Mean and confident first year girl bullies second year introvert boy in high school. In the first episode she makes him cry twice and knocks him down to the ground so he fells into a creek. In second episode she gropes him. In episode 3 she invites him to join her and two of her friends at cafeteria and her friends immediately start insulting and humiliating him, escalating offence after noticing that he do not fight back or retort to insults. That goes so far that after a while she interrupted rude attitude of her friends. In episode 4, two of her friends stalk the boy during lunch and intimidate him with sexually charged "jokes" about groping them. To embarrass him, they try to make him touch their breasts (having buns or donuts hidden under their shirts). In another episode, they put dog's collar (with a padlock) and a leash on his neck and remove it only after he asks/begs them few times. Etc. That's half of the first season.
Mean and vulgar, right? Of course the show would be terrible if it continued like this and fortunately it doesn't. Rude attitude, (stereo-)typically associated with boys being mean to girls due to lack of communicative skills, transforms into relationships, friendship and co-dependency. Show becomes more playful and more comedian.
Frankly, if I did not care to be fair with this review, I would have stopped watching the show after few episodes.
Viewers who endure first several episodes will see that bullying stops as two main characters spend a lot of time together, helping and nurturing each other. Nagatoro (girl) helps Hachiouji (boy) with his studies, with his exercises, with his art project and competition. They became defensive of each other, positively influencing each other and becoming better selves due to that experience. By the end of the second season a hint of romantic relationships appears.
However overall impression is still below average. Style of the show is not great, with non-interacting humans in public places being drawn without faces. Bullying is never condemned as wrong. Victim of bullying meekly accepts it without resistance, even though he grows more confident from being bullied. Bully never apologises or feels guilt. I do not buy "harassment becoming friendship" story in this context. In reality, more often than not, bullying begets resentment and hate. Whitewashing and normalising bullying under comedy sauce feels wrong.
https://myanimelist.net/anime/42361/Ijiranaide_Nagatoro-san
https://myanimelist.net/anime/50197/Ijiranaide_Nagatoro-san_2nd_Attack
Senpai, you're a wuss.
"Never underestimate a man you haven't seen for more than three days."
You're such a twig.
Your slouch is nasty!
You're so lanky and gross!
You're a lanky bean sprout.
