The World of Narue Collection
The World of Narue(2003) combines elements of two popular anime genres: teen romance and magical/alien girl. Fourteen-year-old Kazuto Izuka is good-hearted, nerdy middle school student whose life turns upside down when he meets Narue Nanase. To Kazuto's amazement, this pretty, unassuming girl likes him. Although he's willing to overlook it, she does have one minor problem: she's half alien. Her father was an inspector for the Galactic Federation working on Earth when he met and married her mother. The mismatched pair begin a shy romance, despite the advice of Kazuto's friend Maruo and the interference of UFO fanatic Yagi. Voice actor Jamie McGonnigal imbues Kazuto with a warm appeal that recalls Tenchi inTenchi Muyo!, rather than Ataru inUrusei Yatsura(both young men faced with attractive aliens). Narue (Veronica Taylor) is naive to the point of simplicity, but the attraction is understandable. Unfortunately, the screenplays by Yuka Enatsu and Yuu Sugitani don't really develop the romance or the possibilities for adventure and comedy the situation offers. There are some genuinely funny moments when Kazuto introduces Narue to the anime "Magical Girl #4," a spoof ofSailor Moon. But the series never goes much of anywhere, despite the charm of the characters.The four-disc set comes loaded with extras, including comparisons of both the original manga and the storyboards with finished animation, brief  interviews with American and Japanese voice actors, and Japanese trailers and commercials. (Rated 13 and older: comic violence, brief nudity)--Charles Solomon