Mezon Ikkoku

It came before Please Teacher, before Love Hina, even before Kimagure Orange Road. I might be too young to say for sure, but I'll bet this is the series that started the whole romantic comedy movement. It's also one of the few with a mature enough storyline to keep post-teenagers interested.

Yeah, it's the same plot that exists in every anime of the type: boy meets girl, boy and girl deny their feelings for the entire series (but hook up every few episodes), boy and girl finally get together in the end. As a consequence, the plot moves a bit slowly and is a bit too one-track-minded; more fun plot diversions would have been welcome. Still, it's a pretty funny series, and the characters are colorful enough to care about for 96 straight episodes. If you're into Rumiko Takahashi's stuff, Maison Ikkoku's probably the best place to start.

The anime version of Maison Ikkoku doesn't have quite so much of the sexual humor as the original comics by Rumiko Takahashi, and for some reason the actor who plays Godai tries to hard to be funny and ends up overplaying him sometimes. Actually, a lot; but there are times when he nails the character. Sumi Shimamoto (one of my favorite voice actresses) as Kyoko Otonashi is just too perfect. She doesn't come across sounding like her strong Nausicaa voice or her soft Clarice-from-LupinIII voice--she sounds like a young woman who is trying to live on.

The animation, while it seems crude, was actually pretty good for back them (I think the Guyver came out about the same time--Maison Ikkoku is better). And every once in a while, the writers stretch a passing joke of Takahashi's well past the breaking point, until your willing to do anything if they would only stop for a minute so you can stop laughing.

Tokyo. Yusaku Godai is a wannabe college student who just found a new apartment where he can stay and study. But his new landlord is Kyoko, a young and handsome woman, and he falls instantly in love with her. Although she likes him too, she is hesitant since her husband died a not so long time ago. Shun Miataka, a wealthy tennis coach, is also in love with Kyoko. Complicating matters are Godai's weird neighbors; a middle aged and overweight lady Hanae, voyeuristic Yotsuya and always drunk and half naked red hair woman Akemi, who annoy him while he is studying. As years pass by Yusako gets employed as a teacher in Kyoko's old school…

I'm shocked at how unknown and underrated „Maison Ikkoku", my new anime darling, is! It's great, and everyone should see it right now! Like with most of my favorite films or animes ( and that's becoming to get a bad habit ), I didn't want to see this because the 1986 animation wasn't perfect ( too thick necks, too big hair dues, weird animation of the dog's eyes ) but when I finally did I was richly rewarded. I call this „A romance under microscope" because it is. It shows all those deepest, hidden emotions most of the films or animes are either scared to show or don't want to show. „Maison" leaves you feeling great, energetic and happy like a little kid. The author, Rumiko Takahashi, already proved that she is a romance expert with the good „Ranma 1/2" and the great „Inuyasha", but this even tops them. Actually, It's even almost as good as my other anime darling, „Sailor Moon".

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There are some fantastic scenes here. For example, Shun gives Kyoko an ultimatum – either she decides that she loves him or he is going to leave her, and she has only 1 week to decide. The following morning Godai approaches the apartment and spots Kyoko in the fog, who hides her rings under her eyes since she couldn't sleep the whole night from thinking about the ultimatum. In the other one Kyoko leaves her apartment complex for a vacation, but leaves a plan of her journey, hoping that Godai is going to follow her. But one of my favorite episodes was number 54, hilariously and adequately called „Attack with nudity!" in which Yagami, a teenage girl, fell in love with Godai who was the teacher of her class. In order to seduce him she tried everything, from staying after school with him up to placing a „heart" sign on his jacket. But when all failed, she managed to pursue her friends to lock Godai in a school basement so that she can try to seduce him with her body, wearing only a bra and a slip. Amazing stuff!

The story spans 7 years and the characters change. True, there are some weak, annoying characters ( Hanae, Akemi and Yotsuya are sometimes unbearably disgusting! ) and episodes ( beware; the first 7 episodes are pretty bad ), but they are a minor point compared to some hilarious romantic situations ( see episode 17, where Kyoko first met her future husband in high school ). Understated, quiet, funny and deeply touching, this is one sort of anime that I wish I could see more often. Those who never saw this, missed something in their life.

Grade: 10/10

This is my favourite cult 80's series.

Of course, the anime has dated, but it's still timeless thanks to the work of Rumiko Takahashi (manga), Yamazaki Kazuo (director) and Akemi Takada (anime).

Any idea of an up-to-date remake would be frightening, since the work has been so horrible with series such as Saint Seiya, Bishoujo Sailor Mon, Dragon Quest Dai no Daiboken or Urusei Yatsura... In other words, beautiful but polished and without soul.

This series, like its mangaka, is subversive, dealing with taboo subjects, goofy, ironic and mature in the subjects it touches on (divorce, mourning, the world of business, single parenthood, desires...).

It's got it all : Humour, drama, comedy, romance, love, sexy with parodic episodes and a real reflection on the feelings of love while keeping an unconventional tone.

96 episodes, 2 specials, 2 OVAs and 2 movies by Deen studio.

Considering the disasters we've seen with the remakes, I hope this series stays as it is.

Maison Ikkoku is one of my favorite rom-com stories ever.

Everything starts with Godai, who is a boy that is studying for important exams, the ones that will lead him to a great or a bad japanese university, that will define his future. His hostel neighbors make his task even more difficult as they keep bothering him. Suddenly, everybody's lives begin to change, essentialy Godai's, as the new manager (kanrinin), Kyoko, starts working in the hostel.

The past of the "kanrinin" is really well thought out and is a perfect obstacle to prevent her from loving Godai. Due to this important fact plus many smart obstacles created by Rumiko, the 96 episodes of the series are amazing.

Kyoko and Godai are very relatable and real. We get to know their thoughts so we know them deep inside and can't help but love them and cheer for them to be together.

The support characters are great and well developed too. The way Takahashi mixed their stories with the main characters one is perfect.

What stands out for me is how well the narrative navigates between drama, comedy and romance. This has everything to do with the lines, sometimes very deep.

About the technical aspects I have only good things to say.

The animation is beautiful and it aged very well to me. The expressions are marvelous and the landscapes are breathtaking.

To end this, something that helps a lot with the genre navigation I mentioned are the scores. They give the perfect feeling of each scene, making the atmosphere more comic, romantic or dramatic. Also, I love the 1980s style in the scores and in the openings and endings, it's perfect for the anime theme, very passionate.