Maison Ikkoku - Recommendations

kamirura says...

oooo don't we just love 80's love stories ^^ Kimagure Orange Road (KOR)is another cute love story and just like Maison Ikkoku it's a school anime with alot of cute moments. Be sure to check it out if you liked Maison Ikkoku.

Zadillo says...

Another classic romance/comedy...... with a great supporting cast of characters, which you should definitely enjoy.... a similar emphasis on stand-alone stories and slowly building up a larger relationship.

Icey says...

Maison Ikkoku and KOR are surprisingly similar. A love triangle forms the basis of each show, and great pleasure is taken to tease the indecisive male lead. In addition, the animation style is very similar; the two female leads could be sisters!

masquerade says...

Both series are eighties era romance stories told in a simple, unhurried manner. The shows take time to develop the various relationships and both feature at least one love triangle (a common tool used by Maison Ikkoku creator Rumiko Takahashi) which are used to further the various dramatic and comedic scenes present in both series. Maison Ikkoku deals with a more adult situation with older characters while Kimagure Orange Road is about middle schoolers. Despite the age difference the two series often parallel the other and a fan of one will definitely enjoy the other as well.

Oehr says...

While Orange Road involves supernatural powers (ESPers), both are beautiful old school love stories. Kyosuke can't really get to close to Madoka and so can't Yusaku to Kyoko. Enjoyed one? Enjoy the other!

redskyy says...

Both Maison Ikkoku and Kimagure Orange Road feature strong characters that feel real and grow throughout the series. They all have their flaws and you can't help but cheer for them. KOR features fantasy aspects with ESPers, but both feel very grounded.

gibbyjoe says...

A lot of the same feeling, same styles.  Maison Ikkoku is univeristy years while KOR is highschool years.  Both full of romantic "misunderstandings". Classics.   

VRDave says...

From the same author as Ranma, also a great 80's series. Also a love story with some interesting humor.

masquerade says...

Both Ranma 1/2 and Maison Ikkoku are fun-filled, comedic shows originally created by the same author, Rumiko Takahashi. Whacky characters and situations abound, though Maison Ikkoku takes a more real-life approach to Ranma 1/2's exaggerated style. If you enjoyed one the other is definitely worth your time.

sarwor248 says...

Both these are anime are filled with love triangles and have lots of comedy. Misunderstandings are a constant problem, but true love always finds a way!

yann says...

Seen this as a kid and some years ago the complete series, it realy has the feeling of a Ranma 1/2 like cartoon, all the fun u'll get from 80's anime with a lovestory on the background ... 

Realy recommended if youre an 80's kid :) 

lantis says...

Well, other than the fact that the plots are near identical? Maison Ikkoku is the predecessor to Love Hina, and is well worth the time to watch, if you can get your hands on it. Sure, Love Hina is more widely known, and enjoyed, but I think Maison Ikkoku holds its own merit despite this.

Menchi says...

There's at least three similair things in both Love Hina and Maison Ikkoku. 1: They're both typical love stories with a love-at-first-sight scenario, rivals and misunderstandings and slowly evolving romance. 2: There's a healthy amount of comedy in both of them, though in Love Hina it's more crude and there's more ecchi included too. 3: In both series the backdrop of the events is a dormitory, where the hero or heroine starts working and thus sets off a chain of events.

Icey says...

I watched Maison Ikkoku and really enjoyed it; I wanted something similar and came across Touch. Essentially both anime revolve around a series of love triangles, and the male and female protagonists discover what they really want in life. The animation style of both anime is quite similar; and although dated, the stories themselves are as enjoyable today as they were back in the mid-80s. If you enjoyed either one make sure you try out the other.

Ragnarokr says...

Maison Ikkoku were simply THE romance anime series from the eighties. They had ordinary people with real lifes and realistical situations surrounding them, comedic, tragic or dramatic as they may seem with real life. They were tru landmarks in the genre and are often credited as being influence of the genre, if you've seen one, you have to watch the other.

Nohansen says...

The Maison Ikkoku anime, adapted from Rumiko Takahashi's seinen manga of the same name, premiered on March 26, 1986 on Fuji Television. Almost twenty years later, the very same network launched the noitaminA lineup, a programming block aimed at older female audiences, with Honey and Clover. In spite of the generational gap, Maison Ikkoku and Hachikuro are equal in the fact that both succeed where other "romantic comedies" fail: they are funny, but not childish, and portray their characters' feelings and emotions without being overly sappy or melodramatic.

If you liked one, there's no reason you shouldn't watch the other.

rhibob says...

Honey and Clover and Maison Ikkoku are very similar in feeling, though Maison Ikkoku is more comedic. They both deal with college life, growing up, and love, even falling in love with an older widow in both series. If you're looking for a good laugh with sweet and poignant moments, then either one is for you.

sothis says...

Maison Ikkoku and Hiatari Ryoko, in addition to airing in the same time period, are lighthearted comedies about many people inhabiting the same house. Maison is more mature, but both have a very, very similar feel. If you liked one, try out the other.

nintendoagekid says...

The art shows are similar to the time period and it does include a love triangle however with the summaries don't explain there's a lot of focus on baseball that I didn't particularly love but the romance plot is good and then on baseball episodes have a nice flow to them the interaction between the two main characters is similar to gojo and the window early on

sarwor248 says...

Both of these series are romantic and filled with silly misunderstandings. They manage to have the perfect balance between goofy comedy and a wonderful love story.

Thrawn says...

Romance; delightful and endearing but not without it's hardships, so unbelievably true for Koizumi Risa (Lovely Complex) and Yusaku Godai (Maison Ikkoku). They both try to win the heart of the one they love but things just keep getting in the way. Both are character driven and by all the love that occurs. It may get sappy at times, but it sure feels good. Don't mind the dated animation of Maison Ikkoku, as the story and characters make up for it. Either way, you end up with a great romantic/comedy.

sarwor248 says...

Love triangles and misunderstandings are in full force in both anime. These are both great romantic comedies and I strongly suggest you try one if you liked the other.

AlphaLynn says...

The romance and love triangles really reminded me of marmalade boy, which I liked a lot!

sarwor248 says...

Both stories feature a young man trying to woo a young widow. I like how both series are able to mix drama and comedy, although natsuyuki rendezvous leans more towards drama. If you like complex and mature takes on relationships, this might be for you.

HasseRovdjur says...

Both are slightly melancholy and slow romances that focuses on character interactions. The premise for both shows are the same: a younger man is trying to woo a widow that hasn't completely gotten over her dead husband. The notion of moving on with your life is used heavily throughout both shows.

They're not completely alike though: Maison Ikkoku leans far more to the comedic side (and is also part sit-com), while Natsuyuki is more subdued throughout. Still, if you found the romance aspect of either work appealing you might consider checking out the other one.

picconiv says...

Both stories have similar characters, setting and humour.

Usa-kun is more assertive than Yusaku and generally less of a failure, although both share an extremely kind and timid personality.

I found Bo.Mi.Ka. to be funnier and with less drama, but if you enjoyed one I definitely recommend the other.

ZetsubouKaiji says...

These are both shows about a perfectly average young guy moves into a cozy new housing complex filled with quirky tenants. The male lead quickly falls smitten with of the other tenants only to find that she is related to the people that own the building. These are both romatic comedies that take their time setting up their stories before making any big moves. 

Maison Ikkoku is an older anime and honestly it hasn't aged very well. It's not as funny as Bokura, the characters are bland when compared to the ones in Bokura and given the huge episode count you can bet the series goes no where until the very end. THe one advantage age has given Maison is its look which is something that stands out as distinct compared to the more modern art styles. The show has a good look to it if you like the 80s style. 

Bokura isn't working with nearly as man episodes so it moves along much faster which makes the pacing more natural. Bokura's sharp sense of humor works better than the more sitcom like humor that Maison had during its run. 

However, both show are about a clumsey/unsure of himself guy slowly learning the lessons he needs to before he can get into a realtionship with the girl he likes. It can be a hard process to watch, but in the end both guys learn their lessons and come back stronger for it.

Maison is a classic even if it looks dated today, but it is still worth giving a look, and if you do enjoy Maison then you should jump right on Bokura to see a fresh take on similar subject matter.