by The fear of the boundary between reality and the Internet is broken down.
Some people call works that make you feel depressed when you watch them “depressing anime” because they have a heavy theme, end with a bad ending, or the main characters die mercilessly. Depressing anime has the appeal of making you feel sad when you watch them, even though they make your heartache.
“Serial Experiments Lain” “Serial Experiments Lain,” commonly known as “Rain,” is a media mix work that was released in the 1990s. The story varies depending on the medium, such as a magazine serialization, TV anime, or game. Still, the concept is the same: in a society where the natural world and the virtual world (wired) exist, the protagonist experiences an experience that makes him unable to distinguish between reality and virtual space. In the anime version, the protagonist is a middle school girl named “Iwakura Rein.” After receiving an email from a classmate who was supposed to have committed suicide, she falls into the abyss of the virtual world and ends up becoming a presence on the wire.
Although this anime was produced in the early days of the Internet, it vividly depicts the state of modern gadgets and Internet society, such as people who are absorbed in surfing the Internet on tablet devices, students who are troubled by bullying both online and in real life, and gamers who enter virtual spaces with VR goggles. If you watch it again now, you will be amazed at how predictable the future was in that era.
At the same time, the character’s appearance blurs the boundary between reality and the virtual world, which is nothing but anxiety and fear for modern people living in an Internet society. Combined with the creepy male voice inserted at the beginning of each episode, saying, “Present day, present time… hahaha,” you can enjoy the gradually growing horror.
Kino’s Journey The anime Kino’s Journey is based on a light novel series by Keiichi Sigsawa. The story is set in a fictional world where many unique countries are scattered, and the protagonist, Kino, a traveler, and his companion, a talking motorbike Hermes, travel to various countries. The countries that Kino and his friends visit are very diverse, and sometimes, they are touched by the kindness of the people, but sometimes, they are involved in ugly conflicts.
Therefore, the story’s atmosphere changes drastically depending on its set country. The episode with the most significant impact on the work is probably “The Kind Country.” Before visiting the country, Kino had heard terrible reviews such as “stores close when travelers come” and “children throw stones at them.” However, contrary to previous reviews, he was welcomed by the whole country when he visited. Kino felt comfortable in the country and tried to extend his stay, breaking his rule of “staying in any country for no more than three days.”
However, the townspeople did not allow this and kicked Kino out. Why did they not allow Kino to extend his stay? Was there something behind it, and why were the people kind, contrary to previous reviews? When you find out the reason, you will understand the true meaning of “The Kind Country.” Kino’s Journey has been animated twice, in 2003 and 2017, and both episodes depicted “The Kind Country.” It is a viral episode among fans, having won first place in an official popularity poll. Even now, there are comments on the Internet such as “The Kind Country leaves a lasting impression, for better or worse,” “This was the first time I cried so hard I was sobbing,” and “It hit me in a different way to the usual darkness.”
