Mamotte Shugogetten

"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.
Shugogetten Shaorin (Shao): A holy spirit representing the moon, she is charged with protecting any pure-hearted individual who looks through her Shitenrin ring. Usually employs the help of her Hoshigami/Star Gods. Shao herself is a sweet, even-tempered girl who possesses skill in domestic areas, but can also be frighteningly competent in a fight. Somewhat unknowledgable about the modern world she's found herself in, and also a bit Oblivious to Love...
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.
Takashi Nomura: One-half of Those Two Guys. A Hot-Blooded young man who is friends with Tasuke. Falls head-over-heels with Shao, but refuses to resort to cowardly means while attempting to woo her. Voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu.
Kouichirou Endou: The other member of Those Two Guys. A small, boyish young man with glasses who falls for Ruuan because of her maturity.
Shouko Yamanobe: A Delinquent girl who is reformed via her interactions with Shao. Has a teasing personality, but is most often genuinely trying to get Shao and Tasuke to realize their feelings for one another. Likes hanging around the Hoshigami because she finds them to be Ridiculously Cute.
Izumo Miyauchi: A handsome playboy 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.
Kaori Aihara: Tasuke's underclassman who develops a major infatuation with him after he lends her an umbrella on a rainy day. She then goes to slightly extreme lengths to try and get him to notice her. Hilarity Ensues.
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.

Tropes used in Mamotte Shugogetten include:

Adult Child: Ruuan, still acting childish despite being One Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Two Years Old. Really.
Armor-Piercing Slap: Shouko does this to Tasuke for not understanding Shao's feelings.
Arranged Marriage: Happens to Izumo. Due to the nature of main and branch families, could also be an example of Incest Is Relative. Thankfully, it doesn't work out.
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.
Beach Episode
The Beard: Izumo asks Shao to be this in order to get out of an Arranged Marriage.
Beware the Nice Ones: It's easy to forget that Shao's main purpose is to protect her master from anyone and anything that would cause them harm. If you make her angry...
Big Eater: Ruuan. When asked why she never gets fat, she reveals that she has magical bacteria in her body that quickly get rid of unnecessary fat.
- Also Koka, a bird-like Hoshigami whose power is to suck things into its mouth like a vaccuum cleaner.
Big Fancy House: Shouko's(!)
Bigger Is Better: Kiryuu's power is to make things grow to giant-size for the sake of Training from Hell.
Bishonen: Izumo and Tasuke. Arguably Takashi as well.
Bottle Fairy: Ruuan, on occasion.
Brick Joke: Used in the Christmas episode, where Ruuan is sent on a errand.
Butt Monkey: Kouichirou, as a result of hanging around Ruuan.
Cannot Spit It Out: Tasuke, to the point of extreme frustration on the part of Shouko and later, Nana.
Casanova: Izumo Miyauchi, shrine keeper, school store employee, and all around playboy.
Catch Phrase: Kiryuu's "It is a trial/challenge".
Clingy Jealous Girl: Ruuan, Kaori are major offenders, although Shao starts to become a sympathetic version as her obliviousness fades.
Closet Shuffle: When Tasuke's sister drops by suddenly, Shao, Ruuan, and even Rishu become "victims" of this. Rishu gets put into a rice cooker.
Cool Big Sis: Nanako "Nana" Shichiri.
Cute Shotaro Boy: Kouichirou. He sometimes borders on Keet territory.
Dancing Theme: The anime's opening theme "Saa!".
Deadpan Snarker: Tasuke on occasion. Kiryuu slowly drifts into this territory as well.
Determinator: Rishu and Tasuke, the latter especially once he starts accepting Kiryuu's Training from Hell.
Delinquents: Shouko starts out as this.
Demoted to Extra: Ruann lampshades this in Retrouvailles, the manga sequel.
The Ditz: Shao, from time to time. Ruuan and Kaori as well.
Door Judo: Ruuan accidentally does this to Tasuke. He ends up face first in a tree.
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.)
Expy: Shao is ~~something of~~ an Expy of Belldandy.
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.
Flipping the Table: Tasuke does this in one episode in order to get Shao to think of him as a jerk in order to help her.
Forbidden Fruit: Part of the reason Tasuke Cannot Spit It Out is that he thinks Shao is this.
Free the Frogs: When one of the professors was about to dissect a frog, Shaorin beg and pleaded for him to take her instead. Eventually, she releases the frog into the bushes.
Fun Size: A number of the Hoshigami. Rishu and the sports-loving Kohon in particular. Also the Uringun, which have forty-five members in its ranks.
Ghost Ship: Appears in the Beach Episode.
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.
High School Hustler: Shouko, full stop.
Hostage for Macguffin: Combined with a Secret Test of Character.
Hot-Blooded: Takashi.
Hot for Student: Ruuan semi-invokes this by becoming Tasuke's homeroom teacher so she can be with him at school.
Hot Mom: Tasuke and Nana's mother, though Tasuke doesn't realize who she is at first, due to her having left on a global trip when he was one.
Invocation: Shao's "Lai lai! (Come, come!) ____ (Hoshigami's name)", Ruuan's "Youtenshin shourai! (Youtenshin summons)", Kiryuu's "Banshou Tairan!"
Jerkass: It's sometimes hard to tell if Tarousuke is this or a Jerk with a Heart of Gold. Ditto Izumo, on both counts.
Kuudere: Kiryuu, at least in the manga. (She barely has any screentime in the TV series/OVA.)
Lethal Chef: Ruuan, sometimes Kaori.
Likes Older Women: Kouichirou, with Ruuan as his primary target. Technically, Tasuke, Izumo, and Takashi all count also since Shao is from well before their time.
Love Dodecahedron: In a nutshell: Shao (oblivious, but slowly learning)/Ruuan/Kaori -> Tasuke. Tasuke (Cannot Spit It Out)/Takashi/Izumo -> Shao. Kouichirou -> Ruuan. Rishu -> Izumo.
Luke, I Am Your Father: The Mechanical Wizard is actually Tasuke's dad, culminating in a "Well Done, Son" Guy moment.
Magical Girlfriend
Marshmallow Hell: Take a wild guess.
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.
Miko: In the final chapters of the manga, Shao becomes one of these, in order to sort out her feelings for Tasuke.
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.
Ms. Fanservice: Ruuan. Shao occasionally fills the Innocent Fanservice Girl role.
New Transfer Student: Shao transfers into Tasuke's class to keep an eye on him.
Noblewoman's Laugh: Ruuan has one.
Not What It Looks Like: Ruuan causes situations like this quite often.
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 2: Electric Boogaloo: 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.
Ridiculously Cute Critter: A number of the Hoshigami, especially Kenen and Koka.
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.
Sealed Good in a Can: Shaorin, Ruuan, and Kiryuu.
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.
- These plans generally backfire due to either the machinations of the other parties interested in them, or underestimation of just how much of a Fish Out of Water Shao is.
The Short Guy with Glasses: Kouichirou.
Spanner in the Works: An inevitable byproduct of the Love Dodecahedron.
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.
Those Two Guys: Takashi and Kouichirou.
Training from Hell: The whole point of Kiryuu's existence is to make her master stronger by springing this on him at any time; a sore spot is her awareness of how outdated and less 'friendly' this seems compared to the duties of the other spirits.
Unlucky Everydude: Tasuke.
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.
White-Haired Pretty Girl: Shao.
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Ruuan has a fear of cats due to an upsetting experience with one in her past.
Yamato Nadeshiko: Shao; sweet and even tempered, domestic skilled, intimidating in a fight; Nothing explictly japanese in her character but the story does take place in Japan..
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.