first of all and i must say that i be no anime expert . my entire knowledge of the genre be limit to the more famous miyazaki film and ghost in the shell and it sequel and and now the beautiful and dark and tragic elfen lie . the story center around lucy and a girl bear with a genetic mutation which give her horn and havectors powerful telekenetically control arm . the first time we meet her and she be cold bloodedly kill soldier and office worker in what appear to be a strange research facility . a sniper succeed in shoot her in the head and end her rampage . however and he fail to kill her represent she fall into the sea surround the facility and and be later find wash up on the beach by two cousin . however and this be not the lucy we saw spill so much blood the shot leave her with severe amnesia and turn her into the innocent and childlike nyuu . when an assassin and later another be of her kind be send to destroy her and we witness the murderous lucy emerge once more and only to transform back into nyuu once the violence be over . a the series progress and we gradually learn about lucy horrific past and finally leave u with the dilemma represent be her brutal action perhaps in any way justified . elfen lie be dark and that i will not deny . lover of light and happy entertainment will be disappointed and very likely offend . the series deal with all the darker aspect of humanity represent the practice of alienate those who be different and murder and cruel experimentation and sexual abuse and sadism and torture and and even genocide or purify the earth . a the story progress and we find that virtually all the main character have experience one or more of these and and much of the series focus on their attempt to somehow cope with the trauma while to pick up the piece . which bring me on to the violence . elfen lie be decidedly not a series for the faint hearted . we watch body be tear in half and child be dismember and and one scene of horrific animal cruelty . however and throughout the series and i do not remember one act of violence that seem in any way trashy or unnecessary . this be no gore fest make to entertain teenage male . what be often even more disturbing than the violence itself and be the emotion attach to it . also and some of the most violent scene be rather surreal represent think character be torture to eerily beautiful gregorian chant . the major character of elfen lie be highly memorable represent sinning and sin against lucy and her touchingly loving alter ego nyuu while endearingly awkward kohta who continuously battle his feeling for her but have painful repress memory while his cousin yuka who many reviewer have brand a irritating but be really a somewhat unsettling reflection of the jealousy that turn lucy into a killer while lovable nana who be basically lucy without the violent side while and mayu and the abuse victim whose story of recovery be one of the most uplifting in the series . i would also like to mention mariko and a minor character but still my personal favourite represent she be a young girl who have the same mutation a lucy and who do horrific thing to people with the air of a child burn ant with a magnifying glass . in conclusion and elfen lie be a mature and deep series which can be enjoy on so many level represent from an action horror story to a philosophical debate on what it mean to be human . the execution be exquisite and with image that linger in the mind for a long time . all in all and i recommend elfen lie to anyone with an open mind and a strong stomach and and a willingness to try something different .