Anime Reviews (2020s): Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie (2022)

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“Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie” is for those who want a fun and delightful series about first love. Two young kids, joking with each other, pranking each other but as they spend more time with each other, slowly discovering feelings that they are not quite sure about. And the film serves as a fitting conclusion that will leave many fans of the animated series, quite happy to see how these children progress through adulthood.Highly recommended!

Click here to purchase “Teasing Master Takagi-San the Movie” on Blu-ray

TITLE: Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie

DURATION: 72 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby True HD 5.1, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: February 28, 2023

Originally Created by Yamamoto Soichiro

Director: Akagi Hiroaki

Series Composition: Fukuda Hiroko

Music: Tsutsumi Hiroaki

Character Design: Takano Aya

Anime Production: Asmik Ace, Inc., Shin-Ei Animation

Featuring the following voice talent:

Kaji Yuuki/Aaron Dismuke as Nishikata

Takahashi Rie/Sarah Wiedenheft as Takagi

Okamoto Nobuhiko/Blake Shepard as Takao

Uchida Yuma/Chris Thurman as Nakai

Tadokoro Hinata/Cris George as Tanabe-sensei

Ochiai Fukushi/Jerry Jewell as Kimura

M.A.O./Kristen McGuire as Yukari

Ogura Yui/Kristi Rothrock as Sanae

Kohara Konomi/Leah Clark as Mina

Why did Takagi decide to start teasing Nishikata? Why did it take so long for him to realize that he liked her not-so-subtle attentions? It’s hard to say, but it’s clear that they were dancing around each other for quite a while before they could admit how they really felt. And now they’re taking care of a little one together! Okay, it’s a kitten, and it’s just until they can find a new home for it, but it’s still a lot of responsibility. It’s also one more way to learn about each other as they approach the end of their last summer in junior high. And yes, there’ll be more than just teasing… Whether it’s just catching fireflies or going to big festivals, it’s going to be a summer to remember in TEASING MASTER TAKAGI-SAN: THE MOVIE!

Mangaka Yamamoto Soichiro created the manga series “Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san” (Teasing Master Takagi-san).

An anime TV series adaptation by Shin-Ei Animation was created and broadcast from January through March 2018 and an OVA followed several months later.

The first season was also streamed on Crunchyroll and released on Blu-ray through Funimation, while the second season (2019) was on Netflix and has not been released on Blu-ray.

Sentai Filmworks acquired the rights for the third season which was broadcasted from January to March 2022 and also acquired the rights to the animated film which was screened in theaters in June 2022 and both have now been released on Blu-ray.

While the Japanese voice talent are consistent with all three seasons, for those who watched the English dub, the voice talent is different in season 2 (as it was a Netflix series and they use their pool of voice talent).

“Teasing Master Takagi-san” is a series about a middle-school student named Takagi and she sits next to Nishikata. Nishikata is always trying to find ways of getting back at Takagi for one-upping him and constantly teasing him in class (and in effect, getting him in trouble by their teacher Tanabe-sensei.

But in truth, the reason why Takagi tends to tease Nishikata is because she is in love with him and likes seeing his reaction to her. While Nishikata is quite oblivious but while he always wants to find ways to one-up her, he wonders why she likes spending time with him. He wonders if it is to tease him?

But what happens when these two start spending more time together?

This has been the ongoing story on the TV series and now the storyline culminates in the final story as the two grow closer as they become parents to a kitten they found.

But because of this experience, it brings Takagi and Nishikata closer together. What will happen to these two individuals as the grow up into adulthood?

As for the animation, the film is colorful and vibrant.. Character design is good, especially art backgrounds that are well-painted. If there is one thing that I found quite different, it was the the voice acting.

With the Japanese voice acting, it seemed age appropriate for middle-schoolers. For the Japanese soundtrack, Takagi and Nishikata voice talent sound their age, while the English dub, they sound like older teenagers or college kids. I have since grown accustom to the English dub and it grew on me and I like it!

As for special features, this is a bare-bones release. There are no special features aside from the Japanese promo.

Overall, “Teasing Master Takagi-san the Movie” is for those who want a fun and delightful series about first love. Two young kids, joking with each other, pranking each other but as they spend more time with each other, slowly discovering feelings that they are not quite sure about. And the film serves as a fitting conclusion that will leave many fans of the animated series, quite happy to see how these children progress through adulthood.

Highly recommended!

Click here to purchase “Teasing Master Takagi-San the Movie” on Blu-ray

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