Yusaku Godai is fed-up with life as a ronin and his horrible housemates, namely loud and brash Mrs. Ichinose, her bratty son Kentaro, sexy Akemi Roppongi, and the mysterious Yotsuya. As he finally packs his bags and heads for the door he meets Maison Ikkoku's new manager...Kyoko Otonashi. Its love at first sight for Godai, so he toughs it out in order to get to meet the gorgeous new manager a bit better.

Godai decides that since its Kyoko's first Christmas at Maison Ikkoku, this would be a great opportunity to buy her a present and tell her how he feels. As will become the norm, he chickens out when the Ichinose's arrive. Meanwhile, he learns from Akemi that Kyoko is already seeing someone and these suspicions are confirmed when he finds a sleeping Kyoko mention someone named ""Soichiro"" on the roof.

With his entrance exams bearing down on him, Godai just can't seem to focus. Kyoko decides its up to her to stop the other tenants from interrupting his studies, but what she doesn't know is that Godai's thoughts slip everytime she's in the room. And just as things are about to settle down...the power goes out. Kyoko's determined to fix the problem and Godai offers his help, but is he really trying to be a good tenant, or does he want Kyoko all alone in the attic?

Test time has finally arrived for Godai. As he does all the last minute cramming he can get away with Yotsuya, Ichinose, and Akemi take bets on which school's will reject him. Kyoko does her best to keep them out of Godai's way, but it doesn't do any good. As Godai heads off to take his tests, he misinterprets Kyoko's words of encouragement as a sign of affection, and can't stop thinking about it long enough to do well on a single test. With only one school left, Godai faces another year as a ronin, or overcoming all his distractions to become a full-fleged college student.

Godai's grandmother arrives to inform Godai that if he doesn't get into a college, his family will no longer let him stay in Tokyo. Godai does his best to hide from her, but with Kyoko's help they finally track him down, just in time to realize he's going to get to go to college.

The secret sadness that Kyoko has kept hidden for so long is finally revealed as Godai realizes that Kyoko is a widow. Visiting Soichiro's grave, Godai asks for whom he is offering incense ad realizes that it is Kyoko's late husband. Afterwards, as the two of them walk home, Godai can't help but feel that he has no chance to win Kyoko's heart from a dead man.

Mr. Otonashi offers Godai a job tutoring Ikuko, who insists that if she is to have a tutor that it must be Godai. Seeing this as a way to endear himself to Kyoko and to earn a steady paycheck, Godai agrees. Kyoko begins to worry when the other tenants put the idea in her head that Godai might have a thing for Ikuko, and tries her best to resist the idea of Ikuko having a new tutor.

Celebrating their arrival into college life, Godai and Sakamoto go out drinking. Feeling depressed about his situation with Kyoko, Godai confides in Sakamoto, who recommends a bit of liquid courage to help Godai tell Kyoko how he feels. Once they arrive back at Maison Ikkoku, Godai not only tells Kyoko how he feels, but the entire neighborhood as well. After his announcement, he marches off to his room with Kyoko in his arms, seemingly ready for a night of passion!

Mrs. Ichinose decides that Kyoko's been much to glum lately with worrying about Godai's confession and her always looming regret over Soichiro's death, so she signs them both up for tennis lessons. The neighbors confide that the tennis coach is someone they'd have no problem leaving their husbands for. The tennis coach, Shun Mitaka, upon meeting Kyoko instantly becomes enamoured with her, and little does Kyoko know, but Mitaka will become the man she'll come to depend on quite a bit over the next few years, and after Godai's recent antics, she has no problem accepting his friendly overtones.

A depressed Kentaro confides to Godai that his family is too poor to ever take him on a vacation. This reminds Godai of his on youth, when he had to stay and work at his family's restaurant while all the other kids in his class went on their summer vacations. Godai happily agrees to take Kentaro to the beach so that he won't have to suffer the teasing of the kids in his class. Mrs. Ichinose is reluctant to leave Kentaro alone with Godai, so Kyoko offers to go along with them, which Godai decides to use as a chance to get close with the Manager. Soon his happiness fades when Ikuko decides to come as well, and Mitaka arrives at Maison Ikkoku to drive everyone there. Feeling extremely dejected at all the new company, Godai makes the discovery that the children have smuggled Soichiro, the Manager's dog, into the car with them. Pulling over to take a break, Godai learns that Mitaka is deathly afraid of dogs, and discovers his rival's one weakness.

Kentaro's time with Ikuko at the beach has developed into a crush on his part. Now everytime Ikuko comes over to study with Godai, he finds a reason to study alongside them. When Kyoko realizes this, she decides to cook them a dinner in hopes of helping Kentaro get to know Ikuko better, but once Godai is invited, the sparks between he and Kyoko seem to overtake those of the children.

Godai decides its finally time to ask Kyoko out for a movie date, but when he arrives at Maison Ikkoku, he finds Kyoko heading out for a night at the opera with Mitaka. Feeling extremely put out, Godai runs into a former co-worker named Kozue Nanao, who he ends up taking out in Kyoko's place. Things really heat up when Mitaka's car breaks down and Godai and Kozue run into Mitaka and Kyoko. The rest of Kyoko's evening is spent angrily thinking about Godai's supposed two-timing, while Mitaka tries to let Kyoko know how he feels about her.

As Godai attends his classes, he notices a mysterious dark-haired woman following him around campus. Letting his imagination run wild, he assumes she must be infatuated with him. Once she finally confronts him, Godai learns that her name is Sayoko Kuroki and that she wants him to join the Puppet Theater Club. When the (mostly female) club members start calling at all hours of the night asking for Godai, Kyoko gets the wrong idea about Godai's new female friends and has a payphone installed.

Godai finally gets the courage to ask Kyoko on a date, but with this being the anniversary of her moving to Maison Ikkoku, Kyoko considers it as only a friendly gesture. But things quickly fall apart as Godai and Kyoko go to different restaurants to wait for each other. Godai ends up in the proper place waiting hours for Kyoko to finally realize her mistake. Once they meet up with each other, she's very apologetic, and Godai is only too happy to take advantage of her feeling sorry for him. And even though Kyoko is willing to let him go a bit further than usual, Godai's luck runs out when he tries to steal a kiss.

A campus festival brings Kyoko to Godai's college, in tow are the rest of the tenants hoping to have a bit of fun at Godai's expense. When a sudden departure from Godai's Puppet Club brings Kyoko into a staring role, will Godai's feelings get the best of him and ruin the play?

Kyoko twists her ankle while playing tennis and both Mitaka and Godai blame themselves. The other tenants can't help but feel sorry for their injured Manager, and everyone seems to think the only thing that will make her feel better is food! But how many courses will it take before the Kyoko makes herself sick?

Godai gets depressed over the rain, remembering that some of the worst events of his life have occured on rainy days. Kozue visits Maison Ikkoku and her skirt gets stained so she and Kyoko have snacks together while they wait for the skirt to dry. Kozue asks about Godai and learns that Kyoko is a widow. Kyoko remembers trying to flirt with Soichiro when she was in high school . After Kozue leaves, Godai runs into Kyoko, and she invites him to share an umbrella with her as they head home.

With Christmas just around the corner, Godai has to decide what he's going to get for Kyoko this year. He spends all his money on a set of earrings for her, but Kozue spots the present over lunch and assumes its for her. Godai has no choice but to give it to her as he had totally forgotten to buy anything for Kozue. Seeing Kozue so happy cheers Godai up a bit, and she did give him a hat that he really liked, so he tries not to think about the fact that he now has nothing to give to Kyoko. After laying on the floor for a bit, Godai remembers that he never gave Kyoko the present he bought her last year and goes on an all night search of his room trying to find it. The next day, Godai gives Kyoko her brooch, and she gives him a scarf. Godai is completely surprised and overjoyed at this, until he finds out Kyoko gave everyone a scarf (including Mitaka) to thank them for helping her when she was sick.

When New Year's comes around almost everyone at Maison Ikkoku has vacation plans. Yotsuya is going to visit his family, and the Ichinose's are visting relatives. The only people staying behnd are Kyoko, Godai, and Akemi. Kyoko and Akemi decide to watch the New Year's festivities on TV in Kyoko's room, and Akemi invites Godai to join them. On New Year's Even though, Akemi gets a call from her friends asking if she wants to go skiing in Wajima. Akemi accepts, but then feels guilty about leaving Kyoko alone with Godai. Kyoko reassures her that she'll be fine, so Akemi leaves. When Godai arrives, Kyoko tries to keep the fact that Akemi isn't home from him for as long as possible. Once Godai finds out, he starts planning ways to force himself on Kyoko, which all backfire. By the end of the night, Kyoko thinks he was the perfect gentleman and asks him to go to make offerings at the shrine with her.

Godai takes a late vacation over Winter break to visit his family in Niigata. While he's there he plays rugby with his old high school team and gets a black eye. Since he's so embarrassed about his appearance, he delays coming back until his eye heals. Kyoko gets worried and starts wondering why Godai isn't coming home. While making a delivery for his parents restaurant, Godai crashes into a telephone poll and gets a second black eye. His family refuses to let him stay with them any longer and he heads back to Tokyo. Once he gets home, an angry Kyoko chastises him for not calling but can only laugh once she sees his face.

Godai and Sakamoto go out drinking with friends and Sakamoto gets Godai completely drunk. While he's in his druken stupor Sakamoto asks Godai to take care of his new pet cat while he goes out of town, and when Godai learns its name is Kyoko he happily agrees. The next morning, Godai wakes up in Sakamoto's apartment and doesn't remember a thing. After some convincing, Godai reluctantly agrees to take care of Sakamoto's cat, but is worried because he thinks Ikkoku has a no-pets policy. He manages to sneak the kitten into Maison Ikkoku, but his troubles begin right away when the cat uses the bathroom on his futon. As he screams her name in anger, the manager runs to his room to see why he was calling her. Before long the other tenants find out about Kyoko-chan. The kitten and Godai quickly bond and the other tenants manage to keep it a secret from the Manager while its staying with Godai, but once the cat goes missing Kyoko finds out and has to help him find her.

Godai walks home from the laundromat, wondering how he's going to dry his clothes on the dangerous clothesline at home when he notices a strange man walking behind him. As he gets closer to Maison Ikkoku he notices the man is still following him. Godai goes inside and sees the man peeking over the wall. He quickly tells Kyoko, and they both go outside to investigate. They find the man hiding behind a telephone pole and Godai yells at him, causing him to run away. After a few verbal insults from Godai, Kyoko nervously tells him that the man was her father. Back his apartment, Kyoko's father, Mr. Chigusa and his wife Ritsuko argue about how stupid he must be to get caught at Maison Ikkoku. Kyoko calls and argues with her mother, but agrees to visit them the following Sunday. When Kyoko arrives at their apartment, she and her parents get into a knock-down, drag-out fight, and they tell her they want her to leave the slum that she's working at, and change her name back to Otonashi. Kyoko l

The tenants are shocked as Kyoko's mother tells them that Kyoko will no longer be the Manager of Maison Ikkoku. As soon as she walks out the door the movers rush in to pack up her room. Mrs. Ichinose goes into a rage after Yotsuya mentions that the previous manager also left this way. She doesn't believe that Kyoko could be anything like him, and that she always thought they were like an extended family. She continues screaming about how betrayed she feels when Godai collapses to the floor and begins crying uncontrollably. Ichinose hauls Godai down to ChaChaMaru so they can get drunk and tell Akemi what happened. Yotsuya stays behind in Kyoko's room to reflect on the recent events. A few minutes later, Kyoko arrives, running late from grocery shopping and is shocked to find her room completely empty and Yotsuya standing in the middle. Yotsuya tells her that her mother came and quit for her, then had her furniture moved to their house. Kyoko becomes furious and rushes to find her mother

Godai and Kozue sit in a cafe and stare out the window. Suddenly, she asks him if he owns a tie. Later Godai is putting on his best outfit and getting ready to meet with Kozue. As he attempts to tie his necktie he has a fantasy about Kyoko doing it for him before work. As a result of his daydream, he crashes his face through his mirror. Going downstairs Godai spies Mr. Otonashi and the Chigusa's coming out of Kyoko's room. Kyoko herself then leaves and tells Godai and Mrs. Ichinose that she's going to Soichiro's grave today. Godai begins to worry and tells her to hurry home. As he waits for Kozue in the park, Godai can't help but think that he should cancel the date and go and try to offer support to Kyoko. Suddenly, Kozue jumps out and surprises him. She's thrilled that he found a tie to wear, and they both go to the market to pick out a cantelope. Godai is very confused as they arrive at a nice middle income house. Kozue announces that this is her house and that he is finally getting

As Godai watches Kyoko play tennis, Mrs. Ichinose tells him that things won't always stay the same. She mentions that Kyoko quit being their Manager this year and almost quit being an Otonashi altogether. Mitaka walks over and asks what the two are talking about, saying that he can tell just by looking at Kyoko that something is wrong with her. Soon, the entire Tennis Club is over at the fence talking about Kyoko, who finishes her workout and goes over to see what all the comotion is about. As the group covers up their discussion Godai is invited to play tennis with Kyoko in a mixed-doubles match against Mitaka and Ichinose. During the course of the match Mrs. Ichinose tells Mitaka about the recent goings-on at Maison Ikkoku and how Kyoko's family is pressuring her to remarry. Mitaka immediately takes this chance to tell Kyoko that he agree's with her family and that he would like her to be his partner for life, which Kyoko takes to mean his professional tennis partner. The next day, K