Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2

I went into this pretty lukewarm after the first season and the lack of any growth worth mentioning. I know its supposed to be a slice of life comedy, the thing is is now half way through season 2 and its the exact same bit over and over, and its gotten to the point where it has driven right off the cliff. The male MC is in couple of words F'in stupid, I mean as dense as dense gets, harem protag x1000. Where most shows can get away with dumb characters because they put them into different situations this show doesn't do that, sure technically ... the situations are different but the core of them is the exact same every segment, save for the ones with the 3 girls which surprisingly were refreshing this season. I simply can't get by this dude.. I hear it gets better but I'm 18 episodes in now with 0 male MC growth. Takagi the female MC has moved...perhaps if your generous. the two have a thing for each other and she's less then subtle but due to her "teasing", which really wouldn't be to any kid with half a brain, he takes it as such.

I guess I should address my thoughts on the whole premise. The two are in middle school, 2nd year in 2nd season, so this would put them at about 13. So were not talking super grown and if it wasn't so constant, the "teasing' that is and the epic fail of the male MC, then it would be understandable. The thing is, is that there is a threshold for believability and that ends well before the 900 days in a row mark. There would come a time where he would either accept it as par for the course and the taunts would become less effective as he would know what is going to be said or the general facility, or he would eventually learn her tricks and at least become better at evasion. Honestly considering how dense the MMC is portrayed it would likely be the first if this was a IRL situation. I've gone on about this guy too much as it is though. Suffice to say he is the main reason for the drop and really hurt the score in several areas.

Takagi the FMC showed a little progress in the first half, and being the only character that seems capable of movement at all in the show, of the MC's the 3 girls are... kinda different, it just wasn't enough to make it interesting. actually let's talk about the 3 girls section. It was nice this time around, perhaps it got better as a contrast to my growing dislike of the MMC, but it seemed they attempted to flesh them out a bit more and some of their situations were really humorous and relatable.

Past that the art is still solid the sound is about the same as well not a whole lot to talk about there. I had hopes for this after seeing some reviews, came in hoping for more critical hit moments, but all I got were a bunch of epic fails.

Okay, I'll be honest, I'm almost impressed. Some of this anime made me like "That's cute!". But some are just like "Why couldn't you add that?". In short, This anime wasn't perfect.

Story: A Solid 7
Plot is simple, a girl teases a boy she likes, and the boy always fails to get back on her teasing. But it much wholesome to the point where it made you smiled all the time. The premise of this anime is just to make you smile, and it did. But i just can't shake my head because the plot is good, it lacks PLOT TWIST. In my own perspective ... every story needs a plot twist, even slice of life. It made good use of the plot to play with your emotions and feelings. In this anime case, THERE'S NONE. Just a wholesome, boring same plot about the two characters teasing, that's all. Don't expect more. But at least there's a character development about becoming close to each other. Overall, I wish there was a plot twist and more than just teasing, but it's very funny and cute.

Art: A Questionable 7
I don't really like the art, it's just kinda plain. Most of it just a simple art, no beautiful light effect, no real shadowing, no naturalism, and no complex characters. Although some of it looks good. But the reason that is questionable is because....i kinda liked it? It's very simple and clean looking. But i just wish that it made more graphics and art style like latest animes.

Sound and Music: A Perfect 10.
Jeez...like...this anime is filled with one of the most BEAUTIFUL music that is ever made. The opening song is on point, Yuiko Oohara definitely done a very good job on that. The ending songs by Rie Takahashi? Gorgeous. These EQ sounds very complex and fantastic, like the cellos or guitars. Pianos and Drums, and the other symphonic instruments, and the angelic songs of these two people, has made one of the most beautiful songs ever. The OST? Very relaxing. It fits so well with the anime and i will shake my head to think that this has one of the most beautiful and relaxing music EVER.

Character: A solid 8.
There are two characters and a some side character.

Nishikata: The main protagonist that always lost to his rival, Takagi. He often embarrassed and flushed right after he got teased by Takagi. he seemed very oblivious to like Takagi. So about Nishikata, i just thought that he could be better. He's a good character who seems to care about Takagi and his family and friends. But his idiotic and shyness made him seems an unlikable character. But i do like his motivational to do push up every time Takagi teases him, that's good. So overall i will give Nishikata a solid 8.

Takagi: Takagi is the female lead who just teases Nishikata all the time and secretly loves him to bits. She uses her brain power to read Nishikata's mind and uses it to backfire him every. single. time. The real reason that i like Nishikata better it's because she's more of a drag than a character. She always tease Nishikata multiple times a day, and that could made him insane, however seems that his mental is REALLY powerful. And Takagi is coward, she uses all of her teasing to give an affection to Nishikata. Why can't she just admit and confessed to him immediately? She's also sometimes can be mean to Nishikata, like forcing him to buy a juice. But not all of them is negative! She's extremely adorable, like REALLY ADORABLE. Her voice by Rie made her having such a cute voice and probably....quite angelic. She's also really nice to Nishikata sometimes, and cares him very very deeply. But overall, i just think Takagi is an OK character. Solid 7.

The side Characters: A solid 7.
Mina, Yukari, Sanae is just there for funny goofs and friendship times. Takao, Kimura, and the others were just there to help the main Characters to became each other or something like that. But overall i just think that it didn't need characters like this, but at least it made the story more lively. A solid 7.

Overall Characters: It could be better. If it was Takagi became less confident and Nishikata smarter and not easily flushed, it will made the story more balanced.

Enjoyment: A Good 9.
Yes. I enjoy this anime. It made you really happy and think about the world in a very different way. This anime is very recommended for all that's having anxiety, depression, or PTSD. It made you to think that the world is not always meant to turn against you, you will always have each other to love, live, and laugh. This anime will deliver a happy and fuzzy feelings about to became much better person and a new level of wholesomeness. It made you happy, and what's even better that the message this anime gives is very implied with the story itself. A Good 9.

And that brings me to 5 annoying things about this anime!

1: You like all the songs and want a physical album? Or the Takagi merch that you dreamed? Well guess what? It's only available in japan, darn it.

2: The new season takes ages to develop, One and a half year! So all you gotta do...is wait.

3: There is a Takagi dating simulator app that's available on App store and google play, but yet again IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IN JAPAN! It's like they want you to be part of the Japanese people!

4: The first season dub, they didn't add any honorifics to the character, which made it more natural to every people, and i do like it! But For some reason the Season 2 dub added the honorifics like Takagi-san, or Nishikata-kun. That's....very Unintentional.

5: Takagi-san developers made a Takagi VR game, sadly it sucked.

Don't worry, there's a few cool things to make all of this up. Here's five.

1: The writer took inspiration from the real Japan world and adapt it on the anime, That's cool! It's like...Takagi is from the real world!

2: Even i didn't like the honorifics, i just thought that the new voice actor is much better than the first one.

3: You want Nishikata to tease Takagi? Well then, head over to "LEGOF"s Channel and watch as Yuuki Kaji (Nishikata's VA) destroys Rie Takahashi! (Takagi's VA). There's also some really cool games that they're playing over there. Go watch it!

4: You like the three characters? Well there's a full manga only about the story of Mina, Yukari, and Sanae.

5: Do you want to see the two character fate 10 years later? Just go ahead and watch the "Moto" Manga. It is as wholesome as the main series.



So what's my final verdict on "Teasing Master Takagi-san?"

Should you....Avoid it?

Should you....Consider watching it?

Should you....Shortlisted it?

Or...just go right ahead and watch it?


Overall: Well....if you like a slice of life anime and romance anime that is pretty darn wholesome filled with cute characters, or just simply watching it because you had a depression and mental issues? GO RIGHT AHEAD AND WATCH IT! It's fantastic anime for you.

However if you expected this anime to be amazing, filled with good story and animations, and plot twist? Well....SHORTLIST IT! Right now...maybe not right now, but soon enough...they will improve..hopefully...and it's a good anime for all of you!

So Teasing Master Takagi-san was a really good anime. I enjoyed my time to watch this anime and i just can't stand the fact this anime is one of my favourites. But yet again, it's not perfect and the story could be a little bit bette, and perhaps the characters. But it is funny, cute and very wholesome.

So? What's the score from me?

A Very Good 8. It almost impressed me!

More of the same, for better or worse.

Story: 5
It very much lives up to its “slice of life” tag, as there isn’t much, at least in the way of progress, of an overarching story. It’s mostly made up of these little “battles” Takagi and Nishikata have. So if you are hoping for significant progress on the romance front, you might end up let down. They did try to include some of the other characters’ day-to-day lives with moderate success, but again, it rarely added to the bigger story.

Art: 6
The character designs can be hit-or-miss for people with their oversized eyes and noggins. Personally, I don’t ... hate it, but to each their own. The animation surely will not blow anyone away, which shouldn’t be a surprise. As usual, Nishikata is flustered quite easily, and it’s those expressions that probably the highlight of this category. But, like I said, nothing particularly spectacular overall.

Sound: 8
Rie Takahashi continues to deliver a great performance for Takagi. Sweet, sarcastic, and just a little smug. She really nails it. Yuki Kaji is again solid as Nishikata. Both the hopeful “this is the day I win!” and the baffled “how did she defeat me again?” moments really come through. Konami Kohara is also really funny as Mina. The OP and ED are both pretty good, especially the former. The “Zero Senchimētoru” line in the OP definitely got stuck in my head.

Character: 8
The core of the show still remains Takagi and Nishikata, and if you didn’t like them in season 1, I doubt you’ll change your mind now. Personally, I found them mostly endearing. Takagi is clearly the standout character. Her quick wit and understated smugness are still the #1 reason to continue watching. Like I mentioned, they made a real effort to include some other characters. The “eyebrows girl”, Mina, definitely had the most personality among the side characters. She took advantage of the screen time she was given, and might’ve ended up becoming my second favorite character in the show after Takagi.

Enjoyment: 8
Even though it was not anything new, I did still enjoy watching season 2. Takagi is brilliant again, and their mind games usually had some entertainment value to me. And there was just barely enough signs of progression to keep me interested.

Overall: 7
If you liked season 1, you’ll probably like season 2, unless that deja vu feeling is too strong. It was by no means a stand out show for me this season, but it’s not as if I didn’t enjoy tuning in once a week to see how Takagi triumphs over Nishikata yet again.

Solid continuation of Karakai Jouzo no Takagi-san

The continuation focused a bit more on romance and other sidecharacters, which was pretty enjoyable, but Nishikata and Takagi got most of the screentime obviously

The OP and ED were pretty good and the OSTs in the last ep were really cunning too. Great music!
Well the art stayed pretty much the same as in season 1 so not much to say about it. Some animations looked a bit awkward but it was acceptable most of the time

Anyone who enjoyed season 1 should definitely check out season 2, they made a good job featuring other character and the romance development, ... while not cutting lose on the teasing bits, which were wholesome to watch

Overall a solid continuation of Karakai Jouzo no Takagi-san. 8/10

Story - 6/10
Unsurprising score since the story isn't really the main focus of the show, but there was a kinda clear read thread in this season so there is that.

Art - 9/10
Well drawn flowy animations, never anything groundbreaking or any sakuga shots but how would anything in this kind of show warrant that kind of extreme animation? Just a few times when zoomed out faces were wierd.

Sound - 8/10
Wierd thing to praise, but Takagi has the least offensive over the top giggle of any anime character I've heard, which is good since she giggles quite a lot. Other voice actors do a great job as ... well and the music is very good, but not super good. Solid 8

Character - 8/10
Most characters are very one-dimensional, though there is some development of the main duo throughout and the one-dimensional personalities they otherwise do have are entertaining.

Enjoyment - 9/10
The show puts a smile on my face and makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy

Overall - 9/10
There were times when an 8/10 was tempting and (fewer) times when a 10/10 felt warrented, overall i think that "lower" 9/10 is the best spot for the show, not that there is such a thing as "lower" or "higher" X/10 but still

Story: so in terms of story there really isn't one from what the 1st season was really it's just Takagi trying to tease Nishikata and succedes in doing it or Nisgikata tries to do it before she does but Takagi ends up foiling his plan to get back at her thats really the story in a good sense.

Art: for the most part the art is really good cant really remember the art form last season but the art is good.

Sound: the Op is pretty good for as for the ED cant really say i could judge on it sense they did change a good bit ... of times in terms of the voices actress and actors they were both pretty good (in terms of the leads) and also the side characters were god aswell (i watched the dub by the way)

Characters: Nishikata is the only male lead in the anime and is the bunt of when it comes to takagi and her teasing of him he is a really nice and just a good dude overall who tries to get back at takagi but fails a lot at it. Takagi is the only female lead and is the one who is always Nishikata in always than one when it comes to said teasing she is nice and again straight forward when it comes to teasing Nishikata. (i copied this from my review sense they pretty much act the same here)

Enjoyment: what i liked: so i liked that the 3 girl side characters actually got there own little segments in this which was kinda neat the art and sound are both good the comedy for me is pretty good and had me chuckle and smile alot. What i didnt like: the only real thing i could say is that like last season ( this part is more for people reading the review in a sense not my personal opinion) it can get repetitive but i didn't mind that in the anime.

Overall: id give it a 8 the anime i would say the first was a tiny bit better than this season but it still was a really good 2nd season for this anime the comedy is really good the interactions between takagi and Nishikata are really well done and while the teasing could get annoying for anyone honestly everything else is really good definitely a good 2nd season.

Repost:

Ok so a season 2 of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 or Skilled Teaser Miss Takagi has ended, ok so if you're Nishkata how would you get back at Takagi who has been teasing you for quite sometime??? Flip her skirt and see what color of panty she's wearing, pull a nasty prank at here by spiking her drink or food with some date rape drug, splash her with some cold water or just tell her that she fat and needs to loose some weight.

Unfortunately for Niskata he was just too damn stupid, that he seems to be a glutton for punishment, cu'z ... he just keeps on making all kinds of lame strategies that always end in failure, so how do I rate this mediocre anime?????

Story- Mediocre 5: Everything about it was just as usual, the same Takagi teasing Nishkata, Niskata being the usual sucker, the 3 girls Mina, Sanae, and Yukari who basically represent this anime's slice of life segment, not even the addition of new love birds Hamaguchi and Hujou hardly make any difference with this anime's story plot.

Art- Mediocre 5: The only changes around here was the uniform, were we see them characters in their winter outfit , but there was that one time Mina in a hot yellow bikini in her dream sequence and that's as good as it gets.

Sound- Mediocre 5: I got nothing to say.

Character- Mediocre 5: The same Takagi who still teases Nishkata, Nishkata being the usual sucker, the same 3 girls with their own segment , the addition of two new lover birds Hamaguchi and Hujou were just the extension of Mano and Nakai.

Enjoyment-Mediocre 5: Well given the predictability of the characters, there were some episodes that I've watched but there were some that I've skipped. I mean what's the point if if gonna be Niskata getting tease by Takagi

Overall - Mediocre 5: At one point this would have been good as a 3 episode OVA rather than a 2nd season, cu'z it was just boring that studio Shin-Ei Animation should've have not made a sequel when the manga has already ended. So just read the manga and you'll know how it ended.

Story of this anime is same with the first season, but some episode of this season make me think this season is better than the first season. Art of this anime is great. Opening, ending song of this anime good. Voice actors of this anime is great especially Rie Takahashi as Takagi.
Story of this season makes me impressed to Nishikata, character development of Nishikata in this season is outstanding for me. Nishikata does something really memorable for me in this season. Like the first season, simple story of this anime is very enjoyable.
Overall this anime is great, one of the best anime on summer ... 2019

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, but ... obviously 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

I think the only tease here is Shin-Ei Animation, and even then i want more.

Nishikata is not a typical dumb kid, they wrote the meaning for dumb for him. He is so dense to not only Takagi feelings, but his own. I feel the only way he is going to understand how he feels, is as if someone slaps him with it.

Takagi clearly knows what she wants. After two season she keeps the pace slow with them in order not to scare Nishikata.

The story it's self really pulls on those kid crushes we all had when we were kids.
everything they do together ... is sweet and innocent, and pulls on you heart strings. but i found the last two episodes i was more mad at Nishikata for how dense he was.

i loved the songs, like when Nishikata was cooking up a plan. The intro song was fantastic, that i let it play though instead of skipping like i normally do.

i feel that they are going to drag this out for 2 more seasons at this pace. If they make another season they need to wrap up this phase of their feelings. I know about their future thanks to google, so maybe we will see that instead.

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 does ... not 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.

I can’t explain how much you need to watch this show... Firstly the voice acting is just top tier, you legit got Megumin on here. The story even if it’s slow at sometimes, it certainly shines as a romance anime. The op is definitely memorable and fun. Characters are enjoyable and cute throughout the watch even the side characters have unique features that make them stick out. Karakai Jouzu No Takagi-san 2 is a fun watch that has heaps of rewatch value because of the dozens of cute and funny moments. Add this to your watch list now, you won’t regret it !!

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/or ... expanding 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:

“How has the relationship changed since the first meeting?”
“Has the characters perception of each other changed after spending a significant amount of time together?”
“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.

8/10 MUCH BETTER THAN SEASON 1!

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/or ... expanding 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.

I really love this anime it is really beautiful and realaxing. The tree scene almost made me cry ! I really found that those two became more mature and cute. Also I love how Takagi tries to show her love to nishikita but making it look like she's messing with him. The art is good and cute. The characters really matches and the music is just amazing ! The story is really chill and beautiful cause there's no Drama every body is very nice and funny and that makes me like all the characters. I love and I recommend the anime. I hope there ... will be a season 3 soon !

*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 style ... of 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

I love this anime and the story is very well told. The 2nd season is also better than the first, although it was already very good. The growing love between the two and that they express their feelings more and more is really nice to see. Please, please give us a 3rd season and even a 4th. I really like to follow the two of them as an anime and what will become of them when they are adults. Will they stay together or will they go their separate ways? Tell us in the form of the so lovingly designed Anime <3

This was such a huge step up from the 1st season, now don't get me wrong the first season was good too, like a 6. One problem i had with the 1st season was even though it was subtle, the teasing which was actually her Tagaki flirting, it was pretty boring to be real with you. The second season however blows the first one out of the water and really starts to lay down the spice. Never have i actually seen a Rom-com slice of life show go through such a good change of pace. So in this case this season was very good. I ... loved that it still kept Takagi's subtle way of flirting through teasing without making it boring, it was also better in terms of plot which had the festival episode obviously. Everything else stayed the same and finally they didn't cut off the story like they did back in season 1, now i get to see more of the mini stories and its great. Over all 8/10 and definitely waiting for a season 3.



P.S, i see some people have given this show about 1 or 2 because apparently her pretty obviously harmless teasing is somehow making Nishi depressed and suicidal?. Like shut the fuck up no. What a shitty take and over reaction for sure. absolutely just fucking dumb. Anyway i hope you liked my first review.

While technically this show is a sequel to the 2018 show of the same name, these 12 episodes repeat the same formula of the previous season. This is a positive in that the show is very easy to digest but at the same time, it also makes this season inferior to the previous season’s episodes. Especially by the middle of the show (episodes 5-8), the recurring formula of Nishikata challenging Takagi to contests in which he inevitably loses begin to feel like a gag, his bone-headed nature in refusing to admit to his feelings for Takagi starts to grate on the viewer and some skits ... are weak. On the positive side, it is Takagi who is the star of the show and how she plays Nishikata like a fiddle all the while trying to be as clear as she can be about how she feels (through playful banter and teasing, of course) can only be described as superb.

The final four episodes, thankfully, more than make up for the lack-luster middle section of the season. As the tension between the two leads simmers throughout the first eight episodes, Nishikata is finally forced to make a choice and the payoff is nothing less than stunning. So much so, that if a viewer purely desires to just get closure while eschewing all the character development and comedy – I’d recommend skipping the first eight episodes and jumping directly into the final four episodes.

So, would I recommend this show in its entirety? It depends. Much of the enjoyment of the show rests on how much the viewer can relate to Takagi while simultaneously tolerating Nishikata’s ineptitude. If the balance is in favor of Takagi over Nishikata, sure go ahead – you’re in for a ride. If not, this show is a dud. I personally found the final four episodes to be brilliant and it is for those episodes alone that I give the show a 7. Otherwise, this would have been a 5.

Now, if you would excuse me – I’m off to read the sequel to this series in which Nishikata and Takagi are married (finally!!!) and have an adorable four year old daughter.

This anime makes me sleepy while watching it. In season 2 it displays the same thing as the previous season. The comedy elements that are displayed are sometimes not funny, but there are also some that make me smile to myself. It doesn't matter.

This anime also makes me a little annoyed, annoyed because of Takagi's behavior. He teased Nishikata and had his own way, or it could be called a cunning way. And strangely, Nishikata is always shown losing when playing with Takagi, and Takagi always wins, which means Nishikata is always unlucky. There are ways that Takagi used to tease Nishikata. That's what made ... me a little annoyed with Takagi. Like Tom & Jerry, Jerry always wins against Tom, and Tom always gets bad luck when he faces Jerry. And this anime only shows scenes of Takagi's pranks with his strategy to face Nishikata. Usually 1 episode has 3 scenes, similar to the anime Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, Asobi Asobase, Kaguya-sama, and Nichijou. This anime is quite entertaining, but somehow I'm a little sleepy watching it, because the plot is too flat, and the comedy is also a bit crunchy. The story only focuses on the 2 couples, Takagi who likes Nishikata, but Nishikata is not sensitive at all. Even so, other characters are also shown and there are separate scenes. However, in season 2, there is a bit of conflict showing where Takagi is fighting with his mother about vacation issues, then Nishikata consoled her. The end of the episode is also made different, they all attend the festival. Quite interesting.

Graphics and animations that appear 'ordinary', nothing special. Naturally, because this is a slice of life anime, which doesn't require fantastic animation. No problem.

You can watch this for entertainment, it is even suitable for children. But don't expect more with this anime, because maybe some people will get bored watching it.