dragonballk

 STORY:

 I am somewhat perplexed at the fact that I like this anime.. The whole 13 episodes have all of two minutes worth of action, and a whopping two scenes that actually made me chuckle. I do enjoy the story, as confusing as it is, and I feel like if you don't let yourself get caught up in all the psychological wierdness of the story telling, and actually just focus on the story as it unfolds, it isn't that difficult to understand.

 Lain is an introverted girl with no friends. Shortly after a class mate of hers commits suicide, she and other students, recieve emails from said classmate. She was never much into computers (or Navi's as they're known in the anime) but these strange events inspire her to learn the ins and outs of computers in order to investigate. She soon learns of a link between the real world and the internet (known as Wired) where one can upload their conciousness to the internet by committing suicide.

 As the story proceeds, after learning of/interacting with a couple of secret organizations she learns that she isn't who she thought she was, she's actually much more then she ever imagined she was, and that her reason for being is a lie. In the end, after inadvertently hurting her new found, and only, friend twice, she makes a rather difficult decision and is forced with the task of coming to terms with it, leading to a bittersweet ending.

 There's also a little bit of complete non sense thrown in to distract the viewer that has nothing to do with anything.

 At the end of the day i feel like it's a solid story, however it loses marks for not having anything super special, and for the "artsy" manner in which it is told, which im sure was on purpose, but confusing none the less.

ANIMATION:
 
 I find the Animation in this series to actually be really good, except in the case of the people in the show. For whatever reason the characters seem to be animated in a dull and unfinished manner in the first few episodes. I do get the idea that it might be done on purpose however, since the lanscapes and imagery are really, REALLY well done from start to finish, and since the animation of the characters gets up to par with most other anime's over the course of the story.

SOUND:

 Lots of good music, of verying genres. Makes good use of sounds or music(or lack there of) for the sake of building suspence.

 CHARACTERS:

 You definately grow attached to Lain as the story unfolds. Maybe not as deeply as other main characters in other anime's, but the attachment is there. The main Antagonist is interesting, although i personally never felt like I really hated him, although I'm not sure if such a strong feeling of resentment towards him was ever the intent. All in all the anime is lacking any standout characters. Some seem like they're going to be important as the story goes on but nothing is ever done with them