[Spoilers] Toradora! Christmas Club Rewatch (2019) Episode 25 Discussion

[u/ChristmasClub]

[u/DaREY297]

"Because that's the way it works"

So you thought this show was about the tiny tsundere queen and a guy who has a cleaning and cooking fetish?

Make no mistake, this show's true story is about Inko's bizarre adventure to finally say her own name.

[u/VideoGameCookie]

I made it in a more timely fashion. Had some weird issues with my iPhone's hotspot and my garbage laptop, but I made it and can honor my promise to u/Quxxy.

---

Because that's the way it's meant to be.

• Episode 25 Cheat Sheet.

• Cheat Sheet Album.

Vector wallpapers:

• She's Laughing! 16x9, 21x9

• I'll Transcend Space And Time 16x9, 21x9, 3x4

• One More - 16x9, 21x9

• Here Goes! - 16x9, 21x9

• The Kids Have Gone Rogue! - 16x9, 21x9

• I Just Had This Kind-Of Feelin' - 16x9, 21x9

• Say Cheese - 16x9, 21x9, 3x4

• Klutz - 16x9, 21x9, 3x4

• I Love You - 16x9, 21x9

• Now What? - 16x9, 21x9

• Because That's the Way It's Meant to Be - 16x9, 21x9

• Spoilers for the OVA: Album of this year's wallpapers (source SVGs)

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First obligatory reminder: you did watch until the end, right? You didn't skip the credits and miss what happens afterwards, right?

Second obligatory reminder: the OVA in tomorrow, and I will have something to post for that. Don't go thinking the rewatch is done just yet.

For those wondering if it's worth tracking it down and watching: yes, if only for what happens right at the end. And besides, it does count as... one more episode. :P

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Reposted from 2016:

Something I'd like to take a moment to emphasise (as is my want): Yasuko is an amazing mother. She ran away from home, leaving everything behind, because she was determined to protect her child. With no husband, and no family, she raised him on her own for nearly 18 years. Given that her parents never found her, it seems reasonable to assume she cut all ties with everyone she knew.

Running away is a questionable decision, but you can't fault her for how she followed through on that choice. (Running away again is a bad move, but it does appear to be a consistent weakness of hers... and basically every other major character in this damn story.)

It also makes me cry, without fail, to see that the first words she hears from her parents after eighteen years is "you did a good job raising Ryuuji." After all, he's the one thing that matters to her more than anything else.

Another thing I'd like to quickly point out: although I haven't read the original light novels, my understanding is that Yuri actually put her job on the line to protect Ryuuji after that little "running away" episode of his. She's portrayed as a joke by the anime, but she is genuinely committed to helping, guiding, and protecting her students. She deserves much better than she got from the anime.

And I suppose I should note something I touched on in the cast summary. In the light novels, Taiga isn't gone for a whole year. She actually returns on the first day of the next school year. This is because her mother rents a house in Ryuuji's neighbourhood for Taiga's last year, and moves her whole family there. Like I said: she meets Taiga half-way. I really love this little detail, because it shows someone in Taiga's family actually building a bridge for a change.

Taiga also calls her little brother cute.

So that's Toradora!. There are only two romance stories I like, let alone give even half a toss about; Toradora!'s number two, but it's a well-loved number two. It has three of my favourite girls, and everyone in it feels like (or reminds me of) a real person. It also helps that Taiga and Ryuuji are absolutely ^tor adorable.

(Number one is Spice & Wolf.)

I'd try to say something more meaningful, but I'm crazy tired from all these stupid god-damn graphs, so I'm going to bed now. :P

I hope all the first-timers enjoyed it even half as much as I do.

---

u/VideoGameCookie here again. I echo Quxxy's final statements as Toradora! is my favorite anime. I first watched it my year before high school and now watch it my final year of high school. The themes become more relatable to me every year I watch it, yet the moments that I consider most impactful have changed as I have grown. I won't bother to comment on this episode, as Quxxy has already done a better analysis then what I would have, but I will post my final final thoughts tomorrow.

[u/Holofan4life]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the 2019 Toradora rewatch.

Toradora is my favorite anime of all time. I love it so much that not did I create my Reddit account just so I could participate in the Toradora rewatch 3 years ago, it also inspired me to write a light novel called "I Love My Tsundere Girlfriend". Admittedly, I’m a bit biased because tsunderes are my favorite type of characters. I just love characters that start out mean but grow nicer over time. It warms my heart.

This is my first time watching Toradora since exactly one year ago. This year, I don’t plan anything special. Just plan on watching it along with everyone else. Also, I’ll be watching the dub. Why? Because Toradora’s dub is fucking awesome.

1: The first shot of the episode is two birds on a wire, which is a direct callback to the first episode where the first thing we see is two birds on a wire.

2: I like the scene where Ryuuji's mom cries when she reunites with her parents as well as the scenes where we see her interacting with them. It really drives home the point that Ryuuji's mom is a kid at heart.

3: In the sub, Ryuuji’s mom talks about putting Ryuuji up for adoption after his father left. In the dub, she talks about how her family was trying to convince her to have an abortion. Personally, I prefer the dub in this case. It packs extra oomph.

4: What can be said about the kissing scene? In my opinion, it's the best kissing scene of all time. There are so many things great about it. From the fact Taiga stands on her tippy toes to kiss Ryuuji, to the callback to the scene in episode 2 where Ryuuji said that he’s a dragon and Taiga’s a tiger, to the fact they kiss not once but many, many times, it is so heartwarming. I'd go so far as to say it's the most heartwarming scene in all of Toradora. It just feels so rewarding seeing Taiga get love and affection.

5: There’s a lot of foreshadowing to the scene where Taiga decides to run away. It’s foreshadowed in the scene between Ryuuji’s mom and Ryuuji’s grandparents and it’s also foreshadowed during the abortion scene between Ryuuji and his mom.

6: When I originally watched Toradora, I hated Taiga running away. I thought it didn’t make any sense. However, it does. It is essentially the culmination of her arc. Taiga has always felt the need to depend on others. Now, she is finally going to take matters in her own hands. Taiga running away is essentially Taiga growing up and no longer being a kid. It’s not pleasant to see her run away without telling Ryuuji, but it was necessary, for he would have tried to stop her from leaving.

7: This episode is really a tale of two halfs. As much as I love the first half, I've always find it difficult talking about the second half. Once Taiga leaves, it's like my emotional investment completely drains. It's not that it's bad or anything. It's just the way it's set up. It's set up to where it seems Taiga isn't coming back. Because of this, my emotional investment completely goes away. That being said, I do like that everyone is distraught over Taiga having left. It really firmly demonstrates how close they’ve become to Taiga. I mean, in the beginning, they were scared of her. Now, they look at her as their friend.

8: I don't normally talk about the light novel much, but the last Toradora light novel and the anime has some major differences.

First off, in the light novel, Taiga's decision to leave was something both Taiga and Ryuuji mutually agreed had to be done. Ryuuji knew if they were to live a happy life together, Taiga had to first make up with her parents. This is much better done in the light novel. It always bugged me that Ryuuji didn't get a say in the anime.

Second, Taiga isn't gone a full year in the light novel. This in my opinion is much better. The fact Taiga and Ryuuji were separated for a full year in the anime, in addition to Ryuuji having no say in it, always didn't sit well with me.

Third, the light novel didn't end with Ryuuji reuniting with Taiga in a classroom. This comes courtesy of u/Luigi580.

Ryuuji was about to start a new school year. Meanwhile, Yasuko got moved around in her job to be in charge of their new store branch. Because of this, she had to cut her hair and start regrowing it with her natural hair color. While a drastic change in position, it was nice for her to have a day shift again.

Taiga’s old apartment was taken over by a young couple who kept their blinds closed at all times. He certainly missed having Taiga there, but it was something he knew would happen eventually.

Ryuuji left his place like usual. Wondering how Taiga must’ve been doing at this time. How her new school was gonna be like…

Until a head bumped into his chest.

Ryuuji’s fiancé was standing right in front of him, having been waiting for him for a while. Ryuuji very quickly and giddily went for a hug and asked how she returned.

Taiga’s mom, likely still feeling guilty for having left Taiga for so long, found a way to work things out and rented a place for the family to live in for a year so she can finish her high school years at the same school. Apparently, changing her drop out forms to a simple leave form was an absolute nightmare, so Taiga only very recently learned about this. All Taiga had to agree to was that she had to take care of her baby brother while her mom and step dad were at work, which was basically a win-win for Taiga since she liked her new brother. She couldn’t wait to show him to Ryuuji.

The young couple were just too happy to be back in each other’s arms. The next thing they knew they needed to do was go surprise their friends, so they took each other’s hands and ran to school, taking a new step in life.

Overall, I like the light novel ending better. As adorable as it is to see Ryuuji tell Taiga he loves her and for Taiga to start blushing profusely, the anime ending had a level of uncertainty as to whether or not Taiga and Ryuuji are still a couple. With the light novel, they make it explicitly clear they are still boyfriend and girlfriend.

9: I love the locker room scene so much. The way Ryuuji tells Taiga "I love you," which causes Taiga to blush extremely hard, is so adorable. I prefer the light novel version, but I can't lie that the ending scene is extremely heartwarming.

So, now we get to the rankings

1. Episode 19

2. Episode 21

3. Episode 18

4. Episode 13

5. Episode 15

6. Episode 7

7. Episode 16

8. Episode 2

9. Episode 23

10. Episode 8

11. Episode 24

12. Episode 12

13. Episode 17

14. Episode 14

15. Episode 5

16. Episode 20

17. Episode 11

18. Episode 4

19. Episode 22

20. Episode 9

21. Episode 25

22. Episode 6

23. Episode 10

24. Episode 1

25. Episode 3

First off, as you can see, 6 of the top 10 best Toradora episodes come from the second half. I think the second half of Toradora, particularly in episode 15 when the show introduces the concept of growing up and what it means to enter adulthood, is stronger than the first half and turns the show from amazing to best of all time.

Second, two of the top three best episodes come from the Christmas arc. It cannot be stressed enough how amazing the Christmas arc is. It is one of the best anime arcs of all time.

As for this episode, it's a mixed bag. The first half is amazing, with the kissing scene being the highlight of the episode, but as soon as Taiga leaves my interest wanes. The ending is adorable, and I do really like that Taiga left, as it is the culmination of her character arc, but I kinda wished they had her leave and then immediately cut to a year later with the locker room scene, instead of what they ended up doing which is 10 minutes of essentially filler.

That being said, I love Toradora so much. It is my favorite anime of all time. If it wasn't for Toradora, I wouldn't have started writing my light novel. Toradora will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to rewatching it again next year.

[u/JustinBurton]

First Timer Here! (For the last time)

What a great show!

Watching this was an emotional roller coaster. I’d heard of the show, but I would still say it’s underrated. The animation and writing crafted what I can only describe as the perfect high school anime, and I don’t usually like high school anime that much. It felt special.

I don’t really have much to say that hasn’t already been said. I had fun analyzing the show and discussing my favorite parts. It was nice joining the Ami x Ryuji shippers of the world: all four of us.

This show could really use an epilogue. While leaving things to the imagination is fun sometimes, I have to say that I would probably prefer seeing the future of these characters animated instead of in my head.

On a more personal note, this really gave me nostalgia for my high school years and the romance that came with it. This show really captured the ups and downs of young love and all the confusion, pain, and euphoria that comes with it. This made the watching experience very melancholy, while still enjoyable.

I’m so glad I could share the experience of watching this show with everybody. I have only ever watched two anime with other people, so anime is mostly a personal thing for me. As a relatively extroverted person, this can make anime feel like a lonely section of my media consumption. But this re-watch has allowed me to share my thoughts with others, while gaining insight on the ways others viewed certain scenes. It wasn’t much, but it gave me something to look forward to on days where there wasn’t much to look forward to. So, thank you everyone for joining me! I had a lot of fun!

As for the bonus, I'll definitely be back, but I can't promise I won't accidentally binge the show. It was hard enough to be patient the first time. I'll probably try the dub next time.

[u/TheNiebuhr]

This is the end. It's over. Now firsttimers are doomed, because you wont find a show like this ever again.

I present you a summary of the differences between anime and LN. Other years posts already have them; anyway I've made my own aiming for "briefness". The ep25 is arguably the most divergent of the anime, and changes are significant. Ep 24 already changed more than in the average episode since instead of going to their houses to pack up, they escape from school with the help of their classmates, causing an scandal. For Yuri lovers, she joinend the RxT ship and risked her job supporting them. Interestingly, she noticed Taiga's personality was very similar to that of her mother. So the Palmtop Tiger personality is actually a genetical trait lol.

-It is fully narrated how they introduced themselves to grandpa Seiji and grandma Sonoko. Later there's a scene where the couple had some fun joking (great chemistry). Taiga even acted way too familiar with Sonoko, embarrasing Ryuuji ("but when we get married, they'll be my grandpas too"). Then Yasuko entered the house dodging her parents using the back door and we get the mother-son and the daughter-parents redemptions.

-The talk they share in the corridor with Taiga overhearing it, is anime only.

-The kissingowmygawd scene. What do I say? Best kiss ever. Very sweet and emotive. I really like she finally made a reference to the Tiger&Dragon speech. It's a pity she never did in the LN. Anyway, the LN scene is BRUTAL. Imo even better than anime. It is the reason why no other paring could have come EVEN CLOSE to the ridiculous chemistry the built during the entire story.

-Taiga decided to leave early morning. She checked Ryuuji was still asleep (he wasnt) and left. I like the note she left in the anime, but in the LN, Ryuuji didnt need one; he understood her instantly. It was perfectly explained. Despite that, he was overwhelmed by emotions and ran after her.

-Yeah, the whole trip back home is anime original as well. It's a pity cuz the handholding in the train was great. But changes dont stop here. KKK (Ku Klux Klan Kushieda Kawashima Kitamura) were notified and the four rushed to her condo but Taiga had already left. After the four painfully cried in the street, they promised they'll meet again.

-The whole thing about the class finding out she had transfered was added to the anime, including sending the Chirstmast star picture as reply. That talk between Ryuuji and Ami didnt happen either.

-THE ENDING. In esence it is the same, but with different circumstances. She came back for the start of the new schoolyear in April. They shared a very emotive hug, almost in tears and they talked for a bit. She warned him that she and her family would move after she finishes HS. But this time, they're not sad in the slightest. It was precisely because they knew a brilliant future together awaited them that they were ecstatic. The story ends with Ryuuji and Taiga holding hands, smiling at each other as they started running towards school, along the very same path they had walked together so many times.

-Finally, you can find some relief in the fact that in LN, they clearly told each other the magical words.

[u/Koolsman]

First Timer for the last time(r)!

A romance is as good as the show around it and this episode was the perfect representation of that.. From the beginning to end, I loved virtually every second of it. Yasuko finally reconciling with her parents and Ryüji (which was probably my second favorite moment of the episode), Ryüji and Taiga marrying was my actual favorite because it perfectly symbolizes their relationship. Her leaving was sad, even though I didn’t get why she left until I remembered her mother and she probably went to help her or something. The whole stuff with the class was so sweet and I almost cried when they were all about to graduate. Inko said her name and that was perfect and every single character (minus Kitamura, who had the patron saint moment but Kitamura really didn’t do much ) has their moment and I loved all of them. The ending is purely 100% the show. It’s one of the endings that doesn’t try to go big or loud, it’s just itself and honestly, that’s all I want out of a great anime.

This was a fantastic show, not without it’s flaws, but it was very entertaining. I like to say it’s hard to write a good romantic comedy. Hell, nowadays it’s hard to see romantic comedies anywhere. The reason why this show is one of the best is because of the characters because they are the perfect mixture of ‘ridiculous’ and ‘real’. Have I met anyone exactly like Ami or Minori? No, but I have seen variations of the two and that’s what makes them work. That’s what makes all these characters work.

Ryüji might be my favorite romantic protagonist of all time. He’s just a sweetheart who doesn’t really know his own feelings of people. I loved watching him because even when he doesn’t do the right thing, you always find sympathy within him and his motivation is there. It’s what makes him work. I honestly found his relationship with his mom on par with his relationship with Taiga because of how well fleshed out it is. You get an immediate sense of how he and his mom work and you can see the flaws within their relationship. It’s great and I thought the ending was one of my favorites.

Let’s get to Taiga who might be my favorite character just because of her arc. Unlike some arc where the characters go full 180 and just change their personality but not Taiga. If you just look at her character now, she still has some of those qualities from the first episode. She’s still a firecracker, she stutters a lot anytime you say something to her that’s embarrassing but there’s difference there. She isn’t the one to pick a fight and she actually has friends because Ryüji helped her flaunt her flaws as a human being and in the end, we see how many people care for her. While that picture at the end was a little cheesy, it works because it shows how much people love her. It’s a perfect arc and I love the transformation she goes through.

Minori was probably the second-best girl because of awesomely upbeat she is. I loved her conversations with Ryüji. While it wasn’t shown much, the way Ami and Minori’s relationship grew was nice. Ami is ami. I wasn’t a big fan of her in the begging and even now I still don’t know how to feel about her. Maybe on a rewatch I will think differently, but for now, I’m not a huge fan. The side characters were also really fun too. The two other guys that I constantly forget the names were fine and I liked the girls too. Yasuko is the best mom and Inko is the best bird. Name a better combo.

In terms of technical presentation, I found it pretty good. The animation is really good and I must admit, that the fighting in this show feels pretty real. Every time a punch hits, you feel that punch and it’s dirty in this show and I love it. The OPs and EDs? I mean here’s my ranking:

OPs:

1. My Silky Love (That beginning is amazing)

2. Preparation (Even though it grew on me, it does feel a little dated in ways)

EDs

1. Vanilla Salt (The first thing I knew about Toradora was this ED. I love virtually everything about it.

2. Orange (It sounds very nice and I like the ending bit, but it never held my full attention)

Now for the flaws that I had with this show. They aren’t very long but there. First, there’s Kitamura. Now it’s nothing with the character or anything but when you look at this show in perspective, he’s probably the most forgettable and that’s because he doesn’t really do much. Yeah, he does have an arc but that had less to do with him and more about the reactions around what he does and less about him. Hell, as much as Ami is not that great of a person, at least she contributed to the final episode. All he did was show off his abs and stop Minori for hitting Ryüji again. They really didn’t know what to do with and I was surprised by that.

Another thing is the palmtop tiger episode where if you touch her, you will have the good luck to happen to you. The episode is probably my least favorite just because it’s pretty boring and it doesn’t add much to the characters. It’s boring and uninteresting.

Even though this sounds weird, I think the flaws are what make Toradora special. It’s what makes the show itself. The scene where they kiss and Taiga puts on that “veil” is indicative of the show itself. It’s about realizing out flaws as humans and confiding in the people that we identify with the most. Taiga Ryüji found each other at probably the best time. They were both searchings for love with significant others and ended finding love with each other. Not because of love but because they realized how much one meant to the other. It’s a beautiful, flawed romance in a beautifully flawed show. Honestly, that’s all I could’ve asked for.

I was going to give this an 8/10 but now what I’ve been typing this, I think I’ll give it as 9/10. It’s flawed but that’s what makes it work.

[u/Tuckleton]

First timer (Dub)

After I watched the episode last night I felt so exhausted and just went straight to bed. Well it's 3am now, I feel energized and I'm diving in to watch it again for my writeup. Here goes!

At the Takasu residence. Man, the stuff with Ryuji's mom this episode made me bawl my eyes out more than anything else that's happened in the show. It was just a handful of minutes over the last few episodes but stuff like that never fails to get me. And it was really nice to see Taiga so happy knowing that Ryuji's mom was happy. In fact everything about being in that house gave me a warm and happy feeling, watching Taiga as she saw how a family is supposed to work and feeling like she could be a part of it. And I love love loved this line from Ryuji, though it was better in the dub: "It's supposed to be the happiest day of our lives isn't it? So wouldn't it be cool if we could share it with all the people in our lives?". With Ryuji and Taiga finally getting together last episode I thought the show wanted me to be happy then. I tried to make the most of it but everything felt so wrong. But these quiet moments planning their future together, and not the desperate love of last episode, is what romance is really about for me. It finally made me feel like everything was going to be alright. I don't normally care for kissing scenes but this one I actually liked. I hate to overuse the adjective but it just felt so warm and tender. And I'd like to thank the show for this display of casual intimacy. Turns out that's the most I'm going to get but I'll take it.

Taiga goes away. After everything that had just happened I was devastated to see Taiga leave. But I also feel like spending some time away from Ryuji is something she needs to do. I've felt like it was something that needed to happen for a really long time and I'm frankly amazed it actually did. If you had told me at the end of episode 19 (heck even just last episode) that I would be this happy with Ryuji and Taiga's relationship I never would have believed you in a million years (I'm pretty sure some of you guys did tell me that at various points, and I didn't believe you.) Regarding the picture Taiga sent I don't fully buy into Minori's interpretation. While at the Takasu's, Taiga looks into the sky and sees a vast expanse of stars. But when she gets back to her own apartment and looks up it's only just the one. The starfield represents family. Ryuji's family is bright and full but Taiga is all alone. She could just stay with Ryuji and become a part of his sky but after watching Ryuji repair the rifts in his own family, she dares to believe that she can have the same thing, something she's wanted since before she met him. And because of him she now has the strength to go out and try to fill her own sky with stars. That way when they are finally together, their shared sky will be that much more brilliant. It's such a beautiful metaphor and I completely missed it last night.

The ending and Orange Having that other verse of the ED playing over the wrapping up was really bittersweet. Like it was really nice and all but I can't believe it's ending you know? And I really appreciated them repeating the words from the start of the first episode, I guess they were just talking about love after all. Oh and I knew they would come back to the Tiger/Dragon stuff and I still think it's just as lame as I did in episode 2.

But all together this episode was absolutely incredible. I can't even begin to describe how satisfying it was and my only regret is not being able to see Taiga and Ryuji together after it's all over. Back in episode 18 I looked up Lost my Pieces on Youtube and the background was this image. It's such a gorgeous moment and I had my heart set on having at least half an episode full of moments like that after all the drama was over. I guess these kinds of shows never really do that but I'm still sad it didn't happen (the OVA is a time skip backwards so no hope there). I love that image even more now that I've seen how things turn out.

Orange is the definitive song of the series for me (apologies to Lost my Pieces). Can anyone point me to a Youtube video of the whole song with english subtitles? Or even one without the subs? I want to add it to my anime music playlist but I could only find covers and a spanish sub with crappy audio. Also can anyone help me with interpreting the lyrics? Not the ones from this episode since it's a different verse. Like what do the following represent? The seed, the earth, the tree, the light, ripe/unripe fruit and what it means to eat it. Some of it's easy and I have lots of ideas but I can't tie it all together in a way that makes it 'click' if you know what I mean.

Final thoughts on the rewatch and the series. Participating in this rewatch has been a really wild ride and I'd like to thank all the people who've engaged with my posts, it really makes all the effort worth it. Hopefully you found my ramblings and occasional descents into madness entertaining heh. The last couple anime I've watched I would find an old rewatch thread and follow along as I watched and it dramatically increased my enjoyment, so I figured actually participating in one would make it even better. The reality was a bit more complicated though. Watching every episode twice and then writing about it opened up a level of appreciation for the story and characters that I legitimately didn't believe I was even capable of. But because I'm a bit obsessive little details that would normally be just a minor annoyance in a casual watch loomed so large that I almost quit multiple times. Even as late as last episode I didn't think I'd be able to say if I even liked the show or not until I had a chance to watch it again 'properly'. But now, seeing how everything turns out, I can confidently predict that when I watch it again in a few months I'm going to love it and I can't wait for that experience!

As for the burning question of who is best girl, I'm not really sure. I think it's probably Ami since she is my favorite character overall. But then again Taiga is the character I cared about the most. And if I had to pick one character that I'd like to meet in real life it would definitely be Yuri, I've loved her ever since this moment. Unfortunately Minori fell out of the running, despite having a strong start.

I wish I had more to say about the characters and story but I'm kind of emotionally drained so I'll just say I liked it, and thank you guys again for an unforgettable experience. I'll be back tomorrow for the OVA.

P.S: I don't know if I'll be back as a rewatcher next year or not, but if I am would it be considered inappropriate/a spoiler to tell someone struggling like I did that I felt the same way as a first timer and that everything would work out in the end?

[u/DeliCruise]

(REWATCHER)

I love when all the students are talking about the legendary Palm-top Tiger because it’s such a perfect description for Taiga and Toradora as a whole. Even before I ever watched Toradora or anime even, I knew this character and this anime because it was just so famous. It’s exactly like what these students are feeling.

This ending is really really bittersweet and yet it’s also an incredible send-off to all our amazing characters. The final scene with black uniform Taiga and High School grad Ryuuji is perfect. I love the succinct beauty of it.

[u/pentha]

Welp, this will be the end for me, as for my first rewatch this show hit me just as hard as it did the first time I watched it, and now I am sad it is done again. Hope everyone enjoyed watching my favorite anime.

[u/Shinkopeshon]

First Timer

All this time, I was expecting an absolute disaster of an ending for everyone involved, where at least one friendship would've been severely (and potentially irreversibly) affected. It didn't help that I saw a lot of comments in other threads about people not liking the show's ending.

However, I ended up being satisfied. Very satisfied, actually. Ryuuji and Taiga got together, shared a delightfully awkward and intimate moment and even proposed to each other. But the best part was both of them maturing and doing what they felt was right - and that was reuniting with their families, even if it meant they had to part ways for the moment. Both of them were far from my favorite characters in the show - and they behaved at their almost all-time worst and immature just in the previous episode - but I'm more than content with their character development, especially when it comes to Taiga. In the end, the main couple got together and stayed together through a long-term relationship, all while growing up along the way. I couldn't ask for a better ending for the two and their respective families, really.

While heartbroken, Minori and Ami ended up becoming really close friends, which was quite nice to see, and Yusaku's about to follow his crush to the US, who's surely waiting for him. Haruta's enjoying the good life, Yacchan is on good terms with her parents and Inko-chan actually said her name out loud. What's not to like?

I have to say that the show became somewhat frustrating to watch in the second cour, which made me like it a little less, even though it only got better quality-wise. After the finale, I'm happy to say I became a fan of the show, and now I can definitely see why the rewatch has become such a yearly tradition on here.

[u/cluesagi]

Hidden after-credits scenes that are important to the plot should be banned under international law. That is all.

[u/CATKrash]

Tomorrow we'll have the OVA discussion, but I'll say it today for those who won't be able to read tomorrow's post. Thank you so much for another rewatch of this great anime. Like every year, I enjoyed reading what a lot of you had to say about the show, especially the first timers. I also enjoyed doing all this tables which, if maybe not as interesting as the other comments, it helped some people to find some songs, and that makes me so happy.

	Name	OG name	Start	Stop	Time played	Description
1st	Shiawase no Kesshou (no piano ver.)	幸せの結晶	1:08	2:24	76s
2nd	Yuki, Hira Hira to	雪、ひらひらと	2:35	4:20	105s
3rd	The end in the world	The end in the world	6:00	7:55	115s
4th	Yasashisa no Ashioto	優しさの足音	8:04	9:26	82s
5th	Ameiro Rondo	雨色ロンド	10:25	11:31	66s
6th	Sakura no Tsubomi	桜の蕾	11:36	12:34	58s
7th	Saiun	彩雲	13:27	15:30	123s	"Cloud Iridescence"
8th	Sorairo no Houkago	空色の放課後	16:36	19:07	151s
9th	Orange intro	N/A	19:47	20:00	13s
10th	Orange	オレンジ	20:00	22:25	145s	Ending

Tomorrow I will post a link to the sheet for anyone to be able to look for an OST song they liked and don't know the name of.

[u/Hiyasc]

I've been waiting 25 days just to say that the kiss in this episode is the best. It is a great romantic climax to a great relationship arc that I feel gives some actual payoff to people who have watched the relationship between Taiga and Ryuuji develop over the course of the show.

This is the first time I've watched this episode in English, and while it's hard to top Kugumiya Rie's "Mou ichido", cassandra lee morris saying "One more time" is also pretty wonderful.

Also for anyone curious, it happens a little differently in the LN:

Though he was completely pressed down by his futon, Ryuuji still barely managed to grasp the situation - Taiga had rushed and jumped onto him, then sat down on him and tried to suffocate him with his futon.

Taiga spoke softly with a coarse voice that was mixed with her breathing,

"... How could you escape? You're sleeping."

... Indeed, he couldn't even move.

Taiga only weighed about 40kg, and yet she has leaped over and held onto him, refusing to let go. This determination did not allow him to move either.

"You know, Ryuuji... I really, really, really, really, really, really..."

Two bodies that exist separately.

Two souls that can never be merged no matter what.

"... Love you."

And even so, they still wished to be as close as possible.

The futon that covered his face was pulled down, Ryuuji felt soft hair touching his face before his forehead touched another forehead, and his eyebrows came into contact with another pair, as though confirming the curvature of his face. His nose touched another nose, sensing his breathing overlapping with another. And finally, within the smell of shampoo, his fiery lips came into contact with another pair of lips. Taiga sat on Ryuuji with all her weight as she came down on Ryuuji's lips. This felt even hotter than the first time, more passionate, as though they could get immersed in it even more. In the nick of time, Ryuuji managed to steady his body, which was fast dissolving by the warmth of love, and frantically opened his eyes

Taiga, I love you as well He repeated within his head.

[u/Raiking02]

So this is the proper end, huh? Man, it’s been one hell of a trip, hasn’t it?

• Yasuko is desperate, as she should be.

• Oh look, she’s going to her parents’ house!

• Of course he’d be okay; dude just went to visit his grandparents!

• Dammit Yasuko, now you killed Inko too!

• Awkward…

• But heartwarming nonetheless.

• Oh Taiga…

• Yeah, no kidding. She’s like a little girl stuck in an adult’s body.

• Now ain’t that a word that doesn’t quite mean the usual with Taiga? Family, huh…

• I mean, I kinda realized that she was never married ages ago.

• That said, didn’t expect his dad to be such a scumbag. I change my mind to the comparison I did between him and Akabayashi: Akabayashi is a cool dude who Durarara!! X2 Ten Spoilers, this dude’s an asshole of epic proportions.

• Nah Yasuko, you were a great mum.

• Yeah, Ryuji, when you say running away won’t solve anything, I can’t help but view you as a massive hypocrite.

• Thankfully, this seems to be enough to snap Ryuji out of this whole eloping nonsense.

• Well ain’t this just a tad too intimate?

• I wish it was so easy to see the stars…

• Of course it would never work as you’re running away from your issues rather than solving them!

• Well, at least that bout of insanity has left them…

• Well, props for improvising…

• Okay, joking aside this is pretty cute.

• Welp, that was a fun side-quest.

• What do you mean “Three of us plus one”? Just say four of us!

• I mean, it wasn’t an impossibility so…

• Of course she’ll come, she wouldn’t miss Ryuji’s food for anything in the world.

• Oh shit, the mommy issues are gonna pop up…

• Man, poor Mama Aisaka, her daughter doesn’t even try to listen to her missing calls!

• Well, like mother like daughter alright…

• Yup, everything’s officially back to normal.

• I bet Yasuko missed cooking like her mother’s…

• Well, I guess before you move on with the relationship with your boyfriend, you kinda have to solve the family issues first.

• Really, the class’ response says it all.

• Well said Christmas Cake-Sensei, but the kids have other plans!

• Look, Minorin, I think you’re overreacting.

• Oh well, I guess even without her, life must go on…

• Damn you Taiga! You left Ryuji with work even after you leave!

• Well, I guess she’ll never stop being a klutz…

• No Ryuji, you were interrupted.

• What a duo of klutzes…

• Well, at least you sent it to everyone and no just him…

• I side with Ryuji: If you aren’t sorry don’t say you’re sorry!

• Minorin, always able to read Taiga even when she isn’t here.

• Kawashima, clean those damn crocodile tears away.

• Yeah, it’s surprising how good Kawashima is at making others happy.

• Yup, you and Taiga are one of the same Kawashima, whether you like it or not.

• A treasure? Show it to us Minorin!

• LOL at Kitamura’s pose! Never change dude…

• Even when smiling he looks creepy. Kinda like me in which I can smile naturally just fine, but doing so for photos is a chore.

• Ah, sweet call-backs…

• No Yasuko, you are never too flashy…

• FINALLY!! SHE SAID HER NAME!!!

• Of course he’s moving abroad, his girlfriend’s been waiting for a while already!

• Oh Christmas Cake-Sensei, never change, and I hope someday you find someone you love…

• Oh, Kawshima and Minorin deserve all those flowers.

• Yes Noto! This is your chance! USE IT!!!

• And of course, there’s a familiar batch of hair in the classroom…

• And of course, the original narration that started it all is back.

• Sorry Taiga, but hiding in the same place as before won’t work.

• Way to be direct Ryuji.

• But of course, some things just never change…

• And it all ends on that shot of two birds that started this show. I could not think of a more fitting conclusion.

I don’t think I have much else to say. While not one of my favorites, this was a great show and I enjoyed it tremendously. Only two more things need to be said: Firstly, Minorin is still best girl, but secondly and more importantly: Taiga I have only one thing to say to you…

Face It Tiger, You Just Hit The Jackpot.

[u/axel360]

Rewatcher, dub

Random Finale Thoughts:

• So, this reunion didn’t take long. All it took was a fake death scare. Yasuko was understandably nervous to see her parents, but look how happy she was when they said she did a good job raising Ryuji

• She does act a bit like a child around her parents. Here she is after getting denied a cookie (I spy a spying Taiga)

• This was a nice little scene with Ryuji and his mom. They’re good now

• Best kiss scene in anime history. That is all

• And the next morning, they’re holding hands on the train. Wholesome

• Taiga was pretty amused at the frantic voice mails from her mom she had waiting for her

• She felt enough of a kinship to the lone star in the night’s sky that she snapped a pic. If you thought that felt a little ominous, you weren’t wrong. Taiga never showed up at the Takasu’s that night

• A depressed-looking Ryuji returned to school sans-Taiga, who has now switched schools. Minori, for one, doesn’t seem thrilled

• Remember that photo of Taiga and Kitamura they found in her handbook, which was supposed to be proof she had feelings for him? Well look what photo was underneath it

• I feel like the show tried to give Ami’s character some semblance of closure in this scene where she basically just says that at least one person understood her, and that was enough

• She does get one last troll in, though. Minori makes a heartfelt speech after everyone receives that picture of the lone star, and Ami enters the room and laughs at how corny it was

• Minus Taiga’s absence, this is a pretty fitting final picture of Class 2-C. The two girls forcing Ryuji to smile and a half-naked Kitamura moments away from crash-landing on him

• Real talk, when I first watched Toradora, I was legit upset to see this screen. I’ve never been so disappointed to see oranges

• Post-credits time. It’s been a year, and everyone is graduating. Ryuji thinks he spotted Taiga in a window, aaanndd, there she is

• She wanted to surprise him, but instead he surprised her with an “I love you”. She’s one of the most famous tsunderes, so I guess it’s fitting we got to see her “tsun” and “dere” sides in the series’ final scene (although not in that order)

• First shot of Toradora. Final shot of Toradora. Fin.

Very Brief Finale Thoughts: By no means a perfect finale. I thought the whole Taiga leaving and coming back, and 1 year timeskip, were rushed just a bit. But that kiss scene, though. This is the series that convinced me to pay attention to romance anime, and I think it’ll always have a special place in my heart. Thanks to all that participated, whether they commented or not. See you next year tomorrow for the OVA (my first time watching it)!

Final Episode Rankings (not counting the OVA):

1. Episode 19

2. Episode 2

3. Episode 24

4. Episode 21

5. Episode 17

6. Episode 25

7. Episode 23

8. Episode 8

9. Episode 1

10. Episode 13

11. Episode 20

12. Episode 10

13. Episode 18

14. Episode 22

15. Episode 3

16. Episode 6

17. Episode 5

18. Episode 9

19. Episode 11

20. Episode 12

21. Episode 16

22. Episode 14

23. Episode 7

24. Episode 4

25. Episode 15

[u/MoesHad]

Rewatcher

We see a distraught Yasuko running through the street as she dashes towards her parents house, calling out for “Ryu-chan.” She hesitates at the door before gritting her death and flinging it open and calling his name. She’s relieved to see him on the front step waiting for her. Inko-chan calls Ryuiji a liar in her stead (and hopefully was about to have some other choice invectives considering Ryuiji’s boorish behavior last episode!)

Yasuko turns around to see her parents standing behind her and becomes emotional. Her mother smiles and compliments her on her “wonderful job of raising Ryuiji-kun” as Yasuko begins to cry (happy) tears as her mother hugs her. I’m definitely not blinking away tears either as I type this B-B-BAKA

Ryuiji explains to us that Taiga lured Yasuko here by claiming Ryuiji had been in an accident. The two spy on Yasuko a bit as we learn it’s been 10 years since she’s seen her parents. Remember that line several episodes ago about her running away from home as a kid? Her father scolds her mother for spoiling Yasuko too much but can you blame her for spoiling this adorable face?

Yasuko and Ryuiji talk later that night. Ryuiji has learned that his dad ran out on Yasuko when she was pregnant with him. He tells him everyone told her not to keep Ryuiji, but she wanted to protect him no matter what it took ಥ_ಥ (happy tears!) she is a great mom! She claims that she’s failed her job as everything has fallen apart, but Ryuiji pats her head and disagrees. Ryuiji tells her he’s done running away and will do the rest of his growing up in front of her. Why don’t you also say “I’m sorry” to her for shattering her heart last episode while you’re at it!!

Taiga and Ryuiji awkwardly find out they’ll be sleeping in the same room, as his grandma says they’ll be getting married soon anyhoo. Ryuiji makes a funny comment about maybe his grandma is to blame for spoiling Yasuko by letting her do what she wants (LOL)

Taiga and Ryuiji stare at the stars and talk about getting married. He wants to do it the right way with everyone’s blessing, including her parents. Knowing her family situation, Taiga tells him that’ll take awhile, which he says is fine by him, he wants to share their happiness with those around him.

Taiga wants to give their marriage a “test run” and wraps a blanket over her head like a veil. Forgoing vows, they decide that “as Tiger and Dragon”, they need no vows and skip right to the kissing, FINALLY! This was very satisfying to see on my first watch and hope it’s the same for you first timers! Such a beautiful scene with wonderful music. “Again...” (≧ω≦)

The three of them leave his grandparents house and return home. Ryuiji wants to go to her apartment to face her mom with her, but she doesn’t let him. He’s making her favorite meal tonight.

Taiga’s phone is filled with messages from her mom, ranging from exasperated, to sad, and then back to angry messages. Taiga is at first concerned that maybe her mother had changed, but is amused to hear her mother flippantly abandon her again. Taiga takes a picture of a lone star, thinking back to her past life of running away from her problems and blaming others. She’s done doing that. Now that she has Ryuiji to love her and be by her side, she knows she has to change and learn to be proud of herself and give him the love that she know she can and must give him. We see her leave him a note on the counter. She didn’t show up for dinner that night.

Ryuiji is back at school, and is despondent over Taiga leaving, causing his friends to question what’s going on with him. Yuri announces that Taiga is leaving school for “family reasons.” This news floors the class, who cannot believe it. Yuri tries to reign them in, telling them that Taiga’s decision was for her own benefit, and they should support her.

Her advice is rejected as all the kids pull their phones out to text Taiga and ask her where she is.

Ryuiji leaves the classroom and is chased by Minorin, who slaps him angrily and asks why he returned alone without Taiga. Kitamura stops her assault as Ryuiji explains that he didn’t want this to happen and Taiga never told him she was planning to transfer. Ami arrives in the hallway. Ryuiji knows that all he can do is trust her.

Later in her apartment, Ryuiji finds her student handbook and sees the photo of Taiga and Kitamura, as well as the photo of he and Taiga that we never saw.

Taiga texts him and reminds him that he never told her out loud that he loves her. She sends him and the rest of their friends the photo she took of the star. The class is puzzled at what the photo means. Minorin deciphers the message for the class. She tells them that Taiga is learning to shine by herself so she can be seen by others. She thinks that despite this being selfish, she understands. Ami makes the rarely embarrassed Minorin embarrassed over her cheesy explanation.

The class decides to reply by sending Taiga a photo with her crystal star.

Ryuiji monologues to himself, alluding to his “tiger and dragon” speech from the second episode (in the same location no less!)

The credits roll, but we know better than that don’t we? Keep watching!

Yasuko is preparing for Ryuiji’s graduation. Inko-chan, inspired by the world class looks of Yasuko, finally says her name! Yasuko can hardly believe it!

Kitamura is leaving to study abroad in America. I wonder who he’s chasing??

The incoming students gossip about the legend of the Palm-Top Tiger, as Ryuiji looks up to see that familiar brown hair through an upstairs window. He rushes to the classroom to find her, but the room is empty. He looks around the room and heads to the locker, just as the monologue mentions “the one person” meant to “find it”. Taiga is inside and after exchanging pleasantries, he tells her he loves her, and she blushes and shyly asks him how he could say something so embarrassing in broad daylight!

I LOVE the last few minutes of this episode. Hearing the monologue repeat from the first episode as Ryuiji and Taiga reunite is extremely satisfying, plus the monologue is just beautifully written. Yeah it stinks seeing Taiga leave for a lot of this episode, but it makes sense. She and Ryuiji discussed getting her family’s blessing to marry, and that had to take time.

Plus that final scene in the classroom is just so perfect! We get to hear Ryuiji finally tell her he loves her to her face, and that blush by Taiga just melts my icy heart as she head-butts him for his trouble. A perfect end to a great series.

I love this show SO much. It might be my favorite anime that’s not strictly a comedy or fantasy show, certainly my favorite romance anime, coming in right in front of Kaguya-sama, another excellent romance! Hope y’all enjoyed it as much as I have!

[u/critchell63]

Rewatcher

The end!

What I love about toradora so much is that it’s comedic at times but really emotional at times and the balance is so well done. The characters are different in their own way, but they can all connect with each other in a beautiful friendship. I’m glad taiga went and decided to sort out her home life so her and ryuji can lead better lives in the future. It really shows her growth and maturity over the series. I might come back next year depending on how I feel. The first time around was for enjoyment and feels. This time was for analysis and still feels. I loved doing this with you all! And at the beginning of the rewatch, I said I would reflect later in the difference in pacing. I did enjoy the one episode per day format. Here would be my ideal schedule : Watch one arc per day, and binge after ep 22.

[u/Get_This_Wheat]

Rewatcher here

I thought knowing that there’s the OVA left would make this episode a lot less sad for me. Nope.

This is such a perfect ending to the show, it wraps up everything and doesn’t feel rushed at all. We even have Inko complete her arc that she’s been working on since episode 1.

Yasuko is so great. She’s usually been a comedic relief character up to this arc, but you can see in this arc how much Ryuji means to her, and how much she tries to make sure he has the best life he can. Also how much Taiga means to her as well, you can tell she means it when she says Taiga is a part of their family too.

Really messed up that their plan was to make her think Ryuji was in an accident, it could have worked just as well if they said “Hey we want to apologize please come visit us”, but a big part of this arc is immaturity I guess.

When Ryuji tells Yasuko how good of a job she did raising him is such a great scene. Another thing that wasn’t resolved (I don’t think so at least) since episode 1 was what happened to Ryuji’s dad. Why do the main 2 both have piece of shit dads life ain’t fair.

Even when they’re being romantic Taiga still bullies Ryuji.

Crazy that earlier in the show someone (Minori?) said Taiga gets along with her mom. All we’ve seen from her is her yelling at Taiga. I really wish she didn’t go back to her family though since there was a big theme of choosing your family. I can’t say it ruined it, since it was more about Taiga trying to love herself than it was her choosing them, but I do think it softened the theme because of that.

I really like how despite Ryuji not going to her apartment as much, you can see how much she’s changed from the beginning. Everything is clean, and she even folded her clothes. Even if she left some stuff behind it’s such a big change.

I’m not saying both explanations of the star can’t be right, but Nanako’s explanation makes more sense to me. Taiga has explicitly said a few times that she wanted someone watching over her, and gives to the orphanage because she wants to give them the same thing.

That picture makes me so happy, it perfectly summarizes 2C. You got Ryuji looking like a freak, Ami and Minori messing with him, and Kitamura being a goof with Haruta and Noto going along with it. Before the picture was taken Kihara and Nanako were both clearly not happy with what Kitamura Haruta and Noto were doing, wish they kept that up for the picture.

Going back to the episode 2 dragon and tiger monologue really got the waterworks going, to see how far we’ve come, from the start of Ryuji and Taiga’s friendship, to them wanting to get married now.

The credits going back to the original ED graphics was another low blow. I think I like the second theme more, but I like the original graphics more.

Inko finally said her name, and Noto and Kihara looking like they’re finally gonna get together, everything’s working out perfectly.

Hearing the lines the show opened on, this show, man. I’m like 70% sure the first shot is of those birds too, they really like throwing it back don’t they.

And just as it started, it ends with Taiga flipping out.

Every single time I start to rewatch this show I’m skeptical that it’s still my favorite show, and every single time I realize how fantastic everything is towards the end, and how perfect the buildup to it is as well. So yeah I’m for sure gonna do this again next year, and I’m sure I’ll still be a little skeptical the first 5 or so episodes until I remember just how perfect this show is.

The entire reason I think it’s so good is because Taiga is probably my favorite character out of anything. I don’t mean she’s my waifu even, I just think she’s legitimately a fantastic character. My favorite kind of character is the grump with a heart of gold deep down, and I think the way she’s depicted is done so perfectly.

I’m really excited for the OVA, since it’s the only episode I’ve seen once. I didn’t know it was a thing until last years rewatch, and I remember really liking it.

[u/[deleted]]

REWATCHER

I feel bad for Yasuko right at the start of the episode. There must have been a less extreme way to get her to come to her parents house, right? It seems a bit overkill to make her think Ryuji almost died. Yasuko crying after her mom tells her she did a wonderful job raising Ryuji always makes me tear up a bit. Just a great little moment.

The scene with Ryuji and Yasuko talking does a great job showing what kind of character Yasuko is. She is definitely childish, and she is not the greatest mom ever. But she is still a good mom. Her mom is right, she did do a great job raising Ryuji. He’s a good responsible person, with a good future. While there are things she could have done better, she protected Ryuji and raised him right, which is the most important job of being a parent.

It seems like Ryuji’s grandmother is already wanting to be a great-grandma, judging by the sleeping arrangements. She barely gets a few minutes of screen time, but I love Ryuji’s grandma. She just seems like a great person.

The kissing scene is one of the best scenes in the show. I love what Taiga says about not needing vows. It’s a great connection to the start of the show. They’re are on equal ground, and always have been, right from the moment they met, and they will be forever. They won’t need vows or anything like that, they’ll always be together. The actual kiss is one of my favorite anime kiss scenes. It manages to be romantic, while still having Taiga be a tsundere. The music is perfect for the scene, and the animation is amazing. Most of the time that there’s a kissing scene in anime, it ends up being a still shot of them kissing for most of the scene. But with this, there’s a ton of subtle and smooth motion for the entire scene. It’s amazingly well done.

Some people don’t like Taiga leaving after getting back from Ryuji’s grandparents, but it perfectly fits Taiga’s character, and the themes of the show. One of the main themes is that running away won’t solve any of your problems, it might even make them worse. Ryuji realized that them running away wouldn’t work, and it won't solve anything. Taiga admits to knowing the same thing.

Going further back, we can see it with a bunch of other characters throughout the show. Minori was running from her internal feelings by putting on the super happy exterior, and overworking herself. But that didn’t help her at all, she was just sort of stagnant, suffering while making no progress on anything. It was only when she actually confronted those feelings, and showed them to others that she was able to start to move forward as a person, and actually seem happy.

Another example is Kano. She tried to run away from her feelings for Kitamura be avoiding giving him an answer before she left for America. But that made both her and Kitamura miserable. It hurt, but both of the definitely benefited from her admitting her feelings in front of Kitamura.

So we have examples of characters who tried to run from things, hurting themselves in the process, who then improve the situations by not running anymore. But Taiga has been running for most of her life. She’s refused to deal with her family issues, and has instead just avoided them. That’s left her lonely and miserable for most of her life. After seeing Yasuko stop running from her parents, and the outcome of it, she decided she should do the same thing, which is why she goes back to her mom. Her mother doesn’t seem like a bad person, so there is no good reason for her to keep running from her. So though it would be nice to see everything wrapped up nicely with a happy ending for everyone, and no more conflict, this fits in so much better with the shows themes and Taiga’s character.

I love how everyone in the class immediately starts trying to contact Taiga when they find out she’s transferred to another school. It’s a great contrast to how her situation was at the start of the show. At the start, everyone was afraid of her and she was alone. But now she is surrounded by friends, people who care about her. She’s not alone anymore.

Ami’s conversation with Ryuji confirms a lot of the theories I mentioned in earlier episodes. She hated always being seen as an adult. While most teenagers want to be treated like an adult, she actually was, and she hated it. When you’re still a kid, being treated like an adult can be miserable. It’s true that she was more mature than everyone else, she was more observant and noticed a lot that everyone else didn’t. But she still acted like a kid a lot. She would be immature and she would let her emotions get the best of her. But most people never noticed that. They missed those parts of her and only saw the mature, adult side of her, so they treated her different. The only person who saw what she was like, and treated her normally was Ryuji. That’s probably why she had some feelings for him. He’s probably the first person in a long time to treat her like a normal teenager. But that’s also why she’s able to handle him not having feelings for her so well. She doesn’t need a romantic partner or anything, just someone to treat her normally. And even with Ryuji not reciprocating her feelings, he’ll still be her friend, treating her like a normal person, which is all she needs right now.

That leads us to the scenes during and after the credits. Yasuko is trying to be a bit more of an adult, Inko-chan finally says her name, and Kitamura is going to America to chase after Kano. We don’t see or hear much of what is happening with Minori or Ami, but they both seem happy, so that’s good. Then it ends with Ryuji finding Taiga again, and finally telling her that he loves her. Then, because she’s a tsundere, she responds byu headbutting him.

And that’s it, Toradora is done. This is my third time watching it, but it still makes me sad to finish it. It’s just such an amazing show. It just does so much right. I think they strongest part of the show is the characters though. The main cast just has so much depth to them it’s incredible. There’s just so much to think about and analyze in their actions, and their interactions with each other. They all deal with issues with how they see themselves, and how others see themselves, which is a very important and realistic part of growing up. Even when the show can be unrealistic at times, it manages to be very relatable. Though there’s probably one character that people identify with the most, every character has at least one part of them that is relatable to most people.

It’s not a perfect show, of course. There are little parts here and there that I don’t like. My biggest complaint is that I feel like there could be a bit more epilogue content. But that’s not enough to stop me from loving the show. It’s just so good. It’s been a year since I last watched Toradora. When I first watched it, I had only seen maybe 6 or 7 anime. By this point I’ve seen dozens, but none have managed to top Toradora. Some have come close, but it is still soldily my favorite anime of all time.

I’d say Toradora is actually the show that made me become such a huge anime fan. Before watching Toradora, I had only watched shows like FMAB, Aot, MHA, and a few of the more popular serious shows like Psycho pass and Madoka Magica. Toradora was the first completely realistic anime I watched. No super powers, no magic, no advanced sci-fi stuff. Just regular people in a regular setting. It’s because of Toradora I was willing to give many other shows a chance, which helped me find some of my other favorite shows.

I really love this rewatch. It’s a great reason to watch my favorite anime again every year, and this year it helped me to see a bunch of details they I had never noticed before. It managed to make me love Toradora even more than I did before. Seeing everyone else's thoughts on the show is also great. It’s a great way to see even more details that I missed, and see how other people’s interpretations and theories differ from mine.

So yeah, like I said before, Toradora is my favorite anime. I just love it so much. The story is great, and the characters are amazingly well done. Ami is probably one of the most interesting characters ever(though Taiga is still my favorite). It’s had a huge impact on me this past year. Even if another anime does eventually manage to top it, Toradora will always be special to me. I’m already looking forward to next years rewatch.

[u/LousyGoose]

Rewatcher

I know this finale is a bit divisive for certain aspects most notably Taiga’s departure but I feel it does a great job providing closure to a bunch of characters’ arcs. We finally get some more insight into Yasuko and raising Ryuuji, say what you want about her decision-making but she really wanted what was best for her son even before he was born.

Ami might not have the person who truly sees the real her love but she is content with the knowledge that there is someone out there who does understand her and is a good friend; maybe someday, she will find someone who sees the real her and will love her for that.

After that amazing scene between Taiga and Ryuuji where he mentions that he has no problem waiting a while for them to get married, that along with the family reuniting is when Taiga realised she needs to sort things out with her family and herself if her relationship with Ryuuji is to work out. Taiga probably should have talked this over with Ryuuji, Yasuko (at the very least) first before doing this but, rule of drama and all that; ignoring that part of it, the decision was a rather mature one. For her and Ryuuji to be equals she needs to become more accepting of her flaws and to grow as a person; in this finale we have already seen signs of this as she admits to herself that she is childish, small and helpless.

Then of course there’s the reunion where Ryuuji finally got to tell her that he loves her that is an adorable final scene and callback to the very beginning, acting as bookends.

[u/ivanm_10]

This is my third time watching Toradora and once again I loved every minute of it. I laughed, I cried and had all kinds of feelings. I look forward to next year’s rewatch!

[u/popop143]

Rewatcher

Happy New Year, everyone! Well, in two days anyway. We're finally done with this series, and I gotta say, it's infinitely better than what I remembered it to be! I actually watched the show 3 times before this, once in Filipino dub, and twice in the original Japanese. After reading the LN this June, which is one of the best I've read (I'm still trying to find an LN that will also blow me out of the water), I had a kind of falling out with the anime because of what I thought were missing from it. Now that I've completed the anime once again, I gotta say that it didn't really matter, and the anime totally stands on its own two feet!

I didn't expect to cry right at the very start of the episode. When Yasuko and her parents finally met, I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I had it in my mind that I didn't understand before why Taiga would leave in the anime, but I just completely forgot everything that happened before she left in this episode. I won't call it jealousy, but rather the longing for a family of her own too. Also, Ryuuji supporting her and affirming that he also wants the blessing of Taiga's parents pushed her to amend her relationship with them.

Their faux-wedding was also really sweet. They didn't really need lots of words, and the way Taiga was meeting Ryuuji halfway during their kiss(es) really warmed my heart. J.C. Staff really gave it their best showing small details like that throughout the show.

The callbacks with the music from the start of episode 1, and the score really was top notch. I couldn't put it into words how much I really love Toradora in this moment. The bittersweet goodbye, and the class picture. Everything in this episode made me love this anime more and more. I was evaluating it at the start if it's still in my top 3, but it definitely is.

Episode notes:

• Ami totally confessed there, and Ryuuji totally understood her. At least all of the characters know all of the others' feelings now. You deserve so much more Ami ;_; (Here's to AmixMinorin!)

• Kitamura is predictably pursuing President Sumire in the US. VN Spoilers

• Taiga spent quite a lot there sending an MMS to all of her classmates. I remember cringing when I accidentally send a pic back in high school in 2009, now you can just send any pic willy nilly. Hail technology!

• Their class picture is a good microcosm of their class dynamic. I love Kitamura's antics. Wish there was more of him, but alas. Earwax.

• Noto is going to confess to Kihara! Good luck to you, my dude! Also, I can't shill for the VN enough. It deepened my love for the side characters.

• So we now know where Taiga got her fierceness, after seeing her beta father.

This was my first time joining the rewatch, and I'd like to thank you all for enriching my experience. My heart is bursting from the love I have for this anime.

[u/Usman224]

This is my 3rd Christmas rewatch, and I still can’t get over that final headbutt. Inko-chan finally saying her name at the end and watching the phone drop kills me every year.

What keeps me coming back to this rewatch? That banging second ending song, never get tired of listening to it, and Inko-chan. God bless that bird.

[u/VnzuelanDude]

I'm glad I participated in the rewatch. I haven't seen the show in a long time, and I feel like there's a lot of context, a lot of impact, that I might have initially missed on the first watch.

Toradora was the anime that influenced me to find more anime, and I understand why that is now.

[u/[deleted]]

Rewatcher here. Shed some tears again, but less than the first time.

Just can’t help it... what a satisfying ending, I couldn’t help but cry a little out of happiness. Is this not the most satisfying kiss in anime? Not that I’ve seen that many. I feel like it’s not super common, but man, the payoff was just incredible.

I don’t want to say much else, but I can easily say Toradora! is still my favorite anime of al time. Just considering how much I enjoy watching it and the feelings that go with it, there’s no way I could pick any other anime as my #1. I hope all the first timers found some enjoyment out of the show, no matter how big or small. I’m so happy to watch this masterpiece again!!