Serial Experiments Lain - Characters

Characters

Lain Iwakura (岩倉 玲音, Iwakura Rein?)

Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese), Bridget Hoffman (English)

Lain, the main character, is a 14 year old girl who uncovers her true nature through the series. She is first depicted as a shy junior high school student with few friends or interests. She later grows multiple, bolder personalities, both in the physical and Wired worlds.

Masami Eiri (英利 政美, Eiri Masami?)

Voiced by: Sho Hayami (Japanese), Kirk Thornton (English)

The key designer of Protocol 7. While working for Tachibana Labs, he illicitly included code enabling him to control the whole protocol at will and "embedded" his own consciousness in the protocol. Consequently, he was fired by Tachibana Labs and was soon found dead on a railway. He believes the only way for humans to evolve further is to absolve themselves from their physical limitations and live as digital entities.

Yasuo Iwakura (岩倉 康男, Iwakura Yasuo?)

Voiced by: Ryūsuke Ōbayashi (Japanese), Barry Stigler (English)

Passionate about computers and electronic communication, he is shown as working with Eiri Masami at Tachibana Labs. He subtly pushes Lain, his daughter, towards the Wired and monitors her development until she becomes aware of her condition. He leaves her telling her that he did not enjoy playing a family, but did love her. He seems eager to lure her into the Wired, but warns her not to get overly involved in it.

Miho Iwakura (岩倉 ミホ, Iwakura Miho?)

Voiced by: Rei Igarashi (Japanese), Celeste Burch (English)

Lain's mother, a caring housewife and mother. She always dotes on Mika, but treats Lain indifferently. Like her husband, she also leaves Lain and wasn't really a part of the family.

Alice Mizuki (瑞城 ありす, Mizuki Arisu?)

Voiced by: Yoko Asada (Japanese), Emilie Brown (English)

Lain's classmate and her only true friend throughout the series, Alice is a devoted confidante and has a simple, sincere personality. She is the first to attempt to help Lain socialise by taking her to a nightclub, and from this point always tries to protect and take care of her. Alice is introduced as the shyest part of a junior high school trio, but her character development shows a fearless dedication to her friends. Alice, along with her friends Juri and Reika, were taken by Chiaki Konaka from his previous work, "Alice in Cyberland".

Mika Iwakura (岩倉 美香, Iwakura Mika?)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese), Patricia Ja Lee (English)

Lain's older sister, an apathetic 16 year old student who casually picks on her little sister's habits and behavior. Mika is considered by Anime Revolution to be the only normal member of Lain's family: She sees her boyfriend in love hotels, is on a diet, and shops in Shibuya. At a certain point in the series, her consciousness is seriously damaged by violent hallucinations: While Lain begins freely delving into the Wired, Mika is taken there by her proximity to Lain and gets stuck between the physical world and the Wired.

Taro (タロウ, Tarō?)

Voiced by: Keito Takimoto (Japanese), Brianne Siddall (English)

A young boy of about Lain's age, who occasionally works for the Knights to bring forth "the one truth". He has not yet been made a member, and is unaware of their full intentions. Taro loves virtual reality video games and hangs out all day at the Cyberia night-club with his friends, Myu-Myu and Masayuki. He uses special technology, such as custom HandiNavis and video goggles. Taro takes pride in his internet anonymity, and asks Lain for a date with her Wired self in exchange for information.

Office Worker

Voiced by: Shigeru Chiba (Japanese), Richard Plantagenet (English)

A top executive from Tachibana Labs who has his own agenda, which he carries out through the use of the Men in Black. He looks forward to the arrival of a real God through the Wired, and is the man behind the Knights' mass assassination. He is aware of many hidden facts about Lain, but is more inclined to ask questions than to reveal anything.

Men in Black

Karl Haushofer (カール・ハウスホッファ, Kāru Hausuhoffa?), Voiced by: Takumi Yamazaki (Japanese), Jamieson Price (English)

Lin Sui-Xi (Chinese: 林 随錫; pinyin: Lín Suí-Xī), Voiced by: Jōji Nakata (Japanese), Bob Buchholz (English)

Both men work for the above "Office Worker" in tracking down and murdering all of the Knights. They are not told the true plan, but they know that Eiri Masami is involved. They say that they "don't need a Wired God".