I have to say, Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san has really upped its game this season. Part of it is undoubtedly because the manga does improve as it progresses, because the story within it progresses. There’s just more to Takagi-san in later chapters than early ones, because the narrative builds on itself. But more than that I think the execution has been absolutely top-notch. Not only has the anime adapted a really strong selection of chapters, it’s added bits and pieces of original material that’s on par with the manga’s best, and even stitched them in with existing material.
It just so happen that this week adapts three of my favorite chapters. It starts with “Acchi, Muite, Hoi”, which while certainly the least of them, is still one of the stronger straight-up teasing chapters from the manga. It would be hard to overstate how eponymous Janken is among schoolkids in Japan, but A-M-H – a deceptively simple variation that seems dumb but is actually kind of intense – has gained a lot of traction in recent years. The notable thing here I suppose is that this is a perfect example of Takagi-san’s mystical ability to take any situation and tweak it into a double entendre of sorts.
“Worries” by contrast has no teasing in it whatsoever. And what’s notable here, I think, is that it’s a reminder that Nishikata’s essential nature is at the heart of both Takagi’s crush on him and her mastery of him in gamesmanship. Remember the nature of their first encounter – Nishikata went out of his way to return her handkerchief, getting himself in trouble (on his first day in junior high) as thanks for his trouble. He’s simply too kind for his own good, this kid – and it makes him an easy mark for Takagi in every sense of the word.
Normally we see this manifesting itself in her taking advantage of him in borderline cruel fashion, but here what’s striking is how impacted he is by the notion that something is off with her. In the final analysis it really isn’t any big deal – a petty fight between Takagi and her mom – but Nishi-kun basically can’t rest until he gets to the bottom of it. That whole business with the “surprise box” was a cute addition, but the real surprise for Takagi was that Nishikata tracked her down at the shrine just to make sure she was OK. Nishikata musing that there’s been some worth to making that surprise box even though it failed in teasing is one his most self-aware moments in the series.
Finally, we have “Messages” – which would definitely be on my shortlist for my favorite chapters in the manga. This is one of those “gossamer” scenarios where you can’t really explain why something is great, you just have to experience it and you’ll either get it or not. For me the charm level in this chapter is absolutely off the charts – the two of them are beyond adorable here as they play cat and mouse (that “steak/hearts/kiss” sequence had me ROFL from the moment I read it in the manga, and the anime improved on it) and flirt at the same time. I also love Kimura’s little dumbass interjections (and how Nishikata-kun looks up to him for his bakayarocity). And remember what I said a couple of week’s ago – when Takagi-san the character is blushing, you know Takagi-san the series is on its A-game…
parkagent
September 4, 2019 at 4:01 pmThis is impressive, 2 consecutive episodes with chapters I hoped to be included in S2 (last week’s “Lottery” became sort of a deep cut favorite when I first read it). Another proof that time flies ridiculously fast is that “Messages” came out when S1 was still airing. It was a great creative choice to adapt two of the most revered chapters back-to-back, both are incredibly sweet and definitely show a bit more humanity and vulnerability in Takagi-San that makes her less “invincible” or “unswerving” compared to her usual self. At the end of the day she’s just another girl in love but with a lot of composure. And Nishi-Kun may still be too young and naive to process/accept their growing mutual feelings, but showing concern for her well-being despite the mere idea of a tease-free day being like heaven to him in any other regular day means that he is already looking up to her as a close friend. Also, apparently, the calendars shown in the rooms had a Summer Festival date marked on them, following up the mention of it last episode. And lastly, a random memory I recalled when reading this is that in my city/schools we did refer to rock-paper-scissors as “Yan-Ken-Po” (at least with kids of my generation). It seems nobody was aware that we were technically saying it in Japanese.
Guardian Enzo
September 4, 2019 at 4:48 pmIn California especially, it’s quite popular to call Janken ”Rochambeau” which is an odd name whose connections to the game have never been verified (it doesn’t appear to have anything to do with the French general directly, though someone may have been trying to make that association).
I have a pretty clear idea of where the anime is going to finish the season and if it does, that ep will be quite a doozy. But if anything the Takagi-san franchise seems to be getting even more popular (a VR version is the next big project, though it’s being crowdsourced), so I expect this season won’t be the last.
parkagent
September 6, 2019 at 2:40 pmNever heard the term Rochambeau before, that is quite a weird alternate name for Janken. In addition to what I said before: in case there were 3 or more people and there was a disagreement on who’s going to do a task, we did a different hand game called “Fu-Man-Chu” (AKA Palm Up-Palm Down or something like that) until there’re only 2 people left to play a decider Janken. I actually found a link about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/tipofmytongue/comments/4wt9ex/tomt_hand_game_where_you_flip_hand_palm_facing_up/
After last week’s ep I sort of mapped out how the season would sweetly wrap up too. There was one recent chapter I initially thought it would get adapted near the end but now I have second thoughts. I kinda echo the statement of the series’ growth as the manga is now apparently being released outside of both the US and JPN. And wait, a VR project? Not too long ago I stumbled upon articles of the opening of a photo spot with a talking Takagi figurine in a Tokyo train station; a VR version goes a step further with the idea. Regardless if S2 has an open ending or not, the last few manga chapters make an eventual S3 quite plausible, although I’d wait for a bit more development to happen before it gets confirmed. Maybe late next year.
Looking up the other comments and remembering the lead VA’s involvement in those special chapters it is worth wondering what has been your impression of Rie Takahashi’s work in the show so far. For someone whom I haven’t heard as a lead in a show before she’s doing pretty well. It’s likely you haven’t heard her that often since her other work might be off your radar/tastes, which is quite understandable.
Guardian Enzo
September 6, 2019 at 2:52 pmI certainly like the work Takahashi is doing with the EDs. I’ve heard a fair bit of her over the last few years though, as you note, the majority of her major roles were in shows I dropped. She’s fine as Takagi – neither she or Kaji (obviously) would have been my first choices but they’re not ruining the show for me or anything. I find her Takagi to be a bit one note – she gets the arch side much better than the vulnerable side, IMHO. But within her range she’s perfectly competent.
Marty
September 5, 2019 at 3:28 amI like the fact Nishikata cannot enjoy a tease-free day if it means Takagi isn’t feeling well, that’s some honest and genuine caring right there.
I’m gonna be 100% honest here, besides the more physical elements of a relationship, it feels like Takagi and Nishikata are already a couple. Hell, they hang out together, text over the phone, and Nishikata even goes out of his way to comfort Takagi when he senses she’s troubled by something.
sonicsenryaku
September 5, 2019 at 6:33 amAnd that my friend, is the simple genius of this show: it accurately explores the burgeoning intimacy two adolescent kids in middle school experience through the lens of a simple gimmick as teasing. It’s ironic because the tool being used from Takagi to get Nishikata’s attention is immature but the relationship between them and how it has progressed is anything but.
Guardian Enzo
September 5, 2019 at 7:59 amThere’s no question that they’re a couple in everything but Nishikata’s own perception. All their friends know it, she knows it, he’s just still too immature to gronk the concept. But he did just turn 13 so it’s not surprising.
Also, someone on RC reminded me that “Messages” was the special chapter Kaji Yuuki wrote for the manga (Takahashi Rie wrote “Dodgeball”). Credit to him, it’s a great chapter. Since the seiyuu thing isn’t working out maybe he should write manga full-time.