Apr 30, 2011
Elfen Lied is an anime that most people either Love or Hate. Few seems to find it “just okay”.
And there is one good reason for why people do that. And that is because Elfen Lied becomes two completely different animes depending on which mindset you have when you start watching it.
2 IN 1:
The Diclonius, a mutated homosapien that is said to be selected by God and will eventually become the destruction of mankind, possess two horns on their heads and have a "sixth sense" which gives them telekinetic abilities. Due to this dangerous power, they have been captured and isolated in laboratories by
...
the government...
That's what we get told by the summary of Elfen Lied. And it's because of this some people will come to hate it. You see, now you get an option, either you will lock at Elfen Lied thinking that it's a story about mutants trying to kill humanity. Or you will thing that maybe there is something deeper. If you watch Elfen Lied hoping to see the human struggle for survival you will be very disappointed and probably hate this anime because that part of the story is just left hanging.
No matter what stands in the description of Elfen Lied, this is not a tale of human destruction. it is not a story about a superior race. it is not a story of our struggle for survival. Elfen Lied is a wonderful story about a little girl who grew up in a world without love. Her daily life was filled with grief and tragedy. Hate was all she Knew. It built her world, imprisoned her, it taught her how to eat, how to drink, how to Breathe.
Elfen Lied is about this girl's struggle to make up for her sins, in order to leave her past behind her. and to be loved.
So when you sit down to watch Elfen Lied, try to do it with an open mind. Do not let yourself be fooled, instead watch the story for what it really is. A girls attempt to seek redemption. A story about the ugliness of the human heart.
Elfen Lied takes our humanity, the "core of human nature" if you will. it takes it and scales of all the layers of ideals and pretty words and shows us the bare, naked and ugly truth in all its glory. The very fact that humans will strike out at and discriminate anything and anyone thats different from themselves. It's just showing us the things we already know but constantly hides from. The discrimination of the different. Like the sittuation of the black people in the old US. Like the old Aparthide system South-Africa. Like every unspeakable act that is commited every day all around the world.
The main charather 'Lucy'is like so many other humans. Victims of unspeakable abuse. The only difference betwen her and every other victim of bullying in the wolrd is that she have THE power to fight back that all victims have ever wanted. And with this power she fights back. Hurting the world that hurt her. But you can't fight the world, for the World are many and the victims are always alone
IF You dissliked Elfen Lied because it "Lacked a story" or because "nothing was explained" Then I'll tell you why you think so. You think so because you sat down to watch Romeo and Julia, Beliving that you were about to see a movie about the war betwen two families. Romeo and Julia is NOT about a war and Elfen Lied is NOT about a Virus and some mutants.
ART: I can only say that the art really fits the atmosphere of this story and it's also very faithful to the manga (which was terrible and should not be mixed together with the anime.)
MUSIC: One of Elfen Lied strongest assets, apart from the gripping and emotional story, is its wonderfully composed music. The main theme song Lilium is sung in Latin and fills you up with a feeling of spirituality that really enhances the anime.
VOILENCE & GORE: The name Elfen Lied is synonymous with Gore and no one is going to deny that. The anime is beyond violent and gory. BUT all the violence and the gore is there to push the story forward, to get you to understand how terrible and sad this story is. It never feels to much, you never feel “Why did they do that” instead all violence is understandable in accordance to the story. If you only want to see mindless Gore that I recommend Hellsing and Berserk. Elfen Lied is something you watch for the story not for the action.
EECHI: Yes there are some nude scenes but they are also completely understandably and they never feel like ruched fan-service.
CONCLUSION: I'm one of those who love the gripping and emotional story of Elfen Lied. I can't recommend it enough. And it's up to you to make you on conclusion on what you think about it. I say Watch It, It's Worth It. If you ain't afraid of BLOOD and minor nudity.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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