Warning: This contains spoilers for bothStranger ThingsandElfen Lied.
Ever since it first premiered onNetflixback in 2016,Stranger Thingshas held international popularity that just seems togrow with each season. Between relatable and lovable characters, fast-paced action, hilarious moments, scary monsters, and gripping writing, the show has won the hearts of so many kinds of people. But where did the ideas for all of those things come from?
The creators ofStranger Things, the Duffer Brothers, said in aninterview in 2017that one of their many inspirations for the character Eleven and the themes in the show is none other than cult horror classic animeElfen Lied! And when we compare some major plot points, Eleven’s characterization and progression, and the main themes of the show - well, that checks out. Keep reading to see howStranger Thingsparallels withElfen Liedin more ways than you realized!
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Lucy and Eleven
Lucy is the main character inElfen Lied, and Eleven inStranger Things. Both are young girls with extraordinary telekinetic powers and were held in a mysterious facility that experimented on them and used them for their powers during the formative years of their lives. Eventually, both of these girls used their powers towreak havoc and escape(though not without blood on their hands), and find themselves out in the real world alone and afraid.
The parallels between Lucy and Eleven don’t stop there, though. Both are eventually found and rescued by people that have no idea what they are getting themselves into. Kouta and Yuka inElfen Liedand Mike, Will, and the others inStranger Thingsthen have to go up against Special Forces teams that are determined to recapture these telekinetic girls. They all risk their lives to protect their new friend, whether they truly understand what she is and what she is capable of or not.
Main Themes
Stranger ThingsandElfen Liedtouch on many of the same themes. First, both deal with discrimination. One ofElfen Lied’s central themes is highlighting how humans separate themselves based on differences that they have from one another. Even the constant struggle between the humans and the Diclonius like Lucy touches on this idea. Due to the time periodStranger Thingsis set in, there is an underlying theme ofracism and discrimination, especially in regard to Max and Lucas' relationship and how it is perceived by some other characters.
Stranger Thingsalso often shows Eleven’s internal struggle trying to make peace with who she is and what she can do, and trying to live as a normal young woman. She knows that she has committed acts of violence with her powers, and is often pushed to do so again either by other people or by her circumstances. This makes her question whether or not she deserves to have things like her familial bond with Hopper, and her relationship with Mike.Elfen Liedputs Lucy through the same kind of trials, contrasting herneed for vengeanceand the things she does with human compassion.
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Finally, both stories are meant to make people question if others can be driven to do unspeakable acts by other humans, and what they might have been without that influence. Lucy and Eleven are both products of the adults that pushed them, used them, and made them what they are, robbing them of what they could have been (even though Lucy is a Diclonius and not a human). They were both driven by desperation, fear, and abuse to violence, and have to keep facing their past again and again and again.
What Genre is This?
It is hard to putStranger ThingsandElfen Liedinto just one genre, because they do not really fit that nicely into any one category. First and foremost, they are both horror stories; they have monsters, blood, psychological torture, and more. But they also both have love stories happening as sub-plots, and they both break up the dark and heavy themes with comedic moments and funny dialogue. Both also have their fair share of tragedy, too,bringing many viewers to tearsas they see the ways the characters suffer, and yes, even die.
While the Duffer Brothers have not gone into detail about how heavily they were influenced byElfen Lied, only saying that the anime’s themes and specifically Eleven did serve as an inspiration, it can be argued it must have influenced the show strongly! There are so many parallels between the cult classic anime and the modern favorite. The leading ladies have gone on similar journeys, and the stories are being told with similar ideas, spanning across multiple genres.
Stranger Thingsis more palatable andless controversial thanElfen Liedfor sure, but it was made in a different time. The next time you watch either of them, you may look for as many similarities as you can, and maybe you can even find some parallels that we missed between Lucy and Eleven’s journeys. PlusStranger Thingsstill has more to come, so there might be even more in the coming seasons!
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