Toradora was an anime I accidentally stumbled upon while browsing Netflix, and after watching the first episode, was intrigued enough to see where it went. Two days later, I was lying in bed at 6 in the morning, after having just finished the show, trying to process all the emotions it had brought up.
Toradora, while first appearing to be just a casual slice of life drama, quickly captures you with the depth of its characters and messages. They all start out as typical stereotypes, but as the show delves into their psyche, this is quickly broken as you learn the pain often hidden behind their smiles, or the feeling of being alone and misunderstood.
(Minor Spoilers)
Spoiler, click to view
So firstly, this plays well into possibly the main theme of Toradora, which is how it contrasts love and admiration. Both Taiga and Ryuuji start the show attracted to each other's best friends, however they soon come to realize that they're attracted to their idealized versions of these people. And though it's not in-your-face, I enjoyed that the show touched on this side of love, as opposed to just the feeling of being attracted to someone (that you often get in a lot of romantic shows). Another theme that makes its way into the show is the idea of masks and denying your true self. This is echoed particularly through the character of Ami who is introduced a couple episodes in. After going through her arc early on, she acts as a voice of reason throughout the show, highlighting how everyone avoiding their true feelings only makes things worse in the long run. She is far from a flawless character, but her viewpoint is a big element of the show, especially later in the series.(Major Spoilers)
Spoiler, click to view
Ryuuji struggles with how he looks, and so the "shining" presence he notices in Minori could be why he was attracted to her - because that's the kind of presence he wants to have. Taiga mentions that when Kitamura pronounced his love, that she felt someone finally understood her - even if it was the shallow level things he noticed. However, while these two things are both real feelings, in and of themselves, they aren't "love". Yet Taiga and Ryuuji, right from their first interaction, have these moments of openness with each other. They connect on a deeper level through mutual understanding and a lack of a façade. Their relationship is a slow burn, but we as the audience get to see their realization of what love actually is: how it has matured past their obsession with their crushes and what they thought they wanted, into a connection and dependence upon each other, and a desire to serve and be there for the other. Ryuuji found someone who knows the kind of person he is and who inspires him to be the person he can be, and Taiga found someone who knows and understands her deepest flaws, yet preserves for her regardless. It's satisfying to watch, and the ending feels well deserved. However, I will mention its ending does feel a little rushed, and I didn't feel there was enough resolution at the end, or closure for the characters. All of them had amazing arcs and development, and after the suspense of Taiga going to resolve her conflict with her mother, it would have been nice to have a bit more let down to recover. But you can always read the light novels to see it expanded a lot more.Two characters I'd particularly like to mention is Ryuuji mother (Yasuko), and the homeroom teacher (Yuri). Both were pretty much side characters, but had some great character moments in the show.
Yuri is the single 30 year-old woman, who presented a somewhat realistic look at someone going through a midlife crisis, wondering where her life would lead due to being unmarried.
Yasuko is another character who seems quick shallow at the beginning, but upon learning more about her past and struggles she's gone through, make the final episodes even more emotional.
(Major Spoilers)
Spoiler, click to view
We learn that Yasuko had to raise Ryuuji alone, due to the fact that his father left her before he was born. She ran away from home, and worked endlessly for her son so that he could live a better life than she did. So then when we see Ryuuji yelling at her in the second last episode, it becomes a heartbreaking moment, knowing all she went through. It is thankfully resolved in the last episode as he gets her to confront her parents; and we see her break down into tears when they tell her she had done a great job raising Ryuuji. This of course makes Ryuuji realize he wants to marry Taiga properly, and is willing to wait for Taiga to get the blessing of her own family so that they can all share in their happiness. This of course leads Taiga to desire reconciliation with her own mother, and the decision Taiga makes for her self, so that she can love Ryuuji the way he deserves, reflects the growth of her character and how she too is beginning to move away from merely a 'dependence' on Ryuuji.Outside of the characters, there's still quite a bit to this show. Art direction is beautiful, especially in some of the intense scenes of the show, and there are times where the visuals do the storytelling.
The soundtrack in this series is 10/10. Not only the opening and closing themes, but even the OST that played throughout the episodes. "Lost My Pieces" still gets to me every-time I hear it, and was used so well in every emotional moment in the show. I think once you hear it, you'll understand.
There's moments of comedy and just lighthearted enjoyment (though they're definitely more prominent in the earlier episodes).
The clichés are utilized very well. As I saw another review mention, Toradora understands what those tropes exist for, and as such they feed into the story brilliantly. You'll notice trends and tropes that exist in this genre, and while not every one is subverted, they all manage to feel fresh regardless. Though that all said, there aren't too many plot twists in the show, and you may be able to predict the ending. But, none of that detracts too much as the joy of this show comes from the journey it takes to get there.
In summary, the characters in Toradora present not only a realistic look at love, but also a beautiful message on being yourself and the courage it takes. Every character grows through the series, which enables you to feel empathy towards all their struggles and moments of realization. Ultimately, this is an uplifting story with a happy ending, but there is definitely this bittersweet feeling throughout the show that doesn't let go for long after the series has finished. And so I'd highly recommend Toradora - even if it's only for how long it left me continuing to think about it.
