Toradora! Is Still One of the Greatest Romance Anime After 15 Years
Toradora! is still the pinnacle of romantic comedy anime, inspiring numerous ripoffs while perfecting venerable archetypes and tropes.
Although there are many well-known anime romance series, Toradora! is perhaps the most well-known and respected. This modern classic had a cast full of memorable characters, not to mention a straight-up banger of a theme song that continues to be popular today. Of course, that’s along with a female protagonist that broke old moulds and set new trends.
Toradora! is now almost 15 years old, yet its impact is still easy to notice. From helping to massively popularise tsundere characters to elevating pre-existing romance tropes, the series was destined to become what it is today. Here’s a look back at why the anime is still held in such high esteem.
Toradora! Made Waves With a Lovably Hateful Main Character
Taiga Aisaka, known as the “Palmtop Tiger” of her high school because of her seemingly hostile temperament, is the female heroine of Toradora! She then encounters Ryuji Takasu, the primary male character, who she had previously avoided because of his harsh look. The two develop a reluctant relationship as a result of a miscommunication, which is made even more intriguing by the fact that their common acquaintances are each other’s crushes. Even while Taiga and Ryuji’s relationship finally takes off, it does so after a wave of cruel abuse directed at Ryuji.
A significant character archetype in anime, the tsundere character, is exemplified by Taiga Aisaka. These characters behave harshly and rudely, particularly when dealing with other characters who may ultimately be paired off with them. However, they really have a soft, almost naive attitude hidden below. Their more hostile behaviours are more fascinating because of this invisible side of their nature, not to mention their affections for other people. That is certainly the case with the little Taiga, who continuously chastises and disputes Ryuji for almost no reason. Many contemporary anime viewers first saw the tsundere archetype in Toradora!, and the success of the programme is largely responsible for the trope’s subsequent rise to fame. But if it weren’t for the other actors in the ensemble, this affection for Taiga’s portrayal would be meaningless.
Toradora!’s Cast and Writing Continue to Make It a Classic
Despite how generic and cliché some of the other characters in Toradora! first look, they really have extremely rich personalities. For instance, Minori, Taiga’s closest friend and Ryuji’s infatuation, seems to be a humorously ideal student at first, with all of her jobs and commitments being something of a joke. She turns out to be more than simply a funny prank that Ryuji has a crush on since it is made clear that these aspects have a lot more solid foundation. Even the development of their burgeoning relationship is realistic, with their shared passion serving as both their bond and final demise.
Similar to Yusaku Kitamura, who has the vice-president of the student council as a role model for all of the other students. He finally succumbs to pressure as a result of his own messy love life. Even Ryuji himself is incredibly confusing since he usually puts his friends above himself while also criticising himself for his alleged weaknesses. The series is able to go beyond the relatively stale notions that make up its first episodes because to this deep degree of character development.
The love “square” between the characters is one of the cliché ideas that makes the show seem to be a soft harem anime. However, the connections all grow in a manner that makes sense for each character, and the problem is swiftly remedied. Naturally, the tsundere trope itself is more overused than ever, primarily because many follow-up anime didn’t quite achieve Toradoradegree !’s of characterisation. It only goes to demonstrate how this specific adaptation of a light novel was the ideal storm for revitalising what was already stale and bringing other ideas into the mainstream. It will probably continue to be a timeless romantic comedy for years to come.
- Reference Sites:
- https://animesee.com/
- https://www.crunchyroll.com/
- https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/
- https://www.cbr.com/
