Warning: The following contains spoilers for Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included episode 1!!
Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included is the first release of Crunchyroll’s Spring anime season, and it seems to be a direct response to one of 2023’s best romance series, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, by how it gives the latter a literal and supernatural twist. Of course, these two romance anime adaptations are in no way officially connected, but fans who enjoyed The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten can’t help but draw the correlations.
The obvious correlation between the two is the presence of an “angel” in both series, both of whom just happen to live in close proximity to a boy they each take care of for similar reasons.
Studio Apartment‘s eponymous female protagonist named Towa actually lives with her boy, Shintaro, as opposed to the other female lead named Mahiru who, as the title suggests, lives next door to her, Amane. Also, Towa is an actual angel. Mahiru was only nicknamed as such by her classmates since she’s an incredible athlete and academic.
Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included Has A Clueless Angel Who Takes Care of Her Guy
Based on the manga by matoba; produced by Okuruto Noboru
Although Towa actually lives in Shintaro’s apartment as opposed to next door, Mahiru might as well be, since she spends an increasing amount of time there as the series progresses. Sometimes Mahiru even sleeps over, but in a different room, of course. Regardless, one of the most defining ways in which both angels spoil each of their boys rotten is through cooking, though the reasons vary. Initially, Mahiru just couldn’t believe how horrible Amane’s eating habits were and felt compelled to make him proper meals. In Towa’s case, she prepares dinner for Shintaro out of thanks for letting her stay with him. Additionally, her main goal is to actually make humans happy. It also helps that Shintaro doesn’t cook, either.
Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included will likely split The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten‘s fan base in two, between those who are happy with the new Crunchyroll series’ more extreme take on an already absurd premise and those who want something a little more grounded in reality.
Both angels are also quite innocent, and it comes across as extreme naïveté that causes their male counterparts a great deal of distress. Towa’s innocence and inability to grasp certain social cues is much more straight forward and understandable since she comes from heaven and her adventures in the show are her first time in the human world. Mahiru’s situation is much more nuanced and layered. She’s an actual human who just can’t comprehend how some of her actions could be perceived as inappropriate or provocative, partly because she believes Amane’s convincing front that he isn’t interested in her romantically and because she was indifferent to him as well initially.
Those who can’t get enough of Mahiru and Amane’s unique living situation in The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten would absolutely love the direction of Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included for obvious reasons. However, because it is so much more literal, Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included will likely split The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten‘s fan base in two, between those who are happy with the new Crunchyroll series’ more extreme take on an already absurd premise and those who want something a little more grounded in reality.
Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included is simulcasting on Crunchyroll.
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