Dears

DearS (ディアーズ) is a manga series co-written and illustrated by Banri Sendo and Shibuko Ebara, credited under their pen name Peach-Pit. It was serialized monthly by MediaWorks in their magazine Dengeki Comic Gao! from March 2002 to December 17, 2005 and was later published into a ten volume set by the company. The manga was licensed and translated into English by Tokyopop. A 13-episode anime was adapted by MSJ and a PlayStation 2 video game was produced by MediaWorks.

Plot
Exactly one year prior to the beginning of DearS, humanity made unprecedented contact with extraterrestrial life. Forced to crash land into Tokyo Bay when, en route to their home planet of Thanatos, their spacecraft breaks down, 150 anthropoids become cordially naturalized into Japanese society, affectionately being nicknamed "DearS"; a portmanteau of the words "Dear" and "Friends".

Takeya Ikuhara is a temperamental, seventeen-year-old Japanese student attending fictional Koharu High School with a sharp bias and discrimination against the DearS. Based on a childhood scare, he believes the aliens are fake, worthless beings that have generated nationwide overhype.

On his way home from school he discovers a homeless DearS who, following syncope and much to his annoyance, he feeds and shelters in his apartment. The girl, who he nicknames Ren, infantile and friendly, grows obsequious and dependent upon Takeya; a responsibility he tries to disassociate himself from. Her oblivious tenacity keeps her around however, and over time, noticing Ren's genuine care and empathy for him, Takeya has a more accepting change of heart. Unfortunately, because she is deemed defective, DearS headquarters warrants her arrested.

Characters

 * Takeya Ikuhara (幾原 武哉)
 * Takeya Ikuhara is the unlikely protagonist of the series. A fastidious and impetuous student, his life becomes complicated when he becomes the unwanted target of affection and servility by a young female Dears, a citizen of the very people he dislikes. In spite of this rather, immature prejudice however, over the course of her stay and companionship with him, Takeya grows fond and solicitous of the girl, opening up more to his peers as well. Takeya lives alone rurally in an apartment and is employed as a sales associate at Bicep Videos, a video rental store. He is good friends with Neneko Izumi and Hikorou Oikawa and is the respective brother and stepson of Natsuki and Harumi Ikuhara.
 * Takeya Ikuhara is the unlikely protagonist of the series. A fastidious and impetuous student, his life becomes complicated when he becomes the unwanted target of affection and servility by a young female Dears, a citizen of the very people he dislikes. In spite of this rather, immature prejudice however, over the course of her stay and companionship with him, Takeya grows fond and solicitous of the girl, opening up more to his peers as well. Takeya lives alone rurally in an apartment and is employed as a sales associate at Bicep Videos, a video rental store. He is good friends with Neneko Izumi and Hikorou Oikawa and is the respective brother and stepson of Natsuki and Harumi Ikuhara.


 * Ren (レン)
 * Ren Ren Ren Nagusaran Rensia Ruroonren Nakora (レン•レン•レン•ナグサラン•レンシーア•ルロオンレン•ナコラ), better known by her short name Ren, is a young female DearS.
 * Ren Ren Ren Nagusaran Rensia Ruroonren Nakora (レン•レン•レン•ナグサラン•レンシーア•ルロオンレン•ナコラ), better known by her short name Ren, is a young female DearS.


 * Lost during shipment and freed of containment, Ren is found homeless by Takeya, who she immediately forces a covenant between and is subsequently given shelter by, much to his displeasure. Devoid of proper education, Ren is initially dysglossic and needy, but through curiosity and friends, becomes well versed in language and customs, even becoming admitted to Koharu High. As the self-proclaimed slave of Takeya, Ren is excessively altruistic to her unwelcome master, who prefers to view her as an equal than an inferior. Ren is good friends with just about everyone, is capable of superhuman abilities and has an insatiable appetite for melonpan.


 * Neneko Izumi (和泉 寧々子)
 * Neneko Izumi is a student and daughter of the landlord of the apartment where she and Takeya are tenants. With responsive acumen, Neneko tends to have and retain the most level head of her peers when situations go awry, especially discrepancies between Takeya and Ren. Having grown up with Takeya, the two are childhood friends, despite their constant bickering, and is usually the one who is turned to for mentoring or advice. Of the entire main cast, she is the only bespectacled character.
 * Neneko Izumi is a student and daughter of the landlord of the apartment where she and Takeya are tenants. With responsive acumen, Neneko tends to have and retain the most level head of her peers when situations go awry, especially discrepancies between Takeya and Ren. Having grown up with Takeya, the two are childhood friends, despite their constant bickering, and is usually the one who is turned to for mentoring or advice. Of the entire main cast, she is the only bespectacled character.


 * Miu (ミゥ)
 * Shia Nostal Ren Naguregyug Thanast Useim Ruki Miu (シーアノスタルレンナグレグユグ•タナスト•ァウセーム•ルキ•ミゥ), better known by her short name Miu, is a young female DearS.
 * Shia Nostal Ren Naguregyug Thanast Useim Ruki Miu (シーアノスタルレンナグレグユグ•タナスト•ァウセーム•ルキ•ミゥ), better known by her short name Miu, is a young female DearS.


 * Intelligent yet sometimes conceited, Miu is a student who is assigned to study abroad at Koharu High and reside locally as a homestay. She is introduced to the group through a misunderstanding during her inauguration at school and, following a sour, rather pitiable acquaintance with Ren, invites herself to look after the oblivious girl, befriending her peers as well. Despite her proud genteel and brash disposition, Miu is in fact quite benign and empathetic, particularly when she can personally relate. Like her airheaded counterpart, Miu is capable of superhuman abilities and is respected by everyone.

Manga
DearS began as a manga series co-written and illustrated by Banri Sendo and Shibuko Ebara, credited under their pen name Peach-Pit, which was serialized in MediaWorks' Dengeki Comic Gao! manga magazine from March 2002 to December 17, 2005. The manga was compiled into ten tankōbon volumes released by MediaWorks in Japan. The series was later translated into English and German by Tokyopop, French by Semic Comics and Italian by Flashbook Editore.

Anime
DearS was adapted into a thirteen episode television and single original video animation anime by MSJ with co-production by Bandai Visual, Geneon Entertainment, Lantis and TeaMDearS. The series was directed by Iku Suzuki. The series was broadcast on Chiba TV, TV Kanagawa, TV Saitama, Tokyo MX TV, TV Santerebi, TV Aichi and TVQ Kyushu from July 10 to September 26, 2004. Four DVD compilation volumes were released from August 2, 2005 to February 21, 2006. The anime's opening theme is "Love Slave" (ラブスレイブ) by Under17 and the ending theme is "Happy Cosmos" by Poppins.

Video game
A visual novel video game was developed and published by MediaWorks for the PlayStation 2. It was released on June 24, 2004. It received a C rating by the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization.