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Elfen Lied

2004·Show
13Episodes in1Season·TV-MA

Where to watch

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

Elfen Lied fingerprint

Relentless energy, strong craft, a touch of humor.

Energy

Brutally violent and nerve-racking

Fast from start to finish.

  • Violence10
  • Tension9
  • Adrenaline8

Heart

Deeply moving and melancholic

Much of it is about family.

  • Pathos9
  • Melancholy8
  • Family Dynamics7

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor4
  • Situational Comedy2
  • Wit & Wordplay1

World

The mind, technology, and crime

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Novelty8
  • Dialogue Centrality6

Craft

Standout characters

  • Character Depth8
  • Intrigue8
  • Non-linear Narrative8

Style

Standout sound design and score

  • Sound Centrality9
  • Music Composition8
  • Music Centrality8

Who it's for

AdultsSolo WatchBinge-FriendlyThought-Provoking

Skip it if

You need an uplifting moodYou want to half-watch while scrollingGraphic violence bothers youYou're watching with family

Find more like it

Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.

Episode ratings

IMDb rating of every episode, one row per season
SeasonEpisode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 8Episode 9Episode 10Episode 11Episode 12Episode 13Episode 14
IMDb rating of every episode, one column per season
Episode
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14

About

If only they didn't share the same body!

The Diclonius, a mutated homo sapien that is said to be selected by God and will eventually become the destruction of mankind, possesses two horns in their heads, and has a "sixth sense" which gives it telekinetic abilities. Due to this dangerous power, they have been captured and isolated in laboratories by the government. Lucy, a young and psychotic Diclonius, manages to break free of her confines and brutally murder most of the guards in the laboratory, only to get shot in the head as she makes her escape. She survives and manages to drift along to a beach, where two teenagers named Kouta and Yuka discovers 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. However, it appears that the evil "Lucy" is not dead just yet...
Extreme GorePsychological Sci-FiDark FantasyTragic DramaMoral AmbiguityGenetic ExperimentationBleak & BrutalFound Family DynamicsExistential HorrorBody Horror

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Elfen Lied

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Elfen Lied legally?

Elfen Lied is included with a subscription to Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads in the United States. You can also rent or buy it from Amazon Video. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is Elfen Lied worth watching?

88
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 89/100 (IMDb 7.8 and Rotten Tomatoes 100%). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is Elfen Lied rated?

TV-MAViolenceNuditySexual contentStrong languageDisturbing imagery

It's rated TV-MA in the United States. Content advisories: violence, nudity, sexual content, strong language, and disturbing imagery.

How many seasons does Elfen Lied have?

1 season

It has 1 season with 13 episodes of about 25 minutes each.

Do critics and audiences agree on Elfen Lied?

Critics100
Audiences75

Not quite. Critics rate Elfen Lied higher (100) than audiences (75). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

When did Elfen Lied air?

It ran from 2004 to 2004 and has ended.

What language is Elfen Lied in?

Japanese

It was made in Japanese. Produced in Japan.

In how many countries can I watch Elfen Lied?

23ARATBRCHCLCOCRCZDEDKECFRGRHN+9

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Elfen Lied in 23 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Elfen Lied use?

Unwitting Instigator of DoomCrapsack WorldGrey-and-Gray MoralityYour Head A-SplodeBullying a DragonGratuitous GermanGrotesque CuteScary Shiny GlassesHealing FactorInformed AbilityDeath by ChildbirthHigh-Pressure Bloodand 169 more

TV Tropes lists 181 storytelling tropes for Elfen Lied, including Unwitting Instigator of Doom, Crapsack World, Grey-and-Gray Morality.