Toradora! – 08
Ohhhhh~ LOVE POWWWAAAAAAAA~
Summary:
As their form of competition is decided, a swimming race, Ami and Taiga quickly confirm the win and loss conditions. If Taiga were to lose, Ryuji would be taken to Ami’s resort for the summer. When a note accidentally makes its way to Ryuji in class later, he learns that most of the class has their predictions set for Ami winning the race. Further more, as Taiga is still doing her best to learn to swim, her chances of winning begin to look even slimmer. Despite this, Taiga does her best to train as much as she can with Ryuji. When Taiga asks Ryuji if he knows who she is doing her best for in the first place, he seems completely oblivious to the reasons. Taiga is disappointed to be unable to use the pool on a particularly rainy day, but Yusaku appears to give Ryuji and Taiga tickets to a pool complex in order to help them. Though Ryuji suggests that Taiga go with Yusaku instead, she declines in embarrassment.
Ryuji surprisingly meets Ami at the vending machines later, who soon mentions how cute a jealous Taiga is. Ryuji suggests that Taiga only dislikes Ami, but this leads her to imply how ignorant Ryuji is. Ami further goes on to claim that she is serious about her winning conditions, and that she would really live with Ryuji for the summer if she succeeded in beating Taiga. As Ryuji leaves her, Ami can only smile to herself. When Minori meets Ryuji at the school entrance, she brings up Taiga’s once mentioning that he is always saving her. Ryuji is surprised to hear that this is about small things like doing her laundry and fixing her meals, but Minori suggests that these things are the most amazing. With a tap of knuckles, Minori leaves Taiga up to Ryuji once again. While Taiga ponders her possibilities in her home that night, she looks outside to see that Ryuji has set up a Teru Teru Bozu in hopes for the next day to be sunny.
While Ryuji practices with Taiga at the public pool the next day, he is surprised to see that she has made an incredible amount of progress. When Ryuji suggests that she may even be able to win now, Taiga confirms that she certainly will. It begins to rain again soon after, but Taiga refuses to leave immediately. This brings the two to the topic of who Taiga is working so hard for, and when Ryuji shows how clueless he is once again, Taiga becomes quite annoyed. Swiftly kicking the table they were using to the side, Taiga describes how much she hates Ryuji for acting as if he knows how she feels in her heart. Mentioning that this is because she does not even know herself, Taiga leaves Ryuji in tears hidden by the rain. Yasuko finds that Ryuji is still awake as she arrives home, learning of the argument he seemed to have with Taiga. In her slightly drunken state, Yasuko makes Ryuji realize that Taiga is not the type who would truly hate someone. She reminds Ryuji that this would especially apply to him, before falling asleep while clinging to his leg.
When Ryuji meets Taiga the next day, he gives her a lunchbox in hopes that she would do her best at the competition. When Taiga opens this in an empty classroom, she finds that it is full of meat in response to her wish for more on a previous day. Taiga finally shows up to the pool to face Ami, and as the race starts, she uses every trick she has to get a head start on her. Despite taking the lead, Taiga seems to sprain her ankle on the returning lap. Ryuji attempts to help Taiga, and after she finally admits that she is doing all of this for him, Taiga speeds off to finish the race. Ryuji is knocked out by flying objects at the end of the race, but before passing out, he sees Taiga swimming towards him in hopes of saving him. Although it is revealed afterwards that Ami had won anyways, Taiga screams out in tears that Ryuji is hers only. At the local coffee shop afterwards, Taiga decides that she will simply follow Ami to her resort. Ami has little time to think about this, as the rest of the usual friends agree to go as well.
Preview: Fun in the sun.
Impression:
F- YEA! UMISHO! This episode was definitely one of the best so far, getting me as pumped as the first time I read the lamp post chapter in the manga. Despite what I said last week, about Ryuji and Taiga seemingly acting like family members or friends more than love interests, this episode immediately proved me wrong. Taiga’s kicking that table aside was probably one of the most epic scenes I’ve seen this season. Ryuji kind of failed for falling into the ignorant protagonist stereotype for most of the episode though, and despite his seeming to realize Taiga’s feelings towards the end, this was all covered up by the “you’re just my dog” jazz after everything was all said and done. But eh, I guess we wouldn’t have our story if everything was decided right away. This isn’t a shoujo anime, after all!
I’m really loving the themes of friendship POWWWAAAAA that the show is throwing at us as well. Ami has obviously taken a liking to both Ryuji and Taiga, though she shows her support in a much more creative way. Minori’s support is a lot more straight forward, and I can only wonder when Ryuji’s feelings will start to waver to her predictions.
Notes:
- Image training FTW!
- Uwuwururu urusai~!
- Ryuji punches Taiga in the face, with a deadly poke back in response!
- Chi Chi Chi…
- Ryuji must watch a lot of Minami-ke.
- A drunk and childlike Yasuko is fine too.
- She hugs her son’s leg.
- Two pieces are nice too.
- Taiga doesn’t like it though.
- I heard you like beach resorts.
14 Comments so far
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I thought the exact same thing! They should have rolled Taiga in a sheet and strung her up =3.
Don’t pray to me!
… so that’s what Yasuko was doing. Cute episode, though.
As someone who’s reading the novels at the moment, I felt that skipped too much stuff, and that the episode felt like a cut and paste of important parts… It wasn’t done badly per se, seeing that I liked the ryuujixminori anime original scene, but things worked out better in the novel. The events that led up to Ryuuji’s concussion, and Taiga throwing the race to help him (they completely skipped that though) was one of the things that could have been handled better. Although forigivable due to time restriction, it probably lessened the dramatic impact it could have held. Taiga kicking the table was pretty awesome, but they sort of failed to show Ryuuji genuinely getting pissed off. Well, not a bad attempt to condense the material to make it fit in the time restriction, my two favorite scenes got the short end of the stick (ie. both Taiga and Ryuuji getting pissed off, and Taiga saving Ryuuji which was completely skipped), this makes me
A drunk and childlike Yasuko is fine too.
Yes, this is true. lol, awesome ep. TWO PIECES FTW!!!!
“Hair.”
looooool!
@Kabitzin: Minami-ke has changed the way I look at teru teru bozus. I hope the 3rd series next season doesn’t suck.
@Rawr: Ah, so they pulled another episode 2? I guess the only reason I could rate this so highly was because of my not reading these parts in the novels or manga…
Also, I’m sorry that my spam filter is a jerk.
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm5215831
Taiga takes Ami’s top off! Highlight of the episode!
And yeah, this did remind me of Minami-ke in some parts too
But if Ryuji rolled Taiga up in a sheet he probably wouldn’t be fit to go to school the next day!
Yeah, this was kind of another episode 2. They were both good episodes by themselves, but the characters and drama were noticely simplified and seemed more generic then it should have been, like the common “tsundere flipflop”. And they also missed out on Ryuuji breaking his own mold (pun absolutely intended) and actually getting pretty pissed off at someone. Just one extra line or so could have added a lot to other scenes too.
But don’t take all that the wrong way, I got over the whole “Ooh, they skipped that scene” weeks ago when it was clear the show was in great hands. As long as newcomers are still getting the big picture then it’s all good, man
ANYWAYS, loved the episode, definitely one the best so far. So many good moments. It’s still great at being hilarious, touching, and giving the characters development all at the same time. And giving Taiga a meat bento…Goddamn, Ryuuji you are one fine womanizer, and you don’t even know it.
Oh yeah, and STONKING GREAT TITS
Dammit I thought we were avoiding the TaigaXRyuuji route. Ah well.
idk y but…..Kawashima Ami reminds me of Ryouko Asakura from Melancholy…lol, maybe it’s because their both kinda ervil inside and have long blue hair o.O
Maybe because they both have similar character design too IMO.
I was reading the second volume of the novel when I heard that ToraDora was going anime. I stopped there, simply because I didn’t want to spoil myself, and I agree that in the novels some scenes had a much greater impact and conflict emotionally speaking, even so, I’m glad that they are covering so much material in a fast pace. It gives a good basis about what the novels are about and still retain some of the impact they have. So far, is a great series.
I don’t know about you guys, but since I haven’t read the novel, I thought that the scene wherein Taiga and Ryuugi getting mad were shown pretty clearly. And I must admit that I shed a few drop of tears when Taiga was crying out that Ryuugi was her’s. Really a poignant moment.
loved this episode! my favorite scene being the one where ryuuji playfully punches taiga calling har “baka” and taiga struttering “urusai!”… a lot of funey and heartwarming scenes