One reason many people cite about why they dislike Hitomi is her indecision with her love life. First she likes Amano, then Allen, and then Van. Why can’t she make up her mind? I think it’s fairly predictable that Hitomi acts the way she does around Allen and Van.

When Hitomi first meets Allen, she’s alone, lost, and scared out of her wits because she thinks she is about to get raped. Lo and behold, the proverbial knight in shining armor comes to rescue her, chasing off her attacker and treating her kindly. He also looks remarkably like Amano. In fact, Hitomi’s stress-ridden mind at that point believes he is Amano, come to rescue her from Gaea. Can you say huge emotional impact? It also doesn’t help that he gives Hitomi her first kiss, something that was very important to her and which she expected to experience with Amano. It’s impossible for her (and nearly every female member of the Escaflowne cast) not to become infatuated.

Allen and Hitomi’s relationship is mostly based on projections and expectations. Allen constantly notes that Hitomi reminds him of his long lost sister Selena and this is probably a big factor into why he shows interest in her. The way he sees it, if he can protect and love this girl, maybe he will make up his failure to his sister. He sees Hitomi and Selena as the same person subconsciously. With Hitomi, she has this dazzling image of the knight when she first meets him and this image stays with her, as Allen shows remarkable courage and chivalry towards her. Yet for both Allen and Hitomi, the attraction wanes. When Hitomi learns that Allen fathered a child, she becomes disenchanted a bit, and becomes even more so as Allen insists on putting her on a pedestal. After Hitomi leaves Gaea the first time, Allen realizes that even though he is a bit sad, he is not completely devastated at her disappearance.

Hitomi’s first meeting with Van is in complete opposite with Allen’s. Van is rude to her (after she saves his life!) and he doesn’t seem too keen on her arrival with him on Gaea. On the ride to Fanelia, his body language just screams ‘arrogant’ and he doesn’t seem particularly concerned about her. He’s also prone to acting irrationally. All of these impressions don’t exactly endear him to Hitomi right away. In fact, they put Allen in a more favorable light when compared to the boy king, thus deepening Hitomi’s infatuation with the knight.

As the series progresses though, Hitomi notices that underneath his hard exterior, Van has a kind soul. He makes her medicine for her fever, saves her from being kidnapped and risks his own life to save others. Yet still, there is her infatuation with Allen, a hard crush that she equates to true love. She believes the tender affection she feels for Van is the affection one would give a true friend, not a lover. Allen shows affection for Hitomi and she believes that this is what love is, having never experienced true love before. She becomes confused, unsure what it is she feels for either man. This confusion doesn’t dissipate until Hitomi, Van and Allen are all in a dire situation and the one she reaches out for, worries for, screams for-is Van.