LIF.01-05
In Japan the series came out as five volumes, "lif.01" to "lif.05", on LaserDisc, VHS and DVD at once, starting before the broadcast had even ended. Boxes followed, up to the restored Blu-rays. Catalog numbers and dates are from Pioneer's own release pages where they survive.
| LaserDisc | VHS (VC) | DVD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| lif.01 | PILA-1501 1998-09-25 | PIVS-2231 1998-09-25 | PIBA-1011 1998-09-25 |
| lif.02 | PILA-1502 1998-10-23 | PIVS-2232 1998-10-23 | PIBA-1012 1998-10-23 |
| lif.03 | PILA-1503 1998-11-25 | PIVS-2233 1998-11-25 | PIBA-1013 1998-11-25 |
| lif.04 | PILA-1504 1998-12-22 | PIVS-2234 1998-12-22 | PIBA-1014 1998-12-22 |
| lif.05 | PILA-1505 1999-01-22 | PIVS-2235 1999-01-22 | PIBA-1015 1999-01-22 |
Layer:01 WEIRD, Layer:02 GIRLS (50 min)
LDDB: a 30 x 60 cm colour insert. 4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #1. 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lddb.com archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Layer:01 WEIRD, Layer:02 GIRLS (50 min)
4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #1, printed on the separate insert sheet 'the world of lain lif.01', which carries both the LD and VHS numbers (PILA-1501 / PIVS-2231), so it was made for the LD and the VHS; no photo of it inside a VHS case was found. 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:01 WEIRD, Layer:02 GIRLS (50 min)
4:3, Japanese stereo, no subtitles. The disc, obi and back cover all print PIBA-1011 (obi barcode 4988102172527); the PABA-1011 on Pioneer's 1998 page and in Japanese Wikipedia is an error. 4-koma: probably none in the single DVD?; the insert sheet with Chibi Chibi Lain #1 is printed only with the LD and VHS numbers, and the same sheets were later packed in the 2000 DVD box Resurrection (PIBA-1169), which may be what Lawrence Eng's 'LDs and DVDs' refers to. Only some Weather Break end cards are on the DVDs. 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:03 PSYCHE, Layer:04 RELIGION, Layer:05 DISTORTION (75 min)
LDDB: a 30 x 30 cm colour poster and a 30 x 60 cm insert; side 2, chapter 6 carries trailers (lain OP and ED singles, the PS game, Jikuu Tenshou Nazca, Super Milk-chan and others). Pioneer's site lists a first-press pin-up drawn by Takahiro Kishida. 4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #3, 'Iwakura Fight! Lain vs. Ramen' (#2 was never included). Price: LDDB and tachibana.blog say 6,800 yen, Pioneer's pages say 5,500 yen before tax (?).
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lddb.com archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Layer:03 PSYCHE, Layer:04 RELIGION, Layer:05 DISTORTION (75 min)
Pioneer lists the Kishida first-press pin-up for all three formats (?). 4-koma liner: Chibi Chibi Lain #3, 'Iwakura Fight! Lain vs. Ramen' (#2 was never included) (?). Price 5,500 yen before tax per Pioneer, 6,800 per tachibana.blog (?).
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:03 PSYCHE, Layer:04 RELIGION, Layer:05 DISTORTION (75 min)
Also written PABA-1012 on Pioneer's pages; CDJapan uses PIBA-1012 (JAN 4988102172626). Kishida first-press pin-up (?). 4-koma (?). Partial Weather Breaks.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:06 KIDS, Layer:07 SOCIETY, Layer:08 RUMORS (75 min)
First pressing came with the collector box (see LD memorial box entry). 4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #4, 'Iwakura Diary'. 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lddb.com archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Layer:06 KIDS, Layer:07 SOCIETY, Layer:08 RUMORS (75 min)
4-koma liner: Chibi Chibi Lain #4, 'Iwakura Diary' (?). 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:06 KIDS, Layer:07 SOCIETY, Layer:08 RUMORS (75 min)
4-koma (?). Partial Weather Breaks. 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:09 PROTOCOL, Layer:10 LOVE, Layer:11 INFORNOGRAPHY (75 min)
Pioneer lists a newly drawn first-press pin-up. 4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #5. 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lddb.com archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Layer:09 PROTOCOL, Layer:10 LOVE, Layer:11 INFORNOGRAPHY (75 min)
First-press pin-up (?). 4-koma liner: Chibi Chibi Lain #5 (?). 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:09 PROTOCOL, Layer:10 LOVE, Layer:11 INFORNOGRAPHY (75 min)
First-press pin-up (?). 4-koma (?). 6,800 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:12 LANDSCAPE, Layer:13 EGO (50 min)
LDDB: a 30 x 30 cm colour poster and a 30 x 60 cm insert; Pioneer lists a newly drawn first-press pin-up. 4-koma: Chibi Chibi Lain #6, 'The indie band Lains is formed'. 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lddb.com archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Layer:12 LANDSCAPE, Layer:13 EGO (50 min)
First-press pin-up (?). 4-koma liner: Chibi Chibi Lain #6, 'The indie band Lains is formed' (?). 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:12 LANDSCAPE, Layer:13 EGO (50 min)
First-press pin-up (?). 4-koma (?). 5,500 yen before tax.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · archived page · ja.wikipedia.org archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived · lawmune.net archived
Layer:06 to Layer:08 (lif.03), with room for all five discs
First-press bonus. The box holds lif.03 in its own sleeve, a 4-page colour insert of sketches and episode summaries, and a 1-page colour Takahiro Kishida illustration. 6,800 yen; JAN 4988102175122. A Production 2nd clear file may also have been included (?).
Sources: lddb.com archived · nbcuni.co.jp archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived · lain.wiki archived
Preview tape, not for sale
Promotional preview VHS. A separate 'SAMPLE' copy of lif.01 and a PS game promo tape are also known.
Sources: lawmune.net archived · tachibana.blog archived · lain.wiki archived
All 13 layers on five discs, plus a premium disc
Low-priced limited box (29,400 yen) with a newly drawn box illustration. Bonus 'premium disc' (LPR-309) of not-for-sale remix video and TV previews, and a telephone card showing seated Lain (same art as the box back). The lif.01 case held a poster, a Pioneer mail-in postcard and a NieA_7 flyer. The official site gives 6 discs, 5 hours 33 minutes, JAN 4988102226220.
Sources: nbcuni.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · lain.wiki archived · lain.wiki archived · tachibana.blog archived · lawmune.net archived
All 13 layers on 3 discs (4 h 59 min)
Low-price Geneon box: 12-page liner notes, picture-label discs, about 3 minutes of bonus video. JAN 4988102421229.
Sources: neowing.co.jp archived · tower.jp archived · cdjapan.co.jp archived
All 13 layers on 3 BDs (1 to 5, 6 to 9, 10 to 13)
6 discs in total: 3 episode BDs, 1 bonus disc (broadcast-era footage, promo videos, previews, the full Weather Break end-card collection) and 2 soundtrack CDs. Also a dedicated case and the Restore booklet with the five Chibi Chibi Lain strips and two new colour strips. BD-J storyboard view for every episode, creditless remastered OP and ED, English audio. Remastered by hand from 1998 Betacam SD masters. JAN 4988102625528.
Sources: cdjapan.co.jp archived · amazon.co.jp archived · ja.wikipedia.org archived · lain.wiki archived · tachibana.blog archived · nbcuni.co.jp archived
All 13 layers on 3 discs
Budget reissue; bonus content not checked (?).
Sources: cdjapan.co.jp archived · cal.syoboi.jp archived
All 13 layers (about 300 min)
Standard edition with a box drawn by Yoshitoshi ABe and English audio. CDJapan lists 4 discs; an Amazon review says it reuses the three RESTORE episode discs and a 12-page booklet, so the contents are not settled (?). JAN 4988102351267.
Sources: cdjapan.co.jp archived · serial-experiments-lain.com archived · amazon.co.jp archived
Funimation licensed the show at Anime Expo 2010 and released a combo set in 2012, using the Japanese restoration. A cheaper Anime Classics edition followed after a four-month delay.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org archived · animenewsnetwork.com archived · animenewsnetwork.com archived