Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken

Mahiru Shiina is worthy of her nickname "Angel": she is a divine beauty loved by all, and she excels in both academics and athletics. Shiina lives in an entirely different world from Amane Fujimiya, her next-door neighbor. Despite living so close together, they have never spoken once. But their silence is broken when Fujimiya spots Shiina gloomily sitting on a swing amidst a heavy rainstorm and lends her his umbrella.

When Fujimiya catches a cold the next day, Shiina wishes to return the favor for the umbrella by nursing him back to health. Believing that this would be their first and last interaction, he silently appreciates her kindness. However, Shiina—who cannot help but worry about Fujimiya's lack of tidiness and proper nutrition—begins to cook and clean for him. As the unlikely pair spend time together in Fujimiya's apartment, they explore the true nature of their relationship and the gentle emotions that emerge from it.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Shiina, Mahiru Main

Iwami, Manaka Japanese

Fujimiya, Amane Main

Ban, Taito Japanese

Shirakawa, Chitose Supporting

Shiraishi, Haruka Japanese

Akazawa, Itsuki Supporting

Yashiro, Taku Japanese

Fujimiya, Shihoko Supporting

Kanemoto, Hisako Japanese

Kadowaki, Yuuta Supporting

Ono, Kensho Japanese

Fujimiya, Shuuto Supporting

Furukawa, Makoto Japanese

Shiina, Sayo Supporting

Nakahara, Mai Japanese

Kaneko, Hirotaka Producer

Taguchi, Shouichirou Producer

Miura, Fumi Producer

Tomihara, Daiki Producer

Reviews

Mar 25, 2023

KANLen09

Recommended

DIABETES the Animation. Oh God, does this NEVER seem to be enough!

I KNOW about novelist Saeki-san's Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken a.k.a. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten. The immaculate, well-received LN that has earned its fair share of mixed reactions of the unkempt story between the average boy and the much-adored Angel female, along with illustrator Hanekoto's very beautiful and impressive art that never fails to impress. Yet, while Project No. 9's adaptation here seems to be on the very rough side of things from cut content to the abysmal animation, the heart of the series is never ... forgotten, and all I can say about this is that the anime is carried by everything else except for the production.

Of the synopses that I've read for this LN, Yen Press's one has got to be the best summary of all: "A HEAVENLY ENCOUNTER!", because it's really just that: the "It should have been me, not him!" self-insert of the awkward, generic male MC Amane Fujimiya, he looks like he's been living under a rock, unapologetic of his circumstances, and the worst thing of all: living in his lone apartment where he is nothing but a failed existence, supported by his parents of amicable money just to make a living. But there is somebody who will turn his life around: the Angel of his school, the beautiful and untouchable Mahiru Shiina (no relation to Sakura-sou's Mashiro Shiina, though it's pretty darn close in personality and character design (if comparing the LN)), showing up unfazed in a rainy day and full of loss of thought. And with the slight exchange of shielding the Angel with his umbrella, starts the growing relationship of the average commoner with the Angel, right at the step of their own homes.

The Angel that is Mahiru Shiina, she's the embodiment of a perfect waifu: pretty, beautiful, someone who also does chores for a living (because like Amane, she's of self-sustenance) and takes care of her own wellbeing very closely. She is to a degree, a woman of no faults, and any guy would've been all the more pleasant to be her partner, for better or for worse. But, since this is the Angel that "Spoils Me Rotten", it's Amane who will be on that receiving end of getting ridiculously spoiled bad by the Angel herself, being someone that is kinda of a wash-out and devoid of his life's existence. It feels like a cop-out that Amane's existence is all but only Mahiru to see, and while thankfully isn't the case, it's in situations like these that both of them can be vulnerable to each other, which in turn, displays the real side of themselves as opposed to the facade that they carry once they step outside of their houses. Mahiru, given her Angel appeal, is adorable on the outside, but a possessive girl on the inside, not being sure of what she really wants until it becomes a need. This is due to the sentimentality of her relationship with her parents, which they do not get along with each other well, often leaving Mahiru to her own devices and providing her with just enough money for her survivalist mentality. As for Amane, he's the very sensitive guy who is subconsciously aware of his surroundings, stemming from his somewhat awkward relations with his parents, especially his doting mother Shihoko, which I thank the Heavens that she's a kind parent and something which Mahiru experienced parental love first-hand. This, thus, creates the relationship that's basically more a need than a want, and I have no doubt that Mahiru and Amane's relationship, as sweet as diabetes as it is, will grow to become one of dependence and heartwarming love kinks between the two.

Alas, for a relationship to work, you need to have a side pairing that would help to spur the main couple along, and this exists in the form of classmates Itsuki Akasawa and Chitose Shirakawa, Amane's best classmate bud and the girlfriend. The dynamic of having a side couple help support both Amane and Mahiru in their own need, is pretty much understated really, because as much as you can say that they're the wingman/girl couple that helps both MCs to get their point across each other, all they really want other than the exclusivity that Amane has to himself about Mahiru, is genuine friendship and support to keep the four of them going altogether, obviously behind closed doors because this secret is not to be revealed publicly, otherwise it would have serious implications, especially for Amane himself. I do love Itsuki and Chitose's times where they are there just to have fun, and being friends, I don't see any reason why not to be inclusive this way, because as much as the Angel Mahiru herself is a sight to behold, she is just like them: regular humans with a sense of need of community, and small ones like these are better than nothing. Overall, Itsuki and Chitose's servitude towards Amane and Mahiru, really, is no short of wholesome and uplifting. This is the same for Yuuta Kadowaki, which he is just the floating friend of interest and understanding.

The one sole problem will be on the production side of things. Project No. 9 is not a studio that's well-known for quality, so don't expect a lot of things forthcoming with how the anime looks overall. To my eyes, it still looks pleasant and sparkling with flavour, but yet, what the studio did was to create a Sayu version 3.0, if you will. That's because the studio has produced both Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun and Hige wo Soru. Soshite Joshikousei wo Hirou. a.k.a HigeHiro before, with the lead female's character design practically left unchanged, so the similarities are frankly quite obvious. Even with limited animation (that I've stressed this since Tomozaki-kun) that's not the best adaptation of one of the best LNs of the modern day, debut director Wang Lihua may not have the best hands onboard with her production team, but may this prove to be a stepping stone in her first-ever directoralship.

The OST frankly is great, and I might as well say that this show definitely has one of the best OSTs this season. You know the man, Masayoshi Ooishi himself, I have always loved his fantastic and uplifting vocals whenever he is chosen to do Anisongs, and his OP "Gift" is no exception to that rule. What's even more surprising is of the ED and insert songs, "Chiisana Koi no Uta" and "Ai Uta". If you know your anime history, you'll know when Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san came out 5 years ago in Winter 2018, Takagi's VA Rie Takahashi did a cover of the two exact same ending songs back all the way in Season 1 for Episodes 9-10 and 11 respectively. And now, these two songs are replicated here by Mahiru's VA Manaka Iwami, which I feel is a nice touch that I was not expecting to hear of a new take of a variation on old classics.

Even with the circumstances of a poor production, I would still think that Otonari no Tenshi-sama is undoubtedly one of the finest shows of the Winter season that's just as a delightful watch from start to finish. I know I'll never get enough of the anime based on the original source material that's the superior version, and to anyone who is interested in more, please pick up the LN as the manga adaptation's equivalent (as of this review) has been all but covered in the anime.

That said, you can do the anime no wrong by its one major flaw, and that is, WE NEED MORE OF IT! Great showing that demands more.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Mar 25, 2023

Stark700

Mixed Feelings

Well-written

Watching The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten kinda reminds me of the 'girl next door' type of media, where a girl next door transcends beauty. Or at least, they are far more appealing to the eye than anyone else in the same show. Then, the character we're specifically talking about here would be Mahiru Shiina, who represents the "angel" of this series. To put it simply, this isn't about a girl next door. This is about an angel next door, and our main protagonist Amane Fujiyama is about to have the experience of a lifetime.

Based on the light novel, The Angel Next Door Spoils ... Me Rotten has some common tropes viewers should watch out for. The idea of an ordinary person meeting someone way out of their league is among one of these. Furthermore, you'll need a lot of patience to embrace the personality of Amane Fujiyama. Trust me, he isn't exactly the type of character that can carry this anime with his personality and being the epitome of an ordinary guy. On the other hand, Mahiru will spark curiousity for the viewers for representing a beauty and compared to that of an angel. She is popular among classmates at school and carries a mysterious vibe. As the anime ventures on, we find out more and more about her character beyond just her angelic appearance.

Amane's meeting with Mahiru looks like something out of a modern soap opera. Under the raining sky, they bond over the simple idea of her helping cooking a meal. Yes, Amane lacks cooking skills so he often eats takeouts and to be honest, it's nothing to be embarassed out. Fortunately, he discovers that she is his next door neighbor. The nicknamed Angel at school Mahiru lives right next to him. As the two grow closer together, they discover more about each other including their parents, hobbies, and dreams. The show adapts a rather innocent romance story that tries to get the viewers interested in their relationship. However, I will tell you this: this anime expects you to be patient, very patient in fact. There's no doubt the two has a connection but Amane and Mahiru aren't exactly experts on romance. They are teenagers who are experiencing what is like growing up. They deal with real life problems such as keeping their relationship a secret, dealing with grown-ups, and spending special days together such as Christmas or New Years. From this point, the show honors the anime's premise and never steers off rail from it although it's clear that the show has a rather one dimensional plot.

Outside of our lovely duo, we do have the charismatic pair of Chitose and Itsuki They represent as foil characters for Amane and Mahiru because of their contrasting personalities. Still, the anime does take opportunties to get all four or these main characters together to bond and share the joy of life. However, viewers should be aware that the show also adds moments of despair and characters dealing with their past. Most noticably, we find out why Amane has a hard time trusting others and his own problems dealing with his parents. Indeed, trust is an important word for characters must develop a connection to understand each other. Amane and Mahiru are the most prominent examples for they are able to develop such trust.

Ultimately, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is probably an anime you've experience before if you're familiar with melancholic dramas. Even though there's always joy in the series, there's also moments of sadness and despair. It always feels like something is missing between our main characters' relationship and the question lingers on whether 'will they or won't they' become a real couple. It's this type of writing that can be frustrating at times as even though there's progress, we are never treated with a true ending. The anime adapts only 12 episodes so this isn't much of a surprise, yet as I said before, you'll need a lot of patience to the end. However, it's also clear this type of anime isn't aimed for everyone.

Project No. 9 and its producers handled this anime with delicate care. They made Mahiru look like an angel in human form with her innocent look and beautiful face. With a youth appearance and feminine charm, she lives up to her nickname. Outside of her character, the rest of the cast look like extras. Seriously, it's hard to name one other character that stands out in terms of appearance when comparing to Mahiru. Unfortunately, the anime's art style doesn't bring anything special to talk about unless you become a fan of the angel herself.

I'm not going to say this is anime is unwatchable or represents the pennacle of romantic comedies. This is more of an average anime dedicated to connecting to two characters living next door. Whether you agree Mahiru lives up to her 'angel' nickname is up to you. With such a small cast of characters, you'll really have to ask yourself if they are worth the time. Because time and time after again, this type of anime just doesn't do justice for the rom-com genre.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Mar 25, 2023

Jebmond

Not Recommended

Funny

The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten sadly did not spoil me rotten; this anime ended up being incredibly dull and pathetic. The story is contrived from start to finish and packaged with bland, cardboard characters, poorly written dialogue that feels like someone tried to rip off young adult works from Wattpad, and a generic, mediocre narrative. In this regard, it is much like Demon Slayer. However, unfortunately, it does not have talented staff to turn it from nothing into something. Instead, it got one of the worst studios a light novel adaptation can get—project No.9, the bloodsucker of the light novel adaptations in the ... 2020s. At this point, one can start to think that they have a special unit in the studio to find light novels with the corniest dialogues in the country.

The premise of this animated calamity is—a dude is kind to a cute girl once, and she conveniently lives next to him, so she cleans his room and begins to cook for him. This is the most unrealistic, escapist fantasy plot development imaginable. The author didn't even bother to make the male protagonist look like he tried to do something to make a change in his mundane life. He continues his daily routine, and one day when he comes back from school, he sees the most popular girl in his school in a dire situation and decides to help her out of pity, which is an act that contradicts the rest of his character, or what was supposed to be his character. This writing is absolutely abyssal.

The dual protagonists of the story, Mahiru and Amane, are exceptional characters if exceptional was synonymous with dry and uninteresting. Not to mention, the development of these characters is nonsensical—and like their pathetic dialogue—likely written by ChatGPT. These two characters (if such a term even applies to these walking pieces of white bread) interact in ways that most newly formed couples wouldn’t. Close friends do not act like this with each other, which makes it painfully apparent that the author does not know how people interact and how the romance develops. These interactions are also terribly forced and awkward. It’s painful to watch, really. Their interactions made me want to go and touch grass, so I can finally remember real people are not this gross while interacting with each other. Also, the reveal about Mahiru's parents feels like the author didn't plan it from the start and just wanted to give Mahiru a sad backstory out of the blue. Because there is no way someone who lived the life of Mahiru becomes a teenager without any awful personality traits. The author needs to bring her maid into the story and make that woman the kindest and most caring person in the world. Otherwise, her character arc will be an unnecessarily over-the-top drama.

This show is also a disaster when it comes to production values. I don't know if it's because half of project No.9's staff is working on finding the next boring light novel to adapt, but this show's visual quality feels like three college students decided to make fan animations for fun over the weekend. Character designs, animations, and backgrounds are terrible, as expected from project No.9. Amane's apartment feels like it was made on Sims by a first-time computer user. It's unimaginative and dull, just like the main characters.

In conclusion, this anime is just a waste of time with its lackluster production, attempt at a generic narrative, and laughably terribly-written main characters. I really wish I didn't watch this one and touched grass instead.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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