Maison Ikkoku, Volume 5: Empty Nest

This is only the fifth in the series of 15 graphic novels for this series and there are some great single stories here, but the value of this series is in the whole series. It is in my opinion the best Japanese Manga series available. It's overall story is close to earth with no robots or aliens and the problems encountered are true to life, which makes this such a great series. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a great Manga series that is touching, romantic and heart warming.

The fifth Ikkoku graphic novel is good. But they're all great, so this being great is nothing special.OH, BABYKyoko's mom pressures her to remarry so she can have grandchildren.MY NOTESContains some pretty funny visions Kyoko has of whether she marries Godai or Mitaka. And it all ends in a SLAP!A VERY TIGHT GAMEThe Cha Cha Maru baseball team steps up at bat!MY NOTES18 to 11 already?! Are they playing baseball or basketball?!SHALL WE... REST A WHILE?Godai goes to a love hotel with a girl, but is caught by Kyoko.MY NOTESGodai truly needs to grow a brain cell.GRANDMA GOES TO TOWNGrandma Yukari arrives at Ikkoku to visit. Also, Godai and Kyoko are forced to take Yukari to her Tokyo reunion.MY NOTESThese old women are SENILE! Getting names confused and jumping from emotions are proof!STOP FOLLOWING ME!Yukari follows Yusaku on his date with Kozue.MY NOTESNo important notes. It's just a funny chapter.COME ON A MY HOUSEMitaka invites Grandma Yukari and her grandchild (who he thinks is Kyoko) to his house.MY NOTESREALLY funny! Especially when Yukari tells the story of her marrying Grandpa Godai.GRANNY'S OL' PLUM WINESoichiro (the dog) gets drunk!MY NOTESThat's one grabby little pooch!PLAYING HICKEYKyoko gets jealous over a hickey on Godai's shoulder. Little does she know, Sakamoto accidentally gave Godai that hickey.MY NOTESJust cause he's spineless and clumsy doesn't mean he doesn't have-Plenty of GIRLS!A HOT WINDOn a trip to Okinawa, Godai runs into a very `talkative' girl name Konatsu.MY NOTESA good chapter. It's pretty appealing, but I can't figure out why.OK. That's all.

Another delightful book in the Maison Ikkoku series. I seem to be repeating myself quite often with these words, but anyway good book. The book begins off with the usual struggle: Kyoko vs her parents this time the topic of argument is grandchildren, and leave it to Mrs. Chigusa to drive bamboo shoots underneath Kyoko's fingernails. Mrs. Chigusa even invites Mitaka out for coffee, and of course Mrs. Ichinose and Yusaku are with them. The main highlight of this book, however, is the arrival of Godai's Grandmother Yukari. She meddles in Yusaku's life trying to find out his loves, so she seems to pick up very quickly that Godai has feelings for the beautiful Kyoko. She even gets Mitaka to take the gang to his apartment so Godai can check out his competition, and let's say that Godai falls quite far behind Mitaka in the material world, but Godai is our hero he will persevere. hehe

"Empty Nest", Volume 5 of the stellar international romantic comedy, "Maison Ikkoku", continues the great comedy and touching romance seen in the previous volumes. Although a uniquely Japanese story, the appeal of this timeless classic is universal.Maison Ikkoku is a run down apartment building in Tokyo. Living there is struggling and wishy-washy college student Yusaku Godai, who has fallen head over heels in love with the beautiful, young manager of the building, Kyoko Otonashi. Kyoko has some feelings towards Godai, but she's a widow, and still is not over the death of her beloved husband, Soichiro. Complicating matters between the two are rich, suave, hysterically dog-phobic, and handsome tennis coach Shun Mitaka, Godai's rival for Kyoko; and Kozue Nanao, a sweet, cute, and naive girl, who accidently has become Godai's platonic girlfriend. Kozue is clueless that Godai is in love with Kyoko.But the crowning touch is the 3 other residents of the apartment building: hard drinking, hard partying and hard gossiping Mrs. Ichinose, who lives with her young son Kentaro; Akemi, a sexy party animal who is the bar hostess at local hangout ChaChaMaru, and who wears her see-through negligee around the building; and then there's the mysterious Yotsuya, who gets his kicks out of peeping, and breaking through Godai's wall so that he can mooch food from Godai. These characters would be at home in "A Confederacy of Dunces".All 3 regard Godai as their personal toy, and they get their kicks from teasing him and holding their drinking parties in his room. They've also discovered that Kyoko is fun to tease as well.The 9 chapters contained in "Empty Nest", Volume 5 of the 14 volume saga which is "Maison Ikkoku", are heavy on comedy, although a hint of romance always lurks around the corner. The 3rd anniversary of the death of Kyoko's husband, Soichiro, is upon us, and Kyoko's parents have become more aware of the absence of grandchildren in their lives. This discussion brings Kyoko to consider the possibility of raising a family with either Coach Mitaka or Godai. Baseball is the national sport of Japan, and the manager of the gang's bar ChaChaMaru, has recruited everyone to play in a game against the local merchants, for a wager, of course. Kyoko's going to a class reunion, while Godai's playing host at a freshman mixer. Godai ends up with a cute, intoxicated freshman gal, who's supposed to be verrrrrry lonely. What a coincidence that Godai is in the Shinjuku District, the same area as Kyoko's reunion.The remainder of Volume 5 covers a story arc that continues into Volume 6; Godai's grandmother comes to visit. Granny Yukari drags Godai and Kyoko to her class reunion. Granny finagles Godai into taking her with him on a date with Kozue, and we see that Godai has been indecisive since he was a child. Granny learns that Godai has a rival, and Coach Mitaka mistakenly invites Granny, Godai and Kyoko to his luxury apartment, where Granny has a lesson for Godai to

This Maison Ikkoku novel is rather short but it is still has some great scences that are sure to make you laugh! Kyoko's parents want grandchildren.... Cha Cha Maru is having a baseball game where everyone is involved... Yusaku is going to get very close to a new freshmen! ....Grandma's friend's mistake Kyoko for Yusaku's wife?... Grandma meets Kozue and Shun...Mr. Soichiro drunk?.... Sakamoto gives Yusaku a hicky and Yusaku kisses up another girl? Well all of these things add up to lots of laughs and good times as always for Maison Ikkoku if you have an annoying grandma, your problems can't even compare to Yusaku's. You have to love Grandma's hijinks that make you wonder weather she is for or against Yusaku and a kiss from another girl just might make Yusaku put his feelings for Kyoko in perspective. I guarantee once you read Maison Ikkoku you'll never want to stop!