Before the emergence of popular and affordable streaming services like Crunchyroll, newly released anime spread by word of mouth across the Internet, and fans often watched whatever they could get their hands on. It was at that time that Elfen lied gained popularity in the West, and finding the series would eventually become a kind of rite of passage for fans of the medium. Many of them, including me, used Elfen lied as a gateway to other more obscure anime.
For this reason, the show has been widely appreciated by the anime watching community, building a reputation as a must-watch series during any newer fan’s anime-watching journey. Over the years, however, anime and manga have become more easily accessible to fans outside of Japan, public perception of Elfen lied changed. These days, the series is widely seen as a poorly aged product of its time that was bold for the sake of being bold, appealing to the unrefined palates of our younger selves.
That wasn’t the Elfen lied this I remembered, so I decided to sit down and rewatch the anime in hopes that my younger self’s liking would be justified. When I finished, I understood the criticism. The series is sometimes downright edgy, a little self-indulgent, and the story itself often steps on its own toes. But not all of these qualities are necessarily bad. Stepping away from the story once again, all this time later, I’m sure Elfen lied It’s good, and I’m tired of pretending it’s not.
Elfen Lied can be overly edgy, but that’s not a bad thing
The series’ lack of restraint gives it charm
Science fiction anime enjoyed a huge boom in popularity in the late 1990s thanks to shows like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial experiments carried out. Both series, along with others of the time, were as complex and strange as they were popular. What followed were countless series trying to capture this similar, elusive artistic vision, many of which now seem somewhat pretentious. From the generation that gave us Light Yagami and his eventual countless imitators, anime like Chobits and School daysalongside mangas like Mirai Nikki it seemed as worried about being cool as they are about being good.
Elfen lied falls into this very specific and edgy category, and that’s not really a bad thing. Although its plot is relatively simple, addressing themes of social inequality and discrimination, the series presents itself as a very complex and serious story. Combining this with its over-the-top displays of violence, fan service, and cruelty, Elfen lied can be so nervous sometimes that becomes legitimately legal again. Even though I vaguely remembered the events of the anime, when something overly dramatic happened and the iconic “Lilium” opened the next episode, I was glued to the screen.
Like other series of its time, Elfen lied It works because of the confidence you have in yourself. A show can be as bold or full of itself as you want, as long as it’s fun. After all, we wouldn’t remember many of the anime series of the time if they weren’t entertaining enough to leave an impression, and they wouldn’t have been as influential if they didn’t offer anything of quality. For me, Elfien lied is among the anime from the 2000s that have aged well.
Elfen Lied’s balance between action and drama is impressive
The writing of the anime’s characters does a lot of heavy lifting
Although so much Elfen liedIts attraction lies in how cheesy or exaggerated it can be, This doesn’t mean the series is devoid of anything unique or substantial. It’s difficult for a series to keep its audience engaged and interested, and Elfen lied is able to do this without slowing down too much throughout its concise 13-episode run. Much of its success in this area is due to the drama that is present in the action.
The action in the series is also fantastic, featuring bloody violence full of style. And behind these action sequences is budding romance, likable characters, and settings that are legitimately interesting, even if their eventual resolutions leave a little to be desired. In a way, Elfen lied manages its balance of action and drama similarly to the legendary Furious, allowing relationships between characters to be the driving force in all its violence.
It’s common in the genre for a series’ altercations and battles to take center stage, while whatever elements of romance exist between the characters are included as an afterthought. Elfen liedhowever, as Furious before it, is influenced by shojo manga in the way it uses its romance and character relationships as the basis for their conflict. This way, the audience first becomes attached to the series’ characters and then is forced to care about any issues that could put them in danger. It’s not a revolutionary writing technique, but it’s widely effective and often underused in the medium.
Elfen Lied’s rawness works in its favor
Elfen Lied is rough and all the better for it
Elfen lied was the first major work of manga author Lynn Okamoto, and this appears sometimes throughout the series. It’s harsh, puts a little too much on the plate, and can sometimes get lost in its own jargon, at least in the case of the manga’s version of events. But after my recent rewatch of the 2004 anime, I believe that Elfen lied benefits more from the inexperience of its creator than it is harmed by it.
While it’s undoubtedly flawed, the series has a kind of honesty and belief in what it’s doing. this looks genuinely captivating. He trips over himself before delivering a harrowing and emotional line of dialogue, and then proceeds to execute an off-putting cliché while also sounding undeniably cool. Elfen lied It just has a charm that is missing in so many other ‘edgy’ works of the time.
After revisiting the anime all these years later, I can safely say that it deserves the criticism it gets. However, I can say with the same confidence that Elfen lied is a good series full of good ideas, raw passion and unshakable confidence in itself. It’s by no means a masterpiece, but it deserves a watch for new anime fans who want to experience a 2000s staple.