Editing Maison Ikkoku (section)

==Reception==
''Maison Ikkoku'' has over 25 million collected volumes in circulation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://license-new.shopro.co.jp/products/detail/29|script-title=ja:めぞん一刻|work=[[ShoPro]]|access-date=November 10, 2016|language=ja|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608005645/http://license-new.shopro.co.jp/products/detail/29|archive-date=June 8, 2016}}</ref> In 2002, Christopher Macdonald, co-editor-in-chief of [[Anime News Network]], wrote that while far from her most popular, ''Maison Ikkoku'' is considered by many to be Rumiko Takahashi's best work. Although all her titles have a romantic angle, he said that with its lack of supernatural elements or aliens, ''Maison Ikkoku''{{'}}s simple premise of a university student who falls in love with his landlady is mundane in comparison, but it is this excellently crafted romantic story that makes it her greatest work. Macdonald wrote that what it does have in common with most of Takahashi's other works is "absolute, unadulterated hilarity," but this differs still in that it features hilarious situations that actually happen in the real world.<ref>{{cite web|title=Commentary by Christopher Macdonald - Maison Ikkoku|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2002-04-15/4|work=[[Anime News Network]]|date=2002-04-16|access-date=2020-11-13}}</ref> Like Macdonald, [[Comics Beat]]'s Morgana Santilli noted how ''Maison Ikkoku'' is an anomaly in Takahashi's bibliography as it contains no fantasy or magical elements, but does include her signature wacky romcom hijinks of "jealous would-be lovers, plenty of pratfalls, and needlessly complicated misunderstandings," which makes it just as charming and fun as more popular works like ''[[Ranma ½]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=REVIEW: The MAISON IKKOKU reprint brings early Rumiko Takahashi to a new audience|url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/review-maison-ikkoku/|work=[[Comics Beat]]|date=2020-09-14|access-date=2020-11-13}}</ref>

[[Jason Thompson (writer)|Jason Thompson]] claimed that while ''Maison Ikkoku'' was not the first men's [[Romantic comedy|love-com]], it is "almost certainly the best" and definitely Takahashi's best work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Maison Ikkoku|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2010-09-09|work=[[Anime News Network]]|date=2010-09-09|access-date=2014-05-16}}</ref> He also stated that because the main character is a university student, ''Maison Ikkoku'' is "slightly more sophisticated" compared to ''[[Kimagure Orange Road]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kimagure Orange Road - House of 1000 Manga|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/house-of-1000-manga/2014-09-11/kimagure-orange-road/.78669|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=2014-09-15}}</ref> Anime News Network (ANN) gave the manga an "A" for its story and an "A−" for its art, stating that the series shows off Takahashi's skill; "with a clear cut and rather simple plot, she is able to concentrate on the characters, using them to drive the story, while at the same time ensuring the proper reader reaction intended for each scene." They remarked that the story focuses on Yusaku and Kyoko's relationship, with the other characters used only "to create conflicts, exposition, and comedic relief."<ref>{{cite web|title=Maison Ikkoku (manga) - Review|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/maison-ikkoku/manga|work=[[Anime News Network]]|date=2002-04-17|access-date=2014-05-16}}</ref>

Commenting on the 2020 English release of the manga, Daryl Surat of ''[[Otaku USA]]'' wrote "After decades of ''Maison Ikkoku'' derivatives, the original hit manga remains as delightful as it was back in the 1980s." He also noted that unlike "every other will-they-won't-they Rumiko Takahashi romantic comedy," this one actually has an ending.<ref>{{cite web|title=Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition [Manga Review]|url=https://otakuusamagazine.com/maison-ikkoku-manga-review/|work=[[Anime News Network]]|date=2020-08-25|access-date=2020-11-13}}</ref> Caitlin Moore of ANN called ''Maison Ikkoku'' "timeless and universal" and the most grounded and straightforward romance in Takahashi's oeuvre, where, although it is clear from the start who the main couple is and that they will fall in love by the end, it is not clear how that will happen. With Kyoko a widow, she called the manga one of the best portrayals of the slow and messy nature of the grieving process. Although she noted the art as dated, Moore felt it still holds up well with its simple but expressive designs, and that the suburban Tokyo setting gives a timeless feeling. Calling Viz's older translation "punchy, but not super faithful," she called the new one a good balance between faithful to the Japanese and natural-reading English. Moore finished her review with "I have long considered ''Maison Ikkoku'' one of the greatest love stories of all time, but it's so much more than that. It's a romance, a comedy, a coming-of-age story, a story of loss and recovery."<ref name="ann20"/> [[Right Stuf Inc.]] called ''Maison Ikkoku'' a classic rom-com that has many of the strengths of modern [[sitcom]]s and praised the back-and-forth between characters as always hilarious and the romance between Godai and Kyoko as both nuanced and sweet. They described the art as giving the characters "a comedic whimsy," and opined that "good art is never dated, because good art is timeless."<ref>{{cite web|title=Maison Ikkoku Collector's Edition Manga Volume 1 Review|url=https://www.rightstufanime.com/post/Maison-Ikkoku-Collectors-Edition-Manga-Volume-1-review|work=[[Right Stuf Inc.]]|access-date=2020-11-13}}</ref>

ANN's Allen Divers wrote positive reviews of the anime, saying "The beauty of ''Maison Ikkoku'' is the fact that the entire cast feels dynamic enough that each could be the center of an episode without pulling away from the main idea of the series." and called it a must-see for fans of romantic comedies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Maison Ikkoku VHS 19 - Review|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/maison-ikkoku/vhs-19|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=2014-05-17}}</ref> Melissa Sternenberg of THEM Anime Reviews gave the show a perfect five star rating, calling the development between the two main characters refreshing and praising the supporting cast for reacting to what happens around them. Although she did point out the music and sound effects might seem dated. She finished saying "There may never be 'the greatest anime series of all time,' but I would bet a good amount of money that this series would be on most (respected) anime viewers' top five lists."<ref>{{cite web|title=THEM Anime Reviews - Maison Ikkoku|url=http://www.themanime.org/viewreview.php?id=932|work=THEM Anime Reviews|access-date=2014-05-17}}</ref> [[TV Asahi]] released two Top 100 Anime lists in 2005; ''Maison Ikkoku'' came in 80 on the nationwide survey of multiple age-groups, and 89 on the web poll.<ref>{{cite web|title=TV Asahi Top 100 Anime|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-09-23/tv-asahi-top-100-anime|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=2014-05-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=TV Asahi Top 100 Anime Part 2|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2005-09-23/tv-asahi-top-100-anime-part-2|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=2014-05-16}}</ref> A 2019 [[NHK]] poll of 210,061 people saw ''Maison Ikkoku'' named Takahashi's third best animated work.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2019-11-19/the-results-are-in-for-nhk-ultimate-rumiko-takahashi-poll/.153413|title=The Results are in for NHK's Ultimate Rumiko Takahashi Poll|work=[[Anime News Network]]|date=November 19, 2019|access-date=February 7, 2021}}</ref>