On Toradora and siscon shows – Denying your love

Have you ever denied your love? Tried to smother those overwhelming, bittersweet emotions because it seems 'the right thing to do'? All my love life I've been doing that. For some inexplicable reasons, I kept meeting the right girl at the 'wrong time' or simply getting involved with 'off-limits' girls. (No not my sister you knucklehead - like for example the one your good friend fancies/ex or other folks' girlfriends or your very BEST female friend while you're attached etc etc...). So the dichotomy of denying your love yet at the same time expressing it through wanting the best for your love is a powerful theme for this tanuki in romances. That's why I enjoy siscon shows. That's why I love Toradora.

Toradora is almost all that I love in siscon shows (only lacking moelicious imoutos with ribbons) - drama from 'taboo love', fierce catfights, the struggle of the shoujo heart and others. The series only took off for me starting from the cultural festival. There, we saw the first casualty from denying her love - Sumire Kanou. Her (un)timely confession was just a small sampling of the pain of trying to reign in those unstoppable emotions.

Why I love Toradora so

After marathoning Toradora over the weekend, I finally understood what the fuss/buzz was all about. It is indeed a superb series - one of the best anime romances I have seen. Melding great writing, intriguing characters and focused storytelling, Toradora has been a truly memorable.

In fact it was so affecting, I lay in bed for the last couple of nights recalling/sharing with my wife, the sweet/'evil'/silly things that I did/happened to me in the name of love back in high school.

My corresponding near-experiences with Toradora events belongs to another post. This entry aims to share the reasons why Toradora has been such a tremendous show for the Tanuki.

For me, you see, it's still all about Ami

As an Ami fan, I heartily second Author's contention that:

there’s no problem for Ami fans if Ami gets a good end, and the good end does not need to involve beating Taiga.

I do wonder though - would Ami have even spared Ryuuji a second glance if, at the start, she did not want to "beat Taiga" by snatching Ryuuji away from her?

For me, you see, it's all about Ami

I'm guessing that I managed to stick with ToraDora! because, unlike Author, I latched onto a character who could carry me through the ups and downs of the series. All hail Kawashima Ami!! [via ani-nouto]

I've never been a fan of KugiRie tsundere loli roles and Ami's appearance immediately shifted the focus off the bits of the Ryuuji-Taiga relationship that caused my face to scrunch up like a shrivelled prune. Ami has given Taiga another, probably more deserving, target for her outbursts. And, given the response to Ep 16, oh how we fanboys love catfights nya.

Minori sees like Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Evirus called Kushieda Minori Top Fuel Genki and possibly even Best Girl in Toradora! In contrast Kabitzin described her as 'retarded-genki'.

But I can't help but remember how her cheerfulness may just a coping mechanism to deal with her weaknesses, her fears, her pain. The greater the latter, the more outlandish her genki behaviour. I haven't seen the manga but Minori strikes me as someone who's in a lot of pain. Even though there's not a snowflake in sight and she doesn't see dead people.