Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
Preposterous
Maison Ikkoku is a somewhat frustrating series to talk about. Due to its age and length it's pretty much impossible to recommend to a modern anime fan, unless they are genuinely interested in older titles. It's not even a 'classic' must-watch for everyone going through milestones of Japan's animation, as its glory days are long gone and its legacy is easily dwarfed by other works of the legendary Rumiko Takahashi, still influential to this day. Yet it's such a fun series to watch with so many hallmarks of the 80s animation, exactly scratching an itch I couldn't quite put my finger on. However, I can't honestly tout it as a hidden gem, because there's a number of things that don't work too well with the plot and characters.
The premise is simple, but extremely effective, just as you would…
Read at the sourceVKrishna721
OLD IS THE TRUE GOLD! A definite 10/10 (there might be issues but its all for the story 😌)
I don't remember how I found Maison Ikkoku, but after watching it for a while I fell in love with this masterpiece.
I personally love old animation, but the crazy part about this anime is the slow and steady development of the characters and their feelings. To be honest, this felt a lot more real to me than most of the anime I watch nowadays.
Godai's struggles really connected with me. His college admission, finding a job, trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and just growing up in general. Of course, I can't relate to his love life or his popularity with the ladies 😭, but his struggles as a young adult felt absolutely real.
What I loved most is that the characters don't just…
Read at the sourceHyper_xDD
Maison Ikkoku, i stumbled upon this anime a month ago and it was something that i had never seen before. I have watched many animes and a major part of it was romance animes so i kind of know the pattern but Maison Ikkoku was different it wasnt unrealistic or too fast, i developed slowly in a human kind of way, the anime mc yusaku godai struggles throughout the anime and we see his development from episode 1 to episode 96, I used to watch Maison Ikkoku at night it helped me forget all the bad things that happened and gave a warm feeling, you actually learn a lot from the mc that even if you mess up you still continue.
when the anime ended i actually cried which ive never done before even after finishing my favourite anime, this anime was just that good but as they say great things do come…
Read at the sourceCharan4284
No matter how annoying it was with a lot of misunderstanding tropes and stupid characters, the ending was worth it. All 80+ episodes are just set up to the final arc.
The last few episodes are just magical and heart warming but I felt heart broken as i don't get to see more from this beautiful world anymore, because reality is often disappointing.
Anime gets a lot mature in the end with heart touching lines and moments.
This anime is usually very unrealistic but maybe that's what makes it more beautiful.
It's a simple story with complex relations. Predictable but beautifully portrayed.
Read at the sourcepakosaan
Maison Ikkoku: The series started off strong, and I genuinely enjoyed about 70% of it. The characters were engaging, and the slow-burn romance was well-paced in the beginning. However, the last 30% felt frustratingly repetitive. Godai's character became stagnant—his indecisiveness and lack of growth made it hard to stay invested. Kyoko also felt like a completely different character compared to earlier episodes, which made her actions harder to understand.
The art style suits the setting well, maintaining the classic charm of older anime. However, the story became predictable toward the end, dragging out conflicts unnecessarily. I had to speed through the final episodes just to finish it. It had the potential to be a great romance, but the lack of character development in the later episod…
Read at the sourceatreidesmallcop
If you're at all familiar with the works of Rumiko Takahashi, it's probably from her work writing action (Inuyasha), comedy (Urusei Yatsura), or something with a bit of both (Ranma 1/2). As Shonen Sunday was publishing the middle of those three, she also spent the early years of her legendary manga career writing a more grounded, mature, straightforward romance for SS's sister publication, Big Comic Spirits. While I don't personally consider it my personal favorite of her works (UY will always hold that place in my heart), Maison Ikkoku may just objectively be the best series she ever wrote.
Obviously you can't judge a manga based on its anime adaptation, but it's still a damn fine anime. Being published in a monthly seinen magazine allows for much richer storytelling than its weekly shon…
Read at the sourceFirsthokage_1
One of the best I have seen, not only in anime but in general. Yes, it is 96 episodes, but totally worth watching. Not boring, and it is fun to watch and you’d feel the dramatic moments. The romance is realistic and really builds up to the best ultimate moment.” 10/10
The character development is exceptional, especially for Godai, who grows from an uncertain young man into someone mature. The story captures a full range of emotions, balancing romance with humor, thanks to the quirky tenants. It feels like a time capsule of 1980s Japan, giving it a nostalgic and timeless charm.
What makes Maison Ikkoku truly unique is its realistic approach to love and relationships. It’s not a fairy tale but a genuine, heartfelt journey. The ending provides a perfect, memorable closure, making the entir…
Read at the sourceKrenZane
*Romance traveling the human years, cleaning up the grime of one's inner houses*
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!!SPOILER-FILLED REVIEW!!
~~
Theoretically, romance traveling the human years begets an immediate reception perceiving it as more fetching than stories that feature compressed journeys of togetherness. Fiction following the footsteps of reality in slice-of-life romcom narratives always has incredible merits, for by scripting the march of everyday life to resemble the dull and dreary amidst the occasional spark of the hustle and bustle and furnishing it with the creative freedom of story-making, a person can create a reliable work for reflection, and allow others to experience a makeshift simulation of possible events.
I often take a retrospective approach when writing up my post-completion thoughts, an…
Read at the sourcepuppetmazter
The following review is limited to the Love Triangle characters and how the two main characters made me reflect on my past life decisions. To elaborate how inviting the music and nostalgic the setting is, how realistic the problems and funny the characters are, would be too much. Therefore, I'd like to summarize, that at the end of the series you will feel that you've been part of this world and it's sad that the curtain has now fallen.
[INTRO]
Japan in the 1980s had high expectations of young men growing up and looking for their place in society. Young adults had to deal with less job security. This has made long-term financial planning more difficult. And despite technological progress and economic growth, the man is traditionally still considered the provider.
Financial security is…
Read at the sourceNothing-Nowhere
My all time favorite romance anime.
I didn’t know what to expect when I first started watching this show. It seemed like a slice of life comedy rather than a romance story. But as I kept watching, I realized how true to life this story was.
The character development and relationship development between characters is a slow burn. But if you stick with it, it’s incredibly gratifying. Incrementally the story grows, characters mature, and relationships bloom.
I also want to add that the art and animation get better through out the show, there are some incredibly aesthetic shots in this show that really add to the more dramatic moments.
I recommend this to old school anime fans who love slow paced story telling and true to life romance stories.
Read at the sourcePozoy
If you are looking for a great love story sparkled with comedy, seen through rose-tinted glasses, this is it.
Maison Ikkoku's story is like no other rom-com. This love triangle, it is not just for our main characters, but supporting characters give their own mix into the show. The main protagonists are both adults, unlike most of the time in today's anime, therefore the problems that sprung during the show, are unique to it. Because the setting is in the mid-to-late 80's, the societal norms are different. Don't look this as a bad thing, but a glimpse into yesterday's world. Get ready for misunderstandings and spanish telenovela style progression. 96 episodes is a long haul but in the end, it is worth it.
Main characters:
- Godai Yuusaku, born under a star of bad luck. Godai is our main…
Read at the sourceInter_anime
Maison Ikkoku is often hailed as Rumiko Takahashi’s best manga, and the anime adaptation is seen by a lot of people as one of the best TV series in the 80s. It’s anime is one of the few that covers the entire source material beginning to end. But how does Maison Ikkoku compare today?
The plot of the show follows our lead Godai, an indecisive young man who lives in a small apartment called Maison Ikkoku. He shares the building with several other tenants who like to make his life miserable by partying all the time and ridiculing Godai at every chance they get. Things take a turn however when the new manager, a beautiful young widow named Kyouko comes to town. It’s obvious to everyone that Godai and Kyouko have a thing for each other, but they both have emotional and past traumas they need t…
Read at the sourceId1otcake
Maison Ikkoku feels a lot like a time capsule, showing the life of what were the 1980s and pre-Lost Decades times. It's a time when most people, including myself, can't experience it at all, but Maison Ikkoku creates vivid imagery to show it. From the clothing that people wear, the life of a recent high school grad needing to retake college exams, even the good time's everyone has, partying it up while Japan worries the Americans if their GDP will dominate the US in years to come. It's a beautiful show that reflects the average urban life of a Japanese person. Someone trying to get on their feet, away from the family business, creating their own life by getting into University, finding themselves, getting the girl, and making a life of their own with no shortage of bumps and roadblocks in…
Read at the sourceLiam0190
Such a wholesome and human show, I absolutely loved it. Thank you Rumiko Takahashi!
The story is quite unique in a sense of its setting at a boarding house; an interesting premise. How the story unfolds and the overall pacing feels great. All elements work together to draw in the viewer connecting them to the characters giving a very genuine feeling and making not only the the ending feel amazing but also a great journey filled with many different plot points. There are some filler episodes but these are very rare and almost all episodes contribute to the narrative
Some people may not like the art due to its older and dated style. However, some may even prefer the retro look. Personally I love it and don't see any issues with it. However, I am not so picky on this topic as I've already s…
Read at the sourceMur-CuoreDiVirgo
Maison Ikkoku is still today one of the most emotional and romantic anime I’ve ever watched, as well as a great historical slice of life title from the ‘80s, similarly to some more recent works like Tora Dora and Clannad.
Episode after episode, this anime conquered my heart with its genuine narration, an endless twist of funny and romantic moments, along with the lovely piano soundtrack and its unforgettable characters, including the main protagonists Yusaku Godai and Kyoko Otonashi, as well as the other secondary characters who are all further and nicely explored during the various episodes.
Some words apart must be told about the unforgettable setting, including the Maison Ikkoku itself as a house, as well as its incredibly romantic and nostalgic Tokyo suburb, situated in the district…
Read at the sourceTrophycase
Don't see a ton of middling reviews here so I'll give my take but try to keep it short by listing my main issues with the show and elaborating on them.
The pacing: Sometime in the first few episodes Godai proclaims his love for Kyoko at the top of his lungs, but then the show treats these early episodes as if they had never happened, and the characters are unsure about each others' feelings for another 5 years. The characters will seemingly make progress, then the show will act as if the progress doesn't exist.
Character Consistency: The minor characters definitely experience personality change as the show goes on. In the beginning they take a bigger role, with the show highlighting the interactions of all people at the house, whereas later they seem to become one-dimensional and take a…
Read at the sourceWaterSoullll
I'm a bit of an anime newb, but liked Ranma 1/2 a lot and decided to try Maison Ikkoku. Compared to a lot of anime that I've seen, I love that the characters, relations, and story actually *evolve* in Maison Ikkoku. It's tough to go back and watch some episodic anime after this, actually.
If you do try this, definitely watch at least 5-10 episodes -- it took me that long to get hooked.
There are some seriously funny parts of this anime (Mitaka is always funny). It also has a nice daily life, city feel to it, if you're looking for that. Best way I can describe it is like a slow-burn romantic comedy drama.
Read at the sourceIcehammerCL
I dont know how many series received remastered versions, upgrades or a new-brand animation, but Maison Ikkoku is by far the masterpiece of Takahashi-sama and surely it deserves the upgrade.
RomCom usually appears like some funny but irrelevant, with a very-low character development but here, almost 36 years agp, they did it in Maison Ikkoku.
Every chapter has something interesing to tell us as you can see how the relationship between every character goes in a different way since the start until the end, being Kyoko the real kingpin of the story. the real cornerstone that fits all in the show.
She's the widow and that's how you can easily touch the emotions of the adults.
Mitaka and all his background story is running at the same time, but also Godai's studies (and his problems with the…
Read at the sourceKyosuke69
I watched a few episodes back in college in the 1990's, but never had a chance to watch the whole series (subtitled anime was hard to find back then, especially long series). But I have been a huge KOR fan, and I've always heard how great MI is. Now I am in my 50's, and anime is much easier to come by, so I gave it a gander.
Story: 8
I'll be honest, the first 25 episodes were really difficult to watch. I really felt no love or connection, or really anything positive about any of the characters. In the 30's, we get some interesting developments, but then it is back to sadistic glee torturing Godai. I've seen other anime that exhibited this type of mean-spirited "humor", but I've always found it repulsive. It wasn't until about the last 25 episodes that the story actually became noteworthy,…
Read at the sourceheroofmm
Maison Ikkoku is an anime that will leave a deep impression inside you, so much that you will keep thinking about it for a very long time, and you will probably want to watch it again.
I knew about it back in 1990 but at the time I was a little boy who wasn't interested in that kind of anime, instead I wanted more action. And then I always thought it was a comedy for kids, but this year I decided to watch it, and I was so wrong! Kids will certainly enjoy it, but adults will love it.
The show is sometimes comic and sometimes serious, and it can get very serious, and when it happens, you will feel it, probably have tears because those moments are emotional and beautiful.
You will also feel other emotions including anger, pain and especially frustration at some of the characters. However,…
Read at the source
