We tend to think that a transcendence from flesh, leaving the body behind for the mind, would advance us to new heights; but is that really the case?

Serial Experiments Lain explores the link between mind and body through a young girl who gives up her physical presence to exist on The Wired (the internet) instead. In doing so, her sense of self is split, as different versions of her cause chaos online. Struggling to understand “who am I?” without a body, is this because her mind is no longer limited by a container? If we gave up the desires of the flesh to exist solely as intellect, would we actually be better off, or simply feigning superiority?

Akira explores the connection between form and thought with Tetsuo’s downfall; a young boy in a harsh world who’s physically behind his peers, like Kaneda. Due to this, he feels inferior, so when he gains psychic powers, he uses them only for physical domination, especially against Kaneda. Eventually, they become expressed by his physical form growing uncontrollably, in some of anime’s best body horror. Is this because the mind was simply a means to a greater body for him? As such, the classic Akira explores body over mind.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Trigger’s 2022 hit, analyzes the way mind impacts body by leaning into body modification, the replacement of flesh with metal. Whatever someone in Night City feels inside becomes expressed on the outside due to this; but is this always good? For David Martinez, the main character, it becomes a downfall, as his worst moments become literally a part of him. Following a crushing loss, instead of moving on, he becomes what he lost; destroying his mind through its ownership over the body in a vicious cycle. The same can be seen for other characters, like Maine, and those who reach a cyberpsycho level of chrome.

A anime video essay analysis discussing and explaining the themes of Serial Experiments Lain, Akira, and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

0:00 Intro
2:32 Serial Experiments Lain
24:28 Akira (1988)
34:00 Cyberpunk Edgerunners

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