Elfen Lied Review
Though this will probably end up sounding like a primarily negative-sounding review, I do think that Elfen Lied is an anime built on a premise that had promise. There are some good moments scattered throughout the 13 episodes. And also the best opening music I’ve ever heard.
However, just like that brief praise will be drowned in my criticism of this series, those powerful moments are drowned in so much questionable material that I don’t know if I recommend this one. Perhaps when I first watched the series – years back, in high school – I would have said “it’ll be worth it in the end”, but now – maybe due to age, or maybe due to having seen more anime – I can’t say that. There are some worthwhile aspects to the series, as I said, but in the end it’s the kind of series that people think of when they derisively say something is “just an anime”. Good anime are the ones that you would be proud to present to someone, whether they are an anime fan or not, knowing that the merit of the story itself will be enough to convince them beyond any bias they may hold. Elfen Lied is not one of those anime.
The premise is that a new race of evolved humans, called Diclonius, are beginning to emerge. They possess “vectors”, invisible arms which can control or destroy objects (or more frequently, humans). The first of these was Lucy, a girl of around teenage years who escapes her facility in the very first episode. She washes up on shore and is found by the two other main characters, who take her in. Iit drifts between dark action sequences, strangely out-of-place comedy scenes more at home in harem series, as well as moments of introspection and character drama (which are probably the strongest parts of the anime).
But that’s the thing – I don’t know how many people would stay with this show long enough to get to those moments. I myself initially dropped it after the first episode, only picking it up again by the encouragement of a friend. The opening few minutes contain more gore and nudity than every other anime series I’ve seen combined. It doesn’t let up for the rest of the series, and that is my main issue with this series – gratuitous violence, gore, and nudity. Judging by the popularity of this anime, I am sure that others have had this debate before, and perhaps it’s been discussed so much that even bringing it up will elicit groans. But frankly, we all know there’s a line between artistic use of these elements and pandering to an audience. Elfen Lied goes far, far beyond the line. I don’t think it would be controversial to say that much of the nudity is merely fanservice, as it’s draped over the OP, ED, as well as in nearly every episode in the series, many times completely randomly and unnecessarily. And the violence? Well, that might be more subjective. I will admit I have lower tolerance for blood than most, but I can’t think of Elfen Lied’s fetish for showing heads popping and pools of gushing blood at every opportunity as “artistic use”.
These aren’t my only hangups with the anime, though they are by far the most problematic. The execution of the story just feels too simplistic with too many cliches. For example, the main human characters, Kohta and his cousin, really do not act very realistically at all. They find a near-mute girl who washes up naked on the beach, and they believe it’s a good idea to simply take her in and let her live with them? Without any idea of who she is, without any way of communicating with her, and without trying to find anyone who knows her? Those two characters also felt very generic, especially Kohta’s cousin, who has held a secret crush on him since childhood (another obvious cliche). At one moment in the series, she begins crying to herself over whether Kohta likes her more than the said near-mute girl (who they still don’t know the identity of, by the way). I should also mention that most of the deadly killers in this anime happen to be adorable little girls. Give me a break.
Now, as I said before, there are high points to the series. There is a series of flashbacks near the end of the series which delve into the past of one of the killers and shows how she developed into the personality we see today. It contains some scenes which are quite haunting. There is also a character in this series, a scientist who researches the Diclonius’, who had a daughter who ended up being one of them. His story, and the resolution to it, was also one of the more moving aspects of the anime. I really think there is a lot of potential to this story that was hinted at in scenes like this.
So, to wrap this up, if you have a greater tolerance for gore, fanservice, and otaku-pandering than I do, you will perhaps be able to appreciate some of its finer points, but I can’t see many people getting through the first episode alone, much less the entire series. Usually I take the stance that anime which rely too heavily on fanservice/pandering probably aren’t worth my time to begin with, but this is one of the rare cases where an anime that could have been quite good has been compromised for it.
8 responses so far
Yep, spot on for me as well. Though I might have given it slightly higher, because I thought some of it was really touching, but it’s just too drenched in gore and nudity.
Theownes law in effect =O
This might sound strange but I was totally amazed and glued to the show because of the explosive first episode. The anime crossed the line that I didn’t know it could be crossed. Besides, I don’t think the creators really care whether the anime will please general viewers or not. And I’m glad they don’t.
If an anime manages to be new and creative, that’s a good line to be crossed, but I’m not impressed by anime which are violent or “adult” just for the sake of being violent and adult.
Interesting. I felt that the use of such gratuitous violence and nudity was the point. As it created an atmosphere of essentially an evil world. Then Kohta’s home becomes the counterpart, a good world if you will. Lucy goes back and forth between these worlds. (As well as the little human girl *shudder* that poor abused little girl). Then you learn the Kohta world is just as much a part of this evil horrible world as anything else. Bummer.
So I thought the “artistic” element was completely necessitating the gratuity.
That’s why I hated it, and gave it a 2 out of 10. (Not a 1 because I admit it was well made)
I have no desire to experience an artsy manipulation of my mind and feelings that then concludes that the world we live in is evil, all is hopeless, and we’d all be better off dead- which was what the atmosphere of the show communicated to me (at that point I could care less what the storyline was trying to say).
The only reason I watched to the end is because I know that with horror shows my nightmares will be far worse than whatever ending the producer might give to the show.
My recommendation to people about this show is to not watch it. (Although occasionally I’ll sarcastically mention it when it superficially matches a request).
I get your perspective, Sackett, but what’s the artistry in randomly switching to a full shot of girls bathing in the house every few episodes? Or Nyuu’s clothing related “hijinks”.
I can understand your perspective about the violence, and that’s why I was a bit hesitant and explained that I just can’t tolerate blood and gore very well, but the nudity? I don’t think it’s excessive to call it fanservice.
Oh sure, that’s the beauty of it. It’s fanservice, but if anybody complains about it you just point out that it was “necessary” to tell the story. Which for Elfin Lied it probably was- just I think that it’s a story that isn’t worth being told or heard. If the story “requires” that kind of fanservice, then it’s a big warning sign that it’s probably not that good of a story.
It’s a way to have your cake and eat it too. Sorry if I’m a little cynical on this issue, but I’ve been exposed to so much “art” that also is designed to titillate and appeal to our worst senses- and if you inquire as to the “artisitc” purpose you find the purpose actually is to titillate- although usually they then have something else going on as well which provides “contrast” and thus elevates it from pornography to “art”.
While I comprehend it intellectually, I find it disturbing morally.
So I don’t think we are in real disagreement here. The main difference is that I go ahead and give the artist their “intellectual” due- and then savage them on other, more important elements.
Intellectualism can be a great addition to a good story, but it can’t carry a story by itself. To many artists today don’t understand that. Art is supposed to speak to something beyond our intellect. If it doesn’t inspire, uplift, soothe, or provide catharsis (or some other similar effect) then what was the point? Art that only shocks is to my mind a poor piece of art. If art shocks, and then also does something else, then it can have value.
Consider the first episode of Cross Game, which is shocking, but then leads to a catharsis with the ending song. Very little of Cross Game can be considered “intellectual”, it’s too simple for that. Yet it’s one of the better pieces of art in anime that I’ve ever seen.
Or if you prefer comparing Elfin Lied to another “dark” anime, then compare it to Fullmetal Alchemist. Also very dark, with pretty graphic violence. But I never felt it was gratuitous, it engages the intellect, but also emotions at the same time. The gore is actually necessary to tell a story that is truly worth telling. How do you deal with evil in the world? How do you deal with sin? Can you repent? Should you give up on a just vengeance? How do you forgive?
Those are some real questions that need answers. Elfin Lied could have addressed them, but mostly didn’t. At most it lightly touched on them, and then moved on to the next juxtaposition of cute girls in a harem anime with the graphic violence of a horror slasher fic.
Sorry… I started ranting. I got to go to bed. But I guess I might as well post it. Like I said, I doubt we are that far apart in our view on Elfin Lied, we just come at it from different directions.
This was interesting to read, I myself dropped Elfen Lied after I watched the first episode a few years ago and never picked it up again and won’t do so in the future. Not that I can’t stand a fair amount of gore or violence, which leads me to my question: Already thought of doing a review of ‘Shigurui’, TheOwne? Elfen Lied is peanuts against it regarding the amount and level of violence (I dare say so even having seen only the first ep of Elfen Lied), and I am interested how you and bucket think of that show…