Product Details

• Actors: Jessica Boone, Christine M. Auten, Mamoru Kanbe
• Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English, Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: Unrated
• Studio: Adv Films
• DVD Release Date: May 17, 2005
• Run Time: 100 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (36 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000929V6S
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #93,322 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

• This is item 1 in The Elfen Lied Series.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The broadcast series Elfen Lied (2004) represents another example of the murderous-waif genre that includes Gunslinger Girl, Burst Angel, and Saikano. Lucy is a diclonius, a mutant capable of killing humans without touching them--a talent she demonstrates repeatedly when she escapes from a secret research facility. She washes up on a beach where two good-natured, simple-minded college freshmen find her. As Lucy can only say "Nyu," Kohta and Yuka call her that and adopt her, unaware of her deadly powers. Elfen Lied is a weird mixture of gratuitous gore, treacly sentimentality, and fan-service nudity. Nyu/Lucy shifts from cringing innocent to articulate murderer and back for no apparent reason; Yuka nurtures a secret passion for Kohta, although he's her cousin. Inane, incoherent, and distasteful, Elfen Lied offers all the clichés that give anime a bad name. (Rated TV MA VSL, appropriate for ages 17 and older: graphic violence, violence against women, nudity, profanity, sexual situations, toilet humor, tobacco use)--Charles Solomon

Product Description

One girl washes up on shore – naked, scared, and alone. The other uses psychic weapons to make a blood-soaked break from captivity. One is named Nyu. The other is Lucy. The two couldn’t be more different – if only they didn’t have to share the same body! When star-crossed students Kohta and Yuka rescue Nyu on the beach, they’re blissfully unaware that she’s a diclonius, a mutant bred to replace humanity. To make matters worse: she’s escaped from captivity, leaving a trail of dead in her path and the world’s most lethal hunters on her tail. As the rooms in Kohta’s rented house fill with runaways and diclonius – danger mounts outside. But, what’s more dangerous? The monsters beating down the door or the demons within?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing and exploitive - but......, May 27, 2005

By	T. Avallone (St Charles IL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of those animes you pick up because of all the "shockingly violent" hype that this series is being labeled as. Make no mistake about it: It does not shy away from nudity or gore at any expense. Although this might be a turn off to some viewers, there is an absorbing story that goes along with "Elfen Lied". It will easily get you hooked.

A couple of main problems that nobody else seems to have noted:

It seems to be an original piece of work - but its quite a no brainer that it borrowed *heavily* from the lighthearted fan favorite anime "Chobits". Any hardcore anime fan will see that.

Also - heavily sexual inuendos are present throughout, be it when the main male character takes hold of a female's breast - and she gets orgasmic pleasure out of it, showing a naked female draped in blood while chained to a wall, and female urination on a hardwood floor...not to mention showing 2 women bathing together. Some of these scenes might have something to do with the storyline - but I have a feeling most of them are just for exploitive purposes.

What is most shocking is the "TVMA" rating this was given. First off - this is something that would never be shown on television without severe editing. I would give this nothing less than a 17+ rating.

If it sounds like I'm bashing "Elfen Lied", I'm really not. The story will grab your attention and tug at your emotional strings at any given moment - and the character development is a definate plus. I'm just hoping the story continues at a level where it will outshine some of the shlock that is present on the screen.

To sum up the first volume of "Elfen Lied": So far, so good...but beware of the TVMA rating.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can you handle Elfen, October 5, 2005

By	Keith A. Jones "Sonic Jones... I'm Kind Of A ... (Philadelphia PA) - See all my reviews

The first thing noticed about Elfen lied is the incredibly beautiful theme song, which is played in the previews. If you read the subtitles for the song the words are quite calming and peaceful but as soon as it goes off and the first episode starts here comes the blood. This series will most likely remind you of geo-breeders or chobits but with a lot more violence to me it even exceeds gantz.

The story is simple humans becoming mutants but unlike ninja turtles these mutants are cute. On the first episode you might be confused into thinking that the mutants are telekinetic but will find out differently in the second episode. A company which had a bit of control on one of the mutants also known as lucy or nyu lost total control and this sparks a complete massacre of security and inoocent workers. During lucy's breakout she looses all memory due to a shot to the head and develops a good side bad side.

The bad side is when lucy remembers who she is and basically becomes evil and wants to destroy all humans. With these types of series it's common for the lunatic killer amnesia crazed character to find some innocent people to live with and lucy finds two teenage cousins. Elfen lied to me is done with beautiful animation and storyline. There is a big caution I very much understand that this series is a little overboard with nudity and gore and will get to some people, and I wouldn't get the import if I were this easily sickened. This dvd is well edited and has better quality.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elfen Lied - A Hidden Jem, August 10, 2006

By	Mori Lupa "Mori-chan" (UK) - See all my reviews

I watched Elfen Lied the other day and was pleasantly surprised. Numerous people have bashed the anime because there is an awful lot of violence and, often unnecessary, nudity. However, unlike many animations which are simply created for the gore/sexual content, Elfen Lied has a gripping storyline.
At first, many are incredibly embarrassed about watching an anime with such labelling, but after watching the first episode you've been drawn it - hook, line and sinker. The opening theme tune is undeniably beautiful and as the thirteen (fourteen including an addition episode which, or so I am told, is included in one of the four DVDs?) episodes go on, you find that Elfen Lied has a very emotional story line in places. Firstly, without spoiling, is the case of Number Seven or Nana and her relationship with `Papa'. Her undying loyalty is both touching and heartbreaking, as is the misunderstanding between herself and Nyuu.
For people who can overlook the violence and nudity, you'll enjoy this anime. HOWEVER, as with most things, there is a negative side to the anime. While watching E.L, I noticed that Nyuu-chan is awfully like Chii-chan from Chobits - and I'm not the only one to realise.
Never-the-less, this is a cracking anime - neither overly drawn out nor a surplus of characters. We have Yuka and Kouta (two cousins who act like the parental figures in the house) with the homeless runaway Mayu and her dog Wanta and the two diclonius, Nana and Nyuu (split personality, aka. Lucy)
Aside from dealing with parent/child bonds, fights between split personalities and bullying, the flashbacks are surprisingly believable as they are genuinely reflective of how children are. This anime also raises a question which is often overlooked by viewers. Diclinous are not treated as proper people, two ear-like horns protrude from their heads, making them victims of bullying and outcasts of society. They also have the use of vectors, invisible arms, which makes means they are hazardous to the population and must be contained. As they aren't seen as humans, they're lab rats at the hands of humans and even their own kind.
Overall, (I have to end this mini essay!) this is well worth buying, but only if you can handle the mature content. I wouldn't recommend it under 16s, unless they're responsible enough. It pales in comparison to others of the same nature, mainly because of the strong story line and character developments. The ending of the series is also excellently done.. All in all, this is an animation to be proud of owning.

Fans of this anime may also enjoy Haibane Renmei, from the creator of Serial Experiments: Lain and Texhnolyze.