The live-action adaptation of Soichiro Yamamoto’s Teasing Master Takagi-san manga will debut first on Netflix with a director’s cut, starting with the first and second episodes streaming on March 26.
Future episodes will follow weekly. The series will later premiere on the TBS channel’s Drama Stream programming block on April 2 at 11:56 PM (10:56 AM EDT).
Rui Tsukishima, known for modeling in Shueisha’s Seventeen magazine and appearing in an episode of Kamen Rider Geats, takes on the role of Takagi.
Meanwhile, Soya Kurokawa, recognized for his role in Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “Monster,” stars as Nishikata. The live-action series was filmed entirely on location at Kagawa Prefecture’s Shōdo Island, the same setting as the earlier anime adaptation.
Middle schooler Nishikata finds himself constantly targeted by his classmate, Takagi, who sits nearby. Every day, she pulls off all sorts of tricks and pranks, keeping him on his toes.
Determined to get back at her, Nishikata tries to tease her in return, but Takagi always seems to outsmart him. Despite the relentless teasing, Nishikata refuses to back down in this playful and mischievous battle of wits and youthful rivalry.
The “Teasing Master Takagi-san” manga is also the inspiration for a live-action film released in Japan on May 31. The movie presents an original story set 10 years after the events of the original manga’s middle school setting.
Mei Nagano, known for roles in “My Broken Mariko,” “Ni no Kuni,” “Peach Girl,” and “Burn the House Down,” takes on the role of Takagi, now a trainee teacher at her former school.
Fumiya Takahashi, recognized for his role in “Kamen Rider Zero-One,” plays Nishikata, who is now a gym coach at the same school. The theme song “Haruka” (Far Away) is performed by Aimer.
Rikiya Imaizumi, known for directing live-action series like “Hōzuki-san Chi no Aneki” and “Just Only Love,” takes on the director’s role for both the live-action series and film adaptations of Teasing Master Takagi-san.
Alongside directing, Imaizumi co-writes the scripts with Tomoki Kanazawa, known for works like “Sanctuary” and “Sabakan,” and Jun Hagimori from “Sabakan.”
The music for both adaptations is composed by Takashi Ohmama, recognized for his work on “Dances with the Dragons,” “Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury,” and “The Gene of AI.”
Filming for both the series and film took place entirely on location at Kagawa Prefecture’s Shōdo Island, the same setting as the earlier anime adaptation.
The Teasing Master Takagi-san manga was first launched by Yamamoto in Gessan mini, the booklet that comes with Shogakukan’s Gessan (Monthly Shonen Sunday) magazine, back in 2013.
Initially, after wrapping up the serialization of his “Fudatsuki no Kyoko-chan” manga in Gessan in June 2016, Teasing Master Takagi-san moved to the main Gessan magazine in July 2016.
The manga concluded its run in October 2023, marking the end of Yamamoto’s delightful series. The first TV anime adaptation of the manga debuted in the “Anime no Me” programming block in January 2018.
It also included segments adapting Yamamoto’s “Ashita wa Doyobi” manga. During its airing in Japan, Crunchyroll streamed the anime, while Funimation provided an English dub for viewers.
Following its success, the second season of the TV anime premiered in July 2019. It later became available on Netflix.
The third season of the TV anime, Karakai Jōzu no Takagi-san 3 (Teasing Master Takagi-san 3), debuted on MBS and TBS’ Super Animeism block in January 2022.
Following the TV series, Teasing Master Takagi-san: The Movie (Gekijoban Karakai Jozu no Takagi-san), the franchise’s anime film, premiered in Japan
Sentai Filmworks has acquired the rights for the third season and film of Teasing Master Takagi-san. The third season was streamed on HIDIVE, with the platform also providing the English dub for the season.
The English dub features the returning cast from Funimation’s original dub of the anime’s first season.
Additionally, Sentai Filmworks screened the film in the U.S. in August 2022, giving fans in the States a chance to enjoy the “Teasing Master Takagi-san” experience on the big screen.