All you need to know about ElfenLied -The series that will make the headlines in 2005

[Last Exile]

www.vap.co.jp/elfenlied/ - The official site. 3 trailer movies, opening and closing theme movies and songs, short previews of all 13 episodes, 5 great wallpapers and some descriptions, but all the descriptions all in kanji though

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=4148 - What probably is the best description of what direction the series heads in.

http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,1443,vrezym,elfen_lied.html - The animenfo section. Contains 150 reviews (including mine) on Elfen Lied + info on the diclonius aspect. Best indicator review wise of what series is like and where it goes.

Note - This series was first played in Japan on July 25th. On November 5th, it has already hit #37 on the alltime list of animenfo. Already past Samurai Champloo (#45) and Midori no Hibi (#59), the other notable releases of 2004 so far along with Paranoia Agent.

[Razola]

English is really useful when it comes to finding things like trailers.

And what the hell is with the cat ears? Come one people, at least switch to something new...like a hippo.

[Roarkiller]

English is really useful when it comes to finding things like And what the hell is with the cat ears? Come one people, at least switch to something new...like a hippo.

Those are horns, d00d. Reading the reviews/summaries at least before commenting would be nice.

Btw, i know the site says movie, but it aint our definition of movie as in the big screen, for those with big hopes.

Taking too long to load, will get back later.

[Razola]

Horns are just as cliched. I demand my hippo!

[ryandude713]

heres your hippo

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[Dark-San]

Just a guess but I think Elfen Lied may become popular among Chobit's matured fan. Lolz~ So many similiarites. Love and of course the horns. The only differences might be the gore factor.

[Last Exile]

Personally it reminds me more of something like:

Animation: Azumanga Daioh with loads of gore and nudity
Emotion: Saikano/She The Ultiamte Weapon
Storyline: Saikano or Shingetsutan Tsukihime
Characters: Saikano

Yeah, only thing I can comapre it to is Saikano/She The Ultiamte Weapon.

It's a very emotionally loaded series. The characters go through hell but there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Basic story for those who couldn't be bothered to read the links: Humanity is undergoing a new evolution...people are being born with horns on their head, the diclonius. When they reach the age of three, awesome power begins to develop in them...and an extreme hatred for humans. The diclonius, when threatened, turn into killing machines that give no mercy and leave nothing but piles of dismembered bodies in their wake.

One diclonius, Lucy, attempts to escape from the scientific facility she is held at. In the process she kills 23 people in a mere 5 minutes. But while escaping, she is shot and ends up washed on a beach where two young adults, Kouta and Yuka, find her. Lucy has lost all memory of who she is and now has the personality of a cute, innocent five-year old. Intrigued, they take her in. But the people who once held her want her back, or dead. And even though Lucy's good side predominates, when hurt or threatened, her evil personality takes over and kills all in her wake.

Kouta is a guy who's kind, especially to girls, although a bit dense. He lost his father and sister in a terrible accident when he was young, but he can't remember anything from around that time due to the trauma. Yuka is a childhood friend of his. She ahsn't seen him in eight years and is keen to get clsoe to him once more. HOwever, the arrival of Lucy throws a spanner in the works.

Most of all, something even more intriguing becomes apparent by the end of the first episode. This is not the first time Lucy and Kouta have met...

Word of Warning: This series is incredibly graphic. This cannot be understated. Don't even think of showing this to someone under 18. However, there is plenty of substance and style to this series. Don't judge it off the gore-fest of the first episode alone. There is much more to this series than the bloody showdowns. Lucy's split-personality is brilliantly done.

Content wise, there is a plethera of gore, almost as much nudity, a rape scene and a lot of cruelty to children. So this series is not for the squeamish.

Get it if you can and try it with an open mind. You will be surprised.

[Roarkiller]

Juz a question, does anyone else find the last episode a bit too ambiguous?

EDIT: Btw, the official site said smthng bout Elfen Lied 2nd note on 25 november. Whazzat, a sequel series?

[Razola]

Word of Warning: This series is incredibly graphic. This cannot be understated. Don't even think of showing this to someone under 18. However, there is plenty of substance and style to this series. Don't judge it off the gore-fest of the first episode alone. There is much more to this series than the bloody showdowns. Lucy's split-personality is brilliantly done.

Content wise, there is a plethera of gore, almost as much nudity, a rape scene and a lot of cruelty to children. So this series is not for the squeamish.
South Park already did it.

May watch it if I get the time.

[Roarkiller]

South Park already did it.

May watch it if I get the time.

Hardly. Tho most of the gore is concentrated in the 1st ep. After that, the gore takes a backseat most of the time.

[Last Exile]

Juz a question, does anyone else find the last episode a bit too ambiguous?

EDIT: Btw, the official site said smthng bout Elfen Lied 2nd note on 25 november. Whazzat, a sequel series?

2nd note?!

OMG, I'll be 7th heaven if they make more episodes!

I think from the net response alone, they figured they had a good chance of being able to make more.

SPOILER talk in reponse to Roarkiller:

Yes, I did find it a bit ambiguous. Well, most of the players are now dead. Kurama, his assistant, the Director General's son, Kurama's real daughter, Bandow, a lot of army people...

The people definitely left standing are Kouta, Yuka, Mayu, Nana/Seven, the Director General and the female scientist that served under his son. Along with those two guys who asked Kouta about Lucy in episode 2.

Whether Lucy is dead or not is a BIG if! In the fight against No.35, Lucy lost one of her horns. So then she probably lost her diclonius powers. In the final scene before the credit scenes started, you see Lucy approaching that army lot, being shot at and that her other horn was blown off.

The shot at the very end is very open-ended. They were talking about Lucy/Nyuu, and then suddenly there's a female knocking at the door, with a shadow that looks like Lucy...

The menaing all depends on whetehrt there are more episodes or not. I think the popularity online alone has triggered a response. It seems like Japan was big on this too. If 2nd Note is what you claim, Roarkiller, then it seems we haven't seen the end of Lucy just yet! And I really do hoppe that's the case! ;)

[Razola]

Hey Last Exile:

You might just want top use the [spoiler ][/spoiler ] tags, as just about anyone can see your black text.

[Animelee]

Woah, it's about the next step in human evolution? Sounds appealing.

One question: Do they keep mentionning human evolution throughout the series, or is it just mentionned once in the first episode?

[Last Exile]

The diclonius aspect is a big part of the series. It isn't meant much early on but gets mentioned a lot more around the middle of the series and beyond.

[Razola]

I'm just going to state that those aren't real horns. No sir.

Look at these:
http://img30.exs.cx/img30/142/omgnothorns.png

Those aren't horns. You're going to get laughed at by passerby. Those without horns will pity you and feel lucky to be free of such deformities.

Now take a look at THESE:
http://img30.exs.cx/img30/3936/realmanlyhorns.png

Now those are horns. Your sexlife will be glorious and fulfilling and those without horns will envy the dead, if not you.

Any word if this is coming to DVD anytime soon? Since it seems to have 0 chance of being aired on American TV. My ISP has been giving me problems with bittorrent.

EDIT: Barring that, are they any fansubs on teh intarweb yet?

[Roarkiller]

Sure Raz, sure. Guess the small lumps on half of rhinos arent horns either.

Btw Ryan, sorry to burst ur bubble, but then i was probably as exited as u were. 2nd note referred to the 2nd DVD, lol.

Meh, there's always next time.

[Last Exile]

Reckon we could find a diclonius to slice Raz in half, Roarkiller? ;) Then he might change his tune.

I wanna change my sig to one of the Elfen Lied wallpapers. But I need to resize it. I'll see if I can still maintain the quality. The picture viewer and editing programs on my comp aren't that good. See how I go, might upload it tomorrow.

We played the 1st episode at the local anime club last night, due to my continual demand for ti to go on. ;) People never laughed like they did last night. When Lucy spoke her first word, everyone went beserk with laughter!

Yeah, 2 or 3 groups subbed it, Raz. I'll see if I can find out which ones.

[Roarkiller]

We played the 1st episode at the local anime club last night, due to my continual demand for ti to go on. ;) People never laughed like they did last night. When Lucy spoke her first word, everyone went beserk with laughter!

They HUH?!?!

Damn, talk about sadistic.

[Last Exile]

They're males aged 20-30, cynical and in University. Why is it surprising? ;)

Mind you, they were laughing when she said "Nyu." They found it hilarious that after she went on a killing spree, she's suddenly a Chobits-like girl. ;)

[ryandude713]

fansite in elglish (http://www.elfenlied.net/)

no dvds that i can find though

btw, i shat myself when i saw how sexy those horns were