Toradora is often a staple for the Rom/com genre. Considered endearing and full of life. I couldn't disagree more. With the obligatory hyperbole out of the way I may dive in deeper.
Toradora begins on the hope that you would sympathize with the protagonist. Due to the fact that he has unusual eyes, the lead is distrusted and feared by those who don't know him. An attempt to distinguish from the world it seems. However it did little for me. The lead is the dreaded character with just about no character. Dull and selfless. He agrees to help the Female lead even after: she punches him in the school halls, attacks him in a classroom and tries to steal his school bags, then attempts to murder him in his residence. All in the first episode of course. After the assault subsides she explains how tsundere she is and misplaced a love letter in his bag. However our very own Sherlock Holmes learns how the protagonist is interested in her own best friend. A rather neat arrangement. Females lead's target, henceforth known as friend 1, spends only token time with his alleged close friend and is a stock and barrel bore. Friend 2 (Friend of Female lead) is the classic happy go lucky joy bringing character, who as usual takes a 180 and becomes the self loathing rut, who only derides herself and refuses all others company. Insert one-sided characters, romance swap, excessive melodrama, and you have the story of Toradora happy birthday. I will say however the model girl is the only dynamic character and was bearable to watch. She is unfortunately regulated to a minor third wheel character near the shows end.
The art was decent enough. I do greatly dislike the design of the female lead however. The Op and outros, while not memorable were decent enough, you could say they were a nice break from the show itself.
All in all I would recommend the show, not due to any value or enjoyment but because it is a case study for overused tropes native to the rom/com genre. At best an anime to get yourself into anime, a frequent viewer of the genre should be able to point put it's flaws. Not counting any nostalgia they may have attached to the show.
