Season
overview: Maison Ikkoku debuted on March 26, 1986 a week after the final episode of Urusei Yatsura aired. The series retained much of the same staff and crew, so you can imagine the hurried pace of finishing one series, getting the production of a new series started, and writing and animating Urusei Yatsura Movie 4: Lum the Forever all in a matter of months. Character designs were handled by Yuji Moriyama for episodes 1 through 26. Kazuo Yamazaki was the Series Director for episodes 1 through 26. Tokio Tsuchiya was in charge of Series Composition for the first 26 episodes, and music for the first 26 episodes as well as 38 through 96 was Takao Sugiyama. If you would like to see examples of the different styles of the various animation directors, please read our article on the animation directors of Maison Ikkoku.
Episode 1: お待たせしました! 私が音無響子です!!
Omatase shimashita! Watashi ga Otonashi Kyoko desu!! (Sorry To Keep You Waiting! I'm Kyoko Otonashi!)
Yusaku Godai is fed-up with life as a ronin and his horrible housemates, namely loud and brash Mrs. Ichinose, her bratty son Kentaro, sexy Akemi Roppongi, and the mysterious Yotsuya. As he finally packs his bags and heads for the door he meets Maison Ikkoku's new manager...Kyoko Otonashi. Its love at first sight for Godai, so he toughs it out in order to get to meet the gorgeous new manager a bit better.
Ronin (浪人) is a term used for masterless samurai and was later adopted in reference to students who failed their exams and could not go to college right out of high school.
The headband that Godai is shown to wear early in the series is a hachimaki (鉢巻). Originally worn by samurai, and then the Japanese military, students began to wear them as a symbol of hard work, courage and achievement. They usually have some sort of positive slogan written on them, such as "ichiban" (一番, "number one") or "gōkaku" (ごうかく/合格, "success").
The children running across the bridge in their matching school uniforms may look familiar, as three of them are based on Shinobu, Ataru and Megane from Urusei Yatsura, which had just concluded its animated run. Sharp-eyed viewers can see them run past Onsen Mark on his way to work.
Maison Ikkoku takes place in an area of Tokyo called Tokeizaka which translates as 'Clock Hill'. While Tokeizaka itself is fictional, it is based on a real area of Tokyo. The Seibu Ikebukuro Line around the Higashikurume Station (東久留米駅) is where most of the visuals of Tokeizaka and its surroundings are modeled upon. Higashikurume (東久留米市) is the area where Rumiko Takahashi lived when the manga began its serialization. For 5 hours from 12:00 to 5:00 pm on August 1, 2009, the station sign of the north exit of Higashikurume Station was changed to Tokeizaka Station in conjunction with an event of the local shopping district before the demolition due to the renovation of the station building. The station itself was rebuilt in 2010.
The older men in the neighborhood are identified as Mitsuo, Teruhiko and Takeshi by the most talkative member, who Kyoko asks for directions. His name is Toshizo.
Godai’s bag as he walks out of Maison Ikkoku says UCLA, which stands for the "University of California, Los Angeles."
Yotsuya sings the same song slightly differently throughout the series. While it is a fictious song, it is usually known as Ochiteikimasho (落ちていきましょ), or basically "Let's All Fall Down". A Japanese video about the song can be found here.
“And so the goddess Amaterasu goes back into her cave.” – Yotsuya's quote when Godai goes into his closet to escape the party is a reference to the goddess Amaterasu, who entered a cave after a battle with her sibling Susanoo that caused great devastation. As Amaterasu entered her cave, known as Ama-no-Iwato (the Heavenly Rock Cave) darkness fell on the world and winter began. She was finally lured out by using her curiosity against her, much as Yotsuya and the others do in this situation with Godai.
Episode 2: 恋の火花パチパチ! 響子さんは誰が好き
Koi no hibana pachipachi! Kyoko-san wa dare ga suki? (Love is in the Air? Which one Does Kyoko Love Best?)
Godai decides that since its Kyoko's first Christmas at Maison Ikkoku, this would be a great opportunity to buy her a present and tell her how he feels. As will become the norm, he chickens out when the Ichinose's arrive. Meanwhile, he learns from Akemi that Kyoko is already seeing someone and these suspicions are confirmed when he finds a sleeping Kyoko mention someone named "Soichiro" on the roof.
Shiro, Kotaro, Mique, Stupid – All the tenants give Soichiro a name other than his own, which with the exception of Godai's choice of "Stupid" are all more pet-appropriate names...
The price for attendance to the Chachamaru Christmas party is 3,000 yen for men and 2,000 yen for women. This discrepancy in pricing is indicative of the term “Ladies Night” that bars and clubs use in order to encourage more female patrons, which in turn attracts even more male patrons. Many countries have deemed this to be unlawful gender-based price discrimination and have outlawed the practice.
The game that Kentaro gives Kyoko for Christmas is Othello, also known as Reversi. While the original Reversi version of the game was invented by Englishmen Lewis Waterman and John W. Mollett in 1883, the modern version was patented by Goro Hasegawa in 1971.
The instrumental version of 'Silent Night' that plays at the end of the episode was never released on any of the Maison Ikkoku soundtracks.
Episode 3: 暗やみでドッキドキ響子さんと二人きり
Kurayami de dokkidoki Kyoko-san to futari kiri (Hearts on Fire in the Dark! All Alone with Kyoko)
With his entrance exams bearing down on him, Godai just can't seem to focus. Kyoko decides its up to her to stop the other tenants from interrupting his studies, but what she doesn't know is that Godai's thoughts slip everytime she's in the room. And just as things are about to settle down...the power goes out. Kyoko's determined to fix the problem and Godai offers his help, but is he really trying to be a good tenant, or does he want Kyoko all alone in the attic?
Though the kanji is written differently, this episode is written by Tomoko Konparu. She would go on to write a number of prose adaptations of Takahashi's work for Mermaid Saga and Inuyasha. She also wrote a series of detective stories illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi entitled The Young Lady Novelist. Konparu also wrote Urusei Yatsura episode 42.
The children who look like Ataru, Shinobu and Megane can be seen standing outside a café after their first appearance in episode 1.
Menko and Shiruo, the characters on the television show that Mrs. Ichinose is watching, are played by Sumi Shimamoto and Issei Futamata, the voices of Kyoko and Godai.
Godai has a good luck weather charm known as a Teruteru Bozu hanging outside his window.
“To Sakura, From Ichiro” – The tenants from the 1940s whose messages Godai and Kyoko stumble across in the attic were not mentioned in the original manga chapter.
The building of Maison Ikkoku itself is modeled on a student dormitory in the Nakano (中野区) ward of Tokyo, where Rumiko Takahashi lived as a college student. She chronicled the origin of the building and its design as well as initial story ideas in her short story 1980, published for the anniversary of Maison Ikkoku in Big Comic Spirits. In the same issue of Big Comic Spirits, Takahashi mentions that the building Maison Ikkoku was based on was torn down in the spring of 1980.
Episode 4: 響子さんハラハラ?! 五代くんは受験です
Kyoko-san harahara?! Godai-kun wa juken desu (Kyoko's Heart Goes Pitty-Pat! Godai is put to the Test)
Test time has finally arrived for Godai. As he does all the last minute cramming he can get away with Yotsuya, Ichinose, and Akemi take bets on which school's will reject him. Kyoko does her best to keep them out of Godai's way, but it doesn't do any good. As Godai heads off to take his tests, he misinterprets Kyoko's words of encouragement as a sign of affection, and can't stop thinking about it long enough to do well on a single test. With only one school left, Godai faces another year as a ronin, or overcoming all his distractions to become a full-fleged college student.
Mrs. Ichinose attempts to encourage Kyoko to enter into an miai, (お見合い) or arranged marriage. This concept will also appear in a more significant way much later in the series.
As Godai travels to take the entrance exam for his favorite university he gets off at Medaimae Station (明大前駅). This is a real place in the Setagaya ward of Tokyo. The station opened in 1913 as Kayakukomae Station (火薬庫前駅). Setagaya itself has ten universities located within its borders.
Over the loudspeaker you can hear an announcer calling out “uwasu no torayu pachinko” in the pachinko parlor Godai goes to after his exam. Uwasu no Torayu Pachinko translates as “Talk of the Town Pachinko”.
After his test, Godai has lunch at Mamezo, a restaurant that will be featured in a major misunderstanding in episode 14.
Episode 5: 響子さんヤキモキ! 五代くんが家出した
Kyoko-san yakimoki! Godai-kun ga iede shita (Kyoko's Climbing the Walls! Godai's Headed For the Hills)
Godai's grandmother arrives to inform Godai that if he doesn't get into a college, his family will no longer let him stay in Tokyo. Godai does his best to hide from her, but with Kyoko's help they finally track him down, just in time to realize he's going to get to go to college.
The instruments that the old women are playing in Godai’s dream are called shamisen.
The game that Sakamoto and Godai are playing is Pachinko. While gambling is illegal in Japan, pachinko parlors bypass this law by allowing patrons to trade in their ball bearings for prizes, these prizes can then be taken to an adjacent shop where the owner is willing to “buy” the prize back for a tidy sum of money, thus allowing the player to “earn” money without technically gambling.
“Another suicide victim of exam hell.” - Exam hell or shiken jigoku (試験地獄) is a nickname for the university entrance exams in Japan. Because the stress level of getting into a good university is so high, the rigorous testing drives many students to depression and even suicide.
Sakamoto is reading a Maison Ikkoku manga in his room.
Episode 6: 春はショッキング! 響子さんの秘密!!
Haru wa shocking! Kyoko-san no himitsu!! (Shocking Springtime! Kyoko's Secret)
The secret sadness that Kyoko has kept hidden for so long is finally revealed as Godai realizes that Kyoko is a widow. Visiting Soichiro's grave, Godai asks for whom he is offering incense ad realizes that it is Kyoko's late husband. Afterwards, as the two of them walk home, Godai can't help but feel that he has no chance to win Kyoko's heart from a dead man.
As Godai and friends exit the café there is a sign on a building that reads “Yamaguchi Momoe.” Momoe Yamaguchi is a former singer and actress whose career lasted from 1972 to 1980. She retired at the height of her career to marry her frequent co-star Tomokazu Miura and never made another public appearance. This only caused her legend and popularity to grow larger.
The child versions of Shinobu and Ataru make another appearance, minus child Megane this time.
The calendar in Kyoko’s room shows that the episode takes place in April.
Episode 7: 五代くん悩みます! 響子さんの好きな人
Godai-kun nayamimasu! Kyoko-san no sukina hito (Godai's Agony! The One Kyoko Loves)
Mr. Otonashi offers Godai a job tutoring Ikuko, who insists that if she is to have a tutor that it must be Godai. Seeing this as a way to endear himself to Kyoko and to earn a steady paycheck, Godai agrees. Kyoko begins to worry when the other tenants put the idea in her head that Godai might have a thing for Ikuko, and tries her best to resist the idea of Ikuko having a new tutor.
This episode marks one of the top ten episodes in overall viewership of the entire series. For more information please see our article "Maison Ikkoku Top 10 Highest Rated Episodes".
The café that Godai and Sakamoto visit is named “Happy Talk.” At the time of this episode’s airing Rumiko Takahashi had published a short story entitled Happy Talk in Big Comic Spirits, the same magazine that Maison Ikkoku is published in.
“A handsome face, like a subdued Kamasubaro.” – Yotsuya compares Soichiro to Bandō Tamasaburō V (五代目 坂東 玉三郎) the most well known and popular kabuki actor of his generation.
As Ikuko shows off her photo album she tells Godai that she played Princess Kaguya in her school play. Kaguya originates in The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter (竹取物語) Kaguya is a princess from the moon, who is raised on Earth after being found as a baby in bamboo stalk. She grows up to be very beautiful and attracts the attention of five suitors, each of whom she assigns an impossible task that they must complete in order to marry her. At the end of the story she returns to the moon.
Episode 8: 五代くんいけない絶叫やる時はやります!
Godai-kun ikenai zekkyo Yaru toki wa yarimasu! (Godai's Unspeakable Declaration! If You're Going to Do It, Do It!)
Celebrating their arrival into college life, Godai and Sakamoto go out drinking. Feeling depressed about his situation with Kyoko, Godai confides in Sakamoto, who recommends a bit of liquid courage to help Godai tell Kyoko how he feels. Once they arrive back at Maison Ikkoku, Godai not only tells Kyoko how he feels, but the entire neighborhood as well. After his announcement, he marches off to his room with Kyoko in his arms, seemingly ready for a night of passion!
This episode marks the first directed by Iku Suzuki, a prolific director in the anime industry. In addition to directing a number of Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku and Ranma 1/2 television episodes, Suzuki also directed the first Ranma 1/2 film as well.
Lum can be seen sitting at the table beside Godai and Sakamoto after Godai drunkenly falls out of his chair in the restaurant.
Child versions of Shinobu, Ataru and Megane run past the restaurant and appear again later when Kyoko is walking Soichiro.
The two women at the restaurant are Midori and Yuko who live in the neighborhood around Maison Ikkoku. They will eventually become friends with Kyoko and Mrs. Ichinose.
Master can be seen splashing water in front of Chachamaru. This is a ritual known as uchimizu (打ち水), it is used for contemplative purposes, but also to cool the street or area in front of the building, clean away dust, and keep neighbors happy. Traditionally this task is performed with a bucket and ladle.
Episode 9: 謎のテニスコーチは恋のライバルです!
Nazo no tennis coach wa koi no rival desu! (The Mysterious Tennis Coach is the Rival of Love)
Mrs. Ichinose decides that Kyoko's been much to glum lately with worrying about Godai's confession and her always looming regret over Soichiro's death, so she signs them both up for tennis lessons. The neighbors confide that the tennis coach is someone they'd have no problem leaving their husbands for. The tennis coach, Shun Mitaka, upon meeting Kyoko instantly becomes enamoured with her, and little does Kyoko know, but Mitaka will become the man she'll come to depend on quite a bit over the next few years, and after Godai's recent antics, she has no problem accepting his friendly overtones.
When Master is playing cards at Chachamaru, he turns over an ace of spades and reacts with fright. This is because the ace of spades is known as the Death Card, and is an omen of bad fortune.
Episode 10: 渚のラブパニック! ライバルは犬嫌い!!
Nagisa no love panic! Rival wa inu girai!! (Love Panic on the Beach!)
A depressed Kentaro confides to Godai that his family is too poor to ever take him on a vacation. This reminds Godai of his on youth, when he had to stay and work at his family's restaurant while all the other kids in his class went on their summer vacations. Godai happily agrees to take Kentaro to the beach so that he won't have to suffer the teasing of the kids in his class. Mrs. Ichinose is reluctant to leave Kentaro alone with Godai, so Kyoko offers to go along with them, which Godai decides to use as a chance to get close with the Manager. Soon his happiness fades when Ikuko decides to come as well, and Mitaka arrives at Maison Ikkoku to drive everyone there. Feeling extremely dejected at all the new company, Godai makes the discovery that the children have smuggled Soichiro, the Manager's dog, into the car with them. Pulling over to take a break, Godai learns that Mitaka is deathly afraid of dogs, and discovers his rival's one weakness.
“Where’s my shampoo?” As Maison Ikkoku has no bathing facility on site, the residents have to go to a place like Nezame Public Baths, where Godai and Kentaro bump into one another. Public bath houses are known as sento (銭湯) in Japan.
Originally Mitaka’s car was a Nissan Silvia but was changed to a Toyota Soarer in the anime because Toyota was a sponsor.
Paper Driver means a person who has obtained a driver's license and currently has a valid license, but does not usually drive or does not have the opportunity to drive. In english-speaking countries, it's also known as a "driver on paper only." We made a mini episode of this for viewing as well on our Youtube channel.
A similar concept is the Sunday Driver. This is a term that refers to people who drive only on holidays, but may be used to refer to drivers who have immature driving skills for their license history because they only drive on occasional occasions such as holidays.
Episode 11: 賢太郎の初恋! 愛があれば年の差なんて
Kentaro no hatsukoi! Ai ga areba toshi no sa nante (Kentaro's First Love! What Age Got to Do, With It?)
Kentaro's time with Ikuko at the beach has developed into a crush on his part. Now everytime Ikuko comes over to study with Godai, he finds a reason to study alongside them. When Kyoko realizes this, she decides to cook them a dinner in hopes of helping Kentaro get to know Ikuko better, but once Godai is invited, the sparks between he and Kyoko seem to overtake those of the children.
“Quarterfinals, 2nd Game: Sakiyama High vs. Kase High” – Because the game being played is mentioned to be held at Koshien stadium, the viewer can infer that this is the high school baseball championship series.
“Mamezo makes a delicious natto set.” – Yotsuya mentions the local restaurant that Kyoko and Ichinose visited in episode 4.
The game that Kentaro and Ikuko sneak off to play is Galaga in a cocktail cabinet. Cocktail cabinets went out of fashion in the late 1980s.
Episode 12: 恋のスクランブル! 好きって言ったのに…
Koi no scramble! sukitte ittanoni... (One Entangled Evening! I Thought You Said You Loved Me!?)
Godai decides its finally time to ask Kyoko out for a movie date, but when he arrives at Maison Ikkoku, he finds Kyoko heading out for a night at the opera with Mitaka. Feeling extremely put out, Godai runs into a former co-worker named Kozue Nanao, who he ends up taking out in Kyoko's place. Things really heat up when Mitaka's car breaks down and Godai and Kozue run into Mitaka and Kyoko. The rest of Kyoko's evening is spent angrily thinking about Godai's supposed two-timing, while Mitaka tries to let Kyoko know how he feels about her.
The concert that Mitaka takes Kyoko to on their first date is an evening of Mozart music.
Mitaka suggests a restaurant in Yokohama and mentions it’s a long drive. By car the distance is 37 kilometers or 23 miles.
The toy Godai plays with as he waits for Kyoko to come home is known as kendama (けん玉) or a “sword and ball.” It’s a variation on the ball and cup game, and arrived in Japan in the Edo period where various modifications were made.
Yotsuya sings the same song slightly differently throughout the series. While it is a fictious song, it is usually known as Ochiteikimasho (落ちていきましょ), or basically "Let's All Fall Down". A Japanese video about the song can be found here.
