Elfen Lied had a plot that really worked in my opinion. I am a big fan of threats the Earth in anime, and not necessarily ones that can be dealt with. I know it sounds bad when I say that, but there is something about not only whats on the line. but the fact that good conquering evil is so overused. When bad overcomes good, it comes with a form of acceptance from the viewer, as if we know there is going to be a bad ending, so let us take what good we can out of the series. That way, any good we find is that much more satisfying. Unfortunately, Elfen Lied is pretty dry when it comes to happy moments. In fact, the world ending and being taken over by a new species was one of the more happy thoughts. I still think of puppies differently....(that probably sounds so weird, but you'll understand if you don't yet)
What did not work for me was the somewhat forced nature of the horror element. To me it didn't belong and had a story good enough to go on without it. Or a darker tone in the art and atmosphere that makes the series take a definite jump into the horror genre, because as of now it doesn't strike me as anything more than a very gory drama.
The art in Elfen Lied did not impress me. The art was way to bright for a series relying so much on disturbia and horror. It could be argued that the fact that is bright is part of the disturbia factor but I disagree. It simply felt to me like something was lacking. A darker pallet would've been fantastic, but it didn't go that way. I mean, how good is fan-service when its too dark, right? I rest my case.
Now, I'll give credit where it is deserved. Elfen Lied a respectable soundtrack. The opening sequence is quite possibly one of the greatest you will find in anime. It is not so much an opening as it is a work of art leading to the series, which was simply beautiful still images and paintings put to a beautiful Latin piece The ending is much more traditional, but the contrast is quite nice. The BGMs are decent in that they don't ruin anything the story is trying to do, but doesn't do a whole lot to enhance it either.
Kouta is your average main character. Oblivious to peoples feelings and apparently has an infected sinus that is enhanced whenever boobs appear. His behavior is a bit too annoying for my tastes, and I honestly didn't think of him as the main character. Lucy was it for me. She is also what redeemed Kouta for me. Lucy is fascinating, and whether it be her normal brutal and bad-ass self or her gentle and clumsy "Nyuu" self, she was unpredictable and the one character I couldn't wait to see on-screen. The rest of the characters (for the most part) were very well done. Nana's character as well as Kanae's character were both lovable and tragic, Bando was sadistic yet strangely compelling to watch, Yuko was the relief from the heavy drama, and Chief Kurama is in my opinion one of the best supporting characters in anime due to his complexity as such a character.
Elfen Lied is dramtic, and very much so. There are moments that are done brilliantly. But then, the element of horror comes in and taints it. I honestly believe that if either the gore was significantly reduced or the art were darker the series would've been a home run. But hey, nothing is perfect. Elfen Lied's story line is more than enough reason to watch, but if your scared of a lot of blood maybe this isn't the series for you. In the same breath, if your looking for a satisfying horror, this isn't the series for you. However, if you can take blood and want a satisfying dramatic experience, this is perfect for you.
