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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 male protagonist who we (try to) root for. He is the typical anime clumsy, overall normal guy. As the show starts, Godai is a ronin, young lad trying to climb societys steps and trying to fit in. Though sometimes you want to bang your table for his inability to speak up and have a spine. But a perfect and flawless protagonist would be boring to watch, so give him a chance.

- Otonashi Kyoko, young, beautiful, new manager of a boarding house. She is the main female protagonist, center piece of this show and attention of new love queries. She has a troubled recent past as she is a widow now. As the story progresses, she learns to get over her mourning and open hear heart a little bit. Her personality and decisions (or their lack of) are an interesting one to try to understand.

Supporting characters are a mixed bunch of people and few of them deserve their own quick reviews:
- Mitaka Shun, you could say he is the third main character. Good looking smooth talker with sparkling teeth, who gives Godai a run for his money. He is a character who grows a lot during the latter part of the show. He also has the best, or worst, misunderstanding of the whole show.

- Yagami Ibuki, this girl, yes a girl, as she is a high school student, is a rose with a lot of thorns and people around her will feel that. She speaks up her mind and is very straight forward. People in MI episode sub threads either love her or hate her. That is how you know she is a good addition to the show. Her action are a driving force in the overall love story.

Sound and music:
- Intro and outro songs are great, once again I'm biassed because I like just this kinda stuff.
- I've only watched the original japanese subbed version but I've heard that the english dub is also a good one. Voice actors did a very good job, everyone of them has their unique voice and style and you don't end up mixing them. Especially I liked Kyoko's and Asuna's voice actors.

Art:
The art style is as good as it was in the 80's, everything is hand drawn and that gives every show done the same, it's own personality. This was a big selling point for me because it is what I like to watch, to appreciate every panel, the skill and time that went into making them. Character design is well made, the focal point of every good anime character - the eyes, is nicely done, but as usual, only main female characters get the best drawn pupils. Clothing stays constant the length of the show and is as normal as it can be in a slice-of-life anime. The art gets better episode-by-episode, so don't judge this anime by it's first ten or so episodes. Few times I was so drawn into the show I didn't know if I was watching a TV show or a movie.

If you end up liking this show, it's highly rewatcheable. In 96 episodes you tend up forgetting parts and maybe learn something new about characters you didn't pay much attention to on the first go.


I was having trouble writing a spoiler free review because I like this show so darn much and it came out longer that I first anticipated. I hope you end up liking Maison Ikkoku as much as I did.

Thank you for reading my review.