Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 1 [Paperback]

Rumiko Takahashi (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2003 | Series: Maison Ikkoku Series (Book 1)

Here comes a new edition from one of the most popular manga series in the romantic comedy genre. Bashful college student Yusaku is madly in love with gorgeous Kyoko, the widowed manager of his apartment building, the comfortably shabby Maison Ikkoku. As Yusaku and handsome tennis coach Shun vie for Kyoko's affections, the other Maison Ikkoku residents - a motley crew of volatile personalities - can't resist meddling in their affairs.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Following six hyperactive roommates stuck under one roof, this tale brims with slapstick hijinks, misunderstandings and, possibly, love. An early work from popular manga cartoonist Takahashi (creator of the gender-bending Ranma 1/2 and alien comedy Lum Urusei Yatsura), its boy-girl flirtations, cheesecake humor, melodrama and solid comedic writing are reminiscent of the current hit Love Hina. Godai is a third-time college entrance exam flunk-out and has had enough of Maison Ikkoku's crazy residents. He decides to move out, but when the attractive new building manager, Kyoko, moves in, he decides to give Maison another shot. While Godai's affections toward Kyoko are obvious to the other residents, Kyoko's sweet on a mysterious gentleman named Mr. Soichiro, a name she's incidentally given her dog. As part of her duty as building manager, Kyoko agrees to help Godai pass his exams, an action interpreted by the other Maison residents as love. Eventually, romantic feelings arise between Kyoko and Godai amid the antics of Maison residents, themselves a crew of outcasts: the obnoxious and barely dressed barmaid; the Peeping Tom salaryman who appears to always be jobless; and other characters. While some of them vie for Kyoko's attention, others only create more drama by spreading rumors about Godai and Kyoko. However, even amid the commotion, Maison Ikkoku's residents function as an unlikely makeshift family. The art is caricatured and cartoony (much like Ranma 1/2) and densely packs up to six panels per page. The translated dialogue excellently conveys the humor into English puns and slang.
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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 2nd edition (October 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591160545
• ISBN-13: 978-1591160540
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #405,750 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi's career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan's annual New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another--Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Charming romantic comedy, December 10, 2003

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

There are generally romantic plots in Rumiko Takahashi's works, but never more so than in "Maison Ikkoku." More sedate than "Ranma 1/2," less fantastical than "Inu-Yasha," this is a straightforward romantic comedy with a hysterical cast.

Yusaku is a struggling young student in a shabby apartment, with possibly the worst neighbors in the world (a pervert, a hard-drinking gossip, and a sexy waittress). Nobody takes him seriously; his nickname is "flunk-out." He's about to storm out, claiming that nobody could study in Maison Ikkoku, when the beautiful Kyoko walks in the door, announcing that she's the new manager. Yusaku immediately is smitten with her.

Unfortunately their relationship gets off to a rough start, though Kyoko is kind and supportive of him. First his neighbor claims he's peeking into her room. Then Yusaku accidently gets into a few compromising situations with Kyoko -- and suspects that she has a boyfriend named Soichiro (which is also her dog's name). When the landlord comes to visit, Yusaku finds out who Kyoko's mystery man is, and why she still thinks about him.

Takahashi's artwork is a little rougher and smudgier here than in her later series, but closer to how people actually look. And, in keeping with that, they act very much like real people. Some of the supporting characters, in the first volume, border on caricature, but the primary people are 3-D. And while there's plenty of humor, Takahashi tugs at the heartstrings in all the right places (such as Yusaku wondering how he can ace his test without Kyoko encouraging him, or Kyoko thinking that Yusaku didn't mean it when he said he loved her).

Without Chinese curses or rampaging demons to deal with, the inhabitants of Maison Ikkoku can themselves be formidable problems. Misunderstandings, teen crushes, drunken proclaimations of love in the streets, domineering relatives and lost "perfect" spouses make it a lot harder to fall in love. You know what's got to happen, but somehow the Real World always intrudes.

Yusaku is a lovable naif. The poor guy wants desperately to tell Kyoko how he feels, but there's always something in his way -- especially his own financial shortcomings. Kyoko is a fantastic portrait of a woman who, while determined to stay faithful to her dead husband, is starting to appreciate her hapless tenant.

Those who enjoy a funny, sad, almost-squeaky-clean almost-romance (like most of Takahashi's other works) will definitely like "Maison Ikkoku." Move in and join the ruckus.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THESE PEOPLE DRIVE ME CRAZY, September 11, 2005

By 

Sesho "www.sesho.libsyn.com" (Pasadena, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Yusaku is a college student who never seems to do good on his exams. Does he blame himself? No, he blames the apartment house he lives in, named Masion Ikkoku. More to the point, he thinks that his fellow residents are ruining his life! Akemi, the bar-maiden who likes to walk around in her see-through nightie, becomes infuriated when Mr. Yotsuya, the enigmatic man with no job, is obsessed with her and peeps on her through a hole in Yusaku's room. Mrs. Inchinose's main job seems to be getting drunk and she also likes to join in with her kid son Kentaro in running down Yusaku as a failure and calling him "Mr. Flunk-out"! He's fed up with all this and decides to move out, but just at that moment in walks the new manager, the beautiful Ms. Kyoko Otonashi, and Yusaku is a complete goner, losing his heart at first sight.

Maison Ikkoku is a brillant piece of comedy from the creator of Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi. The great thing about this series is that it appeals to an older audience. It's treatment of romantic entanglement, slapstick humor, and mature innuendo appeals to men and women readers. Takahashi's main strength here as elsewhere is the creation of appealing characters and stylish design. Never an inauthentic moment. Classic.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and very sweet., May 29, 2005

By 

Kathleen E. Manske "Roxie" (Los Angeles California USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 1 (Paperback)

Maison Ikkoku is sweet. Honestly. It's not a typical romance story-- the characters are funny, the plot is flawless-- even the art is just perfect. Here is the story...
Godai Yusaku is a hopless flunk-out that lives at the run-down boarding house maison Ikkoku (hence the title of the series.)THe neighbors there are completely annoying and entirely hopeless- there's the annoying, gossipy Mrs.Ichinose and her equally annoying son, kentaro, there's the sassy, calm, and entirely sexy barhostess, Akemi, and there's also the annoying and mooching peeping tom, Mr.Yotsuya. The manager has just quit, leaving the goofy tenants to torture poor Godai over and over with their late night partying and endless gossiping. Jsut as Yusaku has decided that he's had enough, he meets the new manager, the lovely (and recently widowed) Ms.Kyoko Otonashi. Of course he falls head-over-heels in love with her, but erh love for her late husband, Sochiro, and their nosy and insane neighbors keep them from tying the knot.
Both charming and heartfelt, this series is absolutely flawless-- no Rumiko Takahashi fan should be without it in their collection.