Don’t Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro “Senpai’s Poofball / Thanks Senpai” Review
Don’t Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro “Senpai’s Poofball / Thanks Senpai” is the fifth episode of the Nagatoro anime. This episode the relationship with Senpai and Nagatoro comes in leaps and bounds. Compared to episode 4 at least, and the relationship between Nagatoro and her friends.
Senpai’s Poofball
Nagatoro is doing her usual thing of teasing Senpai but it doesn’t affect him. Instead her friends show up and he decides to go out with them instead. Thankfully this sequence turns out to just be a nightmare Nagatoro is having. Still, it shows a lot about her mindset. Noticing that Senpai’s hair has gotten long, with him looking a lot like a sheep now, Nagatoro offers to cut it. Eventually Senpai agrees but before they can get started Nagatoro gets a call from her pals asking to hand over schoolwork she’d done. She reluctantly goes to hand it over to them but it’s a ruse. Both of her friends barge into the art room and start straight up bullying Senpai.
Threatening to shear his head off with a razor, Senpai spends ages struggling against them both. Before Nagatoro hears his screams and comes to his rescue. There’s clearly tension between the friends, especially Gamo, but he doesn’t get involved. Nagatoro cuts Senpai’s hair almost expertly with scissors and he thanks her. Once again, catching her off guard.
Thanks, Senpai
Taking more of a traditional romcom-y style than the previous section. Senpai and Nagatoro are making their way home from school in the searing heat. It’s way too humid and they’re both exhausted. Nagatoro runs them to a shaved ice store that supposedly does the biggest and best shaved ice but when they get there. The queue is massive. Nagatoro is nothing but persistent though and doesn’t allow that to stop her. Whilst in line Senpai protects Nagatoro from creeps who are staring at her bra through her shirt.
He finally snaps as he can see she’s about to collapse and buys them both drinks in the shade from a vending machine. Nagatoro thanks him by running off and buying ice cream from a convenience store. The two walk home with them both realising it’s summer holidays starting so they won’t see each other. Though it goes unsaid, neither one of them are happy with that. Nagatoro adds Senpai’s Line ID and promises to send him “perv” stickers whenever she can sense he’s having pervy thoughts. He kinda does when he goes to drink from the same bottle she did just prior but before he can go full perv Nagatoro sends him the sticker as she was hiding in the shadows.
Review
Finally the show is taking on a more typical rom-com style as neither are awkward around each other anymore. And even Nagatoro’s teasing has eased up a bit, though the show doesn’t make it obvious. It just sorta happens organically as the two become friends and even more. I’m interested in the clear feud going on between Nagatoro and her pals. Why is it there? Does one of them secretly like Senpai? Who the heck knows but it’ll be explained in time I’m sure.
For now, this is a fun and cute as hell. Wholesome romcom anime that I’m practically addicted to. None of the episodes feel slow or sluggish, which is an achievement when you notice the lack of characters and settings. It’s expertly directed with just enough added from the source material to make it feel fun and fresh!
