Toradora! Ep. 5

[SimsHsia]

Episode 5: Kawashima Ami

OP note: I'm adding in a spoiler toggle. Some of you may just want to see the pictures, but do not want to be tempted by the synopsis of what occurs in this episode. So, there you go!

Recap from last time:

Ryuuji helps Taiga take some pictures of Yuusaku, after finding out she's keeping albums of his (blurry) photos. Yuusaku tells Ryuuji about his confession to Taiga a year ago, and that he's been keeping a photo of her in his student handbook. Ryuuji also has a photo, given by Minori, of her eating the pudding she made from a bucket.

Key plot points:

• Ryuuji convinces Taiga to go to Jonny's, the restaurant where Minori works. Later, they find out Minori has the day off.
  
• Taiga takes a liking to a hand bag a model is holding while reading a fashion magazine, she looks over to her right, and sees the very same model entering the restaurant.
  
• Apparently, Yuusaku knows this person, and introduces her to Taiga and Ryuuji. She's none other than Kawashima Ami, a childhood friend and neighboor of Yuusaku and fashion model.
  
• After introductions, the four of them sit at the same table. After some dialog between Ami and Ryuuji, including calling herself an "airhead", Yuusaku excuses himself to go to the bathroom, and shortly, Ryuuji follows suit.
  
• Yuusaku and Ryuuji hide themselves to observe what occurs between Taiga and Ami. Ami shows her true colors when she goes from her rosy attitude to spoiled brat. After taking many insults from Ami, Taiga slaps her on the face because there was a fly on her face.
  
• The next day, Ami is seen introducing herself in front of a class, the very same class Taiga, Ryuuji, Yuusaku, and Minori are in. Despite the irony, all the guys, save Ryuuji and Yuusaku, cheer and welcome Ami into their class. Taiga does not like the fact that Ami is transferring into their class.
  
• Before 4th period begins, Ryuuji walks out of the classroom to go to the vending machine. Ami rushes after him, buys drinks, and asks if Taiga told him anything about her. Although he doesn't answer, she explains some of what happened yesterday at the restaurant, and asks Ryuuji not to tell anybody about what happened.
  
• During 4th period, Ryuuji gets a note from a pissed off Taiga asking him what he and Ami were doing before the period started. He crumples the note, and Taiga get's pissed. Then, he gets a note from a concerned (and "angry") Minori suspecting something fishy is going on between him and Ami, and not to cheat on Taiga or there would be dire consequences. He writes a note back to Minori asking her opinion for someone calling themselves an airhead. He gets her response, by forming an X with her arms, which causes the whole class, save Yuusaku, to peer in her direction.
  
• After school, Taiga is waiting in the classroom for Ryuuji, due to an earlier incident Taiga causes and Ryuuji has to clean up after, and sees Ami walk in. During the dialog, Ami tells Taiga she told Yuusaku everything about what happened at the restaurant, and claiming that he hates her and leaves her alone in shock.
  
• Ryuuji cheers Taiga up by letting her know that Yuusaku knows about Ami's true personality, and he definitely does not hate Taiga.
  
• While Taiga and Ryuuji are in a convenience store to buy sauce, per Yasuko's request, Taiga points out a notice featuring Ami about her taking leave from modeling for education matters. Later, as they head back home, they see an incognito Ami walking down the street with bags full of sweets. Taiga smiles and says she's just seen something interesting.
  

Episode thoughts:

Man, what an episode. Seeing Ami's true personality, Minori's antics (see two photos above), and the overall class response from the male side made this episode truly golden. With that, the rivalry between Ami and Taiga has finally begun! Although I find Minori to be wierd, this episode changes my opinion of her, she's that friend who is comedic relief for your day who can come up with antics that'll have you laughing even if you're in a bad mood. Minori's note that Ryuuji receives when read and her response to his note was so hilarious. The tables are turning, and Taiga is directing all her anger toward Ami, which is a good thing for Ryuuji.

Hmm, seeing as how Ami is a childhood friend and neighboor of Yuusaku, I'm hearing the cliché alarm going off. I don't think this will be the case here, but I think Ami will eventually just be friends with the four later on in the season.

Next episode, True Self, it looks like Taiga plots to reveal Ami's true personality. Dun dun dun!

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On another note:

I got a chance to listen to full versions of Pre-Parade (OP) and Vanilla Salt (ED). One note for the ED song, Vanilla Salt, after looking up the lyrics, at the end of the first verse, Horie Yui does not say "Vanilla", but rather, "Burning Love" in full English instead of in Romaji (e.g. banira = vanilla). In Japanese pronunciation, "burning love" is "banin rabu". Thus "banin rabu" is sung by Horie very quickly making it indistinguishable between "banin rabu" and "banira". Pronunciation aside, between the OP and ED songs, I'm preferring the OP song because of the techno beat.

Also, my posting for Ep. 4, the photo keeps up showing up an older version of it even when I clear my cache. This has been resolved to have the last row, right picture to depict Kitamura's photo of Taiga.