Anime with almost unlikable and mean female characters with somewhat soft hearts are incredibly common, with tsundere and other similar archetypes being ubiquitous in the medium. Perhaps the harshest example of this is Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro, which had a character who outright bullied her male co-star. As cruel as this may sound, the anime is soon getting a cold-hearted second season.
Adapting more of the manga source material, this new season promises to toy with the protagonist more than ever. At the same time, love could be in the air for the tortured young man and his “senpai,” whether either of them likes it or not. Set to release over a year and a half after the most recent episode, here’s what fans of Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro should know about the upcoming new season.
The Plot of Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro Season 2
The premise of Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro involves a shy and quiet geek named Naoto Hachioji, who becomes the target of the hiyakasudere Hayase Nagatoro. This girl outright bullies and abuses him, even making sexually suggestive comments in an attempt to get him to come out of his shell. He ends up doing so as he develops feelings for her, but more ironically, Nagatoro begins feeling the same way about Hachioji.
The 12 episodes of the show’s first season adapted the first six volumes of the original manga from Nanashi, aka 774. Thus, the new season will pick up by adapting the seventh volume, which puts it at the halfway point for how far the manga has progressed since beginning publication in 2017. The story will see Nagatoro and Hachioji growing closer as they teach each other different skills. As these frequently uproarious situations continue, the pair’s affection for each other also begins to blossom, even if they don’t realize it.
Trailer for Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro Season 2
The trailer for Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro: 2nd Attack showcases more of how Nagatoro’s presence turns Hachiojo’s life into a living hell. From getting caught in embarrassing situations with her to being used as something of a social punching bag, it seems that there are a lot of unfortunate good times ahead for the two in the show’s second season.
Sequences showcased in the trailer include the two drawing together (one of Naoto’s skills) and the eponymous Miss Nagatoro teaching him how to approach someone from behind. The new theme song from Sumire Uesaka, “Love Crazy,” can also be heard throughout the latter half of the trailer.
Production News for Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro: 2nd Attack
The first season of Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro finished airing in the summer of 2021, but the second season wasn’t announced until October of that same year. This preceded the announcement of an English dub, which didn’t make its debut until January 11, 2022. The first season was produced by animation studio Telecom Animation Film and directed by Hirokazu Hanai, though this is changing for 2nd Attack. Now, Shinji Ushiro is directing, while the production company OLM takes over from Telecom. OLM also handles the long-running Pokémon anime series and that of its rival franchise Yokai Watch.
As mentioned, “Love Crazy” is the new theme song, while Uesaka and other voice actors from the show perform the new ending theme, “My Sadistic Adolescence.” The voice cast from the first season of Miss Nagatoro is returning, including Naoto and Hayase’s voice actors Daiki Yamashita and the aforementioned Uesaka. Writer Taku Kishimoto, who worked on the show’s first season and other anime such as the remake of Fruits Basket, is likewise back for Season 2.
Release Date for Miss Nagatoro: 2nd Attack
The second season of Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro is set to begin airing on January 8, 2023, though the episodes will stream one week early on the Japanese streaming platform Abema. As with the first season, it’s been confirmed that Crunchyroll will host the series in the West, likely simulcasting it with the Japanese TV airings. It’s not yet been revealed if this will be a subbed-only version of the original Japanese voices or if the English dub will also already be available.