Romantic comedy anime are not in short supply, but there are few shows that balance the two genres as well as Teasing Master Takagi-san. For those looking to fill the void left by season 3 with laughter or love, here are some great anime similar to Teasing Master Takagi-san.
Updated April 19, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Teasing Master Takagi-san 3 was the best season of the show yet, along with just being one of the better anime to air this year so far. A movie sequel is scheduled to debut on June 10, 2022 in Japan, although North American fans will likely have to wait quite a while longer to get their hands on the film. In the meantime, they can pass the time by watching some great anime similar to Teasing Master Takagi-san. There are not all that many series that have identical styles of humor or premises as Shin-Ei Animation’s anime, but the upcoming shows should scratch the same itch.
11 Komi Can’t Communicate
Komi Can’t Communicate does not have characters engaging in (good-natured) battle of wits, but the anime’s protagonist has severe social anxiety, forcing them to often not communicate directly. Like Teasing Master Takagi-san, OLM’s anime is a comedy that sprinkles in romantic elements, the latter of which often come with a healthy helping of awkwardness.
RELATED: Best Anime Of The Spring 2022 Season (& Where To Watch Them)
Both shows feature main couples that communicate their feelings through roundabout ways as they try to come to grips with their natural attraction toward each other. However, Komi does have a more prominent roster of supporting characters, and some of them like Najimi Osana are a delight. Komi Can’t Communicate’s second season is currently airing, and it has gotten off to a charming start.
10 Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
Sometimes, the lines of communication get crossed along the way. After admiring Umetarou Nozaki from a distance, Chiyo Sakura finally decides to reveal her feelings. Unfortunately, Nozaki misconstrues Sakura’s intentions and believes that she is a big fan of his shoujo manga. Long story short, Sakura becomes Nozaki’s assistant.
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun and Teasing Master Takagi-san handle both their comedy and romance differently from each other, with the former focusing more on misunderstandings to get its laughs. Despite their distinct parts, these shows cater to the same audience, specifically those who love their teen romance to come with a lot of jokes.
9 Maid Sama!
Takumi Usui and Misaki Ayuzawa are both perfect in their own ways, so they seem like they are made for each other. However, Misaki also happens to hate men, a fact that intrigues Takumi and just strengthens his interest in the student council president.
Maid Sama! largely consists of Takumi’s gently pestering Misaki through almost nothing but his sheer presence, and they steadily grow closer as the anime progresses. Like Teasing Master Takagi-san, Maid Sama! makes its romance element obvious while also keeping it on the backburner for large chunks of the comedy anime’s run.
8 Aho-Girl
Now, it should be said that Aho-Girl strikes a significantly different tone to Teasing Master Takagi-san. For one, the 2017 anime loves irreverent and suggestive humor – there is very little that could be described as “wholesome” in Aho-Girl. Yoshiko, the main girl, is known (and loved) for her stupidity, with Akuru Akutsu acting as a straight man to her shenanigans.
RELATED: Smart Anime Characters Who Love To Play The Fool
Aho-Girl is predominantly a skit comedy show, one that sprinkles elements of romance but mainly seeks to parody the genre’s tropes. While Takagi is the teasing master, nobody can annoy someone quite like Yoshiko.
7 The Duke Of Death And His Maid
The Duke of Death and His Maid is a romantic comedy with a tragic soul. Alice and Bocchan love each other but a curse forbids them from ever touching. Regardless of how intimate their relationship becomes, there is a barrier that holds them apart. It is heartbreaking.
The Duke of Death and His Maid is also weirdly funny, and that comes courtesy of Alice constantly teasing Bocchan to get a reaction out of him. A sequel to The Duke of Death and His Maid has already been announced, making this anime an easy recommendation.
6 Tsuredure Children
Young love takes many forms, and if Tsuredure Children is to be believed, they almost all involve misunderstandings and embarrassment in some form or another. A charming romantic comedy that follows a number of couples in various stages of relationships, Tsuredure Children is witty, relatable, generally sweet, and never boring.
Out of all the couples, Yuki and Jun’s interactions are the closest to Takagi and Nishikata’s, striking a playful tone that tends to leave one character feeling exasperated.
5 Hi Score Girl
Hi Score Girl is a surprisingly complex show. On the surface, it seems like a silly comedy about a boy trying and failing to beat a silent girl at arcade games. However, the anime quickly proves that it is just as concerned with character development as it is with catering to ’90s gaming nostalgia.
RELATED: Best Anime Series On Netflix, Ranked
Similar to Teasing Master Takagi-san, Hi Score Girl follows a dense boy as he attempts to outdo a girl while they both tiptoe around their obvious feelings for each other. The Netflix anime covers a number of years in the lives of its characters, demonstrating how their relationship has helped them grow.
4 Uzaki-chan Wants To Hang Out!
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! is a divisive show as its appeal depends entirely on whether someone enjoys Uzaki-chan’s antics. An energetic college student, Uzaki makes it her mission to spend time with the low-energy and gloomy Shinichi. For the most part, this involves Uzaki slightly pestering her senpai, although the anime resists the urge to go too far in this area.
Uzaki is the star of the show here; if her comedy or personality does not strike a chord with someone, then they should probably give this a skip. However, if the opposite happens, then Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! should be an endearing watch.
3 Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro
Despite the show’s premise, Teasing Master Takagi-san’s humor is incredibly innocent. Frustrated as he sometimes gets, Nishikata seems to enjoy his interactions with Takagi, particularly after the first season. After watching Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro’s first episode, one might find this anime to be uncomfortably mean-spirited as Hayase Nagatoro essentially bullies her clearly hurt senpai.
RELATED: Best Romance Manga That Have No Anime
Although this perception is accurate for the pilot, Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro tones down Hayase’s banter considerably after that point. For the most part, her relationship with Naoto is mischievous and cute.
2 Tonari No Seki-kun: The Master Of Killing Time
Take Teasing Master Takagi-san, remove the romance, and add an indirect relationship, and the result would be Tonari No Seki-kun. Rumi Yokoi simply wishes to pay attention in class, a goal that proves to be rather difficult when sitting next to Toshinari Seki, a student who has mastered the art of wasting time.
As Seki finds new exciting ways to do anything but listen to the teacher, Yokoi can’t help but be distracted by the glorious absurdity transpiring at the desk next to her. A short anime comedy, Tonari No Seki-kun is hilarious.
1 Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
One of the most popular romantic comedy anime ever, Kaguya-sama: Love is War follows a similar structure to Teasing Master Takagi-san. Both revolve around characters trying to get the better of each other while pushing down their obvious shared feelings. As their stories evolve, both anime begin to emphasize their romance a bit more.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War’s humor is considerably more over-the-top than Teasing Master Takagi-san, but the show is consistently funny permitting somebody likes this type of comedy.
MORE: Romance Anime To Watch If You Love My Dress-Up Darling
