Season 1 |
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Episode Guide
Episode 1 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 2 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 3 -| Review Score – 3/5
Episode 4 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 5 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 6 -| Review Score – 4/5
Episode 7 -| Review Score – 3.5/5
Episode 8 -| Review Score – 4/5
Teasing Master Takagi-san is a super cute and adorable show on the blossoming friendship between middle-school classmates, Takagi and Nishikata. Based on the manga, Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san which already has an anime adaptation, the J-drama follows the same story of Takagi constantly teasing Nishikata while hiding her crush on him.
Meanwhile, all that goes on in an oblivious Nishikata’s head is how he can get revenge on Takagi. However, every time he tries to prank her, she is 2 steps ahead.
Season 1 stars child actors Tsukishima Rui as Takagi and Kurokawa Souya as Nishikata. Along with them, the rest of the cast includes the likes of Eguchi Yosuke, Morinaga Rea, Kawajiri Takuya, Hayase Ikoi, Nagahara Ryoto and Ichimura Yuta.
Teasing Master Takagi-san is one of the best J-dramas of the year, especially if you have been missing the slice-of-life, easygoing shows that defined J-dramas in the 2010s. Well, this one has it all from cheerful, pop ballads that set the tone to a scenic landscape as the story is set on an island which isolates our characters from the harsh reality.
Here, Nishikata’s biggest problem is one-upping Takagi, the biggest prankster of their class. Meanwhile, Takagi reminds us of our teen years when we hid our crushes by teasing them.
But don’t be fooled by these episodic stories as Teasing Master Takagi-san Season 1 also has the underlying motif of adolescent kids slowly phasing out their mean nature and genuinely accepting their feelings. We see this with Nishikata, who may act immature but doesn’t shy from affection.
By the end of the J-drama, when the story turns bittersweet, the pranks get replaced by heartfelt moments as both Nishikata and Takagi finally drop their facades and show how much the other person means to them. This elevates the show from just a kid’s comedy as it puts on display the sincerity of teenagers which is often overlooked because of the stereotype that people are usually rebellious and mischievous at that age.
And this complexity of Season 1 is brought to life by the child actors as Tsukishima Rui finds the right balance of prankster and a girl in love with how she portrays Takagi. Of course, a special shoutout goes to Kurokawa Souya, who after a standout performance in Koreeda’s Monster, unsurprisingly brings his A-game as Nishikata. Taking a page out of Emilia Clarke’s playbook of eyebrow acting, his Nishikata going through a broken heart will have you bawling in the finale.
Well, the J-drama was on everyone’s radar after the popular manga announced its live adaptations. Along with the TV series, the same creators are helming a movie on the manga with the same name which will serve as a sequel to the J-drama and is set 10 years later. Looks like Teasing Master Takagi-san is the gift that keeps on giving.
While the TV series works as a sweet stand-alone with themes of friendship, accepting one’s feelings, hidden crushes and first love, we won’t mind a continuation of their story. But we will miss the child actors who put their heart and soul into the characters and brought them to life.
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Verdict - 7.5/10
7.5/10