List of Elfen Lied episodes

This is a list of episodes of the anime series Elfen Lied. Based on the original manga series of the same name by Lynn Okamoto, the anime series was produced by Genco and VAP. It premiered on TV Tokyo's AT-X satellite channel on 25 July 2004 and concluded on 17 October 2004. Directed by Mamoru Kanbe, the series spanned 13 episodes and was followed by a single original video animation on 21 April 2005. The OVA episode, referred to as episode 10.5, depicts events occurring between episodes ten and eleven of the series. The series is based around the efforts of humanity to quarantine and eradicate the diclonius, a species of mutant humans with horns, and focuses on "Lucy", believed to be the first diclonius, who encounters two teenagers on the shores of Kamakura after attempting to escape her holding facility.

Elfen Lied is licensed for English language releases in North America by ADV Films and in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. ADV Films UK division aired the English dub of the series in the United Kingdom on Propeller TV as part of Anime Network's launch. ADV released the series across four Region 1 DVD volumes, with the first volume released 17 May 2005. A box set containing the entire series was subsequently released 28 November 2006 in both North America and in Europe to Region 2 DVD. , and in Australia by Madman Entertainment on 4 April 2007. ADV did not include the OVA episode in the box set, instead releasing it as a standalone volume in 2006.

Two pieces of theme music are used for the series. The opening theme "Lilium", arranged in the style of a Gregorian chant in Ecclesiastical Latin, uses lyrics taken from biblical passages in Psalms and the Epistle of James, as well as the Renaissance hymn Ave mundi spes Maria, in Ecclesiastical Latin. The Greek phrase "Kyrie, ignis divine, eleison" also appears in the text, from a passage in an alchemical mass written by Nicholas Melchior in the Theatrum Chemicum. It was composed by Yukio Kondo (近藤由紀夫) and lyrics were arranged by Kayo Konishi (小西香葉). It is performed by Kumiko Noma. Chieko Kawabe performs the series ending theme, "Be Your Girl". The song is a J-pop piece that is in stark contrast to the horror and drama of the series. Majority of the incidental music in the anime series contain a variation of Lilium, performed by the various instrumentals, including a Tenors Version, a Music Box Version and a Saint Version.

Episodes
The words "Elfen Lied" are in German, and all episodes have alternate titles in the language. The English translations of the episode names, however, are taken from the Japanese names for the episodes. The German titles do not translate exactly to those of the Japanese titles, except in some cases. The German episode names are included in the titles during the episodes, and "DAS ENDE" (lit. "The End") is shown in German at the end of the last episode. Translations of the original German titles are given.

OVA special
The OVA special of the series was created separately and released on 21 April 2005 in Japan and in 2006 by ADV Films. It is much more comical and light-hearted than the main series, with far less blood and violence, although it does contain the fanservice present in the rest of the series. However, the lengthy flashbacks to Lucy's past, while not as bloody as in some episodes of the normal series, still have a dark and somber tone. The OVA explains some of the history between Lucy and Kurama (specifically how he was able to capture her alive), and why she never kills him when she sees him, in a flashback while Lucy is unconscious, although the plot of the main series can be understood without viewing the OVA. It was not released with the ADV series box set in 2006, nor has it ever been dubbed into English.