Hi I'm Adam. Part time Film Maker, Full Time Anime Lover.
Age 35, Male
Student
Northampton University
Northampton England
Joined on 3/4/08
Posted by Milanous - May 26th, 2012
Milanous makes his reviewing debut by taking a look back at the flawed but epic Elfen Lied. My first time be gentle, but please I would enjoy your feedback and own opinion on the series, so post a comment. Maybe even leave a suggestion on what to review next.
NOTE: My Condenser Microphone is packed away for the houses renovation so i had to use the one built into my Mac instead.
Elfen Lied is one of those universal tomes I use to remind myself what anime is, really. Incase I ever get carried away and think that maybe anime is actually awesome, I just renind myself of Elfen Lied and how it's just pulp.
The definition of "pulp fiction", before it was a movie, was to describe something that was written just to satisfy some primal obsession the writer's having. Like a movie about naked girls, or choppin dudes in half. Or an anime about naked girls who chop dudes in half with hand-ghosts, and the guy goes to shoot her but she just like cuts his gun up a million times before he does it.
That's it: That's the point of this anime. It's the point of pretty much most anime; not to explore living characters or to make you think twice about yourself, or to be entertaining in any nutritional way- just to satisfy your thirst for big robots, or punching a dude through a mountain.
If you think there's a worthwhile forest in those trees then you're crazy., but a lot of anime fans do- and are.
So that's why I always keep Elfen Lied in the back of my mind.
Also because that part where she cuts up all those dudes with the pen is fuckin sweet.
i never watched much anime but i really want to! and im going to start watching more of it, thanks for the review! :D
I'm actually a big fan of Anime in general, and I feel like this is one of those ones that gives Anime a bad name. It is truly void of any real substance (See I-smel's discription of Pulp Fiction). Its like a team sat in a room and said "What is popular... boobs, blood and guns... how can we get as much of these three things in one anime as possible... lets write a story that uses every plot device to maximize these three elements."
Seriously. This anime's view of human nature is appalling. I know children can be cruel, but in this show, they make other kids into vicious psychotic demons simply to justify the negative attributes of the main characters. Even the science fiction elements exist only to serve the boobs-guns-blood 'core' of the series.
On the other hand, in places it is well animated, and I've seen worse.
If you compare this show to most, it is above average, but when compared to Cowby Beebop, Macross and other classics, it fails to be anything but a cheap attempt to shock and impress.
I just caught the first episode of "Deadman Wonderland". Same thing as a horror anime should be but with less T&A. More like dealing in a horrific carnival for prisoners.
Holy fuck man. Toonami is back and it's better than ever.
As for Elvin Laid, I am a little grossed out by the violence, especially that stomping puppy scene.
I wasn't sure what to think about the story either.
I guess it relies too much on "Guro" as a popular theme in Japan. Man those Japanese really love their anime violent.
There are very VERY few anime TV or Movies that I would regard as really great, just a great ride, or just there for the lust of Tits or Blood. Queen's blade is such an example that tries to make a decent story but the T&A actually becomes too distracting. I actually got sick of it as the boobs made me forget what the story was about.
I'm not one to watch and critique either. I just watch whatever I manage to have time for or whats recommended to me.
So far I LOVE these titles.
"Paprika"
"RedLine"
"Summer Wars"
"Cowboy Bebop"
Anything Miyazaki
"Lupin III" (*Classic and Modern)
"Princess Tutu" *Don't laugh, it's actually quite charming. If you like MLP you'd probably like it too.
I love anime for their story. But I also love the nonsense comical action on occasion. Hence why I love Lupin's Movies.
Basically, Elvin Laid wasn't my favorite anime. It left a bad taste in my mouth *so to speak.
Yeah like i said there are places where it gets too dark and it seems very mean spirited. Like they didn't HAVE to do that in order for us to emotionally connect with the characters it does seem a bit forced but I at least get what they were going for in this anime, it picks a tone and it sticks to it.
As for Deadmans Wonderland. That is my most requested anime but I can not find any footage to download and use in my review.
(a bit more)
I guess bottom line is I don't dig too much violent stuff. I'm more into the Happy-Go-Lucky stuff that doesn't do 'too' much sexual stuff. Stuff that's more I guess, dialogue awkward.
"Azumanga"
"Yotsuba"
"Ninja Nonsense"
"Ranma 1/2"
And I guess I love my crime dramas. Where you hope that the good guys beat the bad guys.
"Gun Smith Cats"
"Riding Bean"
VictorVonVice
what a treat to find a DVD of Elfen Lied for 99p. Its definitely one of the anime series I gave a crap about, mostly for the gore and story.