10 Anime Series You Only Watch Once

2. Elfen Lied

Elfen Lied is one of the most notorious anime out there, and for good reason.

The series follows a young woman with psychic abilities and a newfound split-personality who must escape from her past before it reclaims her, all the while protecting those she loves.

Within just the opening scene there's more carnage than most horror anime have in their entire run, including Higurashi. People get torn apart like they're made of paper, with blood, guts, and gore flying all over the place like confetti.

It's not just the sickening violence that makes the series so impactful though, as its themes are just as hard-hitting. The anime deals with themes such as child abuse, sexual assault, and mental illness in ways that'll make even the most emotionally healthy of viewers feel broken.

To give credit where it's due, the series does have a sense of optimism to it with the way it handles the idea of found family. There's something to be said about how, despite all their pain and suffering, the characters come to truly love one another. Their relationships are what make the series more than just a misery fest.

While worth the journey, Elfen Lied is hard to watch the first time, much less a second. Oh, and don't even get me started on the puppy bit.