Editing Serial Experiments Lain (section)

===Themes===
''Serial Experiments Lain'' is not a conventionally linear story, being described as "an alternative anime, with modern themes and realization".<ref>''Benkyo!'' Magazine, March 1999, p.16, "In My Humble Opinion"</ref> Themes range from theological to psychological and are dealt with in a number of ways: from classical dialogue to image-only introspection, passing by direct interrogation of imaginary characters.

[[Communication]], in its wider sense, is one of the main themes of the series,<ref name="THEM">{{cite web|url=http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=353|title=T.H.E.M.Anime Review of Serial Experiments Lain|access-date=November 24, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011155649/http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=353|archive-date=October 11, 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> not only as opposed to loneliness, but also as a subject in itself. Writer Konaka said he wanted to directly "communicate human feelings". Director Nakamura wanted to show the audience — and particularly viewers between 14 and 15—"the multidimensional wavelength of the [[Existentialism|existential self]]: the relationship between self and the world".<ref name="Animerica2" />

[[Loneliness]], if only as representing a lack of communication, is recurrent through ''Lain''.<ref name="DVDoutsider">{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdoutsider.co.uk/dvd/reviews/s/serial_experiments_lain.html|title=DVDoutsider Review of Serial Experiments Lain|access-date=November 24, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305015738/http://www.dvdoutsider.co.uk/dvd/reviews/s/serial_experiments_lain.html|archive-date=March 5, 2012}}</ref> Lain herself (according to Anime Jump) is "almost painfully introverted with no friends to speak of at school, a snotty, condescending sister, a strangely apathetic mother, and a father who seems to want to care but is just too damn busy to give her much of his time".<ref name="AnimeJump">{{cite web|url=http://www.animejump.com/index.php?module=prodreviews&func=showcontent&id=201|first=Mike|last=Toole|title=Anime Jump!: Serial Experiments Lain Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610033719/http://www.animejump.com/index.php?module=prodreviews&func=showcontent&id=201|archive-date=June 10, 2008|date=October 16, 2003}}</ref> Friendships turn on the first rumor;<ref name="DVDoutsider" /><ref>''Serial Experiments Lain'', Layer 08: RUMORS</ref> and the only insert song of the series is named ''Kodoku no shigunaru'', literally "signal of loneliness".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.animelyrics.tv/anime/lain/|title=List of Serial Experiments Lain songs|access-date=December 7, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113231952/http://animelyrics.tv/anime/lain/|archive-date=January 13, 2007}}</ref>

[[File:Lain Split Personnalities.JPG|left|thumb|upright=1.13|alt=A series of drawings depicting the different personalities of Lain—the first shows shy body language, the second shows bolder body language, and the third grins in an unhinged fashion.|The different personalities of Lain have their names written using different scripts.]]

[[Mental illness]], especially [[dissociative identity disorder]], is a significant theme in ''Lain'':<ref name="MAX2" /> the main character is constantly confronted with alter-egos, to the point where writer Chiaki Konaka and Lain's voice actress Kaori Shimizu had to agree on subdividing the character's dialogues between three different [[Orthography|orthographs]].<ref name="MAX2" /> The three names designate distinct "versions" of Lain: the real-world, "childish" Lain has a shy attitude and bear pajamas. The "advanced" Lain, her Wired personality, is bold and questioning. Finally, the "evil" Lain is sly and devious, and does everything she can to harm Lain or the ones close to her.<ref name="HK" /> As a writing convention, the authors spelled their respective names in [[kanji]], [[katakana]], and [[Romanization of Japanese|Latin]] characters (see picture).<ref name="visual">{{cite book|last=Abe|first=Yoshitoshi|title=Visual Experiments Lain|year=1998|publisher=Triangle Staff/Pioneer LDC.|isbn=978-4-7897-1342-9}}, page 42</ref>

[[Reality]] never has the pretense of objectivity in ''Lain''.<ref name="MAX">''Manga Max'' Magazine, September 1999, p. 21, "God's Eye View"</ref> Acceptations of the term are battling throughout the series, such as the "natural" reality, defined through normal dialogue between individuals; the material reality; and the tyrannic reality, enforced by one person onto the minds of others.<ref name="DVDoutsider" /> A key debate to all interpretations of the series is to decide whether matter flows from thought, or the opposite.<ref name="DVDoutsider" /><ref>Serial Experiments Lain, Layer 06: KIDS: "your physical body exists only to confirm your existence".</ref> The production staff carefully avoided "the so-called God's Eye Viewpoint" to make clear the "limited field of vision" of the world of ''Lain''.<ref name=MAX />

[[Theology]] plays its part in the development of the story too. ''Lain'' has been viewed as a questioning of the possibility of an infinite spirit in a finite body.<ref name="Univ">[https://web.archive.org/web/20060302194747/http://www.ahcca.unimelb.edu.au/refractory/journalissues/vol3/colman.htm Study on ''Lain'', ''Buffy'', and ''Attack of the clones''] by Felicity J. Coleman, lecturer at the University of Melbourne. From the [[Internet Archive]].</ref> From self-realization as a goddess to [[deicide]],<ref name="Gazette" /> religion (the title of a layer) is an inherent part of ''Lain''{{'s}} background.<ref name="Univ" />