Liquid Crystal Display Device

A liquid crystal display device, which comprises:

• a liquid crystal cell that comprises:
• a pair of substrates oppositely disposed with each other,
• wherein at least one of the pair of substrates has an electrode;
• and
• a liquid crystal layer, which is disposed between the pair of substrates, comprising a nematic liquid crystal material containing a liquid crystal molecule,
• wherein when the liquid crystal display device is not driven, the liquid crystal molecule of the nematic liquid crystal material is aligned in a direction approximately parallel to a surface of the substrate due to an orientation axis that a facing surface of each of the pair of substrates has, and
• when the liquid crystal display device is driven, the liquid crystal molecule is alignment-controlled by a longitudinal electric field generated by the electrode, and an angle between an average alignment direction in an upper interface of the liquid crystal layer and an average alignment direction in a lower interface of the liquid crystal layer is almost 0;
• a pair of polarizing plates disposed so as to sandwich the liquid crystal cell,
• wherein the polarizing plate comprises:
• a polarizing film;
• and a protective film provided on at least one side of the polarizing film;
• and
• at least one optically anisotropic layer provided between the liquid crystal cell and at least one of the pair of polarizing plates,
• wherein the optically anisotropic layer comprises a liquid crystalline compound that is alignment-controlled by an orientation axis of the optically anisotropic layer and fixed in an aligned state,
• wherein an absorption axis of the polarizing film and a left-rightward direction with respect to a screen of the liquid crystal display device are parallel or vertical to each other.