The ''

Maison Ikkoku is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Big Comic Spirits'' from 1980 to 1987, with the chapters collected into 15 ''tankōbon'' volumes. ' ...

manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...

series features characters created by

Rumiko Takahashi is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with ''Urusei Yatsura'' in 1978, Takahashi is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are popular worldwide, where they have ...

. Many of the characters live in the series' titular boarding house, including the protagonists Yusaku Godai and Kyoko Otonashi. The boarding house setting and its tenants were inspired from Takahashi's college years; the apartment house behind her own was occupied by many "strange people."

Creation and conception

Takahashi stated that she had wanted to draw a story about an apartment complex for some time, inspired by the one she lived in in

Nakano, Tokyo is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Nakano City. She originally only wanted to start the series focusing on Kyoko and Godai's relationship before moving on to include the other tenants to have a "human drama," but said the love story attracted her more and took over. She said that she adds new characters when she needs new story ideas, but remarked that the apartment setting of ''Maison Ikkoku'' limited her from adding too many. Takahashi said that when creating characters she roughly knows their "nature" while designing them, but not the details. The characters' names involve puns on numbers, with those of the Maison Ikkoku tenants utilizing their room numbers. (* Not residents of Maison Ikkoku.)

Maison Ikkoku residents

Yusaku Godai

is the protagonist of the series. He begins as a poor 20-year-old ''

rōnin A ''rōnin'' ( ; ja, 浪人, , meaning 'drifter' or 'wanderer') was a samurai without a lord or master during the feudal period of Japan (1185–1868). A samurai became masterless upon the death of his master or after the loss of his master's ...

'' studying for his college entrance exams after failing in the past year. He eventually gets into a third-tier college (with Kyoko's support). He is kindhearted and handsome, but indecisive and spacey. Godai is often "played" by the other tenants of Ikkoku, who habitually take advantage of him (e.g. they use his room for frequent drinking binges and steal food from his care packages). He falls in love with Kyoko at first sight, but initially lacks the courage (when sober at least) to tell her how he feels. Instead, he daydreams a lot and does several silly things (for example, he runs into road posts). But Godai is an honorable man who is worthy of Kyoko, as his love for her is a lasting and devoted love. He has, several times, tried making a move on Kyoko, but could not bring himself to do so; such actions make Kyoko think of him as a perfect gentleman. At the end, he marries her, and Godai and Kyoko finally found happiness and have a daughter, which they give the name . He is voiced by

Issei Futamata is a Japanese voice actor and narrator from Misawa, Aomori. He is best known for the roles of Skullomania (''Street Fighter EX'' and ''Fighting EX Layer''), Yusaku Godai (''Maison Ikkoku''), Chibi (''Urusei Yatsura''), Kiyoshi Shusse (''High S ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Jason Gray-Stanford Jason Gray-Stanford (born May 19, 1970) is a Canadian film, television and voice actor. He is best known for playing Lieutenant Randy Disher in the Emmy, SAG and Golden Globe-winning TV program ''Monk'' and for voicing the role of Raditz in ''Dra ...

(eps. 1–36) and

Brad Swaile Bradley Swaile is a Canadian voice actor. His major roles include Light Yagami in ''Death Note'', Rock in ''Black Lagoon'', and Nightcrawler in '' X-Men: Evolution''. In the 1990s, he voiced Mousse in ''Ranma ½'' and Teen Gohan in the Ocean ...

(eps. 37–96) in the English version. He is portrayed by

Ken Ishiguro is a Japanese film, television and voice actor. He has appeared in more than 80 films since 1979. He is the son of Osamu Ishiguro was a tennis player from Japan. Career He played his first tournament in 1959 at the Asian Championships ...

in the 1986 film and Taiki Nakabayashi in a 2007 TV film.

Kyoko Otonashi

is the second protagonist of the series. She is a beautiful, 22-year-old widow who takes on the task of managing a broken-down boarding house. She is sweet and polite, but also has a violent, frightening side that emerges when she is jealous or angry, or dealing with her meddling and equally stubborn parents. She soon develops affection for Godai, and has a tendency to dote over him (with the other tenants teasing her for acting like a "good wife") and becomes jealous over him (though she lies to herself and denies that it is jealousy). However, it is hard for her to forget about her late husband Soichiro (who died just six months after their wedding), and her memories of her husband sometimes put her in a melancholy mood. Kyoko's love for him is sometimes reflected in dialogues with her dog, who bears the same name as her late husband. She believes Godai to be pure-hearted and not a pervert, unlike the other tenants, who try warning her about him. At the end, she is happily married to Godai and a new mother to their daughter Haruka. She is voiced by

Sumi Shimamoto , real name , is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator of film and anime and video games. After graduating from the Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music, she joined Gekidan Seinenza, a theatrical acting troupe. She is currently indepen ...

in the Japanese anime, and by Ellen Kennedy in the English version. She is played by Mariko Ishihara in the 1986 film and

Misaki Ito (born May 26, 1977) is a Japanese actress and model. Her maiden name is . Career In 1999, Ito became the Asahi Beer "image girl" and a model under an exclusive contract to ''CanCam'' magazine. She also appeared in commercials for Gateway comp ...

in the 2007 TV film. ''Otonashi'' literally means "without a sound," but is also a pun on , or "without a husband," in reference to her status as a widow.

Hanae Ichinose

is a short, middle-aged woman who is rarely seen sober and who loves gossip, relishing her room's proximity to the communal telephone. Her wage-slave husband seldom appears and is completely unknown to the other tenants until he gets temporarily laid off. She enjoys joining in with the other tenants to stir up trouble for Yusaku and Kyoko, but she occasionally acts with good intentions for the two, especially Kyoko, whom she sees as a "younger sister" (willfully ignoring the difference in their ages, as the other tenants point out). However, even when she is acting with the best of intentions, her way of doing things often leaves Yūsaku, Kyoko, or both in a worse situations than if she had not gotten involved. She is voiced by

Kazuyo Aoki is a Japanese actress and voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is employed by the talent management firm Kiraboshi. Biography Filmography Television animation *''Future Boy Conan'' (1978) – Jimsy *''Doraemon'' (1979) – Giant's mom; Sewas ...

in the Japanese anime, and by Daphne Goldrick (eps. 1–36) and

Kathy Morse Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to: In sports *Kathy Bald, Canadian freestyle swimmer *Kathy May, American tennis player *Kathy Radzuweit, German volleyball player ...

(eps. 37–96) in the English version. She is portrayed by

Yumiko Fujita Yumiko Fujita (藤田弓子; born 12 September 1945 in Meguro, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese actress. Selected filmography Film * '' If You Were Young: Rage'' (1970) * '' Under the Flag of the Rising Sun'' (1972) * ''Karafuto 1945 Summer Hyosetsu ...

in the 1986 film and

Kayoko Kishimoto is an actress. She appeared in several of Takeshi Kitano's films, such as ''Hana-bi'', ''Kikujiro'' and ''Dolls''. She won the award for best supporting actress at the 23rd Japan Academy Prize for ''Kikujiro''. Biography In 1976 at a Hideki S ...

in the 2007 TV film.

Yotsuya

is a mysterious man who finds enjoyment in mooching, voyeurism, and generally tormenting his next-door neighbor Yusaku; he is famous for breaking a hole through the adjoining wall (and to use a smaller hole in the wall of Yusaku's room to peep into Akemi's). He is usually seen dressed in a business suit, a

yukata A is an unlined cotton summer kimono, worn in casual settings such as summer festivals and to nearby bathhouses. Originally worn as bathrobes, their modern use is much broader, and are a common sight in Japan during summer. Though are tradition ...

or similarly formal attire and tends to speak in a very formal manner (even while drinking and partying with Akemi and Mrs. Ichinose), but what life he may have outside of Maison Ikkoku is a complete mystery to everyone. Yotsuya claims to have a job (but is not above stealing Yusaku's food) and comes and goes at odd and changing hours, keeping a schedule known only to himself. He torments Yusaku directly and Kyoko indirectly, as it is her job to repair the damage done by him. Yotsuya is willing to reveal the secrets of others if it benefits him, such as telling Kyoko what Godai does at night, in order to prevent the hole from being repaired. He is voiced by

Shigeru Chiba , known by the stage name , is a Japanese actor, voice actor, talent and sound director from Kikuchi, Kumamoto. He is affiliated with the talent management firm 81 Produce. He is most known for the roles of Yoshihiro Kira from '' JoJo's Bizarre ...

in the Japanese anime, and by Gerard Plunkett (eps. 1–36) and Ron Halder (eps. 37–96) in the English version. He is portrayed by

Masatō Ibu is a Japanese actor and voice actor. He is sometimes credited as Masato Eve. Filmography Films * ''Love Hotel'' (1985) *''Maison Ikkoku'' (1986) *''Empire of the Sun'' (1987) – Sgt. Nagata *'' Sukeban Deka'' (1987) *'' Toki o Kakeru Shōj ...

in the 1986 film and

Ittoku Kishibe , born , is a Japanese actor and musician. Career He originally entered show business as the bassist for the Japanese rock bands, The Tigers and Pyg, but later switched to acting. The veteran of over 115 films, he won the Best Actor Japanese Aca ...

in the 2007 TV film.

Yotsuya is a neighborhood in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. It is a former ward (四谷区 ''Yotsuya-ku'') in the now-defunct Tokyo City. In 1947, when the 35 wards of Tokyo were reorganized into 23, it was merged with Ushigome ward of Tokyo City and Yodobas ...

means "four valleys" and is the name of a district in Tokyo associated with a famous ghost story. It has been speculated among fans that Yotsuya is one and the same as the character Sekoi in another Rumiko Takahashi manga titled '' Dust-spurt''. In it, Sekoi is a secret agent working for the HCIA ("Hinomaru Central Intelligence Agency").

Akemi Roppongi

is a boozy bar hostess who is known to lounge around wearing skimpy lingerie clothing while hanging around Ikkoku. Akemi works a short distance away in a bar named Cha-Cha Maru, where the tenants gather to drink when not in Yusaku's room. She is known to let some of the bar's male patrons buy her too many drinks, and often comes home from work drunk. Because she works the late-night shift at the Cha-Cha Maru and spends the rest of the night drinking, Akemi always seems to have a sleepy look on her face. She is generally aloof towards both Yusaku and Kyoko, but she is not above joining Yotsuya in tormenting Yusaku. Akemi will often display a blatant sexual interest in Shun Mitaka when he is around, even though she is fully aware of his interest in Kyoko. At the end of the series, she ends up marrying her boss and lives with him on the second floor of the Cha-Cha Maru. Her family name, which means "six trees," is also the name of a Tokyo district, infamous for expensive hostess bars. She is voiced by

Yūko Mita is a Japanese actress and voice actress from Setagaya, Tokyo. She is known for playing gentle, sexy ''bishōjo'' (such as Akemi Roppongi in ''Maison Ikkoku'') as well as many roles of young boys. Her hobbies include tennis and skiing. She is emp ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Janyse Jaud Janyse Jaud (, born November 26, 1969) is a Canadian actress, musician and author. Her major voiceover roles include '' Hulk Versus'', '' My Little Pony'', ''Inuyasha'', ''Ed Edd n Eddy'', '' Batman: Black & White'', ''Baby Looney Tunes'', ''War ...

in the English version. She is portrayed by Yoshiko Miyazaki in the 1986 film and Yumiko Takahashi in the 2007 TV film.

Kentaro Ichinose

begins the story as grade-school-aged brat, generally seen trying to get between his mother and her alcohol. Initially, he is antagonistic towards Yusaku, but events soon see him to look upon Yusaku as an "alright guy". He is also very fond of Kyoko, especially because he sees her as the only sane person in the building other than himself. He develops a crush on Kyoko's niece Ikuko, reminding Yusaku of himself, although Kentaro resents the comparison. He is voiced by

Chika Sakamoto is a Japanese voice actress who is affiliated with Arts Vision. Filmography Television animation ;1980s *''Captain Tsubasa'' (1983) – Sanae Nakazawa *'' Cat's Eye'' (1983) – Ai Kisugi *'' Nine'' (1983) – Yukimi Yasuda *'' Super Dimension C ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Saffron Henderson Saffron Henderson (born September 25) is a Canadian voice actress and singer who often works with Ocean Productions in numerous anime dubs. Career Henderson tends to be cast as mature and flirtatious women, young boys and teenage girls, as wel ...

(eps. 1–36) and Sharon Alexander (eps. 37–96) in the English version. He is portrayed by Katsuhasa Nakagaki in the 1986 film and Shinosuke Matsukawa, Ren Nibori (younger) in the 2007 TV film.

Mr. Ichinose

is Hanae Ichinose's husband that only appears occasionally in the series. He is a hard-working salaryman and unlike his wife, he is polite and does not get out of hand when he drinks. He is voiced by

Minoru Yada is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer from Tokyo, Japan. Biography He won the Merit Award at the 14th Seiyu Awards. Filmography Television animation *Professor Shikishima ("Dr. Bob Brilliant") in ''Tetsujin 28-go'' ("Gigantor") (1963) ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Campbell Lane Campbell Lane (July 15, 1935 – January 30, 2014) was a Canadian actor who primarily did his work in Vancouver. He appeared in many television shows produced there, and was also a voice over artist. Death Campbell Lane died on January 30, 2014 ...

(eps. 1–36) and

Robert O. Smith Robert O. Smith (November 27, 1942 – May 30, 2010) was an American voice actor. Roles Animation * ''Animated Classic Showcase'' – additional characters * ''Billy the Cat (TV series), Billy the Cat'' – Manx, Sanctifur * ''G.I. Joe: A Real ...

(eps. 37–96) in the English version.

Nozomi Nikaido

originally intended to move into an upscale establishment called "Rikkoku-kan", but a typographical error on the lease papers brings him to Maison Ikkoku relatively late into the story as an accidental tenant. He had led a rather sheltered life and moves into Maison Ikkoku, as he starts college, against the wishes of his protective mother. Nozomi initially strikes Kyoko as a very well-mannered boy, while most other tenants see him as a "sheltered mama's boy". Aside from his long-running vendetta against Yotsuya (Nozomi retaliates to Yotsuya's invasions, in contrast to Yusaku), he is known for being incredibly dense and is totally oblivious to the situation between Yusaku, Kyoko, and their respective love triangles. At the end of the series, Nozomi graduates from college and moves back home with his overbearing mother, but wishes to return to Maison Ikkoku. He does not appear in the television series but appears in ''The Final Chapter'' film where he is voiced by

Ryō Horikawa is a Japanese actor and voice actor from Osaka. He is married to fellow Japanese voice actress Hitomi Oikawa since 1988, whose birth name is also . His former stage name is also , which uses the kanji of his given name, though pronounced "Ryō". ...

. In the English release of the manga by Viz, the character's given name was originally translated as "Nozomu".

Zenzaburo Mitsukoshi

is an anime-only character whose exact intentions are left vague, but he appears to have been investigating Maison Ikkoku for a real estate development company wanting to buy it and build a new apartment complex on the ground. He decides that he likes the people living there, and ends his relationship with the development company. He stays in room 3 while living at Maison Ikkoku, and his name is the same as the large department store chain

Mitsukoshi is an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. It is a subsidiary of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, which also owns the Isetan department store chain. History It was founded in 1673 with the (shop name) , selli ...

. The "Mitsu" in his name means "three". He is voiced by

Katsunosuke Hori is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from the Tokyo Metropolitan area. He is a member of 81 Produce. He is known for dubbing for Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Jon Voight, Charles Dance and many more. He was also the first dubbing voice ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Michael Donovan Michael Donovan is a Canadian voice actor and director known for his roles as Suikotsu in ''Inuyasha'' and Zoken Mato in ''Fate/stay night''. He has also directed many animated series and feature films. Roles Animation * ''3-2-1 Penguins!''K ...

in the English version.

Recurring characters

Shun Mitaka

, in sharp contrast to Yusaku, is wealthy, educated, and hails from an elite family. Mitaka works as a ladies'

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

coach more out of love for the sport than any need for financial support. To everyone's surprise, he is revealed to be 31 years old by his parents, which would mean he was 26 at the beginning of the series. Nevertheless, he is remarkably handsome, and his teeth have a trademark sparkle whenever he smiles. Kyoko begins to take tennis lessons from him early in the series, and Shun begins to court her. His biggest obstacle in the beginning is his morbid

fear of dogs Cynophobia (from the el, κύων ''kýōn'' "dog" and ''phóbos'' "fear") is the fear of dogs and canines in general. Cynophobia is classified as a specific phobia, under the subtype "animal phobias". According to Timothy O. Rentz of the Labora ...

, which makes it difficult for him to be with Kyoko when her dog, Soichiro, is around. While very interested in and devoted to Kyoko, he is very popular with other women and has a reputation as a womanizer, a reputation not entirely undeserved (most of his more grievous actions have innocent explanations, but Shun has admitted to dating many women). Kyoko's mother strongly approves of him as a potential future husband for Kyoko (to Yusaku's chagrin). Shun recognizes Yusaku as a rival for Kyoko's affection (and vice versa), and the two are usually antagonistic towards each other. Shun's actions towards Yusaku are somewhere between magnanimous and condescending, depending on if Kyoko is around, and he is not above trying to position Kozue as a wedge between Yusaku and Kyoko. But while Shun and Yusaku are rivals, they both share moments where they bond over their mutual frustration over Kyoko's reluctance to fall in love with anyone. Kyoko generally likes Shun and regards him as a suitor, but is apprehensive about his forwardness and occasionally feels pressured by him (Shun does not want to force a relationship with her, but will often "bend the rules"). It can be unclear whether Shun is interested more in Kyoko herself or in "saving" Kyoko from what he sees as a degrading life as a widow in Maison Ikkoku, putting him in the stereotypical role of the "knight in shining armor." Shun marries Asuna Kujo, a girl from a wealthy, important family whom his parents want him to marry, after thinking he drunkenly slept with her and got her pregnant. However, it was actually his dog whom got one of her dogs pregnant. While to him it came about as a

shotgun wedding A shotgun wedding is a wedding which is arranged in order to avoid embarrassment due to premarital sex which can possibly lead to an unintended pregnancy. The phrase is a primarily American colloquialism, termed as such based on a stereotypical ...

, he does not seem to fully regret it and at the end of the series they have twin girls, Moe and Mie Mitaka, and another unborn child on the way. He is voiced by

Akira Kamiya is a Japanese voice actor. He played several notable roles in Japanese manga and anime television series, including Kenshiro in ''Fist of the North Star'', Ryo Saeba in ''City Hunter'' and Shutaro Mendo in ''Urusei Yatsura''. In mecha anime, he ...

in the Japanese anime, and by John Payne in the English version.

Kozue Nanao

is Yusaku's steady date ("girlfriend" may be too strong a word, at least in Yusaku's view) and generally serves as an obstacle for him in his pursuit of Kyoko. Cute, sweet, and a little scatter-brained, she's oblivious to the fact that she is more interested in Yusaku than he is in her, and she does not recognize Kyoko (or Ibuki) as competition for his affection. Their relationship starts after Kozue finds Yusaku with a spare movie ticket (originally intended for Kyoko, who had just started dating Shun) and she invites herself along, setting the general tone for their relationship. Yusaku would like to come forward and break things off with Kozue, however he cannot find the right opportunity to do so without hurting Kozue's feelings deeply. The situation becomes more complicated after Kozue introduces Yusaku to her family, who approve of him and are all too willing to feed the perpetually starving college student. Kyoko does not dislike Kozue and always responds to Kozue's genuine friendliness in kind, but Kozue's relationship with Yusaku does trigger her jealousy (which she would not admit as such) and as a result he always takes pains to keep all mention of Kozue away from Kyoko. Yusaku does find Kozue attractive, and admits to himself that he would have fallen for her if Kyoko was not in the picture, but because of his feelings for Kyoko he strives to maintain some sort of distance from Kozue; his naivety (both feigned and genuine) keeps their relationship platonic. Another running gag in the series is Yusaku's many attempts to break off with his relationship with Kozue. He imagines putting himself in many degrading situations to make her hate him and break up with him. Ironically, this does happen when Kozue sees Yusaku escorting a very drunk Akemi out of a hotel although it was not Yusaku's intention at the time. Later on, she finds out what really happened and the two of them part ways peacefully. Kozue ends up marrying a co-worker, Kentaro, at the bank she works at and moves away to

Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan, with a population of 2.3million in 2020. Located on the Pacific coast in central Honshu, it is the capital and the most pop ...

with her new husband. She is voiced by

Miina Tominaga , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer from Nishi-ku, Hiroshima. She is currently attached to Tokyo Actor's Consumer's Cooperative Society. Tominaga is best known for her roles in ''Sazae-san'' (as Ka ...

in the Japanese anime, and by Rochelle Greenwood (eps. 1-36) and

Anna Cummer Anna Cummer (born January 2, 1977) is a Canadian actress. She was born in Singapore to Canadian parents. She spent half of her adolescence in Southeast Asia and the other half in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She finished high school in Hong ...

(eps. 37–96) in the English version. Kozue is representative of the number seven, the kanji of Kozue's family name, ''Nana-o'', literally meaning "seven tails". However, the kanji「尾」="tail" can also refer to「尾根」="mountain ridge," and the place name ''Nana-o'' occurs in Ishikawa-prefecture where the scenery is dominated by seven mountain ridges.

Asuna Kujo

is a classically demure Japanese maiden from a wealthy family (

Kujō family is a Japanese aristocratic kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Konoe," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 24 retrieved 2013-8-13. The family is a branch of Hokke a ...

implied), Asuna is pretty, kindhearted, shy around people, and innocent to a fault. Her family and Shun's uncle have arranged a traditional Japanese marriage between her and Shun, against Shun's wishes. In contrast to Shun, Asuna is a dog lover and she is initially attracted to Shun because her many dogs seem to approve of him. Shun would like to end their arranged engagement, but often finds himself unable to, either because of his fear of her dogs or his fear of hurting her feelings (mirroring the situation between Yūsaku and Kozue). However, after the engagement, a remark by Asuna that his smile seems forced (as in a photograph when he got second place at a tennis competition) makes Shun realize that she is a very empathic and compassionate woman whom he can be happy with. Asuna is initially unaware of Shun's feelings for Kyoko, but she is not above pursuing Shun, albeit in her own fashion. At the end of the series, Asuna marries Shun Mitaka and has twin girls, Moe and Mie, and a third child on the way. She is voiced by

Hiromi Tsuru was a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. During her life, she was attached to the Himawari Theatre Group as a child and then to Aoni Production at the time of her death. She was most known for voicing the character of Bulma (''Dragon B ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Valerie Sing Turner Valerie may refer to: People *Saint Valerie (disambiguation), a number of saints went by the name Valerie *Valerie (given name), a feminine given name Songs *"Valerie", a 1981 song by Quarterflash, from ''Quarterflash'' *"Valerie", a 1982 son ...

in the English version. Asuna's family name, ''Kujō'', roughly corresponds to "Ninth Avenue" in Kyoto, and is from the old city subdivision of

Heian-kyō Heian-kyō was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the official capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180. Emperor Kanmu established it as the capital in 794, mov ...

. The name implies that she is a member of the ancient aristocratic Fujiwara clan. As the Fujiwara clan became numerous and split up into many sub-families, each sub-family adopted the address of their respective mansions in Kyoto as their family name.

Ibuki Yagami

is a high school student where Yusaku was briefly a student-teacher (which is the same school Kyoko attended and met Soichiro). Ibuki was at first unimpressed with him, even ridiculing one of her classmates for her short-lived crush on Yusaku, but Ibuki develops her own crush after misinterpreting him as a sort of tragic

romantic hero The Romantic hero is a literary archetype referring to a character that rejects established norms and conventions, has been rejected by society, and has themselves at the center of their own existence. The Romantic hero is often the protagonist in ...

. Even after she spends more time around Yusaku, her feelings for him persist even after his tenure at her school ends. Ibuki tends to hatch devious plots that put her together with Yusaku, usually putting him into a compromising situation. Yusaku is not interested in her, but is a pushover about it as always, and Ibuki refuses to be denied. Kyoko at first lets Ibuki play out what Kyoko sees as a simple schoolgirl crush, even acting on occasion to "protect Ibuki from Yusaku," but eventually sides with him when it becomes clear that he is the one that needs protection. After getting to know Ibuki, Kyoko realizes that Ibuki is much more brazen about her feelings than she ever was with Soichiro. But Kyoko is continually frustrated with what she perceives as Yusaku's unwillingness to assert himself, as with Kozue. Also, she cannot help but feel jealous, but then feels mortified for being jealous of a high school girl. Ibuki, on the other hand, initially sees Kyoko as a role model for marrying her own high school teacher, but later comes to recognize "that widow" as a rival for Yusaku's affections and often confronts her, she even pushes Kyoko to admit her love for Yusaku, and calls her a coward when she refuses to do so. However, when she found out the reason why Kyoko refused to admit that she loved Yusaku, she became less competitive with her and even went to the extent of strengthening her senior's relationship with her former teacher. At the end of the series Ibuki is attending an all-girls college still hanging unto the dream that she can be with Yusaku Godai. Ibuki's family name means "eight gods". She is voiced by

Yuriko Fuchizaki is a Japanese stage actress and voice actress from Ōta, Tokyo. She is a graduate of the College of Fine Arts at Nihon University. She then moved to Sigma Seven in 1991, and on July 1, 2003, she moved to her current agency, REMAX. From 1987 to th ...

in the Japanese anime, and by Alexandra Carter in the English version.

Soichiro Otonashi

is Kyoko's deceased husband. Kyoko and Soichiro met during high school when she was a student there and he was a temporary teacher. They eventually married, albeit with great opposition from Kyoko's family. After just 6 months from wedding, Soichiro died of seemingly a traffic accident where he was the co-driver (coming alive of the crash, but dying before reaching the hospital), leaving Kyoko as a very young widow. Apparently Kyoko was the one who mourned the most Soichiro's passing, even more than his very parents. His face is never shown in the series, always either in shadow or otherwise obscured in photographs. Soichiro's family, especially his father, is still very close to Kyoko, who still holds on to the Otonashi family name. The name Otonashi translates literally as "without sound", and Sōichirō literally, as "all one", and means "most important". He is voiced by

Hideyuki Tanaka is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo who is attached to Aoni Production. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in ''One Piece'' (as Donquixote Doflamingo), '' Dokaben'' (as Tarou Y ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

David Kaye David Kaye may refer to: * David Kaye (voice actor) (born 1966), Canadian-American voice actor * David A. Kaye, actor who played Jesse Waingrow in the film ''3000 Miles to Graceland'' * David Kaye (footballer) (born 1959), English footballer * Dav ...

in the English version. is a large, white Samoyed, found as a stray by Soichiro Otonashi. He was originally named "Shiro" ("Whitey"), but he only responds to the name "Soichiro" and so Kyoko insists on calling him such in memory of her husband. Other than providing comic relief, he serves to remind both Kyoko and Yusaku of the man he was named after, and serves as a foil to Shun Mitaka. Kentaro enjoys playing with him and considers him his pet. In ''Ranma ½'', volume 7, page 158, Soichiro's name appears on a box saying "Please take me home. My name is Soichiro" while Happosai is hiding under it. He is voiced by

in the Japanese anime.

Otonashi family

and is Kyoko's young niece from her marriage to Soichiro. On a visit to Maison Ikkoku, Ikuko meets Yusaku and quickly becomes fond of him. Ikuko insists that Yusaku becomes her tutor as she approaches entry into high school, though it seems she is more interested in goofing off with him rather than actually studying. Kyoko initially tries to dissuade Ikuko and later tends to hover when the two are together, hoping to keep Yusaku from corrupting Ikuko with his lazy habits, although it is usually Ikuko who steers conversation away from her studies and more towards gossip. Tutoring Ikuko becomes Yusaku's first steady source of income as well as his first major attempt to demonstrate his maturity and reliability to Kyoko. She is voiced by

Mayumi Shō is a Japanese voice actress. She formerly worked at Aoni Production and is now a director at Kekke Corporation. She is married to voice actor Keiichi Nanba. Filmography Television animation *'' Adventures of the Little Koala'' (1984) (Mimi) *' ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Andrea Libman Andrea Eva Libman (born July 19, 1984) is a Canadian actress whose most popular on-screen appearances are in ''Little Women'', '' Andre'', and a guest role on ''The X-Files''. She is also known for providing voice acting in various animated show ...

(eps. 1-36) &

Nicole Bouma Nicole Bouma (born April 24, 1981) is a Canadian voice actress who works for Ocean Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is best known as the voice of Mint Blancmanche from the ''Galaxy Angel'' series, Blossom from ''Powerpuff Girls ...

(eps. 37–96) in the English version. Ikuko's mother, voiced by

Atsuko Mine is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo. She is employed by the talent management firm Production Baobab. Filmography Anime *''Aesop World'' (Moguran, Usagi) *'' Aquarian Age: Sign for Evolution'' (reporter) *''Atashin'chi'' (Yukarin's grandmoth ...

, makes several appearances throughout the series. is the owner of Maison Ikkoku, Soichiro's father and Kyoko's former father-in-law. The chairman of the trustees of a girls' high school and a kind-hearted man who loves Kyoko like a daughter and later helps Yusaku get the chance to practice teaching. He is voiced by

Ryūji Saikachi was a Japanese actor and voice actor, known for his roles as Matthew Cuthbert in '' Anne of Green Gables'', Old Man in ''Paranoia Agent'', and Dwarf in ''The Wonderful Adventures of Nils''. Saikachi died from congestive heart failure on Septem ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Terry Klassen Terry Klassen is a Canadian voice actor, ADR director and writer. Before animation, Klassen worked in radio in Winnipeg (CITI-FM), Toronto (Q107), Calgary (CFAC), Portage la Prairie (CFRY) and part-time at CFOX and CFMI. In animation, he is best ...

in the English version.

Yukari Godai

is Yusaku's grandmother. She usually lives with Yusaku's parents out in the country in the Godai family restaurant, but she occasionally comes to visit her grandson in Tokyo. Akemi, Mrs. Ichinose and Yotsuya love when she visits as she always joins them in their drinking, however Grandma Godai does not torment Yusaku in quite the same way. She truly cares for her grandson, recognizes his situation with Kyoko, and her schemes are ultimately constructive for the two of them. She is voiced by

Hisako Kyōda is a Japanese actress and voice actress. Some of her major voice roles include Genkai in ''Yu Yu Hakusho'', Omusubiman in ''Soreike! Anpanman'' and Yukari Godai in ''Maison Ikkoku''. Kyōda is affiliated with the talent agency Haikyō. Film ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Pauline Newstone Pauline Newstone is a Canadian voice actress best known as the voice of List of Beast Wars characters, Airazor in the computer animated series ''Beast Wars'' and as Frieza in the English Ocean and Westwood dubs of ''Dragon Ball Z''. Voice credits ...

in the English version.

Chigusa family

and are Kyoko's parents. Initially against Kyoko's marriage to Soichiro, they (especially her mother) wish to see their daughter continue her life, preferably remarrying. Ritsuko is quite taken with Shun and sees him as a suitable husband for her daughter, while Kyoko's father sees the handsome Shun as a potential womanizer who will only break his "little girl's" heart. Neither of them seem to notice Yusaku's existence, including their inability to remember his name, let alone the bond both he and Kyoko share. However, later on Ritsuko shows some support for Godai since she wants Kyoko to remarry and Shun is no longer an option to Kyoko (Shun had married Asuna), although Mr. Chigusa disapproves of him for a little longer. Mr. Chigusa is voiced by

Kōsei Tomita was a Japanese actor and voice actor from Tokyo Prefecture who was affiliated with Aoni Production and Production Baobab. He voiced Doraemon in the first half of the original 1973 ''Doraemon'' series. He voiced Shunsaku Ban, also known as Mustac ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

in the English version. Ritsuko Chigusa is voiced by

Minori Matsushima was a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator that worked for Aoni Production. She was most known for the roles of Candice White Adley (''Candy Candy''), Hiyoko Isu (''The Song of Tentomushi''), Alexandria Meat (''Kinnikuman''), Sayaka Y ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Kathleen Barr Kathleen Barr is a Canadian voice actress. She is best known for voicing Marie Kanker and Kevin in ''Ed, Edd n Eddy'' and Trixie Lulamoon and Queen Chrysalis in '' My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic''. She also voiced Henri Richard Maurice Du ...

in the English version.

Master of Chachamaru

is the owner of the bar Chachamaru and Akemi's boss who is never named; the owner of a bar is referred to as its "master." Initially an incidental character when the tenants of Maison Ikkoku go someplace other than Yusaku's room to drink, he is often seen complaining when the tenants are trashing the furniture, scaring away other patrons, or specifically when Akemi seems to be taking her own drinks rather than serving them to others. Later, the owner occasionally acts as the voice of reason, all too often being the only sober person in the room when something important happens, whether the other characters are either drunk on alcohol (Akemi, Mrs. Ichinose, Yotsuya), their own strong emotions (Kyoko and Yusaku), or a mixture of the two. He tolerates Akemi's obvious incompetence as a waitress because his feelings for her are more than just that of a boss to an employee. At the end of the series, he tells Akemi that he has just gotten divorced and proposes to her. He is voiced by

Norio Wakamoto is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with the Sigma Seven talent agency. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University. On adult works, like OVAs or dating sims, ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

in the English version.

Sakamoto

is Yusaku's friend and drinking buddy (usually at Sakamoto's insistence) from school. Sakamoto has his own woman troubles, though in contrast to Yusaku his difficulty is finding the right one. Sakamoto occasionally offers Yusaku a roof to live under when situations temporarily force him out of Maison Ikkoku, and even has a word or two of insight on love for Yusaku, but more often than not the nights the two spend drinking together (often to lament that Sakamoto got dumped again) get Yusaku in trouble with Kyoko for one reason or another. Sakamoto has a small white kitten, that he named Kyoko, that was left in Godai's care for a while, creating some confusion. He is voiced by

Toshio Furukawa is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator affiliated with Aoni Production. He is married to fellow voice actor Shino Kakinuma. Career He became famous for his roles in his career as Kagege (''Keroro Gunso''), Kai Shiden (''Mobile Suit Gun ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

in the English version. In the ''One-pound Gospel'' OVA, when Kosaku Hatanaka is walking around the streets deciding whether to eat or not, Sakamoto shouts out to him saying we got nice girls which is a parody of the work he does at the cabaret.

Sayoko Kuroki

is one of Yusaku's college classmates, who recruits him to join the schools puppet theater club. Sayoko becomes more important later in the series when she helps Yusaku get a part-time job at the pre-school she works at, setting him towards his final career goal. (In the anime, it is Kozue who gets Yusaku the pre-school job.) Sayoko eventually marries the former president of the puppet theater club, Saotome, whom she was involved with for a long time, although it is never mentioned until she becomes engaged. She is voiced by

Saeko Shimazu is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator from Isehara. Shimazu is notable for having had voice roles in all four of the major anime television series based on the works of Rumiko Takahashi - she played Shinobu Miyake in ''Urusei Yatsur ...

in the Japanese anime, by

Yoshiko Sakakibara is a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator. Career In 1981, she made her voice actor debut as Flore in ''Six God Combination Godmars''. She also narrates many news programs, especially as a main narrator for TV Asahi News Station for ov ...

in the movie, and by

Nicole Oliver Nicole Lyn Oliver (born February 22, 1970) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Princess Celestia and Cheerilee in '' My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic'' and Zoe Trent in ''Littlest Pet Shop''. Early life Oliver was born i ...

in the English anime.

Iioka

is the manager at Bunny Cabaret, and one of Sakamoto's friends. He is introduced when Sakamoto and Godai have a party at the cabaret and don't have enough money to pay off their tab. Iioka lets them work it off, and later offers Godai the "Welfare Director" job taking care of the children of the bunny girls at the cabaret. He looks like a tough guy, and gives Godai a lot of advice regarding his relationships with Kyoko, Kozue, and Yagami. He really is concerned over Godai and has a good opinion about him. He even tells Kyoko to be kinder to Godai, because he tries so hard for her. He is voiced by

Kei Tomiyama , better known by his stage name , was a Japanese actor, voice actor, and narrator born in Anshan, Manchukuo. Tomiyama was affiliated with Aoni Production and Production Baobab. Tomiyama is best known for his roles in ''Tiger Mask'' (Naoto Date/ ...

in the Japanese anime, and by

Trevor Devall Trevor Devall (born November 10, 1972) is a Canadian-American voice actor and podcaster. He worked for various other studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for years, before he relocated to Los Angeles, California, US in 2013. Early life ...

in the English version.

Reception

Toren Smith Toren V. Smith (April 12, 1960 – March 4, 2013) was a Canadian manga translator and founder of Studio Proteus. Early life Smith learned to read by the age of four, and by the age of 12 had won his first award for writing from the Calgary Sta ...

suggested that the secret to ''Maison Ikkokus success lies in "Takahashi's unparalleled ability to create characters that the readers are sympathetic with."

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...

's Allen Divers proclaimed "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." A colleague of his praised Takahashi's character designs, saying she "manages to give life to the people on the page, giving them a sense of realism and making the story more believable." However, they remarked that aside from Kyoko and Yusaku, the other characters serve only "to create conflicts, exposition, and comedic relief." Melissa Sternenberg of THEM Anime Reviews praised the supporting cast for reacting to what happens around them, something she said is unlike many other anime.

References

{{Maison Ikkoku

Characters Character or Characters may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''Character'' (novel), a 1936 Dutch novel by Ferdinand Bordewijk * ''Characters'' (Theophrastus), a classical Greek set of character sketches attributed to The ...