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70% Critic Match
Prelude Maison Ikkoku: When the Cherry Blossoms Return in the Spring
7.0 / 10• 1992• 27m•NR• Japanese
AnimationRomanceDramaComedy
Storyline
Kyoko Otonashi is a 22-year-old widow. Six months have passed since the sudden death of her husband, Soichiro. In her resolve to move on, she has recently taken over the management of a boarding house owned by her father-in-law. She now finds herself reminiscing about the few seasons that she and Soichiro had together, and about the first time that she saw him: when he became her geology teacher during her final year of high school. This prequel is the third and final OVA released after the conclusion of MAISON IKKOKU, an animated series based on the manga by Rumiko Takahashi. The past events are retold through flashback sequences using scenes from the television series, with narration by Sumi Shimamoto as Kyoko.
Cast & Crew
Issei Futamata
Godai Yusaku (voice)
Lead
Sumi Shimamoto
Kyoko Otonashi (voice)
Hideyuki Tanaka
Soichiro Otonashi (voice)
Ryuji Saikachi
Otonashi-rojin (voice)
What People Are Saying
4.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Shigeharu Shiba's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
4.0
“Every frame feels alive. Prelude Maison Ikkoku: When the Cherry Blossoms Return in the Spring is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
