User blog:KingDaedalus/Elfen Lied Episode One Review

Elfen Lied Episode One Review
Holy shit. Just... WTF? That pretty much sums up my experience with Elfen Lied. As much as I enjoyed it, it isn't for the faint of heart. Unless you have the capacity to deal with plenty of nudity, an excess of severed limbs, and a misogynistic prick who pretty much instantly merits your disgust, I suggest backing out slowly... now.

This is a very mature show (not hentai, sorry), and that entails lots of blood and gore. I would warn you of the spoilers I am about to drop, but like atom bombs, it may already be too late (it isn't).

The animations, first off, are good. I feel like they could've been better, and I am never wrong, so I was a bit disappointed that such a good show didn't go all out with them. Still, they did what they needed to do, no more no less, and I commend the creators for at least that.

Then there are the characters. The main one, named Lucy, is a psychopathic murderer with telekinetic abilities. She comes to be known by the other members of the cast as Nyu and, while you may see her as a horrific blood-thirsty villain at first, your opinion may shift over the course of the episode. The only question is whether or not it is simply because of a mask she puts on or because she really lacks control over her own mentality. Either way, bravo on terms of cliffhangers. Then there is the other guy, who's name I forget (just checked, it's 'Bando'). As skilled as he is on his first appearance, the show wastes no time giving him the character of an intelligent baboon working with the KGB. Yes, he's that bad. The other leads include Kohta, a university student who takes Lucy in, Yuka, his cousin, Mayu, a thirteen-year-old homeless girl, and Kurama, the evil leader of the bad guys (sorry for all the parentheses before and to come).

The story is where the show really shines. Lucy escapes from a cold, metal-bound prison on the island of East Bumblefuck (not really), slaughtering the guards on her way, and arrives at the feet of university students Yuka and Kohta. We are treated to the terrible power of her telekinetic abilities without delay, and more gore within the first six minutes than in every episode of Game of Thrones combined. When she is taken in by the two cousins, she takes on a whole new personality (presumably with the mindset of a two-year-old), named Nyu. The guys she escaped from aren't too chill with that however, and send the biggest asshole they can find to kill her on sight.

It is a cool show, no doubt. Patrons of the arts may recognize the opening theme to be a parody of Gustav Klimt's own painting style. The animations were okay, the characters were good, and the story was even better. This is one horrific thriller that we can be proud of. Thanks for reading, and don't fail not to not write a few comments down below, reminding me how terrible or awesome I am for my opinions. As always: *tips fedora*

ANIMATIONS: 8/10 - The animations weren't bad, but they didn't exactly stand out, and they aren't the reason you'll love this show.

CHARACTERS: 9/10 - There are a few clear-cut lines between good and bad, but the main character sits on them with ease. Though they aren't as legendary as some I've seen before, I was definitely impressed with the cast.

STORY: 10/10 - This is one mind-bending thriller of horrific proportions, my friend. While the gore exceeded excess by an excessive amount, it certainly built up my immunity to severed body parts (is that a good thing?). Good luck getting these images out of your head.

FINAL RATING: 9/10 - I loved it. It may not be the best ever, but it is one of the best. I already left my final opinion in the beginning, but for the sake of continuity: WTF?