[wistfulloner]

Alright, I've cooled down enough to put some of my thoughts in words:

Spoiler for For unspoiled eyes only:

What else can I say? The earlier 30 or so posters just about got my thoughts in order; this episode was brilliant.

The subtleties were omnipresent, such as Kusheida hiding her expression from Ryuji and Taiga's satisfaction in getting everyone happy. They add a nice touch to the story by giving keen observers further insight into the minds of the characters.

One of the most powerful moments in the anime can be found in the ending part of this episode. Rie gives a stunning voice performance in conveying Taiga's anguish. I just wished it could have been longer.

Differences from the novel are largely insignificant, as the anime can stand by itself and still give a moving experience. The only noticeable difference is that the part where Taiga bravely picks herself up after crying her heart out in the novel is missing in the anime. While it puts Taiga in a more pathetic light which is somewhat out of her character, overall impact was not so bad.

Overall, one of the best Toradora episodes I've watched. 10/10.

I'm still wondering what the sore feet mean. It should be formed while she wore high heels, but what is it's significance?