English Dub Review: Karakai Jozu No Takagi-san “Coffee / Empty Can / Soda / Muscle Training / Dubbing / Umbrella”

Karakai mixes things up in an effort to stay fresh in episode three.

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Takagi’s teasing continues in an episode that takes place largely outside of the school for once. Whether it’s walking home in the rain or tossing tin cans at the trash bin, Nishikata just can’t win whenever Takagi’s around. The episode spends a lot of time with their three classmates, as well. Mina is the goofiest of the three, and Yukari or Sanae are usually the ones doing the teasing in this group.

Our Take:

Opening the episode with a segment starring the three schoolgirls is a bold move for a show with Takagi-san’s name in the title. I was surprised at how much screen time Mina, Yukari, and Sanae ended up having; they share an almost equal number segments with our two leads. These scenes serve as a break from Nishikata and Takagi, but they don’t have quite the comedic (or romantic) tension that these two possess. That said, the cat dubbing scene was awesome, and it’s nice to see something besides Tagaki’s pranks.

Getting outside of the school building was also a nice thing, I think. After almost 40 minutes spent teasing indoors, it’s about time that Takagi took her game outside. Walking home with Nishikata is a perfect excuse for more teasing – and it makes for adorable viewing. These kids are so darn cute… Nishikata can’t even drink after Takagi without his cheeks burning red. Takagi has picked up on how nervous Nishikata gets around her, and is beginning to use his feelings to her advantage for optimum teasing. It almost seems like we’re watching a romance show (à la Tsukigakirei) during the Umbrella segment, proving that Karakai can be more than just a simple gag comedy.

Visually, the show continues to be very nice to look at, with a cohesive style that makes everything go together. I don’t think there’s been a single piece of background art that stood out to me as overly-fake or distracted my focus.

I’m beginning to think this dub may become one of my favorite examples of how to translate a series correctly. Even the slight edge of insanity in Takagi’s voice is pitch-perfect for a pranking mastermind. The standout line of this episode: “Don’t pity me; I need consequences!”

I’ve really started looking forward to relaxing every Sunday with these kids. This episode shows that Karakai is willing to switch things up to avoid becoming overly predictable. While not every segment worked perfectly, I definitely enjoyed seeing different sides of these characters and their lives.

Score
8.5/10