Maison Ikkoku: Final Chapter Review and Evaluation: Looking Back at the End of a Masterpiece

"Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter" - A story of eternal love and separation

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

February 6, 1988 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Distributor: Toho

■Frequencies

65 min

■Original Story

Rumiko Takahashi

■ Director

・Director: Tomomitsu Mochizuki

■ Production

・Produced by Kitty Films

■ Story

Even though Godai Yusaku and Otonashi Kyoko's wedding is just two days away, the residents of Ikkokukan continue to party as usual. Godai, who was forced to attend, worries about Kyoko's late return. Kyoko becomes even more agitated when she finds out that she has been waiting for someone to contact her for the past few days. Then Yagami, a former student of Godai's who had feelings for him, comes to visit.

■Explanation

This film was produced as a sequel to the TV anime series based on Rumiko Takahashi's masterpiece Maison Ikkoku. It is an original theatrical production with a completely new character design from the TV series. It was shown at the same time as Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter, an anime also based on Rumiko Takahashi's work. This film depicts the events at Ikkoku Mansion just before Godai and Kyoko's wedding, and while it is based on the episodes from the original work, it is a moving story that adds new perspectives and developments.

■Cast

・Kyoko Otonashi/Sumi Shimamoto/Yusaku Godai/Kazunari Futamata/Yotsuya/Shigeru Chiba/Hanae Ichinose/Kazuyo Aoki/Akemi Roppongi/Yuko Mita/Ibuki Yagami/Yuriko Fuchizaki/Shun Mitaka/Akira Kamiya/Asuna Kujo/Hiromi Tsuru/Nozomi Nikaido/Ryo Horikawa

■ Main staff

・Director／Mochizuki Tomomitsu・Screenplay／Shimada Mitsuru, Mochizuki Tomomitsu・Original story／Takahashi Rumiko・Planning／Ochiai Shigekazu・Producer／Taga Hidenori・Producers／Matsushita Yoko, Okamura Masahiro・Character design and animation director／Moriyama Yuji・Director of photography／Kaneko Jin・Art director／Ogura Hiromasa・Music／Mori Eiji・Sound director／Shiba Shigeharu・Produced by／Kitty Film・Distributed by／Toho

■ Main Characters

Kyoko Otonashi is the live-in caretaker of Ikkokukan. She is a beautiful young widow who later marries Godai.

Yusaku Godai is an indecisive and hardworking young man who lives in Room 5 of Ikkokukan. He has been in love with Kyoko since his days as a ronin.

Ibuki Yagami A student of Godai's during her teaching practice. Even now that she is a university student, she has not been able to forget Godai.

Coach of the Mitaka Shun Tennis Club. He was a love rival of Godai, but now he supports them.

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Glass Kiss・Lyrics by Takashi Matsumoto・Music by Tsunehiro Izumi・Arrangement by Mitsuo Hagita・Singer by Rika Himeno

■Detailed story and impressions

Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter depicts the events at Ikkokukan before the wedding of Godai Yusaku and Otonashi Kyoko. The story begins with Godai worrying about Kyoko's late return. Kyoko has been acting as if she has been waiting for someone to contact her for the past few days, and Godai is dying to know the reason. Meanwhile, Yagami Ibuki, a former student of Godai's who had feelings for him, visits Ikkokukan. Her arrival shakes Godai's heart, casting a shadow over his relationship with Kyoko.

While the film is based on the original story, it adds new perspectives and developments to create a moving story. In particular, the relationship between Godai and Kyoko and the dramatic developments with the appearance of Yagami Ibuki leave a strong impression on viewers. As Godai's indecisiveness and Kyoko's kindness intersect, the film depicts a moment when the love between the two is put to the test, and audiences will empathize with their growth and change.

In addition, the character designs have been completely renewed from the TV series, allowing for more sophisticated visuals. In particular, the beauty of Kyoko and Godai's suffering are depicted realistically, making for a visually appealing story. Furthermore, Eiji Mori's music adds excitement to the story, and some touching scenes are sure to move you to tears.

■Character Analysis

Kyoko Otonashi is a beautiful young widow and live-in caretaker at Ikkokukan. Her kindness and strength have earned her the love of the residents and she is Godai's emotional support. The film depicts her past trauma and her deep love for Godai, deeply moving the audience.

・Yusaku Godai Godai is an indecisive and hardworking young man who lives in Room 5 of Ikkokukan. He has been in love with Kyoko since his days as a ronin, and his love is put to the test in the film. Godai's growth and decisions resonate with the audience and are the central theme of the story.

・Ibuki Yagami Ibuki Yagami was a student of Godai's when he was doing his teaching practice, and even now that she is a female college student, she has not been able to forget Godai. Her appearance plays an important role in sending ripples through the relationship between Godai and Kyoko. Ibuki's pure feelings and love for Godai will leave the audience with mixed emotions.

Shun Mitaka Shun Mitaka is the coach of the tennis club and was a rival for Godai's love, but now he supports them. The film depicts his growth and friendship with Godai, adding depth to the story.

■ Background and influences

"Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter" was produced as a sequel to the TV anime series. The character designs were completely renewed, and the film was produced as an original theatrical work, and it was widely accepted not only by fans of the original work but also by new audiences. In particular, the episode depicting Godai and Kyoko's wedding is depicted as a more moving scene by adapting the climax of the original work into a film.

This movie also garnered a lot of attention because it was shown at the same time as "Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter." Many fans flocked to the theaters to enjoy two of Rumiko Takahashi's masterpieces at the same time. Furthermore, the attention to detail of the production staff can be seen everywhere, from the character design to the music, which enhances the quality of the work.

■ Recommendation points

"Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter" is a moving story of love and parting, and is recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who are experiencing the work for the first time. In particular, the relationship between Godai and Kyoko, and the dramatic developments with the appearance of Yagami Ibuki, will leave a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, the production staff's attention to detail can be seen everywhere, such as in the character design and music, which enhances the quality of the work. We hope you will experience this moving story at the theater.

■ Related works and viewing order

To enjoy "Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter" more deeply, we recommend watching the original manga and TV anime series first. In particular, knowing the episodes of the original will allow you to understand the development of the movie and the growth of the characters more deeply. Also, since this work was screened at the same time as "Urusei Yatsura: The Final Chapter," watching both of them will allow you to enjoy Rumiko Takahashi's worldview more widely.

■ Summary

"Maison Ikkoku: The Final Chapter" is a moving story depicting the events at Ikkokukan just before the wedding of Yusaku Godai and Kyoko Otonashi. Based on the episodes of the original work, the film adds new perspectives and developments, leaving a strong impression on viewers. The attention to detail of the production staff can be seen everywhere, from character design to music, and it enhances the quality of the work. We hope you will experience this moving story at the theater.