Elfen Lied
a review by Lorde
a review by Lorde
Elfen Lied (or Elvish Song in English)
Follow the Lyrics:
_Os iusti
Meditabitur sapietiam
Et lingua eius
Loquetur indiciumBeatus vir qui
Suffert tentationem
Quoniam cum probatus
Fuerit accipient coronam vitae
Kyrie, fons bonitatis
Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison
Oh, quam sancta
Quam serena
Quam benigna
Quam amoena
Oh, castitatis lilium_
Translated version lyrics in the video.
I confess, the first thing I thought when I heard this passage was: What freshness of hell is this? Calm down, it was not blasphemy, because I didn't pay attention to the lyrics... I only heard the woman singing in Latin. Yes, Latin! This is because the song was created to be a Gregorian chant, and was based on several biblical passages (from some prominent books like Psalms) and a Latin song in honor of Mother Mary.
The soundtrack is completely calm, with a rather dramatic but reflective lyrics.
The story takes place in the Japanese city called Kamakura, and begins with the escape of Lucy, a powerful Queen Diclonius. Diclonius (from Latin something like "Clones of the gods") are humanoid with horns (apparently only women are born that way) and an unusual development of the brain that allows them to control immaterial arms called by the scientists of vectors, and it is around the Diclonius Lucy that the anime turns. Continuing the synopsis, she escapes from her confinement in a laboratory and, with her vectors, separates members from everyone in front of her, other than the laboratory director (saved by the author). A .50-caliber anti-tank rifle shot knocks her unconscious, knocks her down and breaks her cool helmet (fckin shooter), and awakens her second personality, Nyuu, who is totally naive. It's found on the beach by a couple of cousins who welcome her as Nyuu, and they have no idea that 50% of her is a serial killer (Ah man, only 50%... Give nothing). From there the story begins to branch out and then finds itself, in a somewhat strange way and always sentimental or bloodthirsty.
We can also compare the Diclonius with the regime of racial segregation adopted in 1948 to 1994 called Apartheid, a regime that divided people into racial groups, for example; ''black '', ''white'', ''Indian,'' and so on, brought with it much violence. The Diclonius also reminds me of the Nazi behavior of the last century.
Elfen Lied does not revolve around insignificant deaths. However we see the story revolve within the most important social themes of today, always convincing us that nothing is meaningless. What I want to say is that Elfen Lied showed me the reason of being different from the other works with the same genre, and I can affirm with all the letters that everything is thought. And I have to say: I just love smart series! even more when in the end it proves to me that everything was planned, nothing was forced, this without doubt is something that I care a lot when I know some manga. I hate when such a work treats me like a donkey, forcing the ''horror'' and more when nothing makes sense. I believe that manga like this does not need something raw, something scarcely told to be frightened, on the contrary, I think that the more information that is shown the more interesting the series can be.
Elfen Lied isn't the most violent series of the century, but it is one of the most striking, not by the heads being severed more because it carries in itself a dramatic charge. The plot gains strength not by the amount of blood but by the emotional appeal, and this makes it different from so many other series.
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Lucy has psychotic tendencies and is murderous, being her main personality, taking great pleasure in killing people. She hates humans, because of her past, who has been mistreated, humiliated, suffering prejudices from all around her. Trying to flee the laboratory, he kills almost every armed man without mercy or pain.
It's the innocent personality, Nyu is equal a small child, not knowing how to speak many words and not knowing how to do things, everything for her is a novelty. She is met by Kouta and Yuka, who end up getting her home to take care of her and try to learn more about her life. Nyu is totally different from her main personality, she is kind and caring, who is also jealous of Kouta.
He is very protective, especially with the girls (because of the death of his sister), having a sad past and some problems currently, yet he is very happy. Kouta returns to the city where she spent the summer as a child, because of the university, and finds Yuka her cousin and best childhood friend. She also encounters Nyu and ends up letting her live in her house while trying to learn more about her.
The anime also has other important characters, but I thought it best to let you guys see them.
For the summary of the conversation I feel obliged to say a few more words. I must warn you that Elfen Lied deeply explores the worst human emotions, showing the consequence of bullyng and prejudjement, in a good dash of drama and violence enjoying science fiction to a good degree, that is, in the right measure. Shows the rot of people in the clearest way possible. Do not be scared by the ecchi because he is not the center and will not leave you excited (only if you are a pervert with certain problems in the head).
The anime has a song of religious opening leaving the animation with that good face we know. Do you know those canvasses of Mary's Wolves that we hear at these church services? So... fear! But it's like I said before, seeing only the anime is not enough because the manga is much more complete in various terms of the word.
Although the art is clearly questionable, it also has a drama a little that exaggerated, in no way interferes with the series as a whole. Its defects become tiny when we evaluate its qualities. Macabre and seductive I think this sums up well Elfen Lied...
What I liked the most about this anime, besides the blood and cruelty of the Diclonius, are the stories behind the stories. The information is well guarded until the right moment and is hinted at by flash backs. What I don't like is the emo romance, but this went far from burning what I consider to be quality in the anime. Speaking of quality, there are many people complaining that the end of the anime is without nexus or incomplete. If you find that, remember that it's a 13-episode anime and 1 OVA based on a 12-volume manga, counting 107 chapters in total (in other words, each volume is almost a bible), so it's much more compact and censored. There are also several changes. If that did not console you and you're too lazy to read everything, read from volume 70 you'll find a much better, well explained.
...I wanted to talk more about this beautiful work of Okamoto Lynn, but I promised: No spoiler. If you have never heard of watch, and if you just watched it I hope you check out the original ending.
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