Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san Movie

This movie left a void in my soul, because it marked the ending of the anime franchise for the foreseeable future. Anyone who likes Takagi-san should continue the anime and watch all the way up until this point, it was and is very worth it. If you haven't seen any of it then I advise you to start from the first season, and work your way up from there until watching this after season 3. I rarely cry at media, but I was bawling by the end of certain scenes and got very emotional.

Alright, on to the general review stuffs.

Story: This movie deviates from ... the typical nature of the seasons (i.e. not having multiple chapters per episode), rather, this movie is showing and telling one continuous story as it progresses. It was neither simplistic nor complex in my opinion; tropes were sparingly used, or at least I didn't catch any when watching. I found myself unable to predict what was going to happen / where or when Nishikata was going to confess (if he was at all). The comedy in this anime was funny and the suspense was light. The ending of the movie was satisfying; the characters we follow throughout all have resolutions at the end, although one side couple is left open-ended. I don't think that hurts the movie at all, though, in fact it invites even more thought afterwards.

Art: The art was crisp and the animations were smooth. It was very similar to season 3, which makes sense because this movie was released a few months after it. The art style is also just as fitting for the story told as it has always been. The art style and animation since season 1 has gotten even better as well. Backgrounds were done really well; always quite detailed but never taking away from the stories being told throughout.

Music: I have personally always thought the OST was superb in this anime, but the movie really stepped this up a notch and did not fail to deliver for me. Each choice matched the vibe of the scene they were used in very well (often enhancing them, even), and transitions between music were seamless as always. I watched this with subtitles for Japanese, and Rie Takahashi excelled like always at voicing Takagi-san. This makes sense, since the mangaka has stated before that he cannot imagine Takagi being voiced by anyone other than Takahashi.

Enjoyment: I think other people would absolutely enjoy this anime as a whole, just as aforementioned do not start here. I would even go as far as to say that people who do not typically watch anime might enjoy this. It is devoid of anime tropes (such as fanservice / ecchi) that may look hella weird to the general public. I would rewatch this movie in the future; it was very enjoyable and a good way to end the anime, and I think I may notice things I did not notice before as a result. I would like to collect the manga in both English and Japanese to support the mangaka. Speaking of the manga, the manga continues after the movie ends. I have heard that some scenes in the manga are better across the franchise, but as I feel that is typically the case because of time constraints when adapting, it does not take away from the movie for me personally. I will constantly remember and reflect on this in the future. If you read this far, thank you for your time and you should watch this movie.

As a fan of Teasing Master Takagi-san, I was thoroughly invested in the show and its wonderful cast of characters. The series had brought me immense joy and laughter throughout its run.

However, I couldn't help but feel disappointed by the final movie.

While I appreciated the animation and music, the rushed conclusion left me feeling unsatisfied. I had hoped for a more fleshed-out conclusion to Takagi-san and Nishikata's romantic journey. The movie skipped over crucial moments, leaving me with unanswered questions and a sense of disappointment. I had built up hopes for the ending from the author, but it ended so abruptly that all those ... expectations went to waste.

I had particularly looked forward to more of Takagi-san's teasing during the wedding scene. I had imagined her playfully teasing Nishikata as they exchanged vows, or perhaps a sweet kiss between the two. However, the movie failed to deliver on these expectations, leaving me feeling let down and unfulfilled.

Despite this disappointment, I still hold a deep appreciation for the show as a whole. The creators brought the characters to life with such depth and nuance, and I will always cherish the memories of watching it. While the journey may not have ended the way I had hoped, the emotions and experiences that the show evoked will stay with me for a long time to come

All three seasons of the anime were very good, but this movie failed miserably to deliver what it should have. While some people may disagree with me, I feel compelled to express my overwhelmingly negative feelings about it. I recommend that people simply read the final 2-3 chapters of the manga, which offer a far better ending to the series.

The anime "Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san" boasts exceptional art, solid direction, and great music. It may not be the funniest anime, but it captures the joyfulness of the characters, and had me cheering for Nishikata every step of the way in his interactions with Takagi. The ... lighthearted and charming dynamic between Nishikata and Takagi was the highlight of the entire anime.

This movie was supposed to conclude the series, provide entertainment, and allow everyone to witness the long-awaited confession from Nishikata. Unfortunately, it veered off course.

Issue 1: She is not Takagi.
Takagi-san is the reason people watch the anime. She is cute, smart, calm, and mysterious. Some of the best moments in the anime are when Nishikata surprises Takagi and breaks her usual poker-face smile. However, this movie didn't showcase the Takagi we know. She didn't tease Nishikata even once after the main plot began. Every trace of the Takagi we adore was absent; she wasn't smart, calm, or mysterious like the Takagi we once knew. If she were a generic anime girl, it would be fine, but she is the TEASING MASTER Takagi-san, so it's not!

Issue 2: The awful confession.
The past 3 seasons were building for this moment, and the confession ending is incredibly lackluster. For those who have seen it, it's like if, in "Love is War," Shirogane confessed to Shinomiya after she was attacked by a group of thugs, and his confession sounded like, "Oh, I will protect you!!!".
Instead of having a grandiose and flashy confession like "Love is War" or a fun and cute confession as the anime ALWAYS did, the movie chose to have Nishikata confess in sadness and sorrow. The confession lacked teasing, fun, blushing, character dynamics, challenges between them, and everything that made the original anime enjoyable. It felt like the director didn't want to make a Takagi movie. They wrote a lazy, uninspired, generic ending without any consideration for why people liked the anime in the first place.

In conclusion, while this anime boasts good art, music and it's still Takagi, the lazy ending, uncharacteristic character portrayals, a dull main plot, slow sub-plot, and the disappointing confession are all too significant to ignore. If you haven't watched it yet or disagree with my assessment, I recommend revisiting the original anime, reading the manga's ending, and forming an objective view of this movie without letting your appreciation of the original three seasons interfere with your judgment.

Imagine how much better this movie could have been if they cared about what makes this anime great.

That's why, in my opinion, this movie is subpar and deserves no more than a 4/10 rating. I can't fathom why so many people liked it.