Having a friend that knows you inside out should be a good thing, but in Nishikata's case, the opposite is true.
His classmate Takagi loves to tease him on a daily basis, and she uses her extensive knowledge of his behavior to predict exactly how he will react to her teasing, making it nearly impossible for Nishikata to ever make a successful comeback. Despite this, Nishikata vows to someday give Takagi a taste of her own medicine by making her blush out of embarrassment from his teasing.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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bmoore07
In the moment you encounter that special someone, everything else is rendered obsolete. In this encounter, the world around you, the people in your life, and the things they demand of you all lose meaning. Your attention belongs to that special someone and no other. Time itself ceases to move as your encounter unfolds; when that special someone carries on a conversation with you, it feels as if it’ll last forever. Your heart races, pulsating as if it’ll spring forth from your chest at any given time. Your nerves quiver, the butterflies fluttering freely inside your body. Your vision blurs and your face crimsons, theblood coursing through your head at an alarming rate. Clouded by a whirlwind of strange thoughts, emotions, and instincts, you react to this encounter in a completely different fashion than you would in any other situation. The ideas you contemplate, the things you say, and the actions you create are a jumbled mess, shaken and stirred by the heat of the moment. Just as the conversation is gathering steam, that special someone departs from you and the encounter concludes. Time has moved forward again. While you’re mostly relieved to distance yourself from the situation, there’s a part of you that pleads to return to that brief encounter, that yearns to conversate with that special someone, that fantasizes of losing yourself in the moment once more.
For those that have become infatuated with a crush, for those that are adjusting to their feelings of attraction for another, for those that are stumbling their way into their first relationship, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san is a reflection of their lives, their own romantic endeavors manifesting themselves on a grand scale. As this show ignites and refines the chemistry between its two protagonists, Nishitaka and Takagi, it reveals its understanding of relationships and the intricacies they possess. Subdued in its tone and serene in its outlook, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san’s handling of its central couple is accomplished with nigh-unparalleled ease, using their series of frivolous yet elaborate pranks to slowly and steadily transition into something more, and its examination of their relationship is delivered with a rather unconventional approach.
When two contrasting personalities attempt to align, there is an army of problems that arise along the way due to the differences between them. Although said differences can generate a rift in relationships, they can also strengthen them; contrasting personalities naturally heighten common interests. While most works of the romance genre opt for discovering these common interests, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san almost entirely ignores this pursuit. Instead, what it values is how these characters think and why they’re attracted to one another. In particular, it values these concepts as they relate to Nishitaka.
It is his point-of-view that Skilled Teaser Takagi-san operates from. It is his series of pranks, his attempts to outwit and “tease” Takagi, that this show mainly revolves around. Nishitaka is always thinking of ways to perplex Takagi, either by concocting a complex scheme to use on her or (more often than not) by solving the problems she gives him. Every challenge Nishitaka tackles, every puzzle he confronts, makes for a satisfying watch. No two obstacles are alike; each distinct in their own way, they’re deceptively simple at first glance but dangerously intricate the more you analyze them. And, boy, does Nishitaka analyze these obstacles. The music crescendos to a fever pitch, with saxophones screaming their way through, and the animation dizzily spirals out of control, its color scheme constantly changing, as he ceaselessly conjures countermoves and hypothetical solutions in his head. To Nishitaka, these pranks are far from trivial pastime activities. To him, they are battles of the intellectual variety, epic in scale, each choice determining one’s fate.
It’s obvious that Nishitaka cares deeply about outsmarting Takagi, which makes it all the more depressing to witness him falling short time after time. It matters not what plan he formulates, what measures he takes, what approach he adapts; the result never changes. Nishitaka is Sisyphus, forever doomed to try changing his fate, to watch his efforts go to waste, to repeat the same pattern. It’s not his fault, though. With his remarkable tenacity, perception, confidence, and cunning, Nishitaka definitely distinguishes himself as a talented individual. Were he competing against someone else, against anyone else, one could argue that he’d easily be more than a match for them. However, as long as Nishitaka remains tethered to his current circumstances, he’ll always be defeated. Sure, he’s quite intelligent for someone his age but, for all of his virtues, he pales in comparison to the titular character.
“Prodigy” is an overused word; it's a term that's often given to people who don't deserve such praise. Takagi, however, is an exception. Not only is she able to unravel the most intricate of Gordian knots but she also does so effortlessly. Not only does she repeatedly confound Nishitaka with riddles, traps, and decoys galore but she also manipulates each and every one to obscure her true motives. However, it’s not just Nishitaka that Takagi dupes. On multiple occasions, she easily deciphers the tricks her classmates pull on her, alongside subjecting them to a few of her own, and (in one memorable instance) she’s even able to deceive her teacher, manipulating him into disciplining someone else for her transgression.
With each competition, with each episode, with each challenge, it’s almost pre-determined who's going to persevere in the end. On the one hand, this pattern of predictability causes Takagi to come across as a Mary Sue, one who's almost entirely defined by her ceaseless victories. On the other hand, you simply cannot resist watching her mercilessly outfox her peers time after time. Takagi is akin to a world-renowned chessmaster practicing against novices of the game, a decorated military tactician competing against cadets in the field, a veteran criminal investigator matching wits with rookies on the job; the inevitable outcome of each encounter never detracts from the entertainment value that they provide. While it is pleasing to witness Takagi flaunting her intellect, it’s in conveying this show’s themes where she really proves her worth.
Skilled Teaser Takagi-san is, perhaps more than anything else, a master of subverting expectations. With each issue that arises, the solution to them is never what you’d anticipate. Takagi and the show itself deceive you into assuming, alongside Nishitaka, that the motives, nuances, and hints in each situation are leading to one solution when the true answer is entirely different. Again and again, this show emphasizes that Takagi’s victories are due to Nishitaka overthinking each situation, attempting to uncover the deeper meaning behind it, instead of choosing the most obvious answer. Through its titular character, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san argues that the problems we encounter in life aren't as challenging or complex as we think they are. Through Takagi, this show argues that if we can push aside the details surrounding these problems (alongside our preconceived notions of them) and simply examine them for what they are, it'd be easy to find a solution for our issues.
For Takagi, each challenge presents an opportunity for Nishitaka to acquire more knowledge, and she strives to accomplish that goal. Yes, part of why Takagi teases him is for her own amusement; she enjoys watching her opponent panic, struggle and ultimately collapse under the pressure she places upon him. However, the other part is because Takagi wants to see Nishitaka mature and grow. The puzzles that she tasks him with are crafted out of love; Takagi gives Nishitaka a hard time mainly because she cares about him, and this detail really strengthens their relationship.
When Skilled Teaser Takagi-san directs its focus away from the smoke and mirrors, it's actually a genuinely sweet and charming show to watch, and the central couple’s relationship emphasizes its virtues. On the surface, Nishitaka and Takagi couldn't be more different if they tried. While Nishitaka approaches every situation with tact and caution, Takagi is far more direct. While Nishitaka leans towards the naive, Takagi is incredibly perceptive. While Nishitaka is something of a workaholic, Takagi is more relaxed. However, with a closer observation, one can see that, despite the surface-level differences, they are essentially alike. Both Nishitaka and Takagi are confident and intelligent individuals that adopt an extremely timid approach to their relationship (Nishitaka more than Takagi). Watching them develop more and more into expressing their feelings for one another, while supporting each other along the way, is easily the highlight of the show. In fact, the central couple's bond is so heartwarming, nuanced, and inspiring that it allows one to overlook the more unappealing aspects, the various deficiencies and mishaps, of this show that materialize just outside the insulated sphere of the central couple.
100% Unrequited Love is an in-universe anime that not only inspires a few of Nishitaka’s schemes but it also serves to poke fun at other works of the romance genre. By overloading Unrequited Love with genre-specific stereotypes, cliches and tropes, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san claims that it's different from the other shows of its chosen field, more intelligent and self-aware than the rest. However, when it involves its supporting cast, Takagi-san resorts to the same tiresome and tedious cliches as its peers. Whenever this show transitions away from its central couple and towards the people around them, it almost always suffers because of it. While the supporting cast strengthens Takagi-san’s youthful charm, they also represent this show at its weakest. With each appearance the supporting cast makes, it becomes more and more apparent that, outside of its central couple, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san isn't all that adept at developing its characters.
The relationship between Mano and Nakai, classmates of Nishitaka and Takagi, is among the most dull and lifeless that I’ve seen in recent memory. Mano is the “shy one”, blushing, squirming, and stammering about to no end, while Nakai is but a cardboard cutout, hardly worth mentioning, really, and they lack even a faint resemblance of chemistry. Then, there's Mina and Sanae, classmates of the central couple that serve as comic relief. The adventures that this pair embark on are rife with memorable gags - my personal favorite is a recurring act where they dub over random conversations, like an exchange between cats or a chat between the central couple - but they tend to wear themselves out after a while. Mina and Sanae’s adventures are meant to represent the protagonists’ shenanigans from a different, more carefree, perspective but they (more or less) come across as re-iterations of previous events than anything creative or unique. It doesn't help matters much that this show stylistically pigeonholes these two. One is the “genki girl”, manically working herself into a frenzy over trivial matters, while the other is the “quiet one”, silently observing the mess that unfolds around her, and Takagi-san never allows either of them an opportunity to establish themselves beyond these classifications.
When Takagi-san strays from its intended course (mishandling a supporting character here, re-treading an old plot line there), it's the central couple's chemistry that helps re-adjust its focus. Skilled Teaser Takagi-san is, in part, an elaborate game of chess, a neverending battle of wits, with brilliant strategists on either side. It is also a refreshingly pure and simple tale of romance, a love story mostly unchained by the conventions of its peers. And all of it is deftly secured by the incredible bond between its protagonists. Fascinated with their intellect and awestruck by their passion, you cannot resist wishing to accompany the central couple in whatever direction their relationship guides them toward. Time itself ceases to move as you rush headlong into Takagi-san, allowing its loving, all-encompassing embrace to overtake you.
Kuolonen
I watched this expecting a nice lighthearted slice-of-life comedy to fill a gap between some serious and gory animes to keep my Chi in balance. I was treated to 12 episodes of student with full mental faculties bullying and manipulating a clearly special needs child. (Has no impulse control, has no control over the volume of his voice and incapable of recognizing basic causal relation.) That's the premise for 12 24 min episodes. If that sounds like something you enjoy, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san provides. I hope that teachers in Japan don't actually use their mentally challenged students with no volume control as target practice forthrowing chalk. That's a legitimate thought that came across my mind as I watched this.
It wouldn't be so bad if the story actually progressed somewhere, but 12-episode adaptation syndrome is in full effect, so story goes nowhere.
Stark700
Life is like a game, if you play right, you’ll win. Well, that’s sounds like bullshit but life can feel like a game sometimes. You’re like a player in a world with others and to be successful, you need to play right. Now, what the hell does that have to do with a show like “Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san”? To put it simply, this show feels like watching two players compete but not in the way you’d think. To me, Takagi and Nishikata are two characters that play with each other in life. However, it’s a little bit different than competition. Between the two, Takagi isalways the one that stays ahead of the game. Think of Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. In that show, the coyote attempts to catch the road runner but always comes up short. For this show, Takagi is always successful in defeating Nishikata at pretty much anything. As predictable and tedious as that sounds, the show is actually more than that.
I’ve read the manga and even as a 1-cour adaptation, the show manages to deliver what’s needed to achieve success. The majority of the story focuses on the duo of Takagi and Nishikata as the two main characters. Every episode takes on multiple segments that features the two in various shenanigans. Even though the show is fictional, many of these shenanigans can occur in real life. These range from being tricked into strolling down a shadowy tunnel, competing in sports, test of courage, school academics, and among many others. The main attraction of the show is to sell the character chemistry between Takagi and Nishikata. This pair’s relationship will undeniably be the take or break for most viewers.
On the individual level, Takagi is a clever girl with a cute face and crafty mind. While she isn’t a prodigy or gifted with extraordinary talent, she often thinks outside the box to outsmart her opponent, Nishikata. Takagi’s character and personality also makes her quite likable as she carries a youthful charm. Even as she teases Nishikata, it’s more than just teasing. She wants to know him more and through their interactions each time, they unintentionally grow closer. There’s also no malice between the two despite the low key drama. From my perspective, Takagi considers Nishikata as more than just a friend. Some people may call that nonsense since she often plays Nishikata like a toy. However, if you really pay attention to their character interactions, it’s easy to realize how close they are. Does this venture into the territory of romance? That’s actually left for viewers’ imaginations. There’s the genre tag of romance for this series but it’s far from a love story.
Nishikata is pretty much the boy that gets defeated by the master of tease, the one and only Takagi. The show often tries to make audience anticipate with a thrilling feel on whether he can ever beat her or not. For me, this made me come back to this show every week. From simple games involving erasers to more complex mind games with playing with emotions, it’s the type of show that categorizes game as more than just winning. Nishikata himself is an average kid with an average personality and living an average life. We don’t find out much about his past and honestly, I don’t think we need to. This show focuses on the present and what’s ahead rather than characterization. In essence, the show’s character dynamics lies in how characters connect rather than how they develop.
Speaking of characters, there are also three others that show up in the show although they are unrelated to the series as a whole. Well, technically they are in a way but they don’t get involved with the teasing and games. That’s probably one of my complaints about this show. They should keep the characters from Ashita wa Doyoubi away in this anime as it feels like a distraction. Thankfully, their screen time isn’t long and mostly added to make the show flow a bit as a slice of life. That being said, I think the show succeeds not just in the character chemistry but also in pure comedy. The way characters react comes out naturally in many ways. This is especially true for Takagi as she often gets the joy of teasing Nishikata shown through her reactions. While Nishikata feels annoyed by this, he never truly hates her. In fact, you could say that he gets a joke out of losing countless times in their daily life games.
A simple show like this only needs simple visuals and TMS Entertainment accomplishes that. Takagi is undeniably adorable with her charming smile, bright personality, and facial expressions. She’s able to carry this show thanks to these characteristics that are adapted straight from the manga. Similarly, Nishikata has a goofy looking face that often makes him look like a fool, as viewers will expect in many episodes. It makes this pair incredibly cute to watch thanks to how they act. The art style enhances that experience. Their voice mannerisms also stays pretty consistent throughout the show. Even someone like Yuki Kaji can play a character like Nishikata as he’s been in the roles of goofball characters before. The incredible voice acting of Takagi makes her character even more believable as a master of teasing.
I decided to give this show an 8 after reflecting on what I watched. At first, it seems like a high score for such a dry story. However, it’s the pure comedy and character chemistry of the main character pair that won me over. Every episode made me laugh and it never betrayed expectations. There are times when I wish this show’s segments would last longer than it should. Time flies fast when you’re having fun after all.
Ankithadam
Do you want to know what school days love is 10 years back? This is a story of 2 backbench kids or to be precise, a daily or slice of life of a boy named Nishikata who gets teased by his benchmate Takagi by playing mind games on him. Almost every situation is kind of different, i.e unlike in some anime like 'Tonari no Seki-kun' where the situation is always in class but here in this anime we see diffferent scenarios from walking from home to school, doing homework, studying in library, summer holidays etc. The main beauty of this anime is the presence of innocent loveor crush between the kids, the tension in air and being careful not to hurt the other person (Nishikata with Takagi). That sort of attitude is missing these days.
Each and every episode is refreshing and gives you smile especially seeing the expression on Nishikata's face, because they are priceless like Takagi states and teases him.
While the starting episodes have lots of teasing, as the series comes near ending, they are reduced and the focus is more on romance.
Like I said it, It is a slice of life, so basically there isn't any story at all and not much characters either. Excluding the 2 main characters, we have 7 side characters who would'nt impact the main characters much.
The art is funny, cos the head is big while the body is small, but it gives a better opportunity to understand the emotions of characters.
Coming to soundtracks, The opening and ending songs are really good and pleasing to hear, while the soundtracks in middle are just some monotonous tones to convey the situation.
Overall, If you are a fan of 5 minutes short comedy like Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan or Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, which do not have much story but make you smile every 5 minutes and remind you of your childhood days crush stories, then I am sure this anime is best suited for you.
If you want story, or development of characters or something meaningful to learn, then this isn't the choice for you :)
AmishaelMA
She teases him; he blushes and resolves not to let her tease him again. Rinse and repeat every single episode. The anime is divided into a series of shorts each a few minutes long; there are normally about 4 or 5 per episode. Each is a small self-contained story about Takagi’s and Nishikata’s daily lives in and out of the classroom. This isn’t a plot-heavy series and it’s not meant to be. What it is meant to be, however, is a character-oriented series, and so that shall be my main focus. Just to get the art and music out of the way: the art style isreally cute. Huge heads, massive eyes (even by anime standards), high foreheads and relatively simple drawings altogether. It suits the characters and show style nicely without being too extravagant. The animation is done well, even if not much is being animated besides the characters. The music is good, nothing spectacular but again, just nice. No complaints on these areas.
So now to the characters. There are the two main characters, Nishikata and Takagi, who take up the majority of the shorts, and then there are a few supporting characters (a trio of girls in the same class) who feature every now and again. Nishikata and Takagi engage in a variety of activities, from making bets with each other to tandem riding to doing homework or going shopping. All basic daily activities, and nothing really happens in any of them event-wise, but they provide a lot of opportunities for exchanges between the two.
Nishikata seems to take these exchanges as mental matches between the two of them - constant sparring to see who comes out on top verbally. He reads deeply into every single thing Takagi says, wondering if she’s trying to tease him and then trying to play bluff and double bluff. Whilst it’s true that Takagi does slyly tease him a fair amount of the time, watching him thoroughly analyse every single little sentence of hers becomes irritating after a while. It’s obvious to the viewer (although not to Nishikata) that her teasing is well-intentioned and that she actually likes him, perhaps even has feelings for him. (The latter’s shown more subtly until the last couple of episodes.) Nishikata does seem to like her (hence the blushing) but the feelings seem to be pretty pure and innocent. In any case, her teasing is always incredibly mild. If she wins a bet and gets the opportunity to order Nishikata to do anything she wants, she’ll just choose something like going shopping together or another harmless activity.
Nishikata, however, sees every single tease as a personal failure, and a blow to his pride. He never seems to be able to best her in anything, and to be fair to him this is probably incredibly frustrating. But it never ends! He never actually tries to talk to her properly about anything! He never tells her unequivocally to stop teasing him, because it would be a ‘loss’ to let her know that she’s gotten to him. He just makes every exchange, no matter how harmless, into a mental sparring match and thus causes his own inferiority complex to worsen, because she always ‘beats’ him. (Even when there’s nothing to ‘beat’ him on – sometimes she just asks him a simple question that is literally only an attempt to make small talk.)
There is almost no character development whatsoever. If you look at the beginning episodes, and compare them to the later ones, you’ll notice barely any change. She still talks to him and teases him in the same way she’s always done, and he still tries and fails to best her the same way he always has. This was the main flaw of the anime, as a character-driven series. The characters just become boring after a while, you can predict almost exactly what will happen and how it will happen. Even Takagi’s initially adorable laugh becomes grating after hearing it every few minutes, episode after episode.
The show does try to add a few more characters into the mix, but they suffer from the same problem of one-dimensionalitis. Their exchanges are also cute, sometimes funny and sometimes boring, but I think the only reason I liked these three girls was that they were a break from the endless cute monotony that was Takagi and Nishikata’s exchanges. They were nothing special in and of themselves.
In conclusion, I wouldn’t say that I dislike Skilled Teaser Takagi-san. Whilst I didn’t exactly look forward to it every week, it has a lot of sweet moments, and it does have a few funny parts. I just can’t binge watch it.
If you want to try it, I wouldn’t recommend watching more than one or two episodes at a time, with a large break in between sessions. That should keep it from getting too tedious, and instead just be a cute and mildly comedic series. XD
Smug_Hat
A story that is in a constant state between irritating and boring, Takagi-San is far from the light hearted slice of life rom com its commonly referred to as. The moment I found Takagi an unredeemable character is when Nishikata is studying for a test in the library. You see Nishikata stay longer and put in more effort than the other male students. Takagi joins Nishikata while he's studying, he momentarily opens up to her despite all of the 'teasing' she has done at his expense. He states that his parents want to see him score in the top 50 in his classand he doesn't want to let them down so that's why he's staying longer to study compared to the other students. For the smallest amount of time you're led to believe that Takagi genuinely cares about Nishikata as she helps him study, correcting mistakes he made and explaining how to come to the correct answer. As she's leaving the library Takagi tells Nishikata that everything she helped him with won't be on the test, the following day and he ends up getting a failing grade meanwhile Takagi gets one of the highest grades on the test. If Takagi genuinely cared or had feelings for Nishikata this would have been the pivotal moment where she refrains from her constant 'teasing' and help her classmate crush in need.
The side story amongst the 3 female classmates only serves to break up the nonstop harassment/bullying portrayed in the main story. During these interludes nothing ever happens and it brings the flow of the anime to a halt, however boring these side characters and their plot are if they were not present it would be 20 minutes of school bullying.
To summarize the plot of the series, Takagi is always 2 steps ahead and can out-think Nishikata therefore he can never win against her. He tries everyday to not be 'teased' by her, he has endless internal monologue trying to out-think Takagi, he gets outsmarted by Takagi, his face gets red and she laughs at him rinse and repeat for 12 episodes.
Something that I thought I could at least overlook was how the characters are drawn, but the more I watched the more their giant foreheads make them look like weird anime aliens.
Seregosa
I can see why this anime would be amusing to some people, it does have a lot of teasing and a main character that isn't treated like a human being as he is mentally abused over and over again, some people can't get enough of doormat mcs. Now, I don't really care much about that since I couldn't care less about a mc like this, whether he is abused to death or not, that's not why my score is fairly low. The jokes were pretty witty at times, I'll have to give it that and this is why the score isn't lower. A lot ofkinda funny scenarios are added where she f*cks him silly mentally. Which honestly isn't hard with a mc like this.
However, while it's kinda interesting and amusing to see, this just DOESN'T work in anime format. I believe that it could be kinda good in manga format where you can read quickly. It honestly starts getting old after the first episode, I only made it through the rest because I watched one episode at a time spread out over a week, but even then I kind of felt like dropping it after 2-3 episodes.
This is a very monotone and quite boring anime that is pretty similar to anime such as "sakamoto desu ga" where we're served with the same type of stuff all the time but it's not the type of stuff that can be recycled and still be amusing, at least not in the way it's done here. There's no real point to it and I somehow don't really feel any spirit or personality from the characters. They don't feel even remotely "real" or "alive", they just feel like machines that exists purely to deliver jokes. Not sure how to best explain it, but normally you feel like the characters have a proper purpose and they're almost "alive" instead of dead and static. You feel that you actually like the characters and you want to see what they'll be up to next, that if they were real, you'd love to spend some time with those people, be it alone or in the "gang" they usually have.
Well, there's nothing like that here. I wouldn't say I hate them, but I don't like them either. They feel empty and I certainly can't get behind any of them. It actually feels cringeworthy at times to see the excessive overreactions and unrealistic situations in a setting that is supposed to be pretty realistic. This just wasn't a good anime in my opinion, at least for me it was a complete miss. The only thing it gets plus points for is that the jokes are witty/smart/well thought-out, but that's sadly the only thing this anime has going for it and it just isn't enough.
KingXerjSaeg
Story progresses nowhere aside from romanticizing bullying throughout roughly a natural year in the japanese school system. It goes on and on and on, edging the viewer on Nishikata ever getting back at Takagi, but it never happens. The most interesting storyline is the three side-character girls'. If you feel like spending 12 standard 23min. episodes watching a schoolboy be bullied by a classmate schoolgirl with zero consequence, or even remorse on her part, with absolutely no change in the dynamic, then by all means enjoy. If you want to see some progression Nagatoro has the same "getting his attention by throwing rocks at him" basicpremise, but it unlike this one, characters evolve.
Preposterous
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is an anime equivalent of Tom & Jerry. Just without the slapstick humour and even a glimpse of hope for Tom to not only ever emerge victorious, but even get the upper hand for a brief moment. This is a very "hardcore" slice-of-life series, with no plot and no real conflict, since any possibility of friction is denied by a single, indisputable rule: Takagi-san always wins. The plot is as simple, as they come. A boy named Nishikata constantly ends as the victim of his female classmate's, eponymous Takagi's, "teasing". Bulk of the runtime is dedicated to Nishikata trying to one-up hisopponent by carefully analyzing all his options and eventual outcomes, and without fail, always making the worst possible decision, thus ending as butt of Takagi's jokes. There are no exceptions, no ties, no lucky victories, no wins granted out of pity and no consolation prizes - unless one would consider Takagi actually being in love with Nishikata, which he is obviously being oblivious about, as such.
This relationship was not enjoyable for me to watch. It's far too one-sided and with Nishikata never getting a break or a breather, it's simply frustrating. Under the guise of all the teasing there's apparently strong affection, but I can only wonder how twisted and sadistic one's personality has to be to enjoy seeing their loved one in a state of perpetual distress. Any decent person would hold back seeing how often the teasing ends up with Nishikata getting in trouble with teachers, not to mention the negative impact on his academic performance.
I've been told that it would have been an innocent flirt, if only Nishikata wasn't so dense, which I would agree with, if the whole relationship wasn't defined by this power struggle where one of the sides is assigned a role of the loser for life.
While Nishikata does seem somewhat convincing as a middle schooler, the same cannot be said about Takagi. To begin with, her demeanor and wittiness make her appear at least five years older than her peers. She's completely flawless, makes no mistakes, always wins her gambles, can easily read everyone's minds and never gets flustered (at least not in front of others). Takagi is basically a goddess, with everything going her way and the story itself being dedicated to her, without ever delving into her thoughts - an entity possibly meant to exact vengeance on behalf of all girls ever teased by boys. Do I even have to say that a series revolving around an infallible Mary Sue is not very entertaining?
It seems that there was an attempt made to break the monotony of constantly watching Nishikata getting the short end of the stick by bringing a small cast of side characters with their own comedy routines, but they too grow old really fast while further emphasizing repetitive nature of the whole show.
In terms of animation and sound design there is not much say. It's a solid craftsmanship, but the audio-visual techniques accentuating jokes are used rather sparsely. The opening sequence is saccharine and feels very by the numbers. Fortunately, every two episodes end with a cover of a different pop song, performed by Takagi's voice actor, which is a nice touch. As a side note, Yuki Kaji's screaming and high pitched tone quickly become grating.
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san in the span of 12 episodes keeps recycling the same jokes, usually in the form of Nishikata's exaggerated reactions (which also serve as fuel for Takagi, so she can keep tormenting him without ever growing bored) and inability to get a clue, mixed with moments which were probably meant to be heartwarming, but come off as forced, because seeing the same song and dance of a girl dropping hints the boy she likes just cannot pick up to save his life, due to the blindfold the author forced on him, is just not very convincing. I'm certain the series would benefit immensely from Nishikata growing over time more resistant to teasing, forcing Takagi to put more effort in devising her schemes, which could also serve as stimulation and maybe even make her fall in love with him a little bit more thanks to increasing challenge. With illusion of progress at best, "status quo" brought up in the second episode really sums up the series' nature nicely. I don't expect anything to change in the second season, so I won't be picking it up.
While I'm no stranger to comedy series relying on Schadenfreude to bring smile on the audience's faces, I didn't have much fun watching Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san. With so much repetition and humour simply lacking any spice, I cannot recommend this series as anything more than a side distraction to be watched with one's brain turned off, but even then there's probably a number of anime better serving that purpose.
DarthBob
Romance is usually a concept that is difficult for children to wrap their minds around. Sure, you might like someone, but how do you even approach that person? Even if you do manage to approach him or her, how do you make sure that you don’t make an utter fool of yourself? Most kids end up arriving at one answer – show your interest by teasing the target of your affection. Sure, the target may not take it all that well, but at least you get to interact with them because of it, right? Karakai Juzou no Takagi-san (henceforth abbreviated as ‘Takagi-san’) is an animeabout one such girl, Takagi, who shows her interest in a boy, Nishikata, by teasing him.
Takagi-san follows an episodic format, with each episode containing 2-3 short stories about Takagi and Nishikata, and usually one story about three girls who are in the same class. As far as story is concerned, there isn’t much to speak of. Nishikata tries to come up with a plan to win against Takagi, only to be completely foiled by her, after which she proceeds to tease him. Pretty much every episode follows that format, with various little changes here and there. While it does seem to be the sort of thing that would get repetitive and dull over time, it has a certain charm to it that keeps things interesting.
As far as Art is concerned, it makes use of rather minimalistic artwork. The coloring and details are nothing spectacular, but it doesn’t look all that bad either. Still, due to this, it looks rather clean overall. The Sound is relatively forgettable, although I found the opening to be rather catchy (or annoying – take your pick).
The show mainly revolves around the interactions between Takagi and Nishikata, and they are generally rather cute. Takagi always makes sure never to go too far, and it always stops at the level of minor teasing, rather than bullying. She simply teases him because she likes him, not because of any real animosity. The other characters that show up are usually nothing all that important, except maybe the three girls (Sanae, Mina, and Yukari), who get some screen time in every episode. These segments are usually just youthful ramblings of young girls, but it can often be rather funny as well.
All put together, Takagi-san is a cute anime which works really well as a palate cleanser, to watch in between more serious anime. It may feel rather repetitive if watched all at once, so I advise against binge watching the whole thing. A simple way to describe Takagi-san would be a gender-bent version of Tonari no Seki-kun, with a little more of a (childish/innocent) romance focus. I’d recommend this one to just about anyone, since it’s a rather difficult show to hate. With this, I conclude.
Takitsu
If you want to be blue balled figuratively by an anime like so many other slice of life/romances, then Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is for you. The story is extremely one-track, with pretty much 0 development until near the end, and even then its not worth it. At best i would consider watching the first episode then the last two to save yourself the time on this. Although the art style and the sound tracks and effects are decent enough, it doesnt come even close to make up for the lack of character development and story line. Making for a rather poor anime to enjoy. Youwant to root for the main character to do LITERALLY ANYTHING, but he just acts dumb like most characters and is all shy and bashful. If you want to watch stupidity for 12 episodes then watch this.
WeebWanderer
The whole anime is soo amazing that you can't rest without binge watching it and i completed the 2 seasons in one day. Highly recommended for those who are looking for a anime with comedy and want something refreshing and wholesome. This is my one of the best romcom anime with storyline that you you wont find anywhere else. There's no problem if you just start rewatching it after finishing it which i did. While the characters invest you totally in themselves you will find the story more interesting as the story progresses. So start watching this anime series if you are reading this and haven't started yet.
Eanki
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is a rather episodic format series divided into multiple skits per episode that relies overly on one formula. Once you saw the first episode you can predict how most interactions down the line would go. This is made even more glaring by the fact that the show attempts to preserve the status quo for the majority of its run. You will be stuck mostly watching the male MC repeatedly attempt to pull a shenanigan against the female MC and she is of course one step ahead of him. Much of the show’s attempt at humor is centered on how she flipsthe table on him and his reactions to that. That’s pretty much it. The skits are not punctuated by overly strong punch-lines that will leave you gasping for air. What it instead does is leave you with a big wide knowing smile looking at one skilled teaser, who obviously has a crush on the guy, try to tease him day in and day out into quasi-dates with her because it’s the one sure excuse she has to stay near him without freaking him out with the idea of dating.
Much of the appeal of the series therefore lies on the delivery of the main characters and it is here that I must recommend the English dub. Aaron Dimsuke performs admirably in a series that puts a lot of weight on the male lead’s reactions to being playfully teased. And, of course, the star of show, Sarah Weidenheft’s Takagi, brings out a performance that is equal parts childish, playful, devious, and endearing all at once, while still selling the idea that she longs for him to notice her feelings.
afwcal
TL;DR – A fun, comedy-driven show that gives me diabetes every episode. It knows exactly what it wants to do, how to go about doing it and then does it really well. Basic breakdown below ⬎ == Impressions / Presentation: 7.5/10 == The basic formula involves Nishikata (the boy) trying to tease Takag (the girl), but fails and gets teased instead. Before you know it, you too are thinking: "What is Takagi scheming this time!?". It's not only a game for Nishikata, it's also a game for us, and this is how the show keeps the formula fresh and exciting.While there's nothing exceptional about the art and animation, the anime has been drawn with plenty of love and care. And it shows in the many character interactions in the show.
== Story: 7/10 ==
Every interaction Nishikata and Takagi share feels like they're getting closer to each other, and it's very endearing to watch. With lots of moments that continually flesh out their relationship, it's hard to say that the show doesn't have a story, or there is no character development/progression.
If anything, their relationship probably feels more real and believable than the ones in traditional romcoms.
== Characters: 7.5/10 ==
Nishikata and Takagi have great chemistry with each other. Yes, they react to each other in entertaining ways, but simply watching them hang out is a wholesome and fulfilling experience in of itself.
The background characters don't get a lot of screentime, but the show has done a good job incorporating them in various scenes so it feels like these kids are inhabiting a fun and lively world.
== Enjoyment: 7.5/10 ==
Because Nishikata and Takagi hog most of the show's spotlight, your enjoyment will be heavily dependent on whether you like them or not. The easiest way to find out is to just watch an episode and find out for yourself, as the reasons I like them could easily be the reasons you hate them.
Otherwise yeah, I clearly got a lot out of a show just about two kids teasing each other.
KANLen09
Ah...the fun moments of middle school days, MORE SO when it comes towards the romantic aspect. Needless to say, I was a HUGE fan of the manga series even before the anime adaptation was out, and remembering my thoughts of requesting this to have an anime, and what to say, my (and many fans)prayers are finally answered with this great adaptation of 2 comic series (the main series and the spin-off (Ashita wa Doyoubi) which focuses on the side characters Mina, Yukari, Sanae) and it truly delivered the one-to-one experience to a T. Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is a rom-com, a SoL on 2 very simple butplayful characters: Nishikata (veteran CV KajiKaji) the playful boy who ALWAYS gets teased by the savage girl, Takagi (one of the best seiyuu CVs, Rie Takahashi, her voice is VERY noticeable and a great one at that) (with an affectionate love of teasing, of course). The moments of Nishikata wanting to win over Takagi in numerous ways sets up the ONLY plot for the show, and my heart fluttered as I remembered the manga original and finally getting to see it in action. Every single detail, though simple and plain yet appropriately beautiful was handled exquisitely well and props for retaining the original designs of the manga art.
So, with a plain, boring but yet endearing series, what do you get with it? A boy who's always frustrated at the girl whom has an edge over him, with the girl finding that the naïve, innocent-looking boy is her fun factor. Every "plot" that Nishikata comes up with is a total failure and wreck at the same time, but that doesn't always pose a problem for Takagi, who has always been able to outwit and outlast Nishikata, at times charming him with simple things like tickling to the more heart-to-heart embarrassing moments like getting together under an umbrella when raining, closing on faces that look like a kiss and blushing like mad when she doesn't mean it, oh how we wished our younger sweetheart days were like that.
The art is simply beautiful and gorgeous, that reminds me of the typical Sunrise and Tatsunoko Productions' type of old anime backgrounds made modern-age and it truly is a sight that looks simple but yet it delivers. Musically wise, what better way than to express the romantic love than to come up with songs of young, romantic expressions? The OST here is simple too but great in its own regard; the OP and numerous EDs (sung by Rie Takahashi) are light-hearted, giving the whole series an appeal that will never run dry.
For people that absolutely love rom-coms in its entire simplicity, I recommend you to check out this show. While the repetitive teasing thing is a BIG drawback and flaw of the series, it is the EXACT same factor that gave the series its substance that stands out among other school-type rom-coms.
The unrequited love of middle-school teasing, signing out.
I-Superior-I
What started out as a decently cute slice of life school comedy just dredged on and on with no progress to neither the story, as if there actually were one, nor the characters. The two main characters are exactly the same in the last episodes as the first, and the side characters play no important roll in anything other than as a break in the extremely repetitive formula that the whole show is built around. The male lead has the same reaction to EVERYTHING the female lead says, and it happens repeatedly in every episode, and every episode is basically the same thing with a differentbackground, if different at all.
If you enjoy the type of humour presented here you might have a giggle from watching an episode or two, but if you actually find anything of value in the rest I can't see what that would be other than some dreamed up nostalgia of how incredibly awkward and socially inept you were as a kid.
Dante012
Funny show, but totally pointless. Don't be fooled, this is not a romantic comedy : it's a comedy with a very small pinch of romance. STORY It's about a boy and a girl in love with each other and teasing each other, and... that's all. Literally. There is no development at all on the situation nor on the characters. Even in each episode there is no actual story, as each episode is only a set of several indepedent sketches. That's why this show is pointless : there is nothing to learn from it, and nothing to expect from it. That said, story is far from being everything in an anime!ART
I'm in love with the art style. It's smooth and it's beautiful.
That said I do regret that the environments are clichés. Sadly it's a recurring problem in japanimation : the environments often look alike. For example, high-schools have very little difference from one anime to another! The same for the towns, they look exactly the same sometimes.
I don't know if that's how it really is in Japan, but when it's about watching anime, I really regret that there is few variation in environments.
SOUND
The opening and ending are gorgeous. The OST is not memorable, but does its job in the episode. Not great, but not bad.
CHARACTER
Takagi-san is admirable! She's spontaneous, she's a cutie, and she's bold on top of that. It was really fun to watch her hit on Nishikata.
As for Nishikata, I don't really like him. He is dumb and totally clueless. That said he is fun to watch as well!
As a "main couple", it works quite well.
The other characters, on the other hand, are totally pointless. I mean, they are kinda fun, but their presence doesn't have any weight at all, especially because their interactions with the MCs are very limited.
Most of the time the secondary characters have their own sketches, and they are totally lfet aside once we switch back to the MCs' story.
OVERALL
When it comes to characters and story, this show is totally pointless. So if you're looking for strong development or good romance, you should pass on this anime.
But if you just want to watch something fun, then I definitely recommend that you try this. It is pleasant thanks to its comedy and its beautiful art style.
Renan-kun
Sorry for the mistakes. English is not my first language It's my first review. Story: 4/10 The story is simple and uncompromising. This must be respected, but it will never justify not being good. Basically you have a kid who is constantly trolled for a girl and wants to change that, but it's always trolled again in the end. And this is repeated over, and over, and over, and over, and over again. The problem is not just having a formula but especially repeating 3 times per episode. It is extremely repetitive and rarely any moment of humor is creative. If romance is just a heap of randomand predictable moments (with a few exceptions) that do not make much difference if they don't exist and is not going anywhere, so it's not a well-developed romance, and romantic or sensual insinuations are just one useless plus. The goal is just to show situations that should be funny. Sometimes between a skit and another one, there's a trio of random girls talking about random things, and I'll never understand the point in their existence.
It's no use having a simple base and doing nothing with it. It's almost the same as Yuru Camp, another anime from the same season that has a simple idea but does nothing creative or memorable inside it, but is considered a masterpiece because "it's cute".
Some people are comparing with Tonari no Seki-kun, which is also largely centered on simple (but not very straightforward) interactions involving two characters of different sexes, but this one is not so repetitive, it's more original, humor is more creative and the reactions of the characters are not so predictable.
Anyway, the ending was cool.
Art: 6/10
It's "ok". Remember: cuteness is not an automatic synonym of excellent art. The character figures are very shallow. The animation is not very important in this context, but it did not seem so good at some necessary moments (like in a racing scene).
Sound: 6/10
It's "ok". Music and voice acting are forgettable, but they have not done a bad job.
Characters: 3/10
A dumb boy with a girl you'll only remember for being a smiling troll and having a big forehead. Without good characterization, (explicit) development or chemistry that makes a lot of sense, and reactions to situations are predictable (even if many jokes are not). Many one-dimensional characters from animations are functional within their contexts and they can be charismatic and memorable for some reason, not the case of these characters. I do not find it very comfortable to watch everything from the point of view of the boy who is always being "victimized" in situations and the fact that the pranksters only work to one side.
And the 3 random girls are ... just 3 stupid random girls.
Enjoyment: 4/10
It is not detestable, but it has a formula that wears out very fast and becomes a boring experience to me.
Overall: 4/10.
It's not so bad because some moments can still be fun, but why is it still not a good anime, if it's unpretentious and supposedly we should not be rigid? Some genres of this anime include romance, comedy, school and slice of life. Failed as a comedy because it is repetitive and uncreative, fails as a romance because it is just "bait", school is just a scenario that could easily be replaced, and it's a normal slice of life. The result? A bad anime.
I do not recommend it unless you can easily enjoy any romantic school comedy or be part of a select group of people who love to see little girls commenting about their own body.
In other cases, I would recommend watching Tonari no Seki-kun.
Rxnz
I know most of you guys will not enjoy my review but this entire review is based purely on my opinion on this show. And also, this is my very first review of an anime so please bear with me. :) *SPOILER-FREE REVIEW* (Well a bit) (Although there are some recommendations throughout this review) I’ll start my review with the Story — Rating: 10 Ok. Not much to say but it is based on two characters Nishikata and Takagi who are middle school students who sit next to each other during class and Takagi is a “skilled teaser” (as mentioned in the English Title) who teases Nishikata. But italso includes short moments of three other girls who are in the same class: Mina, Yukari and Sanae. That’s basically it. But I do love the story between two young middle schoolers enjoying their young youth at their school/outside of school. “You blush, you lose” - Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2018
Now towards the Art — Rating: 10
I absolutely adore the art. It’s beautiful, cute, bright and colorful. The character designs on each character really suit what type of character they are and are absolutely cute (but seriously surprised on how the arts differentiate between the manga and anime, well at least for a few chapters of it. But I do suggest reading the manga too). The tv cover art is what made me attracted towards this show and made me want to watch it of its innocence, childish-plays and very happy themed. In my opinion I think this show did a very good job incorporating those aspects towards this show.
Next, is the Sound — Rating: 10
I ABSOLUTELY looooooove the sound and music incorporated because of how happy each sound/song has been well used in different scenes and it really suits the theme of the anime. You know why I say that? Because all the sounds/music that has been used in this have really made it worthy to be incorporated onto this anime. The musics, oh god, I am absolutely in love with both the Opening Theme Song and the Ending Theme Songs (there are 7 Ending Songs). But my most favorite out of the 7 Ending Themes are the 2nd, 6th and the 7th one. I won’t go in depth on why they are my absolutely favorite, but, I suggest you find out yourselves why and I RECOMMEND to never skip the Opening and the Endings, you will not regret skipping them. Lastly I want to say is that the use of the sounds and musics give me a sense of nostalgia, refreshment and relaxing listening all the sounds and musics. But yeah, don’t skip the songs. :D
Now, the Characters — Rating: 10
Hmm... The characters were rather unique as far as I have seen in anime. I’ll firstly talk about Nishikata. Nishikata is a rather sweet, funny, and a gentleman character. But some of the times in the show made me say “Niiiiishiiikaaataa, why would you do that?” Or “Just, why..?” But these things were said in a good way and not a negative way because this is one of those shows where you want the character to do that and do that etc. Now I’ll talk about Takagi. Probably my newest favorite waifu at the moment. You know why? Because she is just a heartwarming, honest and cute character. There’s absolutely nothing you can complain about her character but just to enjoy her smiles and laughters when teasing Nishikata. Lastly I’ll talk about the 3 girls: Mina, Yukari and Sanae. Their shorts were fun to watch as they live out their life. Not much to say, but just to watch them. BTW #NishikataXTakagi <3
Probably the shortest one out of the other categories, my Enjoyment — Rating: 10
Man, I’ve absolutely enjoyed each and every one of the episodes watching as they live their life as middle high school students. I’ve DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY, and DEFINITELY enjoyed this show! :D
Overall — Rating: 10
Out of all that I have said, I’m giving this a SOLID full 10. If you guys don’t agree then you don’t have to agree with me but it’s what I think personally so I’m completely fine if you disagree with my statements. But I will miss this show for sure and I’ll probably rewatch it again.
But I do hope for a Season 2 for this :) (Probably won’t happen but I hope).
