2009 Moment of Anime 2: End of KugiRie Hate (But Still Full of Hatred)
And so I finally managed to let go of my prejudice against loli tsundere characters voiced by Kujimiya Rie. Thank you, Taiga! Thank you, (post Rainy Blue) Touko!
Dear Ami I would like to
Somehow it's actually more disturbing to learn that I have something very much in common with Shin than to realize that I am, actually, quite partial to traps.
On Toradora and siscon shows – Denying your love
Have you ever denied your love? Tried to smother those overwhelming, bittersweet emotions because it seems 'the right thing to do'? All my love life I've been doing that. For some inexplicable reasons, I kept meeting the right girl at the 'wrong time' or simply getting involved with 'off-limits' girls. (No not my sister you knucklehead - like for example the one your good friend fancies/ex or other folks' girlfriends or your very BEST female friend while you're attached etc etc...). So the dichotomy of denying your love yet at the same time expressing it through wanting the best for your love is a powerful theme for this tanuki in romances. That's why I enjoy siscon shows. That's why I love Toradora.
Toradora is almost all that I love in siscon shows (only lacking moelicious imoutos with ribbons) - drama from 'taboo love', fierce catfights, the struggle of the shoujo heart and others. The series only took off for me starting from the cultural festival. There, we saw the first casualty from denying her love - Sumire Kanou. Her (un)timely confession was just a small sampling of the pain of trying to reign in those unstoppable emotions.
Winter 09 :: tis the Good Ends season for KugiRie tsunderes
Well well well, what a pair of pleasant surprises. I tend to apply heavy discounts against series starring Kugimiya Rie tsundere characters due to, among other things, the tendency to take two steps forward and one step back (or more). But I actually enjoyed the endings for ToraDora! (Aye: Totali and Kurogane | Somewhat dissenting opinion: Aroduc) and the fourth season of MariMite and, what's more, found myself cheering on KugiRie charas that I had previously disliked.
Prior to Ami's appearance, Taiga reminded me of all the worst characteristics of J.C. Staff KugiRie loli-tsunderes, particularly ZnT Season 2's Louise whose behaviour rubs off very very badly against my own personal traumas. From the Rainy Blue arc in MariMite, I began to associate hair drills with evil, bratty Ojousama type charas and so I had been rooting for Kanako over Touko this season even though it was hopeless in view of the determinism of the ED.
But I had to change the way I thought of Taiga and Touko after seeing other sides to them, such as Taiga's Christmas good girl mode and Touko's dedication to her craft in drama. After learning more about their personal family histories. After seeing how the people around them were changed by and changed along with them.
Why I love Toradora so
After marathoning Toradora over the weekend, I finally understood what the fuss/buzz was all about. It is indeed a superb series - one of the best anime romances I have seen. Melding great writing, intriguing characters and focused storytelling, Toradora has been a truly memorable.
In fact it was so affecting, I lay in bed for the last couple of nights recalling/sharing with my wife, the sweet/'evil'/silly things that I did/happened to me in the name of love back in high school.
My corresponding near-experiences with Toradora events belongs to another post. This entry aims to share the reasons why Toradora has been such a tremendous show for the Tanuki.
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