Anime · AT-X
Elfen Lied
If only they didn't share the same body!
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Chihiro Suzuki
Kouta (voice)
13 eps
Sanae Kobayashi
Lucy / Nyuu (voice)
13 eps
Emiko Hagiwara
Mayu (voice)
13 eps
Hiroaki Hirata
Professor Kakuzawa Yu (voice)
13 eps
Hitomi Nabatame
Kouta (child) / Shirakawa (voice)
13 eps
Jouji Nakata
Bandou (voice)
13 eps
Kinryu Arimoto
Chief Kakuzawa (voice)
13 eps
Maria Yamamoto
Kanae (voice)
13 eps
Osamu Hosoi
Kurama (voice)
13 eps
Tomoko Kawakami
Mariko (voice)
13 eps
Yuki Matsuoka
Nana (voice)
13 eps
Eriko Ishihara
Arakawa (voice)
13 eps
Mamiko Noto
Yuka (voice)
13 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Elfen Lied actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Elfen Lied reads strongest on Bingeability, Spectacle and Character Depth.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
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...
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S01E09 · Signature episode
Reminiscence
More of Lucy's past is revealed: Her meeting with Kouta, their friendship that will end in tragedy, and the reason why Lucy became the killer she is today.
- Directed by Akira Iwanaga
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E04 · Signature episode
Attack
After alerting the soldiers and Kurama to Lucy’s whereabouts, Nana confronts her and the two begin to fight in a cemetery. Can Nana hold Lucy off long enough for Kurama and the others to arrive? Meanwhile, hearing loud noises in the cemetery, Mayu stumbles upon the two fighting.
- Directed by Akira Iwanaga
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E06 · Signature episode
Innermost Feelings
Bando escapes from the hospital, still trying to find Lucy to satisfy his grudge against her. Professor Kakuzawa Yū's decapitated body is found by his assistant and Kohta. While searching for Lucy, Kohta and Yuka develop a fondness for each other as displayed through a kiss. Finally, Lucy is found by Kohta and Yuka and taken back home.
- Directed by Kobun Shizuno
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S00E01 · Signature episode
In the Passing Rain
Trying to fit in, Nana gets scolded and runs off. She meets Bantou and promises to bring him Nyuu. But when it begins to rain and Nyu hits her head, will Nana survive? Parts of Lucy’s past are revealed, including her connection with Kurama.
- Directed by Mamoru Kanbe
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E08 · Signature episode
The Beginning
After Lucy is knocked out by Nana Kouta tends to her. She sleeps and relives her childhood in a dream, revealing many things about her. Meanwhile, Nana tells Mayu about Lucy and the diclonius and Arakawa is called in to work for Director Kakuzawa...
- Directed by Takeyuki Sadohara
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E07
Confrontation
After fighting, Bando and Nana realize that they are allies and not enemies. Nana agrees to bring Lucy to the beach when she senses her. Meanwhile, at the temple, Mayu meets Nana. The two become friends and Mayu agrees to bring Nana back to her house for food.
- Directed by Sumio Watanabe
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S00E01 · Signature episode
In the Passing Rain
- Directed by Mamoru Kanbe
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E11
Complication
- Directed by Keizo Kusakawa
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
S01E09 · Signature episode
Reminiscence
- Directed by Akira Iwanaga
- Written by Takawo Yoshioka
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Manabu TamuraProducer
- Osamu KoshinakaProducer
- Kazuaki MorijiriProducer
Writing
- Takawo YoshiokaWriter
Direction
- Kobun ShizunoDirector
- Sumio WatanabeDirector
- Mamoru KanbeDirector
- Keizo KusakawaDirector
- Akira IwanagaDirector
- Takeyuki SadoharaDirector
Cinematography
- Hisao ShiraiDirector of Photography
Music
- Yukio KondoOriginal Music Composer
- Kayo KonishiOriginal Music Composer
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
Checking regional listings…
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Never stop watching
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