The Alan Institute hasn’t been directly analysed yet, and as an original anime, we only know as much as the show tells us. However, it’s clear they will play a big part in the series, so what do we know about them so far?
What is the Alan Institute?
The Alan Institute is a shadow organisation in the world of Lycoris Recoil that supports people with specific abilities to help them reach their ultimate potential in exchange for their services. As a shadow organisation, not much is known about how the Alan Institute operates. The level of support they can give their members appears to be almost unlimited, both financially and in terms of technological capability. Chisato is a beneficiary of the Alan Institute’s support, albeit unknowingly. It appears she was noticed for her incredible reactions and trained as a child to be a killing machine by the Alan Institute, which also paid for her artificial heart. Lycoris Recoil’s main antagonist, Majima, also appears to have been supported by the Alan institute, although it’s not known in what capacity right now. It is not known who leads the Alan Institute, but Shinji Yoshimatsu, a regular at Cafe LycoReco and acquaintance of Mika, is a high-ranking member. Those connected to the Alan Institute recognise an owl as the group’s symbol.
Is the Alan Institute Good or Evil?
Based on what we’ve seen of the Alan Institute so far, it appears the organisation is a neutral or evil player in Lycoris Recoil. It appears that the Alan Institute is playing a role in many of the terrorist events taking place in the anime. They may have had an involvement in Walnut/Kurumi’s assassination attempt, while Majima, the villain, recognises the Institute’s symbol and what it means for Chisato. However, as not much is known about the Alan Institute, its motives are uncertain. Shinji from the Alan Institute, despite being known as such by Mika, is a welcome regular at Cafe LycoReco where he keeps an eye on Chisato.
Are Chisato and Majima Part of the Alan Institute?
It’s unclear at this moment whether Chisato, Majima or any other Lycoris Recoil characters beyond Shinji are part of the Alan Institute. It’s mentioned in the early episodes that nobody knows whether the Institute is a group or one person. The Institute could simply be one benefactor and his agents, at which point it’s unclear if anybody belongs to Alan Institute or if people are just trained there before being let out into the world. What we do know is that Chisato was trained and supported substantially by the Alan Institute, although she didn’t know that herself. Majima also appears to be connected to the Institute in some form. Chisato operates outside of the main system of lycoris. In fact, everyone at Cafe LycoReco appears to be at the blurred edge of the organisation in one way or another. Mika seems to have a very coloured past given his acquaintances, while Kurumi actively worked against the lycoris during the first episode’s events. With that in mind, then adding Mika’s relationship with Shinji and the latter’s friendliness to the Cafe, there’s a tiny possibility that LycoReco is straddling both the lycoris and Alan Institute camps. If so, there may be a point where they decide to go their own way, leaving Takina with a decision to make. The Alan Institute is watching Chisato, while she is searching for them, so a confrontation is surely coming in the future. When it arrives, maybe we will learn more about this organisation that’s pulling the strings.
