Much Ado About Everything

…or is it just yet another also-run?  As I’m finishing the last few episodes of Maison Ikkoku, it’s hard to disregard how irritated, pissed off and all-round annoyed I am at this anime. I thought I’ve read somewhere a while ago that this was a milestone in mid 80′s anime – after all, that would be the only reason why an old show like this would end up on the “to watch” list anyway. If that were true, then I would have to conclude its influence is the chief reason for many bad attributes of the likes of Kimagure Orange Road, or more importantly modern ones like Love Hina. However, a friend that has been with anime since late 70′s has just told me that she doesn’t believe Ikkoku was a role model. In which case it’s not a cause of all that is bad in anime that came after it. But it’s still bad by itself.

So let’s start with the laundry list – this is some fairly spoiled underwear we have here.

Repetitive jokes. Repetitive subplots. Repetitive behaviour. Same gags over and over. Nothing of importance happening even though dozens of episodes and several (in-anime) years have passed. Numerous characters with so little depth that their shadows would be heavier. Numerous characters with so little compassion that it’s not hard to imagine the plot of the series was created by an association of professional torturers during their retreats. Incredibly lame loser lead. An equaly indecisive and often irritating female lead. The best character of the series, by far being actually Godai’s love rival, coach Mitaka. But the rest of rivals and sidekicks being irritating, overused and abusive at the same level as leads.

1. Let’s all party in Godai’s room. At least once every episode. On average, two or three times every episode. Every single one out of 96 episodes. When he’s sad, when he’s happy. When he has to study, when he has guests, when he’s in trouble, when he’s sick. Can I stress it any more than that? It’s so funny that I have to get my ulcer medicine just to keep it in.
2. Let’s steal Godai’s money. No matter how poor he is, even if he has no money to buy basic food, let’s steal it. If he spent the last yen on that pitiful ramen, the lowest of the foods for poor, let’s steal that from him too. Oh, but isn’t it so funny? Whose sick mind comes up with this, eh Yotsuya-san?
3. And that Godai, all the partying in his room before crucial exams or important days, letting others take advantage of him even in the most desperate of situations. He owes money because a guy who got a salaryman job thanks to him took him to a cabaret and left without paying. Now Godai works there to make up, but of course the rest of Maison Ikkoku tenants shows up and parties inside on his tab. Making him even deeper in debt. And he doesn’t refuse to pay for them for what reason? Oh, in this particular case there might have been a smidgen of a reason, such as not telling Kyoko-san about what’s he doing when he should be job hunting. But this same scenario was repeated many times over; only this time someone decided to make it more elaborate, that’s all.
4. Oh, and don’t even think of making all those side characters merely irresponsible and say how deeply in their hearts they love Godai. No. Not for a single second in all 96 episodes do they ever show a gram of compassion or even basic respect towards Godai. I bet you will find better human beeings in a prison than in Maison Ikkoku. Absolutely deplorable. No, don’t trust me, go and watch all 96 episodes and tell me where do they show any trace of mercy and concern for him. I dare you.
5. Many of the characters are in fact one-dimensional and can be completely described with a sentence or two. A (very )few episodes that tried to focus on some of these characters proved to be complete failures – they didn’t show us another, usually hidden side of those characters, they showed us a side that logically cannot exist. And even then they only teased us for they never really explained any of the mysteries that are actually interesting, such as what does Yotsuya do for a living.
6. While I can’t say I know what was the status of women (and men) in Japan during 80′s, I find it hard to believe it was as regressive as it is displayed here. Kyoko-san wondering whatever shall she do if coach Mitaka tries to do something to her while she’s visiting his home. (Yet, she doesn’t mind slapping Godai on many occasions and for far smaller issues – can’t she just do the same to Mitaka if he tries to force himself on her?). And otherwise servile relations between women and men. Some of them I can understand, like many women only living for marriage or men considered only as worthwhile as their careers, with their jobs being for life; those have really been staple of that society until recently. But the women seem to be way too far behind as presented here to be able to catch up so much in only a decade.
7. You know that stupid anime practice, the ultra-lame one where every time there’s a situation that can be misunderstood, such as an accidental kiss or peek, or hearing a sentence out of context, that the “worst possible” person will be the one to see or hear or walk on it? Guess which anime did that come from? Right.

So how bad is Maison Ikkoku? It should be only made available from libraries and even then with special permissions, and forgotten and stricken out of all books, reviews and references. This anime needs to die a horrible death. And whoever is responsible for its content needs to be sent on the streets of Tokyo to work in a ramen fast food stand as a lifer. Begone, foul creation.

Ok, that was perhaps slightly too harsh. There are worse creations out there. It’s just that normally they don’t get 5-star reviews from respectable people, leading you to believe it’s actually good.  And hey, it has two weddings at the end – a rare feast for shuojo fans (understandable as most of them concern highschoolers, but missed nonetheless).

Technorati Tags: maison ikkoku, anime