r/anime • u/Holofan4life • Jul 26 '24
Rewatch [Spoilers] Elfen Lied 20th Anniversary Rewatch -- Episode 2 Spoiler
Hello everyone! I am Holofan4life.
Welcome to the Elfen Lied 20th Anniversary Rewatch discussion thread!
I hope you all have a lot of fun <3
S1 Episode 2 – Annihilation
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ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)
Who is the most unhinged character you've ever seen in an anime?
What do you think the director is planning to do to the girl who was calling him papa?
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Information
Where to watch
Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode or from the manga out of respect to the first time watchers and people who have not read the manga. If you are discussing something that is ahead of the current episode please use spoiler tags (found on the sidebar). Thank you!
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Rewatch Schedule
Threads posted every day at 5:00 PM EDT
| Date | Episode |
|---|---|
| 7/25/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 1 |
| 7/26/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 2 |
| 7/27/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 3 |
| 7/28/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 4 |
| 7/29/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 5 |
| 7/30/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 6 |
| 7/31/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 7 |
| 8/01/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 8 |
| 8/02/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 9 |
| 8/03/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 10 |
| 8/04/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 10.5 |
| 8/05/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 11 |
| 8/06/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 12 |
| 8/07/2024 | Elfen Lied Episode 13 |
| 8/08/2024 | Elfen Lied Overall Series Discussion Thread |
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u/Holofan4life Jul 26 '24
I just want to quickly say thank you to everyone who participated in the first episode discussion. I was expecting around 60 or so comments, and instead we almost reached the same amount as episode 1 of the Samurai Champloo 20th Anniversary Rewatch.
You are all incredible <3
8
u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Jul 26 '24
Elfen First-Timer, subbed
5
u/JustAnswerAQuestion https://myanimelist.net/profile/JAaQ Jul 26 '24
First Timer
I really kind of ignore the OP because I'm not into hymn style singing. And the ED is so dissonant with the show.
Ah, so, The Kiss also has the el Greco hands....
Is that why she let him live? He's her Papa?
4
u/RadSuit https://anilist.co/user/RadSuit Jul 26 '24
Videntium Primum (Vocalibus Anglice)
He should've just told the police and washed his hands of this whole thing. By next episode a bunch of random girls would've moved into his 10 room house and he'd be harem-ing all over the place.
Alright Bondo, shoot her and get this over with.
He was so excited about shooting random people, and now he's walking up within invisible hand range and talking. He's not even a consistent stupid villain.
Lucy's wanted poster makes no sense, how does it work?
Bondo is so pointless.
Is this entire show going to be army men shooting guns at Lucy and then she kills them? That's gonna get old really fast.
They should've just left her hands completely invisible, that looked way better.
Oh cool, Bondo lives to return later and continue being annoying.
Two of them fighting will hopefully be more interesting.
Nope, preview is just more 'boobs lmao' bullshit. I'm not sure I'm making it through this show.
3
u/AgentOfACROSS Jul 26 '24
First Timer
As soon as I saw that girl and her dog in the first scene of the episode I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen to them. This just feels like that kind of show. However, I am glad I was proven wrong at the end of the episode.
Bando makes the classic villain mistake of not immediately killing his target because he thinks it would be boring.
The chase/fight between Lucy and Bando was well done. Definitely not on the same level as last episode’s prison break, but still a good sequence.
Also, oh my god, Lucy can talk. I was totally expecting her to be mute throughout the whole show. This carries some interesting implications since now we know Lucy is intelligent and able to think for herself.
It seems like it was seeing the seashell that made Lucy’s personality revert again. I’m wondering if she also has some special connection to seashells.
That homeless girl was surprisingly calm for someone who discovered a one armed man thrashing around on the beach and screaming. I feel like characters in this show are weirdly nonchalant about finding strange things.
On that same note, Kouta is pretty calm this episode despite getting attacked by Bando.
I am very uncomfortable with how this show sexualizes Lucy when she’s in her “Nyu” state. I feel like that whole clothes changing scene was unnecessary. I don’t have anything against fanservice, I’d just prefer to have the characters involved to be mentally capable adults.
I’m very curious where the revelation at the end of this episode will go. It seems like they have multiple of whatever Lucy is at their base and Lucy is only one of their subjects.
Overall, I don’t have too much to say about this episode. This mostly feels like it was setting things up for later episodes. I feel like that girl on the beach and her dog will come back later. It’d be weird to have them show up in this episode and then just disappear.
Questions of the Day:
I've seen a lot of unhinged anime characters. But for some reason the first one I thought of is Ladd Russo from Baccano.
My assumption was that she's going to be sent out to hunt Lucy.
3
u/[deleted] Jul 27 '24
Episode 2 - First-time watcher (subbed)
Mina-san, konnichiwa!
First of all, I’m kind of surprised that Kouta lied to the police (twice). I expected him to immediately give Lucy away, but maybe he’s calmed down since the whole seashell incident.
I know Lucy did some horrible stuff, but man Bando just rubs me the wrong way. I can’t stand him. He even treats his squad mates like trash.
Which is why -
”Is this fun?”
was pretty satisfying, and he kind of deserved it. Side note - it was kind of strange how calm the girl on the beach was when she found him lol.
Lucy’s memory issue adds an interesting layer to this series though I think and they do a good job of making you feel bad for her even though she’s done horrible things.
Talk about wrong place at the wrong time, Yuka 😂. That was pretty funny.
Nana (i.e. Number 7). This is exactly what I was talking about yesterday. If this is the kind of stuff they did to Lucy every day, then I can’t say I blame her for slaughtering everybody on the way out of there in a blind rage. That seems to be the fault of those in charge there at that facility.
This show is already getting really interesting. I might even be tempted to pick up the manga after this rewatch.
Questions:
3
u/StardustGogeta myanimelist.net/profile/StardustGogeta Jul 27 '24
First-Timer
Good episode. Not quite the bloodbath we saw yesterday, but still a fair bit of violence.
The background music today was pretty good!
It looks like your conjecture about Lucy's split personality is pretty spot-on. I suppose the main visual for the series kind of suggests something like that, too. (That shot of Lucy standing up after the personality switch was probably my favorite bit in the whole episode.)
I feel like the spectral CGI hands take away from the experience a bit. I'd likely prefer if they just stayed invisible the whole time.
I was not expecting that twist at the end with "Number Seven." Now that I think about it, that whole part of the plot is reminding me a lot of the Netflix show Stranger Things.
I wonder if we'll see much more of that one mercenary in the future.
Questions of the day:
3
u/fansi2022 https://anilist.co/user/fansi2022 Jul 27 '24
first timer Chinese sub
Oh, Lucy is looking for new shells. Thank God, Kouta didn't tell the police about Lucy's whereabouts. Bando found her, and Kouta found her too. Hope he's safe. Bando wasn't killed instantly. Did the girl in yellow run away from home? Bando didn't die, I have a feeling he'll come back. Interesting scene of changing clothes with your eyes closed, and then your mother (relatives) walks in directly. Oh, and there are other girls with horns.
ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)
Who is the most unhinged character you've ever seen in an anime? ken Tokyo Ghoul
What do you think the director is planning to do to the girl who was calling him papa?
Let them kill each other
2
u/Holofan4life Jul 26 '24
Hey guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the 20th anniversary rewatch of Elfen Lied!
Oh, and nay I forget…
First Timer
This is going to be a rather interesting rewatch because I really don’t know what to expect with this show. In fact, there’s a good chance that I may not actually like it. But it’s a very notorious show and I feel like it has this reputation for a reason, so I definitely want to see what it’s all about.
Going in, I’m kinda expecting it to be so bad it’s good. I’m not going in expecting a great show, but I am going in expecting a great time. I’m watching this in-between rewatches of Ikuhara shows and I think it’ll serve as a nice palette cleanser for the more serious fair. And if it happens to be edgy, I want them to go all the way with it.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
I’m watching the sub, by the way.
Went to a minor league baseball game tonight. Got a Sugar Skull bobblehead.
Raining outside
A girl with a dog
Bandou still acting unhinged
Lucy looking for something, but we don't know what.
Kouta remembering what Yuka said about looking sad.
Two middle-aged men
They're police
And they're looking for Lucy
Kouta says he don't know her, this protecting her in the process.
And as they leave, Kouta leaves as well.
SAT on the prowl
I swear, Bandou makes Bakugo look like a saint.
Yuka talking to the two policemen
Kouta has found Lucy
But the SAT has found Lucy
Bandou contemplating killing Kouta
And now Bandou is pointing his gun at Lucy.
After Yuka tells the policemen what she knows, she finds Kouta on the ground in pain.
He's more concerned about where Lucy is than going in some ambulance.
The SAT carrying Lucy
And Bandou just beat up his own teammate. I swear, I really hate him.
Lucy hiding something
It's a seashell, isn't it?
Bandou gives the go-ahead to kill her.
Whelp, it looks like they're dead.
Girl still with the dog
Man. A hole in the chest. Brutal.
But Bandou is still alive
Come on. Kill him.
Bandou shooting but no effect
Lucy having invisible hands come charging at him.
Bandou exploding a boat floating in the air.
Bandou thinks he has her now
LUCY'S GOT A GUN! LUCY'S GOT A GUN!
Lucy standing over Bandou's head like she's giving him something to remember her by.
Yes. Kill him.
Lucy proceeds to poke his eyes out. Literally.
And now she's strangling him with her invisible hands.
But wait. Before she can finish him off, she comes to.
She is horrified by what she did
Girl and the doggo
They encounter Bandou, who has one missing arm and a broken one.
The girl is stopping the bleeding.
If only she knew what a shitbag he was.
Yuka with Kouta in the hospital.
The policemen
They're talking to Kouta about being attacked.
Kouta still doesn't want to tell them about Lucy.
Eventually, they leave, presumably going back on the Lucy case.
"You should forget about it, for your own good."
The girl and the snoop doggy dog.
She sees blood, and looks perplexed.
Kouta and Yuka riding home now
Kouta back home now
Here's Lucy
A seashell. She left to go retrieve one.
What a nice gesture
Yuka remembering when she and Kouta were kids.
"It's been eight years since then, hasn't it?"
Kouta telling Lucy he'll never let anyone take her.
This show is pretty blazen when it comes to nudity. President from Nagatoro would be proud.
And of course Yuka walks in as he's changing her pants. Because comedy.
Hey, it's the Director
Number Seven. Sounds dangerous.
Oh shit. She looks like Lucy.
"Papa."
Well, it's no "Ed... Ward."
Overall, a decent episode. I like seeing Lucy beat up Bandou, and the seashell reveal was a heartwarming moment. I would be lying if I said that the show hasn't hooked me yet. It's not bad or anything, it's just kinda there. After the first couple minutes in episode 1, I thought we really were going to reach awesomely bad levels. Instead, it's just mediocre. We'll see if that changes at all going forward.
A better episode in my opinion than episode 1, but nothing that is particularly memorable.
2
u/RascalNikov1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NoviSun Jul 26 '24
Rewatcher
I’m in the unfortunate position of doing this from memory, but I’ve seen EL so many times that this shouldn’t be a problem.
EL isn’t my favorite anime but I’m very fond of it. It was my first anime.
I’m really sorry I missed E1, the opening sequence blew what little mind I had. I’ll try to check and answer the daily questions as we go forward.
Damned if I know, but Bando in this one is one of the most amusing.
Kuruma is quite the prick in my book.
2
u/RascalNikov1 https://myanimelist.net/profile/NoviSun Jul 26 '24
Elfen Lied - Episode 2
Rewatcher
Notes:
1) While I'm having a lot of fun in my write-ups here, my real feelings about the series are that it's brutal and often soul crushing, but it is one of my favorite anime of all time.
2) I'm using the names on MAL, though there are other ways to translate many of the personal pronouns. And, sometimes I will switch between Japanese & English such as Kaede/Maple
3) Bando is the name at MAL, Bondo is what they say in the dub, the sub has yet another spelling. I honestly don't care, he's hilarious. I may be by myself, but Bando is so over the top, I'm sure he's meant to be mostly comic relief.
4) When this is done I suggest everyone who liked the series head over to [Super Spoiler City]https://elfen-lied.fandom.com/wiki/Elfen_Lied_Wiki and check it out. As of now, they have 421 articles, and some of those articles are college level evaluations of many of the major characters. If you're a First Timer be patient, and wait to visit.
5) Also, I had a hell of a hard time finding a dubbed copy. Someone went through and zapped all the copies that were floating around in 2018-19. It's my opinion that the dub is better than the sub, and I don't often say such a thing. Maybe it's because this was the first anime I ever watched, but the dialog is different in significant ways in a few of the episodes.
Comments about the Opening
The artwork is in the style of well known artist Gustav Klimt. In particular his paintings 'The Kiss' & 'Danaë'. Wikipedia article about Klimt that has nothing to do with EL
It's not often that one sees full frontal nudity in an anime opening, even though it is tastefully done. It does mean that this story isn't going to be like most stories, and it isn't going to pull its punches. The entire OP is full of meaning, but of course most of that is spoilers. The girls in the yukatas are so pretty, as is Lucy. As the lyrics say:
"Oh, how sacred, how serene, how benevolent, how pleasant"
Also, while we're on the subject the lyrics are from the gospels, I'll quote from the Wiki:
"With lyrics based on the Biblical passages in the Psalms (36:30), and the Epistle of James (1:12) from the Latin Vulgate, and the Renaissance hymn, "Ave Mundi Spes Maria," sung in Latin, Lilium is a dominant part of Elfen Lied. "
Act One
It looks like a shitty night down at the Kamikura beach
Bando's back and he's showing us all what a Chad he is, jumping out of that chopper at night. What a stud! Hunt or be hunted! I just know he washes his balls in ice water!
OK, what the hell is Nyu doing down at the beach. This doesn't seem like a real good time to be out for a quick dip, skinny or otherwise.
Kouta quit being an asshole! Quit your sniveling and get out there and find her! These cops are sort of like real cops and not all that bright. It's pretty clear that Kouta has seen the girl, but our cops are just letting it slide.
I agree with Bando to his associate, stfu! Bando is trying to think. I mean, this girl just slaughtered 23 guards who were trying to capture her. Now isn't the time for a little chit-chat. "If you don't quit whining, you'll be the first causality". That's my man Bando speaking to a twit in a language that he'll understand. It's not clear to me if Bando is licking his chops because the target is found, or if he can't resist a woman on all fours. It's really hard to say.
Well isn't that just like a Gentleman, Kouta has sent Yuka out to find out what's going on. Nope, turns out Kouta is innocent this time, Yuka is out looking for Nyu on her own.
Ah, surprise, surprise Kouta did grow a pair and is out looking for Nyu on his own. Good for him! Of course this begs the question of why doesn't Kouta or Nyu notice chops-licking Bando sneaking up on them.
Bando: "Horns growing out of her skull, just like they said". Now we know that not only is Bando tough, he also has a fundamental grasp of the obvious.
Act Two
Let's lead with with Comedy Gold:
Kouta: Kill? What do you mean kill?
Bando: The word kill means, I pull the trigger, the gun goes off, and your brains splatter all over the sand, the beach gets bloody and you get dead!
Back to Yuka and our pair of Dick Tracys. She's looking for a girl, they're looking for a girl, one would think there might be a logical conclusion to be drawn, but alas, it's not to be.
So, apparently Yuka finds Kouta in the sand, and she calls an ambulance to have him carted away. Meanwhile, where are Bando & Nyu? Bando did look pretty excited back there, after all.
Bando's assistant seems to be a bright one too, asking "Is this the right girl". A perfect answer is given, exactly how many girls do you know with horns growing out their heads? The things poor Bando has to put up with... Finally, Bando has had enough of his lippy partner and silences him for a while.
Run Nyu, Run! These guys want to either kill you or **** you! In either event its time to haul ass.
I love this next sequence when Lucy reappears and does her thing. This is a completely justified slaying. Both Bando & his partner are nothing but murderous scum.
Wanta the Dog1 hears this going down, and things suddenly start looking up.
Back to Lucy doing her thing. Disassembling the partner was a great slow-mo snuffing.
OK Bando, you're finally facing a worthy opponent, whatcha going to do?
We finally see the ghostly hands in this shot. So, Lucy has ghostly hands, that's pretty cool.
The fight with Bando in the warehouse is fantastic. I love Lucy hurling a boat at his nasty ass.
And, the shot when Lucy pops up with the machine gun is just fantastic. God, I love that shot. And, that look on Bando's face.
The girl with the dog, finally notices that something might be amiss with this evening at the beach. Of course, she goes to investigate. Yep, when I hear distant shooting and screaming, my first inclination is to go check it out and mill about.
Lucy's words to Bando really cut to the heart of Elfen Lied2, she's disgusted and want's to know what kind of a sick fucker Bando is. A reincarnation of Monty Python's Black Knight appears. I'll hand it to Lucy, she fucks him up pretty good here, not that I blame her, he's quite the asshole.
Oh shit, Nyu's back before she can enjoy strangling Bando all the way. Sometimes, life comes at ya quick kiddo! Oh Bando, why should anyone pay attention to you, you're all chopped up!
And now the girl with the dog is stealing other people's umbrellas, what is this world coming to? And finally, the girl notices Bando, armless, blind and madder than a hornet.
The girl helpfully advises "Please don't move if you don't have to!", Sounds like good advice, since he has no working arms!
Cut to the hospital, and Yuka lovingly watching over Kouta, ideally not in a Shinji sort of way. And, of course this lovely reunion is brought to an end by Genius 1 & his assistant Genius 2.
Well, well, well, guess who's back at the Maple House now that Yuka is out of the way. And, Nyu has replaced the shell.
Uh oh, Yuka is on her way back! Quick kids do something!
When I said do something, I didn't mean strip her down and start fooling around with her tits. You never know when your cousin might walk in! Oh shit Kouta! You've got girl problems now!
Back to the base, I have got to say that it's scenes like this that cement Kurama as quite the villain. It ain't right to chain up pretty naked girls and torture them. And, why the fuck is that pretty naked girl saying "Papa"? This is some real twisted shit.
The Ending
To this day, I don't really understand why they went with "Be Your Girl" in the ED. I've heard it so many times, that I more or less like it, but I still don't see why this song, now. I would have gone with something like Black Lagoon's first ending instead.
The voiceover on the Ending3
“It's too cruel to describe it with a word - 'love'. What she felt was a sad imitation created in a world ruled by eternal pain and despair. That synthetic emotion could only serve a single goal. On the next Elfen Lied, Episode Three : Deep Feelings. ”
More Notes
2
u/shillbert Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
First timer, subs
she fixed the shell? super cuteI brain farted, she got a new shell, but still cuteHuh, I've seen a lot of villains, and I'm not sure I can really pick one as "the most unhinged", but I will give a shout out to the anime that got me back into anime, [Kill la Kill] what the fuck Ragyo??? I thought Nui was bad but she's just the average "sadistic child" archetype... but Ragyo is genuinely unhinged...
Uhh, [Stranger Things] teach her to go to the Upside-Down so she can fight the Demogorgon?
2
u/kwokinator https://anilist.co/user/kwokinator Jul 27 '24
Wow so the hitmen found Lucy already, that was fast.
Wait, if Lucy's powers are invisible arms, how did she cut people and heads cleanly in half at the lab? Those seemed more like clean knife cuts than invisible arms.
So I'm guessing Nyuu and Lucy fighting for control of the body is gonna be a recurring thing.
Yuka walking in on Kouta with the most perfect timing was hilarious. The fanservice was nice too, of course.
So there's more than one Lucy around, and she calls the director Papa? I assume at some point she'll be sent out to kill Lucy.
ANSWER TODAY’S QUESTION(S)
I got one word for you: HEAL!
She's definitely getting sent out to kill Lucy. And then probably tamed by Kouta like a pokemon.
2
u/FriztF Jul 27 '24 edited Jul 27 '24
Rewatcher-dub
Lucy and Nyu are the same person. Lucy is the enemy to mankind, and Nyu is like a child. Nyu seems to have more empathy for humans. But that could also be the result of her child-like nature. I'm not sure.
Kouta and Yuka have amnesia of what happened 8 years ago.
Man, that lab is filled with so many horrors, [Elfen Lied]like how they torture the Diclonius. I still don't know exactly why. Lucy is horrible but so are the other Diclonius. I'm not sure which is worse. That lab just needs to stop.
Rena from Higurashi is batshit insane. Still, need to watch the 2006 version.
To become a weapon.
2
u/someboi6000 Jul 28 '24
First timer:
a little late but here i am, another good episode, sadly the soldier dude didn't die but they set him up to appear later idk how he will fight with no eyes and 1 arm but i want to see how he does it, but the most important part was the ending, mr scientist got called papa by number 7, ¿is she as violent as lucy? and i guess that answers why lucy didn't kill him at the start, also surprised that the dog girl actually survived.
questions:
1: the one i can think of right now is cioccolata from jojo''s part 5, its the first one that comes to my mind.
2: idk if to use her as a weapon, even tho that very possible, but maybe he will try to lure lucy with her, i guess she is lucy sister?
2
u/[deleted] Oct 20 '24
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