"Here, there is a God."

With an email from a dead girl, an introverted junior-high student named Lain is swept into a world where the internet (called "The Wired") seems to hold a bit more than just bits of data, and her innocence is slowly consumed by wires and chips.

In this reality-bending mix of technology, God, and ghosts, we follow a junior-high student named Iwakura Lain. Lain is shy, introverted, and innocent... until the day she receives an email from a girl who killed herself a week before. "Here, there is a God," the girl tells her, and Lain starts down a slow spiral into "The Wired", a world of computers where connectivity goes far beyond email and chatrooms. Pursued by "men in black" who would make Agent Mulder scream like a girl, aloof from family and friends, Lain turns from teddy bears to T-1 lines in a quest for the dead girl, God, herself, and the nature of reality.

I first saw Serial Experiments Lain on VHS, and I was spellbound. Then, I saw Pioneer Entertainment's DVD. I had to remind myself to breathe.

Serial Experiments Lain is a visually-rich anime, and the DVD rendition makes it a treat to watch. There were no distracting lines or flickers to detract from the enjoyment of the show. The subtitles are clear and easy to read, the animation is terrific, and the imagery within is sublime, if surreal. So much happens on the screen, you find yourself not wanting to blink for fear of missing something that might possibly help you understand the story better.

The sound quality is also top-notch, which is crucial in this particular anime. Dialogue is limited, but faint, subtle background noises play a vital role in setting the chillingly eerie atmosphere, and the DVD catches them all. This is a show to watch with a good sound system and friends who know to keep their mouths shut even when there's no dialogue. The hum of the power lines, Lain's frightened breathing... even the Applecontest voicing of the Layer titles set the feel for the show, and immerse you deeper into the show.

Both the Japanese and English voice casts are terrific. Admittedly, I'm partial to the Japanese Lain...Kaori Shimizu has a truly haunting quality to her voice, a lost, innocent timbre that really draws the viewer in. But, both casts do an admirable job in their roles, with voices fitting the characters well. I did notice that the English track was significantly louder than the Japanese track... not necessarily a point in its favor. The dialogue becomes that much more jarring as a result; it's a different experience.

The DVD menus had a few features that made it really shine. Though the graphics and interface were rather plain, the Scene Select feature shone through. Each Layer has 8 separate points to check out, and the original commercials (called "The Device") are included... and just as twisted and surreal as the show itself. A promo video for the soundtrack CD, set to Boa's "Duvet", is also included... and let the record show, "Duvet" is one of my all-time favorite songs... not just anime-wise, but musically. It's trancy, it's slinky, it's haunting, and it sets the mood well for the show. The DVD also includes a good-sized library of design sketches for the characters, the computers, and the show in general.