“Things have been looking up for Shirota as he's reconnected with his childhood friend Eri, but student council president Takamine-san is not amused by the thought of her favorite toy making sweet summer memories with another girl. With the school festival coming up, will jealousy push the great Takamine-san to show her appreciation for her closet's hard work?” (Yen Press)
What started off as a lewd and rude comedy, Yuichi Hiiragi's “Please Put Them On, Takamine San” has begun to push away from its naughty roots to pose itself as a heartfelt romantic title. Make no mistake, the content is still overtly eroticized but the shift from Takamine to embarrassing Shirota to attempting to build a romantic relationship is a welcome twist on what was, admittedly, a rather juvenile and simple premise. As such, instead of using her panty time traveling skills to torment, Takamine is now using her otherworldly powers to build up Shirota's confidence so he can get into a prominent school and come out of his shell.
This tonal shift invigorates a series that was starting to feel slightly one note, and for one that is currently running (initial publication in 2019) it is promising to see Hiiragi adapt the story beyond the simple humor of “I'm so embarrassed” being the constant punchline. Even those drawn to the initial absurd eroticism of the premise should be aware that the concept is not sustainable past a few volumes, so this shift is a welcome development that keeps the positive elements but pushes the story past its lewd origins.
The art of Hiiragi also stays a consistent draw for those who celebrate ‘fan service with an emphasis on curves–the book certainly earns its mature rating. While the tone and direction of the story have slightly shifted, there is no shortage of erotic fantasies from Shirota's imagination that make their way to the pages. The inclusion of his childhood friend Eri adds more perverse scenarios for the protagonist to conjure, for example. Beyond the erotic elements, the art is serviceable, but since the majority will be approaching the work as a mature title, Hiiragi's emphasis on certain attributes is executed perfectly.
My thoughts on “Takamine-san” have stayed consistent since the first volume, as the series has been overly entertaining, well drawn, and has a deceptive depth to the story. However, as far as an overall opinion of the series in its entirety… That is more challenging to pin down. On one hand, it is easy to write off the series as an immature fantasy led by a juvenile libido, yet it will keep readers invested with moments that tease that there is greater depth beyond a generic lewd comedy. Consequently, volume 4 feels like a step in the right direction to cement the series as having value beyond its absurd premise, yet it is still at the point where it lacks the depth to transcend the ‘panty time traveling' idea that made the title a fun novelty at best. Time will tell, but for now “Please Put Them On, Takamine-san” is an exciting and entertaining title to keep up with.
