Advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition comes out on the 21st October 2020.

I requested this book because I was intrigued by the cover. I had no idea what the manga was about when I started reading it, but I started to enjoy it after the first chapter. I did find it difficult to get into the manga in the beginning, but that was overcome quickly after I made time to read the manga, and I ended up reading about 95% of it in one go.

The main plot of this manga is based on the relationship between Kyoko Otonashi, the new manager of an apartment building, and Godai. Godai is infatuated with Kyoko as soon as he sees her, and the plot is them getting closer, developing feelings, but also having obstacles in their path. I liked the story but I didn't like the romance and that was the main focus on the plot. Kyoko has a lot going for her, and she treats Godai more of a son than a man, and I just think that she wouldn't be attracted to Godai. I don't think she is in this volume, but she does have her feelings hurt because of Godai. I don't see anything appealing to Godai's character as a woman, so I didn't really support the romance.

I don't think I would recommend this manga, but it's not a bad manga. It was still an enjoyable read, but I won't be continuing on with the series unfortunately.

An 80's classic with the fun charming cast you come to expect from Rumiko Takahashi with a refreshingly mature story. Many can relate to a tale of the underdog, Yusaka Godai, as he is in an effort to win the heart of the widow and building manager Kyoko Otonashi. Not only does he face the Kyoko's unwillingness to fall back in love, he must also deal with Kyoko's lingering love for her deceased husband, rival - Shun Mitaka, eventual love-interest - Kozue Nanao, and the motley-crew of alcoholic rowdy roommates. As a fan of the anime, I am surprised to see how Kyoko Otononashi is a lot more flustered and comical compared to its adaptation; a welcomed surprise for someone going into the mange for the first time. While the plot is primarily centered around Godai "winning" the girl - an 80's trope that may/may not be a turn-off - it is a tale as old as time, yet always brimming with heart and surprise. It may be comparatively slow for some of the new anime/manga fans, yet I see this working for those looking for a more mature, slow-paced, yet engaging read. I look forward to seeing the development of these characters again, this time in a new, yet familiar light.

I have always wanted to read this series! I am a huge fan of the creator and hope to purchase all of their work. Do highly recommend!
This series is about a woman who works at a boarding house. She has of these unique and quirky boarders and they all interact throughout the days and it leads to some fun shenanigans. I can't wait to see if the series becomes deeper and more focused.

This book was on my list to read because I enjoyed Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma 1/2 series. This is the story of Kyoko, a widowed apartment manager, and her residents. One of which, Godai, has a huge crush on Kyoko, but has trouble expressing it and/or being believed when he does express it. The story was easy to follow and fairly interesting. I especially like the meddling residents. The artwork was good and not overdone.

I absolutely love Rumiko Takahashi and this edition of Maison Ikkoku is a must for any fans collection. Revisiting all the zany, hilarious moments was such a treat and took me back to when I was first introduced to Takahashi works. Loved every page.

I have a very special love of Maison Ikkoku. I first fully read the series in my mid-20s when Viz put out the second edition of the manga. It was a series I didn't quite get when I was a teenager, but I fell in love with it as a recent college graduate living on my own. Now as a married woman in my early 40s, this series has grown even richer and more meaningful.

Maison Ikkoku chronicles the love story between aspiring college student Yusaku Godai and his new apartment manager, Kyoko Otonashi, There is chaos, joy and sadness as this volume has the first 16 chapters of the series (the original vol. 1 and half of vol. 2) and introduces most of the characters and love triangles. Supporting them all is an exasperating but strangely lovable cast of residents. You can see the echoes of this series decades later in manga such as "Princess Jellyfish."

The new translation is fantastic with one caveat. The 2003 translation heavily relied on American slang and obscured some of the jokes. Godai in the original comes off like a rural stereotype, and the use of given names instead of family names removed the impact of some later scenes. The 2020 edition corrects Godai's status as a ronin starting in chapter 1 whereas the 2003 edition had him first in college then out of college. THe translation re-establishes the original timeline, so the reader knows the story starts in late 1980 and progresses from there. Some scenes are radically different because of the literal translation. The big one that leaped out is in chapter 3, when at the Christmas party, Kentaro starts yelling at Godai about the size of certain parts needed to make a wife happy. This better explains the shocked looked on everyone's faces rather than in the 2003 edition, where the joke is almost wiped entirely. The language is tighter and the characters are richer and better for it.

But then there is the caveat. There is some subtle removal of some Japanese culture, which is very odd considering that the bulk of the translation aligns with the original Japanese so much better. In chapter 3 of the 2020 edition, Akemi talks about the Christmas party at Chachamaru and says that tickets are $20. When you zoom in, you see the tickets have been changed to American dollars instead of the original 2,000 yen in the 2003 edition. Part of Maison Ikkoku's charm is that it how it captures life in early 1980s Japan. While contemporary when Rumiko Takahashi drew the manga, it is a lovely look back at life 40 years ago in Tokyo. It's a bit disappointing to have it somewhat Americanized.

But that doesn't take away from the overall sheer joy of this story and being able to read it the way Takahashi intended it to be read, which is why I give it a full five stars. I love Maison Ikkoku every bit as much today as I did in 2003, and I love how Viz has treated the series in the collector's edition. I cannot wait to hold the physical product in my hands.

This ARC was provided by VIZ through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to be honest, I'm a huge Rumiko Takahashi fan, so I've been really looking forward to this translation of Maison Ikkoku! I love her early work, and the Urusei Yatsura volumes have been so well done. The translation is so much tighter than the previous one, and it was nice to read the story again. I look forward to getting the physical volume.

'Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition, Vol. 1' with story and art by Rumiko Takahashi is a romantic comedy set in a shared apartment building.

Student Yusaku Godai lives in a building with some very eccentric people. The beautiful young woman who runs the house has caught Godai's eye, but there is something going on in her life that makes her not interested. The stories here show a series of comedy of error missteps in their attempt to have a relationship.

I really enjoyed this story. The characters are comical, and the art is really fun. I like where this story is going and I would definitely read more.

I received a review copy of this manga from VIZ Media and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this manga.

Rumiko Takahashi is a great storyteller and artist. I'm so glad Viz is putting out new editions of her work. I'm so glad Maison Ikkoku is on the list. I love the interaction between Kyoko and Godai, and the other tenents are both hilarious and annoying.

A classic and more laid back Rumiko Takahashi, but emblematic of her charismatic style. A fun read that I recommend.

This is a classic and overall favorite of mine. The story and the characters are just amazing, and solidifies my love for Rumiko Takahashi’s works.

I know Maison Ikkoku is supposed to be a classic Takahashi title, but I didn't get it. Our "hero" Godai is pretty sleazy and obviously none too bright, so I don't really get why I'm supposed to hope he gets the girl, when she could do so much better. I enjoy a good hapless hero, but Godai doesn't seem to fit the bill.

Welcome to Japan’s weirdest but awesome apartment house. Kyoko has been assigned as a new manager of the apartment that accommodates weird tenants, including a young college student, Yusaku. This is a story of Yusaku trying to win Kyoko’s affections while dealing with interferences from other tenants.

Thank you Viz and Netgalley for the digital ARC.

I think this is my favorite series by Rumiko Takahashi because it is just a soapy rom com unlike nearly all of her other work. I love that there are no supernatural or otherworldly elements and so it really is a very clean contemporary story. The story folllows a young woman who takes over as the superintendent of a boarding house and her interactions with the members of the apartments, including would-be college student Godai. The comedy here is much more subdued than her prior work in Urusei Yatsura and so it feels much more natural Honestly I would argue this feels more like a soap opera in the sense that it is hard to put the book down. There is a strong element of "I'll just read one more chapter and then take a break" due to the nature of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one, I've tried a few times but the art is just so sexist :s

This book is a great example of storytelling and romance with Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of Ranma 1/2 and Inuyasha. You quickly become attached to the endearing and zany characters. I would say the Implied sexual situations make this YA, but the slapstick make it good for the younger end of that age group.

I thought this was going to be shojo with the girl on the front cover but it’s actually more shonen. Slice of life about a guy living in a boarding house.

This is a perfectly charming slice of life manga. Maison Ikkoku is pretty much legendary and having been a number of years since I read it, it was fun to revisit. It may seem a little dated to modern readers and its sedate pace and retro art style wont suit everyone but it's an engaging and enjoyable story that will appeal to many. I certainly enjoyed my stroll down memory lane and having long ago lost track of my print copies i'll be sure to put in an order for this edition once it is published.

Thank you to NetGalley, VIZ Media, and Rumiko Takahashi for the opportunity to read Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition Volume 1 in exchange for an honest review.

As a lover of Takahashi's Inu-Yasha in my teens, I tried to explore with some of her other works and couldn't quite get into them the same way. Now that I am older and have more experience with life, trying Maison Ikkoku again was more than enjoyable. This volume is a wonderful revamp of the original VIZ print run.

This manga is a bit dated in terms of style, as it was originally serialized in 1980, but that sure doesn't change the hype and meaning behind the events in the story. This slice-of-life novel falls into relevant categories for new adults today, such as getting into college, paying rent, and falling in love.

I loved the characters and find that this is an incredibly strong start to the series and has me eager to read more. Thankfully, there are some old out-of-print English versions I can find if I truly cannot wait, but these collector's editions are gorgeous and perfect for any manga collector! So maybe I'll wait...we'll see how my patience is tested....^_^'

This was pretty funny.

The story is a slice of life romance. It's enjoyable and flows well, although slow. I can see the characters as people in real life in a show or something. They're all funny but also relatable.

This is drawn in Takahashi's iconic style. It actually is more cartoony looking than her later popular works, such as InuYasha and Ranma 1/2. I found it enjoyable and saw the basis of many of her later characters.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed any of her works!