If you've never seen Maison Ikkoku before, get ready for the perfect blend of romance and comedy. Several years ago, Rumiko Takahashi, arguably the most popular manga (Japanese comic) writer/artist, created a series about an old boarding house and the wacky tenants who lived there. Like most manga serials, it was soon made into an animated TV series. The show ran for 96 episodes and came to a definite conclusion (unlike the shows here which run until ratings are poor).

The central character is Yuhsaku Godai, a college student majoring in education. Not only does he have to deal with his schoolwork, but he also has the misfortune of living with several other obnoxious and annoying neighbors. Akemi, a sultry waitress; Yotsuya, a really weird guy; Mrs. Ichinose, an extremely nosy housewife; and her son, Kentaro, make life both amusing yet also miserable for Godai. But Godai has other, more important things on his mind... like the beautiful Kyoko Otonashi, the apartment manager of Maison Ikkoku. The problem, however, is that Kyoko was widowed after a marriage of only six months and still loves her husband very much. But that's not the only problem... Godai also has to deal with a very affectionate female friend, Kozue Nanao, and he competes for Kyoko's attention against Mitaka, the perfect suitor. Mitaka's rich, single, good-looking, and has a car and a great set of teeth! [AND he's an excellent cook -Ed.] How's a mundane guy like Godai supposed to compete with that? As you'll soon see, even the perfect guy has an Achilles' heel...