Every school has its idol, someone who everyone looks up to, who never seems to have a hair out of place. For Amane Fujiyama, that idol is the "angel" Mahiru Shiina, but he doesn't care too much about her... that is until they find out they're neighbors and Mahiru decides to help him with cooking and cleaning. With an angel living next door to him, Amane's life is about to get a lot more heavenly.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten (Otonari no Tenshi-sama ni Itsu no Ma ni ka Dame Ningen ni Sareteita Ken) is a romance novel series written by Saekisan. It began as a Web Serial Novel which was first released on Shousetsuka ni Narou in 2018, later being published as a series of Light Novels in 2019 with illustrations by Hazano Kazutake for the first volume and Hanekoto for the second volume onward. The novels received an anime adaptation in 2023; a second season has been announced. The light novels are licensed in English by Yen Press.
Tropes:
- Armor-Piercing Response: Mahiru uses the Sports Festival to tell the whole school that Amane is "someone dear to her." When the other male students start complaining about how their precious Angel is hanging around a "dull" guy, Mahiru politely takes them to task, telling them that if their only criterion for worthiness is someone's outer appearance, then they don't have any right to determine who or who not she should value.
- Beta Couple: Amane's friends Itsuki and Chitose are already together when the series starts.
- Cannot Spit It Out: It's obvious to themselves and the audience that Amane and Mahiru fell for each other by the New Year, but Mahiru isn't able to express herself very well about it just yet, and Amane thinks keeping it a friendship is safer for the both of them thanks to a rejection in middle school. Mahiru is the one that finally breaks the stalemate once she musters up the courage for a Love Confession.
- Erotic Dream: Amane has a wet dream involving Mahiru in Episode 10, which he later describes to Mahiru. She asks for details about what she did in his dream... just out of curiosity.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Mahiru's long blonde hair matches her kind and helpful nature.
- Indirect Kiss: Amane and Mahiru have one during their New Year's shrine visit when they end up sharing drinks.
- Mum Looks Like a Sister: Both of Amane's parents look more like his older siblings rather than his parents.
- Love Confessor: Episode 10 has a couple of Mahiru's classmates ask her if the rumors about her being with a boy are true. She confirms that these rumors are true, and even specifies that, while she and said boy (Amane) aren't officially a couple, he's nonetheless the person most important to her.
- Poke the Poodle: At one point, Amane gives Mahiru a duplicate key to his apartment, which she takes as a very personal move that catches her off-guard. Thinking she shouldn't be trusted with it, she then proceeds to genuinely threaten to clean his apartment, or put fresh food in his fridge, and Amane takes both threats in stride so much it just ends up with her thinking he's teasing her until he solidifies that no, he's really serious about it.
- Relationship Upgrade: Amane and Mahiru get together at the end of Volume 4 of the novels (and by extension, Episode 12 of the anime).
- School Idol: The titular angel Mahiru is admired by everyone at school for her beauty, intelligence and athleticism.
- Trash of the Titans: Amane's apartment before Mahiru starts helping him with housework is a sight to behold.
- Trauma Swing: When Amane first talks to Mahiru it's after he spots her sitting on a park swing set alone in the rain crying to herself.
- Umbrella of Togetherness: Mahiru and Amane have their first ever conversation when Amane gives Mahiru his umbrella after finding her crying to herself in the rain, which is what draws her to him and makes her want to thank him with cooking and cleaning.
