Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 15, 15

by Rumiko Takahashi

From the beloved creator of Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2, the romantic (sort of) comedy Maison Ikkoku, in a new edition in its original episodic order Travel into Japan's nuttiest apartment house and meet its volatile inhabitants: Kyoko, the beautiful and mysterious new apartment manager; Yusaku, the exam-addled college student; Mrs. Ichinose, the drunken gossip; Kentaro, her bratty son; Akemi, the boozy bar hostess;...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1421502798
• ISBN13: 9781421502793
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Viz Media
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

Need some warmth? Read this rom-com classic.

Maison Ikkoku. The name of the popular romantic comedy (rom-com) that started its serialization back in 1980. Its success caused there to be a flood of manga out there about a college loser falling in love with the girl of his dreams and, after many oh-so-comical hardships, getting his girl. By todays standards, if it were to be released it would be something that nearly everyone has seen already, but you have to go into the series understanding that Maison Ikkoku is the reason all those college romantic comedies were created in the first place. The story is about a group of individuals who live at a boarding house, the boarding house being called Maison Ikkoku. Kyoko Otonashi, a 22 year old widow still trying to come to terms with the death of her husband, moves into Maison Ikkoku as the manager in an attempt to take her mind off her problems. One of her the tenants, Yusaku Godai, was just about to leave in order to find a more peaceful study environment when she walked into the building. He was quick to change his mind about escaping once he looked at her and fell in love at first sight. But, as Godai soon discovered, winning the heart of a woman still in love with her dead husband isn't an easy task... How to a rate a series that's so heart-warming yet has many bothersome flaws. Reading the series filled me with a warmth I haven't felt since I read Love Hina, another rom-com that copied a lot from Maison and improved a lot. But, during the middle sections of the story in particular, nothing advanced at all in 80% of the chapters. In fact, because the main characters were so indecisive, it took six years for four people to sort out relationship issues that could, and should, have been sorted out in under half the time. ...But I'm not going to get into the negative right from the get-go. That would give readers the wrong impression about the series. I have a habit of going on forever about the negative when something irks me, even when I actually like what I'm talking about. And as you'll see as you read on, that's true in the case of Maison Ikkoku. Even though Maison Ikkoku may appear to be more of the same to fairly experienced manga readers because many people have seen a rom-com involving college by now, before going into the series you have to understand that it started its serialization back in 1980 - we're now in 2009 and it has been copied to death. And even by todays standards, Maison Ikkoku is still a worthy rival for any other rom-com in existence, it being far more funny and touching than a lot of attempts that have been made at copying it. Mainson Ikkoku, despite its age, has something many rom-com stories lack: charm and respectability. In this day and age, it's rare to see a comedy manga that doesn't involve much nudity/panty shots - it's almost a requirement these days. But, to its credit, Maison Ikkoku isn't like that, and that adds a mature feel to the relationships of the character that just isn't there in most of th

A heartwarming saga that resonates so strongly with the ups and downs with real life

Now available on in an "editor's choice" reprint edition with a new cover, the fifteenth and final volume Maison Ikkoku concludes the slice-of-life romance between Godai and Kyoko, with a thoroughly satisfying wrap-up of their story as well as that of their rambunctious, out-of-control neighbors. Though the issues of love, relationships, and responsibility take the dramatic center stage, the situation comedy elements are neither gone nor forgotten; the well-known "goddess of manga" Rumiko Takahashi pens Maison Ikkoku's finale with her usual flair for wit and insight. Maison Ikkoku carries the highest possible recommendation, as a heartwarming saga that resonates so strongly with the ups and downs with real life that it is worth rereading again and again.

the last one...

In a way, it's too bad that this *is* the last book of the series. (Since this happens to be one of my favourite mangas.) On the other hand, it's nice to see Godai finally expressing his true feelings towards Kozue... And much later on, towards Kyoko as well. My all-time favourite romantic line is in there as well, the one in which Godai tries to explain what his lady love is like. To paraphrase it: "She's jealous, icy, etc., etc. ... But when she laughs, the world is his." Especially touching, also, is the request Kyoko makes of Godai after he proposes. Of course he can't grant that, but it's so like Kyoko to ask. This volume is a satisfying conclusion of the series, and I'm glad it ends the way it does. And 'Haruka' is a nice name, isn't it?

maison ikkoku vol.15 review

the last in the manga series i found this book quite good.

It all comes to a close...

Well, this it it, folks... the last volume of Rumiko Takahashi's Maison Ikkoku, 2nd Edition. It's kind of odd to think of it as "finally" happening since the volumes were released in the 1990's in the then-standard American printing of left to right, but there's something special about the Editor's Choice editions that release the series in Japanese standard right to left... I don't know quite how to explain it. Anyways, Volume 14 left us with Yusaku standing face to face with a forlorn looking Kozue, himself just having come from a semi-sucessful, mostly depressing visit to a love hotel with Kyoko. Misunderstandings put a damper on the conversation until Yusaku finally admits CLEARLY what and for whom his true feelings are for. From there, all that's left is for him to convince Kyoko of his feelings, convince her parents, etc., etc..... Basically wrapping up mostly all the lose ends with various cameos and brief conversations leading to the penulitmate event in his live (and I say "penultimate" for a reason given in the last pages), marriage. Really, there are no surprises here, just some well-loved closure and peeks at Japanese marriage customs. Buy it, cry a little at the more poignant spots, and enjoy the conclusion to a much beloved Romance-Comedy.