Why do people like Elfen Lied

[Faux Aria]

The soundtrack for me.

[Kirenisia]

Inamatus Requiem

The soundtrack for me.

[TricksterArchangelGabriel]

I honestly don't like it so idk why. Everyone has their own opinions

[damedanbo]

I haven't seen (or read) Elfen Lied in at least 5 years, but if you read the manga...

It's even worse.

But as for a real answer of why it is (or was??) popular,

1. Fanservice
2. The pain and suffering of girls is always popular in anime targeted at men.
3. Shock value. (I remember back in the old days, when people would brag about having watched ALL of Elfen Lied...)

Additionally, the "kind of not quite harem" bit got pushed further in the manga, if I recall correctly?

Anyway, I never thought that the overall idea was terrible or anything, but the story ended up going off on such a convoluted tangent... I'm not sure I even remember the ending of the manga, lol...

[Indigo Kitsune]

For me Elfen Lied is a guilty pleasure, the show is a messed and shocking. Also the anime only got 13 episodes, when the manga its adapted form is 12 Volumes long with 113 Chapters, so its very likely they some important plot points where complexly left out. That said the only parts of the anime that I highly recamended is the opening theme songs. Lilium, dosn't seem to fit with the anime very well, other then the fact that the song seems to be setting up a very different kind of show, but the show.

[Mugetsu Ookamiza]

Indigo Kitsune

For me Elfen Lied is a guilty pleasure, the show is a messed and shocking. Also the anime only got 13 episodes, when the manga its adapted form is 12 Volumes long with 113 Chapters, so its very likely they some important plot points where complexly left out. That said the only parts of the anime that I highly recamended is the opening theme songs. Lilium, dosn't seem to fit with the anime very well, other then the fact that the song seems to be setting up a very different kind of show, but the show.

if you're going to mention the lenggth of the anime in comparison to the length of the manga it's important to note the manga ran in a WEEKLY manga, the anime ended almost a year before the manga did, and take note of the fact there's an average of 52 weeks per year, meaning when the anime ended it's possible that up to a little over 45% of the manga still hadn't come out.

[Ryutcha]

Cuz who wouldn't want to rip people up with invisible arms?
Honestly with some titles lately, I don't see why this gets so much hate.

[Indigo Kitsune]

Mugetsu Ookamiza

Indigo Kitsune

For me Elfen Lied is a guilty pleasure, the show is a messed and shocking. Also the anime only got 13 episodes, when the manga its adapted form is 12 Volumes long with 113 Chapters, so its very likely they some important plot points where complexly left out. That said the only parts of the anime that I highly recamended is the opening theme songs. Lilium, dosn't seem to fit with the anime very well, other then the fact that the song seems to be setting up a very different kind of show, but the show.

if you're going to mention the lenggth of the anime in comparison to the length of the manga it's important to note the manga ran in a WEEKLY manga, the anime ended almost a year before the manga did, and take note of the fact there's an average of 52 weeks per year, meaning when the anime ended it's possible that up to a little over 45% of the manga still hadn't come out.

True. But over all the reason why this anime is probably so short, is probably because it did poorly in Japan or they didn't have the budget to do a longer show.

[Revolutionary Rhapsody]

Indigo Kitsune

True. But over all the reason why this anime is probably so short, is probably because it did poorly in Japan or they didn't have the budget to do a longer show.

I think it was more likely so short because it was just an animated manga advertisement like a lot of 12-episode shows are meant to be.

[Indigo Kitsune]

Milady Alluca

Indigo Kitsune

True. But over all the reason why this anime is probably so short, is probably because it did poorly in Japan or they didn't have the budget to do a longer show.

I think it was more likely so short because it was just an animated manga advertisement like a lot of 12-episode shows are meant to be.

I hope that wasn't the case, since I have seen a few other shows that ended before the manga. My favorite one being Claymore, that one ran for 26 episodes, but just like Elfen Laid, the show ends only after it reveals something that is very important, in that it changes just about everything that we thought we knew about the show. Another show that ended too soon and also on a big reveal is Deadman Wonderland.
Also as it is in the case of some shows the violent and the profanity is toned down so significantly, that while someone might love the anime, they find themselves unable to read the manga. So at the ended of the day, at least to me it would make more seance, to make the anime more like the manga so that people aren't lead to believe that they are getting one thing when they are in fact getting something different and in some cases something that they didn't want.

[Revolutionary Rhapsody]

Indigo Kitsune

Milady Alluca

Indigo Kitsune

True. But over all the reason why this anime is probably so short, is probably because it did poorly in Japan or they didn't have the budget to do a longer show.

I think it was more likely so short because it was just an animated manga advertisement like a lot of 12-episode shows are meant to be.

I hope that wasn't the case, since I have seen a few other shows that ended before the manga. My favorite one being Claymore, that one ran for 26 episodes, but just like Elfen Laid, the show ends only after it reveals something that is very important, in that it changes just about everything that we thought we knew about the show. Another show that ended too soon and also on a big reveal is Deadman Wonderland.
Also as it is in the case of some shows the violent and the profanity is toned down so significantly, that while someone might love the anime, they find themselves unable to read the manga. So at the ended of the day, at least to me it would make more seance, to make the anime more like the manga so that people aren't lead to believe that they are getting one thing when they are in fact getting something different and in some cases something that they didn't want.

I think shows with better budget, popularity, and more content already available and in time to ride the popularity wave would get more episodes otherwise the anime would have to wrap things up or make it's own "original" arcs or endings. I heard in DW's case it wasn't at all popular in Japan so that's why it didn't get renewed for another season (as was also probably the case for Elfen Lied) but don't quote me on that - I've heard nothing but good things about Claymore's anime and manga though but I wonder if they stopped the anime because there wasn't enough manga content to warrant another season/set of 13 episodes.

I honestly like when anime have some different aspects from the manga since some new or altered content makes for a more interesting experience but it's a double edged sword when they change things you liked about the manga and make it different for the anime.

[Indigo Kitsune]

Milady Alluca

Indigo Kitsune

Milady Alluca

Indigo Kitsune

True. But over all the reason why this anime is probably so short, is probably because it did poorly in Japan or they didn't have the budget to do a longer show.

I think it was more likely so short because it was just an animated manga advertisement like a lot of 12-episode shows are meant to be.

I hope that wasn't the case, since I have seen a few other shows that ended before the manga. My favorite one being Claymore, that one ran for 26 episodes, but just like Elfen Laid, the show ends only after it reveals something that is very important, in that it changes just about everything that we thought we knew about the show. Another show that ended too soon and also on a big reveal is Deadman Wonderland.
Also as it is in the case of some shows the violent and the profanity is toned down so significantly, that while someone might love the anime, they find themselves unable to read the manga. So at the ended of the day, at least to me it would make more seance, to make the anime more like the manga so that people aren't lead to believe that they are getting one thing when they are in fact getting something different and in some cases something that they didn't want.

I think shows with better budget, popularity, and more content already available and in time to ride the popularity wave would get more episodes otherwise the anime would have to wrap things up or make it's own "original" arcs or endings. I heard in DW's case it wasn't at all popular in Japan so that's why it didn't get renewed for another season (as was also probably the case for Elfen Lied) but don't quote me on that - I've heard nothing but good things about Claymore's anime and manga though but I wonder if they stopped the anime because there wasn't enough manga content to warrant another season/set of 13 episodes.

I honestly like when anime have some different aspects from the manga since some new or altered content makes for a more interesting experience but it's a double edged sword when they change things you liked about the manga and make it different for the anime.

I like it when the anime is as close to the manga as possible, but some times somethings do have to be changed, Magi is a very good example of this. From what I have read in the manga the anime dose fallow it very closely. However the first episode of the anime is very different form the first few pages of the manga, meaning that they skip over a few things and instead start telling the main story a lot sooner.

[Hadronyche]

I didn't like it much, either.

[PlasticDucks]

It's a matter of preference.

Personally, I could not bring myself to enjoy it. I only saw about 4 episodes.

[Bottling Sunshine]

I remember liking Elfen Lied when I was in my early teens and now that I'm in my twenties I can't seem to get into it. I used to think it was deep, beautiful,and possessed all the answers to every question ever asked! It turns out that I was just a moody teenager that liked not well written or well made moody things that had no real point to them. No offense to anyone that still likes it. It's really all about preference and our likes and dislikes are constantly changing.