Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

One Room Angel

One Room Angel
Cover of the Japanese version, released on March 25, 2019 (2019-03-25)
ワンルームエンジェル
(Wan Rūmu Enjeru)
GenreBoys' love[1]
Manga
Written byHarada
Published byShodensha
English publisher
  • NA: Futekiya
ImprintOn BLUE Comics
MagazineOn BLUE
DemographicJosei
Original runOctober 25, 2017 (2017-10-25)December 25, 2018 (2018-12-25)
Volumes1
Television drama
Directed byYūka Eda [ja]
Produced by
  • Yuna Kamiura
  • Shō Sejima
Written byAya Watatane
Music byTomohide Harada [ja]
Licensed byViki
Original network
Original run October 20, 2023 (2023-10-20) November 24, 2023 (2023-11-24)
Episodes6

One Room Angel (Japanese: ワンルームエンジェル, Hepburn: Wan Rūmu Enjeru) is a Japanese manga series by Harada. It was serialized in the bimonthly boys' love manga magazine On BLUE from October 25, 2017, to December 25, 2018. The series is a remake of Harada's 2013 short story Tomarigi (止まり木).

A live-action television drama adaptation was broadcast from October 20, 2023, to November 24, 2023, for Drama Shower, a programming block created by MBS TV in collaboration with Tunku, Kadokawa Corporation's label for live-action boys' love television dramas.

Plot

Kouki is a convenience store employee with no ambition in life.[2] He lives alone in a shabby one-room apartment and is unable to get another job due to his appearance and past criminal record. One night, while dealing with unruly customers at his job, Kouki is stabbed, but upon falling conscious, he sees an angel fall from the sky.[2] Kouki later finds the angel in his apartment with no memories of his previous life, as well as being unable to fly.[2] The angel claims that his wings can only heal from Kouki's positive emotions and promises to help him get his life back on track in exchange for food and shelter.[2]

Kouki is fired from his job due to the stabbing incident, and the angel attempts to give Kouki advice on finding a new job. Meanwhile, Kouki also seeks financial aid from his estranged mother, Arisa, while sharing how his past criminal jobs wound up with his younger brother, Tomoki, being forced into the yakuza. Later, the angel discovers that he had died from jumping from his home above convenience store on the night Kouki was stabbed, and that no one but Kouki is able to see him.

After talking to the convenience store manager and the angel's father, Kouki and the angel crack the password to the angel's former social media account. Together, they learn that the angel's true name is Takashi Takashina, who had been bullied by a popular boy at his middle school, Boy A. During a class field trip, Boy A had made sexual advances on him, but he later fell from a window by accident and died. Takashi was subsequently blamed for Boy A's death, causing him to later committ suicide. Finding closure with his death, the angel realizes that being with Kouki helps him feel loved and confesses his feelings for him.

As Kouki and the angel go on more outings together, one day, the angel suddenly disappears with his wish fulfilled. Kouki falls into depression, but he finds a feather from the angel's wings in his apartment, which makes him realize his relationship with the angel was real and inspires him to move on with his life. He gets a job with a moving company, and he reconciles with Tomoki. Kouki understands that, through his time with the angel, life is worth living. In the epilogue, Kouki reunites with the angel in death.

Characters

Kouki (幸紀, Kōki)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (audio drama),[3] Portrayed by: Shuhei Uesugi (TV drama)[4]
Kouki is a convenience store employee in his 30s who has no direction in life.[4][5]
Angel (天使, Tenshi)
Voiced by: Shouta Aoi (audio drama),[3] Portrayed by: Takuya Nishimura [ja] (TV drama)[4]
The angel is a mysterious boy with wings who has lost his memories and cannot fly.[4] The angel has a beautiful appearance, but he is also cheeky and says crass words.[5]
Arisa (あり紗)
Portrayed by: Kyōko Hasegawa (TV drama)[6]
Arisa is Kouki's mother.[6]
Boy A (A君, A-kun)
Portrayed by: Kōki Tanaka [ja] (TV drama)[6]
"Boy A" is a popular boy in the angel's class during his past life.[6]
Convenience store manager (コンビニの店長, Konbini no Tenchō)
Portrayed by: Oideyasu Oda [ja] (TV drama)[6]
The convenience store manager, whose name is never revealed in the series, is Kouki's boss.[6] He later fires Kouki from the job.
Takako (タカコ)
Takako is a girl in the angel's class during his past life.

Media

Manga

Harada wrote and illustrated a short story titled Tomarigi (止まり木), which was serialized in B-Boy Chō Kichiku Elite Ryōjoku Tokushū, a boys' love manga anthology that was released on July 31, 2013, as part of Libre Publishing's Magazine Be × Boy brand.[7] It was compiled in Hen'ai (変愛), an anthology of Harada's other short stories, by Libre Publishing on January 23, 2014, under the Citron Comics imprint.[8] The story sees a man who meets an angel and helps him heal his wings through sexual intercourse.[8] Harada later decided to remake the story, leading to the creation of One Room Angel.[1][2][9]

One Room Angel is serialized in the bimonthly boys' love manga magazine On BLUE from vol. 31 released on October 25, 2017,[10] to vol. 38 released on December 25, 2018.[11] The chapters were later released in one bound volume by Shodensha under the On BLUE Comics imprint.[2]

In August 2020, Futekiya announced that they would distribute the manga in English on their website.[12] The manga is currently distributed by Manga Planet since their merger with Futekiya and was released in December 2020.[13]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 March 25, 2019 (2019-03-25)[14]978-4396784751December 2020[13]

Audio drama

An audio drama was released onto CD by Marine Entertainment on June 27, 2020.[15] The audio drama stars Tomokazu Sugita as Kouki and Shouta Aoi as the angel.[3] Upon its release, it charted at no. 38 on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart.[15]

Television drama

A live-action television drama adaptation of One Room Angel was announced on September 26, 2023.[1][4][16] The series was broadcast from October 20, 2023,[a] to November 24, 2023, on Drama Shower, a programming block created by MBS and Tunku (a label of Kadokawa Corporation specializing in live-action boys' love television dramas).[4] In addition to MBS, the series was also broadcast on TV Kanagawa, Gunma TV, Tochigi TV, TV Saitama, and Chiba TV.[4] It was streamed internationally with English subtitles on Viki.[13]

The television drama adaptation is directed by Yūka Eda [ja],[16] with Aya Watatane in charge of the script.[1] Yuna Kamiura and Shō Sejima served as producers for the series.[5] Kamiura selected One Room Angel to be adapted for Drama Shower after reading the manga, stating that she felt that the "delicate" themes of "growth" were "appealing" and would be a different approach compared to the previous drama adaptations that were broadcast on Drama Shower.[5] In addition, Eda tried to portray the tone of the story with different camera angles compared to the manga, while "respecting the worldview" of Harada.[5] She also stated she directed the series with intention to have the audience rewatch for subtle hints, such as Kouki's apartment becoming cleaner throughout his time spent with the angel.[5]

The series stars Shuhei Uesugi as Kouki and Lil Kansai [ja] (a pre-debut group from Kansai Johnny's Jr.) member Takuya Nishimura [ja] as the angel.[4][17][18][19] As Kouki was a character in his 30s, Kamiura did not want to cast someone younger, and Uesugi was Eda's first choice for the role.[5] Likewise, Nishimura was Kamiura's first choice for the role of the angel when the drama adaptation was in its planning stage a year prior to the show's broadcast because he was a "visual match" for the character and she felt that he could portray the angel's "cheekiness" well.[5] Eda wanted the movements of the angel's wings to be realistic and the movements to reflect the angel's emotions, so instead of using CGI animation, the production team decided to construct the wings as a physical prop.[5] Taiga Ishino was in charge of making the wings, and it took him approximately one month to complete them.[5] Filming took place during the summer.[17][19]

The supporting cast includes Kyōko Hasegawa as Arisa, Kōki Tanaka [ja] as Boy A, and Oideyasu Oda [ja] as the convenience store manager.[6][20][21] Eda felt Tanaka's character, Boy A, was "challenging" in that the character's true emotions were different from what he said, and she focused on capturing Tanaka's facial expressions.[5] The convenience store manager originally spoke in standard Tokyo dialect in the manga, but it was changed to Kansai dialect in the drama adaptation at the suggestion of the character's actor, Oda.[5] Kamiura stated that while the character Takako was removed from the drama adaptation, the production team used screen time in scenes where she would have appeared to expand more on Kouki and the angel's past.[5]

The opening theme song is "8th Heaven" by Shouta Aoi, who had previously portrayed the angel in the audio drama CD adaptation.[22] The song and lyrics were composed by Queen Bee vocalist Avu-chan, a close friend of Harada's who had written the song specifically for One Room Angel.[22] The ending theme song is "Kuon" by Sano Ibuki [ja].[23]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Meeting"
Transliteration: "Deai" (Japanese: であい)
Yūka Eda [ja]Aya WatataneOctober 20, 2023 (2023-10-20)
2"The Two of Us"
Transliteration: "Futari" (Japanese: ふたり)
Yūka EdaAya WatataneOctober 27, 2023 (2023-10-27)
3"Kouki"
Transliteration: "Kōki" (Japanese: こうき)
Yūka EdaAya WatataneNovember 3, 2023 (2023-11-03)
4"Tears"
Transliteration: "Namida" (Japanese: なみだ)
Yūka EdaAya WatataneNovember 10, 2023 (2023-11-10)
5"Memories"
Transliteration: "Kioku" (Japanese: きおく)
Yūka EdaAya WatataneNovember 17, 2023 (2023-11-17)
6"Angel"
Transliteration: "Tenshi" (Japanese: てんし)
Yūka EdaAya WatataneNovember 24, 2023 (2023-11-24)

Reception

In 2019, One Room Angel was listed as no. 3 in a list of top 10 BL manga published in Kono BL ga Yabai![24] In 2020, One Room Angel was listed at no. 13 in a list of top 10 manga for female readers in the 2020 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi![25] One Room Angel won Best Comic in the 2020 Chil Chil [ja] BL Awards.[26]

Anime! Anime! and TV Life [ja] stated that audience reception to the television drama adaptation was favorable, with praise towards Eda's directing and the angel's wings.[27][28]

Notes

  1. ^ MBS lists the broadcast date as October 19, 2023, at 25:29, which is October 20, 2023 at 1:29 a.m.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 25, 2023). "Harada's One Room Angel Boys-Love Manga Gets Live-Action Show". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "はらだが初期作をセルフカバー、人生投げやり男&記憶がない天使の同居物語" [Harada releases a self-cover of an early work, a story about a man who has given up on life and an angel who has lost his memory, living together]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 25, 2019. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "はらだ「ワンルームエンジェル」ドラマCD化!幸紀役は杉田智和、天使役は蒼井翔太" [Harada's One Room Angel gets a drama CD adaptation! Kouki to be played by Tomokazu Sugita and the angel to be played by Shouta Aoi]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 19, 2020. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "はらだ「ワンルームエンジェル」実写ドラマ化!ヤカラ男を上杉柊平、天使は西村拓哉" [One Room Angel gets a live-action drama adaptation! Shuhei Uesugi stars as a yakuza man, and Takuya Nishimura stars as an angel]. Natalie (in Japanese). September 26, 2023. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "<ワンルームエンジェル>枝優花監督&ドラマPが明かす上杉柊平&西村拓哉の起用理由「上杉さん、西村さん以外は考えていなかった」" [One Room Angel director Yūka Eda and drama producers clarify the reason why Shuhei Uesugi and Takuya Nishimura were cast: "We can't think of anyone [who can play the main characters] other than Uesugi and Nishimura"]. The Television [ja] (in Japanese). November 16, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "長谷川京子、上杉柊平の母役に起用 『ワンルームエンジェル』追加キャストに田中洸希、おいでやす小田" [Kyōko Hasegawa is added to the cast of One Room Angel in the role of Shuhei Uesugi's mother, Kōki Tanaka and Oideyasu Oda also added to the cast]. Oricon (in Japanese). September 29, 2023. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  7. ^ "b-BOY 超キチク エリート陵辱特集" [B-Boy: Super Sadistic Elite Humiliation Special Issue]. Magazine Be × Boy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 3, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "変愛" [Strange Love]. Magazine Be × Boy (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  9. ^ On BLUE editorial department [@onBLUE_ed] (October 27, 2017). "【onBLUE vol.31】はらだ先生の注目新連載「ワンルームエンジェル」は、かつて描いた「止まり木」という短編のセルフリメイク作! 初期作品だった止まり木から数年…。はらださんの中で生まれ変わった天使と男の物語がどんなふうに展開されていくのか、楽しみに追いかけてくださいね" [(On BLUE vol. 31) Harada's new serialization, One Room Angel, is a self-remake of the short story Tomarigi! Several years have passed since their early work, Tomarigi... Please look forward to the story reborn from Harada about an angel and a man!] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved August 4, 2024 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ "on BLUEではらだ新連載、次号から雲田はるこ「新宿ラッキーホール」続編" [New story by Harada serialized in On BLUE, next issue will feature a continuation of Shinjuku Lucky Hole by Haruka Kumota]. Natalie (in Japanese). October 25, 2017. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  11. ^ "「冬知らずの恋」夏野寛子が憧れの志村貴子と対談、キャラ萌えの軌跡もたどる". Natalie (in Japanese). December 25, 2018. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (August 3, 2020). "futekiya Boys-Love Manga Service Adds 7 Shodensha Titles". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  13. ^ a b c Cayanan, Joanna (November 20, 2023). "Rakuten Viki Streams Live-Action One Room Angel Show". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 25, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  14. ^ "【3月25日付】本日発売の単行本リスト" [(March 25) List of tankōbon released today]. Natalie (in Japanese). March 25, 2019. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  15. ^ a b "ドラマCD ワンルームエンジェル" [Drama CD: One Room Angel]. Oricon (in Japanese). Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "上杉柊平&Lil かんさい西村拓哉が連ドラ初主演 ヤカラ男&記憶喪失の天使役に挑戦" [Shuhei Uesugi and Lil' Kansai member Takuya Nishimura make first appearance in serialized drama in the roles of a yakuza man and an angel who has lost his memories]. Oricon (in Japanese). September 26, 2023. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "上杉柊平、西村拓哉のタフさに驚き「元気だからみんなに愛されるんだろうな」<ワンルームエンジェル>" [Shuhei Uesugi is surprised at Takuya Nishimura's toughness: "He's energetic, so everyone loves him" (One Room Angel)]. The Television [ja] (in Japanese). October 18, 2023. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  18. ^ "【上杉柊平×西村拓哉インタビュー】役柄と一緒に縮まっていった「二人の距離」<ワンルームエンジェル>" [(Interview with Shuhei Uesugi and Takuya Nishimura) The "distance between the two of them" grew closer together (One Room Angel)]. Animage Plus (in Japanese). November 17, 2023. Archived from the original on August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  19. ^ a b "上杉柊平&Lil かんさい西村拓哉、初共演・2人芝居で互いから受けた刺激「想像以上に過酷」8畳一間で連日12時間撮影<「ワンルームエンジェル」インタビュー>" [Shuhei Uesugi and Takuya Nishimura from Lil Kansai, first time co-starring together: the stimulus they received from each other in a two-person play was "more difficult than imagined", filming daily for 12 hours in one room with 8 tatami mats (One Room Angel interview)]. Model Press (in Japanese). October 17, 2023. Archived from the original on August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  20. ^ "「ワンルームエンジェル」幸紀と天使が食卓囲む場面写真、長谷川京子らの出演も" [One Room Angel releases photo of the scene of Kouki and the angel eating at the dining table, Kyōko Hasegawa and others added to the cast]. Natalie (in Japanese). September 29, 2023. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  21. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (September 29, 2023). "Live-Action One Room Angel Series Adds 3 Cast Members". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  22. ^ a b "「ワンルームエンジェル」主題歌は蒼井翔太 はらだの親友アヴちゃんが作詞・作曲" [Shouta Aoi to perform opening theme song to One Room Angel, song and lyrics composed by Harada's close friend Avu-chan]. Natalie (in Japanese). October 5, 2023. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  23. ^ "「ワンルームエンジェル」幸紀と天使の生活描く予告編、ED主題歌はSano ibuki" [One Room Angel releases trailer depicting Kouki and the angel's life, Sano Ibuki to perform the ending theme song]. Natalie (in Japanese). October 13, 2023. Archived from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  24. ^ Morrissy, Kim (December 22, 2019). "Achira Kochira Bokura Tops Kono BL ga Yabai! 2020 List". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  25. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (December 11, 2019). "Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Editors Unveil 2020 Rankings". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  26. ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (April 27, 2020). "Twittering Birds Never Fly, Given Top 2020 BL Awards". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 7, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  27. ^ "上杉柊平×西村拓哉W主演 実写ドラマ「ワンルームエンジェル」第2話、天使と幸紀が急接近!? 「こんなん最後泣くに決まってる」" [Episode 2 of live-action drama One Room Angel starring Shuhei Uesugi and Takuya Nishimura: the angel and Kouki suddenly get closer?! "Of course I'm going to cry at the ending"]. Anime! Anime! (in Japanese). October 27, 2023. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  28. ^ "西村拓哉の天使姿に「リアル天使」と驚きの声!上杉柊平とのコミカルでテンポのいい掛け合いも『ワンルームエンジェル』第1話" [Takuya Nishimura's appearance as the angel makes people cry out, "A real angel!" One Room Angel episode 1 shows his comical and well-paced exchange with Shuhei Uesugi]. TV Life [ja] (in Japanese). October 20, 2023. Archived from the original on October 23, 2023. Retrieved August 22, 2024.