Tonari no Metaller-san – Mamita

About to freeze to death on a day of heavy snow, Kento is saved by his neighbor Soushi. Dressed all in black, taciturn and scary-looking, Soushi seems hard to approach, but his eyes, almost hidden by his long hair, shine as if pleading for something. After that day, the two of them end up eating together every day for one year. Kento, while hiding the fact that he’s gay, doesn’t want the peaceful and happy time they share to come to an end. Can he keep a lid on his feelings…?!

As someone weaned on rock, I found this story of a metalhead and a non-music listener unspeakably adorable!

The Metalhead Next Door is a story of two neighbors, Kento, who was saved from being frozen to death on a snowy day, by Soushi, a metal-loving, all-black wearing, taciturn pastry chef. The two struck a friendship with Kento, frequently eating meals with Soushi, who enjoyed cooking for him.

Soon, Kento found himself falling for his quiet neighbor, but he hesitated because he did not want to ruin their friendship.

This is one of my favorite renditions of gap moe. Soushi looks so scary, Kento mistook him for a shinigami when he was waking up from his frozen state. The poor guy is actually a lonely, gentle soul who loves pastries and enjoys knitting.

Soushi has trouble speaking, and as a child was frequently bullied. He took to metal because the loud, frenetic sounds give him energy, and he doesn’t need to talk to people when he’s listening to music. His intimidating metalhead aura also scares bullies.

My favorite part is how Kento, who has zero interest in music, attends concerts and music festivals because he knows it’s important to Soushi. Our boy even endures crazy crowds, rain, and mud just so he could hold Soushi’s hands while they watch Metallica play. That right there goes straight to my kokoro!

I can’t begin to describe how perfect the cover is! That piggy bank hit me hard. It’s where Soushi saves his money for concerts. Kento realized Soushi used to go to concerts alone, but now they can go together. These two will be the death of me and I’ll die squeeing!

From the cozy domesticity of Kento and Soushi bonding over food and music, to Soushi’s heartbreaking yet endearingly brave attempts to overcome his speech anxieties, to Kento’s joyful celebration of everything Soushi, this poignant story beautifully resonates with the soul!

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