Highlights

• Teasing Master Takagi-san balances humor and romance perfectly, making it a standout in the romance anime genre.
• Fans awaiting season 4 can explore similar anime like The Dangers In My Heart for heartwarming romance.
• Incremental character growth and playful teasing characterize Takagi-san, making it a must-watch for rom-com lovers.

Teasing Master Takagi-san, aka Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san, has produced three great seasons and a movie. Takagi and Nishikata's relationship has slowly grown throughout the anime; while the teasing "war" between the two persists throughout the show, it serves primarily to deepen their connection and has gradually subsided.

Romantic comedy anime are not in short supply, but few shows 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 February 18, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Teasing Master Takagi-san might eventually return for a season 4, although that has yet to be confirmed. In the meantime, fans can check out some anime like Teasing Master Takagi-san.

14 The Dangers In My Heart

Heartwarming Romance

One of the best romance anime of 2023 and a prime contender to be the same for 2024, The Dangers In My Heart is about as close to perfect as the genre gets. Before proceeding any further, it needs to be mentioned that this show does not center around teasing, so people specifically craving something like that will be left wanting. However, anyone searching for a cute romance about two middle-school students who slowly come to accept their emotions for each other cannot do better than this anime.

Ichikawa is somewhat of a loner, and he tends to fantasize about hurting his schoolmates. These daydreams are the definition of edginess, but they quickly subside once he starts to get to know Yamada, a charming girl who is something of an idol in her class. While Yamada is far more likable initially, Ichikawa grows exponentially throughout the series, and the transformation is beautiful.

13 Tomo-chan Is A Girl!

Confused Emotions

Tomo and Jun have been friends since childhood, and they have quite similar personalities. Now in high school, Tomo has developed feelings for her long-time friend; however, Jun seems to struggle to see her as a girl. Consequently, under the guidance of the darkly-comic Misuzu and relentlessly chipper Carol, Tomo tries to transform into a more conventional girl. In truth, she did not need to change.

Tomo-chan Is A Girl leans very heavily into comedy territory, even though romance fuels most of the characters. Its humor is not particularly similar to Teasing Master Takagi-san either, with the show focusing quite a bit on slapstick and borderline-absurdist shenanigans. Nevertheless, Tomo-chan is worth a recommendation since Tomo and Jun's banter blends familiarity and tension well; meanwhile, Misuzu should be able to fill anybody's teasing quota.

12 Komi Can't Communicate

Indirect Communication

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.

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 was also decent,

11 Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun

Getting Closer Through Miscommunication

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.

10 Maid Sama!

A Classic Teasing Anime

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 back burner for large chunks of the comedy anime's run.

9 Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible

A Cute & Wholesome Comedy

One of a few 2023 anime to suffer production delays, Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible started off strong but, unfortunately, got lost in the shuffle as it adopted an unpredictable release schedule. Now that the full season is available, this cute anime is an easy recommendation for any slice of life comedy fans who want a hint of romance but nothing more.

While generally playful, Teasing Master Takagi-san's one-upmanship might not be to everyone's tastes; consequently, these folks might appreciate Kubo's softer comedic style. Sure, the eponymous girl does tease her schoolmate to an extent, but it always comes across as gentle ribbing between two people who are slowly becoming better friends.

8 Aho-Girl

Annoying Master Yoshiko-san

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.

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

Loving Through Teasing

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. The second season dived a bit deeper into the world itself, all the while shining a brighter light on the secondary characters.

6 Tsuredure Children

All Types Of Awkward Love

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

Connecting Through Gaming

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.

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!

Teasing To Get Closer To Someone

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

Harsh Teasing Takes A Wholesome Turn

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.

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

No Romance, All Nuisance

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

The Ultimate Battle Of Wits & Love

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, provided someone likes this type of comedy.