And so we reach the climax of the mind bending epic; Serial Experiments Lain. It's been an incredibly challenging and thought provoking series, and will no doubt split viewer opinion in almost the same ways as Evangelion.
Yoshitoshi Abe (Lain's original creator) never gives us an easy way out of the story, instead preferring to grant one precious answer with a myriad of further questions.

After watching this final volume, I set about trying to find a definitive answer to the many questions posed at me. Just what the heck is S.E. Lain all about?... 30 minutes later and I still had barely found anything of note.

At the beginning of Layer 13, even Lain herself confesses "I'm confused", and you can't help but agree. Watching this final volume is like being sucked into a black hole and turned inside out, you are never given the time to stop and ponder something - because you know you'll just end up missing even more.

At some point when watching this, I just stopped worrying about attempting to understand the intricacies of plot and instead just let the beauty of Lain wash over me. And as a result, I was able to form my own opinions of what this story is about and what the director is trying to say.

At its core, Serial Experiments Lain could be considered a comment on the growing isolationism in our modern world.
You see, more and more people are becoming harmfully addicted to their computers (or 'the wired') every day, shunning human contact and preferring instead to take refuge in their own little corners of cyber space.
In here, they are safe. They can happily mingle with like minded people and even start having fun again. And so if all they ever do is use 'the wired'; what's the point in even having a physical body? All it seems to be achieving is hindering their 'evolution'.
And hence S.E. Lain's underlying theme of loneliness comes forth; most people are pushed into thinking this way because they have been shunned by society and forced within themselves.

After coming to that conclusion, you can take the series even deeper. You could delve into the various religious references (Lain's ultimate sacrifice) or the million and one different conspiracy theories that the story plants in your mind.
Indeed, this must be one of the few anime series that will give you an almost completely different impression each time you watch it. It's just so carefully layered and intelligently ambiguous that everyone can come up with their own personal conclusions in each unique viewing.

Outside of the story itself, the music and animation in use is extremely original and perfectly suits the eclectic atmosphere Lain requires. Just hearing the opening theme will make you sit up and open your eyes. To think this was a story told in 1997 is pretty mind boggling, given how realistic it seems compared to our current world climate.

In Summary

For hours (or even days) after watching the conclusion to Serial Experiments Lain, you'll be left thinking about what you've just seen and how to possibly interpret it all. For me, it's a story about overcoming loneliness and finding warmth in your friends and family. Add to that an involving science fiction plot and you have a contemporary anime classic.
This is an essential series that every thoughtful anime fan should see at least once.