Elfen Lied

Overview:

I've written numerous anime reviews, but this is my first manga review. Please be gentle critics! Typically, the manga outshines its anime adaptation... unfortunately, today we're examining an exception to that rule.

SPOILERS! This review compares and contrasts the anime with the manga. If you haven't read the manga yet, skip this review!!!

Elfen Lied (despite the flak it gets on MAL and 4chan) is actually my favorite anime of all time. I'm not joking; I'm completely serious! However, the manga... kind of stinks. I personally preferred the anime for several reasons.

Firstly, Lucy's character was more interesting in the anime, with two personalities: one good (Nyuu) and one morally complex and greyish (Lucy). In contrast, the manga had three personalities: good (Kaede), good (Nyuu), and pure evil (literal voice of DNA). This three-way personality split made the character too simplistic, robbing her of much-needed complexity. This also brings us to the next big problem with the manga: DNA taking over and forcing people to be evil. The anime was far more ambiguous about whether nature or nurture influenced the diclonius killing instinct, leaning towards nurture since the only instance of a diclonius killing without prior heavy abuse came from Kakuzawa Jr.'s stories to Kurama, which were mostly lies. While still debatable, the manga heavily leans towards nature, portraying diclonii as inherently evil. This undermines the anti-discrimination theme central to the story, making the discrimination and inhumane treatment seem justified. The Diclonius are wiped out in the manga, and readers are supposed to cheer this on! An entire human sub-race is depicted as genetically evil and must be exterminated rather than learning to coexist. If the anime Elfen Lied was like X-Men, the manga is akin to "The Ugly Mushroom," a Nazi children's book explaining why Jews must be eradicated. Besides arguably having the worst moral message of any manga EVER, it's also scientifically incorrect because DNA does NOT work that way! You can be genetically predisposed to sociopathy and limited empathy, but DNA doesn't grab hold of your body and force you to be evil like Lucy's did when she sliced Kurama instead of allowing herself to be shot.

Next, let's discuss Kouta. He's very average in the manga, whereas in the anime he's almost the nicest guy ever. He's like Keitaro from Love Hina mixed with DBZ and Mahatma Gandhi. Although not the most realistic, I prefer this version of the character. At least he's memorable and interesting unlike manga Kouta, who is bland and forgettable. Another reason I like the anime is that I vastly prefer Kouta/Lucy to Kouta/Yuka. Lucy may have murdered Kouta's family, but her remorse and desire to repent and become reborn (via Nyuu) coupled with Kouta's extreme kindness and forgiveness make them an interesting couple. They resemble Rodion and Sonya from Crime and Punishment. Rodion murders her best friend, but she still loves him and forgives him after his extreme remorse and repentance. He experiences a Christian rebirth rather than amnesia from bullet wounds. Kouta/Yuka is not only a dull couple, but Yuka is truly irritating and unlikeable. She whines more than anyone else despite having had the best life. She lashes out violently every five minutes over minor issues (Thank GOD she wasn't born with vectors). I think the Kouta/Lucy pairing better reflects themes of repentance, love, and forgiveness, adding better artistic aesthetics along with being more interesting and enjoyable.

Another point is the tone difference between the anime directed by Kanbe versus Okamoto's tone and writing in the original manga. The anime has some silly ecchi moments, but the manga goes overboard, making the series difficult to take seriously. There's even a wasted character whose sole purpose seems to satisfy one of Okamoto's many fetishes. Kanbe stated he wanted to make an anime that could make 18-year-olds cry and challenge assumptions about love, repentance, forgiveness, etc. Okamoto never took himself so seriously or had such a strong artistic vision. As proof, he personally made the first hentai doujin of Elfen Lied. I'm not kidding, look it up! Kanbe has a strong resume directing great anime and even made shows like Cardcaptor Sakura far better than they needed to be. He worked under Miyazaki himself on Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Okamoto has some good ideas but needs an editor and has never written anything else noteworthy.

Finally, as the manga plot progressed, we saw more and more silly stuff I could have done without. If Kakuzawa had a whole clone army of controllable Marikos, why send the wild and uncontrollable original? The answer is that Okamoto clearly added Barbara and the other Mariko clones later, creating a massive plot hole making Kakuzawa look even dumber. Did anyone find the Unknown Man added anything besides a hilariously un-aerodynamic weapon? He got to make Bando a hero at least, which no one wanted. Even Bando gets a second chance in life, but not Kaede? WTF?! We also get that admiral who looks like Itachi Uchiha and that ridiculous vector tank! Overall, I'll take an open ending over a bad closed ending any day! Why do people think having a closed ending makes something better? Brothers Karamazov: open ending. Birdemic: neatly wrapped ending.

PS. Although minor compared to the manga's more grievous sins, the artwork in the manga is TERRIBLE! It improves halfway through, but my god, it's bad!

All I can remark about this manga is that it adheres strictly to the central plot and is notably graphic as well as highly explicit.

The manga outshines its anime counterpart by faithfully following the storyline, although it does delve excessively into exceedingly dark themes and includes off-topic dialogues between characters. Despite this, I found the manga quite enjoyable for wrapping up the narrative with a somewhat happy conclusion and maintaining focus on the murderous yet seductive protagonist, Lucy.

This manga will stay among my personal favorites, albeit not at the very top. I encourage readers to explore it themselves and share their own impressions of this unforgettable work.

"Elfen Lied," or in English, "Elf's Song," is a manga series inspired by a German poem penned by Eduard Mörike. The poem narrates the tale of an elf who unwittingly enters a small village and faces ostracism from its human inhabitants, culminating in the elf being struck down by a man.

In this manga adaptation, our 'elf' is a mutant named Lucy, and our 'village' is Kamakura, Japan. This narrative delves into themes of racism, prejudice, misanthropy, and incestuous relations between cousins. I approached Elfen Lied with high expectations after hearing it described as "sad" and "beautiful." Unfortunately, the manga diverged significantly from the Germanic poem I studied beforehand. What I encountered was a poorly executed mess.

The story centers around a Diclonius mutant named Lucy. Diclonii resemble humans but possess two horns on their foreheads and telekinetic hands capable of dismembering anything. It opens with Lucy escaping a top-secret facility after a massacre, only to be shot in the head, fall into the ocean, and awaken with severe amnesia, able only to utter the word "Nyuu."

Firstly, the use of amnesia as a plot device feels cliché. While not judging an entire manga solely on this, I hoped the story would improve. However, after 107 chapters, I remained disappointed. One major flaw is the lack of character development.

We meet a 13-year-old girl sexually abused by her stepfather, yet the author never elaborates beyond mentioning the abuse. Another character suffers panic attacks causing urinary incontinence, necessitating constant diaper use. Only Lucy, Kouta (the male protagonist), and his cousin/love interest Yuka receive any significant development, though even these characters are unengaging.

Lucy embodies the "moe" trope—a helpless amnesiac who transforms into a killing machine when threatened. She appears nude for a third of the manga, seemingly pandering to fans. Then there's Kouta, who harbors romantic feelings for Lucy, constantly thwarted by Yuka. Yuka, the worst character, wants to marry her cousin based on a childhood promise made at age five, making her love feel artificial and overused.

Another issue is how the manga handles its themes. It contrasts Diclonii and humans, exploring their similarities and differences. However, the distinctions felt insufficient unless intentional. Misanthropy is another prominent theme, showcasing people committing vile acts, children torturing animals, and scientists performing inhumane experiments.

The depiction of elementary school kids brutally torturing animals seemed implausible, making the drama feel forced. Similarly, "evil" scientists conducting cruel experiments is a common trope. Everything felt haphazardly assembled, leaving me apathetic during supposed emotional scenes.

The sole entertaining aspects were Lucy's badass transformations and her ruthless killings. Watching her telekinetic hands rip apart victims was a spectacle.

Overall, Elfen Lied earns a 6/10 from me. It lacks well-written content and intellectual depth. Enjoyment required turning off critical thinking, which disappointed me given its reputation as an intellectual masterpiece.

Story:
The narrative is profoundly intricate, filled with numerous twists and turns that will leave you bewildered. Although there are impactful events scattered throughout, some elements seem to recur, yet this repetition does not detract from the overall experience.

Art:
While I'm not an art expert, the visuals were quite appealing. There are occasional scenes where characters appear slightly disproportionate, but these instances are confined to small spaces, making them less noticeable. The bloody scenes were executed impressively.

Character:
Character development can be somewhat sluggish at times, prompting a desire to spur them along. However, this is compensated by the diverse cast of characters, each with distinct personalities that contribute significantly to the story.

Enjoyment:
I find much to enjoy about the manga, particularly its compelling storyline. Enhanced by a variety of characters, the entire experience is cohesive and engaging.

Overall:
For now, it earns a 10. Its robust storyline and interesting characters keep things captivating.

Warning:
Here's where Elfen Lied might lose ground compared to other manga. Despite its spectacular story and great characters, there's a caveat. Unfortunately, Elfen Lied includes strong graphic content. Examples range from limbs flying in a bloody blur to ecchi scenes bordering on hentai. These scenes do not dominate the story, but there are enough gory moments to deter some readers. Therefore, for children or those with weak stomachs, reading Elfen Lied is strongly discouraged. Additionally, individuals who are prone to depression or mental distress may find themselves in a darker place after reading Elfen Lied.

Oh, how times have changed. At one point in my life, before I reached what was probably the halfway mark of Elfen Lied, I would have given this series a higher overall score. Unfortunately, things did not turn out that way. If anything, Elfen Lied is a testament to the importance of finishing a series before fully assessing it. For this reason, before proceeding, I want to bring something up. Elfen Lied might entice you with scenes of graphic violence, but it takes much more than that for a series to be considered mature. Yes, it's true that it's not for the squeamish, but the only thing keeping it from being classified as shonen is the aforementioned trope. With that said, let us begin.

Story:
Elfen Lied leans heavily on clichés, following an amnesiac protagonist whose memories gradually return as the story progresses. What sets Elfen Lied apart is how and why the protagonist lost their memory. Due to anti-spoiler reasons, much about the plot cannot be revealed, but suffice it to say, the story maintains its focus until the end. Despite some glaring issues that detract from enjoyment, Elfen Lied remembers its core themes until the very end. If you can overlook its other faults, you won't be disappointed. The problem is, these faults are hard to ignore.

Art:
Character design is quite generic. Characters of the same gender share similar faces, differing mainly in size, hair, and eye color. What stands out in this series is the mangaka's depiction of surroundings and military equipment, which appears frequently. While I'm no military enthusiast, and it's fair to say the designs aren't unique, Okamoto puts enough detail into the weapons—though that's not saying much. Among its traits, Elfen Lied’s art ranks second-best, but that's not a significant achievement considering its other scores.

Characters:
When I first read Elfen Lied, there were many problems I had, but ultimately they could be overlooked when there was a good character present. Early on, Elfen Lied excels in moral ambiguity, so much so that at times I found myself rooting for one character one moment, then completely switching allegiance to their opponent the next. This was best exemplified by Lucy, whose split personalities created a perfect parallel that made you like both. Unfortunately, this is eventually abandoned. There are many despicable characters in Elfen Lied, and by the halfway point, even the likable ones join them. By the series' end, characterization becomes almost non-existent.

Enjoyment:
Initially, I liked Elfen Lied a lot. It was the first seinen manga I read that genuinely made me care about the characters. However, there are many issues typical of the genre, particularly the misunderstanding of what constitutes maturity. Much of the "mature" content could have been omitted, making for a smoother read. Another improvement would have been better handling of the ending. If it didn’t try so desperately to prove its status as a seinen and avoided common anime and manga pitfalls, Elfen Lied could have been great. Sadly, that's not the case.

Overall:
I’d like to say, "If you want a good sci-fi story, Elfen Lied could easily be this for you," but such words cannot be spoken truthfully. While the story isn't terrible, the art is unimpressive, the characters start well but quickly decline, and only someone apathetic or depraved would claim high enjoyment. This very raunchy series has potential, but I don't judge based on potential. Therefore, I give it a 3 out of 10.

The first thing that struck me upon reading the initial pages was, "Good God, that art!" Unfortunately, it didn't improve much from there. Elfen Lied had potential to become something remarkable. Its premise is intriguing, yet it fails to live up to expectations. The narrative oscillates between serious, gory sequences and awkward fanservice scenes, which often feel out of place.

Character development is sorely lacking, with most being exceptionally bland, save for a few exceptions (like the bespectacled leader; regrettably, I can't recall any names). The artwork, to put it mildly, is extremely unappealing. Characters with smaller, detailed eyes are often depicted as cross-eyed, while those with large, expressive eyes have an odd expression where their eyebrows arch upwards, mouths hang open unnaturally low, and they seem to exude a sense of dullness. Additionally, why do the characters' heads protrude so unnaturally from their necks?

Even the gore isn't particularly impressive. I tried to phrase this delicately without sounding juvenile, but I couldn't help laughing at the dramatic, bloody scenes. Typically, I'm not one to react that way, but the over-the-top intensity of these moments, combined with melodrama, made them unintentionally humorous.

In hindsight, it's quite disappointing. The story had the potential to be truly captivating but was marred by subpar characters, overly dramatic scenes, uncomfortable fanservice, and cringe-worthy art.

As you may be aware, Elfen Lied features a significant amount of gore, nudity, and similar elements. Nonetheless, its storyline is truly captivating. I don't typically delve into this genre, but... it fascinated me in numerous ways.

Story: 10 - The narrative is remarkable and intricately woven, hooking the reader within the first few pages. The intensity of every action and scene kept me eagerly anticipating more!

Art: 8 - While the artwork wasn't the manga's strongest suit, it didn't particularly stand out. However, given the excellence of the storyline, the art didn't detract significantly. In my opinion, everything about this manga is great.

Characters: 10 - All the characters are outstanding, each facing their unique struggles and emotions. They evoke empathy and understanding of their pain, even if you haven't experienced what they have. Their actions feel genuine because, honestly, if I underwent what they did, I'd likely react similarly.

Enjoyment: 10 - I genuinely believe this manga is exceptional, worth far more than words can express. Though less nudity would be preferable, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

In summary, I consider this one of the best manga I've read (and I've read quite a lot, haha). The mangaka deserves applause for crafting such an incredible story. If you decide to read Elfen Lied, I hope you enjoy it! (Oh, and if you have suggestions for improving my reviews, please message me or something! This is only my second review. Thanks!!!)

Elfen Lied is undoubtedly one of the most controversial manga/anime series, yet it remains one of my all-time favorite stories.

What I appreciate most about Elfen Lied is how it delves into the characters' personal narratives and effectively conveys their emotions through these tales. Many characters exhibit a duality in their feelings, actions, and motivations. The prime example of this is Lucy, an extraordinary character whose story is both tragically beautiful and deeply moving. However, other characters also undergo significant development, making the overall narrative incredibly compelling, intriguing, and emotionally charged.

In my opinion, the strongest aspect of Elfen Lied is its dramatic elements. When combined with its excellent romance, substantial action sequences, and horror elements, it becomes something truly remarkable—a masterpiece.

The artwork in the manga isn't its strongest suit, but it's adequate and improves as the story progresses.

In conclusion, reading this manga was an immensely enjoyable experience. To sum it up in a few words, it's a unique and profoundly emotional story.