did think it had control in the Wired. In a matter of speaking, Knights rule like a religion in the Wired." A different male voice: "If you love someone more than I, I'll give up you. But if…" A female voice: "Believe me, I was being followed by someone…"

Lain is just hunched over the keyboard as the camera pans back. The computer seems to have grown yet again, with huge stack of processors to Lain's left. Then a voice: "Lain, how come you're not in a hurry to get here?" Suddenly the red dot of a Laser site passes over Lain's face and dances around her room. It is coming through the window and Lain gets up to investigate it. Outside the two men who have been watching Lain are outside the car looking up. Lain stares at them angrily as the laser pointers affixed to men's head gear flash over her face. "Go away!" Lain calls out. The men speak to one another for a moment, then Lain looks at them more intently and says "Go away!" Suddenly, Lain's bedroom window begins to oscillate and rumble. The dark haired man's headpiece shatters on his face, and blood drips from his eye The car bolts away as Lain watches from her window. The Navi calls out "Intruder interrupted." And the beaconing hum of the electrical wires are heard over the city.
[http://lain.angelic-trust.net/rumors-layer04.php (Source] )

{{Episodes}}
[[Category:Episodes]]

Metaphorize

2013-12-30T20:10:35Z

Cyber:

[[File:Metaphorlize.jpg|thumb|In episode 7, metaphorlize [''sic''] briefly appears on the screen.]]

Within the context of ''Serial Experiments Lain,'' '''metaphorize''' (メタファライズ)　is to　project a digital incarnation of one's personality into the Wired, or the act of doing so. It is used as both a verb and a noun. Lain is highly admired in the Wired partly because of her ability to metaphorize herself so completely. The word is used several times in the original Japanese dialogue of the anime as well as the English dub, and even flashes across the screen once in [[Layer 07]], misspelled as "metaphorlize." In the English dub and subtitles, it is sometimes mistranslated as "metamorphosis," or some variaton thereof. This might be because "metaphorize" is not a commonly used word in the English language, not even appearing in most dictionaries.

== External Links ==
[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/dictionary-layer.html#4| Deep Researches Lain]:
This Japanese-language glossary of terms from SEL includes a definition of metaphorize.

Metaphorize

2013-12-30T20:08:32Z

Cyber:

[[File:Metaphorlize.jpg|thumb|In episode 7, metaphorlize [''sic''] briefly appears on the screen.]]

Within the context of ''Serial Experiments Lain,'' to '''metaphorize''' (メタファライズ)　is to　project a digital incarnation of one's personality into the Wired, or the act of doing so. It is used as both a verb and a noun. Lain is highly admired in the Wired partly because of her ability to metaphorize herself so completely. The word is used several times in the original Japanese dialogue of the anime as well as the English dub, and even flashes across the screen once in [[Layer 07]], misspelled as "metaphorlize." In the English dub and subtitles, it is sometimes mistranslated as "metamorphosis," or some variaton thereof. This might be because "metaphorize" is not a commonly used word in the English language, not even appearing in most dictionaries.

== External Links ==
[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/dictionary-layer.html#4| Deep Researches Lain]:
This Japanese-language glossary of terms from SEL includes a definition of metaphorize.

Metaphorize

2013-12-30T20:01:15Z

Cyber: Created page with "[[File:Metaphorlize.jpg|thumb|In episode 7, metaphorlize [''sic''] briefly appears on the screen.]] Within the context of ''Serial Experiments Lain,'' to '''metaphorize''' (メ..."

[[File:Metaphorlize.jpg|thumb|In episode 7, metaphorlize [''sic''] briefly appears on the screen.]]

Within the context of ''Serial Experiments Lain,'' to '''metaphorize''' (メタファライズ)　is to　project a digital incarnation of one's personality into the Wired. It is used as both a verb and a noun. Lain is highly admired in the Wired partly because of her ability to metaphorize herself so completely. The word is used several times in the original Japanese dialogue of the anime as well as the English dub, and even flashes across the screen once in [[Layer 07]], misspelled as "metaphorlize." In the dub and subtitles, it is sometimes mistranslated as "metamorphosis," or some variaton thereof. This might be because "metaphorize" is not a commonly used word in the English language, not even appearing in most dictionaries.

== External Links ==
[http://www.geocities.jp/zatugakubeya/lain/dictionary-layer.html#4| Deep Researches Lain]:
This Japanese-language glossary of terms from SEL includes a definition of metaphorize.

File:Metaphorlize.jpg

2013-12-30T19:34:26Z

Cyber: [sic]

[sic]

User:Cyber

2013-12-30T18:45:03Z

Cyber: NEW PIC POST!!!

== I AM CYBER!!! ==

[[File:600.jpg]]

File:600.jpg

2013-12-30T18:41:37Z

Cyber: it's a giant leg poking lain in the night sky while a faceless black man looks on from underneath.

it's a giant leg poking lain in the night sky while a faceless black man looks on from underneath.