Synopsis
Lucy belongs to a subspecies of humanity known as Diclonius, characterized by small horns and invisible telekinetic limbs—traits that make her a target for brutal government experimentation. When a chance to flee arises, the years of confinement and torture have twisted her, and she slaughters her way through her captors in a bloody escape. During the breakout, a severe head injury fractures her psyche, creating a second personality resembling a childlike innocent with barely any speech. In this vulnerable state, she crosses paths with Kouta and his cousin Yuka, two college students who take in the wounded fugitive, having no idea of her lethal nature. Their compassion sets off a chain of events that plunges them into a hidden world of government secrets and conspiracy.
Background
Elfen Lied follows the source manga through the first seven volumes, with several alterations to the story, and concludes with an original ending. In an interview, director Mamoru Kanbe expressed his disappointment in having to condense the story into 13 episodes and felt that more were needed to include significant plot details that would have made the series more emotive. The artistic design of both the opening and ending sequences are heavily inspired by the works of Austrian symbolist painter Gustav Klimt. Colors and patterns resembling Klimt's distinct style were used and characters of the series were drawn to recreate several paintings from the artist's golden period, including The Kiss. The opening theme, "LILIUM," which is sung in Ecclesiastical Latin, uses lyrics taken from The Bible, the Renaissance hymn "Ave mundi spes Maria," as well as the alchemical compendium Theatrum Chemicum.
