Elfen Lied

"Pathetic" sums it up.

It's a grade schooler's fantasy world. It's honestly really baffling how people can consider this manga "deep".

No character is believable; everyone acts as if in a 4th grader's desperate attempt to write meaningful characters.

The art's terrible.

The only "good" thing is that it's easily readable. No one thinks here; everyone just acts according to idiotic character archetypes that, luckily, aren't anywhere near believable nor hold any substance.

Ugh. And the forced nakedness and ecchi of underage girls here for the "enjoyment" of the dull but apparently super-attractive main character... the book's rather fascinating in its vulgar simplemindedness.

Elfen Lied

This proves once again that the manga is not always superior to the anime. The anime adaptation demonstrated higher quality and censored many of the unnecessary perverse scenes from the manga. However, it fell short in terms of story coverage since the anime didn't encompass the entire manga.

The Elfenlied manga maintains a subtle main plot until the end. Yet, this was undermined by the creator's lack of talent. The storytelling was poorly executed, the characters were almost catastrophic, and the work lacked detail.

A particularly negative aspect of the work is the writer's unhealthy and perverted inclinations. It wasn't just about breasts and genitals; it also heavily focused on sexual arousal and female orgasms.

In the end, we were left with an enormous pile of unexplained plot armor, giving the impression of a contrived happy ending.

Story

The core idea behind the main story was not bad, nor was the concept involving the research facility and its background. Nevertheless, the execution was a complete disappointment.

Up to Chapter 60, the content revolved around sexual themes and monotonous slice-of-life elements.

The finale felt poorly implemented as well, although at least something did happen towards the end.

Artwork / Drawing

The artwork is significantly below average. In some parts, it resembles the work of a complete amateur, especially concerning character physiques, faces, and anatomy.

The backgrounds were average and unremarkable.

Characters

This is the worst aspect of the entire manga. What happens when you place unsympathetic, flat, and boring characters under one roof? Certainly nothing good.

We have one of the worst protagonists in the entire anime/manga scene. A group of female protagonists driven primarily by fan service, none of whom possess any personality. Everyone felt forced and artificial, especially Lucy/Nyu.

The top three characters by far were Nana, her father, and the military killer.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a poor manga in every way. There was potential for the story, but it was largely wasted.

His next work, Brynhildr in the Darkness, is a much better title than this one.

I owe an apology to VAP and Arms. After finishing the anime, I blamed them for Elfen Lied's mediocrity. In truth, it's the fault of the mangaka Lynn Okamoto for its creation. Elfen Lied resembles a puzzle with missing pieces and pieces that don't fit. Though the concept is uniquely complex, some parts were unexplained or simply ridiculous.

The story wasn't entirely bad, just overly dramatic. The characters had distinct personalities. As a harem series, every girl entering Kouta’s life had a tragic past. The best part was the backstories, even illustrated in extra chapters. These told the story from each character's point of view, showcasing their emotions. Their situation of having nowhere else to go was understandable. Thankfully, not every character was infatuated with Kouta (the male protagonist). Three girls had feelings for Kouta, but he never showed favoritism. Nyu also undergoes character development, maturing from a girl who only used one word and enjoyed groping other girls after a time skip in the story.

The idea of a mutant called Diclonii was initially good until Lynn decided to vastly vary them from humans without explanation. First, it's gory, with the Diclonii’s ability to kill humans using telekinesis and their invisible vector arms. The severed heads and bodies ripped apart grab your attention. Then it turns comical. Their bodies appear humanlike, they even die like humans. However, their bodies are apparently made of plastic, as they receive plastic body parts instead of bionic ones like regular humans. This makes them resemble typical Barbie dolls. It doesn't make sense because Kouta squeezed Nyu’s non-plastic boobs plenty of times. At the very last minute, Lynn decides to give one specific Diclonius the unfortunate ability to melt from overusing her power, which was never mentioned before. Then I questioned why she couldn’t die normally. Lucy is the original Diclonius from a virus that spread during her birth. The manga failed to explain how this virus originated. The lab named Lebensborn was using young Diclonii as test subjects to discover what was unknown about them, but these flaws, among others, were never explained.

Beyond the flaws with the Diclonii concept, several things ticked me off about Elfen Lied. As the story progressed, it became clear that Lynn couldn't make up his mind about what he wanted to do. A scene would become a teaser with the character backed into a corner, on the brink of death, or going through a psychological state. Then things suddenly brightened with the character surviving a near-death experience or turning back to normal. For example, a character had a gun to his head, and the scene cuts to blood splatters. Then the character later appears with an excuse of someone saving him. If foreshadowing took place, I'd excuse this. The most ridiculous thing is seeing a character taking their last breath with their guts spilled out, body split in half, only to reappear chapters later completely unharmed. There’s also a lot of pointless tears, especially from Yuka, who disliked Kouta not showing her enough affection or not remembering their childhood.

The ending didn't make sense at all, and Lynn threw anything together just to end it. Sad scenes occurred, and they weren’t realistic. They’d cry one minute, perk up the next, and then go back to bawling. Characters that died suddenly come back to life. Then new information was introduced at the last minute just to hurry and end the story. It reminds me a lot of Lynn’s other work “Gokukoku no Brynhildr.”

The character design was average. It's just your typical big-eyed characters. The background design is what really stands out. It was moderately detailed from the cracks in the wood floors to the swirly clouds in the sky. The gradient colors were good, too, especially in the streets at night and dark hallways. I don’t invest much time in ecchi, but it’s fanservice galore, of course. I think it was done well, just wish it was done at appropriate times.

The meaning behind “Elfenlied” (“Elf Song,” a poem in German) is creative regarding the title. Behind all of the amputated heads and chopped bodies lies a mediocre story. There are several other minor flaws in Elfen Lied, such as a character who wears a diaper and characters with family complexes. If the puzzle was completed with all the right pieces, I would've enjoyed it more. Overall, I thought Elfen Lied had the right idea, but it wasn’t drawn correctly.

Elfen Lied is one of those series that leaves you questioning its quality at first glance, but it quickly becomes evident that it's a remarkably well-crafted narrative. This series delves into mature themes with an intensity and depth rarely seen. It was the first series I revisited later in life, finding new appreciation due to my expanded knowledge and understanding. Whether you're a psychologist or biologist, Elfen Lied offers insights relevant to both fields. It stands head and shoulders above Okamoto's other works.

Elfen Lied takes a scientific approach to what might otherwise be considered a "magical girl" genre, though the term is somewhat misplaced here as the characters aren't magical per se. Instead, they wield 'vectors,' a force generated by their bodies which humans have dubbed so perhaps as an insult. These vector appendages can transmit DNA into human bodies, leading to the birth of Diclonius children—a derogatory term likening them to horned animals. What makes this series particularly fascinating for someone who values science is how meticulously everything is explained scientifically. Okamoto amplifies existing aspects of humanity to create the Diclonius species, making it surprisingly believable. Author Lynn Okamoto crafts a fictional species with immense power yet keeps it grounded enough to feel real. The story itself is also exceptionally well-written.

The series centers around a young Diclonius woman who falls from a tower and is found amnesiac on Kamakura beaches by two young adults. Their intertwined experiences form the crux of the narrative. Character development is robust, even among lesser characters and villains. Each antagonist has a compelling backstory—from an institution director trying to protect his daughter, to the daughter herself striving to safeguard her father, or a Diclonius man who embraces humanity despite viewing his kind as monsters. There isn’t a single character who feels flat.

Though explaining why the series is titled "Elfen Lied" would spoil a major plot point, it's worth noting how adeptly adult themes are handled while maintaining levity. The depiction of sexual/physical abuse endured by one character is profoundly realistic. Another character’s severe lack of self-confidence manifests in needing to wear diapers, yet this too is addressed maturely.

However, the series falters slightly in terms of artwork. It begins decently drawn and improves slightly, understandable given it's Okamoto's debut manga. His subsequent work, Brynhildr in the Darkness, shows better artistry but lacks elsewhere.

Age Rating: M for Blood and Gore, Disturbing Content, Child Rape/Abuse, Nudity, Adult Themes, Explicit Language, Intense Violence, and Incest.

Disclaimer: This series isn't for the faint-hearted or squeamish. It tackles mature content that North American media often shies away from. Okamoto doesn’t censor anything.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Elfen Lied is a masterfully written series with some fan service. Ultimately, it respects its audience, making it one of the most enjoyable series I've ever experienced.

This manga was genuinely enjoyable, blending a bit of humor here and there, some romance, and plenty of blood, gore, and ecchi elements. It even featured incest, which added an interesting twist. :-)
The storyline was exceptional, avoiding clichés commonly seen in other works. It starts strong and only gets better as it progresses. Additionally, the challenges faced by the characters are surprisingly relatable to real-life situations, and the ending feels quite realistic.
The artwork is decent—not outstanding, but acceptable. The characters are incredibly cool, with thought processes that feel both realistic and relatable. Lucy stands out as a powerful character with a compelling backstory. Despite being an uncontrollable killing machine, her actions are driven by past betrayals, giving her motives depth. Kouta's portrayal in the manga is far superior to his depiction in the anime. In the anime, he instantly forgives Lucy upon realizing she killed his family, whereas in the manga, his reaction is more believable—he harbors hatred towards Lucy, just as anyone would if someone murdered their sister and father. However, there were some unnecessary side characters whose absence wouldn't have significantly impacted the story.
Overall, this manga was pretty enjoyable.