Maison Ikkoku

Complete-series reflection

Why it is on my shelf

Written after finishing both the manga and anime.

Maison Ikkoku is one of the most beloved, precious stories I’ve ever gotten out of a rom-com, while still being comic genius. The whole cast is extremely well-written and constantly hilarious: embarrassing each other, spreading rumors, falling into stupid slapstick mistakes, getting drunk and screaming in the streets, classic blunders galore. Rumiko Takahashi is probably my favorite author, and this one hits so hard. It has such a period vibe that you feel like you’re living in the ’80s with them, and the apartment setting makes everyone feel oddly relatable. The characters are heightened, sure, but they still feel real enough that this could have been someone’s life. The romantic tension goes on and on for many books, and I mean that as a compliment. I’ve read the whole series, watched the whole anime, and I would do it again. It’s timeless.