In the first twelve or so minutes of the first episode, the viewer is shocked to see the rapid dismemberment of fifty or so guards with blood spraying everywhere. A naked, horned, Diclonius named Lucy's emotionless expression is drawn on her face while everyone around her is murdered by her Vectors (invisible four extra, extending hands). Surprisingly, the scene ends with the least violent moment of the first segment: a bullet shot into Lucy's head. While it does not kill her, Lucy loses her memories and is found naked on a beach by the main two protagonists: Kouta and Yuka. Forgetting her past as a murderer, Lucy can only say the pseudo-word, "Nyu". One would think the viewer could feel relaxed for a few minutes, but that peace does not last long.
As the anime progresses, the peacetime almost completely disappears the farther it goes along. Most people would soon discover that this is one depressing show fairly on. Happy moments rarely occur outside of the comedic moments between Lucy/Nyu and the other main characters while she is in her innocent state. Most of these moments are pretty funny and very few fall flat along the way. The plot and narration are pretty loose admittedly. The frame story unfolds slowly, while the pace of the many subplots moves at a rapid pace. This mostly works. However, it presents a few problems as well. A few plot holes jump out at a few points mostly involving the famous "Disappearing Character Syndrome", which is when characters disappear in an anime and randomly appear in the last spot we saw them at a separate time that is not logical.
Speaking of falling flat, a few of the characters never become as interesting or likable as they should be. The shallow characterization of Yuka does not give the character enough depth or memorability to stand out. While not quite as low as the level of Yuka, Mayu and Bandoh do not have enough significant scenes to show off themselves. However, the other members of the main cast are solid, dynamic characters whom the audience will definitely feel sorry for as the story progresses. Kouta being haunted by his past losses, Lucy's terrible upbringing, and Nana's inability to get her "father" to be proud of her could bring a tear to anyone emotional person's eyes.
And speaking of eyes, the art beginning at the eye opening at the beginning of the opening song, "Lilium" is pretty solid. I am not a stickler on art style myself, but I found nothing wrong the quality. I think it's actually aged quite well nine years later. The opening song is beautiful. No other word can describe it better. Fantastic variations are used of it throughout the series that fit each scene very well. While the ending theme is a decent song, I really do not think it fits the tone of the rest of the series.
Did it seem like there were quite a few cons in those last few paragraphs? Here's a few more pros to balance it out. The morals/themes and symbolism are excellent throughout the thirteen episodes. The theme of whether the Diclonii or the humans being the real monsters is well-written and presented and becomes very clear near the end. The symbolism, which I will not spoil, is subtle, yet powerful, particularly in the flashbacks. I am often critical on the overuse or misuse of flashbacks, but Elfen Lied uses them effectively and in organized clusters.
In the end, Elfen Lied is a taste anime that is not for everyone. If you're squeamish with blood, run far away. If the sight of a child or puppy being struck multiple times is too much for you, this may not be the anime for you.However, if as a viewer you enjoy dark, gritty, bloodbath anime, Elfen Lied is a must watch. Through its minor minor flaws, Elfen Lied is a truly great anime that deserves the praise it often gets.
