Even after spending a considerable amount of time with Takagi, Nishikata is still struggling to find a perfect plan to defeat the expert teaser. A battle of wits, a contest of physical prowess, a test of courage—any strategy he employs to expose her weaknesses is to no avail. On the contrary, Nishikata's pitiful attempts only reveal more of his own flaws, which Takagi takes advantage of to become increasingly daring in her teasing attempts. To make things worse for Nishikata, rumors about him and Takagi may have spread in class due to the frequent interactions between them.
However, the optimistic Nishikata believes that wisdom comes with age and that as the days go by, his experience with her constant teasing will eventually bear fruit, leading him to the awaited moment of victory. Thus, Nishikata continues to strive for the seemingly impossible—to outsmart Takagi and make her blush with embarrassment.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
BaronBrixius
I can summarize Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san in about a sentence : Girl teases guy, guy tries to get back at her and miserably fails because she has a plan for his plan. However, I can't do the same for Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 at all, because that wouldn't be doing it justice. At its core, the second season doesn't change anything drastically from the first - we have our two main characters and their teasing formula, our three side characters from Ashita wa Doyoubi, a side couple, and a new addition of another side couple who don't get much screentime. So what makesthe big difference between the two seasons? If I had to put it in one word, it would be passion. It feels as if a new team of die-hard Takagi-san fans have taken over the adaptation, and they've done everything in their ability to bring out the absolute best of what a story like Takagi-san could offer in this second season.
From fixing the awkward pacing issues of the first season that even as someone with the Takagi-san manga on his favorites list for a long time I could not ignore, to beautifully tying up episodic chapters to make them have more impact, to even coming up with completely new anime-original segments - which are all up there for me with my favorite manga chapters, that's how much I loved them - the studio have clearly given it their all for this season, and it is definitely reflected in how much I have enjoyed every single moment of it.
And of course, something important which I should probably have said earlier - the anime-original segments I mentioned include actual romantic progression! If you enjoyed season 1's "Critical Hit", then you're going to love this season - you'll be feeling those critical hits through the screen, as the "teasing" has long since passed the line most people would call "flirting".
To sum it up - if you liked the previous season, you are going to love this one. If you felt lukewarm about the previous season, there is still a very good chance you are going to love this season.
This season gets a honest 10/10 for me, and I wish every adaptation was given as much care as this one - but for now I'll just be happy that one of my favorites got one.
ACasualViewer
Like the last season of Skilled Teaser Takagi San, this is one is also predominantly focused on the antics of 2 middle school students, a girl who seems to be borderline telepathic, bullying a dense middle school boy. The jokes are very similar, the way the challenges play out are very similar, and the quality of the show is overall much similar. However, a few things set this season apart from the prior season which led me to increase my rating for the show this specific season, I will expand on these things in this review. The first thing I would like to mention happens tobe the characterization between the 2 main characters. In the previous season Takagi always enjoyed making fun of Nishikata and winning their games to frustrate him, she finds it hilarious to dismantle the plans he spends hours coming up with and always being one step ahead. This season is different, although the bullying Takagi did in the last season seemed some what mean spirited to Nishkata, this season Takagi was generally a lot more kind and made it pretty clear she likes him and even tried to throw a few of their games on purpose. Of course, Nishikata is way to fucking dense to ever get the obvious signs that she wants him to just grab her hand and lean in for a kiss, but who can blame him he is like 11 and does not have much life experience. This improvement in characterization, especially during the anime original camping scenes, greatly improves the atmosphere of the show for viewers, as we no longer have to feel exhausted watching Nishikata get bullied episode after episode with no chance of winning. Takagi being kind and clearly trying to make games where Nishikata could win if he had some courage changes the atmosphere from being exhausting to refreshing, the show has progressed further into the romance genre and focuses less on the same overused mind games that occurred before. There is also one big moment in the show near the end where Nishikata does step up and its quite touching and shows how far he has grown since the start of the series.
Something else that improved in the show is the sound track, the opening actually covered a lot of the themes in the show, Takagi and Nishikata rivalry, their romantic undertone, the experience of adolescence of the other relevant characters in the series, and blended them all together in a very well-made OP. The general sound effects and OST did not change much however its use improved, the same soundtrack was not used for multiple stories back to back and instead the show alternated between them to keep it fresh, while in the first season they constantly used the exact same theme, you know which one I am talking about, whenever a new story started in the episode.
One other thing that improved was the focus on side characters, the show was getting boring with the entire focus being on Takagi and Nishikata in season 1. However, this season the 3 side girls had their own segments every episode and it made for a very comfy slice of life break from the drama between Takagi and Nishikata. The jokes involving the 3 girls were also of a completely different kind from the mind game jokes between the main characters which creates variety instead of the tired and overused humor we were seeing earlier. The other side characters like Nishikata’s friends had more scenes as well in which they served as commentary on the main characters, pointing out the frustrating stuff the viewers noticed but also misunderstanding some aspects of the power dynamic between Takagi and Nishikata which was sort of funny. Even the teacher got some more screen time and went from a hard ass who exists to yell at Nishikata to a more respectable guy who is just trying to properly educate children and make sure they behave in a reasonable way.
As far as art and animation go, Takagi San season 2 isn’t really any different from season 1, but that is alright no one is watching this show for quality animation or amazing art, it’s a romcom set in a middle school after all. Some things that were an improvement though was that the same background art was not being reused like last season, there were many new parts of the school, the town, and of course the entire background during the camping episode along with the starry sky that were very different from season 1.
Overall though these improvements do vastly improve the show for the viewer, even if a lot of mind games are the same as before, and the story plays out the same, there has been growth in the relationship between the main characters. The growth along with the small improvements in several aspects of the show lead me to give Skilled Teaser Takagi San 2 a rating of 8, higher then the rating of 7 I gave to the first season.
PeterKRosenthal
With every season comes a new waifu battleground, where everyone is on a crusade to extoll their seasonal waifulogy and battles fiercely with the heathens. Why not take a break and embrace the wholesome Takagi-san, where there is no war, but only love and peace? The series features the day-to-day interactions between the main duo, Takagi-san and Nishigata, which revolves around trivial moments in school and daily life, ranging from visiting a small grocery store to throwing stones beside the river. Each episode is divided into several sub-episodes where they will hold small bets or “contests”, with Nishigata being the loser on nearly all occasions. Still,he tries every desperate mean to trick Takagi-san back but fails anyways. Bit by bit, day by day, their relationship grows from the little pranks they put on each other. The second season continues to illustrate Nishigata’s inability to retaliate and the ever-increasing intimacy with Takagi-san.
The immaturity of Nishigata can be pinpointed in the title itself. In Japanese, “-san” is usually used for addressing formally or someone you are not acquainted with, which is basically the equivalence of “Mr.” or “Mrs.” in English. The fact that Nishigata still adopts such a distant approach with Takagi-san even after a whole year shows that he is unable to handle conversations or even a relationship with the opposite sex - a perfect example of how carefully designed Nishigata is.
If I were to nitpick, the show’s greatest downfall would be its repetitiveness. Episodes after episodes of contests with very predictable outcomes are surely dull and boring. Retaining the same format, the story nonetheless showed some progression from the first season, with Nishigata evolving from not revenging at all to reminding himself of the humiliation through push-ups and constantly plotting back at Takagi-san.
It is crucial to bear in mind that Nishigata was merely a grade 7 student(grade 8 in this season). Immaturity, irrationality, and evasion from physical and verbal contact with the opposite sex are all undeniably traits of someone in Nishigata’s age, and that is exactly what the show depicted Nishigata as with panache. Aberrant the scenes may seem, they are nonetheless a genuine and authentic portrayal.
Takagi-san features an art style nuanced from the mainstream. The colour tone is mainly bright and vibrant with the doodle-ish feeling, which is not commonly seen in other popular shows. We can see that the animation is done with passion and care. The backgrounds are well-crafted and details are not compromised.
The opening “Zero Centimeters” is sung by Yuiko Oohara, who also sang Season 1’s opening. The endings are sung by Takagi-san’s voice actor, Rie Takahashi. Not only are the opening and endings catchy, but the background music also gives a youthful and upbeat feeling with its performance with recorders and a piano, fitting the middle school theme perfectly.
Takagi-san has transcended beyond your typical seasonal romcom waifu battleground. It remains one of my favourites in the romance genre for its simple yet meticulous depiction of some heart-tingling and face-blushing middle school romance and touches on themes seldom explored. Next time before you are about to dive into another brawl for waifus, why not take a break and fill your wholesomeness meter with Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san instead?
Tringapore_98
The summer anime that i was looking forward to ever since it was announced and had expectations for this season after watching season 1 last year, and I can gladly say that I was not disappointed one bit! In fact, I fell in love with the anime because one thing was clear from the beginning, something about Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san S2(I'll call the anime Takagi S2 from now on) stood out compared to season 1, and that was Takagi and Nishikata in the final 2 episodes. Story: The story continues on from S1 with Takagi teasing Nishikata non-stop as usual. However, something felt differentabout her teasing this season compared to S1. I think that something was the fact that in the majority of her teases, she was conveying her crush on Nishikata to him and was giving him hints. However, Nishikata being Nishikata, did not catch her hints and thought that she was just teasing him for the fun of it, though at times he did consider her hints, only to shrug them off unfortunately, which frustrated me during the first 11 episodes as I was cheering Takagi on in her pursuit of Nishikata. Fortunately, he redeemed himself at the last 2 episodes by asking Takagi out on a date to the festival with the climax coming in episode 12 when he held her hands. I was brimming in excitement and joy at that scene.
Plus the fact that we had 2 new characters this season added some plot to the overall story.
The only thing that I didn't really like from S2 was the scenes of Mina, Sanae and Yukari. I know that they are filler scenes, but come on, when you watch a scene of Nishikata and Takagi, you just want it to continue and I was pretty annoyed when they showed the filler scenes to the point that I just skept them in later episodes.
Overall a good continuation from S1 and is much more exciting with more juicy scenes of Nishikata and Takagi and new characters
Rating: 9/10
Art: I can't comment much about the animation of S2 since it's basically a continuation from season 1. My only comment is that I really liked the animation of the fireworks in the last episode of the series.
Rating: 7/10
Sound/Music: Ahh, Rieri. Her voice is so cute and soothing to the ears. I loved the endings for S2 because they were sung by Rieri. You can feel that Rieri put a lot of energy and feelings into the endings, because they were a full of happiness, longing for, and anticipation. In fact, I enjoyed the endings so much that I have downloaded all 7 ending songs into my phone!
Rating: 9/10
Characters: I will focus on Takagi and Nishikata in this section because we got to see Takagi at her best this season and Nishikata redeeming himself towards the end of the season! From the very first episode, you could see that Takagi was really going in hard to tell Nishikata of her feelings for him in hopes that he will reciprocate his. Unfortunately as mentioned earlier on in the review, Nishikata was not sensitive to her hints and just shrugged them off thinking that Takagi just liked to tease him because she liked to(dont get me wrong she does, but there's a deeper meaning to her teasing). She became more and more aggressive in her pursuit of Nishikata further into the series but it seemed that her teasing wouldn't pay off. Until episode 11 when Nishikata asked her out on a date. And I enjoyed that scene thoroughly.
Nishikata on the other hand, was frustrating to watch throughout the series as he always failed to win and was not good at love. Fortunately, he redeemed himself when he delivered the critical hits to Takagi when it mattered, by asking her out on a date and holding her hands in the final 2 episodes. Good job Nishikata!
I envy these 2 lovebirds if only if I had a relationship like them when I was in middle school.
Rating: 9/10
To conclude my review, Takagi S2 brought the best out of our 2 main characters, Nishikata and Takagi. Takagi communicating her love to Nishikata through teases and Nishikata delivering the critical hits to Takagi when necessary really made me love them more than I did in season 1.
I'll dearly miss Takagi season 2 to me it was really well produced and was much better than S1. I hope there'll be a continuation of the series via a season 3 maybe? Or a spin-off from the manga of both our lovebirds when they've married and have a kid.
Final rating: 10/10
PyraXadon
I'm actually kind of blown away with how this series even got a Season 2. I mean I wanted one, but man, it was popular enough to warrant a sequel? Here's hoping for a trilogy! Story: So what does a sequel mean for a series like Karaki Jouzu? More teasing, more charming moments between two youths spending time with each other, and lots of boy blushing and girl laughing are viable answers. A lot of the season is still wrapped around A and B plots of the boy trying to best the girl that sits next to him in some kind of game or another, but theimportant thing above all else that the sequel provides is 'growth' and a lot of audience satisfaction.
What separates Karakai 2 from its previous season really comes down to the different interactions that the titular characters have with each other. Based on some of the later chapters in the manga, a surprisingly large amount of the season isn't devoted to games as it is just having the pair spend time with each other in various ways, be it after school, outside in the summer, or at a local shop. Not only that, the previous disconnect that the series seemed to have with A and B parts of different events is absent as entire episodes can go through entire story threads of different events to create a seamless narrative that feels much more rewarding to watch as one thing leads to the next before ending the episode with some kind of cute payoff.
This becomes an even stronger selling point for the story as scenes using the "Ashita wo Doyoubi" characters help give episodes more narrative flow by transitioning one scene involving the main duo into the three girls talking about the same or a similar topic. Over time the series embraces its more varied cast of characters by giving its limited cast of kids more and more time in the spotlight, as each of them gives the current topic at hand more flavor with their different POVs. In a way, the Karakai 2 becomes more about the slice of life element rather than wholly focusing on the romance element where we sit and watch one boy try and best the girl who's fallen for him. That being said, romance is still its main selling point, and my god does it deliver on that front.
Characters:
Adding to Season 2's goal of building on the previous season, a larger majority of the scenes involving Nishikata and Takagi become centralized on their relationship with each other, especially with Nishikata's feelings towards this girl he's trying to best. Games still make up a lion's share of their interactions with each other, but I feel like the series does well to find a good middle ground between teasing Nishikata and just watching the two spend time with each other. The storytelling between these two becomes even sweeter when a lot of A and B parts show Nishikata proactively making concious decisions to move the story forward with the gears in his head turning on what his relationship with Takagi is.
Compared to previous seasons, the sidecast gets a lot more prominence in the series than it did before. While the trio of Mina, Yukari, and Sanae still take up a larger majority of the sidecast's screentime, more lesser known characters like Mano get time in the spotlight to flesh out their relationships with other characters more, and other even lesser known characters like Takao and Kimura are actually given time to play out and participate in gags and other story beats rather than being primarily fuel to give Nishikata the boost he needs so he can crash and burn later on when he uses his newfound knowledge against Takagi.
Finally, I want to bring up both Houjou and Hamaguichi, new characters brought up in this season that to my knowledge are almost non-existent in the manga. Their dynamic is essentially asking the question, "What if it was Nishikata and Takagi, but their schtick was about maturity instead of teasing?" I bring this up mostly because they feel like very underutilized characters, sporting about the same level of importance as the series's other couple of Mano and Nakai with little substance to their interactions. I honestly wished there was a little more done with them because they have potential to contribute to the series, they just don't right now.
Aesthetics:
I've gone on record in my review of Season 1 that Shin-Ei's artwork is not all that great. It's very average that that while serviceable, doesn't really make Karakai pop out in any kind of special way. It still doesn't do that given the consistent level of quality of Season 2, but I'd again be hard pressed to say that anything is particularly bad with the show's appearance.
If anything, the quality of Karakai 2 is ever so slightly better when compared to Season 1. I think it's in part because the series has wider, grander, and more varied shots for the characters to be in since the scenery changes a lot more than just 'school'. Regardless, it's still nice and simple, harking back to Yamamoto's artstyle with color and a surprising amount of really picturesque scenes among its cast that help build up the tension to make the episode climaxes all the sweeter.
Yuiko Oohara's "Zero Centimeters" is a very similar to the song she sang back in Season 1, being a whimsical and instrumental piece that speaks about the daily lives of these characters. By comparison, Zero Centimeters is a little less energetic but still serves the purpose in drowning the audience in the sugary sweet relationship between this cultured 'young love'.
And just like Season 1, Karakai 2 sports several EDs, most of which I personally don't really find much difference in, all again sung by Reiri, Takagi's VA. The only standout one happens towards the end of the season where, because why not, we get Season 1's OP back as an ending. Beyond the way that the song sound like are the lyrics. Pretty much all of the songs featured in this series are sung from the perspective of Takagi just talking about being close and spending time with one another; they're love songs. If that doesn't add in another layer of syrup to this already deathly sweet show, I don't know what does.
Personal Enjoyment:
I didn't think it was possible for a series to make me like it more than I already do. Given how Karakai Jouzu is already one of my favorite romance series, seeing Season 2 elevate the kind of 'young love' storytelling possible in this series with its longer story beats and various endings that come up during key moments between the main couple was more than I could ever hope for. This point becomes even more noteworthy on account of how many of my favorite chapters were adapted into the show and just how well a lot of them flow together when put side by side as A and B parts.
I also really liked how more of the cast came into play in the series. It made the show more about 'youth' than just about these two characters and this trio of girls, thus expanding the kinds of stories the series could tell in addition to overall just varying up the story content so it's not the same thing over and over again.
The one thing that I don't appreciate about this series is the godforsaken Chapter 31 tease. I hate it because I know I'll never actually get to see that chapter adapted into an episode. And if we do, it's going to mark the end of the anime adaptation, and I don't really want that to happen. Because given what we have here, I'm excited to see what they could potentially do with some of the later chapters. (Though as of right now, they don't have that much material to work with.)
As a recommendation, the Karakai Jouzu series is definitely one worth picking up if you're a romance fan. It's definitely a step up from what was shown in Season 1, and the show is just a relaxing romance/slice of life series without much drama to be had. While some things like how some side cast members are handled and how often the show decided to do 'teasing Nishikata' chapters instead of wholly committing to moments them just spending time with one another weren't particularly great, there's still a lot to love here, and I hope to god we get to see their High School days some day. Because if this is them in middle school, what happens later down the line?
ZB_Blades
When I heard that Skilled Teaser Takagi-San was renewed for a second season, I was ecstatic. Not because I read the manga or anything, but because I greatly enjoyed the first season. It was one of the sweetest most adorable and wholesome shows I had ever watched. The chemistry between the two main characters was great. The show in general was both a relaxer and a breath of fresh air. With the second season I was fully expecting more of the same. Instead, I got something a little different. The story continues kind of where it left off with Takagi continuing to relentlessly tease Nishikata.The latter of which then tries to outsmart her but falls flat. In the first season, each part of the episode was framed as kind of a challenge and at the end they would tell us who won. This season that formula is thrown away because at this point I think they realized the audience can kind of tell who won without the show needing to explain everything. I liked that nice little change.
One of my favorite parts of last season was the few moments where Takagi was caught off guard. The whole time we’ve known Takagi-san she’s been this cool customer with an unflinching poker face. However there were a couple times when we got to see the other side of Takagi-san. This season we get to see that and more. Part of my anticipation with this new season was the progression of their relationship. I knew they were eventually going to get together, but I didn’t know when. As their relationship evolves, we get to see a new side of Takagi and a new side of Nishikata as well.
With the stakes being raised episode by episode, the quality meets those high demands. Some scenes during the show are absolutely breathtaking with the direction being spot on. Everything is coming together so fast that you will long for the days when the innocently teased each other in the classroom. The opening song only adds to this melancholic feeling.
If perhaps you had passed on this show or maybe only heard about it because of the girl with the massive forehead but ignored it otherwise, then consider giving it a shot this time. For those that have seen the first season and are wondering does it get better? The answer is yes. I can proudly say the second season has surpassed the first season in every way. This show is adorable, fun, heartwarming and absolutely worth your time.
LaLeLuLiLo
I'm not gonna write much since there's not much to say about this show that hasn't already been said about last season. It still has the same production values,characters, and story structure. The only noticeable change is that they are one year older and that the main duo are a bit more closer to each other. nonetheless the show is still capable of continuing it's perpetually endless series of vignettes until either the viewer or writer gets tired of it. the show is well aware of this and does add something to the monotony by adding an off hand scene midway through the show, withonly those well versed in the takagi-verse will understand what it means. if they had continued with adding scenes such as that it could have made for an interesting framing device. in the end the end the show continues to ride on its cuteness and simplicity and not much else.
yoong01
Nishikata has truly matured. He's become more proactive and assertive in driving their relationship forward in the second season. It's important to remember while watching this anime that they're not high school students, but only in middle school. In a sense, they're still just kids. Their understanding of love is incredibly innocent and unrefined. They don't even realize they've fallen for each other, only knowing that they enjoy each other's company immensely. This love is pure, devoid of any ulterior motives. Nishikata, in a way, you've won this contest a long time ago! What you've won is Takagi's heart. I highly recommend this anime series for thosejust starting out in the world of anime. The character interactions are absolutely adorable and the storyline is light-hearted. I'd also suggest starting with the first season for a better overall experience.
Preposterous
Against my better judgement, after the underwhelming and annoying first series, I decided to give the second season of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san a chance, due to assumption that the plot would progress at least a little bit and spice would be added to the comedy routines. Long story short: it's just more of the same. The biggest difference is Takagi's more direct approach in communicating her feelings to Nishikata, which this time around is actually even more frustrating, because the boy appears to suffer from a particularly extreme case of obliviousness (paired with inability to make a connection between events if they do not happen atthe same day), and Takagi just cannot stop herself from taking advantage of that. In this regard, the relationship is just as irksome to watch as always.
To be fair, Takagi's displays of affection are more adorable than ever before, but at the same time I found Nishikata to be going overboard with his antagonisation of Takagi. Any sympathy I might have had for his character is gone.
Somewhere in the middle of the season we are given a glimpse into the future, which I found to be a nice touch, but unfortunately, it was ultimately squandered, with no follow-up, even though it would have fit perfectly in the finale.
With no changes to the formula, second season of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san is definitely a must-watch for those who enjoyed the first one, but a very hard recommendation for everyone else. I do have to admit that, thanks to all the repetition and cuteness, it's a very easy to digest series. Hollow and even manipulative at times, but enjoyable with a proper mindset.
AnimeBW
2018 was a damn good year for anime. From Violet Evergarden breaking KyoAni’s staggering production record yet again, to My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan having their beast seasons yet, to A Place Further Than the Universe and Devilman Crybaby starting the year off with a bang, 2018 was lousy with incredible shows around every corner, new classics and cult classics and smash hits almost every season. Yet as a downside, with so many incredible shows competing for attention in such a short period of time, there were always going to be some worthwhile properties that slipped through the cracks, that didn’t get theattention they deserved. Where was the all-consuming love for the trashy family antics of Hinamatsuri, the warmly realized melodrama of Iroduku, the return of Cardcaptor Sakura? At some point, we’re just gonna have to collectively decide to do a full 2018 retrospective and give a second look to all those shows we did dirty the first time around.
Until then, though, thank god for sequels. Because of all the 2018 anime I hoped would get a continuation, Skilled Teaser Takagi-san was one of the most promising. I’m still stunned I got so much enjoyment out a series that essentially boiled down to a middle-school boy being made to suffer for his tormentor’s crush on him for twelve episodes straight, but here we are. Not only was the first season of Takagi-san able to keep its simple formula from growing stale, always finding new and endearing ways for the titular teasing master to rustle Nishikata’s feathers, but it made for a legitimately sweet, even wholesome rom-com that captured the infatuation and giddiness of puppy love better than it had any right to. Can you remember the last time a period joke felt so good-natured and innocent? Because I sure as hell can’t. But that was the charm of Takagi-san; it never crossed over into being mean-spirited or cruel. It simply existed to make your heart go pitter-patter at a very unconventional young courtship, and it succeeded brilliantly.
And now, I’m happy to report that the second season is even better.
Sure, from a structural standpoint, nothing much has changed. We’re still following Takagi and Nishikata’s everyday lives, every episode is divided into several parts, Takagi is always able to tease Nishikata, and Nishikata’s attempts at launching a counterattack are always thwarted by a) his own lack of preparation, b) Takagi easily seeing through his poorly crafted schemes, c) Nishikata’s inability to handle his growing crush towards Takagi, or d) all of the above. The formula is exactly the same as it was in season 1, so don’t come in expecting some radical re-invention. And yet, from the very first episode, I realized that not only was I still enjoying seeing essentially the same joke told over and over again in infinity iterations, it felt like the joke was actually going somewhere. I wasn’t just excited to see these two kids slip into the same routine, I was eager to watch that routine grow. And over the course of the second season, that wish was fulfilled.
You see, despite how simple and straightforward Takagi-san is, it’s got a secret weapon that keeps that simplicity engaging no matter how many times Takagi trips Nishikata up: actual romantic progression. The narrative moves slowly, but it does move. The characters and their relationship to each other do change, bit by bit, so subtly you don’t even notice it until you reach the end of the first season and you realize that these two dorks aren’t the same dorks they were at the start of the show. And season 2 doubles down on that momentum, building off of where Takagi and Nishikata left off at the end of the first season and pushing their relationship to even more adorable extremes. Sure, the first season made me laugh and grin and blush pretty regularly, but this season captures something even more special and ephemeral; the swelling delight of watching something special bloom right before your eyes.
In other words, not only does Takagi-san season 2 double down on everything that made the first so charming- adorkable chemistry, sweet-natured teasing, fantastic performances from Yuki Kaji and Rie Takahashi- it builds off last season’s stopping point and develops into a romance with genuine meat on its bones. This is a full-blown love story now, one so sugary sweet you can almost feel the diabetes creeping in at points. You can actually feel their bond deepen with each passing episode, as these silly games and competitive clashes of wit start molting into something softer, sweeter, more intimate. And it is wonderful. Not a single episode passed without my smile stretching past the boundaries of my cheeks. Not a single sketch didn’t have at least a couple absolutely uproarious moments of comedic brilliance. And with each passing moment, every hand almost held, every touch almost connected, I could feel my chest swell bigger and bigger until the final two episodes delivered a payoff that made it burst. Forget Given, forget O Maidens, forget Domestic Girlfriend and Quintessential Quintuplets, this is the best romance of the year. This is what I’ll look back on once 2019 is over and feel my heart grow three sizes bigger.
Takagi-san is a show I never thought I would love as much as I do. It’s not the most inventive anime, it’s not the most original anime, and outside the main duo it still doesn’t have any characters worth following. But there’s a beating heart at the core of this thing, a heart that’s only beating louder and louder as time goes on. I hope we get more of this show; I hope the Takagi-san anime gets sequel after sequel until the manga’s finally over. But until then, let season 2 stand as a testament to everything wonderful about romance done right. It’s touching, it’s euphoric, it’s hilarious, and it makes even the darkest days seem that much brighter.
BlkAngle
Wow, the second season of this anime has wrapped up, and what a ride it’s been! If you remember from my last review, this series is such a delightful escape from reality. It’s like the perfect little bubble of joy—no stress, just pure fun! There’s something so therapeutic about those carefree anime shows, isn’t there? In this season, I was really impressed by how much the main characters developed. And let’s not forget the trio of girls who are just as adorable and hilarious as always! I can’t help but feel like I see bits of myself in each of them. Plus, there was definitelymore romance this time around! The main focus was clearly on the love story between the two leads, and even though we didn’t get any big confessions or kisses, it was just a sweet and delightful watch!
Now, let’s dive into the four main points of the season. First off, the story really took strides, especially when it comes to the romance! We got to see the characters get closer and their feelings deepen, which was heartwarming. The humor was still strong, keeping that lighthearted vibe we love. Character development was also evident—it's like the characters have grown up a bit since last season, adding some nice layers to their personalities.
As for the animation, it maintained the same quality as before—no complaints here! Everything looked great, and it flowed really well. And the sound design? Just as fantastic as we’ve come to expect!
With just one season and a movie left to go, I’m super excited to see a memorable romantic moment for these charming, cute, lovely, and funny characters. Can’t wait!
NeroMiFishy
Good sequels are hard to come across, and often times they don’t often live up to the expectations of the original, whether it’s because it feels too similar, or making it so bad that it heavily tarnishes the image the original had due to thoughtless planning. So in that respect, how does one define a good sequel? A good sequel continues the story but in a new meaningful way, by expanding more than what the original offered. Introducing new characters, settings, and conflicts are generally what sequels tend to do, but a good sequel also adds another layer to their storytelling by introducing new themes and/orexpanding on older themes, to give the story a much more nuanced look. Finally, the sequel has to leave a positive impact on the franchise, because that’s what makes a good series worth the time investing towards.
Takagi-San Season 2 manages to hit the marks on how a good sequel should be perceived, and this review will mainly focus on how it manages to improve over the first season.
Expanding the Setting:
Season 2 introduces 2 new characters to the series being Houjou and Hamaguchi. In terms of importance, we do see they have some sort of chemistry going on, so it’s refreshing to see another couple on the screen that’s not Takagi and Nishikata or Nakai and Mano. There’s more interactions with the side characters, and Season 2 manages to naturally integrate them into the storyline, making it feel more lifelike and dynamic. There’s also new locations in Season 2 that weren’t present in Season 1, some of which are seen as important when it comes to certain moments in the series, but I will not spoil them here. The art and animation also received an upgrade as it manages to become more expressive with its use of body language, which is a great way of showcasing non verbal communication. The soundtrack of the series retains the multiple ending songs (having 8) and an insert song that left a lasting impression.
Continuing The Story:
Season 2 at first glance may seem like it’s largely the same as the first season. Nishikata attempting to tease Takagi, but failing in the process, and the occasional B-trio plot segments. However, Season 2 continues the story by giving a more cohesive storyline that focuses on the natural progression of Takagi and Nishikata’s relationship that’s continued from Season 1 and how it’s developed in Season 2.
The first thing Season 2 does is shifting the focus of genres. Season 1 focused on the comedy/SOL aspect where Takagi and Nishikata are in the starting stages of establishing a relationship. In Season 2, the romance becomes the main focus, as the audience is already familiarized with their relationship, so the story starts focusing on closing the distance between the two characters. The romance becomes much more apparent, which leads to not only story and character progression, but it makes the dynamic feel more engaging as there are moments here that significantly change the way the two perceive each other.
Another thing Season 2 does that’s an improvement, is integrating the B-trio plots to the main story plots. One of the criticisms most people have with the series, is that the B-trio plots don’t really serve anything to move the plot forward, and are often disregarded as filler that could of been used to develop Takagi and Nishikata’s relationship. Even though some of those plot lines still occur in Season 2, there are times where the B-trio are directly involved with the main plots, which makes them much more engaging characters as we get a third person perspective on Takagi and Nishikata’s relationship. Other characters such as Kimura, Takao, Mano, Nakai, Houjou, and Hamaguchi also start to become aware of their relationship, and become directly involved in pushing Takagi and Nishikata to do certain actions and reevaluate their way of thinking.
Finally, Season 2’s biggest factor when it comes to continuing the story, is the addition of anime original content. To an anime only, they might not notice this, but to a source material viewer, this is huge. With most animes, they tend to follow the source material, occasionally making a few rearrangements to fit the story into one normal length episode/season. However, the Takagi manga doesn’t follow an overarching storyline, and most of its chapters are relatively standalone since they have little to no continuity between them. This gives the anime much more leeway of choosing which chapters to adapt, making a few rearrangements such as adding continuity, to give the story an overarching feel. This is different to when an anime adapts a source material with an overarching storyline, as cutting certain chapters or dialogue can make important scenes feel less meaningful when there is missing context. In Takagi’s case, the anime and manga feel like a separate experience, rather than a faithful adaptation. If one were to ask where they can continue reading the Takagi manga after watching the anime, the best recommendation is to read the manga from the beginning.
Season 1 has a couple of anime original moments to give certain scenes extra fluff. However, Season 2 takes it a step further by giving anime original segments/episodes that weren’t present in the manga, which significantly impact the direction the anime takes with its story. It gives a chance for the anime to explore more of Takagi and Nishikata’s relationship as situations and interactions have more creative freedom. Without spoiling too many major plot details, just know that having anime original content present here, is the season’s biggest strength when it comes to continuing the story in new, meaningful ways.
Expanding on the Themes of Season 1:
In most romance stories, the common theme that’s often explored in relationships is status quo. The questions that are often posed when it comes to this characteristic goes as follows:
1. “How has the relationship changed since the first meeting?”
2. “Has the characters perception of each other changed after spending a significant amount of time together?”
3. “Are the characters willing to, or at least be open, to the idea of changing the status quo?”
In Season 1, Nishikata considers Takagi his rival at first, where his main goal is to manage a successful teasing attempt/comeback at her. For Takagi, it’s shown she has a liking towards Nishikata, but doesn’t often show any emotional vulnerability towards him. As the season progresses, Nishikata starts to become subconsciously aware of his feelings for Takagi, and Takagi manages to show a glimpse of emotional vulnerability whenever she’s around Nishikata. For a Season 1 plot line, this is a good way for the audience to be familiarized with their relationship.
In Season 2, the two have become comfortable with each other, but their perception towards one another starts to slowly change. Takagi becomes bolder and more daring to how she teases Nishikata, leaving him in a state where he is either in clear acknowledgment or extreme denial. Her emotional vulnerability becomes more apparent, yet still subtle, as it gives the Nishikata and the audience an idea on how she views their current status quo, which is shown more evidently in the season’s major arc in the second half. Nishikata on the other hand, starts to become more consciously aware of his feelings, which in turn affect the decisions he makes, as well to how Takagi reacts to them. While he is still focused on trying to tease Takagi, the actions he does here in Season 2, and later in Season 3, start to show he does genuinely value his relationship with her, and would even go as to sacrificing a win in order to make himself and Takagi happy. Again, without spoiling major details, the development and progression between the two in this season is well paced. It manages to keep a balance between maintaining the status quo, but not straying too far in giving too much progression or not building off/regressing the development the first season laid out.
Leaving a Positive Impact on the Franchise:
Season 2's finale left a surprising impression within the community, so much so that it is one of the few animes (that isn't a popular shounen) that is able to continue their story through a third season, as well as a movie on top of it. Most animes don't get the luxury of continuing their story after their second season, let alone their first, so to see Takagi receiving this rare treatment, shows how much Season 2 left a considerable impact, opening its doors for Season 3/Movie to carry out the natural progression and themes of Season 2's narrative to eventually conclude this journey of a relationship.
Conclusion:
Takagi-San Season 2 is an example of how a good sequel should be perceived. It managed to continue the narrative and themes Season 1 laid out, and improving upon those qualities by expanding more than what the 1st season offered. If you enjoyed Season 1, the sequel seasons are definitely worth the watch.
Borjalexhugo
The transition from the first to the second season is incredible, the first was a good season but being the first it was slower and there were not as many scenes with the two protagonists alone and with "indirect" things that in the second season there are and plenty and that gives a lot of fun to the series. Takagi-san takes center stage in this anime because he is a 10/10 character, but Nishikata is well-crafted and gets better and better as the seasons come out. All of this makes you hype up and you can't stop watching it. In my opinion it is oneof the most calming, fun, entertaining and funny animes that there are in romance and all that together makes it one of my favorites and one of the best romances that I have seen.
El paso de la primera a la segunda temporada es increíble, la primera fue una buena temporada pero al ser la primera era mas lenta y no había tantas escenas con los dos protas solos y con "indirectas" cosa que en la segunda temporada si hay y de sobra y eso le da mucha diversión a la serie. Takagi-san se lleva todo el protagonismo de este anime porque es un personaje 10/10 pero Nishikata esta bien trabajado y va siendo cada vez mejor conforme van saliendo las temporadas. Todo eso hace que te suba el hype y no puedas dejar de verla. En mi opinión es de los animes mas tranquilizadores, divertidos, entretenidos y graciosos que hay en el romance y todo ese conjunto hace que para mi sea uno de mis favoritos y de los mejores romances que he visto.
lamaraptor
Watching middle school kids deal with their developing romantic feelings is adorable. It's obvious from an outsider perspective that these two like each other, but one is too oblivious of even his own feelings to do anything while the other is having too much fun teasing to admit hers. I think the moments where Takagi shows some actual shyness are some of the best, especially when you have hours of her usual smug attitude to compare against. I think where we left off the season is enough of a high point that I would have been fine if that was just where it had ended, butobviously they've got more to tell still so here's hoping they manage to keep it fresh and not just retread a lot of the same ground. I think they did an okay job of keeping the status quo this time around while maintaining an illusion of character growth, it's a fine line that slice of life series have to walk if they want to run for a long time. 8/10 still cute and fun to watch
BraianP
Short Review: If you liked season 1, you will love season 2 even more. This show is pure wholesomeness and cuteness from beginning to end. However, enjoyed this season (2) more than I did the first one, and there's a couple of points I want to make clear. This show is a masterpiece as a slice of life and as a show that is not seeking to be anything but comedy and romance (very light romance). The first season was entertaining and is all about Takagi san teasing Nishikata in different ways while he tries to get back at her. While the formula for season 2 doesnot change much, it is still different enough to keep things fresh and (IMO) even better than season 1. This time the character development is pretty good and you can see how both of them change as the story progresses. Nishikata thinks about his feelings towards Takagi san and even starts to realize (pretty slow but at least tries) that maybe Takagi san actually means some of the stuff she does and says. At the same time, Takagi san becomes more straight forward in an attempt to make him understand. The show progresses as in season 1, with different scenarios where Takagi san teases Nishikata and Nishikata tries to tease Takagi san.
However, the different scenarios felt refreshing and different enough to keep it entertaining, and the story was following a clear progression instead of being always the same tone. The characters were interesting, even less important ones and secondary relationships felt nice to watch. I personally think that if you enjoyed the first season, you will love season 2.
Kdragon35
This is by far and away the greatest RomCom I've ever seen, and that's from someone who typically doesn't enjoy the genre. The second season of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san basically captures the emotion of joy and love and presents them in their purest forms. There is no drama present within this show, it's just two friends playing games together and having fun. If the value of a show comes from what it is trying to accomplish and how well it does that thing, then this show is exceptional on all fronts. Joy, Love, Happiness, Giddiness. You can't really contain any of it, it's simplytoo sweet.
Story 10/10
The story format is very non-linear, especially in the manga, but the anime does a great job of stitching them together. They put a lot of love into it, and it shows. Entire episodes are anime originals. The story itself is wonderful. It perfectly builds up events and much was even added to the source material, making for some unforgettably touching moments. It always finds a very happy medium between sweetness and silliness.
Art 10/10
The art is phenomenal and unbelievably adorable. Yamamoto has a really cute style that is very befitting of the series. There's definitely something endearing about the huge foreheads. Everything from the lighting, eyes, character designs are all wonderful. There's a very clear emphasis on closeness as well, with close up shots on the characters during key moments. Almost like the little beats of a theatre play.
Sound 10/10
The voice acting is all-around well done, especially from Rie Takahashi. They couldn't have cast a better person for Takagi's character. She even sings every outro song. The soundtrack and sound design are equally amazing.
Character 10/10
While there are side characters, they are entirely negligible, as the characters with the greatest prominence are Nishikata and Takagi. These two are incredibly cute and have great chemistry. Their personalities complement one another perfectly. They never fail to bring a smile to my face when they're on screen together.
Enjoyment 10/10
What else is there to say? It's like the sweetest pop tune you can imagine in anime form. It makes me feel like myself. Life is beautiful and there's so much to enjoy. Just the fact that we met is a miracle. It's safe to say I enjoyed every moment of this series. Here's to hoping for a season 3.
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2: Overall 10/10
Iambae
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, one of if not the most wholesome anime I ever seen. There was a time when you were young and liked someone, you probably kinda teased that person cause you wanted him/her attention; This anime is about that exact same feeling/time. This is one of my favourite anime, and it is back with another great season. I cannot stop smiling while watching this show, it brings the best inside me, it is just very pleasant to watch. The way it handles love not only for a 'special person' but as a whole is just impeccable, every character in this show is cute, pureand appealing, they perfectly reflect the message of the show.
Although this season is very similar to the first, it is still captivating; The way they keep the tension high in such a authentic way; It is amazing to me how much natural emotion this anime makes me feel.
If you ever had empathy or feelings for someone I think you will be able to relate to this one somehow...
Don't miss it!
LegendAqua
More teasing from Takagi-san the Teasing Master ROUND TWO. So LA really won't go to deep into this second season of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san as it's ALMOST same as usual for Takagi and Nishikata's game of teasing. With the things have have "changed" as it were, well though the first season teased at Takagi's romantic forwards through teasing, it felt like Takagi's romantic teasings were even more prominent this season using her teasing for the romantic teasing towards Nishikata and in turn Nishikata has sorta loosen up but still competitive at wanting to win as the teasing game as a result. The three girls of Mina,Sanae and Yukari does insert themselves but spectators into some stories between Takagi and Nishikata's teasing game and of course and especially Yukari starts to think their teasing isn't teasing but actual romantic advances as a result. Finally is that two new characters come in and they are a couple, that of Hamaguchi and Hojo who are pretty much characters doing their own thing, until Hojo finds out about Takagi and Nishikata as a thing.
Really the formula of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san hasn't changed, Nishikata finds a new game and tries to find an advantage to win against Takagi, Takagi ALREADY know her moves before had and make it backfire, add in romantic teasing, Nishikata trips up...Takagi wins. but much like LA says about No Game No Life's expected wins, it's not the destination but the journey and this is more or less the romantic teasing of Nishikata realizing he like Takagi and that's kinda why LA kept up with Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san in the first place, plus the entire notion though predictable is interesting from this perspective at least.
Yes because of it, the comedy has turned predictable in lieu of romance but that's ok to be honest.
LA won't say much about the animation and voice cast cept that the animation once again done by Shin-Ei Animation did seem to give their character designs a much sharper tone to them and as for the voice cast though they have their reprising roles, Aoi Yuuki as Hojo was unexpected.
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 is more or less the same formula but seems like they directed their attention towards the budding romance between Takagi and Nishikata more in this season, adding in the teasing games as a setting and we have the seocnd season. Really for LA at least expecting more feels like asking too much from Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 as it does what it does and it does itself well, flaws of the comedy being predictable and all.
Nishikata always loses, Takagi always wins but they get more time together...but Takagi-san is the Queen of Smug.
CorsairFrosty
*Spoiler warning!* Alright, I only rated season 2 cause for some reason on Netflix it ONLY has season 2, not season 1 for some reason. To start off, the "plot" to the show is pretty basic/repetitive, not that it gets boring. This type of Anime is what I would consider a "comfort" anime, something you can always go back and watch to make yourself happier, or just want to watch something but don't know what. The show consists of light-hearted teasing, and some VERY adorable moments. It's not really a "romance", yet there are some "romantic" fluffy moments between Takagi-san and Nishikata. The art styleof the anime is alright, nothing too eye-catching. It's pretty similar to something like Tbhk, just with less detail. Fitting of a comfort Anime though. The personalities aren't very unique but they are adorable. Nishikata gets pretty annoyed with Takagi-san teasing him all the time, but every time he tries to tease her, he fails. And Takagi-san is a master teaser, who LOVES annoying Nishikata. Overall the show is a 7/10 for me. Mainly a simple comfort Anime. But, still god damn adorable! :D
