The sci-fi/horror TV phenomenon Stranger Things has amassed an enormous legion of fans worldwide -- and they are nervously awaiting the launch of the fifth and final season. Interestingly, parts of its story were inspired by a classic anime, and it's the perfect show to watch while waiting for Stranger Things' thrilling conclusion to land on Netflix.
In a 2016 interview with the Daily Beast, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer talked about what influenced the popular series. Matt Duffer said that he "had seen an anime called Elfen Lied" and notes that it was inspired by Akira. He then adds that, "There were a lot of things in [Elfen Lied] that I really liked and that made their way into the show, particularly related to the character of Eleven."
Elfen Lied's Lucy Bears a Striking Resemblance to Eleven
Written by Lynn Okamoto, Elfen Lied started out as a manga in Weekly Young Jump. A couple years later, it was turned into an anime with Mamoru Kanbe taking the director role and Arms handling the animation. Elfen Lied tells the story of Lucy, who is a Diclonius -- a humanoid species who have horn-like appendages on their heads. She also has the ability to control Vectors, which are basically telekinetic invisible arms that allow the Diclonius to manipulate their surroundings in ways that humans can't.
It is easy to see how Elfen Lied inspired the character of Eleven in Stranger Things, as Lucy was also kept in a secret government facility due to her special powers. While Lucy was detained, she was subjected to horrible tests and experiments. Similar to Eleven, Lucy goes on a rampage, killing her captors and escaping from the facility. During the escape, however, Lucy gets injured and develops a second personality. This personality is childish and innocent, with limited speech capacity and complete amnesia of her other self.
Two students, Kouta and Yuka, find the girl and, dubbing her Nyu, opt to take care of her and try to nurse her back to health. However, this unknowingly puts them in the center of a massive government conspiracy as various groups try to recapture Lucy. Just as the main characters in Stranger Things try to balance everyday problems with a looming existential threat, Kouta and Yuka have to navigate life and romance while also dodging government agents.
Elfen Lied is Much More Adult Than Stranger Things
While Elfen Lied and Stranger Things feature similar themes, the anime is darker, more violent, and more willing to be extremely cruel to its characters. This leads to several moments that will turn the viewer's stomach and stick in the memory long after the show finishes. The concept of the human-like Diclonius and the group's often confusing nature is handled well, and the story puts a fascinating twist on several outsider themes. It also asks what it means to be human in both the biological and philosophical sense. The programs are quite different aesthetically, as Elfen Lied uses the anime medium to fantastic effect, creating several scenes that would be impossible to replicate in live-action.
It is fascinating to see how Elfen Lied helped inspire Stranger Things and many other stories. However, while the two share similar themes, they both approach and handle them in vastly different ways, both aesthetically and thematically. This makes Elfen Lied well worth watching, as it is a fantastic and gripping show in its own right. Viewers who dive in now will have a whole new appreciation for Stranger Things -- and a greater understanding of why Matt and Ross Duffer handled Eleven how they did.