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Netflix boasts a library of thousands of critically and commercially acclaimed shows, but there are some that are sensational in the true sense of the word. Stranger Things is undoubtedly one such series, and anime enthusiasts would be elated to find out that it was influenced by anime. However, the glee would be short-lived as the anime that inspired Stranger Things is easily one of the most gory and disturbing anime out there titled ‘Elfen Lied’.
Eleven uses her powers in Stranger Things to crush a can | Credits: NetflixFirst released in 2004, Elfen Lied caught the attention of audiences with its shocking and explicit handling of mature themes. Elfen Lied wasn’t the only anime that inspired the show, but the anime’s influence is quite evident in the earlier parts of it, as Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer shared during an interview.
Elfen Lied is the disturbingly gory anime that inspired Stranger Things
The first season of Stranger Things was released in 2016, and it quickly garnered massive attention from fans. The show begins with a young girl with superpowers named Eleven, escaping from a laboratory. Similarly in Elfen Lied, Lucy escapes the experimentation facility and is found by Kouta and Yuka.
Lucy in Elfen Lied anime | Credits: Studio Arms and Studio GutsFans who were familiar with both shows found some common themes between them, which were later confirmed by showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, more famously known as the Duffer brothers.
During an interview with Daily Beast, Ross Duffer revealed that Akira was a huge inspiration behind the show. Matt Duffer added that he hadn’t watched Akira in a long time, but another anime that he recently watched influenced Stranger Things. It was Elfen Lied, which was in turn inspired by Akira. Matt Duffer said:
More recently I had seen an anime called Elfen Lied that is clearly inspired by Akira. And that was really influential. When I watched it I thought it felt like an ultraviolent E.T. There were a lot of things in there that I really liked and that made their way into the show, particularly related to the character of Eleven.
The beginnings of Eleven and Lucy’s respective character arcs undoubtedly share some similarities, from escaping and being hunted by evil scientists to their superpowers. However, the resemblance extends beyond the main characters.
Similarities between Elfen Lied and Stranger Things
Nana meets Kurama in a still from the anime | Credits: Studio Arms and Studio GutsMatt Duffer’s revelation about the inspiration behind Eleven instantly made fans think of Lucy. However, many fans also correctly pointed out that the progression of Eleven’s character arc is closer to Nana from Elfen Lied. They both have questionable ‘father figures’ with similar conclusions.
As we go through both the series, even more similarities start to surface. So, as Duffer said, there were many things from the anime that made their way into the show. Unlike Elfen Lied, Stranger Things is much more palatable, although it has its fair share of dark and emotionally scarring moments.
Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix, whereas Elfen Lied is available on Amazon Prime Video.
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