In the moment you encounter that special someone everything else is rendered obsolete. In this encounter the world around you the people in your life and the things they demand of you all lose meaning. Your attention belongs to that special someone and no other. Time itself ceases to move as your encounter unfolds when that special someone carries on a conversation with you it feels as if itll last forever. Your heart races pulsating as if itll spring forth from your chest at any given time. Your nerves quiver the butterflies fluttering freely inside your body. Your vision blurs and your face crimsons the blood coursing through your head at an alarming rate. Clouded by a whirlwind of strange thoughts emotions and instincts you react to this encounter in a completely different fashion than you would in any other situation. The ideas you contemplate the things you say and the actions you create are a jumbled mess shaken and stirred by the heat of the moment. Just as the conversation is gathering steam that special someone departs from you and the encounter concludes. Time has moved forward again. While youre mostly relieved to distance yourself from the situation theres a part of you that pleads to return to that brief encounter that yearns to conversate with that special someone that fantasizes of losing yourself in the moment once more. For those that have become infatuated with a crush for those that are adjusting to their feelings of attraction for another for those that are stumbling their way into their first relationship Skilled Teaser Takagisan is a reflection of their lives their own romantic endeavors manifesting themselves on a grand scale. As this show ignites and refines the chemistry between its two protagonists Nishitaka and Takagi it reveals its understanding of relationships and the intricacies they possess. Subdued in its tone and serene in its outlook Skilled Teaser Takagisans handling of its central couple is accomplished with nighunparalleled ease using their series of frivolous yet elaborate pranks to slowly and steadily transition into something more and its examination of their relationship is delivered with a rather unconventional approach. When two contrasting personalities attempt to align there is an army of problems that arise along the way due to the differences between them. Although said differences can generate a rift in relationships they can also strengthen them contrasting personalities naturally heighten common interests. While most works of the romance genre opt for discovering these common interests Skilled Teaser Takagisan almost entirely ignores this pursuit. Instead what it values is how these characters think and why theyre attracted to one another. In particular it values these concepts as they relate to Nishitaka. It is his pointofview that Skilled Teaser Takagisan operates from. It is his series of pranks his attempts to outwit and tease Takagi that this show mainly revolves around. Nishitaka is always thinking of ways to perplex Takagi either by concocting a complex scheme to use on her or more often than not by solving the problems she gives him. Every challenge Nishitaka tackles every puzzle he confronts makes for a satisfying watch. No two obstacles are alike each distinct in their own way theyre deceptively simple at first glance but dangerously intricate the more you analyze them. And boy does Nishitaka analyze these obstacles. The music crescendos to a fever pitch with saxophones screaming their way through and the animation dizzily spirals out of control its color scheme constantly changing as he ceaselessly conjures countermoves and hypothetical solutions in his head. To Nishitaka these pranks are far from trivial pastime activities. To him they are battles of the intellectual variety epic in scale each choice determining ones fate. Its obvious that Nishitaka cares deeply about outsmarting Takagi which makes it all the more depressing to witness him falling short time after time. It matters not what plan he formulates what measures he takes what approach he adapts the result never changes. Nishitaka is Sisyphus forever doomed to try changing his fate to watch his efforts go to waste to repeat the same pattern. Its not his fault though. With his remarkable tenacity perception confidence and cunning Nishitaka definitely distinguishes himself as a talented individual. Were he competing against someone else against anyone else one could argue that hed easily be more than a match for them. However as long as Nishitaka remains tethered to his current circumstances hell always be defeated. Sure hes quite intelligent for someone his age but for all of his virtues he pales in comparison to the titular character. Prodigy is an overused word its a term thats often given to people who dont deserve such praise. Takagi however is an exception. Not only is she able to unravel the most intricate of Gordian knots but she also does so effortlessly. Not only does she repeatedly confound Nishitaka with riddles traps and decoys galore but she also manipulates each and every one to obscure her true motives. However its not just Nishitaka that Takagi dupes. On multiple occasions she easily deciphers the tricks her classmates pull on her alongside subjecting them to a few of her own and in one memorable instance shes even able to deceive her teacher manipulating him into disciplining someone else for her transgression. With each competition with each episode with each challenge its almost predetermined whos going to persevere in the end. On the one hand this pattern of predictability causes Takagi to come across as a Mary Sue one whos almost entirely defined by her ceaseless victories. On the other hand you simply cannot resist watching her mercilessly outfox her peers time after time. Takagi is akin to a worldrenowned chessmaster practicing against novices of the game a decorated military tactician competing against cadets in the field a veteran criminal investigator matching wits with rookies on the job the inevitable outcome of each encounter never detracts from the entertainment value that they provide. While it is pleasing to witness Takagi flaunting her intellect its in conveying this shows themes where she really proves her worth. Skilled Teaser Takagisan is perhaps more than anything else a master of subverting expectations. With each issue that arises the solution to them is never what youd anticipate. Takagi and the show itself deceive you into assuming alongside Nishitaka that the motives nuances and hints in each situation are leading to one solution when the true answer is entirely different. Again and again this show emphasizes that Takagis victories are due to Nishitaka overthinking each situation attempting to uncover the deeper meaning behind it instead of choosing the most obvious answer. Through its titular character Skilled Teaser Takagisan argues that the problems we encounter in life arent as challenging or complex as we think they are. Through Takagi this show argues that if we can push aside the details surrounding these problems alongside our preconceived notions of them and simply examine them for what they are itd be easy to find a solution for our issues. For Takagi each challenge presents an opportunity for Nishitaka to acquire more knowledge and she strives to accomplish that goal. Yes part of why Takagi teases him is for her own amusement she enjoys watching her opponent panic struggle and ultimately collapse under the pressure she places upon him. However the other part is because Takagi wants to see Nishitaka mature and grow. The puzzles that she tasks him with are crafted out of love Takagi gives Nishitaka a hard time mainly because she cares about him and this detail really strengthens their relationship. When Skilled Teaser Takagisan directs its focus away from the smoke and mirrors its actually a genuinely sweet and charming show to watch and the central couples relationship emphasizes its virtues. The crisp and detailed scenery flourishes around them as the central couple steadily increase their feelings of affection for one another. On the surface Nishitaka and Takagi couldnt be more different if they tried. While Nishitaka approaches every situation with tact and caution Takagi is far more direct. While Nishitaka leans towards the naive Takagi is extraordinarily perceptive. While Nishitaka is something of a workaholic Takagi is more relaxed. However with a closer observation one can see that despite the surfacelevel differences they are essentially alike. Both Nishitaka and Takagi are confident and intelligent individuals that adopt an extremely timid approach to their relationship Nishitaka more than Takagi. Watching them develop more and more into expressing their feelings for one another while supporting each other along the way is easily the highlight of the show. In fact the central couples bond is so heartwarming nuanced and inspiring that it allows one to overlook the more unappealing aspects the various deficiencies and mishaps of this show that materialize just outside the insulated sphere of the central couple. 100 Unrequited Love is an inuniverse anime that not only inspires a few of Nishitakas schemes but it also serves to poke fun at other works of the romance genre. By overloading Unrequited Love with genrespecific stereotypes cliches and tropes Skilled Teaser Takagisan claims that its different from the other shows of its chosen field more intelligent and selfaware than the rest. However when it involves its supporting cast Takagisan resorts to the same tiresome and tedious cliches as its peers. Whenever this show transitions away from its central couple and towards the people around them it almost always suffers because of it. While the supporting cast strengthens Takagisans youthful charm they also represent this show at its weakest. With each appearance the supporting cast makes it becomes more and more apparent that outside of its central couple Skilled Teaser Takagisan isnt all that adept at developing its characters. The relationship between Mano and Nakai classmates of Nishitaka and Takagi is among the most dull and lifeless that Ive seen in recent memory. Mano is the shy one blushing squirming and stammering about to no end while Nakai is but a cardboard cutout hardly worth mentioning really and they lack even a faint resemblance of chemistry. Then theres Mina and Sanae classmates of the central couple that serve as comic relief. The adventures that this pair embark on are rife with memorable gags my personal favorite is a recurring act where they dub over random conversations like an exchange between cats or a chat between the central couple but they tend to wear themselves out after a while. Mina and Sanaes adventures are meant to represent the protagonists shenanigans from a different more carefree perspective but they more or less come across as reiterations of previous events than anything creative or unique. It doesnt help matters much that this show stylistically pigeonholes these two. One is the genki girl manically working herself into a frenzy over trivial matters while the other is the quiet one silently observing the mess that unfolds around her and Takagisan never allows either of them an opportunity to establish themselves beyond these classifications. Its all very disappointing but none of that compares to Yukari. She is without exaggeration the worst character this show has to offer and honestly its not even close. Within the confines of Takagisans cast Yukari is the smart one the character that tags along with Mina and Sanae but doesnt partake in their mischief and she filled out her role nicely at least in the first few episodes. In a show thats defined by its boundless creativity and childlike wonder its Yukari that attempted to maintain a sense of order while it was a clever contrast she didnt stand out all that much. In those first few episodes Yukari was a decent albeit forgettable character. However as the series progressed her personality became much more distinct and not for the better. As the central couples relationship began blossoming Yukari started fostering a bizarre feeling of jealousy towards them that quickly ballooned to seismic proportions. Instead of further developing this concept perhaps this bitterness couldve been influenced by a backstory colored by childhood neglect or resolving the matter entirely maybe by you know giving her a love interest someone that relates to her Takagisan allows Yukaris growth to become stagnant. What remains is someone with little resemblance of emotion depth or rationale beyond this shallow resentment. While the other supporting characters are but walking cliches Yukari is something worse shes a caricature one that symbolizes this shows most glaring weakness. When Takagisan strays from its intended course mishandling a supporting character here retreading an old plot line there its the central couples chemistry that helps readjust its focus. Skilled Teaser Takagisan is in part an elaborate game of chess a neverending battle of wits with brilliant strategists on either side. It is also a refreshingly pure and simple tale of romance a love story mostly unchained by the conventions of its peers. And all of it is deftly secured by the incredible bond between its protagonists. Fascinated with their intellect and awestruck by their passion you cannot resist wishing to accompany the central couple in whatever direction their relationship guides them toward. Time itself ceases to move as you rush headlong into Takagisan allowing its loving allencompassing embrace to overtake you.