A Galaxy Next Door (Japanese: おとなりに銀河, Hepburn: Otonari ni Ginga) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gido Amagakure. It was serialized in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Good! Afternoon from April 2020 to June 2023, with its chapters collected in six tankōbon volumes. A television drama adaptation aired from April to May 2023. An anime television series adaptation by Asahi Production aired from April to June 2023.
Contents
Plot
Ichiro Kuga, a struggling shōjo manga artist, unexpectedly becomes the guardian of his younger siblings after their father's death. To support them, he rents out rooms in his apartment complex and works tirelessly on his manga. Facing low sales and looming deadlines, his situation seems dire until Shiori Goshiki, a talented novice artist, becomes his assistant. Together, they navigate the challenges of the industry. However, their lives take a strange turn when a supernatural incident leads Shiori to declare them engaged. Now, Ichiro must balance his new relationship with Shiori while managing his responsibilities and pursuing his passion for manga.
Characters
Ichiro Kuga (久我 一郎, Kuga Ichirō)
Voiced by: Taku Yashiro (Japanese); Nazeeh Tarsha (English)
Portrayed by: Hayato Sano
23-year-old manga artist. He debuted after graduating from high school, but since his father passed away, he is determined to send his sister and brother to college. His pen name is Kokone Momoty. At first, he drew shōnen manga, but he switched to shōjo manga and is serialized in the Monthly Anko magazine. After accidentally pricking himself with Shiori's thorns, he is under her control against her will and is harmed whenever they are physically separated.
Shiori Goshiki (五色 しおり, Goshiki Shiori)
Voiced by: Yū Wakui (Japanese); Katelyn Barr (English)
19-year-old princess of the shooting star people. She is Ichiro's assistant. By tradition she marries the person who is pricked by her thorn. Though she was supposed to be in a marriage arranged by her parents, she left the island to marry for love. After becoming Ichiro's assistant, he mistakes her thorn as a pen and when Ichiro tries to remove it, he is pricked. She moves in with Ichiro because he is physically harmed whenever they are apart. They eventually fall in love.
Machi Kuga (久我 まち, Kuga Machi)
Voiced by: Rina Endō (Japanese); Kelsey Maher (English)
Ichiro's younger sister. She wants to be a fortune teller.
Fumio Kuga (久我 ふみお, Kuga Fumio)
Voiced by: Maria Naganawa (Japanese); Emily Fajardo (English)
Ichiro and Machi's younger brother. He is shy but is honest with people he is close to.
Chihiro Ibusuki (指宿 ちひろ, Ibusuki Chihiro)
Voiced by: Rie Takahashi (Japanese); Meg McClain (English)
Ichiro's cousin who is 16 years old. She lives in the same apartment as him.
Masahiro Morikuni (護国 正弘, Morikuni Masahiro)
Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Jack Reeder (English)
Manga editor. He is in charge of Ichiro's manga.
Momoka Morikuni (護国 桃香, Morikuni Momoka)
Voiced by: Yoko Hikasa
Masahiro's wife who used to live in the same apartment as Ichiro. She is the author of the manga Shishi no Kenshi under the pen name Katamari Niku. Shiori admires her.
Yuta Sano (佐野 優大, Sano Yūta)
Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama
Magic girl manga artist whom Shiori helped as an assistant. Acquainted with Ichiro's family.
Miyako Goshiki (五色 都, Goshiki Miyako)
Voiced by: Hiroko Kiso (Japanese); Natalie Van Sistine (English)
Shiori's mother. She has a strict personality and does not get along with her daughter because she raised Shiori strictly to be the successor of the family.
Ken Goshiki (五色 健, Goshiki Ken)
Voiced by: Shinji Nagano
Shiori's father. In contrast to his wife, he has a mild personality.
Fumi Goshiki (五色 文, Goshiki Fumi)
Voiced by: Satomi Kobayashi
Koyo Makado (馬門 紅葉, Makado Kōyō)
Voiced by: Eriko Matsui
Follower of the Goshiki family. He is calm and composed but understands Shiori.
Keigo Komaki (古牧 京吾, Komaki Keigo)
Voiced by: Miharu Hanai
Follower of the Goshiki family. He wants to be Shiori's bride and is therefore unhappy with Ichiro.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Gido Amagakure, A Galaxy Next Door started in Kodansha's seinen manga magazine Good! Afternoon on April 7, 2020. The series finished on May 6, 2023; an epilogue chapter was published on June 7 of the same year. Kodansha collected its chapters in six tankōbon volumes, released from November 6, 2020, to July 6, 2023.
In June 2021, Kodansha USA announced the English release of the manga in North America. The six volumes were released from April 26, 2022, to May 14, 2024.
Drama
In January 2023, television drama adaptation was announced, with Yoshihito Okashita, Izuru Kumasaka, Masayuki Kokuryō serving as directors. It was broadcast for 32 episodes on NHK from April 3 to May 25, 2023.
Anime
In April 2022, it was announced that the series would receive an anime television series adaptation. It is produced by Asahi Production and directed by Ryuichi Kimura, with scripts written by Gigaemon Ichikawa, and character designs handled by Fuyuka Ōtaki. The series aired from April 9 to June 25, 2023, on Tokyo MX and BS11. The opening theme song is "Tonari Awase" (となりあわせ) by Chinatsu Matsumoto, while the ending theme song is "Near Stella" by Yū Wakui.
The series has been streamed by Crunchyroll outside of East Asia. Medialink licensed the series in Asia and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand) and streamed it on the Ani-One YouTube channels.