Maison Ikkoku

I just finish watching complete series of Maison Ikkoku anime. It has around 96 episodes, and every episode has 25 minutes playtime. It took around two weeks to finish them all. Here is a video in Youtube.

Comparing to other works of Rumiko Takahashi, Maison Ikkoku is a unique one. There aren’t any magic, demons, monsters, or adventures; the things that usually become the main focus in her work. The character, Godai Yusaku, is a very common student even somewhat a loser in many appearances. As student he isn’t very bright and seems to have much bad luck. The story revolves around him, especially to Otonashi Kyoko who happens to be his love interest and apartment’s manager.

The story begins with Godai is struggling to attend university. He failed last year entrance exam and now is going to preparation school. During this period he stays in an apartment called Maison Ikkoku. But his study here is constantly disturbed by other tenants, Mrs. Ichinose, Yotsuya, and Roppongi Akemi. Before he moves out, Kyoko comes to be the new apartment’s manager. Fascinated by her charm, Godai keep her stay in Maison Ikkoku throughout the story. Kyoko is a widow and Maison Ikkoku is owned by her father in law, it is hinted that her father in law give her the job to soothe her feeling after her husband’s death.

Kyoko takes her job dutifully, and strangely she has a tendency to dote over careless Godai. From here their feeling is built up, but the story is not as smooth as you expect. There Sun Mitaka shows up and tries to get Kyoko’s attention too. Kyoko is torn between two of them complicating the story, not to mention the wishy washy Godai. The story is ranging from Godai’s time in preparation school, his college years, his job hunting aftermath, and finally his formal bond with Kyoko marks the end of story.

In this works, Rumiko Takahashi sets definite happy ending, not an open ending like in her other works. As her fan, I like her works very much, the manga and its adaptation in anime. For complete info, go to wikipedia or other sites. If you are interested, there are many torrents to share the complete series of this anime, of course you must have fast internet connection.