His daughter Kurau accompanies him to the lab on her twelfth birthday, where an experiment goes horribly wrong and she is struck by a bolt of this energy, which disperses her into lights.

Kurau proves to be extremely fortunate, as the human and Rynax components of her identity live together in a symbiotic relationship.

Kevin Gifford of Newtype USA praised the first volume of the series for its "neat take on the Ghost in the Shell-ish 'super-powered ladies in a dystopian future' formula" and said that it had "one of the most memorable first episodes" of any recent anime.

[5] In his review of the final DVD, Theron Martin of Anime News Network praised Kurau for its characters and "emotional appeal," but criticized how it was marketed, saying that too much focus was put on its action elements.

[6] In the site's Best of 2007 feature, both reviewers listed the series among the best of the year, describing it as "a combination of understated but convincing world-building, action, and genuine emotion (along with a pair of memorable and adorable leads)".

IGN reviewer Jeffrey Harris gave the first DVD of the series a 6 out of 10 ("Passable") rating, stating that "Kurau starts more on the slow side, but it looks like it could be picking up steam and getting more exciting ...

"[8] Norman Rafferty of The Escapist gave the series a mostly negative review, criticizing it for lack of originality and saying that "After a promising opening, Kurau Phantom Memory quickly becomes melodrama.

Brendelson said the series failed to make an emotional impact, and that the "story and character flaws, which are numerous and thoroughly aggravating, destroy what is otherwise a beautifully produced show.