Toradora!

"Since ancient times, the dragon has been the only beast to equal the tiger. Even if you're not by my side right now, I will leap through space and time and always be by your side."

Tora means tiger. Dora (doragon) is how "dragon" pronounced in Japanese. These words represents the two main protagonist in this series.

Toradora! とらドラ! is an 25-episode anime based on a series of 10 light novel with same title, written by Yuyuko Takemiya and illustrated by Yasu, published by ASCII Media Works. This light novel is also adapted to a manga series.

This anime follows Takasu Ryuuji, a male high-schooler who inherits his father's intimidating eyes. Despite his scary look, he is actually a kind hearted guy, and experts in house chores like cooking and cleaning. He has a secret crush on his cheerful and active classmate Kushieda Minori, who is a bestfriend to Aisaka Taiga, a cute little girl yet is the scariest and fiercest girl in school.

When going home after school, he accidentally finds Taiga's love letter addressed to Ryuuji's bestfriend, Kitamura Yuusaku. After some fights here and there, Ryuuji and Taiga ends up helping each other to get the person they like, besides going to school together as they are neighbors. However, this caused misunderstanding to the whole school, who thinks Ryuuji and Taiga are dating. In addition, a pretty but annoying model also Kitamura's childhood friend, Kawashima Ami, enters their school, making Taiga pissed and jealous.

Can both of them get the ones they like? Or will they eventually become a couple instead? Watch the anime here

Toradora! is not just another ordinary triangle love story. It's a complex love story, but it is presented in humorous way and contains a lot of life philosophies as well. This anime is fun to watch, especially the cute and lovable relation between Ryuuji and Taiga, and their effort to get the person they like, without knowing that the one they are looking for actually really close to them.

(+) Uniquely presented love story

(+) Good character development

(+) Nice soundtrack background music

(-) Contains a lot of swearing and bad words

(-) A bit confusing towards the end

In numbers

Story = 3.5/5

Artwork = 3.5/5

Animation and Color = 4/5

Character Development = 4/5

Soundtrack = 4/5

Overall = 4/5

Genre = comedy, drama, romance, slice of life, school life

Demographic = shonen (some people say it's shojo.. confusing)

Original Creator = Yuyuko Takemiya and Yasu

Director = Tatsuyuki Nagai

Seiyuu = Junji Majima (Ryuuji), Rie Kugimiya (Taiga), Yui Horie (Minori), Hirofumi Nojima (Kitamura), Eri Kitamura (Ami)