Assault Lily

Assault Lily (Japanese: アサルトリリィ, Hepburn: Asaruto Rirī) is a Japanese mixed-media franchise created by Azone International and Acus. It mainly consists of two lines of toy figurines titled Assault Lily and Custom Lily.^[3] The series takes a theme of combining "girls" and "weapons" and revolves around teenaged girls called "Lily" who have to fight against monsters called "Huge" using their weapon called "Charm".^[4] Two novels have been published; the first, titled Assault Lily ~Hitotsuyanagi-tai, Shutsugeki Shimasu!~ (アサルトリリィ～一柳隊、出撃します！～), was released in June 2015, and the second, titled Assault Lily Arms (アサルトリリィ アームズ), was released in July 2017. Three stage plays based on the series have also been performed.

Assault Lily
Key visual for the anime series
アサルトリリィ (Asaruto Rirī)
Genre	Action, magical girl[1]
Created by	Kenei Obanazawa (acus)
Light novel
Assault Lily ~Hitotsuyanagi-tai, Shutsugeki Shimasu!~
Written by	Kasama Hiroyuki
Illustrated by	Yaegashi Nan, Mieko Hosoi
Published by	Micro Magazine
Imprint	GC Novels
Demographic	Male
Published	June 20, 2015
Volumes	1
Light novel
Assault Lily Arms
Written by	Kasama Hiroyuki
Illustrated by	Yaegashi Nan
Published by	Azone International
Demographic	Male
Published	July 2017
Volumes	1
Manga
Assault Lily League of Gardens -full bloom-
Written by	Kousuke Tsukinami
Published by	Bushiroad
Magazine	Monthly Bushiroad
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	July 8, 2020 – February 8, 2023
Volumes	5
Anime television series
Assault Lily Bouquet
Directed by	Shouji Saeki Keita Nagahara[a] Hajime Ootani[b]
Produced by	Tarou Okada (Bushiroad) Miku Ooshima (Shaft) Masahide Kobayashi (Pokelabo) Shuuhei Nakagawa
Written by	Shouji Saeki Shaft[c][d]
Music by	Akito Matsuda
Studio	Shaft
Licensed by	Crunchyroll
Original network	TBS, BS-TBS
English network	SEA: Animax Asia
Original run	October 2, 2020 – December 25, 2020
Episodes	12
Original net animation
Assault Lily Fruits
Directed by	Shouji Saeki
Produced by	Miku Ooshima (Shaft) Masahide Kobayashi (Pokelabo) Shuuhei Nakagawa Akihiko Yuzawa
Written by	Miku Ooshima
Music by	Akito Matsuda
Studio	Shaft
Released	July 20, 2021 – January 4, 2022
Episodes	13
Manga
Assault Lily Last Bullet: Secret Garden Sweet Memoria
Written by	Minori Chigusa
Magazine	Manga Ōkoku
Original run	June 30, 2022 – present

An anime television series adaptation by Shaft, titled Assault Lily Bouquet (アサルトリリィ BOUQUET, Asaruto Rirī Būke), aired from October to December 2020. A spin-off mini anime, titled Assault Lily Fruits, aired from July 2021 to January 2022.

Plot

In a near future, humanity is threatened by the existence of monsters they call "Huge" (ヒュージ). To anticipate this, the whole world unites against Huge and succeeds in developing a decisive weapon called "Charm" (チャーム) that brings together the power of science and magic. Since Charm shows high synchronization to teenage girls, these girls are called "Lily" (リリィ) and are regarded as heroes. To train them, the Lily training institution called "Garden" (ガーデン) was established all over the world to counter Huge, and became a "sanctuary" to protect and guide people.

Characters

Yurigaoka Girls Academy

Team Hitotsuyanagi

Riri Hitotsuyanagi (一柳 梨璃, Hitotsuyanagi Riri)

Voiced by: Hikaru Akao^[5] (Japanese); Sarah Wiedenheft^[6] (English)

A normal girl who aimed to become a Lily after Yuyu saved her from a Huge attack two years ago and came to Yurigaoka Academy to find her.

Yuyu Shirai (白井 夢結, Shirai Yuyu)

Voiced by: Yūko Natsuyoshi^[5] (Japanese); Lindsay Seidel^[6] (English)

A well respected sophomore at Yurigaoka Academy. She always fights alone. She is greatly affected by the death of her partner Misuzu, who died prior to the events of the anime.

Kaede Johan Nouvel (楓・J・ヌーベル, Kaede Joan Nūberu)

Voiced by: Mikako Izawa^[5] (Japanese); Dawn M. Bennett^[6] (English)

A first year student and a daughter of the chairman of the top Charm manufacturer company Grand Guinol. She is hailed from a mixed Franco-Japanese family.

Fumi Futagawa (二川 二水, Futagawa Fumi)

Voiced by: Rimi Nishimoto^[5] (Japanese); Suzie Yeung^[7] (English)

A brilliant student and an otaku, she is obsessed with anything related to Lily.

Tazusa Andō (安藤 鶴紗, Andō Tazusa)

Voiced by: Risa Tsumugi^[5] (Japanese); Kristen McGuire^[8] (English)

A girl who has a very dark past due to being betrayed and abused despite her attempt to demonstrate kindness, and she distrusts many people, including her Lily teammates.

Mai Thi Yoshimura (吉村・Thi・梅, Yoshimura Ti Mai)

Voiced by: Haruki Iwata^[5] (Japanese); Dani Chambers^[9] (English)

A girl who comes from Vietnam. She dislikes strict training, but has an upbeat personality and doesn't get angry even when she is ridiculed.

Shenlin Kuo (郭 神琳, Kuo Shenrin)

Voiced by: Sana Hoshimori^[5] (Japanese); Michelle Rojas^[10] (English)

A girl who comes from Taipei. She is a kind girl but always stands up for what she believes is right.

Yujia Wang (王 雨嘉, Wan Yūjia)

Voiced by: Hikaru Tono^[5] (Japanese); Megan Shipman^[11] (English)

A girl of Chinese descent who was born in Iceland,^[12] and attended a Swedish middle school before transferring to Yurigaoka. She is a friend of Shenlin Kuo. She is quiet and self-confident, but she isn't great at showing emotion.

Miriam Hildegard von Gropius (ミリアム・ヒルデガルド・v・グロピウス, Miriamu Hirudegarudo fon Guropiusu)

Voiced by: Karin Takahashi^[5] (Japanese); Emily Fajardo^[13] (English)

A friendly girl who is from Germany. She is seen as cute and genius, but is also a game addict, troublemaker and always curious about something news. She easily gets shunned by serious people.

Yuri Hitotsuyanagi (一柳 結梨, Hitotsuyanagi Yuri)

Voiced by: Miku Itō^[14] (Japanese); Amber Lee Connors^[15] (English)

A mysterious girl discovered by Team Hitotsuyanagi under investigation on the beach. Yuyu and Riri take care of her, but she later dies after fighting a Huge.

Alfheim

Soraha Amano (天野 天葉, Amano Soraha)

Voiced by: Minami Tsuda^[16] (Japanese); Marissa Lenti^[17] (English)

An excellent Lily with a cheerful personality and a combat power based on high physical ability. It was Kusumi Egawa who persuaded her to not give up being a Lily after her Legion was disbanded.

Kusumi Egawa (江川 樟美, Egawa Kusumi)

Voiced by: Sayaka Harada^[18] (Japanese); Meg McClain^[19] (English)

A calm, quiet yet excellent and powerful Lily, which earns her a nickname "Child of God". But she loses trust of everyone due to an unknown incident in the past.

Ena Banshōya (番匠谷 依奈, Banshōya Ena)

Voiced by: Rika Tachibana^[20] (Japanese); Brittany Lauda^[21] (English)

Ichi Tanaka (田中 壱, Tanaka Ichi)

Voiced by: Aya Suzaki^[22] (Japanese); Emi Lo^[23] (English)

Araya Endō (遠藤 亜羅椰, Endō Araya)

Voiced by: Akira Sekine^[24]

Shizu Itō (伊東 閑, Itō Shizu)

Voiced by: Ayaka Nanase^[25]

Reginleif

Shiori Rokkaku (六角 汐里, Rokkaku Shiori)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi^[26] (Japanese); Katelyn Barr^[27] (English)

A careless and gentle girl but with a strong determination. She is the last surviving member of her clan and loses the feeling of left arm due to past injuries.

Ludwig Private Academy

Odaiba Girls' School

Sagami Girls' High School

Other characters

Moyu Mashima (真島 百由, Mashima Moyu)

Voiced by: Inori Minase^[28] (Japanese); Madeleine Morris^[29] (English)

Shinobu Izue (出江 史房, Izue Shinobu)

Voiced by: Juri Nagatsuma^[30] (Japanese); Alex Moore^[31] (English)

Misuzu Kawazoe (川添 美鈴, Kawazoe Misuzu)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi^[32] (Japanese); Meli Grant^[33] (English)

Matsuri Hata (秦 祀, Hata Matsuri)

Voiced by: Tomomi Tanaka^{Ep. 3 credits} (Japanese); Mallorie Rodak^[34] (English)

Kogetsu Takamatsu (高松 咬月, Takamatsu Kogetsu)

Voiced by: Jouji Nakata^{Ep. 4 credits}

Mayuri Uchida (内田 眞悠理, Uchida Mayuri)

Voiced by: Megu Sakuragawa^{Ep. 8 credits} (Japanese); Kristi Rothrock^[35] (English)

Production and release

An anime television series adaptation titled Assault Lily Bouquet was announced on October 13, 2019. The series was produced by Shaft, directed by Shouji Saeki, and chief directed by Hajime Ootani, with Mieko Hosoi designing the characters.^[5][36] Akito Matsuda composed the music, and both Saeki and Shaft, under the pseudonym Fuyashi Tō, are credited for series composition, with Saeki himself writing the scripts for all of the episodes. Kazuya Shiotsuki (Shaft), Sayuri Sakimoto, and Kentarou Tokiwa were the chief animation directors; and following episode 8, Akihisa Takano (Shaft) joined as a fourth chief animation director.

Raise A Suilen performed the opening theme "Sacred world".^[37] Hitotsuyanagi-tai, a unit consisting of the main characters, performed the first ending theme "Edel Lilie" from Episodes 1–4, 6–7, and 10–12,^[37] while Hikaru Akao and Yūko Natsuyoshi performed the second ending theme "Heart + Heart" for Episode 5 as their characters Riri Hitotsuyanagi and Yuyu Shirai, respectively,^[38] Hitotsuyanagi-tai performed the third ending theme "GROWING*" for Episode 8,^[39] and Miku Itō performed the fourth ending theme "Mabataki" (まばたき, "Blink") for Episode 9 as her character Yuri Hitotsuyanagi.^[40]

The series was originally scheduled for a July 2020 debut,^[41] but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it aired from October 2 to December 25, 2020 on TBS and BS-TBS.^[42][43][e] Funimation licensed the series and streamed it on its website in North America and the British Isles.^[45] On October 29, 2020, Funimation announced that the series would receive an English dub, which premiered the following day.^[6]

On January 12, 2021, it was announced that the series would be getting a spin-off mini-anime, titled Assault Lily Fruits (アサルトリリィ ふるーつ), which was released from July 20, 2021 to January 4, 2022.^[46][47] Shouji Saeki returned to direct the series with Akito Matsuda's music; Yumi Shimizu designed the series' chibi characters; and Shaft producer Miku Ooshima wrote the screenplay. Hikaru Akao, Yūko Natsuyoshi, Ayaka Fujii, and Kaori Maeda performed the series' theme "Can't Stop Fruity" as their respective characters.^[48]

Episodes

Assault Lily Bouquet

No.	Title [49][f]	Directed by	Storyboarded by	Original release date [50][e]	Ref.
1	"Water Lily: Purely of Heart" Transliteration: "Suiren" (Japanese: スイレン)	Keita Nagahara	Shouji Saeki Keita Nagahara	October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)[51]	[52]
2	"Lily of the Valley: Return of Happiness" Transliteration: "Suzuran" (Japanese: スズラン)	Hajime Ootani	Hajime Ootani	October 9, 2020 (2020-10-09)[53]	[54]
3	"Forget-Me-Not: True Love, Memories" Transliteration: "Wasurenagusa" (Japanese: ワスレナグサ)	Yuuji Tokuno	Yuuji Tokuno Shouji Saeki	October 16, 2020 (2020-10-16)[55]	[56]
4	"Fragrant Olive: A Person of Eminence" Transliteration: "Kinmokusei" (Japanese: キンモクセイ)	Takashi Asami	Kousuke Murayama Hajime Ootani	October 23, 2020 (2020-10-23)[57]	[58]
5	"Jade Vine: Forget Me Not" Transliteration: "Hisuikazura" (Japanese: ヒスイカズラ)	Keita Nagahara	Keita Nagahara	October 30, 2020 (2020-10-30)[59]	[60]
6	"Violet: Daydreaming, You Occupy My Thoughts" Transliteration: "Sumire" (Japanese: スミレ)	Hajime Ootani	Hajime Ootani	November 6, 2020 (2020-11-06)[61]	[62]
7	"Freesia: Innocence" Transliteration: "Furījia" (Japanese: フリージア)	Shuuji Miyazaki	Takeshi Ninomiya Shouji Saeki	November 20, 2020 (2020-11-20)[63]	[64]
8	"Camellia: You're Flame in My Heart" Transliteration: "Tsubaki" (Japanese: ツバキ)	Yukihiro Miyamoto	Kousuke Murayama	November 27, 2020 (2020-11-27)[65]	[66]
9	"Cosmos: The Joys that Love Life can Bring" Transliteration: "Kosumosu" (Japanese: コスモス)	Kenjirou Okada[g]	Shuuji Miyazaki Kenjirou Okada	December 4, 2020 (2020-12-04)[67]	[68]
10	"Anemone: Believe in You and Wait" Transliteration: "Anemone" (Japanese: アネモネ)	Yuuji Tokuno	Yuuji Tokuno	December 11, 2020 (2020-12-11)[69]	[70]
11	"Lily: Purity" Transliteration: "Yuri" (Japanese: ユリ)	Hajime Ootani[h]	Hajime Ootani	December 18, 2020 (2020-12-18)[71]	[72]
12	"Bouquet: Flower Language" Transliteration: "Būke" (Japanese: ブーケ)	Keita Nagahara Shouji Saeki[i]	Shouji Saeki	December 25, 2020 (2020-12-25)[73]	[74]

Assault Lily Fruits

No.	Title [75]	Directed by [j]	Storyboarded by [j]	Original release date [76]
1	"Strawberry" Transliteration: "Ichigo" (Japanese: いちご)	Kouji Matsumura	Shouji Saeki	July 20, 2021 (2021-07-20)
2	"Orange" Transliteration: "Orenji" (Japanese: おれんじ)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	August 3, 2021 (2021-08-03)
3	"Cherry" Transliteration: "Sakuranbo" (Japanese: さくらんぼ)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	August 17, 2021 (2021-08-17)
4	"Melon" Transliteration: "Meron" (Japanese: めろん)	Yukihiro Miyamoto	Yukihiro Miyamoto	August 31, 2021 (2021-08-31)
5	"Mango" Transliteration: "Mangō" (Japanese: まんごー)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	September 14, 2021 (2021-09-14)
6	"Grape" Transliteration: "Budō" (Japanese: ぶどう)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	September 28, 2021 (2021-09-28)
7	"Peach" Transliteration: "Momo" (Japanese: もも)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	October 12, 2021 (2021-10-12)
8	"Pineapple" Transliteration: "Painappuru" (Japanese: ぱいなっぷる)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	October 26, 2021 (2021-10-26)
9	"Apricot" Transliteration: "Anzu" (Japanese: あんず)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	November 9, 2021 (2021-11-09)
10	"Yuzu" (Japanese: ゆず)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	November 23, 2021 (2021-11-23)
11	"Kiwi" Transliteration: "Kiui" (Japanese: きうい)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	December 7, 2021 (2021-12-07)
12	"Watermelon" Transliteration: "Suika" (Japanese: すいか)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	December 21, 2021 (2021-12-21)
13	"Mikan" (Japanese: みかん)	Kouji Matsumura	Kouji Matsumura	January 4, 2022 (2022-01-04)

Other media

Light novels

A light novel adaptation, titled Assault Lily ~Hitotsuyanagi-tai, Shutsugeki Shimasu!~ (アサルトリリィ～一柳隊、出撃します！～), was published by Micro Magazine under their imprint GC Novels. It written by Kasama Hiroyuki and illustrated by Yaegashi Nan and Mieko Hosoi.^[77]

A second light novel, titled Assault Lily Arms (アサルトリリィ アームズ), was published by Azone International in July 2017.^[77]

Volumes

Assault Lily ~Hitotsuyanagi-tai, Shutsugeki Shimasu!~

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	June 20, 2015[78]	978-4-89-637513-8

Assault Lily Arms

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	July 2017[79]	—

Manga

A manga adaptation by Kousuke Tsukinami, titled Assault Lily League of Gardens -full bloom- (アサルトリリィ League of Gardens -full bloom-), was serialized in Bushiroad's Monthly Bushiroad magazine from July 8, 2020,^[80] to February 8, 2023.^[81]

A spin-off manga illustrated by Minori Chigusa, titled Assault Lily Last Bullet: Secret Garden Sweet Memoria (アサルトリリィ Last Bullet しーくれっとがーでん ~Sweet Memoria~), began serialization on the Manga Ōkoku website on June 30, 2022.^[82]

Volumes

Assault Lily League of Gardens -full bloom-

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN
1	January 8, 2021[83]	978-4-04-899474-3
2	July 27, 2021[84]	978-4-04-899487-3
3	January 20, 2022[85]	978-4-04-899506-1
4	April 20, 2023[86]	978-4-04-899561-0
5	April 20, 2023[87]	978-4-04-899561-0

Stage plays

A stage play, titled Assault Lily: League of Gardens, ran at the Shinjuku Face venue in Tokyo from January 9 to January 15, 2020.^[5] A second stage play, titled Assault Lily: The Fateful Gift, ran at the Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall from September 3 to September 13, 2020.^[88] A third stage play, titled Assault Lily: Lost Memories, ran at the Sunshine Theatre in Tokyo from January 20 to January 30, 2022.^[89]

Mobile game

Assault Lily: Last Bullet, a role-playing video game developed by Pokelabo and published by Bushiroad, was released on January 20, 2021 for Android and iOS.^[90]

Reception

In a review on Erica Friedman's Okazu, Kristin called its "yuri undertones" a trap for yuri fans, saying she "highly [doubts] it will be worth it unless you're really into the skin and bouncing boobs of teenage girls."^[91] James Beckett of Anime News Network called Kaede's confession of love to Riri a good sign for those fans tired of having lesbian characters "doomed to the Wasteland of Subtext."^[92]

Notes

1. Assistant Director (副監督). See the Shaft directors credit legend.
2. Chief Episode Director (チーフ演出).
3. Credited as Fuyashi Tō, the collective pseudonym for Shaft's staff.^[2]
4. Funimation and Amazon's credits incorrectly romanize the name as "Azuma Fuyako."
5. TBS listed the series premiere at 25:28 on October 1, 2020, which is effectively October 2 at 1:28 a.m. JST.^[44]
6. English translated titles are taken from Funimation.
7. Assisted by Hoshihira Fujita.
8. Assisted by Naoaki Shibuta.
9. Credited in the home releases version.
10. Information is taken from the ending credits of each episode.