The story takes place in Japan, and focuses on a new strain of the human race called Diclonius. They have physical abnormalities, such as short horn-like protrusions coming out of their heads. A Diclonius named Lucy is the anti-hero of Elfen Lied. She was being held in an experimentation facility in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, but Lucy makes a very violent and bloody escape from the facility. In the midst of the escape, Lucy is injured; this causes her to develop a second, child-like personality named Nyu.
Lucy is discovered on the beach by two cousins, Kohta and Yuka, who are college students. The two end up taking Lucy in. She can't communicate in their language; all she says is the word "Nyu," which Kohta ends up using as her name. The series focuses on a number of brutal attempts by both a Special Assault Team and other Diclonius to recapture or kill Lucy.
Lucy is around 18 years old, and feels much hatred towards humans due to how she was treated as a child; others would make fun of her horns and give her insulting nicknames. She seems to lack empathy and kills with little concern. Nyu, on the other hand, is the child-like persona that Lucy gains after becoming injured during her escape. Nyu has an infantile knowledge of the world, and is innocent and incapable of being violent.
Kohta is around 19 years old, and he has repressed traumatic memories of his father's and sister's deaths. Kohta has a soft spot for girls in trouble, and is protective of the girls around him. Yuka is also around 19 years old, and she has had a crush on Kohta since childhood. Kohta is renting Yuka's family's closed-down inn while he attends university. Yuka later moves in with him.
Elfen Lied is a rather bloody and violent anime. There is also some spots that include some flashes of nudity; also, in the English dub, there are some swear words included in the dialogue. Due to the blood, violence, nudity, and language, I would personally recommend Elfen Lied to anime viewers who are 17 or 18 years of age and older.
| Elfen Lied | 13 | 2004 | Mamoru Kanbe | Arms | AEsir Holdings |
| 10.5: Regenschauer | 1 | 2005 | Mamoru Kanbe | Arms | N/A |
