Prelude Maison Ikkoku: When the Cherry Blossoms Return in the Spring

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.

Director: Shigeharu Shiba

Cast: Issei Futamata, Sumi Shimamoto, Hideyuki Tanaka, Ryuji Saikachi

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.