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. (Nov. 2003)
