Never have I dropped an anime so quickly as I did today. I have a general rule when it comes to watching anime. I watch the first five episodes and then decide if I will complete the series, delay watching the series or drop it altogether. On record, I only have 27 dropped anime, yet I have watched over one thousand anime titles. Until today, that dropped number sat at just 26.
I have been exposed to a lot of different story narratives and storytelling. As such, I have a high tolerance for problematic plot lines that some would drop. There is no genre I have not watched or read at least once. I am very forgiving in a lot of ways. I also tend to dive into a series without reading what they are about or who the intended audience is. However, I can quickly determine that. I like the surprise. Sometimes, I need to pause a series until I am in the mood or have the correct mental space for it. Usually, I can appreciate the story for what it is and what it was intended for. This is why my drop rate is so low, and my ‘to-watch-list’ will never end.
Even with the series I eventually end up dropping, I give multiple attempts at completing it. I will also follow my rule of watching at least five episodes. The only time I break that rule is when I am watching content that violently triggers my past trauma, triggering physical responses and mental shutdowns. Before today, there were two anime, and now there are three.
What anime could that be? I’ll get to it in a moment, but first, I want to tell you why I dropped it.
Setting the Scene: Expectations vs. Reality
The anime is set up to be a romantic comedy with heavy ecchi elements. It is also a Shonen anime, which means it is aimed at young teenage boys. Just from that, I can tell what I am in for. I could tell the setting really quickly just from the opening narratives and vibrant colouring, character styling and dialogue, plus the name and poster when selecting the anime didn’t mislead. Sitting back and settling in, I figured I was in for a light-hearted, mindless watch. I was so incredibly wrong.
This post focuses on the main female character of what is to become our romantic pair. She is vivacious, bold, confident (a tad delusional), physically gifted with an incredible figure, and has two giant plot points attached to her chest, as well as a secret. As well as shown to be the most popular girl and the ‘girlfriend’ everyone wants. She is ‘miss perfect’. I genuinely thought I would like her as a character. She had more going for her than her counterpart, who is an ‘insert self here’ character for the viewer – who is yet again meant to be a young teen boy. Not every series needs a complex male lead.
Again, I understand I’m not the target audience. I can and do enjoy this mix of genres, just like many other adults.
When the Vibe Turns Dangerous
I dropped this anime because it is abuse that has been disguised as a comedy romance, which is upsetting because I know how this is going to go. The pair will end up dating. He will confess his love for her, and there will be no consequence for what she has done. There will also be no acknowledgement of what she has done. I am dropping this because the message and toning are incredibly problematic in a real-world way.
I draw the line at ‘no possible consent’. If you can not say no or feel that you can not say no, you are not giving consent. Consent is given when the answer of no is possible. Now, I do read a lot of series that have consent issues and rape plotlines. I have enjoyed series like Redo of Healer and others, which are horrific and yet this one anime triggered me. Even though Redo of Healer is graphic and consent is not a word there, the series is not made for children. There are content warnings.
So, what anime is it?
Please Put Them On, Takamine-san. One episode in, and I know I can not watch it. I was 17 minutes into the anime, and I was enjoying it. Then everything went downhill and fast.
The Moment I Knew I Had to Stop Takamine-san
When Shirota Takashi found out about her ability, she told him to be her closet, and he told her no firmly; she then immediately set him up. She forced him into a compromising situation, screamed as loud as she could and then accused him of sexual assault when a bunch of students rushed into the room. The observers restrained him, helped her and called the police. She is willing to ruin his life. You can not tell me she likes him. When backed into a corner and panicked, he begs her to use her ability to turn back time, but she refuses unless he accepts to be her closet.
When he has no choice but to accept or live with and accept the reality of her accusation, he concedes. She rewinds time, and he is helpless. She also then lets him know that she can make it so that she never ‘helped’ him at any time. Effectively removing any possibility of him saying no or having free will. She very coldly and viciously manipulated him and trapped him in a situation he did not want to be in.
I have a very strong reaction when people falsely accuse others. This resulted in me dropping this, but not before I witnessed her sexually harass Takashi. After she informs him she can ruin his life anytime she wants, she forces him to take her panties and dress her. Then she forces him to put her bra on. It seems just fetching her underwear is not enough. This has honestly made me incredibly angry.
Why Takamine-san Isn’t Just “A Rough Start”
What disturbed me wasn’t just the situation; it was how it was framed. The tone never shifted. This was played for laughs. It was quirky, comedic, even flirty. There was no weight to the accusation, no consequences, no hint that the narrative recognised the gravity of what had just occurred. This wasn’t subversion. It was manipulation, harassment, and emotional abuse framed as a rom-com.
I read through forums afterwards. Many viewers and readers defended Takamine-san by saying:
- “It gets better.”
- “She secretly likes him.”
- “She is trying to get him to confess first”
- “They go on real dates.”
- “They become a genuine couple”
- “It’s dom/sub dynamics, he’s clearly a masochist.”
- “They understand each other”
- etc
None of that changes the fact that she accused him of sexual assault, manipulated him and forced him to accept her sexual harassment. Then she took away all chance of escape or free will by threatening to ruin his life with a severe accusation. On top of that, she took joy in doing all of that to him and then gave him orders, which he very clearly was uncomfortable following. But it’s okay because she is ‘miss perfect’, and he’s a teenage boy with raging hormones. Fuck off.
Why I Had to Speak Out
No. Consent is not retroactive. It’s not okay just because feelings develop later. Power dynamics don’t justify coercion. And this series isn’t being marketed to community members who understand those rules. It’s being marketed to teenagers who are still learning what a healthy relationship looks like.
Forcing someone to dress you, specifically put your underwear on you, knowing they can not say no, is harassment and bordering on assault. Then, it is made out to be okay because the female is the one making the male character do this, and she is pretty. That is not okay and should not be targeted at the audience this was made for. As well as considering the way this is trying to be a light-hearted romantic comedy.
This is a very harmful and dangerous narrative to put out, mainly due to who the target demographic is. Consent is crucial in healthy relationships, even more so in dom/sub relationships. No consent is abuse. It should not be shown as okay because feelings develop later. I am also becoming concerned that more and more romance shonen are leaning into the concept of ‘no consent’.
Takamine-san is now the fastest I’ve ever dropped an anime, not because I didn’t “get it,” but because I do. I know exactly what it was doing. And I couldn’t keep watching.
We need to be critical of the narratives we consume and promote, especially when they normalise harmful behaviour and disguise abuse as comedy or flirtation. Consent matters, particularly in stories aimed at young audiences.
So yeah, I dropped Please Put Them On, Takamine-san, because of the last five minutes of episode one on Crunchyroll. Thank you for reading this far.
Do you have any anime you dropped straight away from just a single episode?
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