Childhood is a time to cultivate memories. From sharing laughs to discovering first love, adolescence is meant to be cherished. Teasing Master Takagi-san is a slice-of-life anime that captures the complicated feelings those years can bring. This anime and manga are for those who occasionally need a reminder to laugh at themselves. To get started with this heartfelt tale of youthful days, here's a guide to the plot of Teasing Master Takagi-san and where to find the anime and manga.
The Plot of Teasing Master Takagi-san
Teasing Master Takagi-san follows the daily lives of classmates Nishikata and Takagi. Though Nishikata wants to pass his school days peacefully, he finds himself falling for the many jokes played on him by Takagi, the girl who sits next to him. Each episode is segmented, highlighting the various ways Takagi embarrasses Nishikata. Sometimes she may trick him into believing she's hypnotized. Other days, she may force him to admit his love of romance manga. No matter her method, Takagi takes every opportunity available to turn Nishikata's face red.
Though he often tries to retaliate, Takagi's shrewd ways allow her to counter Nishikata every time. But while her gags leave him feeling humiliated for a time, they are never done with malice. Her expression brightens up when she sees him blush, laughing at the realization he has lost again. More than anything, she loves seeing him get flustered at her simple yet flirtatious suggestions, like walking together under an umbrella or sharing an indirect kiss via soda can. It's enough to make Nishikata (and the audience by extension) wonder: does Takagi actually have a crush on him? Or is she simply messing around?
Where to Read the Teasing Master Takagi-san Manga
Written by Soichiro Yamamoto, Teasing Master Takagi-san first appeared as a serialized manga in Shogakukan's Monthly Shounen Sunday magazine. In addition to the main series, which currently spans 16 volumes, Takagi-san has spawned three spin-offs. The first two, titled Tomorrow Is Saturday and Yukari-chan in Love With Love, surround the antics of Takagi and Nishikata's classmates Mina Hibino, Yukari Tenkawa and Sanae Tsukimoto. The third spin-off, Teasing Master (Former) Takagi-san, follows Takagi and Nishikata's relationship as adults.
As of this writing, only the main series has received an official English translation. The ongoing manga is being localized by Yen Press and can be purchased physically from major book retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Right Stuf Anime. Digital versions can be found through Bookwalker, Amazon's Kindle store or Comixology.
Where to Watch the Teasing Master Takagi-san Anime
In August 2017, Monthly Shounen Sunday magazine announced an anime adaptation for Teasing Master Takagi-san was in production. The series aired in January of 2018 with a 12-episode season, which was followed up by an equally long Season 2 in July 2019.
Tracking down all of Teasing Master Takagi-san feels like being subjected to a prank as well. Season 1 is available with original Japanese audio on Crunchyroll, where it was simulcasted during its initial run. Despite the website listing subbed and dubbed options, however, it appears to only have the subtitled version at this time.
While Funimation also has streaming rights for Season 1, Episodes 3-12 and all Japanese episodes are locked as subscriber exclusives on the platform. Netflix picked up Season 2 under its "original series" billing, granting it unique possession over these episodes and producing its own English dub with a completely different voice cast from Funimation's Season 1 dub.
Meanwhile, Season 3 of Teasing Master Takagi-san is currently in production. While no official broadcast date has been announced, it is expected in January 2022. It's unclear which streaming service will be licensing Season 3. Likewise, Netflix's tendency to release anime series in bulk calls the likelihood of a simulcast into question, though this model may be changing. A theatrical film was also teased in the same trailer, leaving Takagi-san fans and newcomers alike with much to look forward to.
