Elfen Lied is a manga and anime series that explores the themes of violence, discrimination, identity, and redemption. The story follows Lucy, a Diclonius, a mutant human with horns and invisible telekinetic arms called vectors. She escapes from a research facility where she was tortured and experimented on, but suffers a head injury that causes her to develop a split personality: the innocent and childlike Nyu, and the ruthless and vengeful Lucy. She is taken in by Kouta, a college student who lives in a seaside inn called Maple House, along with his cousin Yuka and other residents. As Lucy/Nyu tries to cope with her past and present, she is hunted by the government, other Diclonii, and her own inner demons.
The anime adaptation of Elfen Lied consists of 13 episodes and an OVA, which cover the first seven volumes of the manga. The manga, written and illustrated by Lynn Okamoto, ran for 12 volumes from 2002 to 2005. The anime and manga have different endings, with the anime leaving many questions unanswered and the manga providing a more conclusive and tragic resolution. In this article, we will explain the Elfen Lied ending in both the anime and the manga, and compare the differences and similarities between them.
Elfen Lied Ending Anime
The anime ending of Elfen Lied is ambiguous and open-ended, leaving the fate of Lucy/Nyu and the future of the Diclonii uncertain. The anime ends with the following events:
- Kouta regains his memories of his childhood, when he befriended a young Lucy and witnessed her killing his father and sister in a fit of jealousy and rage. He confronts Lucy at the lighthouse, where they first met, and tells her that he hates her but also still loves her. They share a kiss, but are interrupted by a sniper who shoots Lucy in the head, breaking one of her horns.
- Mariko, a powerful Diclonius and the daughter of Kurama, the director of the research facility, arrives to kill Lucy. She fights with Lucy and Nana, another Diclonius who considers Kurama her father. Mariko’s vectors are deactivated by Nana, and she falls from a bridge. She is rescued by Kurama, who reveals that he is her real father and that he loves her. However, Mariko has a bomb implanted in her body, which detonates and kills both of them.
- Lucy survives the sniper shot and confesses her feelings to Kouta again. She apologizes for everything she has done and asks him to kill her. Kouta refuses, but Lucy decides to leave him and face her enemies. She transforms into a monstrous form with multiple horns and wings, and flies away. She is attacked by a swarm of missiles and seemingly dies in a huge explosion.
- Kouta and the others return to Maple House, where they are joined by Nozomi, a friend of Kouta and Yuka who aspires to be a singer. They decide to live together and move on with their lives. However, in the final scene, a silhouette of a horned girl is seen outside the gate of Maple House, ringing the bell. Kouta hears the bell and goes to answer the door, while a music box that belonged to Lucy plays the ending theme song, Lilium.
The anime ending of Elfen Lied leaves many questions unresolved, such as:
- Who is the horned girl at the door? Is it Lucy, Nyu, or someone else?
- Did Lucy really die in the explosion, or did she survive somehow?
- What happened to the other Diclonii, such as Nana and the clones?
- What is the origin and purpose of the Diclonii, and what is their relation to the prophecy of the voice of God?
- What is the fate of the human race, and how will they coexist with the Diclonii?
The anime ending of Elfen Lied implies that the events of the later parts of the manga are still to come, and that Lucy/Nyu may have returned to Kouta in her Nyu personality. However, this is not confirmed, and the anime does not provide a clear closure for the characters and the plot.
Elfen Lied Ending Manga
The manga ending of Elfen Lied is more definitive and tragic, providing a more detailed and complex explanation for the origin and destiny of the Diclonii. The manga ending of Elfen Lied involves the following events:
- Lucy is captured by the research facility and subjected to a brutal surgery that removes her horns and most of her brain. She is kept alive as a living computer, called the Queen, that controls the Diclonii and their ability to reproduce. She is also revealed to have a third personality, the DNA Voice, which is the manifestation of her Diclonius instincts and the source of the prophecy of the voice of God.
- Kouta and the others infiltrate the research facility to rescue Lucy, but are confronted by Chief Kakuzawa, the leader of the facility and a Diclonius himself. He reveals that he is the son of the original Diclonius, who was a mutated human with horns. He claims that the Diclonii are the next stage of human evolution, and that he plans to use Lucy’s power to wipe out humanity and create a new world for the Diclonii. He also reveals that he is Lucy’s half-brother, as they share the same father, who was also a Diclonius.
- Lucy regains her consciousness and escapes from her confinement. She kills Kakuzawa and his father, who was the original Diclonius, and confronts Kouta. She tells him that she loves him, but that she has to die to stop the Diclonii from spreading. She reveals that she has infected the entire human race with a virus that causes all human children to be born as Diclonii, who will then kill their parents and other humans. She also reveals that she has created a vaccine that can reverse the virus and restore the human reproduction, but that she has to sacrifice herself to activate it. She asks Kouta to kill her, but he refuses.
- Lucy decides to activate the vaccine herself, but is stopped by the DNA Voice, who tries to take over her body. Lucy and the DNA Voice engage in a mental battle, while Kouta and the others try to protect Lucy from the attacking Diclonii. Lucy manages to suppress the DNA Voice, but loses both of her personalities, Lucy and Nyu, in the process. She becomes a blank slate, with no memories or emotions. She activates the vaccine, which causes all the Diclonii in the world to lose their horns and vectors, and become normal humans. She also causes the island where the research facility is located to sink into the ocean, burying the secrets of the Diclonii forever.
- Kouta and the others escape from the island, but Lucy stays behind, saying that she has to die. Kouta tries to convince her to come with him, but she refuses. She tells him that she is happy that she met him, and that she hopes to see him again in heaven. She kisses him goodbye, and sinks into the ocean with the island. Kouta cries out her name, and falls unconscious.
- Four months later, the world is recovering from the Diclonius outbreak. The World Health Organization has lifted the ban on human births, and the human population is slowly increasing. Arakawa, a scientist who worked for the research facility, has developed the vaccine and become famous, but is unhappy with her life. Kurama and Nana are living together as father and daughter, and visit the grave of Mariko, who was killed by Lucy in the manga. Kouta and Yuka are married and have a daughter, who looks like Nyu. They live in Maple House, along with Nozomi, Mayu, Wanta, and Nana. Kouta still suffers from the loss of Lucy, and keeps her music box as a memento. He tells his daughter that he will tell her about Lucy when she grows up, and that he hopes that Lucy is watching over them from heaven.
The manga ending of Elfen Lied provides a more complete and tragic resolution for the characters and the plot. It explains the origin and purpose of the Diclonii, and how Lucy sacrificed herself to save humanity and end the cycle of violence. It also shows the consequences of Lucy’s actions, and how the characters cope with their losses and move on with their lives. However, the manga ending of Elfen Lied also leaves some questions unanswered, such as:
- What happened to Bando, a soldier who fought with Lucy and became her ally in the manga?
- What happened to Anna Kakuzawa, the daughter of Chief Kakuzawa, who was also a living computer and a Diclonius oracle?
- What happened to the Agent, a mysterious woman who worked for the research facility and had a personal vendetta against Lucy?
- What is the true nature and origin of the voice of God, and why did it choose Lucy as its vessel?
- What is the fate of the Diclonii who became human, and how will they integrate into society?
The manga ending of Elfen Lied also implies that there is still a possibility of Lucy’s return, as her body was never found, and that she may have left a part of herself in Kouta’s daughter.
Conclusion
Elfen Lied is a dark and tragic tale of love and revenge, that explores the themes of violence, discrimination, identity, and redemption. The story has different endings in the anime and the manga, with the anime being more ambiguous and open-ended, and the manga being more definitive and tragic. The endings show the fate of Lucy/Nyu and the future of the Diclonii, and how they affect the lives of the other characters. The endings also raise some questions that are left unresolved, and leave room for interpretation and speculation. Elfen Lied is a series that provokes strong emotions and reactions from its viewers and readers, and leaves a lasting impression on them.