"Like the moon in the night sky, I stay by my master's side."A Manga by Minene Sakurano about Tasuke Shichiri, a 14-year-old boy that receives a gift from his father, Tarousuke, who is traveling in China. The gift is a ring, the Shitenrin, and those pure of heart may gaze into it and receive a moon spirit called Shaorin. Her purpose is to protect her master. Later the spirit Ruuan comes to him from a flute-like object when he gazes into it. Her job is to make her master happy. Hilarity Ensues as Tasuke tries to adjust to life with his new housemates and attempts to work up the nerve to tell Shao that he's fallen for her.The principal cast is composed of the following characters:
Tasuke Shichiri: Our Unlucky Everydude hero. A nice guy who struggles with loneliness due to the fact that his entire family is always traveling around the world. Possessed of two major quirks - an inability to convey his feelings toward Shao, and a strange tendency to set off each and every magical artifact his father sends him despite the fact that he really should know better following the first incident with Shao and the Shitenrin.
Keikounitten Ruuan: The second spirit accidentally summoned by Tasuke, Ruuan represents the sun, and is charged with bringing happiness to any pure-hearted person who gazes into her Kokuentou kaleidoscope. Acting as a foil to Shao, Ruuan is a loud, boisterous woman who likes to flaunt her drop-dead gorgeousness and is poor with domestic tasks. Her power allows her to turn inanimate objects into Mons called Youtenshin with her Kokuentou. Unlike Shao, she seems to be generally aware of the workings of modern-day Japan.
Izumo Miyauchi: A handsomeplayboy who helps run the local shrine. He develops a crush on Shao and tries everything he can to get Tasuke -and later Takashi- out of the way of his romantic conquest.
Rishu: One of Shao's Hoshigami, a tiny girl who exists to tag along with Tasuke whenever Shao can't and keep her updated on his status via telepathy. Has a delicious double Verbal Tic.
Bananchiiten Kiryuu: A third spirit (introduced late in the manga and relegated to only appearing in the Denshin Mamotte Shugogetten OVA anime-wise) who is summoned when Tasuke once again decides to look through an artifact his old man sends him. She represents the Earth, and is charged with making her master stronger by putting him through Training from Hell at any given time through the use of making things grow to gigantic proportions with her fan. Although initially convinced that Tasuke didn't want her around, he surprises her by accepting her training and becomes another member of the household.
The series was adapted into a 22-episode TV Anime series, which proved popular enough to spawn an eight-episode OVA sequel, Denshin Mamotte Shugogetten, which covers some manga material left untouched by the TV series (most notably, the addition of the third spirit, Kiryuu, to the cast). While the anime remains unlicensed, the manga was picked up by Raijin Comics (and printed as Guardian Angel Getten), which folded due to financial troubles while only on the fourth volume; Tokyopop picked up the license and started the translation over from the beginning.Mamotte Shugogetten has examples of:
Attack of the 50-Foot Whatever: Gunnanmon, the giant soldier Hoshigami. Also schools, ferris wheels, stone statues of Rishu, stoplights and whatever else Ruann/Kiryuu aims at.
Dub Induced Plot Hole: Rishu's identifying speech pattern is completely cut from Tokyopop's English release of the manga, which creates a bit of confusion when Izumo notes that she "speaks like a baby" despite her not speaking any differently from the way anybody else does...
Everything Trying to Kill You: A side effect of Ruuan's and Kiryuu's actions, much to Tasuke's chagrin. (Kiryuu even sounds like Kill you.)
Fish Out of Temporal Water: Shao. Surprisingly, Ruuan and Kiryuu adapt much quicker. Probably best illustrated in the manga, where Shao freaks out at Tasuke's TV, but Ruuan is able to realize exactly what it is within a minute or two of its turning on.
The Glomp: Ruuan to Tasuke on multiple occaisions.
The anime's opening has everyone do this to Tasuke. Ruuan latches on first, followed by Kaori... and then Izumo, Takashi, and Kouichirou (All trying to get closer to Shao and Ruuan). Then the whole group falls over.
Gratuitous English: The anime's ending theme, "I Just Feel So Love Again".
The Grinch: Shao, in the anime only and unintentionally. One of her previous masters was killed on Christmas, so she tries to keep Tasuke in his house and everyone else away for fear that the same will happen to him.
Love Dodecahedron: In a nutshell: Shao (oblivious, but slowly learning)/Ruuan/Kaori -> Tasuke. Tasuke (Can Not Spit It Out)/Takashi/Izumo -> Shao. Kouichirou -> Ruuan. Rishu -> Izumo.
Mayfly December Romance: Nankoku Juusei, the one Hoshigami who can command Shao, fears having her experience this and actively tries to get her and Tasuke to go their separate ways.
Mega Neko: Tasuke runs afoul of one in Kiryuu's debut chapter.
Mons: The Hoshigami/Star Gods whom Shao can summon from the Shitenrin to aid in her duties. Ruuan can turn just about anything into Mons called Youtenshin with her kaleidoscope.
Oblivious to Love: Shao. A major part of the plot is her slowly coming to realize what she's feeling.
Ocular Gushers: After Tasuke mucks up a confession to Shao, after going through quite a bit of trouble to get the mood right. Also everyone else in the Love Dodecahedron, on occasion.
Oddly Named Sequel: The Anime OVA is named Denshin, meaning "Telepathy", or "getting one's feelings across". The Manga sequel is named Retrouvailles, French for "Returns".
"Denshin" also happens to be the kanji on Rishu's dress; she communicates mainly through telepathy.
Our Dragons Are Different: Kenen, a dragon Hoshigami whose purpose is give people a lift via Flight. He's a cutesy Chinese-style dragon.
Pair the Spares: The manga sequel Retrouvailles gives us Takashi/Kaori and hints of a mutual Kouichirou/Ruann towards the end.
Parental Abandonment: Tasuke, although in his case, it's more like Familial Abandonment, due to his father, mother, and older sister all being away from home constantly.
The Rival: Shao and Ruuan have been bitter rivals for centuries due to them usually winding up serving masters on opposite sides of the constant conflicts throughout China's history. When they both wind up with the same master, Shao's willing to let bygones be bygones, but Ruuan insists on keeping up the rivalry.
Also Takashi to Izumo, Izumo to Tasuke, and Ruuan to Kaori. Strangely, Takashi is not portrayed as a rival to Tasuke, even though he logically should be.
School Play: The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, with Ruuan and Kouichirou as the lead characters.
The story parallels Tasuke/Shao's situation too closely, which is why Tasuke rejected the idea of giving the role to Shao, much to the chargrin of all the other students, especially Takashi.
Later, in Retrouvailles, they find themselves cast as the characters of Romeo and Juliet, thanks in part to Takashi's inability to turn down a request from pretty girls.
Shaggy Dog Story: A manga chapter about Rishu and Ruuan chasing after a stick of dango that the latter turned into a Youtenshin who decided to run away rather than be eaten.
Ship Tease: The pairing of Takashi/Kaori is repeatedly teased via their interactions while trying to get Shao and Tasuke away from each other. The unusual pairing of Rishu and Izumo is also subtly hinted at.
Shipper on Deck: Shouko frequently attempts to set up situations for Tasuke and Shao to get close to one another. Tasuke's sister, Nana also fills this role, working together with Shouko.
Stalker with a Crush: Kaori. She's much more good-natured than most examples, however.
Talking With Signs: Rishu can only audibly speak to those whom she's extremely emotionally close to (Namely Shao and the other Hoshigami, although she does start talking to Izumo later on), so she communicates to everyone else by drawing pictures on the ground.
Tank Goodness: The tiny tank piloted by the two Hoshigami named Shakki.
Unusually Uninteresting Sight: The spirits do so many outlandish things in public, even freely admitting that they are spirits if asked, that you wonder why they haven't been arrested for so much disturbing the peace not to mention all the property damage and theft.
Verbal Tic: Rishu has this times two, both with her adorable lisping and her habit of ending sentences with ~deshi.
Walking the Earth: Tasuke's father, Tarousuke, hence why he is rarely home.
You Gotta Have Blue Hair: At first, only the spirits and Hoshigami appear to have unusual hair colors... Until Shouko (dark blue), Izumo (teal green), and Kaori (blue-green) show up.
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