Toradora! - Character Discussion - Takasu Ryuugi
 

The purpose of this thread is to provide a place to discuss all things Takasu Ryuuji related.

http://forums.animesuki.com/picture....ictureid=11482

To keep the discussion enjoyable for all Toradora! fans, please follow the guidelines below and stay on-topic!

Note: Please don't use this for the specifics (i.e. episode, chapter, game, etc. discussion) there are other threads for that stuff.

Thread Guidelines

• No campaigning!
  No "hate" or "xyz must die" posts. Discuss why you do or don't like characters without whining and whining or blatantly campaigning for your favourite.
  
  
• Be polite to your fellow forum members.
  Do not insult or harass other members for their likes and dislikes. Do not take it so seriously that you end up in an argument with another forum member because they express a fondness for a character you loathe. Discussion and good spirited banter are always welcome, but harassing people will not be tolerated.
  
  
• Discuss, don't chat.
  Please remember that AnimeSuki is a discussion forum, not a chat room, there is a difference. If you wish to chat, then please make use of our IRC channel.
  
  
• Have fun, but post intelligently.
  It's great to have fun, but please try your best to add substance to what you post and make your thoughts interesting for the generation of fans that will follow after you’re long gone and on to watching some other series.
  
  
• Use Spoiler tags!
  Spoilers are allowed, but they must be enclosed in spoiler tags clearly marked with a proper title. Failure to do this can result in a BAN.
  
  
  • Adding a Spoiler tag:
    

    Just highlight your spoiler and click the button found on the "Quick Reply" and "Reply to Thread" forms. Make sure that you include a title for the spoiler!

    
    
  • Please use the Report button if you see any spoilers:
    

    Click the button found to the left of the post, just under the poster's avatar. Using the Report button is anonymous and helps the Moderators to locate and deal with problems quickly.

    
    
  • Posting prohibited spoilers may result in a ban.
    Note: Reporting a post does not mean the poster will be banned instantly. The Moderators will use bans if warnings are repeatedly ignored.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic anxiety disorder most commonly characterized by obsessive, distressing, intrusive thoughts and related compulsions. Compulsions are tasks or "rituals" which attempt to neutralize the obsessions. OCD is distinguished from other types of anxiety, including the routine tension and stress that appear throughout life. The phrase "obsessive-compulsive" has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone. (Wikipedia:Berrios G E,1985)

Ryuji seems to be one, yeap.

Actually, he's just obsessive-compulsive, according to this sentence taken from above: "The phrase 'obsessive-compulsive' has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed in a cause, or otherwise fixated on something or someone." It's not that he cleans regardless of whether or not what is being cleaned is dirty; it's that, when he sees something dirty, he wants to clean it until it's sparkling clean. In fact, cleaning almost seems to be a form of relaxation for him. I won't deny that he is, of course, obsessed with cleaning. It's just that he's not totally compulsive about it. (I mean, it may seem compulsive to suddenly start cleaning the men's room, but have you been inside a male bathroom in a high school? Those things are fairly nasty. [This coming from a guy who had to use said bathrooms while at school.])

You do that at your house, you do that at your girlfriend's house, you do that at a person-whom-you're-taking-care-of house, but you don't do it in the men's toilet :twitch:. Of course, I was under the impression that in that scene, it was his assigned duty to clean the bathroom, hence the reason Ryuuji told that other guy he could leave, and he'd finish it.

My mom's like that. Can't stand filthy things and she become a good cleaner for that. Ryuuji is just like my mom, a guy who likes cleanliness and I don't think Ryuuji is meticulous, though since i can't find this aspect so far.

Cleaning the school is a standard duty in Japan - it increases the community spirit in taking care of public works and tends to reduce vandalism. Ryuuji, however, clearly takes the job way over the top.

Ryuuji has already entered my Very Small Pantheon Of Favorite Male Leads. His narration isn't sarcastic but quite humorous.

I prefer Kyon's sarcassm over Ryuuji's story telling anytime of the day, yet Ryuuji is on that small group of male leads that I like as well.

Ryuji's attitude toward cleaning reminds me more of a sport than OCD.

I myself feel particularly good after cleaning my kitchen, bathroom or even my room; this feeling is I think connected to an endorphine release following the effort, similar to the one experienced when doing sport.

Now if we consider cleaning in a sport perspective, Ryuji would be already into it's extreme sport form: the sole endorphin is not enough and he is already looking for the adrenaline rush.

I think that the progressive nature of his attitude toward cleaning is pictured in the anime: at first he was mainly conscious of his own interior, later Taiga's house provided him a larger challenge and it is only in episode 4 that we see him overconsciously cleaning the school's men lavatories.

Novel material would concur, as:

I don't think it's really OCD, people with the disorder don't usually gain pleasure from the actual act they're repeating. Ryuuji just enjoys housework.

I think Ryuu's nature is a reaction to his mum, who is basically slovenly. Lots of children turn out the opposite of their parents as a rebellion against them, this is just an extreme example. Of course it's also intended as a role reversal comedy element, however more WRT Taiga than Ryuu's mum though I feel.

Personally though I find his character rather tedious and the comedy element of it quickly falls flat, I hope he doesn't stay so obsessively domesticated for the whole series.

On the contrary, I hope he does, because it's an integral part of his personality.

I think it's more appropriate to see it more as a need for someone to take care of the household than any sort of rebellion that he's doing the cleaning. That is, unless his dad is also sloppy, and his rebellious attempt is aimed as his dad, since Ryuuji obviously hates him.

I also hope that he stays that way for the same reason as Cat Megex. Those scenes make me smile. Beside, they don't show that side of him enough for it to be intrusive.

My, my. The dragon gets lucky in ep.3. It's a good ep. for him.

I think his dad has been dead since around the time Ryuuji was born, actually, and the main reason Ryuuji doesn't like his dad is because he inherited his dad's eyes/face/mean look.

That seems really messed up.

I like Ryuji's obsessive personality over cleaning. You don't get those kind of characters a lot. Kinda reminds me of Monica Geller from Friends.

Yup. He's one of the very very few male leads who deserves a harem at least. Lol.
He's very good in cooking, cleaning and also a brave dude too (being able to get along with someone like Taiga takes a lot of guts). He's very capable and kind too (like doing something even he was never asked to do it).
It's sad that he is always misunderstood as delinquent because of his eyes (I kind of relate to this because I have the same kind of eyes).

I do wonder what does female fans of this series or novel think of him. Since the story was penned by a female writer so I assumed that this male lead will be quite popular with female fans.

Ichigo100% was also made by a female mangaka yet the male protagonist was never really popular between females (nor manga itself) so I can't say that your assumptions are correct.

My survey of two females watching this say they like Ryuuji and wish there were more guys like him. They haven't seen enough of Kitamura but think he seems a bit distant. Heh, not quite a sufficient sample size though...