The World of Narue
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
Summary:
Summary:
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.
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.
Summary:
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.
Summary: The back story about Narue's parents meeting is told.
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.
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.
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.
Summary: The Climax of the series, with a running battle between the cast and a group of "space ninjas".
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.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
and manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
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
The World of Null-A
The World of Null-A, sometimes written The World of Ā, is a 1948 science fiction novel by A. E. van Vogt. It was originally published as a three-part serial in Astounding Stories...
(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
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
since 2000. The manga is licensed in North America by CPM
Central Park Media
Central Park Media was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York, that was active in the distribution of East Asian cinema, television series, anime, manga and manhwa titles in North America prior to its bankruptcy in 2009...
.
The anime series ran on Mainichi
Mainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
between April 4, 2003 and June 28, 2003 and is 12 episodes long. U.S. Manga Corps
Central Park Media
Central Park Media was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York, that was active in the distribution of East Asian cinema, television series, anime, manga and manhwa titles in North America prior to its bankruptcy in 2009...
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
A.D. Vision
A.D. Vision was an American international multimedia entertainment company headquartered in Houston, Texas, prior to its collapse and distress sale to four other Houston-based companies in 2009...
picked up the anime series for release on July 21, 2009.
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 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 otakuOtakuis a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests, particularly anime, manga or video games.- Etymology :Otaku is derived from a Japanese term for another's house or family , which is also used as an honorific second-person pronoun...
who likes the magical girlMagical girlbelong to a sub-genre of Japanese fantasy anime and manga. Magical girl stories feature young girls with superhuman abilities, forced to fight evil and to protect the Earth. They often possess a secret identity, although the name can just refer to young girls who follow a plotline involving magic...
animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, Yongo-chan. He can't swim but ends up going to the pool, the beach, and the ocean with 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.
- Maruo is a friend of Kazuto's and tries to give hints to Narue. He is also a childhood friend of Yagi.
- 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 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 is Kanaka's caretaker. Although she appears to be human, her true form is a retired Escort Destroyer class starship.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 NinurtaNinurtaNinurta in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Lagash, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical...
to settle on Planet Nippon, thus solving a sticky diplomatic - and romantic - situation that threatened to break up Narue and Kazuto.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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)
- 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.
- 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 IVPanzer IVThe Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
tank, known as Yongo Sensha (IV号戦車) in Japanese.
Cast
| Character | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| Kazuto Izuka | Daisuke Sakaguchi Daisuke Sakaguchi is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production.-Television animation:*Atashin'chi *Baccano! *Bamboo Blade *Black Jack *Bleach *Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo... |
Jamie McGonnigal Jamie McGonnigal Jamie McGonnigal is a voice actor, actor, producer, activist and director, who has worked for various companies such as 4Kids Entertainment, NYAV Post, DuArt Film and Video and FUNimation Entertainment.... |
| Narue Nanase | Mamiko Noto Mamiko Noto is a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:... |
Veronica Taylor Veronica Taylor Veronica Taylor is an American voice actress. Taylor is best known for her dubbing work in English-language anime adaptations, in particular for voicing Ash Ketchum in the English dub of the Japanese anime, Pokémon.... |
| Masaki Maruo | Jun Fukuyama Jun Fukuyama is a voice actor. He was previously represented by Aoni Production and Production Baobab, and is now represented by . In 2007, he won the first Seiyu Awards for the best actor in leading role as Lelouch Lamperouge in Code Geass... |
Jimmy Zoppi Jimmy Zoppi Jimmy Zoppi , sometimes credited as Billy Beach and James Carter Cathcart, is an American bassist, vocalist, and voice-over artist. He has been playing with bands since high school and has been a bassist and vocalist of the Carter Cathcart Band since 1981. Zoppi's first voiceover part was O.G... |
| Mirai Yashima | Saeko Chiba Saeko Chiba is a prolific Japanese seiyū and singer, born on August 26, 1977 in Hachinohe, Aomori. She grew up in Tokyo, Japan, and married on her 30th birthday: August 26, 2007. She is contracted to the Space Craft Group... |
Michele Knotz Michele Knotz Michele Knotz is an American voice actress who works for New York-based studios such as TAJ Productions. She is currently recording at DuArt Film and Video, where she provides the voices for various characters in the Pokémon anime.... |
| Kanaka Nanase | Junko Minagawa Junko Minagawa is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Haikyo. She is well known for voicing young boys, although she has done "feminine" lady roles, as well as flirtatious women. She has also sang some of the openings and endings of the anime Prince of Tennis as well as vocal tracks and singles for this... |
Rachael Lillis Rachael Lillis Rachael Lillis is an American actress and voice actress. She studied acting in Boston and New York City and has appeared in various theater and independent films.... |
| Bathyscaphe | Mami Kosuge Mami Kosuge is a Japanese voice actress who works for Arts Vision.-Notable voice roles:*Black Blood Brothers as Kelly Wong*D.N.Angel as Yuki Suzaki*Grenadier - The Senshi of Smiles as Touka Kurenai*Kiddy Grade as Bonita Gerard*Kimi ga Nozomu Eien as Motoko Kouzuki... |
Carol Jacobanis Carol Jacobanis Carol Jacobanis is an American voice actress, known for anime dub voice roles. Her work has been for New York-based recording studios such as and 4Kids Entertainment.... |
| Haruna | Yumi Touma | Debora Rabbai Debora Rabbai Debora Rabbai is an American voice actress who is also credited as Debbie Rabbai and Angora Deb.- Anime Roles :* Agent Aika - Aika Sumeragi* Alien 9 - Kumi Kawamura* Ayane's High Kick - Ayane Mitsui... |
| Tadashi Nanase | Junichi Sugawara Junichi Sugawara is a Japanese voice actor and actor.-Anime roles:*After War Gundam X as secretary*Ai to Yuuki no Pig Girl Tonde Buurin as Cake Store Person ; Ninja ; Thief B... |
Dan Green Dan Green (voice actor) Daniel Alexander Green , is an American voice actor, voice director and script adapter who has worked for 4Kids Entertainment, DuArt Film and Video, NYAV Post and Central Park Media... |
| Tail Messa | Tomomichi Nishimura Tomomichi Nishimura is a Japanese voice actor who works for Arts Vision. He is most known for the roles of the narrator of YuYu Hakusho, Anzai-sensei , Shibaraku Tsurugibe , and Jamitov Hymem... |
Tristan Goddard |
| Rin Asakura | Oma Ichimura Oma Ichimura is a Japanese voice actor who works for Office CHK.-Notable voice roles:*Yukiko Hirohara in 11eyes*Poyomon in Digimon Adventure 02*Satomi Arimoto in Fruits Basket*Uribo in Himawari!*Sakuya in Izumo: Takeki Tsurugi no Senki... |
Jessica Calvello Jessica Calvello Jessica Lynn Calvello is an American voice actress primarily known for her anime voiceover work, particularly with ADV Films and later 4Kids Entertainment.... |
| Ran Tendo | Tomoko Kawakami Tomoko Kawakami was a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo. Having graduated from the Toho Gakuen School of Music, Kawakami was affiliated with Production Baobab at the time of her death.-Career:... |
Vibe Jones |
| Rei Otonashi | Natsuko Kuwatani Natsuko Kuwatani is a Japanese voice actress who currently works for I'm Enterprise as of March 1, 2008.- 2001 :* Rabbit in Kokoro Library* Karen in Sister Princess* Kirala Mitsuboshi in Najica Blitz Tactics- 2002 :* Tweedledee in Kiddy Grade... |
Catherine Kim |
| Kyoko Kudo | Kanako Tateno Kanako Tateno is a Japanese voice actress from Miyagi Prefecture. She is currently affiliated with Aoni Production.-Television animation:*Battle B-Daman *Captain Tsubasa: Road to Dream *Chocotto Sister... |
Lisa Ortiz Lisa Ortiz Lisa Ortiz is an American theatre and voice actress, best known for her roles in English anime adaptations. She is perhaps best known for the roles of the high-elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece... |
| Yuki Kashiwazaki | Yuko Goto Yuko Goto is a Japanese voice actress who works for Production Baobab. In direct contrast to her cute-and-vulnerable moé typecasting, Yūko in real life is a devotee of biker culture who dresses and acts as such when not working, right down to her motorcycle... |
Mandy Bonhomme Mandy Bonhomme Mandy Bonhomme is an American voice actress who has worked on the properties of Central Park Media, Media Blasters and The Right Stuf International. She studied acting in New York and is perhaps best known for voicing Jury Arisugawa as well as other characters in Revolutionary Girl Utena. She also... |
| Aya Kanazawa | Nami Kurokawa Nami Kurokawa is a female Japanese seiyū from Osaka, Japan. When voicing adult games, she is known as .-Anime cast in:*Koihime Musou as Kan'u Unchō/Aisha*Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan as Tamiya-san ; Yuuko-sensei *D.C.S.S... |
Catherine Kim |
| Manaka Daito / Magicannon Girl Yongo-chan | Sakura Nogawa Sakura Nogawa ' is a voice actress born in Toyohashi, Aichi on March 1, 1978. Her height is 153 cm and her weight is 54 kg.-Notable voice roles:*Ryunmei Ranka in Arad Senki: Slap Up Party*Tsubasa in Angel Tales*Misha Arsellec Lune in Ar tonelico... |
Lisa Ortiz Lisa Ortiz Lisa Ortiz is an American theatre and voice actress, best known for her roles in English anime adaptations. She is perhaps best known for the roles of the high-elf Deedlit in Record of Lodoss War, Lina Inverse in Slayers, and Tony Tony Chopper in One Piece... |
List of episodes
- 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.
- 2:The First Date
Summary:
- 3:A Secret Base For Two
Summary:
- 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.
- 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.
- 6:The Impact of Love
Summary:
- 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.
- 8:A Message From Earth
Summary: The back story about Narue's parents meeting is told.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.