The World of Narue

The World of Narue
成恵の世界 (Narue no Sekai)
Genre	Romantic comedy, Science fiction
Manga
Written by	Tomohiro Marukawa
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	Central Park Media
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Shōnen Ace
Original run	1999 – ongoing
Volumes	12
TV anime
Directed by	Hiromitsu Morita
Studio	Studio Live
Licensed by	Central Park Media (former) ADV Films [1] (current)
Network	Mainichi
English network	AznTelevision ImaginAsian
Original run	April 4, 2003 – June 28, 2003
Episodes	12
Anime and Manga Portal

The World of Narue (成恵の世界, Narue no Sekai^?) is an anime and manga series about Izuka Kazuto and his half-alien girlfriend Narue Nanase. The title is named after A.E. van Vogt's The World of Null-A (Japanese title: 非Aの世界 Naru ē no Sekai).

The manga, spanning 12 volumes as of August 2011, is authored by Tomohiro Marukawa and published by Kadokawa Shoten since 2000. The manga is licensed in North America by CPM.

The anime series ran on Mainichi between April 4, 2003 and June 28, 2003 and is 12 episodes long. U.S. Manga Corps licensed and released it in a four-disc DVD collection in 2004. Following the 2009 bankruptcy and liquidation of Central Park Media, A.D.V. Films picked up the anime series for release on July 21, 2009.^[1]

Plot summary

Kazuto Izuka is your average 14 year old boy. That is until he has a run-in with another student at his school, Narue Nanase, when she saves him from an attacking alien creature. During the ordeal, Kazuto discovers that Narue is actually half alien herself and that her father is part of a galactic exploration team. With the encouragement of his friend, Masaki Maruo, Izuka asks Narue out to a date. Narue is reluctant at first, but after Kazuto assures her that he is not bothered by her alien heritage, Kazuto and Narue start their relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. However, like any couple, they have to deal with their fair share of problems; such as Narue's alien sister, Kanaka and Hajime Yagi, Narue's classmate and ufologist who doesn't believe Narue is really an alien and thinks that Narue is lying to get attention.

Characters

Kazuto Izuka (飯塚 和人, Izuka Kazuto^?)

Kazuto is the male protagonist, an average middle schooler who falls in love with an alien girl. He has a kind personality and is also an otaku who likes the magical girl anime series, Yongo-chan. He can't swim but ends up going to the pool, the beach, and the ocean with Narue.

Narue Nanase (七瀬 成恵, Nanase Narue^?)

Narue is the female protagonist, who is half-alien and half-earthling. She is given the offer to go into space many times but thinks of Earth as her home and does not want to leave. She has an innocent personality and is delighted when Kazuto accepts her as part-alien. She calls Kazuto Kazu.

Masaki Maruo (丸尾 正樹, Maruo Masaki^?)

Maruo is a friend of Kazuto's and tries to give hints to Narue. He is also a childhood friend of Yagi.

Hajime Yagi (八木 はじめ, Yagi Hajime^?)

Yagi is a classmate of Kazuto's and a sci-fi enthusiast. She doesn't want to believe Narue is an alien, so she acts hostilely towards her early on. When she befriends Kanaka, who had trouble adjusting to school, Yagi is shown to be somewhat of a loner. Yagi and Narue eventually get over their misunderstandings, partly due to Kanaka, and are able to become friends.

Kanaka Nanase (七瀬 香奈花, Nanase Kanaka^?)

Kanaka is the older half-sister of Narue and a full-blooded alien. She actually appears younger than Narue when she shows up due to complications in the method of space travel (time-dilation). Kanaka is surprised and confused at what has happened while she was away and acts rashly at first, causing trouble. She soon adjusts to her family on Earth, though Kanaka still has a bratty, mischievous personality.

Bathyscaphe (バチスカーフ, 罰襟巻^?, Bachisukāfu)

Bathyscaphe is Kanaka's caretaker. Although she appears to be human, her true form is a retired Escort Destroyer class starship.

Haruna (ハルナ^?)

Haruna is a Fast Escort Destroyer class starship that has gone AWOL and is hiding out in human shape as a waitress at a beach restaurant. She was frightened to meet Bathyscaphe, but Bathyscaphe assured her that as a retired ship she is not obligated and will not report Haruna to the alien authorities. Later Haruna marries the proprietor of the beach restaurant.

Tadashi Nanase (七瀬 正, Nanase Tadashi^?)

Narue's father, an alien. He was sent to Earth to study its culture and people, and fell in love with a human woman, Narue's mother.

Tail Messa (テイルメッサー, Teiru Messā^?)

Head Inspector. He tries many times to persuade Narue to leave Earth and go to space, but seems to have a soft spot for Narue's family and friends. Tail Messa helped Narue's father emigrate from Planet Nippon when it became obvious convincing him otherwise was impossible, and as Head Inspector he helped arrange for the Turugistani refugee ship Ninurta to settle on Planet Nippon, thus solving a sticky diplomatic - and romantic - situation that threatened to break up Narue and Kazuto.

Rin Asakura (朝倉 鈴, Asakura Rin^?)

Official title: Intelligence Mecha for the Office of the Head Inspector. Android-form space fighter used by Tail Messa to help defend Earth. When she first appeared, she tried to seduce Kazuto away from Narue (under orders from Tail Messa), but finds out that their bond is very strong and unbreakable. After that she warms up to them and they become good friends. Rin appears to draw mainly Earth-based duties.

Ran Tendo (天堂 蘭, Tendō Ran^?)

Official title: Tactical Mecha for the Office of the Head Inspector. Android space fighter used by Tail Mesa to help defend Earth. More pragmatic than Rin. Ran and Rei operate from the escort carrier Binten to defend Earth from, e.g., terrorists and berserker androids. Ran can fly by transforming her ponytails into twin propulsion units.

Rei Otonashi (音無 麗, Otonashi Rei^?)

Official title: Strategic Mecha for the Office of the Head Inspector. Android space fighter used by Tail Mesa to help defend Earth. Rei is more composed than either Rin or Ran but when surprised she can fire missiles in an instant. Rei can transform her long hair and cap into a delta wing and radome for airborne surveillance duty.

Akira Nitta (新田 昭, Nitta Akira^?)

One of Narue's male classmates, very short, and very withdrawn. Nitta idolizes Narue because she's one of the few people at school who treats him kindly. His adventures include finding and wearing Narue's teleportation headband - with humerous results - and exorcising a ghost with the help of Yagi and Kudo. Nitta is constantly on library duty because he hasn't the guts to demand his classmates take their turns.

(Manga only)

Kyoko Kudo (工藤 杏子, Kudō Kyōko^?)

One of Narue's female classmates and a snobby bully... with a helpful side. On at least one occasion she warmed to Nitta considerably; perhaps he tickled her mothering instinct.

Yuki Kashiwazaki (柏崎 ゆき, Kashiwazaki Yuki^?)

Aya Kanazawa (金沢 あや, Kanazawa Aya^?)

Manaka Daito / Magicannon Girl Yongo-chan (大当 真名花 / 魔砲少女四号ちゃん, Daitō Manaka / Mahō Shōjō Yongōchan^?)

Heroine of the eponymous, fictional television anime show with the world of Narue. By the power of the Magical Cannon of #4, Manaka transforms from a serious young archery club member to Magicannon Girl Yongo-chan, Magical Girl of Love and Peace. Yongo-chan's name and costume design both derive from the Panzer IV tank, known as Yongo Sensha (IV号戦車) in Japanese.

Cast

Character	Japanese	English
Kazuto Izuka	Daisuke Sakaguchi	Jamie McGonnigal
Narue Nanase	Mamiko Noto	Veronica Taylor
Masaki Maruo	Jun Fukuyama	Jimmy Zoppi
Mirai Yashima	Saeko Chiba	Michele Knotz
Kanaka Nanase	Junko Minagawa	Rachael Lillis
Bathyscaphe	Mami Kosuge	Carol Jacobanis
Haruna	Yumi Touma	Debora Rabbai
Tadashi Nanase	Junichi Sugawara	Dan Green
Tail Messa	Tomomichi Nishimura	Tristan Goddard
Rin Asakura	Oma Ichimura	Jessica Calvello
Ran Tendo	Tomoko Kawakami	Vibe Jones
Rei Otonashi	Natsuko Kuwatani	Catherine Kim
Kyoko Kudo	Kanako Tateno	Lisa Ortiz
Yuki Kashiwazaki	Yuko Goto	Mandy Bonhomme
Aya Kanazawa	Nami Kurokawa	Catherine Kim
Manaka Daito / Magicannon Girl Yongo-chan	Sakura Nogawa	Lisa Ortiz

List of episodes

1. 1: My Girlfriend Is An Alien

Summary:Kazuto Izuka sees a dog on the street. He is about to pick it up when it suddenly turns into a monster. Narue saves him with her bat and runs off. The next day, with Maruo's help, he asks Narue to have tea with him. When she tells him that she is an alien, Kazuto says he doesn't mind and with her magical headband she shows him space.

1. 2:The First Date

Summary:

1. 3:A Secret Base For Two

Summary:

1. 4: My Younger Older Sister

Summary:Narue learns that her older sister, Kanaka, exists and is coming to visit with her nanny, Bathyscaphe. Kanaka gets mad because everything has changed about her dad though and starts to run off. She bumps into Narue and while fighting her accidentally shocks her with a sort of laser gun. This causes Narue to get a high fever and Kazuto stays with Narue until she wakes up the next day. Kanaka becomes everyone's friend in the end.

1. 5: Kanaka Goes To School

Summary: Kanaka attends School, and meets the entire student body, and is having a hard time adjusting. She makes friends with Yagi, who she doesn't know is trying to discover her sister Narue's secret of being an alien.

1. 6:The Impact of Love

Summary:

1. 7:The Pool—Clear Danger!

Summary: A day at the Public pool turns into an adventure across time, or so it seems. Kanaka uses a device to find an uncrowded place to swim, and the misadventure begins.

1. 8:A Message From Earth

Summary: The back story about Narue's parents meeting is told.

1. 9:A Starship In Love

Summary: While at the beach, the cast encounters an exiled alien starship disguised as a human woman named Haruna. She is working at a beach front cafe, and afraid that Bathyscaphe who knows who she is, will turn her in. A tsunami occurs and her disguise is revealed, and she plans on leaving earth, even if she will have to return to Military service.

1. 10:The Great Cosplay Plan

Summary:Kazuto and Narue are on their first solo date in a while. Kazuto goes into a cosplay cafe and sees the voice actor Magical Girl Number 4 there. Kazuto is invited to become a judge for the upcoming cosplay contest and Narue becomes jealous. Narue enters the contest and with Yagi makes her own costume to impress Kazuto, and show up the Voice actress who is trying to attract Kazuto. Meanwhile Kazuto can't get Narue to talk to him and gets really sad. When he, as a judge, sees Narue in the contest, he faints. When he wakes up he is in a bed and Narue is taking care of his fever. Even though she wins, Kazuto tells her that he likes her just the way she is.

1. 11:A Private Little Wedding

Summary: The conclusion of the story begun in Episode 9. The ensemble plot to arrange a 'marriage' between an exiled alien Mecha and her Hot springs resort "boss" who loves her, although he knows she is an alien spacecraft in disguise.

1. 12:The Night Of The Festival

Summary: The Climax of the series, with a running battle between the cast and a group of "space ninjas".

Manga volumes

• Volume 01 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713346-9; English edition: ISBN 1-58664-961-2)
• Volume 02 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713365-5; English edition: ISBN 1-58664-962-0)
• Volume 03 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713416-3; English edition: ISBN 1-58664-963-9)
• Volume 04 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713477-5; English edition: ISBN 1-58664-964-7)
• Volume 05 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713516-X; English edition: ISBN 1-57800-725-9)
• Volume 06 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713601-8)
• Volume 07 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713679-4)
• Volume 08 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713736-7)
• Volume 09 (Japanese edition: ISBN 4-04-713882-7)
• Volume 10 (Japanese edition: ISBN 978-4-04-715039-3)
• Volume 11 (Japanese edition: ISBN 978-4-04-715455-1)
• Volume 12 (Japanese edition: ISBN 978-4-04-715762-0)

Note: Only the first 3 volumes were released in US bookstores and are currently out of print. The 4th and 5th volume only saw limited releases through online orders. As of March 2, 2007, the CPM official website's 2006 catalog (http://www.centralparkmedia.com/cpmdb/06PRESS.pdf) refers to volume 5 as "the grand finale [of the series]". Since it is clear that volume 5 is not the end of the manga in Japan (volume 12 being the most current) and because there has been no official announcement from CPM regarding the future localizations of the manga since then, future releases look unpromising.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The World of Narue to be released by ADV on DVD on July 21.

External links

• The Official World of Narue Website (Japanese)
• The World of Narue IMDB entry
• The World of Narue (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia