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What makes an anime great?

Plot depth and intricacy, character design, how it engages you and how accessible it is, the art quality, the sound, how amusing it is, the message behind it, how emotional it is or how in general it can affect you. All of these are certainly factors, but it's the combination of different aspects that, to me, make Elfen Lied great.

I have re-watched this series several times and what continues to draw me back to it is Lilium, the OP and recurring song. It is perfect for both the animation and the story, representing the bleakness of the situation the characters find ... themselves in. A world shaped by the discrimination against individuals listed as potentially dangerous and how this treatment causes, if not forces, them to behave.

Although Elfen Lied involves complex socio-philosophical issues such as discrimination, race/species supremacy and nature vs nurture, the story itself is only good. At no point do you really feel like something hugely unexpected has happened, yet it remains interesting to see how the characters react to plot developments. There is a large amount of gore contained within the anime, so if you like that, you will like Elfen Lied, but it does serve a purpose in expressing the cruelty of that world, likewise so do the echii scenes in expressing the naivety and innocence of some characters.

Kouta (MC) is not inspiring, but neither is he meant to be as the plot will show. More interesting is Lucy and how she became the monster you witness in the very beginning of the first episode and how she compares to others of her kind raised in different manners. I will admit Youka can be annoying, but not enough to ruin the character score.

The art portrayed the gore well, and the animation is relatively clean. It is very well done, but is not KyoAni or Shaft.

All in all Elfen Lied does not reach the heights of masterpiece, held back by a less-than-brilliant story and the odd irritating character, but does prove to be memorable viewing.

Ranked: #3

This is not a false ranking, or if it is false, it is that it should be #1.

This anime has everything you need in an anime and some things you didn't think animes needed (or wanted at all): Mad scientists with Dr. Pepper obsessions, microwaves that send texts to the past (all the ramifications of such) and one of the best female protagonists the internets will ever see, Kurisu Makise (CHRISTINAAAAA!).

Wacky, refreshing, genuinely amusing (not reliant on old gags or too many points at breasts) and most surprisingly moving.

When I started watching Steins;Gate for whatever reason I didn't immediately take to it, not to ... say I disliked it, but I wasn't in love or amazed, 2 or 3 episodes later and I was in and couldn't believe I was ever out. It ropes you in (all be it maybe not straight away) and you laugh with the characters and start to see how everything works out and by the end you'd really connected with them. I think sometimes the most moving things come in unexpected places, I've watched many 'drama' anime's (tv series, movies and read dramatic books for that matter) and have been moved, but never to tears... but Steins;Gate got to me. I didn't expect it, but drama in a comedy can sometimes hit you the hardest (like the last episode of Blackadder IV, all be it that is moving in a different manner, and if anything Steins;Gate is the more moving of the two).



So get comfy, get it ready and then get watching and enjoy! I envy you for being able to watch it for the first time as it's honestly the best anime I've ever seen/probably ever will.



"I am Mad Scientist. United States. Chaos and invade!"