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Elfen Lied is a good story overall, but it does have flaws in the mostly insignificant aspects of the show. Parts that (if you're like me) will have you thinking, "why did they choose to do this here?" For example, there is a romantic aspect between two adult characters, and one gets jealous of a 14-year-old simply because the other is showing sympathy and kindness towards them (that's kind of his whole shtick - being kind to others). Although, I never found myself questioning the darker aspects of the story. Some parts may not be in good taste, but they add to the serious ... and grim atmosphere of the show.

Unfortunately, the ending is a mixed bag; I liked a part of it, and I certainly groaned at the other.
Elfen Lied should have kept the depressing theme through to the end. The show built up a lot of these really melancholy feelings and we never get the ultimate catharsis. There are moments of relief for the viewer from the dark and depressing story, and this is where the ending failed. Instead of finishing with the overarching theme, the story closes out using the relief theme. As a result, we are left with a half happy ending that feels mostly out of tone and fails to deliver the gut-punch that is needed to close out Elfen Lied. The sad undertones and intermittent shocks throughout the show should have been met with an equally shocking and depressing ending.

With the right ending, Elfen Lied could have easily been an 8/10.