Gather around boys and girls, it’s story time!

Tsugumi & Enma Ai Yui & Aya Morinas & Rimone Allison & Fiona

Allison & Lillia has to be one of the more refreshingly simple series I’ve watched in quite awhile. Unlike series that are overly complex for its own good and throw asinine twists at you (I’m looking at you Code Geass), Allison & Lillia has remained entertaining for me really because it actually feel like a flowing story and is presented in such a way that it is almost like a story being read. Allison & Lillia is based not only on one light novel series (Allison), but two of them (Lillia & Treize), so the story presentation should be no surprises, but I commend the anime’s writers and staff for making each episode feel like chapters out of a book instead of episodes in an anime. Furthermore, although each short story arc is independent of the others, each builds upon the previous adding to the storybook feel of the series. With each small arc we’ve learned more about the characters, delved into their relationships, and now look to see what the future has for them. And with the end to the Allison arc in episode 13, there is a lot to look forward to during the Lillia arc taking place approximately 15 years later.

Personally, I see Allison & Lillia as a series that can’t really be appreciated based on only a few episodes. In a way, Allison & Lillia is a bit like Darker Than Black in the sense that one can’t really “get” what is going on until further into the series when characters become more familiar and themes become more prominent. After only 1 or 2 episodes one would think the entire series was going to be about waring nations and searching for a treasure that will end all the conflict, but that turns out to be the single event that everything bounces off of, instead of the overarching plot. Sure, the short arcs can be anticlimactic and comes across as a bit shallow and rushed when looking at individual story arcs, but Allison & Lillia is holistic (at least through the first 13)–each arc gets build upon the previous. Getting know Benedict, helped introduce and develop Fiona, which all made the train and Allison’s father all the more interesting. And Lillia half of the series will most likely build on all that.

The Hero disguised as Harima.

With Allison & Lillia, I can just let the story unfold at its own pace. It’s a series that can easily be written off as slow and/or boring because it does not rely on complexity or flashiness. At the core of the series are 4 tried and true character types: Allision (swashbuckler/adventurer), Wil (orphaned hero), Benedict (reluctant hero, mentor), Fiona (long lost princess). Although they are cliche characters and you could build any basic RPG party out of them, their familiarity adds to the storybook feel. Life isn’t a box of chocolates in this case, and while that might be yawn-educing for others, I embrace it because most stories today need an obscure angle or twist to keeps things interesting. Allison & Lillia has its share of excitement and twists. There are plenty of ooh’s and ahh’s (i.e., Allison’s father, Wil’s future), but they aren’t the selling point. The story unfolds naturally from event to event as we see the characters grow and interact. I continue to watch to see how the characters will continue to interact with each other and to see how they will grow.. Allison & Lillia has been more about the characters and less about some overarching story. The characters are driving the plot, not the other way around.

From a production standpoint, there hasn’t really been an area that has stood out that much. The animation is clean and colorful, but still pretty average (same with the CG). The character designs simplistic, yet fitting. The soundtrack exciting at times and fits the scenes and story, but still a bit generic. And none of seiyuu cast has really stood out. However it was definitely a treat to hear Kumai Motoko voice again as Wil. I think the last time I really heard her voice a prominent was back with Chobits. She was pretty much the same as she was voicing Sayaoran (Card Captor Sakura) and Kaoru (Flame of Recca), but it was great to hear that voice again.

Wil -> Travas: Dyed hair, spectacles, and some well-needed GAR

Louise Franc… umm… Lilianne Acacia Corazon Whittington Schultz

Unlike many of the other series I’m following, Allison & Lillia has managed to hold my interest consistently since the beginning.If there was only one thing I could take away from the first 13 episodes, it was that the series was steady. Now with a handful of new characters entering the story and the previous ones roughly 15 years maturer, I’m not sure what to expect with Lillia’s arc. I would anticipate a bit more surprises during the second half with Wil’s indentity being hidden from Lillia and more characters to work with. It would be safe to assume that the story presentation and progression will remain the same because the Lillia & Treize novels also contained 3 main story arcs like the Allison novels. Regardless of how the remainder of the series plays out, hopefully it will remain just as entertaining.