A Better Version of An Already Great Series
- Episodes : 1
- Genre : Comedy, School Life, Romance, Shounen
- Airing Date : Jun 2022
- Producers : TOHO Animation
Contains Spoilers
Introduction and Story (No Spoilers)
There have been three seasons of Teasing Master Takagi-san aired between 2018 and 2022. They all follow a relatively similar formula, with some tweaks and improvement in every new season, and yet the fans can’t seem to get enough of this heartwarming series. That’s why even though we already had a remarkable third season back in early 2022, TOHO animation decided to spoil the fans with another helping of this series in the form of a feature film. This is the review for the first ever Teasing Master Takagi-san Movie.
Discussion Time
To third year students like Takagi and Nishikata, the upcoming summer vacation will be their last one in middle school. After that, they will have to think about their future. Close friends might attend a different high school, and some might even go to the big city to get into a better school. That’s why, even though summer vacation has always been a joyful moment for these students, there’s an unmistakable melancholic feeling in the air.
The same feelings are also nesting in Takagi and Nishikata’s hearts. Will this be their last summer vacation together? Will they stay as friends till the end? Will everything change or will it remain the same? All of these thoughts weigh heavily in their hearts.
As Takagi and Nishikata look for an excuse that will allow them to meet every day during this last summer vacation, they stumble upon an abandoned kitten. They feel immediately attached to this white bundle of cuteness. After spending quite some time to find the cat’s mother to no avail, they decide to take care of it together. And so begins a summer that will decide the course of their lives forever.
1. A Simple And Heartwarming Story
Teasing Master Takagi-san always prides itself in telling a simple and straightforward story. Even the set up and the punchline is always the same. Nishikata challenges Takagi in a game that he thinks he could win, and still Takagi manages to come up with a way to not only beat Nishikata, but also tease him and make him blush.
And yet after three seasons and a movie, this simple formula still works like a charm. The wholesome story will still warm your tired and jaded heart. This movie cemented Teasing Master Takagi-san’s spotless reputation as one of the rare anime that you can always count on to bring a genuine smile to your face.
2. A Continuous And Impactful Story
The overwhelming majority of Teasing Master Takagi-san’s episodes consist of two or three short stories about Takagi and Nishikata’s pranks and challenges. It might sound formulaic and repetitive on paper, but as mentioned in the previous section, these episodes will never fail to warm your heart and make you smile.
However, they decided to do things differently in this movie. Rather than the usual episodic formula, this movie tells one continuous narrative instead. This decision makes this movie stand out from all of the previous seasons, and it also makes the story so much more impactful to the viewers.
3. Great Character Development
To continue from the last point, the episodic nature of Teasing Master Takagi-san can also be considered to be its biggest weakness. Because while it allows the series to present different wholesome moments in every episode, it prevents the story from giving any meaningful development to its characters.
The continuous nature of this movie completely erases that issue. As we see Takagi and Nishikata’s interactions throughout the last summer of their middle school lives, we finally get to witness their development as characters. Rather than Takagi’s usual cheekiness, we can see her being anxious here. Rather than Nishikata’s usual bashfulness, we can also see him trying to steel himself and be brave.
1. Slow Paced Romance
If there’s anything in this movie, or in the entire Teasing Master Takagi-san catalog for that matter, that might put some anime viewers off, it’s the fact that it's a slow-paced romance story. If you prefer a fast-paced story where everything develops in a flash, then this one might not be for you. Other than that, there really aren’t many bad things that can be said about this movie.
Final Thoughts
Teasing Master Takagi-san has always been a special wholesome series that can bring joy to your weary heart. This movie is the improved version of the series. It tells an interesting, continuous story, offers a great character development, and still showcases a wholesome and heartwarming tale. Even if this style of story is not your cup of tea, we still urge you to give this movie a try.
Have you watched the Teasing Master Takagi-san Movie? If you have, what do you think about it? Let us know in the comment section below.
Author: Harry
