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Elfen Lied (in Japanese transliteration, エルフェンリート) is a manga and anime series by author OKAMOTO Rin (岡本倫). The manga is published in Japanese by Shueisha. The story contains some nudity and a great deal of blood and gore, as well as psychological violence.
Story
The story involves human mutants called "dicloniuses" who grow horns on their heads. The mutants exclusively kill humans with invisible "arms" that can stretch and easily slice through bodies, and their tendency for violence varies amongst characters. Scientists contain them in cells where they are subject to inhumane experiments to test their abilities or they await to be executed for being too dangerous. An infectious virus is also associated with the mutation. The main non-mutant character in the story Kouta ends up becoming more involved with these dicloniuses, as they seek refuge from the scientists.
Artwork in the anime series
The opening sequence shows shots of characters in the anime. The settings these characters are in are based off of Gustav Klimt's works. The title is probably from the German song Elfenlied ("Elf Song") by Eduard Mörike.
The opening music theme is the song Lilium, based on several psalms and hymns in Latin (and a couple of words in Greek).
- OS IUSTI MEDITABITUR SAPIENTIAM / The Just shall meditate wisdom
- ET LINGUA EIUS LOQUETUR IUDICIUM / And his tongue shall speak judgement
- BEATUS VIR QUI SUFFERT TENTATIONEM / Blessed is he who resists temptation
- QUONIAM CUM PROBATUS FUERIT ACCIPIET CORONAM VITAE / For at trial he shall receive the crown of life
- KYRIE, IGNIS DIVINE, ELEISON / Lord, Divine Fire, have mercy
- O QUAM SANCTA / O how holy
- QUAM SERENA / How calm
- QUAM BENIGNA / How benevolent
- QUAM AMOENA / How comforting
- O CASTITATIS LILIUM / O Lily of purity
Sub-topics
Elfen Lied deals with human evolution. The main drive of the dicloniuses is the propagation of their superior traits through the destruction of the human race. This homicidal drive manifests around the 3rd year of the diclonius's life. It seems that dicloniuses do not consider normal homo sapiens "human", and most of the time they show a complete lack of empathy towards non-mutants.
The story also deals with the issues of psychological trauma and repressed memories. The main diclonius character, has a split personality, one of them infantile (Nyuu), and the other (Lucy) adult, full of painful memories and murdering hatred towards normal humans. Kouta, the other main character, blocked out completely a section of his childhood due to the trauma of seeing his little sister torn apart by young Lucy's vectors (invisible force "arms").
External Links
- エルフェンリート— Official site (in Japanese)
- www.ElfenLied.net — Elfen Lied fan site (with episode guide, scans, wallpapers, etc.)