Tora Dora Episode 19, or How to make me sad
nekosasu | February 14, 2009 | 5:41 pm
Slowly recovering from my very emotional start of the week, I thought I should watch Toradora 19 before going out to experience the start of the Venetian Carnival. Big mistake. Now I’m sadder. Perhaps even angry. Gah, I don’t know.
By the way, happy Valentine’s Day you roners. HIGH FIVE!
On the one hand, there is Taiga finally realizing who she really likes, although she has not compared Ryuuji to Kitamura yet so there will be some more hesitation from her; on the other hand, Ryuuji is dumped by Minori who saw Taiga cry over him.
I don’t know whether I should praise Minori for her outstanding altruism or be angry at her because she gave up on Ryuuji so easily. Suddenly, the reason for ALL of her actions in the last few episodes seems so crystal clear. She realized she liked Ryuuji, but she also knew how close he and Taiga were.
So instead of having Ryuuji all for herself, Minorin just waited until Taiga realized her feelings for him. I don’t know, I find this… sad. Because, had Minorin not seen Taiga cry in front of her apartment, she might have given in to her “selfishness” and taken Ryuuji after all. But now that she did… she remembered that she can’t, for Taiga’s sake. Damn. I’m really sorry for Minori.
…BUT, Ryuuji hasn’t spoken yet. I am sure he will try to understand this refusal. Also, if he really loved her, instead of dropping dead, idiot should have just interrupted her and hugged her, like in every second half-assed melodrama romance.
Yes, I am angry at Taiga and Ryuuji. Stupid hypocrits, they both care for each other so much yet they cling to their image of their beloved ones all along. Why complicate matters! See, in this episode again, Taiga was trying to get Minori to talk to Ryuuji, EVEN THOUGH SHE KNEW she liked him. Or perhaps her Love Meter was not filled yet, and only peaked when Ryuuji (who cared more about Taiga than about Minori today yet again) gave her that little bit of attention by dressing as Pedobear Santa.
As a small side note, I find that entire “subconscious crying” act a royal fucking pain in the ass. First it goes like this, character is bending over a certain object, and suddenly it starts raining teardrops onto it/the ground. Closeup on the characters face, they are crying, but their face doesn’t want to participate! Yes, their subconscious is crying, because their brain is so stupid and dense, they never realized their true feelings for this and that.
Sure, it adds up to character development, and could hint to a painful childhood where they got raped without protection, but seriously, I find that concept quite overused nowadays. These days, whenever I see a scene where only the lower parts of the body are shown, feet, legs, whatever, I expect teardrops to fall.
Example, Minori in her bedroom. It didn’t happen, but I expected it so badly because the situation also called for it.
bawwww
Anyway, what came after that scene was quite emotional, not only because there was a good dose of desperation in Taiga’s actions once again, but also because I so waited for this moment that Taiga finally realized her stupid feelings for Ryuuji. …but WHY IN FRONT OF MINORI argh stupid Taiga stupid Palmtop Tiger stupid stupid!!
Ryuuji as well, fool. When is he going to give up this make-believe act, and finally admit his love for Taiga? Right now he’ll be wondering why Minori dumped him, Taiga will avoid Ryuuji for the next few days, and Ami will be his only confident. Ami will believe that Ryuuji is now up for grabs and takes advantage, but he will realize that he still likes Taiga, they both kiss, Ami and Minori left with nothing, end of story. I think everything should be pretty plausible except for the last part.
…unless Toradora gets a second series, and we will be left with a cliffhanger on this magnificent love pentagon. But there is still half a dozen of episodes yet to come, so I’ll be looking forward to what this series has up its sleeve yet.
(Please make it a Minorin-Ryuuji good end please please)
I’m riding your clock, Baka Inu.
Oh, well I expect a Taiga x Ryuuji end. It’s just that type of show, no?
Word is the novels final volume will be wrapping up almost exactly the same time the anime finishes. Which likely means no second series.
@Sasa: Yeah but that’s too easy :( Minorin also needs some love…… ;o;
@kimagure: That’s good. I’d appreciate if they stick with that, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they suddenly decided to make it an open ending, and slap a second series behind. Because that’s how things are done these days, right? Franchises milked until the end.
I know! I have always thought she would date Kitamura in the end T_T But then he had to fall in love with this silly student council president, eek. XD
Lol I did warn you about this episode didn’t I?
Yeah I was surprised how Minori didn’t shed a single tear. Seems like she is in some sort of emotionally frozen state, although her decision isn’t necessarily final given how she avoided eye contact with Ryuji when she rejected him. The whole relationship web is in a mess right now, but they’ll have six more episodes to figure it out.
Heh, people lost in the labyrinth of love are always seen as stupid by those who don’t, right neko? Me, too, just watched the episode. I don’t really have anything to say about it, it’s like everything is solved, yet everything is pretty much messed up. Yeah, it gave me some emotional burst, but not enough to be sad or angry. However, I finally have the courage to watch Clannad AS ep 15-16, so; tissues ready!
. . . @ Fosari. There are truly English courses in Japan + China so that is very disappointing.
I miss the hyeractive Minorin, and the way she walks in front of the “Toradora” title in OP1. I like Taiga’s new persona. I hope it stays even after Christmas. As for the turn of events, what is a love comedy without these usual cliches anyway!
I hear that. Minori-Ryuuji, but I have my doubts about it and a light about how a really awesome friendship can annihilate love interests. :(
@Sasa: And now Kitamura should just take Taiga! KEEP HER AWAY FROM RYUUJI asdfqgfdutfe1uh2dvtasdsagh
@TJ: Perhaps she’s used to giving up her dreams and hopes for her best friend? Besides, had Ryuuji been a man and yelled SUKI DAAA after her, I’m sure she would have stopped dead in her tracks and cried a river. But that’s more like fanfiction material now T_T
@Will: Yeah, that’s true. I’m a roner, on V-Day, calling people who refuse to admit they are in love idiots. They could all be so happy YET THEY HAVE TO COMPLICATE THINGS ;o;
@X10A: Hmm, well Minorin will need some time to recover, especially since it’s now apparent that Ryuuji will want to talk to her to find out what’s the matter. About Taiga… I’d say that she’ll revert to her old tsundere self, because she now recognized she likes him, but most likely will not admit it to anyone else just yet. *blush* *tsundere kick* “What are you saying Baka Inu!” and the likes.
And clichés, yeah well sometimes, a little originality can’t hurt, can it. ;)
@Ryan: I have no doubts… that it will not happen. NO WORRIES MINORIN, I’M HERE ;A;
About that friendship part, I’m not really sure we know the extent of it just yet. There must be something between Minori and Taiga that happened in the past, or so… Something that would make her wary of Taiga’s unhappiness. Dunno. Conjecture, yay!
Besides, I thought Minorin was on her way to school where Ryuuji was waiting, but apparently, in the novel at least, she was about to ask Taiga about how she felt about Ryuuji. Although the way I thought it would be would have been much better because, coincidences are much more interesting! Offers much more room for CONJECTURE! Like, what if she hadn’t seen Taiga crying like a fool on the street, for example! Yay yay festival…
OMG, i hated how things turned around tooo
i’m a Ryuugi x Minorin supporter! omg. but then i do sympathize with Ryuugi though… b/c i’m very blunt at these kind of relationship also
nuuuu, this is so odd.
At first I disliked TD (first 2 episodes mainly) for its bizarre romantic melancholy and bits of clicheness/melodrama.
A dozen episodes later, I still can’t care for any of the characters besides Minorin (who is probably more like me personality-wise I guess, which is why I like her). I mean, Ryuuji is simply a dim-witted sloth — yeah he has his good attributes — but it has nothing to do with lovesickness. Ryuuji just lacks the ability to perceive subtleness. Remember how he initially missed Ami’s and Taiga’s father’s “true selves”? I immediately saw through those disengenuine facades, whereas Ryuuji had to be told about them and observe them first hand.
If he could see the forest for the trees, I think he’d catch some things about himself and others would make his decision making much more accurate and real. Honestly, after he realized he was telling Taiga she should treasure her father because that’s how he felt about /his/ father, he should have immediately apologized and stepped out of her family business, he just can’t see his or anyone else’s own motivations for their actions.
Taiga is a conflicted girl, so I can forgive her for her failings, but I don’t think she and Ryuuji would honestly get along well in a less than platonic relationship, Why is it that it’s stated Minorin is the “sun” and Ryuuji is the “moon” and therefore they cannot get along, yet Taiga, one who possesses fervor, gusto , and loudness, is somehow more suited for a calm, deliberate, pensive and disciplined Ryuuji?
I really connected with what Minorin was saying back at Ami’s chateau (lol first time I think I’ve ever used that word seriously), and I completely disagree with Ami’s assessment of Ryuuji and Taiga. Actually, up until this point (episode 18) everything feels very balanced for Taiga, Minorin, Ami, & crew. Ryuuji may not fully understand himself, and Taiga might not acknowledge her attraction for Ryuuji, but the idea that any of these characters could fall in love with each other at this point seems ridiculous. They’re all friends, from what it seems to me, in real life I would expect these people to have fun together and then split off and go to college, probably not seeing each other again for a decade.
Normally I wouldn’t seriously consider any “anime relationship” (I usually mock people who do). But Tora Dora has been making a serious attempt at “realism” or at least novel-quality writing (quite a few symbols I’ve noticed in the series? Unless I’m imaging things or have been infected by eva-ism). It’s worth discussing I think… these characters are fairly well developed and resemble people I’ve encountered before.
I guess I’m rambling, but… to conclude things: I don’t like Ryuuji, Ami, or Taiga (finding their lack of wisdom or perception a large annoyance) and would disagree with their assumptions of each other if I could ever talk to them. Minorin is OK, though honestly I can’t see how any these characters could be romantically interested in one another.
If TD is is at all indicative of normal Japanese teenage experience I can see why no one in Japan has sex anymore, haha.