Timothy Baril

Elfen Lied is an anime developed from a manga series, produced in 2005. It’s bold. Daring. Without genre. I was so riveted that I watched it in one sitting. I couldn’t turn away. By the end, tears rolled down my cheeks.

It started out with the first episode as I ate dinner. I thought, the first episode is so notorious, why not see why? Then, why not the next? And the next? It’s a gripping, often shocking, twisting story that should make any viewer ask deep questions about themselves and how they relate or compare to the characters in Elfen Lied.

From Wikipedia (full article here)

Throughout the series, there is a great deal of nudity, blood and gore, extreme graphic violence as well as psychological violence. One of the most prevalent motifs of the series is the humanity of the diclonius, especially contrasted against the inhumanity of ordinary people. One reviewer described the series as “devoted to quite a few of the darker, more callous factors of human nature”.[15] Throughout the series there are various incidences of human sadism, casual beatings, cruel experimentation, and outright killing.

Unlike other anime which distinctively fall into a specific subcategory, Elfen Lied does not fall under any specific genre, containing elements of horror, comedy, drama, romance, action, science-fiction, and suspense. A majority of the episodes contain graphic amounts of violence and gruesome deaths. There is also a lot of female nudity and serious thematic material such as child rape and torture. The series also sometimes has strong language; the word “fuck” is used several times throughout in the English localization. Compared to the other anime of its time, the series is very radical, bold and daring in terms of its plot and content. The series juxtaposes many different tones and genres and was described by a reviewer as “mixing insane amounts of violence with a heavy dose of “ultra-cuteness.”[18] The series balances its darker themes with romantic sub-plots as well as many comic moments.

When you watch, take note of the very first seconds of the wonderful opening sequence. That face and tear are gorgeous art. I love it. I think the entire series might be summed up perfectly in those first 2 seconds.

Watch the Opening and Ending Here:

This is an ADULT series. You need to watch Elfen Lied. Set aside an entire evening, and watch it all. Prepare yourself, but trust me, you won’t regret it.