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REVIEW: Elfen Lied DVD 1


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MaestroDelphine



Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 10
Location: Ohio
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 2:30 pm Reply with quote
This review definitely hits the nail on the head -however- I thought the sub version was superior to the dub version and I normally listen to the dubs (blasphemy i know). I really like Elfen Lied and it really does remind me of an action version of the ever so dull Tsukihime. This anime is definitely worth your time of course if you don't mind violence ,nudity and some ecchi themes!!! I LOVE ELFEN LIED. Mr. Green
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Angel Of Death



Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 176
Location: Harper Woods, MI
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 3:46 pm Reply with quote
I'm not as tolerant of violence as I once thought. But the real deal-breaker was when I read that an spoiler[innocent puppy gets killed.] I have no tolerance for that at all.
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Strategos



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 91
Location: Ohio
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:10 pm Reply with quote
I love this series, can't wait to get my box and dvd. Wonder when AoD is going to review it...doesn't even look like it is in the review pile :/. Oh well.
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Godaistudios



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2075
Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment)
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 4:28 pm Reply with quote
Angel Of Death wrote:
I'm not as tolerant of violence as I once thought. But the real deal-breaker was when I read that an spoiler[innocent puppy gets killed.] I have no tolerance for that at all.


Well, that's not really on the first DVD. spoiler[It's also important to add that the context is important - since it's what drives Lucy to finally snap when she's a kid. It's a fairly graphic scene, but it could have been much worse.]
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Serge



Joined: 29 Mar 2005
Posts: 162
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 7:01 pm Reply with quote
Hi, What I really want to know if they are Uncut...I have the R2 DVD's and I know they're Uncut, I want to know if the R1 Set is Uncut before I buy it, anyone know? Thanks.
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Kuroro IX



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 29
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 7:21 pm Reply with quote
Serge wrote:
Hi, What I really want to know if they are Uncut...I have the R2 DVD's and I know they're Uncut, I want to know if the R1 Set is Uncut before I buy it, anyone know? Thanks.

They are uncut. What's not known is whether the R1 release will include the OVA episode.
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 9:46 pm Reply with quote
Angel Of Death wrote:
I'm not as tolerant of violence as I once thought. But the real deal-breaker was when I read that an spoiler[innocent puppy gets killed.] I have no tolerance for that at all.


It doesn't actually show spoiler[the puppy being killed. You only see the item it is being beaten with covered in blood.]I think you should be more concerned about naked children, children being slaughtered, and spoiler[a child sexual abuse scene]

I'm a tad concerned about what changes they made to the subtitles, but I'm sure its nothing major.
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Cloe
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Joined: 18 Feb 2004
Posts: 2728
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 10:07 pm Reply with quote
HitokiriShadow wrote:
It doesn't actually show spoiler[the puppy being killed. You only see the item it is being beaten with covered in blood.]I think you should be more concerned about naked children, children being slaughtered, and spoiler[a child sexual abuse scene]


I don't know... I admittedly haven't seen this yet, but I think the spoiler[puppy's death] would still bother me more. Just something about spoiler[animals suffering] makes my heart ache like nothing else.
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Godaistudios



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2075
Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment)
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 10:26 pm Reply with quote
Cloe wrote:
HitokiriShadow wrote:
It doesn't actually show spoiler[the puppy being killed. You only see the item it is being beaten with covered in blood.]I think you should be more concerned about naked children, children being slaughtered, and spoiler[a child sexual abuse scene]


I don't know... I admittedly haven't seen this yet, but I think the spoiler[puppy's death] would still bother me more. Just something about spoiler[animals suffering] makes my heart ache like nothing else.


Oh, I can definetly understand that, but that's what is intended by the intensity of the scene. Even the most callous person would be moved by that. It's important in establishing spoiler[why Lucy went crazy - and moreso, creates a stark contrast between herself (the non human) and the bullies (who were being incredibly inhumane.)]
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18458
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Mon May 16, 2005 10:33 pm Reply with quote
HitokiriShadow wrote:
I'm a tad concerned about what changes they made to the subtitles, but I'm sure its nothing major.


I'm curious as to what you mean by that. Are you referring to fansubs vs. licensed subtitles?

As a general comment, anyone who gets the artbox should look at its cover very carefully and at different angles and lighting conditions, as there are hidden details. That's not in the review because I discovered it after turning in the review, and it got processed (with shocking speed, I might add) before I had a chance to go back and add it in.
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MaestroDelphine



Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 10
Location: Ohio
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 7:04 am Reply with quote
Anyone that complains about the violence and maturity of this show obviously didn't see ADV Films rating on the DVD ya know the big abbrevation thats reads MA TV meaning Mature TV for MATURE VIEWERS. So stop whining about the violence you have been warned just by the ratings this is not DI GI CHARAT.
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Dachande



Joined: 21 Nov 2003
Posts: 89
Location: Savannah, Ga
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 8:47 am Reply with quote
Sadly I won't be able to pic up the box today, becuase of my firefighting class. Crying or Very sad

But you can bet that once I get off work tomorrow I'm heading straight to Media Play and picking it up. This series just looks freakin sweet.
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khryoleoz



Joined: 21 Apr 2005
Posts: 158
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 1:41 pm Reply with quote
Hmph. This biased review is in need of some balancing towards the other extreme of bias.

Overall (dub): C
Overall (sub): B-
Story: D
Animation: B+
Art: B+
Music: B+

+ Competent production.
- Incompetent characterization, which is its gravest failing by being a character driven show.

I acknowledge that tastes and preferences vary with different people and people can enjoy anything that they happen to find enjoyable. But it is too clear in my mind that those who rave about this rather pointless title like it for the sheer shock and gore factor. They will call it deep and outstanding yet unable to substantiate the claim. Concoct and articulate your reasons to justify praise but they will be on a superficial basis by not considering the title's most critical flaws: a desparately contrived premise and plot, and nonsensical character relationships and development. When it comes down to it, this Love Hina dramedy that is Elfen Lied is devoid of any substance and merits way below and far too short of the hype that it is given.

Elfen Lied gives us yet another male lead character who reinforces the pathetic excuse that he is for a man who after learning the terrifying truth does the most insensible thing, as if the concept of outrage and the vindication of justice had been completely foreign to him! And are we supposed to like Lucy just because she on occasion is a ridiculously idiotic moron that babbles "nyu" and exposes skin? She's a loathesome piece of genetic debris that was not dealt with in any satisfactory manner. While Nana and "Papa" do arouse quite a bit of sympathy for what they suffer, the characterizations of everyone else evoke only frustration or abomination. Tell me how is it that a homeless girl, whose backstory sheds no light as to what purpose her being homeless serves in the story, does not become a jaded cynic by dining on her pet dog's food? And were we to become more accepting of the loser male lead character by pairing him up with another such weak-willed and equally inconsequential counterpart as his love interest? Was contrasting the diclonius Lucy with a mercenary psychopath supposed to make me understand and empathize with her plight? What nonsense! The title fails in all attempts to accurately portray the human condition, much less comment on it all while futilely trying to entertain.

So we have the race of beings called diclonius that is the superior and replacement of the homosapien race, on the basis that they possess powerfully lethal vector arms. However, that they apparently lack a very keen intellect explains why at least two of them are too easily influenced and controlled by manifestations of paternal love and that their basic instinct is to tear everything asunder. And few as they were, would they hope to successfully eradicate homosapiens to become the dominant race by confronting one another in mortal combat at the bidding of their would-be enemies? The machination behind the contradictory devices was faulty at best, deceitfully calculative at worst.

Say that the story is even somewhat plausible, the poor conception of the characters, their make-up, background, and most notably the artificiality of their interaction unforgivably undermine the entire effort. To those who maintain their misguided affection for this title, obtusely confusing superfluous violence for aesthetics, contriving a mixture of cliches for originality, and contradictions and plot holes for depth, have you not ever seen before a superior combination of gratuitous violence and sex 20 years ago with Golgo 13: The Professional?

If macabre, dark tragedies and disturbing studies of the decadent human condition is what inspires you, then try seeing Neon Genesis Evangelion first. Then watch Grave of the Fireflies, Gantz, Alien Nine, Berserk, and Narutaru, all of which employ and depict violence more stylishly yet purposefully to make a point about the inescapable and ever present human suffering, of which the human is the sole cause.

Elfen Lied is exemplary of an utter failure to convey its message. By wantonly resorting to ecchi slapstick, fanservice, forced relationships and entirely misaligned emotions, Elfen Lied laboriously succeeds at simply becoming a harem anime masquerading as Faces of Death and Mary Shelley's famous literature. It merely feeds the basest of senses to dupe unwitting viewers much in the same way that televised human atrocities and porn do. A masterpiece? Please don't take the word so lightly. One of the best animes ever? Hah! I jest at the silly notion and declare that the deduction that forms such sentiment is unsubstantiated rubbish. What a rip off! ADV should have used Elfen Lied resources to continue releasing the second half of both Kaleido Star and Super Gals first. GAAAAH! I've been waiting for these two forever!


Last edited by khryoleoz on Tue May 17, 2005 1:52 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Kazuki-san



Joined: 21 May 2004
Posts: 2251
Location: Houston, TX
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 1:48 pm Reply with quote
Cloe wrote:
Just something about spoiler[animals suffering] makes my heart ache like nothing else.


I'm often confused when people say things like that. How could that possibly bother you more thenspoiler[a child being sexually assualted] and spoiler[innocent children and adults being slaughtered]? Is it something to do with it being animated and being used to seeing the one over the other? What I really don't understand is the ones that feel that way in real life situations. Both are horrible, and I certainly deplore mistreatment of animals, but that would certainly never bother me more, or even equally to comparable fates of people.
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Godaistudios



Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 2075
Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment)
PostPosted: Tue May 17, 2005 1:54 pm Reply with quote
Kazuki-san wrote:
Cloe wrote:
Just something about spoiler[animals suffering] makes my heart ache like nothing else.


I'm often confused when people say things like that. How could that possibly bother you more thenspoiler[a child being sexually assualted] and spoiler[innocent children and adults being slaughtered]? Is it something to do with it being animated and being used to seeing the one over the other? What I really don't understand is the ones that feel that way in real life situations.


Personally, I think it has more to do with people being jaded with human nature in general. Additionally, I think people are tired and somewhat desensitized of hearing the same things in the news all the time. Perhaps the lesser offense is more shocking because it isn't so commonplace?
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