An oldie but goodie. I love anything Rumiko Takahashi writes and has been a part of my childhood without me knowing it (people are most familiar with Inuyasha, which I watched secretly when I was 8 because it was too violent). But Maison Ikkoku is near and dear to my heart. It’s a slice-of-life manga about a landlord named Kyoko, who takes care of a boarding house filled with eccentric and lovable people. She meets Godai, a resident at the boarding house, who’s trying to pass his college entrance exams while falling in love with Kyoko. The book revolves around the importance of community and the slow-burn romance between Kyoko and Godai (who are, by far, my favorite fictional couple), with funny moments scattered throughout. It is wonderful wonderful wonderful.
Acclaimed author Rumiko Takahashi’s classic romantic comedy about finding your path in life.
Yusaku Godai didn’t get accepted into college on the first try, so he’s studying to retake the entrance exams. But living in a dilapidated building full of eccentric and noisy tenants is making it hard for him to achieve his goals. Now that a beautiful woman has moved in to become the new resident manager, Godai is driven to distraction!
About the Author
The spotlight on Rumiko Takahashi’s career began in 1978 when she won an honorable mention in Shogakukan’s prestigious New Comic Artist Contest for Those Selfish Aliens. Later that same year, her boy-meets-alien comedy series, Urusei Yatsura, was serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday. This phenomenally successful manga series was adapted into anime format and spawned a TV series and half a dozen theatrical-release movies, all incredibly popular in their own right. Takahashi followed up the success of her debut series with one blockbuster hit after another—Maison Ikkoku ran from 1980 to 1987, Ranma 1/2 from 1987 to 1996, and Inuyasha from 1996 to 2008. Other notable works include Mermaid Saga, Rumic Theater, and One-Pound Gospel.
Takahashi was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Awards Hall of Fame in 2018. She won the prestigious Shogakukan Manga Award twice in her career, once for Urusei Yatsura in 1981 and the second time forInuyasha in 2002. A majority of the Takahashi canon has been adapted into other media such as anime, live-action TV series, and film. Takahashi’s manga, as well as the other formats her work has been adapted into, have continued to delight generations of fans around the world. Distinguished by her wonderfully endearing characters, Takahashi’s work adeptly incorporates a wide variety of elements such as comedy, romance, fantasy, and martial arts. While her series are difficult to pin down into one simple genre, the signature style she has created has come to be known as the "Rumic World." Rumiko Takahashi is an artist who truly represents the very best from the world of manga.
