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めぞん一刻 [Maison Ikkoku] #8

Maison Ikkoku, Volume 8

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Follows the tenants of Japan's nuttiest apartment house where Kyoko, the manager, Yusaku, the college student, Mrs. Ichinose, the drunken gossip, Akemi, the boozy bar hostess, and Mr. Yostuya, the mooching peeper, reside.

288 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1985

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About the author

Rumiko Takahashi

1,595 books2,166 followers
Rumiko Takahashi (高橋留美子) was born in Niigata, Japan. She is not only one of the richest women in Japan but also one of the top paid manga artists. She is also the most successful female comic artist in history. She has been writing manga non-stop for 31 years.

Rumiko Takahashi is one of the wealthiest women in Japan. The manga she creates (and its anime adaptations) are very popular in the United States and Europe where they have been released as both manga and anime in English translation. Her works are relatively famous worldwide, and many of her series were some of the forerunners of early English language manga to be released in the nineties. Takahashi is also the best selling female comics artist in history; well over 100 million copies of her various works have been sold.

Though she was said to occasionally doodle in the margins of her papers while attending Niigata Chūō High School, Takahashi's interest in manga did not come until later. During her college years, she enrolled in Gekiga Sonjuku, a manga school founded by Kazuo Koike, mangaka of Crying Freeman and Lone Wolf and Cub. Under his guidance Rumiko Takahashi began to publish her first doujinshi creations in 1975, such as Bye-Bye Road and Star of Futile Dust. Kozue Koike often urged his students to create well-thought out, interesting characters, and this influence would greatly impact Rumiko Takahashi's works throughout her career.

Career and major works:

Takahashi's professional career began in 1978. Her first published story was Those Selfish Aliens, a comedic science fiction story. During the same year, she published Time Warp Trouble, Shake Your Buddha, and the Golden Gods of Poverty in Shōnen Sunday, which would remain the home to most of her major works for the next twenty years. Later that year, Rumiko attempted her first full-length series, Urusei Yatsura. Though it had a rocky start due to publishing difficulties, Urusei Yatsura would become one of the most beloved anime and manga comedies in Japan.

In 1980, Rumiko Takahashi found her niche and began to publish with regularity. At this time she started her second major series, Maison Ikkoku, in Big Comic Spirits. Written for an older audience, Maison Ikkoku is often considered to be one of the all-time best romance manga. Takahashi managed to work on Maison Ikkoku on and off simultaneously with Urusei Yatsura. She concluded both series in 1987, with Urusei Yatsura ending at 34 volumes, and Maison Ikkoku being 15.

During the 1980s, Takahashi became a prolific writer of short story manga, which is surprising considering the massive lengths of most of her works. Her stories The Laughing Target, Maris the Chojo, and Fire Tripper all were adapted into original video animations (OVAs). In 1984, after the end of Urusei Yatsura and Maison Ikkoku, Takahashi took a different approach to storytelling and began the dark, macabre Mermaid Saga. This series of short segments was published sporadically until 1994, with the final story being Mermaid's Mask. Many fans contend that this work remains unfinished by Takahashi, since the final story does not end on a conclusive note.

Another short work left untouched is One-Pound Gospel, which, like Mermaid Saga, was published erratically. The last story to be drawn was published in 2001, however just recently she wrote one final chapter concluding the series

Later in 1987, Takahashi began her third major series, Ranma ½. Following the late 80s and early 90s trend of shōnen martial arts manga, Ranma ½ features a gender-bending twist. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ is one of Rumiko Takahashi's most popular series with the Western world.

During the later half of the 1990s, Rumiko Takahashi continued with short stories and her installments of Mermaid Saga and One-Pound Gospel until beginning her fourth major work, InuYasha. While Ran

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5 stars
159 (45%)
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113 (32%)
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Profile Image for Beth.
1,479 reviews202 followers
October 30, 2017
This volume contains one of my favorite chapters showing how Kyoko's grief for her departed husband has changed and matured. I've read and pondered this scene so many times that it no longer brings on tears, but it's still excellent, showing that life goes on even after the most catastrophic changes.

And it also has some of my least favorite chapters, featuring obtuse, annoying new tenant Nikaido and his back-and-forth pranks with Yotsuya. This character wasn't even included in the anime, which shows just how important he is to the story.
Profile Image for Lisa.
173 reviews25 followers
April 1, 2021
Now that we’ve hit the turning point in the series, it really feels as though Kyoko and Godai are a couple, so it’s jarring to be blatantly reminded how much they aren’t. This volume has some unsuccessful snuggling at a hot onsen (where Godai tries to get some action while she’s asleep?! Gross.) Joke’s on him, though. She’s pulls him close and murmurs her dead husband’s name.

Then on the four year anniversary of his death, Kyoko’s parents behave and make no comments about her remarrying or quitting her job, so she feels bad that she spent the day focusing on her parents, waiting for them to be jerks, and didn’t think about Soichiro. She then goes back to his grave with sushi to talk to him and note how much she’s changed, and that while she still loves him, she’s also beginning to move on.

Then a new fellow accidentally moves into Maison. He’s rich, and can go elsewhere - but after meeting Kyoko he wants to stay. Yotsuya and, to a lesser extent, Akemi haze him and poor Godai is caught in the crossfire.

Nikaido, the new fellow, also takes a liking to Kozue. At one point she even invites him to a movie. This really bothers Godai. On one hand, her dumping him would be ideal. But he warns are against Nikaido specifically, which she interprets as Godai being jealous. This makes Kyoko angry, and Nikaido can’t figure out what he has to do with the manager and Godai not speaking to one another. Yotsuya, Akemi, and Mrs Ichinose spend the night giving him 126 clues, and he suspects they’re lovers. They deny it, and he’s clueless again.

Then he meets Mitaka, and they all go out to dinner and Nikaido feels that Mitaka and Kyoko make a beautiful couple. But that conversation goes nowhere. Mitaka decides he can learn more about Godai and Kyoko from Nikaido, who tells him that Godai has a ring for Kyoko. (It’s her sister-in-law’s, and he’s merely passing it along). He gives it to her on the tennis court and Mitaka flips out, but when he confronts Kyoko she apologizes, thinking he was upset that she stopped her practice for this. Oh, Kyoko.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Mahra.
311 reviews47 followers
August 3, 2018


1. we will never see soichiru's face ever.

2. also now kyoko cant use the excuse that she still remembers her late husband.

3.so we have a new addition to the family! NIKAIDO the rich boy!

4. if its Yotsuya VS Nikaido, i kinda wanna see nikaido win but hardly.

5. WHAT THE F IS YOTSUYA'S JOB!

6. if goad and kozue’s engagement is gonna speed up the process of kyoto and godai getting together then be it!

7. hey nikaido and kozue look good together !

8. now why the hell would godai get all jealous over kozue1!! stupid god!

9. NIKAIDO BOY1! YOU GOT IT RIGHT! XD they are in love with each other.

all in all, this story never see to get boring and that compensates for the long love triangle!

Profile Image for Nicholas Driscoll.
1,428 reviews15 followers
December 31, 2023
今回はメゾン一刻に新しい客がくる。それは一番大きいな新しいこと。今回も音無ちゃんとバカ主人公が色々なバカなロマチックノンセンスが行われる。今回もそのアパートで済んでるやつがお互いにいじめったりする。今回もバカな親戚もダメな真似する、お互いに操る陰謀もあるだし。新しい客と無職なよたものの戦いはちょっと楽しかった。
Profile Image for Korynn.
517 reviews10 followers
July 12, 2007
This is Takahashi's most realistic multi-volume work and probably the best romance in comics that I have read. Vol 8 This volume introduces Nikaido and things around Maison Ikkoku raise to a whole new level of misunderstanding which is of course painful and hilarious.
146 reviews4 followers
March 8, 2009
It's been a while since I've been able to get back to this series (availability problems at the local library), but I am happy to once again experience the longingful hopes of pursuing the dreams of the main character. The best (or only?) romance I have yet read.
Profile Image for Anna.
1,059 reviews63 followers
Read
September 5, 2013
When running low on steam - introduce a new character!
A new Ikkoku tenant to boot
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews