Ryuji Takasu was an "average" second year student who was mistaken to be a delinquent due to the pair of eyes he inherited from his father. This caused much misunderstanding to occur in his life in school.One day,he accidentally walked into Taiga Aisaka, who is also known as the Palmtop Tiger for her aggressive personality despite her size.After a sequence of events, the two decided to help each other to attain the hearts of their crush. However,this partnership led to an unexpected twist of events between the two and those around them.

Written by : z827

Story & Characters

It has been a while since my last review :D

Main Characters Overview :

Aisaka Taiga - Also known as the notorious Palmtop Tiger in the school.She is incredibly aggressive despite her size and thus,her nickname.Taiga later met up with Ryuji as he accidently bumped into her and both of them got into a conflict. (Well,Taiga assaulted Ryuji.) However,after a certain incident,Taiga found out that Ryuji have a crush on Minari,her best friend and likewise,Ryuji found out that Taiga is in love with Kitamaru,the Vice President of the student council and also the friend of Ryuji.Taiga is also facing emotional problems as she is neglected by her parents.

Takasu Ryuji - His well-known as a hooligan or delinquent of the school,even the teachers fear him.However,this is all a stupid misunderstanding.Ryuji inherited the face of his father,which have the "eyes of a killer." (Coincidently,his father seems to be part of some illegal organisation.) Ryuji is helpful and friendly despite his appearance and it took some time before the others notice that he is a friendly student rather than a delinquent.His also an old friend of Kitamaru.Ryuji also like doing housework and all sorts of chores...or rather,his simply obsessed with it.After a certain incident,Taiga and Ryuji decided to help each other to get into their crush's good books.Ryuji,out of concern,provided her with meals and the cleaning of her apartment every day and even woke her up every morning (From the sounds of it.) Slowly but certainly,the two slowly began developing feelings towards each other.Ryuji also tends to toy with his fringe whenever he gets nervous.

Kushieda Minori - She is also being called Minorin by Taiga out of affection.She is a close friend of Taiga and the initial crush of Ryuji.She is relatively sporty and air-headed and she takes up alot of part time jobs as well.She is also cheerful most of the time.Despite being an air head,she can be quite knowleadgeble and observative at times.She later slowly developed feelings for Ryuji but she does not want to harm Taiga and thus,the two friends started struggling rather...badly.

Yusaku Kitamura - The Vice President of the Student Council and also a old friend of Ryuji.When they started their second year in school,every one is simply trembling in fear at the eyes of Ryuji but Kitamura promised to clear things up for him.Kitamura also confessed his love to Taiga on their freshman year but Taiga,out of surprise,rejected him.Taiga later started regretting her rash decision but Kitamura joined the student council after being rejected after he was convinced to join by the President.He cheered up after joining the Student Council and also fell in love with the President.Kitamura also likes to help out his friends but is also some what weak willed at times.

Kawashima Ami - The childhood friend of Kitamura,she is also a well known model.She later transferred to the school the main characters are in.At first,she appears to be an air headed and innocent figure but she is actually using this personality as a "mask" to hide her true personality.Kitamura long knew about this personality of her's and he wants the rest to know her real self so she can make true friends.It is later revealed that Ami transferred school because she is forced to do so due to the actions of a stalker but after a sequence of events,the party bashed him up real bad.Ami is also highly observant and long realised Taiga's and Ryuji's mixed feelings and she gave Ryuji advice,though in a half-baked and cynical manner.Ami,despite her cynical attitude,can be quite a kind figure deep down.Despite being loggerheads with Taiga,she admits that she admire her a little.She also seem to have fell in love with Ryuji but she didn't say a thing about it.

Sub Characters Overview :

Takasu Yasuko - The mother of Ryuji.She works as a karoke waitress (I think.) and is somewhat immature despite her age so Ryuji takes care of the household chores.Despite her laid-back personality,she cares alot for her son.It is also later discovered that Yasuko ran away from her home at a young age and that Ryuji's father abandoned them when they were young.

Koigakubo Yuri - The homeroom teacher of Class 2-C (The main character's class.) She is relatively obsessed with the fact that she is in her 30s and she isn't married yet so she gets rather sensitive when people said that she is a single or in events that involves couples. (Like Valentines Day.) Despite her somewhat eccentric personality at times,she can be a teacher who cares about her students and well being.

Kano Sumire - The President of the Student Council.She have a somewhat strong personality but she can also be somewhat forgetful as she occasionaly forget her lines when she is talking to the school during assembly period.Sumire is to be transferred to an America school at the later part of the plot so she can realise her dreams as an Astronaut.Kitamura,unable to take this fact,became moody and tried to escape his upcoming role of being President.She refused his confession to her so he can pursue his on goals.After a sequence of events,Kitamura snapped out of it and became the President of the Student Council. (Though he does become...a bit more eccentric after that.)

Inko - The (disgustingly ugly looking.) parrot that is the pet of the Takasu household.

Story Overview :

The plot,at first,can be somewhat light hearted.Ryuji and Taiga started off as partners to make their own crush notice them but in the later part of the episode,the feelings they bear starts to get more complex and they later realised that they fell in love with each other unknowingly.Taiga was the first to realise her feelings so she struggled on as she tried to help Ryuji fulfil his goals. (Either way,expect alot of screaming and crying and tussles from the characters :P ) Well,it is overall a heart warming plot with it's heart wrenching moments.Have a high expectation of it if you like slice of life and romance Animes.

Rating: 9

Art

Significant Character Design Overview :

Aisaka Taiga - She's short but she's also cute.She have relatively long blonde hair that is somewhat curly and all.

Takasu Ryuji - Those eyes...are indeed rather delinquent-like.Either way,this caused him to be quite...scary looking at certain scenes. (His face is either contorted to be like a perv or a murderer :P )

Inko - Urgh...This is the ugliest parrot I ever seen.It looks as though it have a stroke or something.

Rating: 9

Sound

Music Overview :
The Opening and Ending are rather unique so they need time to adapt to but their actually quite nice when you got used to it.

Openings of Toradora! :

Pre-Parade
Silky Heart

Endings of Toradora! :

Vanilla Salt
Orange
Holy Night

Voice Review :
...Hmm...Nothing to complain about to be honest.

Rating: 8

Presentation

Overall :
Well..overall,I didn't really like the fact that they dragged the "crush" affair for too long. (In fact,it was like 80% of the whole Season.) But it's good that they revealed the past experience of the main characters.As for humor content...well,there are occasional sprinkles of comedy relief.This is more of a romance / slice-of-life plot to be honest...and I don't think this should be labelled under Harem either.(Some sites label it as Harem...but it's not quite the case.)

Genres :
-School
-Romance
-Slice of Life

Trivia :
-Toradora is originally a Light Novel series.
-There is a Visual Novel on the PSP for it.Of course,like any other Visual Novel,there are multiple endings.
-I think there is a Radio drama for it.
-There is a Manga version for it.
-There is an OVA for it...I think there is also a spin-off Season for it.
*End of Review (I might write up a Shuffle review next but I need to finish the entire saga first to provide an accurate review :D )

Rating: 8

Final Verdict

8.50 (very good)

Reviewed by z827, 6wk 4d ago

Zerochan | Anime Wallpapers | Anime Galleries | Anime Lyrics | Advanced Anime | Anime Online
DA! | Watch Anime Online | Anime Stocks | DigitalArt | VNDB | Anime Wallpapers

© 2004-2009 Minitokyo - About | FAQ | Policy | Privacy