Elfen Lied: Vector One

Elfen Lied follows Lucy, a human-looking mutant--except for a pair of horns on her head--who escaped from a top-secret medical facility, and is now being tracked by fellow mutant Nana. They chase each other, leaving a trail of death, destruction, pain, bloodshed, fear…and…boredom, at least for the unsuspecting viewer who stumbles into this series, which appears to be slapped together from the random ideas of several sci-fi favorites, including Species and The Terminator. Lucy, as luck would have it, falls in with gullible good guy Kouta, who finds her naked on a beach and, naturally, takes her home. Kouta is slow in realizing why Lucy is so confused about the basic elements of human existence (such as knowing how to use a toilet), but the dumb comedy is soon surpassed by gory violence (including limbs being ripped from bodies). Although it certainly isn't scary, the artwork of Elfen Lied is solid, but not enough to keep the mind from wandering (or in this case, wondering, specifically about whether Japan's anime studios are running low on original ideas). Featuring the first four episodes, this dual-language DVD, rated TV-MA, is not recommended. [Note: Elfen Lied: Vector Two is slated for release on July 12.] Aud: P. (P. Hall)