Maison Ikkoku, Vol. 3

Rating:
Summary: Things get more complex
Review: "Maison Ikkoku" continues steadily, taking Rumiko Takahashi's romantic drama/comedy to even stranger heights. The tale of a lovesick young college student who falls in love with his apartment manager is still sweet and funny in its third volume

The presence of Yusaku's sort-of-girlfriend Kozue complicates things even further for him when Kyoko becomes incredibly jealous. And Kozue makes things even more awkward when Yusaku thinks that she wants to "do it" with him -- except he doesn't really know what he wants. And Kyoko's undefined budding relationship with Mitaka is disrupted when she thinks she sees him crawling all over another woman.

But things take a dramatic turn when Yusaku is told that Kyoko is getting married to Mitaka -- except she was actually advising Mitaka on his sister's wedding. Devastated, Yusaku decides to move out of Maison Ikkoku and into a new apartment... an apartment occupied by a sultry masseuse and her bearish husband, who get our wishy-washy hero to let them stay until they can afford a new place. What's going to happen when Kyoko tracks him down?

Things are never easy for the happless Yusaku Godai. And his non-relationship with Kyoko is probably the hardest of all -- every time something goes right, something will go wrong within a week. Their tangled feelings are a source of great amusement for the other inhabitants of Maison Ikkoku, including sexy waittress Akemi, the stone-faced peeping-tom Mr. Yotsuya, and earthy hard-drinking Mrs. Ichinose.

Takahashi's knack for characterization continues, especially her characters' abilities to either mess things up, or totally misinterpret what others are saying and thinking. Godai is still kinda spineless, but in a likable way; just about everyone knows at least one boy like him. Kyoko is a sweet, slightly introverted woman still dealing with her grief for her husband, and who gets insanely jealous over other girls near Godai. And while Mitaka and Kozue are obstacles for the two leads, they're not bad people. They're actually both quite likable, especially the suave, dog-phobic Mitaka.

"Maison Ikkoku" is still engaging, romantic and funny, and shows every sign of getting funnier, more romantic, and brimming over with more angsty misunderstandings. A treat.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Yusaku
Review: The trials and tribulations of Yusaku Godai continue in the third "Maison Ikkoku" volume. Not quite a drama, not quite a romance, and not quite a comedy, Rumiko Takahashi's charming series is still a charming mess of romantic problems.

The hapless college student Yusaku Godai is still trying to win the heart of the widowed manager Kyoko -- and a hunky, wealthy, charming rival called Shun Mitaka doesn't help his case, since Mitaka is as enamored of Kyoko as Godai is. Nor does the kitten he catsits, which happens to be called "Kyoko Baby," or the comical sports injuries he gets.

But things take a nasty turn when Kyoko's parents begin nosing in her personal life -- her mom wants her to quit her job and remarry, and doesn't care that Kyoko likes her job and is still mourning her husband. Her dad doesn't want her to remarry at all. And when Kyoko encounters Godai and his sort-of-girlfriend, her jealousy begins to spin out of control.

"Maison Ikkoku" is the only one of Takahashi's long-running series to not include a fantasy/SF element, so it's more like a witty sitcom. The slapstick tone of the first stories has been toned down a little, and the more dramatic, intense stories start to shine through, like Kyoko saying that she wants to stay a part of Soichiro's family a little longer.

Takahashi's artwork has become more polished by this point; it's not as polished as it now is, but the "Maison Ikkoku" style had settled firmly into its groove. She relies a little more on intentional comedy (a drunken Godai hugging Kyoko) than on slapstick, although she doesn't shy away from stuff like having Kyoko Baby wet Godai's bed.

Godai's one of those young guys who are a little bit hapless and pathetic. He's nice and generous and loving, but a mildly wimpy type. He dreams of Kyoko, but isn't yet mature enough for her. Kyoko herself has experienced a lot more -- true love, loss, and now she's starting to love again. Previously-introduced characters like the pleasant rivals-for-love Mitaka and Kozue return, and there are a few new ones like Kyoko's pushy, obnoxious parents.

"Maison Ikkoku" starts to really blossom in the third volume, with more dramatic character tension and quite a few surprise twists. Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Poor Yusaku
Review: The trials and tribulations of Yusaku Godai continue in the third "Maison Ikkoku" volume. Not quite a drama, not quite a romance, and not quite a comedy, Rumiko Takahashi's charming series is still a charming mess of romantic problems.

The hapless college student Yusaku Godai is still trying to win the heart of the widowed manager Kyoko -- and a hunky, wealthy, charming rival called Shun Mitaka doesn't help his case, since Mitaka is as enamored of Kyoko as Godai is. Nor does the kitten he catsits, which happens to be called "Kyoko Baby," or the comical sports injuries he gets.

But things take a nasty turn when Kyoko's parents begin nosing in her personal life -- her mom wants her to quit her job and remarry, and doesn't care that Kyoko likes her job and is still mourning her husband. Her dad doesn't want her to remarry at all. And when Kyoko encounters Godai and his sort-of-girlfriend, her jealousy begins to spin out of control.

"Maison Ikkoku" is the only one of Takahashi's long-running series to not include a fantasy/SF element, so it's more like a witty sitcom. The slapstick tone of the first stories has been toned down a little, and the more dramatic, intense stories start to shine through, like Kyoko saying that she wants to stay a part of Soichiro's family a little longer.

Takahashi's artwork has become more polished by this point; it's not as polished as it now is, but the "Maison Ikkoku" style had settled firmly into its groove. She relies a little more on intentional comedy (a drunken Godai hugging Kyoko) than on slapstick, although she doesn't shy away from stuff like having Kyoko Baby wet Godai's bed.

Godai's one of those young guys who are a little bit hapless and pathetic. He's nice and generous and loving, but a mildly wimpy type. He dreams of Kyoko, but isn't yet mature enough for her. Kyoko herself has experienced a lot more -- true love, loss, and now she's starting to love again. Previously-introduced characters like the pleasant rivals-for-love Mitaka and Kozue return, and there are a few new ones like Kyoko's pushy, obnoxious parents.

"Maison Ikkoku" starts to really blossom in the third volume, with more dramatic character tension and quite a few surprise twists. Highly recommended.