Summary
Narusegawa, Mei, often called Mei-chan, is the younger sister of Naru. Their familial relationship is portrayed with some ambiguity across different media. In manga volumes 11 and 14, Naru refers to Mei as her half-sister. However, in anime episode 22, Mei states that her father married Naru's mother, leading to speculation among fans that they are step-sisters, though this is never explicitly confirmed in the source material. Initially, Mei attempts to act as a matchmaker for Keitaro and Mutsumi. Her motivation is to drive Keitaro away, hoping that Naru will return home to the inn if her love interest is removed. She abandons this scheme only after she and Naru resolve several misunderstandings within their family. Mei plays a minor role in the Spring Movie and appears briefly in the Love Hina OVA, Love Hina Again, where she assists the residents of Hinata Inn in accelerating the romantic relationship between Keitaro and Naru. She also makes a cameo in the final manga volume, standing with the other residents while Naru chases Keitaro after an incident involving accidental undressing. The character of Mei-chan was primarily created for the Love Hina anime adaptation. While she is mentioned in at least two instances within the manga and appears in the final chapter of the last volume, her presence is most prominent in the animated series.
