Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten

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This LN does not have an extraordinary plot.
It's the same as any other Light Novel you know. Girl is famous, Guy's common and isn't special, but then the girl begins to have some interest in the guy.

Maybe it’s just my personal enjoyment, but still I think, that this book's quite enjoyable.

The stories did always put a smile on my face, with cute situations, or just wholesome moments. There of course are funny moments too, with for example the side character teasing, the situation they are in, trying not to get seen and so on…

I think that it‘s more of ... a realistically based book. It doesn't have any stupid or too embarrassing actions, like "I love her, so I'm gonna confess to her in front of the whole school!", or something. Of course, you don't live next to a beautiful girl. But everything are decisions you'd probably do IF you did.

The Novel continues in a straight pattern, where by time the Protagonists begin to know each other more and more and get close to each other. There’s no such thing like losses or heartbreaking, which makes this book perfect for people like me, who prefer cute and wholesome books.
So, if you want to buy this book for anything too unnatural or strange, then I wouldn't recommend it.

(Also, trough every book, there are around 10 arts which were all drawn by hanekoto (@hanekoto2424 on Twitter))

You've read a story like this, and it's been done better. Guy secretly likes the girl and she starts to warm up to him. If you've never read anything like that before you might like this, but it's been done to death and much better than done here.

It's filled with stereotypes and offers almost nothing unique. The writing itself isn't bad exactly, but it's not what I'd call good either. Then the characters, for what felt like most of the book, aren't being particularly nice to each other and are generally inconsistent and I couldn't stand how the girl was basically the guy's mom ... which is all too real since the MC is literally 15 years old. I was hoping something would change, that they'd start to have heartfelt moments, but they barely connect at all through this first book. And yes, that's why the title is about her being an angel, it's because she acts like the MCs mom, complete with nagging included. Honestly, that kinda grosses me out.

I wish I had more to critique than that but that's the whole first book. I have no idea why this is rated an 8 on MAL at the time of writing this.

Needless to say, I will not be reading the next entry.

If you came here looking for something ground breaking or something never done before. You'll be sorely disappointed. This is not what this light novel is about. There's nothing new here that hasn't been done before.

With that said, if you came here to look for a sweet romance story where great chemistry between characters and sweet and wholesome moments, you're in the right place. This story does nothing new, just the same troupe you'd probably seen in other light novels and manga. But it does that troupe exceptionally well, or at least better than most.

The story can be summed up pretty simple. There's this ... pretty girl who is very popular and there's this guy who doesn't have many friends and situations brought the two to start interacting with one another. It's simple. But the story does that simple thing exceptionally well. There's not many characters in the story but the character interactions between the characters that are in the story are done very well and organically. The chemistry between the characters are great too.

When it comes to plot, there's really isn't much going on and there's no need to. The main focus of this story is about the two main characters gradually getting closer and closer. As they get closer, the space between them lessen and they become more open to each other, it's that kind of story.

So if you enjoy sweet romance stories where they take the time to build up the relationship of the involving characters, you'll definitely enjoy it.

Angels Next Door review


Introduction

This review contains Heavy spoilers

The romance genre is one of the most famous and beloved genres in the anime community because almost everyone has had the stage that they longed for romance. While I don’t dislike the wholesome and diabetes-inducing series in the genre some of the best titles that I enjoyed the most are the likes of Aishiteru Game or a similar series like Tonikaku Kawaii.

The Angels Next Door Spoiled Me Rotten, hasn’t spoiled me rotten, and it's more akin to that of expired, spoiled milk found in a milk carton inside Amane’s dumpster of a flat.
If you like ... or hate the series, agree or disagree with the points made about the series. I hope you would enjoy my review even if it’s a word vomit of my raw feelings about this series. I am not the greatest articulator but hopefully my thoughts could come across. While at first I slightly enjoyed this series, somewhere along the way something was wrong, and felt that there was this frustration looming in my heart, and decided to brood on it.
Major flaws showed up in the viewing and reading of this series of its characters, plot, exposition, and production on the side of the anime there are dedicated chapters called “Frustrations” throughout my review to articulate how unreasonably contrived this series is, it is in an unchronological order and covers every volume instead of the specific volume. This review will mainly focus on the novels for its storytelling and overall thoughts for this series.



Volume 1

With a simple and trope-like premise of a Beautiful and diligent girl who is keeping up appearances because of something bothering her on that day, Amane lends her an umbrella. And as we all know the rain can immediately make you sick the next day. Discovering that she lives next door by our MC we have our premise starting from there. The story's direction seems to be going for Amane improving his lifestyle with the influence and push of Mahiru.

The art was pretty nice with a caramel-like style and colors that express cuteness. Gives a warm and milky vibe that compliments Mahiru's doll-like expressions.

Honestly, I haven’t felt as much feelings of happiness or a scene that made me grin with this volume except for Amane's Mother's surprise visit and Christmas Eve/day. It's almost like flavorless ice cream, doesn’t have a tinge of sweetness for now it doesn’t live up to the hype for an introductory volume.

Overall, the very slight change of attitude of them both warming up is alright, to say the least.


Score: 5/10





My Impression of Mahiru
She has a rich upbringing with her mannerisms and the diligent, disciplined girl act implied that she was forced upon by herself or her parents since childhood. This could have a connection with why she’s helping Amane out maybe not.

For a Diligent and Hardworking girl, she is very sensitive when she is called an “Angel” nearly crying with a cliché comment/compliment. She tries to disassociate herself from that title as much as possible

In the end, she started to be more expressive than before, and with her warming up to Amane giving her an experience she never had before with a friend.


My Impression of Amane
He's the very embodiment of a burden, while he has a bit of decency it doesn't stand as appealing if you combine it with his attitude. He's almost hopeless in his state without getting pushed by Mahiru to do it or help him get his life in check. He's nothing more than cardboard in the rain, very heavy and flat.



Frustrations: Exposition

Does the author really think that any high school girl would suddenly cook and clean for you just because you just gave them an umbrella? How does that activate the idea and desire inside Mahiru that someone lending her an umbrella is enough to allow her butting into someone's life by cooking his every meal and cleaning his home? The disparity between the kind/nice action and the payback are blown out of proportion and over the top. I really can’t find any rationale for anyone can make such a decision when it's just presented as is, it's like some wish-fulfillment fantasy by some incel, and it’s that simple and the only thing you would do to have a woman flocking at your door is to give one small act of kindness to be enough to be a pseudo household wife for your everyday needs.

I also have doubts about them being coincidentally neighbors as well, when they've been living in the same apartment complex for many months before that fated first scene but you’re telling me not once they have bumped into each other on the way to school, on the streets or in nearby local supermarket? And you're going to tell me now it’s a coincidence they met in the convenience store in the early episodes of the anime for the first time? It's hard to believe that you can not notice someone who stands out and with someone beautiful as Mahiru to not notice her in public.

.


Volume 2

It's the start of the New Year, their daily routine is the same as before. On Amane's Parents planning to visit, they start the year going to the Shrine with Mahiru. With the follow-up events of Valentine’s Day and White Day. We also get to know Mahiru's Past on why she acts the way she is.

While wholesome, it still doesn’t give me enough of a reaction. There's also a recurring theme that is very repetitive and already lost its charm in the 1st vol. It just goes “I like your cooking” She blushes and/or thanks him rinse and repeat as well as “Thank you for taking some of the burden.”. It would be bad if they're gonna repeat scenes over and over again.


5/10

My Impression of Amane
With this volume, Amane starts off having a slight change in his ways like fixing up his looks to be more presentable and more conscious about Mahiru but not to the point of wanting to romance her.

With this relationship deepened with Mahiru opening up, it came to a point that Amane is one of Mahiru's supporting emotional pillar in the series.



My Impression of Mahiru

The angel persona was a mechanism for receiving affection from her parents who neglected her. The only parent figure she had was the maid who took care of her and She ended up having this mask around her in public showing her angelic features.

In retelling her past to Amane she has finally released 16 years of her anguish to anyone and starting to rely on Amane as a way for her to gain affection she never received from her parents.






Frustration: The Angel, The Persona and The Status Quo

Why does Mahiru need to keep up the Angel appearance and keep her popularity? At the same time when she hates being called an angel, then why doesn’t she do anything about it like opening up to people to show more of her true personality or dropping the act entirely? Even if hypothetically her true personality comes out and her popularity dwindles. She has friends that she can trust and has her back that supports her. There is no good reason anymore in the now to keep up appearances, even a hint of change is fine and probably more appreciated by something like “Hey Mahiru you seem happy and more… Open recently, did something happen recently?” is a good way to improve the story forward both in Mahiru's opening up her angel persona to the public and not only in private when she’s alone with Amane and his friends.
Yes, I know that she gets there eventually where she completely removes her angel persona. But instead of a more incremental way of doing it, what they did was deliberately open her up immediately once they started going out by being flirty in class and didn’t give any hints on her changing ever slightly but inching on how much they flirt in public instead.

The history dump of Mahiru’s past to Amane makes it hard to believe that he is the only one she could confide with. This Operates on a scenario that Mahiru has never thought of opening up in the past to anyone. Has she never really considered that if she opened up gradually that her angel persona would disappear over time at any point in time like in middle school or way before that? We don’t get an answer to get a deeper look into Mahiru's past. The lack of clarity and intent from both the parties that abandoned her as well as her elementary to middle school life is shrouded in mystery.

This makes her relationships with Amane feel forced and mechanically weaved with her sad past. The story plays the kick the puppy to kick start their relationship. It makes it more in your face just to get a forceful reaction for the reader/viewers to pity her.



Volume 3
We start the new school year with luckily a lot of familiar faces being assigned in the same class. With this volume, they are starting to open their relationship bit by bit to the public as Mahiru felt left out of the loop at school so they decided to talk at school gradually to not give suspicions.

Continuing with the cooking class with Mahiru and with Chitose's antics makes it more enjoyable with fun side characters. With the remaining days of their Golden Week, they go on a date that is decently wholesome to a degree with Mahiru's daily reactions.

Score: 5.5/10




My Impression of Amane
Quite the chivalrous man when he is needed in the situation and gentlemanly. Seems like there are some past wounds that Amane has suffered that could be connected to divert expectations with his initial introduction.


My Impression of Mahiru
The becoming more cheeky Mahiru with her wanting to also keep in touch with Amane at school at the request of Amane talking to her more at school gradually. She essentially became more pouty and wanted to spend more time with him.


Frustration: Amane's Self-Destructing Behavior

I think that the premise failed to capture how it incentivizes a wish fulfillment fantasy with the most beautiful girl that does everything to cleaning and cooking while you do absolutely nothing to repay them back. Amane is a lazy ass who can’t and won’t do anything on his own or for his own sake. To the point that he took 6 months for him to learn to clean his own home, it's hard to justify someone this bad at doing something and their reasoning is his Trauma? I'll talk about it later in this chapter.


If Amane states that he wants to improve himself so no one would talk behind his back. Why is he so heavily reliant on Mahiru for his improvement? Like he can't even decide on his own. If you are that indecisive about your resolutions of change that you need someone to feed and pamper and pull you on the neck to make you move is an unsubstantial excuse for characterization. Its always Mahiru doing the carrying and prying into his matters herself by cleaning and cooking every day for him? The very disparity of the receive and the return aspect is so far in between that even for 3 volumes he hasn’t done Mahiru as much good except for her emotional well-being.

Speaking of emotional well-being, how can Amane be emotional support for her if he himself can't even support his own problems, and much more for taking care of another person's problems? Immaturity and being a spoiled brat shouldn't be the foundation for his growth. It sets up a bad characterization that I truly hate. A person who does nothing.

If the case for Mahiru is for her emotional well-being and wanting a relationship or affection she never received what does Amane get in return for his growth? While he did little things like Fixing up his get-up from time to time, tidying up the place even just a little, and started exercising. He hasn’t grown as incrementally close to what Mahiru has to offer which is such a bad characterization of how shallow he is, even in his perspective that he hasn’t done or thought about doing more things of his own volition, except for the minimal task mentioned above.

Yes, they point out he's not self-aware and not confident in himself and doesn’t want to fail but what does that have to do with him not cleaning himself up in his apartment and having such a shitty lifestyle at the start? Is His Trauma that bad when he thought his friends were his actual friends but were only there just to exploit him for money? With the quote comical quote in the anime “The only thing you're good for is exploitation”. Actually, only a cartoon villain would actually say this. Does anyone you know actually say these kind of things? It's comical. Coming back on track, is his “Trauma” really that bad that he has to socially close himself off to potential friendships and look unapproachable, one example with Kadowaki who wants to have a genuine friendship with Amane but he was so skeptical that Kadowaki has a secret motive. When Amane admits not everyone is like that in monologue. You also expect me to believe that He also left his family to live on his own flat while his parents having fully acknowledged his bad lifestyle and that he can't even sustain himself to the point of living in a dumpster, and even with that knowledge, his Parents still wholeheartedly agree to his wishes? That is such an extreme reaction to something trivial. It runs on the mindset that his view of friendships is shallow and horribly black and white. Friends come and go, if they were shit friends don’t talk to them anymore. I understand distrust can grow from this but to say he has to leave home with no sustenance skills is reasonable? It’s a flimsy justification of a premise of his past that it's contrived, divorced from any semblance of realism when the novel tries so hard to portray its ''realistic”.

For the sake of argument let's say you actually believe that Amane’s Trauma and reaction to be believable and realistic. How about the Parent's reaction? I don't believe that the Parents are actually supporting Amane in any way that is helpful, when they just allow to leave their son alone instead of actually parenting and teaching him how to live on his own and rehabilitate. But one argues that His Parents are wonderful and they are supporting his one and only wish to live alone because of his trauma to get as far away from his old friends, meaning that they are understanding. But if you probably ask your parents or anyone who has a son and has some issues or traumas and they don’t know how to survive on their own, you DON’T let them live by themselves as immature as they are. Especially when the Parents know that his health is deteriorating with the supplement jellies he's been consuming. But in order to be sooo understanding they have to ignore his health for his mental rehabilitation, which he isn't recovering from alone, and fixed nothing in the past few months prior to meeting Mahiru, not with his bad lifestyle. They should’ve realized that him being in another apartment didn’t fix his problems nor eases it when his health started deteriorating. To the point, they have to negotiate with him to have good grades in order to keep his bad lifestyle, crappy health and trash dump of an apartment? And you call yourself a Parent who wants and prioritized Grades than the Health and well-being of your son? I call Bullshit.






Volume 4

The volume starts off with Mahiru’s thoughts about Amane after their date and meeting Kadowaki. Further development happened between the two with Mahiru offered that she would do anything if Amane reached the top 10. With another daily interactions in Amane’s apartment, we see the Angel is being more and more selfish with her request. This is also the chapter where the confession happens

Score: 4/10

My Impression of Amane

Weirdly starts with him and his erotic dream about Mahiru and avoids the questioning until only Mahiru prods him to confess that he had an erotic dream about her. How are they not in a relationship when he confessed he has sexual attraction to her? Is there even a person or anybody you know that has not confessed but is in a relationship, and has a sexual dream about them, and asking about it for “Reference”? There's actually no close friends that act like that. (Not referring to friends with benefits or sex buddies)

To be honest this chapter was such a perfect time to put a punch line like “Yeah it's pretty embarrassing, We shouldn't do that” or actually progressing by “So you think about me like that? Then…(let's do it)” which progress them in their relationship. But no they tiptoed around it and ended the chapter with the same thing again all over. Hug and cue blushing.


My Impression of Mahiru

She has finally started to let go of her angel persona as more lax at school. Finally took her this long. While I think this is great I am still unconvinced why she is attracted to Amane in any way. I can't think of any flashback I could go back to and say “Amane looks cool” in any moment in this volume or series for Mahiru to say anything complimentary about Amane is a joke that she can’t say anything to prove what he did was cool. Can Mahiru tell something in recent memory about what cool thing Amane did? It seems like Mahiru doesn’t know nor does the author. It fails to give the intent and the actual thing happening to attest to the thing she describes Amane as.



The Confession

This is sadly and painfully the worst romantic confession. Really no kissing? But anyways jokes aside and I’m not really forewarning that it took them longer to kiss each other even if they did foreplay one time in the future in volume 5...

Seeing how this unfolds, It was hilarious to start the confession mentioning Amane’s past especially with the knowledge in the ‘Frustrations: Amane’s self-destructive behavior”. I don't have much any expectations for Amane, especially with his own mental immaturity. He is less than capable of taking care of Mahiru in any way mature in the relationship to the point that Mahiru is mostly carrying this series. He has never made a move to help forward the series. Like actually, I can’t name a single chapter that you could call actual development in the past 4 volumes that I've read.

That’s why it's hard to see him in any way as a love interest or an emotional outlet for Mahiru. They both act like therapist rather than a love interest, and aren’t qualified to be one because of their own emotional immaturity.


Frustration: The View on Romance

“We're not in a relationship, but we do what couples do”

Emotional suppression or being Artificially dense shouldn’t be the virtue and driving force of the story. Its holding back a confession when it is plainly obvious that everything they did like sleeping in his room, laying on her lap, hugging, touching each other casually(Even if she hates boys touching her and only Amane could do this thing) all of these signs are blatantly obvious that it should be the point where they are in a relationship but no, they tried to take as long as possible, is it because they're scared of rejection? While I don’t deny the possibility that rejection is truly a hard hurdle to overcome but if they are living essentially playing husband and wife every day and every flag has been waved that it starts to be in tethers with all the waving, why have the doubts of rejection when it's written on the walls that the paint smells across the neighborhood. It is blatantly obvious to the reader to the point that the side characters are also ranting and hinting about it. The fear of rejection shouldn’t be looming in their heads at this point in time. They have been doing this for a year! Even as the reader everyone knows that they act like a couple just without the defining relationship of being an actual couple that makes all the actions meaningful.
What difference did or will it make when they're both a couple in the future and still doing the same thing every single day? Nothing, there was no romantic development that was meaningful in the span of this series, It’s all repetitive fluff. If they had confessed early on with these signs that have been going on for the past year it would’ve made the relationship more meaningful in contrast with their actions. I have never seen close friends of the opposite sex doing things like these and don’t label themselves a couple at that point.

If the argument is that the difference is that it's more embarrassing because they are conscious of their actions after the confession. To make that point is absurd because it drives on the notion that both of them have to be so dense artificially until the confession that they don’t know what actual couples do. Then they admitted in the 1st chapter of volume 5 that that is the case that the things they did were couple-like things before being an actual couple. It rides on the style of character writing that they have no idea what “x” thing is unless it's convenient for the story. Being artificially dense for the sake of the things they did before mentioned above and after the confession, and then saying that there's a difference now because they are consciously embarrassed by their actions is an unbelievable premise both in writing and in argument that they are this oblivious to define their relationship when they’re so used to touching and cuddling beforehand and did couple like things. The side characters had already complained in several instances that it's obvious as well to the reader that that is the case. In short, The plot and romance of this series is bad that it exceeds the suspension of disbelief and any resemblance of realism in fiction that it attempts and fails to portray.


Frustration: Repetition

If I'll be honest, this series shouldn’t be as long as it should, we could cut half of the padding and it would make no difference with the character development or the storyline. The repetitive vernacular, and redundant phrasing, that the Author heavily utilized is just there to pad out the novel between conversations. It lingers on with the conversation and scenes for several beats longer than it needed to be. The author felt like the readers probably couldn’t grasp the simplicity of the scene and its integrity and tends to over-explain the most simple actions that the reader would pick up if they knew how to read the room. So it has to repeat and emphasize this and that in every context describing a feeling, cuteness, thought, or action when it is unnecessary and already understood by the reader.

To give a few examples to quote
“Can you cook?”
“…I won’t say I can’t, but I’m not good at it either.”
It wasn’t like Amane couldn’t cook, but he couldn’t make something high-quality enough to offer in exchange for money.


--
Notes: It's already said in dialogue why repeat it in monologue? I know Amane can cook but not as well as he said it. Why add another explanation saying the same thing in monologue?

“The cultural festival was a very important event and this was shown by the fire in everyone’s eyes. It was a massive event and all the students were looking forward to it.”
--
Notes: These two sentences just mean the same thing... Why just repeat the point that everyone is excited back to back and how big and important the event is?


“You little rascal,” Amane slapped him on the back but held back as he wasn’t being serious.
--
Notes: Man I find the novel's stupidity to not trust the reader's mental faculties to understand the scene is so incredibly idiotic. It's obvious in the context that they’re bantering, why the need to explain to me he did it softly or held back. It's not like by default he slapped him so hard in anger. Even then it would be obvious from the context.

Mahiru lightly bumped her fist into his upper arm, apparently dissatisfied with the notion of being unable to swim, so he smiled wryly and looked back at the stage
--
Notes: I'm a person who could read the room and know that it's banter. No need to explain if she punched him lightly and with dissatisfaction.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the concert? If you’d told me, I would’ve changed my shift beforehand. You heartless bastard.”
Seemingly, Itsuki had complaints about the fact that Yuuta had secretly held a concert at the cultural festival, and slapped the table just hard enough to not spill any drinks. Bothered by the shaking table, Makoto softly muttered, “He probably didn’t invite you because you would have made a fuss.”
--
Notes: I don’t know why there is the need to over-explain this action. "not hard enough to spill any drinks" like come on. It's already understood unless he actually spilled drinks. Then you should emphasize that. It's already on default that he slammed the table without the drinks spilling.


Moving on, with a story that is set in mundane everyday life, it’s not bad to repeat some things at times. But to repeat the same conversations over and over again seems like you have nothing to give for the development of the characters. The usual formula goes like this “Your cooking is so good” *Mahiru blushes* or “You’re the only person that I feel comfortable touching me and being close to me and not with other boys” *While Mahiru blushes* or “I will spoil you as much as I want” *Mahiru Blushing or… You get the point. These dialogue points are repeated throughout this series and it's all fluff and there's no development behind any of the dialogue between the two. It's all stagnant up until the confession.
This is basically what the order is most of the time.
1. You look cute/nice
2. She blushes
3. Teases Amane
4. Gets teased back
5. She pouts
6. Tries to reconcile
7. Blush and Hugging

To give credit to the Translators and Editors they did a great job with the translation in making it like a King James Bible type poetry and wording in the monologues.




Volume 5

After confessing in the last volume they started going out as a couple and did a few things that of course supposed to happen in the romance genre set in high school. A pool party in summer vacation, as well as the major development for Amane in confronting his past while visiting his parents to introduce his new girlfriend.

Overall things were still the same but more flirty and the same interactions happened again with the same “no you” shenanigans.

Score: 4/10

My Impression of Mahiru
Very recently being open and the whole school realized she’s just any normal girl and not some holy saint that is untouchable. She has been begging more often but somehow his boyfriend is really dense that he doesn’t realize she wants to go forward. Either way she hasn’t changed much with her cheekiness and devilish tendencies.

My Impression of Amane
Finally! Finally he did it, His first step. He finally took the initiative for one scene and was the first kiss. While I honestly couldn’t understand why they haven’t done it when they were making out and marking each other's necks, might as well put the important thing at the end of the volume right?

Now for his growth, even if it’s inching ever so forward he finally confronted his past. While good for him to have that heroic speech, but the build-up for it was lacks exposition and flashbacks on how his past developed, and as well as on how Toujo is like a comical cliché cartoon villain that’s enough for him to have such a traumatic experience 'ooh emotional bullying and exploitation makes me want to run away to the point I don’t wanna clean my room and be healthy', goodness grow a spine will he. With the reasons before, I see his trauma as trivial and the foundation for it is flimsy which makes this confrontation contrived and its essentially the same lines and progression when they were confronted by their classmates barraging them with questions when they openly announced they’re a couple in the first few chapters of this volume.
1. “He looks uncool and uninteresting, what's so good about him”
2. “I don’t care about looks or social standing I just care about the inside”
3. Mahiru’s speech reprimanding them/him.
And there we have it with another formula for Repetition.



Frustrations: The Wuss and The Beggar

Now that they’re going to play this game where whenever Mahiru ever wants and begs to further the relationship Amane would just say no over and over again that “The relationship is going too fast” or “We’re skipping too many steps” and then contradicts himself early on by saying “He would leave it to Mahiru” when she wants to push forward the relationship. If you actually want to advance actually do it. Your girlfriend gave you the go signal that she wants to do it. Itsuki has already complained that he's a wuss and Mahiru kept telling him not to hold back anymore. Why be this dense now but in other times you aren't?

Volume 5.5

This volume is somewhat enjoyable with since more scenes are more varied rather than again the couch and plain wall. The volume is filled with side stories behind the scenes in the past 4 volumes from Mahiru's perspective. It makes me scratch my head why did the author not do these scenes in the normal volumes?

The volume also shows Itsuki and Chitose are essentially a better character dynamic and have more interesting pasts and conflicts while not perfect, it's better than what we have now. It’s sad we don’t get as much peek at their everyday lives except a small sneak peek in some chapters with a general outline of the situation of their past.

There are some live comments while reading the volume that makes me want to pull my hair out when the series hypocrisy on scenes where Amane is just suddenly oblivious and dense or the series admitting that it's frustrating from an outsider that it's blatantly obvious they act like a couple. Like Quote
“He thought such things should only be done by people who like each other, so he didn’t have the slightest intention of making a move.”
--
Haven't he thought about everything beforehand that it is a thing that people who like each other or in a relationship do like cuddling, holding hands, and being intimate etc? No, he didn't. It's so dumb and it's just convenient to say it in the moment that he doesn’t know but in any of the other occurrences he can understand and isn’t dense. Which is it Author? Are they aware on what they did or not?
----
And another set of quotes

“It was frustrating that they were not making any progress even though they both seemed to be in love with each other from the outside.”
--
... Did the novel just admit its own stupidity?.. It admits that it is frustrating to see these two people dance around the problem. Who knew that it would be a great idea to make your readers frustrated as a premise? Just… Stupid that is the case. Even if it’s a trope in the romance genre. You don’t have to bend the suspension of disbelief to its utmost limits in idiotically dense fasion.

I heavily doubt that it's trying to be meta here and it's really taken as face value. Why is it that the most sane people in this series are Chitose and Izuki? They are a far better set of characters and dynamic than the one we have now.
----

“Mahiru has done whatever she can do.” (In a sense of trying to seduce Amane)
--
No, you haven't. Confess. There's no reason for him to reject you or for you to hold back the confession when he's head over heels.
----

And quote.

This series just embraces the major flaws I was frustrated at, and pours gas on itself, lights a match and sets itself on fire on its own characters and plot and then telling me this is good characterization, storytelling and its realistic? Nope.

5/10

My Impression of Amane and Mahiru
There's not much of note since it’s mostly their daily lives and just hugging.

Volume 6
It is another volume of development for Amane meeting his other friend and setting aside his past once and for all which is a bit of flirting on the side with a home date which lets be real about this. Every day in their apartment is a date to begin with. Another Festival outing with Mahiru and finally the encounter with Mahiru's Father and should've been a very important chapter for this volume. But instead, they gave no info at all.

2/10




My Impression of Amane

While this is the most that Amane developed as a character if the development is the size of a small bump on the road with most of his past he has faced and solved. Really there's nothing much to say about it except he is more pouty and being a wuss as usual.

My Impression of Mahiru

Mahiru begging for the affection that Amane somehow refuses to give in to deeper the relationship and the confusion and emotional backlash about her father and thinking why she's neglected and him not approaching her.


Frustration: The Shit Show of a Last Chapter

This final chapter in volume 6 was probably the most disgusting and disappointing things I've read ever since I started reading the novels. Nothing made me punch the wall and groan so hard as I just did reading the sheer stupidity of how the conversation with Mahiru’s Father unfolded. To say it simply, it's an insult to the reader to have a final chapter that should be a major reveal about something important and ended up with a nothing burger.

My expectations for this very chapter were simple. Amane talks with Mahiru's father and talking about
1. How bad of a father he is. Which he accomplished and;
2. The most important thing, ask about why he had neglected Mahiru. Which the chapter absolutely fails and dodges the question.

The conversation starts with Mahiru’s father saying he wants to talk to Amane and he complies. Proceeding to enter the Café Amane just barraged him with essentially insults just saying He's a Bad father and Asahi accepted the insults as true and regretted neglecting Mahiru. This happened twice in the same chapter back to back. It repeated itself, like why repeat the same points back to back? Padding the page count or something?

Now with the important substance of this chapter is why Asahi neglected Mahiru and why he wants to meet her. He just says “I regret it but I can’t articulate it why I want to meet her and you will know sooner or later” and then leaves after asking if Mahiru is happy, the conversation over. This answers NOTHING about Mahiru’s past and danced around another issue. Does the author even know what Asahi's intentions are on why he had done it? We didn’t even get the chance to get an answer WHY he neglected her and just avoided it completely.

Whenever an important thing is asked, why is it always the case that the characters will say “I can’t articulate it” and then proceed to say something vague or something that the average person possesses. This is no different from Mahiru's questioning about her love for Amane by her classmates. It just proves the mediocrity that is Amane. From the words she described Amane as. What difference does it make to apply those same words to Kadowaki? Kadowaki possesses all of what Mahiru described and has beyond what Amane doesn’t have. The amount of over-explaining with the very obvious stuff that the reader can understand but with the important things the author seems to cant elaborate or explain the intent of these characters that are clear to the reader. This is very self-evident here and the very first volume Mahiru can’t even articulate why she wants to take care of Amane in the first place and just a vague answer of self-satisfaction. There was not a single time that she elaborate on her intent and what brain cell made her do it in the first place to be the catalyst of all of this. Except for the umbrella giving which is just contrived on how weak it was.
To sum it up, the lackluster explanation or to be more blunt there's no explanation that occurred of the more important points of the series introduces either vague answers and adjectives to describe intent or someone or just outright avoid it in the process is just fucking stupid writing.

Going back to Asahi. He didn’t answer anything about his intentions which was supposed to be the whole point of this chapter revealing why dunnit. He asked it himself why he wants to meet Mahiru and just says “I wonder why”? You came here wanting to meet Mahiru but you don’t know why? This is bullshit. How can you do something and don’t even have the reasoning as to why you did the action? If the foreshadowing was he wants to reconcile with her or to have a change of heart. How hard is it to say that? But even then he still didn’t answer why he neglected her in the first place. Then the conversation came full circle and changed nothing. The flow was essentially this

Asahi: I want to meet you and talk
Amane: You’re a bad father
Asahi: I know
Amane: You’re a bad father and why you neglect her?
Asahi: I know I regret it, no comment and I don’t know why I want to meet her. *Ask about Mahiru’s happy and leaves*

What was the major reveal? Nothing. It repeated the same talking points on how bad a father he is twice and said he regrets it twice and resolved nothing and answered nothing. I have no hope that this would get resolved in the next final two volumes that have been out as of now.










Frustrations: Believe and Don’t Question

I want to get into more deeply how the series portrays everything as gospel and there shouldn’t be any questions to be asked and be a blind sheep and just believe everything, even its own premise is already dubious as it is but the author seems like it intends for the readers to just believe the things in the novel with no doubt or any demonstration to actually emphasize and give development of certain actions and characters or to demonstrate to prove ones actions as true as being described or if its logically sound.

This is why Amane's friendships felt forced and just very forgettable. While the novel goes on about how “great and not shallow” his new friendships are, but in action what was written is nonexistent. He only had one or two conversations that I could recall that you can somewhat call a friendly conversation or banter. Most of it is from Itsuki that’s granted but for Kadowaki and the two boys he made friends with in the sports festival, it essentially boils down to one conversation and it's only with Kadowaki in the cafeteria with the boys that I could consider as one, while I’m being very generous about it since they only talked about love about Mahiru which isn’t much substance about the two boys since the topic revolves only around Amane and I didn’t really get to know them better as characters like what their interest are or their personality. After that, they haven’t talked much or show up in the story as often which makes them just feel bland, shallow, and empty husks with the very few conversations Amane had with them.

Another major flaw in the series that they kept repeating is Amane exercising. This so-called integral part of Amane improving himself felt lackluster and more like it's an offhand comment that the novel throws out every once in a while, which is in my opinion lazy writing. I probably noticed the pattern that also applies to various scenes and conversations throughout the show. Like how well-raised Amane is, or how they know their teacher's habits on how they make tests, etc. Do we even get to see the scenes that they’re referring to? Nope, it's just artificial explanations with no basis to back it up that they did it or talk about it in detail. You are expected to just believe what is said and never question it.

Why did I point this out? Because with the case of him exercising throughout the span of this novel, we never get to see Amane exercising in his daily routine in his point of view. The only time we kinda see him exercising is when Chitose running into him on the streets. But that’s not enough to convince me that this aspect of him exercising is as substantially important to him to “grow”. If the novel is trying to make its case that Amane's development stemmed from him exercising in order to gain self-esteem why don't we get a perspective and narrative that emphasizes it? Is it really compelling development just for me to tell you that a lazy person suddenly just cleaned his own home without telling the specifics of why he was motivated to convince you? Unless you consider him cleaning up as character development which is really not major development or something you can really consider as character development but just a change of habits. It’s not convincing development just to say he exercised because there's really no substance that the author added to give it more depth. We never get to see something like a dedicated chapter for his thoughts about going for a jog to at least get out of that bloody couch and room by himself in one of these chapters.

The final example of this issue is this one example quote in this volume specifically and I quote.

“Amane, your strength is being able to move on and forget. If our agreement gave you any unneeded stress… I would have felt guilty for asking you to come visit.”

And quote
In context, they are specifically talking about his past and he doesn’t want to come home because of his “trauma”. Why do I point this out? If you just deconstruct Amane's past before he met Mahiru, is it really Amane's Strength to move on and forget? He was at his breaking point before he met Mahiru. To say his strength is to move in and forget when his “friends” back home bother him so much. The words said by his Parents doesn’t prove Amane being able to move on and forget as his strength if you compare it to his actions prior to meeting Mahiru unless you don’t question the statement and believe it as gospel word for word. His strengths are not moving on and forgetting when for months or probably years on end you are bothered to go home because of your friends. Its hypocrisy. Strength in this context should mean that you had an experience and overcome it by yourself and be able to recover quickly from it. But no he dwelled on it for months.

It's like saying to someone from a drug addiction for 10 years and recently he came out of that addiction and you say “Your strength is not having addictions”. If it is his strength how come he didn’t overcome it before if he had the strength? Strength should be inherently there before the problem not the other way around. It would make more sense if you said “You’re strong overcoming your depression”. That’s why the value of the words that are being said in this novel gives me doubts about how much integrity the actions and intent of the characters have.



Another Farewell

A continuation for a specific chapter of volume 6.
This chapter in the novel is another one of Amane’s development chapters to move on with his past. The tone somewhat shifted which made Amane sound more edgy.
It's the same outline with Toujo where he confronts his old friend Hanada and talks, but here we see them reconcile. I would start with how the conversation reeks of artificiality and lacks the context of Amane’s past with little to no info at all with all the history dumping he did in the past volumes. Essentially the things that consist of Amane's Trauma are exploitation for money and isolation by his classmates. But is it really that bad to the point he had to leave and have a bad lifestyle? The only closest thing we had as a scenario was Amane getting bullied for liking cats in Vol 5.5 and bantering about his appearance in this volume. This isn't really a lot of info in the first place and isn’t a strong case for me to believe it to the point we started at in volume one. This goes back to the points I mentioned before. The lack of demonstration of actions like a flashback or explanation of what occurred is either nonexistent or very weak to be convincing. It's building a skyscraper without a foundation. The story is just as sturdy as Chinese tofu projects were built.


Volume 7

We are finally in the final stretch and to be honest, I'm at the point where I want to get this over with. This volume has been nothing much but full of fluff and nothing to add in terms of development in the story and just introduces a new character that I really don’t care with the lack of an actual introduction. This volume revolves around the school festival where they chose to have a maid and butler café. It is all the usual banter and just again the repetitiveness of the dialogue is so evident in this volume that at this point I’m just mindlessly reading the same text over and over again. Just another set dialogue that has been talked about since like Vol 5 with this once conversation that is just basically “Hey Amane you really do cherish Mahiru a lot huh? “ and gets repeated like 10 times in the volume which got annoying so.

4/10

My Impression of Amane

Getting the most praise in this volume by his classmates on how easy it was to get along with him and even some girls eyeing on him. But he refuses and just looks at Mahiru and Mahiru alone. Which was a point in the novel that was repeated many times. He also saved Mahiru from a molester. Good on him.

My Impression of Mahiru

We get more and more begging from the Angel herself and she got to wear a maid outfit which Amane got jealous and anxious with a lot of people looking at Mahiru. Societal pressure does wonders to make a person do something. She also got pampered by Amanes parents and got some familial bonding time.


Volume 8

Finally, the last and final volume that is out as of now. One of the main focus of this volume is Amane getting a job and earning for an engagement ring… and again the same routine they did with all the touching and hugging which is nothing new. It also touches on a few topics like marriage though not too deeply but it was a driving force for Amane to get a job to earn for a ring at 17 which is somewhat weird.

I also find it very weird that your parents would out of nowhere just talks about marriage without their son bringing the topic up or even in dialogue with Mahiru or a monologue about it, since most of the newlywed dialogue is just banter from Itsuki. I don’t know if this is just about cultural differences or what, but I would think the son should bring the topic of marriage to their parents rather than the other way around, as to ask for the blessings of the parents from both sides. This makes it seem like the plot is ushered to Amane’s favor without him working up the courage to ask his parents for the blessing himself, and instead just presents him an easy getaway and let all the side characters do the work to progress the story. This is the aspect that Amane has nearly done nothing of his own volition unless told or ushered to do by influence.

It is also weird to suddenly get the urge to earn for an engagement ring, at 17 years of age, when he didn’t even started the conversation about marriage and just suddenly wants a ring. He will still end up in college and spending 4 more years and another few years before he would reach his goal of taking responsibility. And for a part-time job more or less than a year is enough to buy you one unless it's an extravagant ring. Even then he has an allowance which if you combine that it is more than enough. So I don’t know why now is the time of need for an engagement ring? He wouldn’t even get married yet for a year minimum after getting out of college, which is still somewhat weird to be engaged while in college but it is debatable if they are mature enough to get engaged which I find it unlikely.

3/10

My Impression on Amane

Got a part-time job and a goal to work for, while weird of a premise to go on to, good for him I guess. There's really not much to say about it really since there are not much changes.

My Impression on Mahiru

Nothing changed.

Final Verdict
This series is just pure misery to read once you reach at a certain point and essentially rereading the same scenes all over again and the same dialogue. The lack of diversity between scenes and characters is just a major letdown on how much the word count on each volume has and the very existence of Amane as a character and in growth with his relationships is one of the most boring progressions I’ve read and something that’s infuriating that nothing ever happens. I'm just happy that I'm done with this series and never touching it again.

Final/Overall score: 3/10

Part 1: Introduction

“Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsunomanika Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken” or “The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten” in English (Otonari no Tenshi for short) is an utterly sweet novel that will make you believe there are people in this crude world who can think of a story as sweet and wholesome as this one.

My first paragraph above might have described the series in shortest possible way. Basically, if you want to read a comfortably sweet romance that will make your heart run aflutter, stop reading this review and go ahead. This novel is for you. But if you want to know how ... I somewhat misunderstood this novel’s title and synopsis and threw an unfair judgement even before reading it, then by all means, keep reading. A cup of tea or beverage of your choice might be needed as I don’t know how long this review will be (I do love writing, so I can write a lot).

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Part 2: Prologue

Looking at the title of the novel, “The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten”, you may have guessed this novel to have a hopeless male and a Godly female leads. You may assumed that the male character is a hopeless human being who spend his daily life doing nothing. And suddenly, an angel come knocking and heal the male to be a better human. If this is your first thought of the novel by reading its title and synopsis alone, then I can’t exactly say that you’re wrong. But at the same time, you may miss how wholesome this novel can be.

I personally don’t particularly like a wish fulfillment story. Although it may sound contradictory as fictions are mostly written to create an unfulfilled reality, but please bear with me. In this novel’s case, the readers might seek an escape and hope to have a one-in-millionth fateful encounters with a certain amazing person who will pull them out of their misery.

Of course, such encounters can be a moment that will forever change a person’s life and will make them forever grateful to be alive for them to be able to experience such fate. And I’m not here to discredit that thought at all. I just don’t like the idea of people who are passively waiting in their nest for these “helping hands” to reach out to them. And this is the moment when I misunderstood Otonari no Tenshi as I assumed it to be a purely wish-fulfillment series where a hopeless male lead is waiting and having an undeservedly fateful meeting with an Angel as if she was falling from the sky and onto his lap. Thankfully, it is not the case with Otonari no Tenshi as the encounters between both lead characters happens because the male lead CHOSE to lend a helping hand to a distressing Angel.

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Part 3: Synopsis (My Version)

Meet Fujimiya Amane, our male protagonist. He’s a normal high-school student, standard look, gloomy, self-admitted hopeless slob, no girlfriend, yada yada yada. (Harmless spoiler: He is quite far from that cookie-cutter character description). He’s living a regular high-school student life with little to no friend. A seemingly gloomy and sad person at first, he is yes.

Another school day ended in an uneventful way for this person as he packs his stuff and getting ready to go home. The rain seems to be coming soon as he looks at the gloomy sky and ready his umbrella. The sound of rain surrounding him truly emphasize the boring, grey world he’s living in. Visiting a convenience store on the way to home has become a routine since he moved to this town. His taste buds have grown stale with eating convenience store food on daily basis. He can feel his upset stomach as if it’s telling him to eat something healthier. But he can’t help it. He can’t cook and touching kitchen utensils might prove to be too hazardous in his hands. But he still needs to survive. That’s why he settles with yet another set of convenience store food and a nutritional jelly to keep his stomach from grumbling at night. As he exits the store, the rain has not subside even a little. he then continues his walk to home.

There is a small park near his apartment. Around the time he walks home from school, there will usually be a handful of family spending their afternoon time together. A peaceful scene for one to look at, indeed. Today is raining, so he didn’t expect there will be a family crazy enough to play under such rain. Yes, only people with a loose screw on their head will visit the park in this weather. And there is actually such people, a girl in fact, who sits on top of one of the swinging chair, alone, without an umbrella covering her drenched body. Her sorrowful face under the rain tells him that she wants the rain to wash over the sadness she’s currently feeling at the moment.

The girl is wearing the same uniform as Amane’s school. Her flaxen, straight, and lustrous hair. Her caramel colored eyes. It’s none other than the school’s “Angel”, Shiina Mahiru. Not only is she a star athlete with perfect grades, she’s also drop-dead gorgeous. Truly, she seems like an angel who have fallen from the sky.

This angel is not only an idol in his school, but she also happen to be his neighbor. Although they’re neighbors, they rarely speak or meet with each other. That’s why he stops for a second to wonder what has happened to her. He’s thinking to approach her and ask her what she is doing. But he decided not to as he realizes that he is not that close to this angel to warrant him listen to her problems. And thus, he continues his walk home and past the park.

A short moment later, although he has decided to not meddle with someone else’s problem, he can’t get rid of her sorrowful sight. He stopped yet again and turn back towards the park. He thought that if he let a girl alone under the rain, he won’t be able to have a good night sleep later. And so he approaches the angel.

He arrived in front of the distressed girl as he leans his umbrella towards her.
“What are you doing?” Amane said. Surprised by a sudden approach from her neighbor, she puts her guard up and replies.
“Please don’t worry about it. I just need to cool my head for a bit.”
Amane has decided to put further questions down as it’s apparent that Mahiru is putting guard on him and wanting to be left alone. He initially wanted to leave her as she wish but he just stood there instead. A moment later, he decided to put the umbrella near Mahiru and give it to her.
“Please use this. And don’t bother to return it.” Amane walks off leaving Mahiru and drench himself under the rain. Really, Amane just can’t stand the thought of that girl to get cold under this rain.

Sometimes, life can throw its humor. Amane gave his umbrella to prevent Mahiru from getting cold, and yet he’s here, in school, wearing a mask as he bears himself through his own cold. It can be really difficult to be sick when you’re alone and you have no one to nurse you. But he’s here alone in this town, separated from his parents. For someone with hopeless surviving skills as him, curing a cold can be a challenge.

The walk back home has been nothing but torture. He feels like collapsing at every step he takes. By the time he arrives at the lift of his apartment, he has lost most of his strength. Leaving him a need to use the lift’s railing just to keep him standing. The lift finally arrives at his floor and opens its doors. On the other side of the doors, he meets the fully healthy Shiina Mahiru with his umbrella on her hands, surprised by the sight of a walking corpse in front of her.

“I told you to not bother returning it.” Amane grumbles.
“Of course I will return what I borrow. Wait, are you perhaps ill?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“No. You definitely don’t look good there.” Mahiru then slowly thought. “Can’t it be because you helped me yesterday?” A slight guilt shown on her face.
“It’s none of your business.” As Amane gives her a cold shoulder and continues his walk towards his apartment’s door. Once he opens his door and enter his residence, his legs suddenly gave up and finally being relieved from their duty to arduously walk his body home, ended up making him fall hard on his own front door.

Mahiru sees at such a pitiful sight and says,
“See? You can’t even stand up.”
“Leave me alone.” While Amane continues to lay down on the floor.
“(Sigh…) It can’t be helped. I will nurse you back to health.” She then enters his apartment and picks up his right arm to lift his body.
“Really, you don’t need to do this.”
“I’m doing this because I want to. I won’t be able to sleep tonight if I leave you here alone.”

And that is the start of their strange and beautiful relationship.

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Part 4: My Thoughts

That was my own version of the initial story, mostly written out of memory, which is quite fresh actually. There might be a little offs that are not quite accurate with the novel, but I think it’s close enough with how I imagined the world and two main characters personality when I read it.

I think if you’ve read my synopsis above, any further speculation of what you might be thinking and expecting from the novel will be safe. As you may have assumed, it’s a warm and sweet story where two main characters will slowly and steadily warm up with each other. Admittedly, there are many stories which use such premise. The difference will lie on the way the author handles characters slowly progressing relationship.

I have to be honest, the author, Saeki-san, have the exact same taste of developing a super sweet and wholesome romance as I do. It’s as if Saeki-san has put my longed imagination of wholesome romance into a real work of fiction. The characters, Fujimiya Amane and Shiina Mahiru, their personalities, and a very tasteful “slow and steady” romance. I simply fell in love with it.

I always viewed a romantic relationship as something so much more than a relationship to fulfill one’s lustful desires or to leave one’s offspring in this world. I view a romantic relationship as “a simple desire to be with your partner for your entire life”. (Yes, I’m a proud Vanilla-Man.) How truly simple and wholesome of a relationship that can be? A friend for life, a desire to not be alone, to go through happiness and sorrow of life together. That is the ideal relationship for me. That’s why I love Lawrence and Holo from Spice and Wolf. And now, Fujimiya Amane and Shiina Mahiru from Otonari no Tenshi.

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Part 5: Conclusion

Dear readers. If you survive the long read until this point, I want to sincerely thank you for your time to read my wall of text.

As I write this review, the more I think that this novel isn’t really “special” or ground-breaking for it to have an objectively 10/10 score and claim it as one of the timeless masterpiece. But I will give it a 10/10 anyway since I feel super comfortable and I genuinely had a great time reading this novel. And thus, it is indeed special for me.

As I said in my initial paragraphs, if you like a slow, comfy, and wholesome relationship that will make your heart bleed sugar, this is your novel. I hope you find this review useful. Leave a comment in my profile and feel free to tell me your thoughts about my review and the novel itself. May you have a good read and a very nice day.

- YosepRA

I tried to give this novel a chance, many chances, but the more I read, the more unreadable it got. I will never forgive the reviews for hyping this so much.

However, I don't think that's because the story itself is bad, but because the medium through which is delivered and the way it's executed is very poor. For me the main problem was that there were so many exposition dumps, bluntly telling the reader what the characters feel, without leaving space for interpretation, constantly switching up the emotions and thoughts of the MCs (I mean from 3-4 paragraphs apart), making them inconsistent (but still predictable), ... unrelatable and hard to understand, and generally weird actions by the MCs.

I do think some people would like this, but imo, this novel treated me like I was some stupid idiot, who doesn't remember what happened in the previous chapter, and likes people to feed me, instead of feeding myself. It was insulting, and I hope I never encounter such novel ever again.

I have finished reading the latest volume and I will say that this is such a great read and easily one of my favorite light novels. From wholesomeness and sweetness alone, this is the best. I have seen other works with similar settings and intention but they don't come close with this one.

Simple yet great storytelling.
I always admire light novels in general because they portray details such as expressions, emotions, and inner dialogues in a complex but understandable way. While not all light novels did those things successfully, this LN did great with its narrations, dialogues, and choice of words which makes you ... able to picture the situations that the author wanted to portray and feel the emotions that the author wanted you to feel.
Kudos to the author Saeki-san.

Sweat & innocence romance. Your heart won't be able to take it.
For people who love romance, this is perfect as well. Great character development by both main characters, and it is not rushed, which means that as a reader you can enjoy how those two relationships and emotions develop without missing anything at all. I think what I love the most from this LN is the fact that I could enjoy their precious relationship by seeing changes in their acts, emotions, and feelings throughout the chapters from the first until the latest volume.

Lovely illustrations by Hanekoto as well.

If you enjoy slow, calm, and wholesome romance that emphasizes the relationship between the main characters (without unnecessary conflicts by third parties), then this is definitely for you. Beware of the possibility of diabetes caused by cuteness overload though.

Self-insert protagonist dates with the perfect girl.
I don't have a problem with literature as escapism, or self-insert for that matter, but it just bothers me so much that the main quality of the protagonist is just that they aren't a huge piece of shit (at least at the beginning).
I don't know, it just feels like the bar is too freaking low, y'know?
It ends up feeling more like the light novel is a public diary of the author delusions than something made to be consumed as self-insert, which I sincerely think is more due to the lack of experience as a writer than anything else.

Before you start reading this Light Novel, I strongly recommend that you schedule your appointment with the endocrinologist. Because honestly speaking, this work is extremely sweet, once you start reading it, it will be very difficult not to get diabetes. But if you already have diabetes, I feel sorry for you.


Story (10): This is a gorgeous and very purifying novel, so I humbly ask that you enjoy it and show appreciation for each chapter you read. I'm sure he will purge all the impurities contained in his soul. Seriously, I feel like I'm a new man after I started reading this book. Every fiber of ... my core rejoices when I remember that there are still treasures like this in this horrible world.

I personally find it incredible that some people come into our lives and manage to change our entire way of living in a very short space of time. This light novel portrays this reality in an exceptional way. Regarding the novel, I would say that it has a perfect rhythm within Japanese culture. The main characters in this story are absurdly well developed. I'm currently on volume 7 and I can't really say that they are the same characters I saw in volume 1. (They have matured a lot and become much stronger, both physically and mentally). Adolescence is a phase of maturation: it is a period of transition in physical and psychological development, in which human beings stop being children and enter adulthood. The cultural purpose of adolescence is to prepare a person to assume the role of an adult. It does not need to be characterized as problematic, but rather as a period marked by significant changes in the biosocial, cognitive and sociocultural spheres. At this stage, moments of difficulty, confusion and irritation usually appear, as well as states of sadness, anger and anguish. However, these same changes also produce excitement, challenges and growth. In other words, this is a period of opportunities and risks. Saeki-san is a highly talented writer and never fails to impress me with her fabulous writing. She always addresses these and many other types of themes in a brilliant and totally engaging way in her book. She certainly deserved to have much more recognition around the world!


Characters (10): The main characters are incredibly endearing and human. The chemistry that the main couple has is absolutely wonderful. And the way they interact with each other is very cute and hilarious. Even the secondary characters are very likable. You will hardly be able to hate any character in this work.


Art (10): This Light Novel has one of the best art styles I've ever seen in my life. I couldn't help it and saved almost all of her illustrations on my PC. Designer Hanekoto managed to successfully portray almost all of the characters' emotions. It was also very detailed. I loved. (I would also like to give an honorable mention to Kazutake who only illustrated volume 1, he did an excellent job too)


Pleasure - (10): I discovered this attractive work from the anime and when I discovered that it had a light novel with volumes that had not yet been adapted I immediately went after it and today I am one of the biggest fans of the work :3



Overall rating - 10/10, If you're looking for a light, sweet, fun novel with well-developed characters, I highly recommend giving this book a chance. You definitely won't regret reading it.

This light novel is simply amazing in so many ways. The development of the characters and their backgrounds is very good, sweet, and well-detailed. All characters are well-developed with strengths and weaknesses, and both the protagonists and supporting actors have unique personalities. If you enjoy simple yet engaging stories, I'm sure you will like it. You won't just get bored reading this, you'll become more and more interested in the story. Despite some episodes of the anime cutting parts of the light novel, I highly recommend it. If you stick to the light novel, the story is amazing.Although the anime was very good, us readers ... of the light novel were a bit disappointed, so give the light novel a chance as it is much better in terms of the couple's development.

11/10. That's all I can say. I can say with confidence and pride that this is my favorite light novel, like the writing is splendid, the story is so wholesome, and overall its just a really good light novel. There are so many little details in the light novel that they bring up later into the story, and it really deepens the bond between the MC and the FMC. There really isn't much for me to say, as in my opinion, its just a really really really good light novel and has everything you can ask for. It is something that you can look forward ... to at the end of the day, or something you read at the start of the day and it generally just improves your mood in general. That's all for me cuz its just really good, give it a read now!!

if you enjoy ''romance'' light novels where the MC is as dense as a thousand black holes piled up together, sure. Read it.

If you like romance light novels where the MC has more self-esteem issues than a 1990s runaway fashion model, yeah, read it.

I dropped this light novel series after the dude goes to a shopping mall with the FMC, she goes off to buy something leaving the MC in the middle of the yard and two college girls approach him hitting on him hard, and not only does the MC not realize at all what is going on; the FMC seeing what is happening ... gets jealous, jumps like really jumps onto the dude, forcing him to hold her against his chest, and then, if I recall it correctly, she tells the college girls she's the boy's girlfriend, and the MC thinks she could never possibly like him.

Come on, dude. This is so unrealistic it just made me drop the series. This MC is a total wimp.

(It's the first time I put an opinion on my anime list and it's normal I never usually put it... but the opinions put forward concerning this light novel are quite negative so I come to give my simple clear and precise opinion on this work)

It's something that is seen and reviewed of course, but that doesn't stop it from being incredibly warming, I like this kind of story in which we get attached to the characters and their relationships, we are happy for them and it's something pleasant to read, of course you have to appreciate the genre and know how to take advantage ... of the moment because if you talk to someone who is a fan of the genre they will necessarily have read similar stories to this one but that does not detract from its charm, I have never understood people who spit on the fact that a plot is seen and reviewed, personally I am here to appreciate things as they are and I am good public so when something can appease me in any way I don't care...

It's only my opinion of course after you are free to want to judge the story, the development of the characters... It's becoming more and more fashionable, people are governed by logic and no longer know how to take advantage of works as they are, when situations are exaggerated (whether at the level of the reactions of the characters or otherwise) people will think that "it's not real" or "the fictions are becoming heavier and heavier" but it's just that the genre is not made for you, these exaggerations have a specific purpose: to make you attached to the work through the laughter, the affection you have for the characters... But once again the people become more and more ruled by logic and go beyond that, as soon as a scene that we often see in works of this kind is put forward then its people will come to say that the work lacks originality or things like that, with them logic takes precedence over pleasure and it becomes real sad...

Finally I would say that if you are a fan of the genre then do not hesitate to read this! If you're having a bad time right now, this is the kind of story that could cheer you up! And if you're an person whose feelings are governed by logic: you can go your own way, you won't be interested!

PS: Also I'm sorry for my level in English, I'm French and even if I have a certain level in English it will surely not be incredible haha... Good continuation to you from France!

Well, this novel have surprised me in many ways.

It isn't a never seen story with an unexpected plot, but it's truly wholesome. Even if it's has it's cliches in it, they are well done ands not feel too forced, it has good characters, that have their owns flaws, but can create a nice and interesting atmosphere, that doesn't let you bored while reading it. Besides, the main characters have a very entertaining relationship and their interaction by itself made the novel worth for me.

It is not a story for everyone, but if you're searching for a heartwarming story with good characters that not let ... you feel bored , you won't be displeased by reading it.

In mid-late 2021, I started reading “The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten” because I heard it was just a fluffy romcom. I went in wanting to get an easy and fun little read, but finished the first book—only 2 hours after starting it—with diabetes.

Let’s start with the story:
So Amane Fujimiya is this slob loser of a human being living alone, when he learns that he’s living next door to the “angel” of his school—the beautiful and intelligent Mahiru Shiina. On the basis, it’s just a generic light novel romcom plot with pretty art, and yet the pull that this story has had on me ... was surprisingly profound. The way Saeki-san develops Amane and Mahiru through acts of gratitude and selfless service make both parties feel more “real.” It pushes for an importance on being genuine to those you care about, and always being gracious for what you receive. Saeki-san packaged this into a slow-burn romantic comedy, that certainly leans on its former half. You can feel your heart flutter at the sweet interactions between the main duo, and the friendships that are fostered with other characters, too, has had a lot of care put into them. It’s a wholesome story that I know without a doubt will continue to grow stronger as the romance further develops.

I mentioned earlier that this also has pretty art. I mean it. Despite being a light novel, where the focus is not nearly as heavy on the art is it is with manga, Hanekoto’s illustrations and style perfectly encapsulate the diabetes-inducing sweetness of this series.

Development of characters is next, and because of how Saeki-san set up the series, the slow-burn romance feels a lot more natural than most other works, and Amane and Mahiru’s feelings developing for each over time is addicting and intriguing. Side characters, despite the comedic relief that some may add, are strong parts of the plot that help develop the main duo as well.

Overall, this series is an absolute must-read for romance fans. Just make sure you’re able to handle a lot of sweetness.

As a warning for those that seek drama, unexpected twists, suspense, action, rivalry or anything of the like in a light novel: This isn’t the one for you. Better not waste your time here.

But if you prefer a more simplistic and wholesome romance story (like I, who didn’t even know he did before reading this LN), please read on.

---

If I had to sum up what this story aims to be, it would be: Relatable, wholesome, non-exaggerated, and 'caries inducing'. And that it does astonishingly well.

To elaborate a little more, Otonari no Tenshi is a simple slice of life romance, meant to be satisfying to read ... all the way through. Creating a relatable and likeable set of characters, be it main- or side cast. A non-exaggerated setting and background for all characters, as well as starting point of the story.

Something that this LN differs in compared to ‘oh so many’ other romance stories I have read is how bound to earth it is. Just how often did I read stories with the most exaggerated introductions. Be it the MMC saving the FMC from certain death, deeply traumatized characters, with their backgrounds overshadowing the entire story, random cohabitations, and ever so on. Not even to mention how the entire cast always needs to fill the known stereotypes, creating the usual harem setting + the usual ‘unpopular with girls side joke tier male friend’ the MMC must have.

But not here. Here we simply have a normal pair of neighbors. While aware of each other’s existence, still just that, neighbors. Otherwise complete strangers. At least until a small courteous exchange ended up triggering everything this story is going to tell you. Ever so slowly, and ever so peacefully. Taking a relationship from strangers to lovers not with the sledgehammer through the wall, but by simple day by day exchanges and developments.

Frankly, while this LN likely does nothing new or groundbreaking, I doubt I ever encountered a story that was even remotely as satisfying to read as this one.

Only reason why I don’t give a 10/10 is because there is always some minor nagging you can do.

/*Side note: I read both the web- and the light novel (at the time 266 web chapters and 6 LN volumes). Both in Japanese. Therefore, my reading experience might slightly differ compared to those that read either the official- or fan-translations.*/

OK, so this is my first story review, so it has a good story and is enjoyable to read. If you like school life with romance and a comedy, I recommend you read this. The development of the character is good evidence of the author's doing a job well done. The story is not about an introverted man loving a good-looking girl and being famous at school. No, the story is more complex than that. Despite having a dissapoitable side character, they have a good potential to be read. If you like school life with romance and a comedy, I recommend you read this.

I don't care about other's reviews. The watched anime like this before but I didn't read to much Japanese LN. So I am enjoying a lot, and waiting to read more.



Yes the characters are common, a popular school goddess and the boy is keeping low profile, despite being handsome. *But its doesn't really matter to me. I read the story, don't eat the characters.



... Don't mind me or others, Just start reading a chapter. If you like then read more, if you don't then it's your matter.....I don't care.....



I really really like this LN.


Its different than the usual LN


You should at least give it a try.


..........That's all!😁😁👍👌👌

I'm not familiar with plagiarism and copyright in Japan, but The Angel Next Door is a simple rip-off of Horimiya. Yes, it borrows heavily from Toradora and Say, I Love You; but it is really just a total rip-off of Horimiya. Stop me if you have heard this one before...

The beautiful and top-of-her-class genius is the school idol, with boys confessing to her right and left. But she has a secret identity: at home she is the domestic goddess and queen of housework and traditional Japanese cuisine. Neglected by her parents, she is left to fend for herself from an early age, living alone in ... a spacious apartment. (Okay, this part is from Toradora.) She falls for the homely loner in her class, who actually looks kind of handsome when he combs his hair, but who is still dealing with the trauma of being bullied in middle school. Like our other beloved male protagonists, Miyamura, I mean Fujimiya, just can't bring himself to profess his love, except maybe when Hori-san, I mean Mahiru, is semi-conscious in bed with a fever...

Yes, it uses every cliche and trope listed in the How to Write a Romance handbook. If you have seen the rom-coms noted above, then you can predict every paragraph in these light novels. If you make an outline of Horimiya, you can just change the names and you will have The Angel Next Door. So why would I recommend this light novel series?

If you are a lover of the romantic comedy genre, you may have noted that the light novels will be made into an anime set to air in 2023. And despite the rip-off nature or pure imitation of Horimiya, the author of The Angel Next Door does a great job. This series has characters that are easy to fall for, and the reader will cry away the pages as we are pulled from scenes of bullying and abuse to the ecstasy of pure love between highschool sweethearts.

This time next year perhaps we will be comparing the anime to Horimiya. The Angel Next Door is worth a read if you are a romance junkie, and you need something sweet to hold you until next year.

Note: I am reading this series in Japanese, and my review reflects my opinions after the latest volume, the eighth, which released earlier in January of this year.

The overwhelmingly positive response to this novel, both in Japan and in the West, is genuinely incomprehensible to me. As someone who isn't particularly into light novels, I had picked up this series in response to all the glowing praise claiming that this was the quintessential slice-of-life romance series that avoids all the drama bullshit plaguing its other ilk. Now, having agonizingly slogged through the whole thing, I have to say that the more people lavish acclaim on ... this series as a paragon of the romance novel, the more it seems to serve as an indictment of the genre as a whole.

The series is, at its core, the romance between a fairly unremarkable male protagonist and a heroine who seems to be an embodiment of all that is good in the world. I don't really have an issue with 'ideal girlfriend' fiction in and of itself, but Tenshi-sama suffers from a crippling problem in execution The author has endeavored to try to give Mahiru superhuman appeal in every single facet and does not hesitate to scream in the reader's face about her loveliness every other line. In what I would've considered parodic fashion if I didn't know better, every single action Mahiru takes is accompanied by a flurry of adjectives about how cute or beautiful or charming she is, like the author thinks we're amnesiacs who need reminding every five seconds that yes, Mahiru is a girl with attractive qualities. The absurd levels of grandstanding are so distracting it completely destroys the notion that Mahiru is anything but an artificial creation of the author's delusions. Rather than feeling like a real character, Mahiru feels like a shallow caricature of similar heroines in its genre.

The main character himself, Amane, is relatively nondescript, the gloomy and unsociable type that the reader might be able to see themselves in to some degree. His uninteresting personality becomes supplemented by less… pleasant traits once his relationship with Mahiru begins to deepen, however. He seems to be afflicted with a mixture of possessiveness towards being the only person who knows the 'real' side of Mahiru as well as sexist tropes that seem to have persisted in Japanese fiction for decades. For instance, being unable to grasp the fact that girls can, in fact, enter boys' rooms without the boy being consumed with a monstrous desire to sexually assault them. Or unironically telling Mahiru not to show too much skin or it'll ignite the lusts of the males in her vicinity. The worst part is that these warnings are justified, at least within the setting itself, by every single male character that doesn't isn't particularly relevant being uncontrollably horny zombies. The gaggle of boys in Mahiru's school (beyond the few male friends Amane has) are apparently unable to speak to or about her without either being possessed by reverence, lust, or explosive jealousy towards any sort of interaction between Mahiru and Amane. Of course, the presence of these boys only elevates Amane's own value, transforming him into a gentleman concerned about Mahiru's well-being when quite frankly he would come across as just creepy.

Another thing worth mentioning is how awful the writing can be; the author often seems to worry that the reader might have never had a human relationship in their entire lives, and takes great pains to elaborate on interactions that someone with half a brain could have instantly understood from context alone. For instance, it can go like this: (in response to a playful verbal rib, Amane punches his friend in the shoulder. But, his friend didn't feel any pain from the punch. That's because Amane didn't put any force into his punch in the first place, because he wasn't being serious, because he was just responding to a joke). Obviously, the reader would have been able to figure out from the very first line that Amane was not, in fact, trying to beat the everloving crap out of his friend. This sort of writing not only pointlessly pads the story, but also contributes to the sheer sense of artificiality that seemed to hang over me while reading.

I do want to reiterate again that I have no issue with the sort of ordinary-boy-meets-perfect-girl story that at least partially draws its appeal from the reader being attracted to the heroine herself. But, Tenshi-sama feels like a distillation of everything that can go wrong with this genre to the point of feeling like a parody. I can only hope that this series is not representative of what people out of their heroines and romance stories as a whole. But the more comments I see about how wonderful Mahiru is and how desperately they want to marry someone like her, the more my faith is shaken…