I don’t doubt that what one thinks of Karaki Jouzu no Takagi-san is going to depend on what you think is going on behind that twinkle in Takagi’s eyes. It’s not so much a question of what Takagi’s motivation is per se – I think even to new viewers, that’s probably pretty obvious at this point. It’s more a matter of method than anything, and I for one wouldn’t argue with anyone who struggles to embrace this series for that reason, because for a while I did myself. I can’t point to exactly when in the story that hurdle was crossed for me, but it definitely was – mostly.
This week’s first chapter is a pretty good capsule version of that dilemma. Here we have Nishikata-kun held behind at the end of school to clean the science room as punishment for making too much noise – noise he makes because Takagi-san teases him mercilessly. This is, unquestionably, her fault. But she stays behind after class to help, implying (though not saying) she’s being punished too (though she’s not). That seems kind, but is she doing it because she feels guilty or simply because she wants alone time with Nishikata? Doubling-down on moral obfuscation she ends up tricking him (Janken is rife with possibilities for messing with people’s heads) into cleaning the entire room himself anyway. But she did keep him company…
Dammit, this girl is a puzzle – and maybe it isn’t a matter of trying to figure out which motive is driving her, but accepting that it’s some combination of all of them. Takagi-san is good at teasing, no question – but what I think she’s really good at is manipulating, and unfortunately Nishikata-kun is as straightforward as they come, which makes him an easy mark. When she muses on Nakai and Mano going up to the roof, it’s not a question of either she wants to mess with Nishikata or she’s genuinely jealous of them “enjoying their youth” – it’s both. With Takagi-san, it’s always both.
I suppose one could ask how it was Takagi-san knew to wear shorts on that walk home – I’ve given up on questions like that, on the assumption that giant forehead is where her esper lobe is located. Next day in school, Nishikata comes in wearing a mask, as he’s caught a cold (naturally Takagi-san guesses why) – I guess this is just the week for anime colds – and this almost seems to present a dilemma for Takagi-san. Whether she actually hesitates to tease Nishikata when he’s sick is an open question, I think. I do know that she would have been more than happy to have him use the comeback he’d prepared for her thanks to “100% Unrequited Love”.
Finally, we have a convergence of the parent and daughter series, as the “Ashita wa Doyoubi” girls run into Takagi and Nishikata-kun at the candy store on the way home. This daffy trio is amusing in short bursts as they’re used here. Mina (Kohara Konomi is really a talented seiyuu) is mainly interested in popsicles and Sanae in teasing Mina, but Yukari is already looking longingly across the gulf to adulthood, and she notes how lucky Takagi and Nishikata are. While she’s planning to apologize to Takagi-san for intruding (the girls decide to follow the happy couple home) in truth Takagi-san has, as ever, turned the situation to her advantage by manouvering Nishikata into close quarters to hide from them. This, for once, is an instance where Takagi-san’s motivations aren’t the least bit difficult to discern…
sonicsenryaku
January 30, 2018 at 2:20 amyup; definitely seeing threads of these two’s relationship slowly but surely changing from just teasing as it’s really starting to look like their going out; I don’t blame the supporting cast for thinking that’s case. One thing i won’t deny is that Takagi is a very manipulative person; scarily so even. The difference here though is that it never feels like it comes at the expense of twisting Nishikata’s cognitions for the purpose of taking advantage of him. Nishikata’s big flaw is that while he wants the teasing to cease, he perpetuates the cycle by becoming so embroiled in getting back at Takagi, often becoming the instrument to his own folly, substantiating the argument that he is just as much at fault.
I guess you could look at it from the viewpoint that Nishikata is damned either way, which ultimately makes him a victim. If he does nothing to provoke Takagi, she’ll tease him regardless, forcibly embarrassing him against his will despite him relinquishing himself of any instigative actions. This involuntarily puts him within the irritant cross hairs of his teachers, which is detrimental for his class image as it gives him a bad reputation with the teachers and colors Takagi’s actions as being a bit reprehensible. As some may say, trolling for the shits and giggles is not cool. If he tries to get revenge on Takagi, she turn the tables on him and makes him look like an idiot, resulting in a depreciation of his self-esteem and as with the first scenario, Nishikata spirals deeper in trouble with his superiors. While he brings this one upon himself with this scenario, the fact that he loses to Takagi and the potential damage it may have on his self-esteem don’t seem like positive outcomes to be had just because a girl likes you. Again, damned if he fights back, damned if he doesn’t.
What’s more, what I think may make this whole relationship between Takagi and Nishikata come off as unsettling for some is if you look at it from the angle of a girl who just wants to experience what it feels like to be infatuated with someone and has picked a target that she perceives as being adorably spineless enough to manipulate into becoming her experimental boyfriend. After all, this is the time where kids start to get curious as to what it’s like to spend time with someone or to experience the sensation of having a boyfriend/girlfriend. I mean we’re 4 eps in and just look at what she’s been able to accomplish: Takagi has got Nishikata in a routine of walking home with her; they kind of hang out after school, they conversate outside of class; it’s almost as if everything is all going according to plan. Tease him a little bit to get his attention, throw some sweet sentiments his way here and there to make his young male mind overflow with hormones and dissonance regarding his actions; get him in trouble and then use that opportunity to spend quality time with him all for the sake of making herself become familiar with him by proximity. It’s all very calculated and it makes you wonder whether any other kid, wimpy or not, would have fit the metaphorical bill of being the target of her supposed affections.
Aha; but there it is; that’s the part of the narrative that begins to show its layers and it’s that part that makes me understand why you, Enzo said that it took a while for you to be in the camp that you’re currently in. I assume that it’s when you noticed this layer of the writing; this mesodermal nuance in the growth of their relationship, that the conceit of the manga clicked with you and you were sold.
For me, this is what i meant when i said earlier that Takgi’s manipulation never feels like it is meant to take advantage of Nishikata. Takagi’s character is the type that likes to fuck around (that sounds a bit dirty), particularly with Nishikata’s head (oooo even more dirty); it makes life interesting and fun and exciting for her (Okay ill stop). That’s why she stated in the second ep that she wants to preserve the status quo between them. Nishikata, while seemingly spineless on the outside, has enough tenacity to want to go up against Takagi’s brilliance and it’s that tug of war dynamic between them that facilitates the attraction brewing within their little hearts.
Takagi has the looks and the brains; she could probably manipulate another wimpy kid easily if that’s all she was after; instead, she hounds Nishikata because he’s the one she likes; it has to be him, nobody else. We see it this episode with her dismay that Nishikata might not be coming to school; the relief on her face when he does walk through the doors, and her touching concern when she thinks he’s too sick to tease. She doesn’t tease him with the idea of wanting to make him miserable, but to get closer and understand him. When everything is all said and done, this isn’t some curious ploy conjured up by a devious girl to see what “youth feels like” by cherry-pickng some random schmuck; this is a girl who’s genuinely interested in this one guy and has a cheeky way of going about it. Takagi is quite the poker player; she puts her ass on the line quite often when making her gambles with Nishikata and sets up some daring 50/50’s. More often than not, she tells him what her hand looks like; however, rather than just believing her and playing his potentially winning hand, he decides to fold instead, thinking that there’s no way her hand is as transparently average as she’s making it out to be (at least with some of her pranks; other times she just has a royal straight flush, no questions about it). There were quite a few times when Takagi put herself in a compromising position were Nishikata could have made her vulnerable, but as it is with this kid, he overthinks everything and begets his downfall.
My feeling is that as the story moves along, we start to see their romance nurture into something more tangible and rewarding and as ive said since ep 1. I’m on board. As I’ve said before, I can see how some may be rubbed the wrong way by their antics, but with some deft writing, i think this series avoided the pitfalls it could have easily fallen into.
Guardian Enzo
January 30, 2018 at 7:58 amThat’s a long comment and I’m at work, so I can’t respond to all the bits and pieces as I’d like to right now. Suffice to say I agree with most of it, but there are a couple of things that I might quibble with.
What does stand out to me, though, is just how much nuance there is to this premise, to Takagi’s character, and to her relationship with Nishikata. It seems very simple and straightforward, a manifestation of the title, but there’s much more going on here – and it’s subject to a lot of interpretation.
sonicsenryaku
January 30, 2018 at 6:57 pmA part of me wonders if it was the intention of the author for there to be this level of interpretation to the relationship between these two. I’m sure he/she wanted it the narrative to be outwardly cute, but did he/she also plan on infusing the story with this level of gray? A part of me wants to say yea because it would be in line with Takagi’s naturally duplicitous behavior and the nuances of her actions. That this is a story reflecting the middle school experiences of the author and now he/she looks fondly back at the memories of his/her time during middle school. Perhaps there was someone who was like Takagi the author personally interacted with and that even though he/she may have perceived that person’s actions in the way Nishikata currently does, looking back at those days with a maturer perspective has lead to the author feeling more positive about it. It is perhaps then that this new found positivity the author has is what we’re meant to see and it is this aspect that is meant to facilitate the cutesy and harmless feel of this series’ premise. Then again this could be completely unintentional and the author just thinks a girl bullying a guy is cute (Again, i don’t see it as bullying but a case could definitely for it) and she should be absolved of all responsibility so as long as she likes you. I don’t think that’s the case but hey, I could be giving the author too much credit. It just feels to me that there’s more pointing to the former being the case than the latter.
Guardian Enzo
January 30, 2018 at 8:01 pmA part of me wonders if it was the intention of the author for there to be this level of interpretation to the relationship between these two. I’m sure he/she wanted it the narrative to be outwardly cute, but did he/she also plan on infusing the story with this level of gray?
Yes.
I mean, to me, as someone up to date with the manga, I firmly believe that. But I’d also say he intended for that to evolve somewhat over the course of the series.