First Impressions: Toradora! Ep. 1 and 2

[SimsHsia]

Warning: This thread contains spoilers, (to state the obvious) don't read the plot summary if you want to avoid being spoiled.

There is something in this world which no one has ever seen.
It is soft and sweet.
If it is spotted, I'm sure everyone will want to have it,
Which is why no one has ever seen it.
For this world has hidden it quite well, so that it is difficult to obtain.
But, there will come a day when it is discovered by somebody,
And only those who should obtain it will be able to find it.
That is all.
ー Introductory text, Toradora! Vol. 1, Ch. 1


OP: Pre-Parade by Kugimiya Rie, Kitamura Eri, and Horie Yui
ED: Vanilla Salt by Horie Yui

Background Information

Toradora! is one of the new romantic comedy anime series airing this fall being an adaptation of a light novel series. The light novel series, authored by Takemiya Yuyuko, first debuted in 2006 and currently spans eight novel volumes and one manga volume, with more on the way (EDIT: the novel series will end with the 10th volume). J.C.Staff is the animation company responsible for this anime adaptation, and have previously produced light novel anime adaptations such as Shakugan no Shana (SnS) and Zero no Tsukaima (ZnT). This series is expected to span a total of 12 25 episodes, so it should finish up toward mid-December 2008 March 25th, 2009. The title originates from the Japanese words "tora", meaning tiger, and "doragon", meaning dragon; thus, tiger x dragon.

The series compositioner (writer) for this anime is Okada Mari who has worked in anime series such as Rozen Maiden and a sequel, true tears, and Vampire Knight and its sequel airing this fall, to name a few.

Character Information

(Family/last name, First name)
Aisaka Taiga
Seiyu (voice actor): Kugimiya Rie
Taiga, is the female lead and the “tiger” (mind the pun), who’s 4 ft. 7 in. tall, has a quick temper and brutal attitude and nicknamed the “Palmtop Tiger”.
Taiga is similar to Shana in SnS or Louise in ZnT, both who are tsunderes (combative/brutal then lovestruck), however Taiga can be classified as the “ultimate tsundere” sort of combining both qualities Shana and Louise have.

Takasu Ryuuji
Seiyu: Majima Junji
Ryuuji, is the male lead and the “dragon”, who’s 16 years old, and a junior in high school who has an intimidating look, inherited from his presumed passed away father, making him look like a delinquent, but in reality he’s a responsible person who takes care of his mother (a hostess at a night bar), his odd looking parakeet Inko-chan, and the apartment he lives in by doing all the chores.

Kitamura Yuusaku
Seiyu: Nojima Hirofumi
Yuusaku is Ryuuji's best and possibly only high school friend, and is in the same class as Taiga and Ryuuji.

Kushieda Minori
Seiyu: Horie Yui
Minori is a classmate in the same class as Taiga, Ryuuji, and Yuusaku, and Taiga's best friend.

Kawashima Ami
Seiyu: Kitamura Eri
You'll find out about her soon enough.

Takasu Yasuko
Seiyu: Ohara Sayaka
Yasuko is Ryuuji's mother who works late hours at a night bar.

Inko-chan
Seiyu: Goto Saori
Inko-chan is Ryuuji's odd-looking parakeet.

Kitamura Yuusaku, Kushieda Minori, Takasu Yasuko (center), and Inko-chan.

Episode 1: Tiger and Dragon
Plot Summary:

Takasu Ryuuji starts off the new school year by changing his intimidating appearance because his eyes make him look like a delinquent, but he later gives up after noticing no change with his appearance. Ryuuji lives in a small apartment building that is eclipsed by a much larger apartment complex recently constructed and he wonders what kind of people would live in such a place, since it blocks out the only source of sunlight into his apartment. He meets up with his best (and only) friend, Kitamura Yuusaku, as well as his crush, Kushieda Minori. Both his friend and his crush are coincidentally in the same class as he is, and considers himself very lucky, but it all goes downhill from there when he meets her: Aisaka Taiga. Rather, he accidentally bumps into her while being in a daze after meeting Minori, and it turns ugly, resulting with Taiga punching Ryuuji for a.) calling her the "Palmtop Tiger" and b.) failing to apologize.

[Image: snapshot20081008173913.jpg]
The "Palmtop Tiger" and the knock out punch, Ryuuji: 0 Taiga: 1.

Later that day, Taiga accidently puts a love letter meant for Yuusaku in Ryuuji’s backpack, and Ryuuji later that evening finds it when he returns home. However, the envelope accidentally unseals in Ryuuji's hand but discovers that there's no letter inside. Taiga later comes into Ryuuji’s apartment late at night and is hell-bent on killing him knowing she likes Yuusaku. Taiga wields a wooden sword and wants to kill him and not herself because she wants to live, but later chooses to hit him on the head so he can forget any memory of the love letter.

Ryuuji in a tough spot; Taiga ashamed about the love letter.

[Image: snapshot20081008174256.jpg]
"...but I don't want to die, so I can only kill you!"; "It was empty!"

While Taiga is in the middle of striking the final blow to his head, Ryuuji shouts out that the envelope was empty. Later, Taiga finds out Ryuuji likes Minori, who happens to be Taiga’s best friend. After requesting that Taiga leave his apartment, Ryuuji promises to Taiga he would do anything (be a slave/dog, essentially) to help her get close to Yuusaku. Taiga agrees and leaves the apartment, with the utterance of “Ryuuji” as she leaves the front door, which Ryuuji found perplexing she called him by his first name. Ryuuji would find out that morning how serious Taiga was when he receives a call from her and finds out she lives in the luxury apartment complex eclipsing his home. When he comes over, he cooks Taiga breakfast and cleans her kitchen because of the piles of unwashed dishes, mold, and trash stinking up the entire apartment.

[Image: snapshot20081008175427.jpg]
How...convenient, they're neighbors; in Taiga's apartment: kitchen sink from hell.

Episode Impression

I’ve read the first volume of the Toradora! novel (and the manga) and the anime is pretty much following the story in the novel/manga. However, in the novel/manga Taiga does not punch Ryuuji, instead Ryuuji faints because of her stare and appearance, both of which were intimidating. I feel that J.C.Staff rushed the first three chapters into just the first episode, but the pacing is good – looks like we’ll finish volume 1 by the second or third episode. Now, I hope that J.C.Staff does not deviate this light novel adapation too far like they have done with Zero no Tsukaima or Shakugan no Shana, but I still have high hopes that this will be a good series.

Yes, if you’re wondering, Kugimiya Rie says her classic line of urusai! (shut up!) several times, along with baka (idiot) and inu (dog) in this episode. If you’ve watched either SnS or ZnT, you’ll get what I mean. She does not sound like Shana or Louise, but has a much meaner tone to it, and as such it suits Taiga’s character.

Surprisingly, there's no OP sequence since both Taiga and Ryuuji take turns in saying the introductory text at the top of this thread (note: the intro text above is from the novel, in the anime it's said slightly different), the OP will appear in episode 2. However, the ED sequence has a catchy tune with the animation itself being unique by utilizing umbrellas wielded by various characters to symbolize the Toradora! logo. Clever, very clever.

Episode 2: Ryuuji and Taiga
Plot Summary:

Taiga is eating breakfast with Ryuuji and Yasuko, his mother, and Ryuuji is surprised that Yasuko hasn't said anything about Taiga's presence. She replies she's fine with her being there, and it's more fun to eat meals with more people. As Taiga and Ryuuji head off to school, they bump into Minori who misunderstands why both of them are walking together. They both explain they walked together by chance and that they live close to each other, and nothing more.

Taiga eating with the Takasu's; Minori misunderstanding why Taiga and Ryuuji are walking together.

In gym class, Taiga and Ryuuji have a battle plan: they both pair up and pass a basketball to each other, Ryuuji will throw, with all his strength, the ball at Yuusaku's partner to cause a distraction and bring the injured person to the infirmary, allowing Taiga to pair up with Yuusaku. However, this fails miserably when Taiga is distracted when she looks over at Yuusaku and the ball thrown by Ryuuji smacks into her face instead of Yuusaku's partner, behind her.

Game plan starts; Taiga is distracted when she...that's gonna leave a mark! Ryuuji: 1 Taiga: 1.

Ryuuji's role as dog/slave temporarily becomes guardian angel as he saves Taiga from dropping cookies made specially for Yuusaku in home ec. class, saving her when she trips in a stairwell running after Yuusaku while the cookies fly out the window, and when cheering her up by eating her, although salty, crumbled cookies stating they were tasty to cheer her up. However, while this is going on, their fellow classmates observe this interesting behavior as well, they begin to believe both of them are a couple, including both Minori and Yuusaku who both agree they are compatible with each other.

Cookies saved; cookies fly out the window; at least Taiga's safe; Taiga admits she's clumsy.

This misunderstanding causes Taiga to kick a utility pole repeatedly in frustration because no one can understand her, later to be joined in by Ryuuji who shares the same frustration, resulting with both managing to tilt the pole. Taiga tells Ryuuji she plans to go all out and confess to Yuusaku at school the next day and that he is no longer her slave/dog. The following day, Taiga does not come by to Ryuuji's apartment to eat breakfast. Instead, she clears up the rumors about them by causing havoc in their classroom before class begins in front of all their classmates. After Taiga's rumor-stopping destruction, everyone in class 2-C agree that Ryuuji isn't a "yankee" with an intimidating face and there's nothing going on between Taiga and Ryuuji.

Taiga kicks a utility pole, pissed off and frustrated at the world; Ryuuji joins in.

Taiga later meets up with Yuusaku and asks him to come outside and she then begins to confess her feelings, with Ryuuji coincidentally listening in a nearby stairwell. Yuusaku stops Taiga in mid-sentence, and asks her if she hates Ryuuji. Taiga says she doesn't hate him or like him and explains that Ryuuji simply made her a delicious meal and happens to be by her side. Taiga confesses her feelings and, as a result, Yuusaku misinterprets her confession thinking she wants to be good friends with him like she is with Ryuuji, and heads to class leaving Taiga alone in shock.

The confession begins, but ends far from expectations: a shocked Taiga.

Ryuuji comes down and asks what will happen next. She states she's headed home, and Ryuuji offers to make her a meal, but she rejects his offer and any of his help. Ryuuji responds that he will never leave Taiga alone, and calls himself the "dragon" who stands beside the, returning her the favor of calling him by his first name, "Taiga" (mind the pun) – legend says that dragons are equal rivals to tigers. With that, she's back to her normal bossy self and begins barking out orders – she hasn't given up on Yuusaku, she needs Ryuuji to plan the next strategy – all the while smiling to herself that Ryuuji called her "Taiga", her first name, instead of "Aisaka", her family name.

Tiger and Dragon stand together; Taiga glad Ryuuji calls her by her first name.

Episode Impression
Alright, so another episode where they rush three chapters from the first volume of the novel (or the 5/6 chapters of second volume of the manga) into one episode. The pacing is quick, but my reasoning on this is that J.C.Staff is going through most, if not all, of the nine novel volumes into a season total of 12 episodes. If you have no read the novel, the past two episodes pretty much follow all six chapters of the first volume, but like any other novel/book-adaptation some events in the novel are cut out. However, I can't complain too much, so far there doesn't seem to be any character deviations, what each character as described in the novel is the same in the anime. Kudos J.C.Staff, don't disappoint us now!

EDIT: Ah, almost forgot: J.C.Staff forgot an important fact for Ep. 2 that is seen in the novel (and manga): Kitamura confessed his feelings to Aisaka almost exactly a year before she confessed now. Obviously, she rejected him a second later - so, the typical tsundere reply to him backlashed her as an end result when she tried to confess to him.

Overall, a very good episode, although the utility pole bashing and confession scenes were short in length compared to what was in the novel. We didn't see Taiga being all tsuntsun (combative/brutal) as in the first episode, but we did see a bit of her deredere (lovestruck) side. I'm sure that'll change in the next episode now that things are pretty much back to normal. Speaking of which, in the episode preview, Ryuuji is heard talking dreamily about Kushieda Minori ("Kushieda this..., Kushieda that..."), but it looks like we may also find out a bit about Taiga's past.

The OP sequence is vividly depicted and song by seiyu's voicing the female cast, like the ED they are clever with having each character being a different color of the Toradora! logo, the music is alright in my opinion ー it's easy to listen to and has a nice beat ー although I prefer Horie Yui's Vanilla Salt song used in the ED sequence.

Overall Impressions
Overall, I'm enjoying this series. Pretty much J.C.Staff has done a very good job in following closely with the novel. Even though the first two episodes went through the first volume of the novel (or 11 out of the 12 total chapters of two manga volumes), I'm enjoying this anime adaption just as much when I read both the novel and manga. Also, I'm a fan of seiyu Kugimiya Rie ever since I first watched Zero no Tsukaima and Shakugan no Shana, but shes is a very good fit for Taiga's character. With that said, I'll be following this anime until its completion.