Toradora! is one of the most memorable, and one of the best romance series I've ever watched. Though romance really isn't my thing, Toradora! gave me a far different and permanent impression. The progression of the storyline, the timely execution of the plot twists combined with the characters' dramatic outbursts and a perfect dose of comedy definitely had me going on a roller-coaster of  emotions.


The story starts out as Takasu Ryuuji enters his second year of high school and tries his best to clear his image of all misconceptions about his personality by altering his "yankee" (delinquent)  looks (which his mother, Yasuko - who claims she's eternally twenty-three, is so proud of, having Ryuuji inherit his real gangster father's looks). Obviously, a little hair gel didn't do the trick and his eyes still give off an aura of trouble causing fear among other students. Luckily, he's classmates with his old friend Kitamura Yuusaku who's willing to help him clear up again his image in the new class and his ultimate crush, the cute and hyper airhead Kushieda Minori. But the misconceptions of his personality blew off unexpectedly quick after his first encounter with the infamous "Palmtop Tiger", Aisaka Taiga whom he accidentally bumped in the hallway, taken an instant dislike to his disgusting "yankee" face and sent him face flat on the ground with a single knockout punch. Turns out Ryuuji wasn't that tough after all. What's worse is Taiga also happened to be in his class and is Minori's best friend. Way to go Ryuuji.

Crazy romance ensues as Ryuuji found out Taiga coincidentally lives next door after a violent, late evening encounter regarding a misplaced love letter for Kitamura and an exchange of secrets on who their crushes are. They then settled on an agreement to help each other out in winning the objects of their affections. Ryuuji also found out that Taiga lives alone due to family issues, doesn't know domestic chores and lives mostly on convenience store food. So, Ryuuji being the nice and helpful guy he actually is, cooked good food for Taiga and even cleaned out her messy apartment (not to mention her hellspawn-ridden nasty kitchen sink). Taiga, taking advantage of the fact that Ryuuji would do absolutely anything in order to get closer to Minori and would even follow her like a loyal dog to do so, turns it into a master-slave relationship and decides to spend most of her time at Ryuuji's enjoying free meals and the warmth of a real family.

As they try to help improve each other out for their crushes, the more they were seen together, and the next thing they knew, rumors spread like wildfire that they were a couple. Well from there on, things began to move in a different direction as the two slowly got along more and more with each other.

 

There's something in this world nobody has seen yet.
And if you had been able to put your eyes on it, then you would yearn for it.
For this world has hidden it quite well, so that it is difficult to obtain.
But at some point someone will find it.
And only those who should obtain it will be able to find it.
That's just how it is.