Toradora! Review!

Well since someone asked for it, I'll give it to you. Presenting the first anime review! As a side note, I will only review a series in full, I don't intend to become an episodic blogger simply because I might not have things to say about every episode (or that's my intention for now, it might change later depending on a few things).

To start it off I figure I will talk about a very good anime. Of the few anime I would place in my top, this has to be one of them. Among my top anime, Toradora is the only one to have made me go through so much of an emotional roller coaster. Call me late to the party or what suits your fancy but there is a reason to review older anime such as this.

What is it: Durr, it's an anime of course and in case you can't figure what that is, it's a Japanese cartoon. Toradora the anime was a 25 episode long series produced by J.C. Staff between October 2008 and March 2009. The anime is based off of the light novel series written by Yuyuko  Takemiya of the same name. In addition to the anime, the light novels spawned a spin-off light novel series and a manga adaptation.

The main plot: Toradora revolves around 5 main characters, with main focus on Taiga Aisaka (furthest left on the pic above) and Ryuji Takasu (second from the left). It's the start of their second year in high school and Ryuji is worried about having to dispel the idea that he is a delinquent due to his eyes. Despite having very few friends, Ryuji is a very kind and caring person with a knack for cleaning, to the point its obsessive. Taiga, known around the school as the Palmtop Tiger due to her small stature and her aggressiveness, runs into Taiga when walking in the hallway and ends up beating him. Due to some circumstances, the two end up working together to help get their respective crushes to go out with them. 

Why it's special: Everything about this series is so well done, from the art to the character development. This series by far exemplifies why anime should be more accepted. I would personally recommend this series to those that have not even watched any anime before. Not only is the story well done but everything about feels plausible and solves things nicely.

Plus one: 
 Characters: Each character introduced in the series is unique and does not fall into the stereotypical character class that many animes suffer from. While there are definitely moments where a character falls into a certain category there are usually moments within a few minutes to break the mold. Having such 3 dimensional characters who develop over time makes it seem like real people. From Minorin, to Taiga and Ryuji----

Goddammit Kitamura, you are such a damn exhibitionist. Well, before being interrupted, each character has a memorable place and never fades into a "who was that again?"

Plot: Major props to this one. Setting out with such a kind of generic plot, one would be surprised to see just how it develops over the series. A school setting where two outcasts meet and fall in love is a very over used genre. Yet somehow it was able to stay fresh and interesting, ever slow part felt like it added a new perspective or development rather than just being a filler.

Epic fight scene: The one major fight that happens later in the show was so well done that you couldn't help but getting teary eyed. The animation was executed perfectly in this part, using a less crisp style to give it a more fluid and gritty feel. 

Minus one:
Kawashima Ami (middle girl in the pic above): The only person I have problems with in the entire series. While she starts off as the 'bitch' character, she quickly finds her own voice and seems to chase after Ryuji for part of the show. Yet at the end of the show, it seems as if she was left out to hang, her story never really finishing. It was never clear if she was happy with the way things turned out, instead just supporting everyone. 

 Inko-chan: .........I can't decide where to actually put this. That bird is so creepy yet I can never stop watching him. He always manages to get a laugh from me, no matter what the situation.

One for all: Obviously from this review, one can infer that I cannot recommend this series enough. Its strength might not rely on its original story but how it accomplishes the journey. A memorable journey from start to finish. While there are some minor quips not mentioned, they really cannot detract from the whole thing. Rooting for different couples as they appear makes part of the fun of the show, yet heart breaking when they end not working. To say I did not get chocked up on numerous occasions would be an outright lie. Having a show where one gets so emotionally invested is something that does not come easily and why it should be valued. Also its bridging of genres is done quite well, from the romantic comedy to the slice of life thrown in, with some very serious issues at its heart, a series with heart would be the best way to describe it.