Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san (Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro) Review:
As a standalone anime, Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san is nothing special in regards to its plot, characters, and overall direction. That doesn't mean that it wasn't enjoyable overall though and since this is my first time writing a review for an anime (please go easy on me), I thought I'd share my opinions on the experience overall.
If you take nothing else from this review, I would recommend that long time anime viewers give this show a watch as it is a fun little RomCom with an impressive art style. New anime watchers may want to experience more shows before
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moving forward with Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san as it is kind of weird and may throw them off. It's a niche show in an already niche artform. So proceed with that in mind. This show isn't for everyone.
Story (5/10):
As a fairly new anime watcher that started late last year, I haven't really engrossed myself in the otaku/weeb community as much as the average anime watcher. So when I say that the plot of this show is something I've seen multiple times, that isn't something that this show should be proud of.
While there are some minor changes to the "teasing" genre that this show takes inspiration from (including shows such as Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! and Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san), there is not enough to actively say that this story will surprise anyone. While the "teasing genre doesn't interest me as much, I personally found the story enjoyable. There aren't any twists or turns that will shatter your expectations. While it's somewhat vague to say this, It boils down to your personal preference. If you like this style of show, then you'll like it. If you don't, you probably won't.
Art (8/10):
As I stated above, the "teasing" genre (for a lack of a better term) doesn't interest me that much. But if there was one thing that drew me into Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san it would be it's visual presentation. This is the main aspect of the show that really impressed me as a viewer and it delivered it in many surprising ways.
The illustrators were obviously going for a more comedic angle and it makes the show infinitely better. The artistic quality is also consistent throughout the show. It's most notable episodes and scenes are when the art team are allowed to go wild with these characters and show their crazy sides. Without spoiling too much, some episodes have gaps where not much happens to drive the plot. However, I found these episodes to be more enjoyable than anything plot heavy. It is reminiscent of the action scenes in Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! (Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!) and it made me so happy as a fan of that franchise.
Whether this show is something you're into or not, it's undeniable that this show has made an impact on the anime community. I believe that this is mainly due to the art direction of the show. There isn't much more to say. It just looks so good. The sheer amount of memes, jokes, and profile pictures of various Nagatoro facial expressions that this community has created shows the marketability and quality of the show's art style as a whole. If there is any reason that I would recommend this show to new anime viewers (which I still don't), its the visuals and the art department should be proud of their work.
Sound (5/10):
I found the sound direction for this show to be my least favorite aspect of Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san. To get the positives out of the way, I enjoyed the opening song (Title: "Easy Love") sung by Sumire Uesaka. Fun fact, she is also the voice actor (VA) of the Hayase Nagatoro, herself. I enjoy when shows have their VAs sing the openings and it was pleasantly similar of 5-toubun no Hanayome (The Quintessential Quintuplets) OP with all the girls singing together. It's dumb, but still a nice touch.
Speaking of, the VA was pretty good overall, especially Sumire Uesaka as the little devil, Nagatoro herself. I feel that the other VAs could have stepped up a bit more, but it's more of Uesaka just being so good.
But this is where my praises end. When it comes to the actual music in the show, I find many problems. There were notable parts of the show where the background music took me out of the experience. The most obvious example is when every time Nagatoro-san vocally teases her senpai to get him flustered. As the show's title suggests, this happens a lot and they use the same lopped song in every instance (you'll know it when you hear it trust me). It gets really annoying after the third time the song plays and can sometimes overpower the shows dialogue. I also personally think it sounds like nails on a chalkboard while an EAS alarm is going off, but that is purely subjective on my part. While this might be too nitpicky, the problem is still there.
Character and Enjoyment (6/10):
Instead of braking down each of the characters involved in the show, I want to spend a bit of time talking about the two main characters and their relationship. One of the biggest controversies regarding this show was the portrayal of the relationship between Hayase Nagatoro and Naoto Hachiouji (Senpai). It was one of the biggest *bleep* storms in the anime community for a good time and even scared away people like myself for a good time. Heck, one of the synonyms for the show's title is "Please don't bully me, Nagatoro" according to MAL. Bullying is a huge problem in modern day schools and it surprised many to see a show glorifying the act.
However, if you make it past the first three episodes you'll realize that this isn't the case (Who knew that the internet could overreacting to something? Imagine my shock). I would even argue that their antics become more wholesome as the series progresses. The first few episodes of Nagatoro do involve some uncomfortable scenes and does show some pretty brutal bullying. But, there are a few things the show does to subvert the initial direction that the show appears to be taking.
However, to do this I might need to spoil some parts of the first few minutes of Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san. While it's nothing major, you have been warned. If you wish to read the conclusion, skip to there.
*SPOILER ALERT*
In the beginning minutes of the first episode, Nagatoro relentlessly picks on the MC for his lewd illustrations that he was drawling in the library. She brings Senpai to literal tears which is a bit uneasy to watch. I would like to insert my own theory into why this scene exists.
Note that there is never a point in which Nagatoro will make Senpai cry again throughout the remainder of the Anime (I haven't read the manga so I can't speak on that front). I personally think she was testing his limits to see how far she could playfully tease him without stepping over into the realms of bullying. Notice how she stops and is genuinely kind to him after he has his breakdown. Also when Nagatoro's friend's are introduced and start to tease Senpai later on in the show, she steps in before things get to far and defends him.
But the strongest evidence I have that these two characters get along is the way that Senpai treats Nagatoro, Based on the evidence of the show, Senpai doesn't hate having Nagatoro around and actively goes out of his way to invite her to places once they become friends. Like any real relationship, there is likely to be some banter between between potential romantic partners. The Tsundere is a popular trope after all.
*END OF SPOILERS*
Overall (6/10): Fair Nothing Special...
Overall, Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san is not for everyone. This anime is fairly niche and will put some people off. I'm not going to work tomorrow and recommending this to my buddies around the water cooler. Yet there is some charm that is clearly visible throughout this show. Enter at your own risk. But to those willing to take the plunge into this genre, you'll definitely have a decent time. I will absolutely continue if a season 2 is ever made.
Jul 4, 2021
Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san
(Anime)
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Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san (Don't Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro) Review:
As a standalone anime, Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san is nothing special in regards to its plot, characters, and overall direction. That doesn't mean that it wasn't enjoyable overall though and since this is my first time writing a review for an anime (please go easy on me), I thought I'd share my opinions on the experience overall. If you take nothing else from this review, I would recommend that long time anime viewers give this show a watch as it is a fun little RomCom with an impressive art style. New anime watchers may want to experience more shows before ... |
