Smashing into the UK with a frightening reputation for extreme physical and psychological violence, Elfen Lied never fails to live up to its name and ends just as controversially as it began. There are dismembered corpses aplenty, but what's impressive about this show is how it manages to present its violent young stars. Based on the sadistic violence they force on others, the pink-haired Diclonius first appear as blood-thirsty monsters hell bent on the unrelenting destruction of mankind, but behind their trauma lies years of bullying, isolation and abuse. They react desperately, as any kid would, to escape their terrible lives, and eventually become depraved monsters built by a depraved system.

At its best Elfen Lied is a thought provoking (and some would add vomit inducing) social commentary, looking (through the growth and eventual wrath of the Diclonius) at the results of a contemporary society entrenched in fear, discrimination and exploitation. At its worst it is the kind of sub servant harem anime that feminists love to hate; all of the female characters are helpless, lost and in some cases - out right dumb. That they all end up living with and relying on the clueless Kouta is something of an insult, only compounded by his semi-incestuous (and totally gross) romance with clingy cousin Yuka.

Indeed it's no surprise that animation studio ARMS has contributed to lot of hentai in the past (animated pornography with subtle names like Crimson Climax and G-spot Express) - while Elfen Lied is lite on the physical act of love making, there is a somewhat unsettling and leery fascination with full frontal nudity, often leading to more than a few uncomfortable scenes that involve young girls. Naturally this lack of clothing is intended to shock the viewer, and indeed we are left in no doubt as to the everyday horror these girls face, but seeing them bath is perhaps over stepping the bounds of good taste.

We've talked about full frontal nudity, so we may as well discuss the full frontal violence too. Being an externalization of the mental torture the girls have endured, we are left in no doubt as to the amount of blood contained within a human body; lots. Heads are ripped, bones are snapped and guts are exposed. After the first few episodes we become accustomed to the physical violence, though the victims are often the surprise - surrogate mothers, cute kids and ditzy young secretaries are particularly at danger here, often cut down amidst a casual sentence that basically amounts to "fancy a cuppa?"

The conclusion doesn't intend so much provide closure on the whole Diclonius phenomenon as the odd relationship between harem master Kouta and jilted lover Lucy. Knowing full well she killed his dad and younger sister in a fit of adolescent jealousy, Kouta opens his heart and embraces the guilty Lucy, showing her an honest and forgiving love capable of curbing her vicious revenge on mankind. Love begets love, hate begets hate.

In Summary

Elfen Lied was a refreshingly edgy, extreme and raw horror anime that felt unflinchingly up front in it's portrayal of child abuse and ultimate violence. The end result is a sometimes hard to watch bright red roller coaster ride that offsets blood splatter with thought provoking social commentary and romantic tom foolery.