Taro

Taro (タロウ ) is a character of the anime series Serial Experiments Lain.

He is young boy of about Lain's age. Despite not a member, he occasionally works for the Knights to bring forth "the one truth".

Story
He first appears in Cyberia with his friends, Myu-Myu and Masayuki. It's the first time that him and Lain met as they see each other on the club's stairs.

When she receives a Psyche, Lain goes to the Cyberia to ask to Taro and his friends what it is and how to use it. Taro is the first to recognize Lain as he saw her once in the Wired but, at the time, she seems like a completely different person. He then asks Lain on a date but only with her Wired-self.

We see later Taro bumping into Mika in the street, spilling soda on her sleeve. Although it can be see as an accident, it can also be seen as him participating in a plan from the Knights with the goal to bring Mika into her insanity. Later she will try to clean her sleeve with the tissue containing the message that will make her crazy.

As he was playing VR games, Lain comes to him asking him what he knows about a God in the Wired. Later she will come to him once again in Cyberia to go out with him like he proposed the first time. He at first doesn't want to, insisting he wants the Lain from the Wired to go with him, but she convinces him by proving him that she can be her Wired-self. The date is a trap, Lain discovered that he was working with the Kinghts and wants an explanation from him. Forced by Lain, he confesses that he's not a formal of member of the Knights, so he doesn't know everything, but he knows that they are "overwriting" memories starting with the people in Cyberia and that they then wanted to do this on Lain herself. The Knights want the "truth" to become into a reality. He then kisses her and leaves.

He's later seen in an empty Cyberia with his friends. First to discover that all the Kinghts have been listed on the net and then a second time listening to Lain's message on the Wired. He then understands the real nature of Lain calling her "an angel".

After Lain rebooted reality, Taro is seen one last time with his friends on the street. He recieves a cryptic message from Lain but since he doesn't know who she is anymore, he just stays confused. He finally hangs out his NAVI and goes find Myu-Myu and Masayuki.

Personality
Taro loves VR games and hangs out all day at Cyberia with his friends, Myu-Myu and Masayuki. He uses special technology, such as custom Handi Navi and video goggles. Taro takes pride in his internet anonymity.

Despite being Myu-myu's boyfriend, Taro is prone to flirt with other girls, he asks out both Lain and Mika.

Lain
Taro asked Lain for a date but with her Wired self in exchange for information. He gained a quiet fascination for Lain and her Wired self, leading him to kiss Lain one time.

Quotes
minor edit source: https://twitter.com/lainscreens