Cheat code alert.
Being the sort of series it is, it’s inevitable that Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san would have had a Valentine’s Day chapter. In fact it’s has several over the years, mainly short omake-type storylines. But what we got here was mostly an anime invention, though it did incorporate some elements from those manga chapters. That was also inevitable – the anime is all about creating season-ending drama, and the manga isn’t really wired that way. It took a seed that was planted with another original plotline (the culture festival/play) and bloomed it here, in order to set up next week’s finale.
These original episodes are quite consistent, in fact (though I thought the art style was a bit unusual this week). Consistently good, happily, but also consistent in terms of tone and structure. They’re all about taking what’s implied in the manga and making it explicit in the anime. Takagi herself is the most noticeable change, as she’s much more vulnerable in these cheat code episodes. This one in fact was basically express-made to show her vulnerable side – Nishikata-kun gets a bunch of honmei chocolate in his shoe locker. The idea is that he’s gotten a gaggle of 1st-year admirers after his role as the frog prince (though it was Shibasaki (ROFL) who was the actual target recipient for his portrayal of the dog.
As I’ve said, I think Nishi and Takagi-san are more or less in-character in these originals – they’re just amplified and simplified. Nishi’s consternation over this incident goes beyond the obvious fear of embarrassment – he feels genuinely guilty over having received hommei choco from someone other than Takagi. And she would absolutely be bummed by this – it’s just that in the manga she’d hide it a lot better. The episode incorporate some of Yamamoto’s Valentine’s material with the “niboshi” – gag – he absolutely loves wordplay and puns, and the whole talking with numbers thing is a classic middle school time-waster.
The anime also tends to make use of the supporting cast somewhat more than the manga does, and so it is here. The Yukari crew (their manga role is mostly segregated into their spinoff) gets an appearance here with the “Bonds” bit, but it’s really Hamaguchi and Houjou who see the biggest jump in focus. Tsun-chan and Tsun-kun are a natural focus for a “serious” Valentine’s Day story. Here, he sees her buying ingredients for homemade chocolate in the supermarket and is dismayed when she gives him a giri bar instead (and a cheap one, too). The reason is the Occam’s Razor one – she burned her own creation – but the payoff off the two of them with their little smiles when it was resolved was pretty darn adorable.
Tsun-kun will be heard from again in an important way, but before then there’s still the matter of Nishikata and Takagi settling things. He even comes up with a plan to throw a contest (as if that would ever be necessary) to give himself a reason to tell her about the chocolate. This is as cheat code as Takagi-san gets – she’s too morose to even tease Nishikata-kun or try and win the eraser content (which gets kiboshed when he gets in trouble with the teacher anyway). Eventually Takagi messages Nishikata to meet her at the shrine so she can come clean (he’s already there) and everything is out in the open. That’s about as “relationship” as it comes.
It’s Hamaguchi who provides the pretext for the finale. He declares that he’s finally going to officially confess to Houjou – which isn’t that much of a shocker – but he also challenges Nishi that he has to do the same. It’ll be interesting to see how the anime finesses that – it’ll be wholly original or close to it. It’ll also be interesting to see where it leaves matters, because if we get a really concrete resolution, that would imply that this might be the actual series finale. The original manga is still ongoing (as is “Moto” of course), and there’s no obvious reason to think the adaptation would stop short, but I’ll definitely be reading the tea leaves next week.
Marty
March 20, 2022 at 2:50 amAnime original or not, I appreciate the fact that basically everyone in their circle knows that Takagi and Nishikata like each other, but the boi remains too dense (or maybe embarrassed by the idea), in the manga at least, to go forward with such massive development. I’m really curious how the anime will handle this, specially with the upcoming movie.
Guardian Enzo
March 20, 2022 at 8:38 amThe power of the 13 (or 14 in the anime for some reason) year-old boy to self-deceive is not to be underestimated. He knows, but getting himself to acknowledge it is hard.
Krembosnik
March 20, 2022 at 3:27 amThat was a complete banger of a cliffhanger ending. Didn’t expect Takagi-San of all series to pull off something like this. There was some low-key expectations for “Confession” to be eventually adapted, but certainly not in that intense way! Guess it’s going to have a lot of substantial expansions next week, just like many previous adaptations of key manga chapters.
Also, when the first details (images and synopsis) from the episode were revealed on Thursday, there was some genuine concern (or maybe in a jokingly way, who knows) by some over Takagi’s muted expression, attitude and jealousy being handled in a way that makes her some kind of Yandere. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, as it was way too far fetched to being with, and this episode’s original material maintained the spirit of the series while adding their usual substantial additions. Though Takagi admitting that she couldn’t have taken the notion of Nishi mentioning those other chocolates to her any well, and her fear of acting or doing something mean-spirited out of jealousy again definitely humanized her quite a lot. The semi-finale of our couple in the shrine where they made up and cleared everything up wasn’t exactly on par with the major final segments of the season, but it’s still just as sweet and comforting. All of this being a mere misunderstanding was the right call btw, as the show really doesn’t need a dramatic twist like other girls secretly crushing on Nishi that far into the season, especially with how relatively drama-free it typically is.
Not sure how to expect for the finale. Imo the 2nd PV already made it look like it’s the final season of at least their middle school years. As a possible nod to the very first chapter, we got another contest involving erasers this week; and Takagi’s dream from EP1 already featured a confession scene to boot. So Nishi confessing either next week or in the movie (it seems it’s going to be about a summer road trip that they’ll do in their 3rd year!) would really bring actual closure to their youth story and bring everything full circle. And there’s still the teased adaptation of their indirect childhood backstory chapter that is so prevalent in the current Opening (maybe for the first or middle segment from next week?). Lastly, I really hope either EP12 or the movie teases a future Moto adaptation as a “spiritual season 4”. My bet is on a chapter 31 adaptation at the end of the movie that perfectly sets up a Moto anime.
Rob Barrett
March 22, 2022 at 6:30 amI just wanted to thank our gracious host for reviewing this series and thus letting me know it exists. It’s truly wonderful. (I did subsequently go and read a big swath of the manga, and I think the anime actually does a better job with the material.)
Guardian Enzo
March 22, 2022 at 7:57 amYou’re welcome – that’s why I do this, basically.