Summary:

The class has arrived at the ski resort, and while everyone else is having fun, Ryuuji struggles to figure out how to ski. Taiga doesn’t know how either and tries sledding instead, but she ends up crashing into him. Afterward, the two see Maya trying to get close to Yuusaku, but Taiga doesn’t get pissed off like Ryuuji thinks she would, causing him to suspect that something happened between Taiga and Yuusaku. Taiga admits that she ran into him during New Years, and she gets angry at Ryuuji when he wants to know why she didn’t tell him. At the same time, Maya gets into an argument with Noto because he’s interfering with her and Yuusaku again, and Yuusaku and Minori try to calm the two down. That night, Ryuuji is thinking about how Yuusaku didn’t say anything either about seeing Taiga when Minori comes to talk to him. She claims that it’s about a secret, but she actually just wants to make things better between Noto and Maya.

In the process of talking about this, however, she reveals how she thinks that Noto mistakenly thinks that Taiga likes Yuusaku. Ryuuji knows that this isn’t a misunderstanding and tries to say that there are things that Minori doesn’t know about Taiga, but Minori believes that she knows everything there is to about her friend. Minori then takes out the hair clip that Ryuuji had wanted to give her for Christmas and explains that Taiga had given it to her and told her to treasure it. Ryuuji comes away from this feeling that no matter how hard he tries, it’s impossible for him because Minori is treating what happened on Christmas Eve and his feelings as non-existent. He retreats to his room and buries himself under a blanket, but Yuusaku, Noto, and Haruta find him and convince him to tell them what’s going on. They are surprised to hear that he got rejected by Minori, and since Ryuuji doesn’t understand why, Yuusaku decides to find out.

Yuusaku thus leads the guys to the girls’ room, but the girls aren’t there. Ryuuji is overcome with the urge to clean up the messy room, however they almost get caught when Taiga comes back. The guys manage to hide in the closet, and right as the other girls are returning as well, Ryuuji grabs Taiga and puts her in the closet with them. Keeping Taiga quiet, the five of them are able to stay hidden from Maya, Nanako, Ami, and Minori, and they can’t help but listen in on the girls’ conversation. The girls wonder where Taiga went and start talking about who Taiga likes, but Minori declines to say anything about whether it’s Yuusaku or Ryuuji. Minori’s general attitude rubs Ami the wrong way, and it leads to her revealing that Ryuuji actually likes Minori but she rejected him. Ami points out that Minori is pretending that she forgot and that she’s a natural airhead so that everyone can remain friends and stay as they are.

Minori responds by questioning when Ami saw her acting as if everything was fine, and she thinks that Ami can’t possibly understand her. She also feels that this has nothing to do with Ami, but Ami reaches further by bringing up Minori’s feelings of guilt as why she rejected Ryuuji. Ami threatens to go tell Ryuuji that Minori rejected him purely because she hates him, and though her taunting succeeds in getting Minori angry, Minori still maintains that Ami can go do what she wants. Maya and Nanako break things up before the argument can get any worse, and the two girls appear to reconcile. The girls then leave to go look for Taiga, and that allows Ryuuji and company to escape the closet. The next day, Ryuuji finds Ami by herself out on the slopes, and she confesses that she might be responsible for Minori rejecting him because of something she said. Ami admits that she gets irritated by how Minori won’t reveal her true feelings, and she hates herself for what happened.

The two’s conversation gets interrupted when Taiga and Minori’s sled suddenly crashes out of nowhere into Ami. A furious Ami accuses Minori of doing it on purpose, and this quickly develops into a fight with both girls hitting each other. Although it is eventually broken up, one of Ami’s punches dislodges the hairpin that Minori was wearing, causing it to fall down the side of a steep incline. The only person who sees this is Taiga, and she goes after it on her own. Ryuuji soon notices that Taiga is gone, and it becomes a big deal when Taiga doesn’t return to the lodge that night. With a blizzard coming down now, Minori, Ryuuji, and Yuusaku decide to go out to search for her, and they find the spot where Taiga might have fallen. Seeing the hair clip, Ryuuji goes down the steep incline by himself and grabs it, all while thinking about how he left Taiga alone again. He resolves to never be separated from her again if he finds her, and moments later, he spots her snow-covered body. Taiga is injured but still alive and semi-conscious.

As Ryuuji carries her back to the lodge, Taiga touches his ski goggles and thinks that he’s actually Yuusaku. Given this, she admits that she thought that Ryuuji would have been the one to come rescue her, and she feels that her prayer to Yuusaku – the self-proclaimed deity of broken hearts – wasn’t answered. She had wanted her feelings to disappear so that she could become stronger, but no matter what, she likes Ryuuji.

Preview

Wow, I’m speechless. That was one helluva episode. As much as it made for a ton of drama though and an actual physical fight between the two, I don’t like the way Ami picked a fight and taunted Minori. Her darker side certainly isn’t very becoming of her, and it was out in full display here. This might already be a forgone conclusion, but I don’t think there’s any way Ami ends up with Ryuuji now, even if she did rehabilitate her character a bit by coming clean to Ryuuji about how she might have pushed Minori to reject him (with what she said to Minori about the guilt back in episode 16) and by explaining how she’s irritated at how she can’t get Minori to show her true feelings. At the same time, Minori doesn’t come off in the best of lights either, and while I don’t like the way Ami approached it, what Ami actually said was mostly right. If there’s going to be a Minori ending, then she’s going to have to eventually come clean with both Ryuuji and Taiga.

That might be a moot point though. The story was doing a good job of moving back and forth between Taiga and Minori, but I have to believe now that the confession on Taiga’s part moves things toward her again. Ryuuji’s own feelings even seem to reflect this since he realized that he left her alone again and felt that they should be separated anymore. The more he thinks things like that, the more I think that those feelings have to count for something more than just as a father figure. Plus, the way the episode went about a minute longer and blended more than usual with the ED and credits felt special and gave a lot of emphasis to the importance of the Taiga and Ryuuji pairing. All this is leading me to believe that although the story might swing around a bit more in coming episodes, the final pairing (if there is one) will likely be those two. For the time being, I’m curious to see though how Ryuuji reacts to Taiga’s confession.

186 Comments

  1. It’s pretty obvious that Ryuuji is going to end up with Taiga in some or other way. Why? Because that’s what the perv fans want, a little loli with bad humor to “rape” the good minded main character. (Otaku = the good minded main character LOL )

    So yeah..

    Kuroir
  2. Ami just got tired of the way Emorin was avoiding Ryuuji. Knowing that even if she tried something with Ryuuji, the kid would not correspond her as he’s still infatuated with Minori must have been too much for her. At least that’s my POV of Ami’s taunting. As a matter of fact, I’m glad that Ami made the red-head fool tore away her own mask with the “truth approach” and also with the blows exchange, something that Minori needed a long time ago.

    But with Taiga telling her true feelings, the series is as to now over with the default and obvious ending. What a shame…

    SeedStriker
  3. There you go Ami. But she did tone it down it bit. I wopuld have whooped her friggin ass while telling her off. At the end, I couldn’t stop thinking about the doujinshi that involve Taiga & Ryuuji. In most of them Taiga is talking about Yuu & all but she just keeps on doing it with Ryuuji instead.

    On a lighter note, they managed to do another volume in 2 episodes. You can’t help but get use to the pacing. Now we get to see the last person involved in this mess & some more plot devices at work. But it will seem strange when they cut of all Ya-chan following Ryuuji to school around and all.

    Megas
  4. Another awesome episode! I kind of feel like this might have been Ami’s last hurrah. Lots of screen time, but as I’m pretty sure she said herself, she kind of self-destructed when she pushed Minorin too hard. I wonder how they’ll deal with the confession next week. Maybe Ryuuji couldn’t hear it very well over the ED… er, I mean, blizzard. ^-^

    Neruneru
  5. Taiga has a fatal disease.
    They will end together, but Taiga will die by the last episode, we will see in the very end of the last episode a scene 20 years later, old Ryuuji is married with Ami/Minori and happy, they have a little daughter named Taiga.
    Make it happen.

    (Kinda Socrates in Love end.)

    ks
  6. @Amatsu: that would be hilarious, and it would solve the guy’s problems!

    Unfortunately, I have never seen a harem ending in an anime at all. I’ve seen lots of animes that starts off with a harem or builds up a harem, but it always ends up with the guy having to choose one of them. At most I’ve seen is a guy ending up with two girls, but not with a harem.

    X
  7. hey, a question to all of you who have read the light novel, is it worth it?

    i currently read zero no tsukaima, and it’s head and shoulders above the anime, is toradora the same way?

    saxdemigod
  8. @Saxdemigod:
    I read the novels after the anime started, and it gives a beeter insight on the characters but some scenes like when Taiga is crying over Ryuji going to Minorin is quite a bit more powerful in the anime…

    Ayle
  9. Nice episode.

    Despite my support for Ami, the way she reacts somehow seems like her. From what I can recall, it was all still open for interpretation three or four episodes before. Now they are literally heating things up. I like the way it’s going, I like how they implied that Ryuuji’s feelings might go beyond that of being a ‘father’ figure.

    Still, that doesn’t mean I can’t whine about Ami’s prospects. I guess the best route is the safest route, most of the time.

    Owaranai
  10. You guys need to stop dreaming. Ami has fulfilled her purpose. You folks keep on saying that Taiga X Ryuuji is ‘beat dead horse’ passe & all but this IS called Toradora, not Amidora or Minoridora or YuuTora. The tiger & dragon are destined to beat each others’ asses for all eternity. Taiga might be a pettanko loli but she’s the same age as the other bitches & that’s all that matters. Stop dwelling on Ami’s words so much. Ami is just a bitch who can’t take the heat of her ‘friends’ cooking.

    @ Neruneru: You don’t have to worry about him not hearing that, he definitely did.

    Megas
  11. I am kinda glad the ending went well the silly part i think is that Ami and Ryuuji would have worked out completely i always supported Ami x Ryuuji and Taiga x Ryuuji so the ending was Good to me I hope noone will get angry with me but overall the episode was amazing :3

  12. “It’s pretty obvious that Ryuuji is going to end up with Taiga in some or other way. Why? Because that’s” the title.

    Also Minori rejected Ryuuji because she knows that Taiga likes him, you can say all you want but at least Ami called on her.

    Drakron
  13. i personally have withheld feelings for a lady because i’ve had friends interested in the same particular person. honestly, it’s not worth it. yea it seems like the “nice” thing to do, but where is it written that you as an individual are unworthy of happiness as well? while i can understand Minorin’s perspective, it just makes me cringe knowing how much of a dumbass i’ve been in the past in reality. while folks say love is war, you don’t necessarily have to “kill” the other person (Ami), and at the same time that doesn’t mean you have to just lay down and die (Minori).

    which gets me to Ami. it definitely is hypocritically for her to be calling Minori out on not showing her “true” feelings when she does the same. maybe that’s why she’s lashing out on Minorin, she sees a little bit of herself inside (that’s what she said); it is pretty interesting to have Ami utilize the “mask” analogy on Minorin.

    man this show definitely has me reliving my teenage angst. totally like the wonder years.

    oh btw, anybody watch the big bang theory? taigaXryuuji reminds me of pennyXleonard from the episode like two weeks ago.

    RickyMack
  14. Anyone else here get scared for a second when that ED came up? It made it seem as though this “season” was going to end and we had to wait for the next to see all the final stuff (or even an OVA). I was like…WAIT?!?!? WHAT?!?!? ONLY 21 EPISODES?!?

    Anyone?

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
  15. @shocker!

    Something like CLANNAD Another Story hm? Would be good. Make this series end like the Nagisa (Taiga) ending and make 2 other OVA like things with Ami and Minori (maybe even a Taiga and Yuu one). But I haven’t read the light novels so I don’t know if they left the (if it finished) ending open like that. In the game for CLANNAD you could actually choose which path to go to. But since this wasn’t a game I don’t know if that’s likely.

    Hope they do make it though

    ROFLWAFFLELAWL
  16. Thankyou RickyMack. However, The Wonder Years was way too overly developed in terms of angst since it covered the entire adolescence of the group of idiots in realtime. I had just came to the states when that show started & it reminded me of my hell all too well.

    Some 32 years ago I went through a similar situation with my present wife & her cousin. Even then, I wasn’t as much of a dumbass to not know what was going on. I ended up dating both of them until the cousin grew tired of sharing me. Then all hell broke loose. However, I ended up taking care of it like any reliable man in that situation & I’m completely glad I did. After the smoke cleared, my wife was willing to follow me to the states while the cousin didn’t want to leave Sai. Hehe 😛

    Anime make guys look like clueless jackoffs too much while making girls look like they love guys that are like that. Its clichéd as hell & annoying to boot but folks just seem to love that kind of retardation. Wholing back your feeling because of someone else is just plain dumb. I never actually had the opportunity to play the nice guy card. Both Minori & Taiga are playing it so they should both lose. But Ami doesn’t have the guts to pull out a single card & you can’t win if you don’t play.

    Megas
  17. If Minori somehow by the mistake “wins”. It will be the biggest epic fail evah.

    From my experience with harem series the end will be undecided.

    But the closest lady to the Ryuji partner title is:

    1. Taiga
    2. Ami
    3. the Shirley from CG type lady (dont know the name.. she was crying in this ep)
    4. Ryuji’s mom.
    5. The teacher.
    6. Ami’s friend no. 2. (the lazy type one)
    7. Yuusaku
    8. The litle tiger from OP and ED.
    9. He will be single
    10. Minori… (NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!)

    Jcop
  18. For all of you crying about the “clicheness” and “expectedness” of the end pairing, you should probably understand that, if something like this is set up from the very beginning, you can expect the story to follow through on it.

    Also, I fail to see how this is cliche at all. If you’re still bitching about “cliche tsundere end” at this point, I don’t think you’re actually watching the show.

    Taiga isn’t tsundere. This is nothing like Shana or ZnT. Stop complaining.

    Kaisos
  19. Stop it. You’re just making it worse by deluding yourself. I’ve said this for the past, like, seven episodes.

    Just accept the inevitable or give up on the show. I don’t care which, just stop shipping.

    Kaisos
  20. Ah yeah I forgot something

    A so-called tsundere that can “stop” being a tsundere isn’t a tsundere at all. I don’t want to start ranting about the types of tsundere & everything but Taiga was just a violent bitch. When she found out that being violent could end up with her being hated (for some dumb reason, i dunno…) she stopped it. You may incorporate that as tsundere tendencies as you will but what other true tsundere you know of that completely stopped her violent streak…NONE.

    That just goes to show you that not all violent-emo-emotional-pettanko-loli-bitches out there are tsundere. You already lost your plane, train, boat, truck, & van. I guess all you can ship with now is your dolly & I’m about to take that too 😛

    Megas
  21. “I will always be there for you (or something like that)” = LOVE? I just can’t stand that idea. Sure, in many cases that kind of idea is would be applicable to the person you love romantically-but pleaseeeeee, the “I will always be there for you” concept can be epecially applicable to very close friends too! zzzzzzz.

    In the end, if that is the case-Ryuuji and Taiga’s love for each other is the most cliche thing I’ve ever seen that concerns love.

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  22. Oh yeah, before any of you respond to me, this is just an expression of my thoughts. You guys can disagree with what I said as much as you want. But, as much as you guys are entitled to your opinions-please, don’t try and change mine.

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  23. If there is one thing I can say about love, it’s
    “Don’t expect anything from your partner”
    Your partner’s just about as human as you, but her common sense will be different just because the environment she was raised in was different.
    Accepting your partner for her faults and living with her is “love”.
    Idolizing your partner and becoming attracted to her on your end but avoiding to look at and deal with her bad side is a “crush”.
    When Ryuji Takasu saw Minori Kushieda’s bad side when they were talking after dinner, his “crush” ended.

    2ch
  24. Its fascinating to me how many people think this comes from some sort of harem game rather than a light novel series and keep ‘shipping for a girl rather than paying attention to the story ….

    vexx
  25. @Zer0zUNLTD
    He didn’t chase after her on Christmas Eve. He would have backed down if Taiga didn’t tell him to go ahead. In the novels, he became disgusted with her and his internalized image of her was shattered.
    With what’s going on with Taiga, there is a lot of unsaid stuff that has to be taken from reading between the lines. I agree that “being by you” equals companionship and not love, but there’s always been more than that to it.

    2ch
  26. Ryuuji with Taiga? Why am I not surprised but rather disappointed? It seemed so obvious from the beginning … like NO MATTER WHAT these two are going to end up together, the other characters are just obstacles, yadayadayaaa … please, give me something with a piece of originality!

    blissmo
  27. Screw you people and your “originality”. Seriously, screw you.

    If by “original” you mean “nonsensical with absolutely no setup” then, sure.

    Shut up and watch the show, or don’t, I don’t care, but stop fucking complaining EVERY TIME you don’t get the ending you want.

    Jesus. How is it “unoriginal” anyway? That’s just a complaint you’re leveling at something you don’t like.

    “I always want to be by your side” is the sort of love you see between couples that have been happily married for years. It’s companion love, not really romantic love, true, but it’s the sort of love that will keep people together.

    I’m still amazed how all you shippers just ignore all the comments directed against you. Why are you even watching this show?

    Let’s face it. Shipping is bad and ruins good television. Shipping is bad. Shipping is bad.

    I hate you all.

    Kaisos
  28. Random Curiosity has the most obnoxious comments sometimes ^_^;;. Derailed by Darry is a Yale book club meeting compared to this joint but my <3 Omni and divine’s time and efforts

    This is a good show. Plenty of character-driven drama, tongue-in-cheek fanservice, a bit unbalanced, but still saddled with humor and liveliness, and something not seen too often, a vivacious dosage of storytelling. Not to say it doesn’t have flaws, but it is very good at what it is.

    truth to vexx. I really don’t get this “Ami” cult. My God, this isn’t Macross Frontier. Why… why do people keep complaining?? There is just as much doubt about the outcome of relationships in this series as there is between Keitarou and Naru in LOVE HINA, Godai and Kyouko in MAISON IKKOKU or heck even Ranma and Akane…. this is how it works. Have you never seen a romance/comedy drama before?

    scherzo
  29. Hehe. That post was written before yours Kaisos (and I was referring to some comments on the first few pages), but sometimes we just need to vent. You have a good thrust to your point, too.

    scherzo
  30. @Kaisos,

    I don’t want you to get the wrong impression of me being an “Ami-shipper”. Although, due to personal preference it’s something I hope to see (key words: personal and hope). Because that fails I HOPE for a RyuujixMinorin-which also comes from personal preference. I will not get into detail with this “personal” thing of mine.

    Although there is MUCH TRUTH in what you say, please do not force your opinions on others.

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  31. i always pushed for minori, but i think i’m understanding ami’s pov more and more as the series progresses. it’s understandable how frustrated she is. she can’t confess to takasu because she knows that she is not the one he likes. and for ami to see minori be dishonest with herself and toss up the opportunity that ami would die for must be hard to handle 🙁

    dr1ft
  32. hm….ive said it before and i’ll say it again… i think he should suprise us by not suprising us in a way! haha …Just think about it! If he ended up with a side female character for the purpose of not being cliche that might actually be cliche in itself don’t you think?! in some weird twisted way!! O_O so maaaybe…. JUST MAYBE…ending up with Taiga would be cliche…but NOT! right?! 😀 I dunno…haaa I guess I don’t mind it as long as the storyline itself isn’t predictable…the way things are going the creator seems to be using so many character and story twists and turns its already kind of unpredictible and uncliche in itself so who cares if Taiga and Ryuuji end up together as long as it happens in an interesting way! That’s how I see it anyway…bah…and I’m not takin’ “School Days” interesting either! yeesh! ::shivers:: O_o

    liamony
  33. Just watched it. Utterly disgusted. I enjoyed watching the series too.

    The platonic relationship Ryuuji and Taiga had was perfect. Now it’s all ruined. It’s like sleeping with your best female friend. Only to watch the relationship go downhill from that point. Meh.

    tehjonel
  34. Regardless of what anyone says, I’m gonna have to side with Ami. It’s easy to understand why she’s so frustrated with everything and where her hate for Minorin comes from. Heck, even I’m starting to dislike Minorin. I understand her reasoning too, but at the same time it’s just retarded.

    At this point I honestly don’t want Ryuuji to end up with anyone. If anything did happen, I would prefer Ryuuji and Taiga would just keep their current relationship up…but we all know it’s not gonna happen. And if he absolutely has to end up dating someone I would prefer it to be Minorin even though I somewhat dislike her.

    Prime Synergy
  35. @tehjonel
    They had already been practically living with each other so if anything, I believe it would be a continuation of the same with less violence, more sex, and more codependence. They’ve already accepted each other’s flaws and have been developing quite nicely at fixing them.

    2ch
  36. Minoriiiii makenai!
    I think one of the strongest things in this series is the that it’s so REAL.
    This feelings that Ryuuji is having reminds me so much of myself…
    The feeling that the world can end now, that everything is lost… And you might not know it, but actually 3 girls are fighting on you behind your back! XD

    I really think Minori should end up with Ryuuji. He loved her for so long…
    There should be at least a kiss between them!

    Maiku
  37. Naaaaa, its just wrong! The ending is just totaly wrong! When Ruuji says “i left her again… and blabla..” – its just too unnatural. At least for me. The gap between his feeling is too sudden.. He has just been thinking about Minorin and talking to Ami and all of a sudden.. “Voila!” He turns back to Taiga… … … That just cant be true guys! How did she leave her behind? When? Noway! Realy, i was okay with Ruuji-Taiga ending, but i felt not right about this ending. Hope other episodes wont be about “Ruuji and Taiga trying to get together in 4 episodes” stuff… Hope you guys realise that, otherwise ill go jump from a bridge! Ima go do that!!! You heard me! >_<

    Nightlife
  38. You guys are too funny. Did any of you shippers even read what baka-tsuki translated as of yet. They cut most of Ami’s bitching out. Sure Ami & Ryuuji would have a great time together – busting each others chops. I find it funny that yall think Ami is the best choice for Ryuuji when he never gave her a second glance. Even more so with Minori. Her emo-bitch mode is attractive HOW. Her uberactive mode was sickening but Ryuuji actually like that shit so that makes him abnormal from the start. There’s no way in hell he should like her 180.

    That leaves Taiga, who Ryuuji’s been messing around with in various ways since the show began. Why should he end up with anyone else. Ami is a sly-bitch, Minori is an emo-bitch, & Taiga is a loli-bitch. I personally would let all of them fall in a pit, but if I HAD to save one of them, it would be Taiga…then we would get to watch Ami & Minori kill each other b4 they hit the bottom. Muahahahahahaha.

    Megas
  39. Loved the episode! First comment is: CAT FIGHT!

    Ami didn’t loose the battle for Ryuji, she never even tried. He has never given her a second thought since he discovered her true nature when he first met her.

    No one has mentioned it yet, but now we know what Taiga asked Yuu at the beginning of episode 20. What she said at the end of 21 when she thought she was talking to Yuu implies to me that she had told him her feelings about Ryuji and wanted to make the feelings go away. But she admits it didn’t work.

    Now re-watch 20-21 knowing that Yuu KNOWS Taiga’s feelings.

    Will Taiga realize that she just confessed to Ryuji? The final episodes will obviously be about Ryuji figuring out his feelings.

    draksig
  40. Taiga X Ryuji is pretty much decided now. Minorin might yet end up with Maruo. Ami will be left alone as a punishment for helping others realize their own feelings. No good deed goes unpunished…

    ewok
  41. @tehjonel

    Thank you for pointing that out in such a simplistic way. I too have always viewed Ryuuji’s and Taiga’s relationship as platonic rather than romantic.

    I have to admit that after watching this episode I gained more respect for Taiga; for putting aside her happiness for Ryuuji’s. I still think it’s kinda BS how Taiga suddenly realizes she’s in love with her best male friend. I hope Rukia and Ichigo don’t end up the same way. 😛

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  42. And for all you Minori and Ami haters:

    Minori is only being dishonest with her feelings towards Ryuuji. Like Taiga, Minori sacrifices her feelings for Ryuuji for her best friend. I mean, considering how much she cares about Taiga, I don’t see why you would hate her so much while rooting for Taiga at the same time.

    Ami is a perfect example of a hopeless romantic. Her feelings towards Ryuuji is completely unrequited. If anyone has a broken heart-it would be Ami. Ctrl F: dr1ft and read his comment.

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  43. LOL @ ships sinking. Let’s hope no one drowns coz of this haha…

    Hmm… Question. Would you sleep with ur best female friend if she asks you to? She’s ur best fren but still, would you say no? Maybe shud make a poll about it hur hur…

    Well, I can understand why most shippers would ship Ami coz if this show was an H-game I would choose Ami path too. Most would rather choose a bitchy model than a violent flat board or crazy emo bitch. The same goes with reality. That’s why alot of ships ship Ami.

    But for those who actually care about the storyline and content and feelings of the characters, they know it’s a foregone conclusion. But they still enjoy it for the interactions and joy it brings from the interactions between the characters. It’s the journey that counts. Not the ending.

    In the end it still just an anime. No need to be so worked up about it.

    Raiv
  44. I don’t really think that Taiga suddenly realizing that she’s in love with her best male friend all that surprising tho. She suddenly realized that she was going to lose the only guy who ever cared for her so much to another girl who happens to be her best girl friend on that Christmas Eve. That same guy even went through such lengths to go to her so that she wont be lonely that night and granted her dream. That feeling of sudden loss will make you melancholy. This feeling of longing can thus change a platonic relationship to a romantic one. But she couldn’t make it romantic coz the girl her best male friend likes is her best female friend. Which she knows likes him too. So she couldn’t do it.
    Hmm that was kinda long-winded.

    Raiv
  45. @ Raiv

    “But for those who actually care about the storyline and content and feelings of the characters, they know it’s a foregone conclusion. But they still enjoy it for the interactions and joy it brings from the interactions between the characters. It’s the journey that counts. Not the ending.”

    precisely. while i personally am not too big of a fan of a taigaXruuji ending, i do understand that it’s been set up and i’m not going to argue the way the author wants to tell her story because it is HER story. i guess for the other shippers (i’ve been leaning from Minori to Ami) who are otherwise, they’re probably clinging to the hope (spoilers from akane iro ni somarusaka and gundam seed) that we all get trolled a la Akane Iro ni Somarusaka. although they were dropping subtle hints of wincest throughout the story. for rie kugumiya’s character to get trolled again would be like how all three of hōko kuwashima’s characters getting killed in Gundam!

    @ Zer0

    thanks for bringing that up, in my analysis i completely forgot that taiga’s playing the same: i want my friends to be happy! card. pretty much EVERYONE except yusaku at this point in time aren’t being honest at all. but the resulting tension is definitely why we’re all watching.

    RickyMack
  46. @n1xx
    the reason ami doesnt do anything is because she knows she has absolutely ZERO chance of success, ryuji has absolutely no interests in her and therefore would be pointless if she took action which is why she is pissed because minorin has a chance and yet she isnt doing anything
    so stop hating

    Syllen
  47. “GJ Ami, you should have hit her with a hammer instead…”

    ROFL too true, shame no one actually notices how Ami is feeling, in all of this she is the one who will be most hurt letting all these feelings build up inside.

    BlackDeath
  48. well if the other 20 episodes didn’t make it obvious of a Taiga end this one did. It seems there really trying to push this series along since its nearing its end. With a mere 4 episodes remaining, it looks like there trying to wrap it up with all the important loose ends tied up.

    Azar
  49. there is no such thing as AmixRyuuji or MinorixRyuuji so please guys, accept that the most likely couple will be the one on the series’ title

    🙂 not that you can’t dream of another possible final couple, but that will happen only in doujins~

    manu
  50. Uh, draksig, I did & I ended up marrying her – after some shit happened. What self-respecting male wouldn’t sleep with his best female friend if she asked him to…(*hint* if she’s not drunk, that probably means she likes you *hint*)

    Megas
  51. school days ending FTW haha, jk =p

    i’m surprised there’s actually so many shippers who aren’t supporting taiga and ryuuji tbh, cos i’m sorry, but it was just SO obvious in the title, summary, first ep, rest of the eps =/

    plus you have to remember that the author is a woman so the story is highly unlikely to go down the harem route

    i wonder if the new toradora PSP game allows ryuuji to end up with diff girls? if so, other than taiga, the only other girl i would consider would be the class prez haha XD doubt she’d be included anyway though T-T

    01234
  52. @Zer0zUNLTD

    “Minori is only being dishonest with her feelings towards Ryuuji. Like Taiga, Minori sacrifices her feelings for Ryuuji for her best friend. I mean, considering how much she cares about Taiga, I don’t see why you would hate her so much while rooting for Taiga at the same time.”

    I actually REALY think, Minory is a lesb!

    Nightlife
  53. Uh Nightlife, I’m sorry to inform you but Minori’s gonna blab to Taiga about Ryuuji saving her…& I think Minori is a lesb too 😛

    What I don’t get was that Taiga was in a terrible state when Ryuuji found her yet she remembers everything she told him, especially the confession part. If that ain’t a plot device I dunno what is.

    Megas
  54. you know what?
    Minori and Ryuuji were both trying to get together, slowly, at their pace!
    Remember the “ghost” episode?
    And then came Ami, who destroyed everything, she never got a chance so she should just have let it go but she preferred to destroy the genki Minorin and make her depressed…
    I really DON’T understand the people who like her.. she’s ugly, egoist, unfriendly, she thinks she’s always right and the only moment when this is not the case, she says that she’s stupid and sorry…

    Kyonata
  55. @Zer0zUNLTD
    But Sex doesn’t = Love. You can have one without the other. But you can have both and that is a bonus.

    @Kyonata
    You can say a girl scorned is never pretty.

    I really wonder what Ryuuji’s reaction will be to Taiga’s confession. Seriously at the point of time when he was talking to Minori alone this ep I though i could hear his crush shattering. Ami should have told Minori that she didn’t have a chance even though she really wanted Ryuuji in their room. This would make Ryuuji realize that Ami was interested in him too when he’s hiding in the closet. Unforeseen confession.

    Arrgh I can’t wait for the novel! I think it’s much better than the anime as there’s alot more interactions. Can read between the lines!

    Raiv
  56. Ami… she is the omnipotent character of toradora. Even though she appears to be ruining things, she’s just trying to grasp her own happiness, and its not like shes doing anything wrong.

    Seravee
  57. @Raiv

    lol. You’re just stating my point again but worded differently. I don’t want nor do I need to have sex with my best friend-for whatever reason (just don’t give me some BS worse case scenarios). There are plenty of other ways to deal whatever dilemma he/she has. Why settle for something so temporal when there are so many other ways to show that you truly care?

    Zer0zUNLTD.
  58. @Zer0zUNLTD

    Not to sound insulting but are you even a man? Or a woman? What if there’s no other reasons other than she wants it, and that’s with you exclusively? Not including love or care or what dilemma she in into the mix? That was my question. Would you do it if your best friend (opposite sex) wants it?

    Raiv
  59. let’s face it, in a close relationship between a man and a woman, the woman holds all the cards. Most men in that situation, a very close female friend (and if she is a close female friend, he does like her), will not attempt to move the relationship beyond that out of fear of ruining the relationship. I agree with an earlier comment, if the woman then tries to change the nature of the relationship, when she is sober, she also likes him and wants more than friendship.

    Google the “Ladder theory” and Chris Rock’s “Friendship Zone” bit (Warning: vulgar language).

    draksig
  60. I really liked this episode i think they did it really good the whole towle thing with Taiga amused me and the fight bettwen Ami and Minorin was really intense and i really agree with Ami i mean god Minorin has become sooooo annoying!!! i hate the way she acts and it’s sad cuz i really liked her at the begining oh well im happy that Ryiugi finally knows that Tiga loves him hopefuly they’ll end up toghether im intrested to see what kind of a couple they’ll make ^_^ go Taiga!

    bobibon
  61. Ah poor Taiga, she tries to become a bit independent & breaks down in the process – then all she gets is hate from yall for wanting the male lead all to herself (to love instead of own *doggy*)

    I have no idea what yall see in those other two bitches but we’re definitely running out of lifeboats.

    Megas
  62. Although I still much like Ami-chan that was a bit too muchos, reminding me of that fight between Taiga and that school council girl a couple of episodes back oO
    It’s a shame that Ami does not advance in this episode and continues to become more and more distant and less friendly towards Ryuuji 🙁

    ..I hope there will be an (or maybe two, in order to keep it fair) alternative arc/episode like the one in Clannad where the male character choses another girl 🙂
    Well, let’s just enjoy the show anyway^^

  63. @ takeshi
    does this possibly mean that if minori had taiga’s appearance then you wouldn’t be a minori/ryuuji supporter? =p

    which brings up the question of whether people would support a different pairing if their appearances were different. would there be as many ami supporters if she looked like taiga or minori? and would ppl like taiga more if she looked like ami or minori? cos i’m getting fed up of hearing, ‘oh no, don’t pick that stupid loli!!! go for the smoking hot model!!!’ >.<

    e.g, i sometimes support different pairings (in doramas) cos of the actors who play them, though my view would change later on cos i’ll get to know the actual characters more as the series progresses

    just my 2 cents though =D

    01234
  64. As someone who fell in love in a way very similar to this anime (a main reason i’m so connected to it), I can say that shoul should all stop yelling the girls names. We are talking about Ryuuji’s feelings here.
    He was inlove with Minori for more then a year. He has a box full of pictures of her… This type of love is NOT something that can be broken by ANY other girl.
    One good thing about this story is that it is a real piece of life. The feelings are so realistic… Ryuuji’s comments reminds me of myself in such a deep way…

    I know that in almost every anime that exist, the Ryuuji and Taiga ending is a MUST.
    But I have hopes for this anime… It’s a good novel, and a good piece of life. And if it is based on real feelings, I can’t believe that Ryuuji’s feelings for Minori will ever end. The only way to end them is actually dating her. And even then it might stay… It’s the “she’s the ONE” type of love. Ryuuji and Minori will be together by any format of converting this story to reality. His love for taiga is just too much family-like. His love for Minori is “getting married” type.

    By the way, the 10th (and final) volume of the novel is not out yet, so excpect an open ending with an OVA in the future that will end the series for good.
    I just really hope both of them (anime and novel) will end the same way… XD

    Maiku
  65. Okay, I guess people are not observant in watching a series like this except like to watch and think what they like about it.

    Let’s go down the timeline from when Ryuji and Taiga met okay? When they first met, Ryuji thought she was very pretty and doll like. He had an attraction but within that same day, he finds she likes his best friend, the only friend who is close to him despite the fact that he looks like a gangster. Also, within that time due to Taiga’s personality, she was not intimidated with Ryuji which brings them closer since both of them found out that they like each other’s best friend. That is how they became friends. What made them best friends is how close they live to each other and both know each others weaknesses. Both benefit each other despite the chemistry between them. But since both of them know that each like another, they don’t go past the platonic relationship, but their feelings for each other were always borderline. Ryuji blushed all the time when he sees a cute Taiga but hardly blush around Minorin except when she is quite revealing. As for Ami, he never gave a second glance because maybe she is not his type.

    This is real life, if I know that my friend likes another girl I won’t be pushing my feelings on him and ruin my relationship with him until he comes to the conclusion that his love for another is not what he visualize and if possible he comes to like me in that same way. .. I will feel like I won the lottery since I realize my feelings first.

    paj
  66. @Maiku
    actually, the anime staff has been given an outline of the main events happening in the 10th novel from the author so no open ending i think unless the novel goes down that route too =]

    you may interpret ryuuji’s love for taiga ‘family-like’ and others can say that there has been no attraction between them but I just think that since the anime has taken out all the internal thoughts (well obviously sonce it IS a visual interpretation) it has led to many ppl’s misunderstandings. ryuuji HAS been attracted to taiga in many cases, e.g. in the novel when she showed him her wearing the swimming costume he actually had to scold himself for well, sorta perving on her lol.

    everyone questions ryuuji and taiga’s love but no one questions ryuuji and minori’s love. if you think about it, it is more likely that ryuuji and taiga would fall in love as they interact more each day whilst ryuuji and minori only talk for what, like an hour a day? also, i don’t see how ami has harboured feelings for ryuuji as their interactions are even more limited.

    IMO, ryuuji at the start of the series only had a crush on minori and she has one on him now. ryuuji and minori’s relationship is just at the start when a couple feels attracted to each other but his relationship with taiga has gone way past that and into sort of the married lifestyle where they both feel comfortable and content with each other, they’ve just skipped past the initial bit.

    01234
  67. @Zer0zUNLTD
    Now that makes sense. Just looking for opinions man. No hard feelings.

    @Maiku
    Actually I think Ryuuji’s crush on Minori just ended this ep. Reason for that is Ryuuji realized that Minori will still be Minori, and whatever he did he couldn’t change her mind, even though he had many chances already. Remember during the time at Ami’s Villa? Minori said that she thinks UFOs and ghosts exists, but she don’t believe in them. Ryuuji implied that she knows about love but she didn’t believe in it, and he wanted to show it to her. Well he did try to show it to her, but she refused to see it. That’s when he realized that there’s no hope for him with her, and he went back to his room depressed.

    Even when Minori was arguing with Ami n the boys were hiding in the closet, Minori didn’t even utter a word about liking Ryuuji, even when Ami was provoking her. And Ryuuji heard everything.

    Raiv
  68. @shippers: Well, I won’t spoil but I’m pretty much sure things are kinda set up from here, like I said, get a lifeboat and enjoy the ride, and make sure you hold on really hard

    Show Spoiler ▼

    manu
  69. and please, don’t compare this series to the likes of ZnT or something else , this one is in a totally different league and if you use your brain to something else than shipping to death you should be aware of that by now

    manu
  70. The rampant shipping here is starting to get obnoxious, especially you Ryuuji/Minori guys. She is handling this in the most half-assed way possible. The bitch has a fear of being disliked. That feeling comes first in everything she did. That’s why she didn’t even let Ryuuji confess. You may equate that to her not wanting to hurt Taiga, but that is negated entirely by brushing off Ryuuji instead of just letting him confess & rejecting it like a normal bitch. That kind of crap hurt everyone in the process.

    It was also then that Ryuuji found out he had no hope for her. Ami only comfirmed that, but what made Ami so mad was that it seemed to her that Ryuuji didn’t give up of her by the way he was acting at school…since Taiga was constantly trying to get him & her together. But Minori is also doing the same thing Ami did when she was first introduced: hiding behind a curtain. While Ami’s curtain was fabric, Minori’s curtain is steel. Taiga & Ryuuji was able to get rid of Ami’s curtain but the only one who can take down Minori’s curtain is Minori herself.

    When Minori makes Ryuuji chase after Taiga I’m going to feel like strangling her through my LCD, she has no right whatsoever to tell Ryuuji who he should go after…but the obvious choice isn’t her. Ami needs to stay far away from her, she might catch Minori’s BS disease if she don’t.

    Megas
  71. Megas, use spoiler tags!
    Show Spoiler ▼

    2ch
  72. Uh 2ch, you’re spliting hairs again. Its the same thing. If he didn’t chase her, he would have looked like a jerk (sorta like Minori :P) Ryuuji maybe dense but he’s no jerk.

    Megas
  73. Okay but to make it clear, he wanted to say something the whole time but he was too much of a chicken to do anything. Minori was thinking he was moping about her dumping him but he was thinking about Taiga the whole time.

    2ch
  74. Realmente el peor escenario sería escoger a Kushieda, como que ella no pinta para nada, es como que la piedra en el zapato. Realmente quisiera que se quedara Ryuji con Ami, pero probablemente terminaría la serie con un bad ending, sinceramente no creo que le deparara un buen futuro a Taiga.
    Sinceramente con ninguna de las 3 se ve un verdadero lazo como para pasar a ser algo más que amigos, así que ojala haya una segunda temporada donde se pueda ver más de esta magnífica serie.

    Huitzi
  75. Realmente el peor escenario sería escoger a Kushieda, como que ella no pinta para nada, es como que la piedra en el zapato. Realmente quisiera que se quedara Ryuji con Ami, pero probablemente terminaría la serie con un bad ending, sinceramente no creo que le deparara un buen futuro a Taiga.
    Sinceramente con ninguna de las 3 se ve un verdadero lazo como para pasar a ser algo más que amigos, así que ojala haya una segunda temporada donde se pueda ver más de esta magnífica serie.
    Gran capítulo

    Huitzi
  76. I’ve read many comments and i DON’T get how so many people like Ami, god she is such a bitch. I was always in favor with Ryuuji and Minori, actually those 2 were the ones that got me all addicted to the anime. I don’t like the way that Taiga is acting, she knows how Ryuuji feels about Minori and how Minori feels about Ryuuji, she knows that Minori rejected him because she thinks Taiga likes him, so how selfish can Taiga be? i really wish that Ryuuji and Minori ended up as a couple, but with this episode, the ending is just to predictible, but, i’m curious to know what the next 4 episodes will show (other than Ryuuji wondering about hes true feelings twords Taiga)

  77. How is Taiga being selfish?

    She’s TRYING to get Minori and Ryuuji together. Against her own wishes and desires.

    She’s hurting HERSELF trying to make Ryuuji happy.

    She sends Christmas gifts to orphans, for god’s sake. Taiga is one of the least selfish people. Ever.

    Minorin is doing this too, but not nearly the same extent, as what Minorin seems to really want is to maintain the status quo and get everyone back to the way they were before. Which is not going to work. And is dumb. Which Ami continues to point out.

    Take off your shipper goggles, for the love of god.

    Kaisos
  78. Minori’s plan would work if Taiga would stop pushing the issue the way she does. Minori gave Takasu her answer and he was willing to accept being dumped. I’m not blaming her for wanting to help him but at the same time it’s ridiculous how Taiga supporters are dumping on Minori for her actions.

    Typhonsentra
  79. I find it funny that a lot of comments here sound as if the feelings people have for one another can’t change. Your feelings for another person can change if all of a sudden they tell you that they like them. You start to think “This person likes me… if I tried being with them, we have compatible personalities/chemistry, they are attractive… maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to try going out with them.”

    I’m a lot like Minori. I don’t believe in “UFOs” or “Ghosts,” even though I am looking for him–I mean them. (Minori has the strangest analogies) I knew my friend liked me for a while but I always tried to beat around the bush and prevent him from saying he liked me. He finally got to say it, and even though I knew, I kept him away and avoided him because I wanted to just stay friends with him… It’s too bad I didn’t find him attractive or compatible with me.

    Kim
  80. Rather than jumping around trying to evade the subject, wouldn’t it be better to just say the classic line, “Umm, I like you, but only as a friend. I’m sorry.” By evading the question you’re not just playing with e other party’s feelings, you’re making e other person not have any disclosure. And the other person will still be pulling flower petals saying, “She loves me, she loves me not etc etc”.

    Raiv
  81. half assed answers and airheaded acting don’t make the other people feel better, they feel worse because they think their feelings meant nothing to the other person. The best way to deal with it is to be honest and straight. It’s not cool to let another person wondering how you feel and act like nothing happened. I know about it, I been there as well so i kinda understand how Ryuuji feels. Don’t try to make Minori the one deserving comprehension, she’s just a selfish bitch.

    manu
  82. LOL gosh i hope it doesn’t end up like all the other animes of this genre do, with taiga and ruuji =_= but man this was the best shonen romance anime that i’ve ever seen XD the girls actually aren’t useless for once xD

    Hoho
  83. I also think that they really did a great job on the plot of this romance, they way they swing back and forth between the girls made this Shonen romance the best!!!!!
    Most of the times, the other girls are just for-you know. But this time they actually had a part in the relationship. Love this series and now it has officially become my top 1 anime^_^

    Taiga's ENDING
  84. @Syllen

    I just dislike how Ami doesn’t even try to score with Ryuuji or at least tell him more ”directly”. Who cares if you don’t have a chance with the one you love, you should at least verify it and tell them how you feel because you never know. Ami out of all ”mature considered” people should understand that.

    n1xx
  85. I believe that it would be best that they go with a Ryuuji+Ami ending…although there doesnt seem to be a strong bond between the 2. She can always be seen as ryuuji’s equal and plus if taiga really ends with ryuuji that would just be expected.

    Shiznit
  86. The Ryuuji and Taiga thing isn’t considered lolicon. Taiga might be small but she’s the same age as the rest of them, so that is in no way lolicon. And Taiga/Ryuuji fans aren’t pervs just because we like the ship.

    diyedas

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