Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro Anime Review

Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro

Every now and then, we all want to take a step back from all the heart-pounding action and suspense and seek refuge in a neat little Slice of Life Comedy. Now, so many anime titles can cater to this need, especially ones that don’t drag out too long. We all have our preferences, so if you're looking for a relatively new and classic-12-episode stretch anime, which would be great for a binge run, too, then look no further.

“Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro,” also known as “Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san” or “Please don't bully me, Nagatoro” is an anime featuring the genres of Slice of Life, Comedy and Romance. This anime series ran for only twelve episodes starting from the 11th of April till the 27th of June, as a Spring 2021 title. It was produced by King Records and brought to life by Studio Telecom Animation Film. The primary staff behind its creation were Hanai Hirokazu as Director, 774 as the Original Creator, Uesaka Sumire for Theme Song Performance, Theme Song Lyrics, and Kishimoto Taku on Series Composition. The series had a rating of PG-13 for Teenagers 13 years or older.

The anime was adapted from the source Manga of the same titles. It started publication on November 7th, 2017, and was serialized in Magazine pocket. Additionally, the manga was published in English titled as “Don't Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro” by Kodansha USA on the 19th of November, 2019.

The Writer and Artists were 774, also known as Nanashi. A single-volume Manga was released under the title “Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san: Comic Anthology” on April 24th, 2021. This comic anthology was the work of various Mangaka; Haiba Nemumi, Mozu, fu-ta, Kurou, and INU.

The story of “Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro” is set around second-year high school student Naoto Hachiouji, who is relentlessly teased by first-year high school student Hayase Nagatoro on a daily basis. The two first meet on a fateful day at the library while Naoto was working on his manga. After Nagatoro reads his story and notices his overly awkward demeanor, she decides from that moment on to toy with him every day.

For added effect, she opts to call him "Senpai" instead of his real name, further adding to Naoto’s worries. In the beginning, Nagatoro's relentless antics are extremely bothersome rather than anything else and leaves Naoto feeling very embarrassed, all the while being forced to cater to her flimsy whims.

But is that all there is to it? Indeed not, because when the two spend more and more time together every day, a conventional type of friendship begins to develop between them. Naoto soon discovers that life with Nagatoro can be pretty fun. But for better or for worse, there is only one thing he can be sure of; his days will never again be dull.

Bullying is something strictly frowned upon; there are no exceptions to this when it comes to gender. In the beginning, it may seem like Nagatoro is bullying her upperclassman to no end, and this can be a huge turnoff. But what this anime tries to highlight is not bullying, but how a messy relationship developed into something much more despite starting off as simply bullying.

Most viewers would make the mistake of dropping the series too fast; what they miss out on is how the characters grow and develop throughout the entire series, consistently, into something that is far more wholesome and likable than a bully and her victim.

In this regard, “Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro” was honestly a pleasant surprise. Even viewers who typically dislike abusive tsunderes, who are hardly scarce in anime, which they find extremely annoying, would be pleasantly surprised at how this anime turns out by the end.

The Story of “Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro” is surprisingly wholesome. The teasing is not extreme nor overdone; it simply stays as rounds of teasing between two teenagers interested in each other. The teasing is but the front as they grow closer to the other, creating a more believable romance. Even normal couples enjoy teasing each other, and this is portrayed naturally, too. It’s not as absurd as the protagonist simply falling in love with the girl who bullies him.

On the other hand, this is a comedy, so it's best not to take it too seriously as most elements are there for the humor. It must be admitted that the bullying showcased in the first few episodes is too much. These episodes exist so that viewers can see the change in dynamic between the two in the follow-up episodes. Naoto’s character development is shown in how he grows more confident and becomes able to return fire at Nagatoro’s teasing. Nagatoro, on the other hand, shows a change in attitude and becomes less bold with her teasing. Even then, she manages to keep teasing him more playfully and loves doing so.

Naoto is very passive and reserved, but he is not the dumb and oblivious type commonly seen in Harem anime. He is interested in erotic themes and tries to hide them, being a closet pervert in essence. Nagatoro, in contrast, is strong on the offensive and dishes out her very amusing teasing left and right, but her defense is exceptionally fragile.

This creates the cute chemistry between the two; a protagonist who is not precisely passive as a whole and a love interest that is very weak to being teased herself. This means that situations, where the tables happen to turn are super effective, equalizing the playing field more and showing viewers how this couple can balance each other out. The supporting cast doesn’t amount to much but is still fun characters to watch. The series is strictly centered around the unlikely couple.

The Art and Animation are pretty good, and it stays loyal to the source material. It simply looks spotless and colorful, and it definitely stands out. The Opening is incredibly done in this regard and overall makes for an eye-pleasing and exciting watch. For a 2021 anime, there’s almost nothing lacking in this department.

The Sounds and Music are also well done. The Opening theme is "EASY LOVE" by Sumire Uesaka, and the Ending theme is “Colorful Canvas” by Nagatoro-san (Sumire Uesaka), Gamo-chan (Mikako Komatsu), Yosshi (Aina Suzuki), Sakura (Shiori Izawa), and Mayumi Kaneko. Both are incredibly catchy and memorable, with great visuals. The OSTs are very fitting for each scene, bringing out the mood and atmosphere well, but are not outstanding either.

“Don't Toy with me, Miss Nagatoro” may not be a masterpiece, but stemming from a creator of femdom porn, this is a surprisingly cute and amusing series. It is delightful to watch and is easily recommendable for anyone looking for some lighthearted comedy.

It is a fun show, especially when viewers don’t take it too seriously and just experience it as it is. It is definitely worth a chance past the first few episodes. Just chill, focus more on the subtle development rather than the upfront teasing, and you’re in for an entertaining watch.