For your information: This is NOT a fanboy-ed review of Toradora!.
Instead, it's my first impressions after finishing the anime.
It's been like 6 hours since I've finished the anime, and I'm still sad (to the point of crying) because I finished it! There hasn't been an anime I enjoyed as much as this one. Since the very start, I was sad because I knew it had to end.
Toradora gained my heart so much, that it became my #3 favourite anime, above FMAB and under Clannad AS.
Starting with Story, rated 10/10, it's like glue. As soon as you watch the first five episodes, you are lost. You will be immersed in this wonderful, romantic, comedic but also dramatic history.
*Spoilers ahead*
After they come back from Kawashima's vacation home, the ambient turns more serious, focusing more and more in the romantic-dramatic side of the story (although in episode 8 when Ami and Taiga swim, after Takasu almost drowns, Aisaka claims that he is hers), we confront Takasu's doubts of who he really loves. Then in episode 16 when Taiga beats down that b*tch from the Council of Students, the anime completely undergoes a drastic change, changing the opening, and the new topic is: achieving goals (so that would be, forcing Takasu to be with Minorin and Taiga with Kitamura). But, will those goals be achieved actually? Oh, them feels and that cliche ending. *End of spoilers*
Art was quite simple yet beautiful. Rated 8/10, I missed some filters and those little details that make an anime enjoyable for our eyes, but the drawing makes it for these smalls details.
Sound was another strong aspect of Toradora. Being used to hear Rie Kugimiya as Happy in Fairy Tail, she has shown me that she can be an amazing little, beautiful, yet aggressive girl. All the seiyuus were perfectly chosen for each role of the anime, and music is simply amazing.
Openings are ideal just for the context (happy-romantic, and serious-drama-romantic).
And that song you hear just at the beginning, "Yasashisa no Ashioto", gains my heart everytime. I get goosebumps just from hearing it.
And if you want to cry, hear Lost my pieces. *Spoilers* Oh, that moment where Taiga cries calling Ryuuji. Oh my good lord. That moment made me shed various manly tears. *End of spoilers*
Characters... I loved them all. Yes, no joke. That's why it's rated 10/10.
I'd say Taiga was my favourite, but she is too much overused so I don't want to sound too stereotipical ^^ haha. But yes, I definetely love her.
Takasu Ryuuji, I laughed so hard with him, you tend to miss characters like this. No, damn it, you need people like this in real life!
Also, I loved Ami. Besides being beautiful, she is the most serious and mature character in the series.
Inko-chan!! At the end we hear this little monster say her name, too bad Ryuuji wasn't there to hear it.
And then the extras, Noto, Haruta, Kihara, Kashii and specially Yuri, the teacher, make you feel you're really in the school, just watching everything from your point of view.
Enjoyment, rated 10/10.
I loved this anime from minute 1 of the first episode, until minute 23 of the last episode. Enough said.
Laughed. Cried like a girl. Got anxious, CRIED because the anime HAD ENDED.
Overall 10/10.
I would explain more but everything's explained in each specific point.
Goodbye!!
