Toradora is a classic example of what a good romcom anime is about. It has all of the elements - a developing romantic storyline, well constructed character developments, environmental and situational cues that allowed the romance to happen and of course, a simple plot that is easy to follow.
Overall, Toradora is a beloved anime by many, due to the sweet romance between Ryuuji and Taiga. While many anticipated their eventual union, the ending of Toradora still felt overly satisfying despite guessing the eventual outcome of the two of them.
It felt as though as the creators fed us with the expectations of their relationship all along, and then ended it all with something that exceeded all of the build-up expectations, thus giving the anime new meaning.
Of course, the main reason why this anime is a success is the cute couple themselves. Here are 5 reasons on why we think they make the cutest couple ever, which in turn, contributed to the overall success of the series.
1. They Care for Each Other
Both originally started out as comrades with a goal. Taiga was hoping to win the love of Ryuuji's friend, Kitamura, whereas Ryuuji was hoping to win the love of Taiga's friend, Minori. Both are able to empathize with each other on the troubles with love and thus, the duo was dedicated to provide as much assistance as possible to the other.
It goes as far as one giving the other advice and comforting the other when he/she has failed to make their target notice him/her, to the point of even encouraging them to not give up and give in to the pressure.
Ironically though, through chasing the love of another, both eventually realised that they had feelings for the other, because of how much dedication and effort the other invested. With that realisation, it complicates the matter even further as they both have to feign ignorance while secretly harbouring feelings for the other.
Note that these events happened concurrently you're just screaming on the screen "JUST NOTICE ALREADY!!"
2. They are the Tiger and the Dragon
Taiga’s name it’s read as ‘tiger’. Ryuuji’s name literally means ‘dragon’. The tiger and dragon are extraordinarily complimentary companions according to Chinese astrology. In the Far East these two beasts are synonymous with unparalleled greatness and an elevated status. Despite the Dragon being a mythical beast, the tiger has always been the only animal to share the same status.
In the anime, Ryuuji makes this reference to show how much he cared for Taiga. Despite being a cliché pickup line, it stands true. It can be said that they are fated to be together.
When you think about it, their names are just as romantic as their relationship with each other as they form the perfect pair! Ryuuji, the usually stoic guy can even pull out this legend and claim that he will never leave Taiga's side which tugs heavily at your heartstrings.
And so is the legend of Toradora. The Tiger and Dragon had always been depicted side by side after all, and as legends go, they last forever.
3. None of Them Know How to Express Their Feelings
Remember the first meeting between the duo? Taiga accidentally left a love letter she wrote for Kitamura with Ryuuji. To comfort her over this embarrassing situation, Ryuuji showed her his collection of hypothetical dates and scenarios where it was revealed that he had a crush on Taiga's best friend, Minori.
Throughout the series, we are able to see that both had difficulties expressing their feelings, which often led to comical reactions from both of them. More often or not it's Taiga becoming all violent on Ryuuji to hide her embarrassment much to the bewilderment of Ryuuji.
These snappy comebacks and embarrassment would usually make you cringe. However, when you see these two together there is this allure to them that makes you go "D'awwwww..."
4. She is Loud and Abusive, He is Quiet and Often Takes Her Abuse
Ryuuji is often the one quiet and reserved one in contrast with Taiga's loud and brash nature. Because of his fearsome looks, he doesn't get too much attention either and simply minds his own business.
After he met Taiga, he is often the victim of her outbursts. Yet he absorbs them and rarely retorts back at her. No matter how awful and mean her comments are, he takes it in, and is fully dedicated to caring for her to the point that he makes her embarrassed
And when you talk about Taiga, well... She's tsundere, that's how they profess their love, so if you think about on how many mean comments she throws at him, in the tsundere dictionary, she really, really loves him. The world works in a very strange fashion sometimes... Anything works, however, as long as it's kawaii \(*v*)v
5. She is Short and He is Tall
Due to her extremely short stature and his above average height, Ryuuji can literally put meaning to the phrase 'sweeping her off her feet'. There is something adorable in couples with a vast height difference. Since they have so much length in between them, they will have to compensate it by either reaching down or going up.
Picture this, in a romantic setting, when they edge forward for a kiss, it will either be Ryuuji bending down as a sign of his sincerity or carrying her up. Holding her up becomes extremely fun. How romantic is that?
Furthermore, her stature gives off the vibe of her being in need of protection, and him towering over her is akin to him being a gentle giant.
Hence, despite being peculiar, their differences are actually the reason why they are so compatible.
Closing Paragraph
Toradora still remains a popular rom-com series. If anything, it’s the standard for rom-com series due to its interesting characters, mainly the flavourful couple of the series, Ryuuji and Taiga.
Their inability to express their feelings, their ineptness at pursuing their respective crushes, their seemingly incompatible personalities and even their distinct physical differences makes them look the oddest couple in history. But above all, the main reason for their charm is their absolute devotion and dedication to each other and that alone is the catalyst for their love
Throughout the process of them finding love, these little acts and traits are what make them adorable such that the two of them can only be described as cute.
The two lovable characters is the main reason for the success of Toradora from the start of their encounter to their never dying support for one another to their eventual confession. This whole journey have been nothing but an exhilarating ride of a flurry of emotions and these two stands at the pivotal point of the rom-com genre.
Toradora is a classic rom-com with Ryuuji and Taiga being at the forefront of the definition of the cutest couple in the anime industry.
Author: Araragi
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