Essentially what we will be doing here is going through each episode (or layer) and unpacking every square inch of them. So here are some of the topics we will be on the lookout for.
Technology vs Nature: Lain is a cyberpunk anime which means it deals with themes of technology and its take over of life in the present or future. This is contrasted with the little pure remaining nature there is. The dark side of technology is underlined. This harkens back to William Gibson's Neuromancer.
Communication and the Internet: This is perhaps the main theme. In Lain the internet (or the "Wired" as they call it) is not only an upper layer of the real world, but a world in itself and that this world and the real world can mix through various (perhaps psedoscientific) means. The nature of connecting to other people is deeply explored.
Virtual Reality: The line between the virtual and the real is explored.
Identity: Who exactly is Lain? She appears to have multiple selves in the anime. How do other people's perceptions of us affect our identity?
Jung: Carl Jung's idea of the collective unconscious is referenced a lot. We will see where else his psychological theories come into play.
Theology/Christianity: Questions and allusions to God are discussed frequently in Lain. Christian symbolism is also used and there are various Lain/Jesus parallels.
Those are some of the main themes. I hope you will join me next next week as I examine layer one.
I also hope you will read my other blog SteckThink.
Close the real world. Open the next.
