Maison Ikkoku | |
![]() Cover of the first tankōbon volume of Maison Ikkoku, as published by Shogakukan in 1982.
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めぞん一刻 (Mezon Ikkoku) |
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Genre | Romantic comedy |
Manga | |
Written by | Rumiko Takahashi |
Published by | Shogakukan |
English publisher | |
Demographic | Seinen |
Magazine | Big Comic Spirits |
English magazine | |
Original run | October 14, 1980 – April 6, 1987 |
Volumes | 15 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Kazuo Yamazaki Takashi Annō Naoyuki Yoshinaga |
Studio | Studio Deen |
Licensed by | |
Original network | Fuji Television |
Original run | March 26, 1986 – March 2, 1988 |
Episodes | 96 |
Live-action film | |
Apartment Fantasy | |
Directed by | Shinichirō Sawai |
Studio | Toei Company |
Released | October 10, 1986 |
Runtime | 97 minutes |
Anime film | |
The Final Chapter | |
Directed by | Tomomi Mochizuki |
Studio | Ajia-do Animation Works |
Released | February 6, 1988 |
Runtime | 66 minutes |
Original video animation | |
Through the Passing Seasons | |
Studio | Kitty Film |
Released | September 25, 1988 |
Runtime | 90 minutes |
Original video animation | |
Shipwrecked on Ikkoku Island | |
Directed by | Kenichi Maejima |
Studio |
Magic Bus Kitty Film |
Released | January 31, 1991 |
Runtime | 23 minutes |
Original video animation | |
Prelude: When the Cherry Blossoms Return in the Spring | |
Studio | Kitty Film |
Released | June 25, 1992 |
Runtime | 27 minutes |
Live-action television film | |
Directed by | Katsuhide Motoki |
Released | May 12, 2007 |
Live-action television film | |
Directed by | Akabane Hiroshi |
Released | July 26, 2008 |
Maison Ikkoku (Japanese: めぞん一刻 Hepburn: Mezon Ikkoku?) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Big Comic Spirits from November 1980 to April 1987, with the chapters collected into 15 tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. Maison Ikkoku is a bitter-sweet comedic romance involving a group of madcap people who live in a boarding house in 1980s Tokyo. The story focuses primarily on the gradual developing relationships between Yusaku Godai, a poor student down on his luck, and Kyoko Otonashi, a young, recently widowed boarding house manager.
The manga was adapted into a ninety-six-episode television anime series created by Studio Deen that ran on Fuji TV from March 26, 1986 to March 2, 1988. A Final Chapter movie, three OVAs, and a music special were also produced, with a live-action movie made by Toei in 1986. A live-action TV special aired in May 2007 on TV Asahi, with a finale aired in July 2008. Both the manga and anime have been released in North America by Viz Media. Maison Ikkoku has been both critically and commercially successful, with over 25 million copies in circulation.
The story mainly takes place at Maison Ikkoku (一刻館 Ikkoku-kan?), a worn and aging boarding house in a town called Clock Hill (時計坂 Tokei-zaka?), where 20-year-old college applicant Yusaku Godai lives. Though honest and good-natured, he is weak-willed and often taken advantage of by the offbeat and mischievous tenants who live with him: Yotsuya, Akemi Roppongi and Hanae Ichinose. As he is about to move out, he is stopped at the door by the beautiful Kyoko Otonashi, who announces she will be taking over as manager. Godai immediately falls in love with her and decides to stay. Godai and the other tenants find out that despite her young age, Kyoko is a widow who had married her high school teacher, who tragically died shortly thereafter. Godai empathizes with Kyoko and endeavors to free her from her sadness. He manages to work up enough courage to confess his love to her, and it begins to look as if a relationship between them might appear. However, Kyoko meets the rich, handsome and charming tennis coach Shun Mitaka at her tennis club. Mitaka quickly declares his intention to court Kyoko and states that he is very patient, and can wait until her heart is ready.