Over the history of anime, love stories have come and gone. Some have made lasting impressions, while others have been little more than footnotes that were swept away in the overall current. The latest sensation in the anime universe is GONZO and Studio Live's The World of Narue. A heartwarming tale of love between a human boy and a half-alien, Narue is a cute, yet fun experience. Its overall appeal and charm cemented its position as "most popular anime series of 2003," according to several sources. Courtesy of the talented artists at Gonzo, Narue is a cute, yet intriguing tale of love between human and alien.

Central Park Media has acquired the license to both the anime and manga, and plans to release the series in a collector's box this April. Immediately beneath, you will find twenty-seven screenshots from the first two episodes of the series, which Central Park has graciously given us a preview of. The artwork samples below are from the first chapter of the manga series. Also below is a set of first impressions of the show: a "capsule review" of the first two episodes. World of Narue - Manga Samples

World of Narue - Mini-review:

Kazuto Izuka never expected to be attacked by an alien beast, nor did he expect to be saved by a strange bat-wielding girl. This mystery lass left behind only one clue as to who she is: her bat. Scribbled on it was the word "Nanase." After a bit of investigation, Izuka finds that this "Nanase's" full name is Narue Nanase, and she is currently attending class in the next classroom. Later that day, Izuka manages to catch up with Narue out on the street, where he tries to return the bat and possibly score a date. However, Narue fails to understand Kazuto's attempt at a pick-up line. Instead she asks him a few questions, one of which is whether he minds if she is an alien. Kazuto dimwittedly agrees, and is promptly dragged off to Narue's apartment. At the house, the two are greeted with a fearsome surprise: a vile creature has broken into the apartment, and has taken Narue's father as a hostage. Sadly, this was a major error on the part of the evildoer, as he is quickly dispatched in true Joe Pesci fashion... courtesy of Narue. As Narue's father runs out to get help, Narue looks at Kazuto, and asks him once more if he minds that she is an alien. He assures her that he was not lying, and she is overjoyed. Sparks fly (literally) as Kazuto is whisked to deep space, where he lays eyes on a giant fleet of starships. He looks toward the blue sphere of the Earth, where Naruto is hovering. It is here that the two solidify their bond and join together in a true relationship.

Overall, the story so far is lighthearted and quite fun to watch. While the whole "my girlfriend's an alien" story has been done to death, something seems to set this one apart from the rest of the crowd. Cute and comedic, the overall pacing seems to be fairly relaxed, giving the viewer time to acquaint himself/herself with the major cast. While it is a great way to start the series, one can only hope that the series' overall pace quickens before things begin to stagnate. The preview for the third episode offers hope of a solution to this issue, with hints at more action to complement the ever-advancing relationships between characters.

The audio track was only available in English dubbed format on the screener, so I am unable to comment on the Japanese track. However, the English audio is nothing to scoff at. Utilizing a cast that stars Veronica Taylor (Narue) and Jamie McGonnigal (Kazuto), there is a strange chemistry between the actors... despite the fact that they never see each other through the entire dubbing process. Though I may argue that some voices were not the best choices for the show, I cannot deny that the overall performance was quite strong... with a few exceptions, of course.

GONZO has proven that they can produce a wonderfully animated show time and time again. The World of Narue is no exception, with fluid animation and some nice integrated CG work. The CG is not obtrusive to the point where it sticks out as a distraction. The traditional animation is clean, with no noticeable "hiccups" and above average in-between animation.

While the first two episodes of a series may not sound like much, it gives an excellent look at the overall possible pace and progression of the story. If the team plays more on Narue's alien side, and sheds more light on possible side relationships, then it is quite possible that Narue could shape up to be the series to own this spring.