So I must admit Toradora is a good anime, and the characters were well developed but ultimately the romance between Ryuji and Taiga takes too long and is too short lived and is too complicated with all the other budding romances peppered throughout the series. If this had a 2nd season and developed their relationship further, I would have definitely given this a 10/10, but because of the last 4 episodes I have this a generous 6/10. They should have started developing their feelings for each other around episode 15 or so, and had 10 episodes where they if they/won't they and then end the last 2 episodes together and happy. But 22 episodes for them to kinda realize their feelings towards each other, and the heart break of Minori, whom should have had her moment early on and not still in the mix in episode 24 ffs, she should have been long gone and in friend mode by then.
And then at the end they have Taiga leave the way she did for an entire school year and crush Ryuji's heart like that, and then when they meet in the locker in the classroom at the end and he says I love you and she hits him and that was it? Like c'mon. They should have embraced with a passionate kiss for not seeing each other for so long a she says I love you back, THEN maybe hit him after for some reason, but not that way they did. So disappointed with that ending. Like even if they tacked on another 10 mins in the episode of them together after the classroom scene and elaborated more on their affections and companionship and then ended, I might have given this an 8/9 out of 10. That stupid ending really ruined it.
And then at the end they have Taiga leave the way she did for an entire school year and crush Ryuji's heart like that, and then when they meet in the locker in the classroom at the end and he says I love you and she hits him and that was it? Like c'mon. They should have embraced with a passionate kiss for not seeing each other for so long a she says I love you back, THEN maybe hit him after for some reason, but not that way they did. So disappointed with that ending. Like even if they tacked on another 10 mins in the episode of them together after the classroom scene and elaborated more on their affections and companionship and then ended, I might have given this an 8/9 out of 10. That stupid ending really ruined it.