At some point last week, I sat down and started rewatching Maison Ikkoku, which, in case you didn’t already know, is my favorite anime series of all time, hands down, no competition, forever and ever, until death do us part. In years past, I made a habit of rewatching the show annually, but at a lengthy 96 episodes, finding the time was always difficult. Even if I made a point of watching a few episodes each day, it would take a month to finish the show… and since I’m the sort of person who likes to put everything else on hold when rewatching old favorites, that meant abstaining from all other anime for a full month. Long ago, such was possible. But not today.

So, I’ve resorted to marathoning. One week down, one week to go. I suppose I’ll take a break tonight and watch the latest episode of Kanon (it should be a testament to how much I adore Maison Ikkoku that I have to make time for freakin’ Kanon), but everything else will have to wait.

Anyway, you would think that, as many times as I’ve seen Maison Ikkoku, I’d have grown tired of it by now. In fact, every time I set out to rewatch the show, I ask myself, “Will it bore me this time around?” Hasn’t happened yet, thankfully, and I suspect the show’s length is the reason why. Regardless of how well I know the story and the characters, I can’t recall every little detail of every single episode, nor can I remember where certain story arcs take place in the grand scheme of things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought, “Oh, THAT scene is coming up,” only to find said scene doesn’t actually occur for another 62 episodes. I suppose I could question my credentials as a die-hard Maison Ikkoku fan as a result, but if that’s what it takes to keep the show fresh year after year, so be it.

Ignorance is bliss.

I do need to do something about my habit of watching a bunch of Patlabor in the intervening periods, however. Every time I hear Godai open his mouth for the first time in the first episode of Maison Ikkoku, I think, “What the hell is Shinshi doing here?”