Elfen Lied English Sub & Dub

About Elfen Lied

If you are hunting for a new action series, Elfen Lied (エルフェンリート) deserves a look (2004). The setup goes like this. The premise: The Diclonius, a mutated homosapien that is said to be selected by God and will eventually become the destruction of mankind, possess two horns on their heads and have a "sixth sense" which gives them telekinetic abilities. Due to this perilous ability, they have been captured and isolated in laboratories by the government.

Next up: Lucy, a young and psychotic Diclonius, manages to break free of her confines and brutally murders most of the guards in the laboratory where she is being held, only to be shot in the head as she makes her escape. She survives, falling off a cliff into the ocean and manages to drift along to a beach where two teenagers, Kouta and Yuka, discover her. Having lost her memories, she was named after the only thing that she can now say, "Nyuu," and the two allow her to stay at Kouta's home.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Voice work is led by Chihiro Suzuki as Kouta and Sanae Kobayashi as Lucy. If you count yourself among viewers who like fast, high-impact fights, put it on your list. At 13 episodes in total, it is easy to plan a viewing schedule.

Production & Appeal

ARMS and A Line is the studio behind Elfen Lied, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. Within the action category, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Its 6.8/10 score suggests opinions are split, so it suits viewers who already like the genre. On the casting side, Chihiro Suzuki voicing Kouta gives the lead role a recognizable voice. It aired in 2004, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.