The first volume of Elfen Lied (pronounced Elf-in Leed) was a surprise for me.  The blood soaked cover made me think that this was another hack and slash show where the animators would try to see how much gore they could put into a single episode.  It wasn't like that at all.  There was a lot of severed limbs and flowing blood to be sure, but that was counterbalanced nicely by a solid story and some interesting characters.  The second volume continues where the first one left off, and the plot moves at a fairly rapid pace.  A lot happens in these three episodes.

A secret military base is working on a special project: involving the next step in evolution.  Looking normal from the outside with the exception of two horn like protrusions from the skull, Lucy is a 'Diclonius.'  She has amazing psychic abilities and she's quite deadly.  Kept under lock and key because of her violent and unpredictable temperament, society is safe from this killer.  Until she decides to escape that is.

Kohta is returning to the city where his childhood friend, Yuka lives.  Renting a vacant restaurant from Yuka's mother, his old friend helps him move in.  They take a break from unpacking and go for a walk on the beach when a naked woman walks out of the surf.  Only able to say the word "Nyu" that quickly becomes her name.  Nyu is innocent and childlike, and having no where else to go, Nyu moves in with Kohta.  Which causes Yuka to get a bit jealous, so she decided to move in too.  The group find a homeless girl, Mayu, and her dog and they move in too.

Nyu isn't always an innocent child though.  She's also Lucy, the maniacal genetically engineered killer.  The two personalities share the same body, and the slightest thing can cause them to switch. Of course, the military isn't just going to let their secret project walk out on them without a fight.

Mayu is the focus of the first show on this disc, and we discover the reason that she's homeless.  The story of the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather was told in a heart wrenching, but not overdone, fashion that really made you feel sorry for the little girl and understand why she can't go home.

Brando, the assassin that fought Lucy makes another appearance in this volume.  Sporting a new bionic hand and some specially made tungsten steel bullets, he goes hunting for the only person who has ever beaten him.

Nana also returns.  She's the Diclonius that fought Lucy in the last volume and lost both of her arms and legs in the process.  Ordered to be destroyed, her caretaker instead helps her to escape and tells her to be good and go as far away as possible.  As luck would have it though, the first person she encounters is Brando who wants to know where Lucy is.  Nana is a pacifist at heart, but the killer pushes her a little too far, much to his regret.

This is a surprisingly good series.  Usually blood filled series are played for the shock value and nothing more.  Not so with this program.  The show has an interesting story that can be very dramatic and touching in addition to all of the gory violence.  There are also a couple of touches of humor that really add to the series appeal.  The story is well crafted, with a fairly tight script that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

While the story of the dual personality psychic killer and the mystery of Kohta's past are well done and interesting, this isn't a show for the faint hearted.  The program does have a lot of blood and gore; people missing limbs trying to crawl away from their attackers, heads being ripped off and floating in the air, and eyes being gouged out are just some of the things that happen in this show.  It isn't all about blood though, as so many violent anime series are.  If you aren't bothered by the action sequences this will be a good show to check out.

Audio:

This disc has the original Japanese track and an English dub, both in 5.1.  I listened to both soundtracks, and they were equally good, though I preferred the Japanese track.  Both audio choices made very good use to the whole soundstage.  There were a good number of directional effects, and the sounds and music sent to the rears really put the viewer in the middle of action.  An excellent sounding disc.

Video:

The widescreen anamorphic picture looked really good.  The lines were tight and the colors were bright.  The contrast was also excellent, making night scenes dark but not murky. The show used a wide color palate, with bright colored clothes and dark dingy alleyways both seeming real. Digital defects were practically nonexistent.  A nice looking disc.

Extras:

This disc includes a clean opening and closing and two reels of artwork, one devoted to the characters and the other for backgrounds and sets.

Final Thoughts:

I usually don't like it when a company only puts three episodes on a single DVD, but in this case I'll make an exception.  A lot happens in these three shows, with both the plot and the characterization being advanced nicely.  This is one of those shows where you pop the disc in, start the program, and then are astounded that the episodes are over.  They go by way too quickly.  A great show that is Highly Recommended.