Lain Iwakura

Lain Iwakura (岩倉 玲音 ) is the titular character of Serial Experiments Lain.

She is a sentient computer program designed to sever the barrier between the material world and the wired, introduced as a shy Japanese girl in middle school at the beginning of the series.

Story
After receiving an e-mail from Chisa Yomoda who had committed suicide, Lain discovers the virtual world of The Wired. Throughout the series, Lain is subjected to hallucinations by the Knights in order to make her lose her sense of self and attempt to find solace in the Wired, in order to fulfill the Knights' prophecy of the arrival of the goddess of the Wired.

Personality
Lain is quiet and doesn't talk much, which leads to her being a bit of a social outcast. She often hallucinates and sees things that aren’t real.

At one point she thinks steam is coming out of her hands, in an interview director Chiaki J. Konaka said that this means that she's mentally ill.

Trivia

 * She was designed to look like her Japanese voice actress Kaori Shimizu.