The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten (2023)

[お隣の天使様にいつの間にか駄目人間にされていた件]

Season 1

Director: Wang Linhua
Studio: Project No.9
Starring: Taito Ban, Manaka Iwami, Taku Yashiro
Episodes: 12

Synopsis:
A withdrawn young man finds his path crossing with that of the "angel" of his school.

Impressions:
Based on the title, I was worried this would just be shallow wish-fulfillment of some loser getting doted on by a girl way out of his league, but while the title holds true, it's not as one-sided as that it would have you think. Amane and Mahiru have a reciprocal, arguably codependent, relationship that develops over the course of the series with a nice, comfy domestic vibe. Neither are prone to big outbursts or overwrought drama. They're both fairly reserved and prudent and handle their issues rather maturely. You can joke that there's no point in getting them to start dating as they're already essentially a married couple. We get the pot stirred a bit by Amane's friends, a couple that serves as a counterpoint to the main duo. If you think most romcoms overdo it, this works as a nice remedy, but if you enjoy more antics, you'll probably find this boring. For my part, I liked it and if you're wanting a nice little low-key romance to relax to, you'll want to give it a watch.

Rating:
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