Maison Ikkoku (TV)

Megumi Hayashibara made her debut in the first episode of Maison Ikkoku as kindergarten kid and background dialog. The kindergartener part was "Nanda ano inu?" (Viz DVD Sub shows "What's with the dog?"). And the background dialog was "Nanji dato omotten noyo-!?" ("What time d'you think it is!?"). Shigeru Chiba (Yotsuya's voice) was one of her teachers. (Source : "Ashita ga aru sa 明日があるさ - Sweet time express" Story by Megumi Hayashibara , Art by Sakura Asagi) 

In Japan, the Maison Ikkoku tv program had begun at 7:30 PM on every Wednesday when original program was airing. It was combination with Dragon Ball at 7:00 PM.

Many of the main characters' names contain numbers that correspond to their apartment unit numbers. For non-residents, their names contain the unoccupied appartment numbers (ie: Mitaka Shun where "Mi" is three and unit 3 is unoccupied). The list is: Unit 1 (Ichi): Ichinose Hanae; Unit 2 (Ni): Nikaido Nozomu (character not in TV series but in the manga); Unit 4 (Yo): Yotsuya; Unit 5 (Go): Godai Yousaku; Unit 6 (Roku): Roppongi Akemi.

The begining of Maison Ikkoku overlaps the end of Urusei Yatsura and charters from Urusei Yatsura show up often in Maison Ikkoku Also the end of Maison Ikkoku overlaps the beginning of the Ranma1/2 Manga and if you look next to Godai's head at the end of 93 and the beginning of 94 you will see a Ranma 1/2 Manga

More names with numbers:

(Kyouko) Oto-nashi/音無 -> nashi/無 -> nothing
(Kozue) Nana-o/七尾 -> nana/七 -> 7
(Ibuki) Yaga-mi/八神 -> hachi/八 -> 8
(Azuna) Ku-jou/九条 -> kyuu/九 -> 9

rest:
Ichi-no-se/一の瀬 -> ichi/一 -> 1
(Nozomu) Ni-kai-dou/二階堂 -> ni/二 -> 2 [manga only]
(Zenzaburou) Mitsu-koshi/三越 -> san/三 -> 3 [anime only]
(Shun) Mi-taka/三鷹 -> san/三 -> 3
Yotsu-ya/四谷 -> yon -> 4
(Yuusaku) Go-dai/五代 -> go -> 5
(Akemi) Ro-ppon-gi/六本木 -> roku/六 -> 6

Coach Mitaka's dog, McEnroe, is named for the tennis star John McEnroe.

The English dub, produced by Viz Media and Ocean Studios, was put on hiatus after episode 36, but resumed several years later for the DVD release, resulting in many character recasts.

Originally, Kyoko and Godai's relationship wasn't going to be the basis of the story. Rather, Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of the manga the series is based on, was going to end the storyline early on and continue on with a series of other storylines centering around the building's other occupants. However, the romance storyline proved so popular it became the basis for the entire series in both manga and anime form.

The first TV anime based on a Rumiko Takahashi manga to feature the main protagonist as a smoker.

The poster on the left hand side of Godai’s room changes every so often.

Three of the kindergartens who appear as background characters from episodes 1-26 resemble Shinobu, Ataru & Megane from “Urusei Yatsura”.

Shun Mitaka’s car is a Nissan Silvia S110. Known in the US as a Datsun 200SX and was in production from 1979 to 1983. It featured 5-speed automatic, and its hood mounted side view mirrors make it instantly recognizable.

Mitsukoshi Zenzaburo the tenant who lived at Maison Ikkoku temporarily was the only anime exclusive character who did not originated from the manga.

Like with the major characters of the series, Zenzaburo Mitsukoshi’s family name involves a number. His family name Mitsukoshi doesn’t have any meaning as it is the name of an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, but contains the Kanji which stands for “three”, therefore he is representative of the number 3 like Shun Mitaka, which matches the number of the room he moved in.

Kyoko’s name means "echo child" and her surname Otonashi means "no sound," a pun on the fact that her room has no number, therefore, no sound. While her maiden name Chigusa means "thousand" (chi) and "grass, herb, weed (kusa/gusa).

Yusaku’s name translates to "make abundance" while his surname Godai means "five generations". Ironically Godai has an abundance of nothing.

In episode 1, Megumi Hayashibara made her anime debut as the voice of a kindergarten kid and background dialog. The kindergartener’s line was "Nanda ano inu?" (Viz DVD Sub shows "What's with the dog?"). And the background dialog was "Nanji dato omotten noyo-!?" ("What time d'you think it is!?"). Shigeru Chiba (Yotsuya's voice) was one of her teachers.

In episode 1, Godai's room at Ikkoku has a wall poster with "MDONNA" written on it. This could be a reference to the American pop singer, Madonna.

In episode 1, one of the magazines that fell out of Godai's closet has the picture of Lum from Urusei Yatsura series on its front page.

In episode 1, Onsen-Mark from “Urusei Yatsura” makes a cameo as the bystander dodging the kindergartens on the footbridge.

In episode 3, a poster of Lum can be seen in Godai's room.

In episode 3, marks the first episode to not end with a "To be continue" note.

In episode 11, the arcade game Kentaro & Ikoku played at the arcade is “Galaga”.

In episode 12, among the movie posters displayed in front of the movie theater is Star Wars and Kotatsu-neko from "Urusei Yatsura".

If you look closely at the crowd during the school festival in episode 15 “The Play's the Thing, Not the Playing Around! The Show Must Go On!” and you can pick out Lum and Ran from Urusei Yatsura enjoying themselves.

In episode 15, some of the festival attendees were dressed up as the Xenomorph from the Alien film franchise and Superman(the S symbol was changed to a C).

In episode 19, the tenants of Maison Ikkoku were eating Soba noodles during New Year's Eve. In Japan it is traditional to serve special toshikoshi Soba on New Year's Eve, similar to how Black-eyed peas are served in the Southern United States during New Year's.

The original opening and ending in episode 26 ("Alone Again, Naturally" and "Get Down," both by Gilbert O' Sullivan) are not included in the US release of the TV series. This is because Viz was unable to secure clearances for the two songs.

In episode 27, a book featuring Lum & Ataru from Urusei Yatsura can be seen in Godai's room.

In episode 29, the well ghost Kyoko was dressed as was Okiku. Okiku is one of the most well known Japanese ghosts in all of the country's known legends and folklore. The well in which Okiku haunts is located at Himeji Castle, which stands above the city of Himeji on top of a hill and dates back to the 14th century, later having been widely amplified and expanded upon.

In episode 29, Kyoko's line "We all float down here!" was lifted from the Stephen King novel "It".

In episode 31, Kyoko can be seen reading a magazine that features a picture of Lum zapping Ataru from Urusei Yatsura.

In episode 32, after Akemi sees that the egg is now with several other eggs she comments to the other tenants "Just be sure not to feed them after midnight". She is referring to one of the three rules in taking care of a mogwai from the Chris Columbus movie "Gremlins".

In episode 35, Kyoko was looking at a toy of Kotatsu-Neko from Urusei Yatsura.

In episode 39, a collection of key chains of Kotatsu-Neko, Mirror Demon, & Dappya Monster from Urusei Yatsura can be seen on display at a store.

In episode 39, the superhero stunt show Godai and Sakamoto participate in is a parody of Space Sheriff Sharivan.

In episode 44, when Ikoku and Kentaro believed that Yosuya is immortal, Ikoku tells Kentaro he's like that guy in the painting. Ikoku was reffering to Dorian Gray from Oscar Wilde's novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" from 1890.

In episode 44, when Godai was looking at the old photos of "Yosuya", one of them takes place at the Asakusa International Theater. Asakusa International Theater was a 3,860-seat theater located in Asakusa, Taito, Tokyo, Japan, which was used for concerts and theatrical performances. It opened in 1937 and was closed in 1982. It was demolished and replaced by the Asakusa View Hotel in 1985. It was owned and operated by Shochiku and primarily featured the Shōchiku Shōjo Kagekidan (松竹少女歌劇団), an all-woman musical theatre troupe. The SKD often appeared in a double bill with a film. Other artists that performed at the theater include King Crimson and Whitesnake.

In episode 44, when Godai was looking at the old photos of "Yosuya", one of them is of him standing in front of the grand opening of the Tokyo subway. This photo is likely referring to the Ginza line which first opened on December 30, 1927, it was the first subway system that was open to the general public. There was also an underground railway that opened under the Tokyo Station in the year 1915, 12 years prior to the Ginza line. Except it was only for the railway post office and not for passengers.

In episode 44, when Godai was looking at the old photos of "Yosuya", one of them was manga character Norakuro visits.

In episode 44, when Godai was looking at the old photos of "Yosuya", one of them was of him holding a picture of Hitler while wearing a toothpaste mustache on the day Japan joined the Axis Powers. This would set the date of the photo to September 27, 1940, when Saburō Kurusu representing Japan signed the Tripartite Pact.

The dog statue that Mitaka was afraid to pet in episode 49, was a Hachiko Statue. This statue was based on an actual dog named Hachiko. Hachiko was born in Odate, Akita on November 11, 1923 and moved to Tokyo two months later. Hachiko's owner was Dr. Hidesaburo Ueno, a professor at Tokyo University. Dr. Ueno passed away when Hachiko was only one and a half years old. For the next ten years, Hachiko continued to go to Shibuya station every evening to wait for his master even though his master had long since died. Hachiko himself died on March 8, 1935. In honor of this beautifully true story, a statue of Hachiko was erected at Shibuya station.

In episode 54, a Rocky IV poster can be seen in Goudai’s room.

In episode 59, a magazine featuring Lum on the cover was among the things blocking the hole in Godai's room.

In episode 74, the episode title is a spoof of the book “All Quiet On the Western Front”.

In episode 86, Godai was seen with a Kotatsu-Neko mask.

In episode 93, next to Godai's head at the end of the episode you can see a volume of a Ranma 1/2 manga.

In episode 94, a billboard for Urusei Yatsura 5: The Final Chapter movie can be seen in the background when Kyoko takes a walk with her dad and Godai.

In episode 96, Yotsuya says he's going to watch a video of Urusei Yatsura.