(L) Toradora! Novel Discussion

[typhonsentra]

Well, finally have the right thread.

So.... anyone have Volume 9?

[azziz]

Originally Posted by msuwildog80

Hi can I ask a quick question regarding this series?

I have read the chapters up until the recently translated chapters. And scouring the net, I found vague messages by people indicating that this series becomes both dark and serious (random quotes by people in reviewing the light novels).

As some of the posters seems to have indicated, they have finished up until the latest volumes (8?).

Is it possible to spoiler tag me some short summarys? Or can you by chance point me towards some light novel summaries. Being that I spend 3 hours googling different ways to find spoilers I figure the best way is to beg the experts.

Thank you for the time.

the same(i'm reading the translation who really progress at an amazing speed-compared to other project-where you know)but i don't mind being spoiled-is this just a tipical story where the two main protagonist(taiga and riuji)are mean to end together?

[Sixth]

I wonder, will the taiga's parent going to play their role in the future/novel?

[houkoholic]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Dunno. When she appeared, I was all "Wait. Could it be...?" But now I get the feeling it's too obvious. And not a source of enough angst.

It's Sumire.

Spoiler:

Kitamura makes a huge confession in volume 6 in front of the entire school, but Sumire rejected him.

Oh and there's a lot of angst.

Of course, the reason why Kitamura rejected Taiga so cleanly is because he likes Sumire now and not because he thinks Taiga and Ryuji is getting it on.

So.... anyone have Volume 9?

Yeah I do. Haven't read it yet though.

[houkoholic]

Originally Posted by Ryougi Shiki

She's actually less bitchy in the manga/novels.

They made her MORE bitchy in the anime

BS. I wish people would stop saying crap like this when they clearly haven't read enough of the novel to actually make informed judgements.

She's the same bitch-ness in both, just expressed slightly differently.

While in the anime she is a bit more physically abusive towards Ryuji, in the novel her bitchy-ness sticks out like a sore thumb from her verbal assults which is significantly toned down in the anime. Let's not even get into the catfights she has with Ami if you want to know just how bitchy Taiga can get. Heck Taiga even slapped Ami on the face, twice, during their first "meeting".

[msuwildog80]

Originally Posted by houkoholic

BS. I wish people would stop saying crap like this when they clearly haven't read enough of the novel to actually make informed judgements.

She's the same bitch-ness in both, just expressed slightly differently.

While in the anime she is a bit more physically abusive towards Ryuji, in the novel her bitchy-ness sticks out like a sore thumb from her verbal assults which is significantly toned down in the anime. Let's not even get into the catfights she has with Ami if you want to know just how bitchy Taiga can get. Heck Taiga even slapped Ami on the face, twice, during their first "meeting".

hmm

Spoiler for Novel:

Wow, I completely agree.

I was reading the second novel a few days ago. And it took me a while.. but then I realized something. Ami was physically assaulted both at the restaurant and at later at the classroom. This both time in plain sight of Kitamura and Ryuji....

And both times... it seems ridiculus in the novel setting. In the novels everything is overall less ridiculus (compare to the anime), and the acts of violence arent rampant. So those scenes really shows how unreasonable Taiga can be and how much people let her get away with.

P.S> do we need spoiler tags? and should we shift this somewhere...to novel talk?

[houkoholic]

*shrug*

If we continue discussing those particular scenes in volume 2 in regards to Taiga/Ami's catfight then I yes we should move to the novel discussion. Otherwise I'm sticking to this thread as the comparison between the anime/manga/novel was raised here first so I'm diffusing these "misconceptions" here because I'm sick and tired of the whole "oh noez JC Staff and their f**k-up adaptation" meme which needs to be swat down, hard.

[Darknemo2000]

Then you have to say that Taiga and Louise are equal in amount of bitchiness... The only difference is taht one barks a lot and the other bites... Yet many will disagree with you in a sense that verbal abuse is less annoying than physical violence.

[stormy001_M1A2]

Ami is no less bitchy, she is a subtle and coming from behind type of bitch. Taiga is being more in your face bluntness bitch hence naturally made they 2 mortal enemies.

Houko, what is your assessment of Sumire personally?

[houkoholic]

Originally Posted by Darknemo2000

Then you have to say that Taiga and Louise are equal in amount of bitchiness... The only difference is taht one barks a lot and the other bites... Yet many will disagree with you in a sense that verbal abuse is less annoying than physical violence.

What does Louise has anything to do with this? Can we just focus on the ToraDora medium and ToraDora only?

The point is that in both works Taiga is a bitch - and I've shown how Taiga in the novel can get physical as well. Your point of "one barks a lot" (I'd assume you are talking about Taiga) is just plain WRONG, the author wants Taiga as a physically dangerous character - hence the nickname she coined Taiga as the "palm-top tiger", characters in the novel are scared of Taiga because she has sudden out-bursts, and when she does she's going to eat you alive like a tiger, thus implying just how dangerous Taiga is (but otoh, we all know that tigers CAN be tamed etc). So just stop this whole "wah JC Staff changed it!!!!!!111111" crap.

BTW, Ami is the one that "barks a lot", that's why she is named the "stupid chiwawa". Dog owners/lovers will know how small defenseless dogs are the ones that barks A LOT but hides when confronted with real danger - unlike a real tiger (ie Taiga). You don't create two identical characters in a story because that would be redundant. Again you not knowing this shows how this stupid JC Staff meme is just spreading way too far

Originally Posted by stormy001_M1A2

Houko, what is your assessment of Sumire personally?

From what I've browsed in volume 6, Sumire is a combination of Ami and Taiga - she's cunning (like Ami) while also being physically capable (like Taiga), so she's the ultimate bitch. :P

[stormy001_M1A2]

Originally Posted by houkoholic

What does Louise has anything to do with this? Can we just focus on the ToraDora medium and ToraDora only?

From what I've browsed in volume 6, Sumire is a combination of Ami and Taiga - she's cunning (like Ami) while also being physically capable (like Taiga), so she's the ultimate bitch. :P

Amen to that. Taiga's reason to be is different from Louise's reason to be. They may look the same but different inside.

If Sumire is the apex predator then what is her role in the story? Never mind, just wondering aloud to myself.

[Darknemo2000]

Taiga is nowhere as physical as Louise though. And if you haven't noticed that was one of her main character traits that annoyed others. Taiga becomes Louise in JC original part. Compare the anime original piece how she acts when Ryuuji daydreams and novel parts. Unless you are blind you will notice a difference in both-cases is physical actions.

In novels Taiga is more talking than actually doing, she is capable of doing physical violence, however, this doesn't make her as physical as Louise and thats what JC Staff made her to be in that particular segment.

It especially feels off after an episode that we received more than a week ago. Thats why they should make it more equal - in one they made too much of her softness in third too much of her harshness they should keep it equal to make her character stable instead of dropping from one side to the other without finding a middle.

Louise is a character against whom comparing, we can see Taiga as not that very physical. She is more talking than actually doing, I do not know how you read novels but you should reread them again since it is pretty much obvious taht she does much less physical damage when a tsundere like Louise. In that filler episode Taiga became like Louise showing physically her displeasure instead of just calling Ryuuji names and getting into his way but not by beating him but simply by interrupting and taking Minori away.

Taiga is not that physical violent. Snap out of it. Ask any other novel reader and he/she will tell - she can get physical, no one doubts that but she isnt as physical really.

[Sixth]

Anyways, for those who read the novel, is Taiga's Parent going to make their appearance in the future?

[msuwildog80]

The strange part is, in ZnT you get desensitize to Louis's antics. After 20 times of dragging Saito somewhere and "screams being heard"... you care less about it. Which of course doesnt make it right ;p But ZnT is a different setting.. magic and robots.. its all in a good fun. heck Saito is basically a god and can take the punishment.

But the two times that Taiga physically assault Ami (in v. 2) really does stick out to me. Its shocking maybe because Toradora is contemporary and hard to imagine 2 guys seeing Taiga assault a girl and not even speaking up (expecially Kitamura). Cant even use the word bitchiness.. it's barbaric.

But obviously the anime is going out of their way to make it wacky. So my assessment of it being not normal only applies to the novels.

My only question would be, does it ever calm down? I love the Taiga that complains and mock Ryuji. Even attacking him is pretty much ok, but if Sumire comes on and Taiga hits her with a bat. Then I cant see myself liking Taiga anymore.

[typhonsentra]

She gave Ami a light slap. I didn't think it was that out of line or upsetting as she was being pretty rude.

[stormy001_M1A2]

Taiga main riposte is not her physical but her laser like retorts. This is where her main strength lies.

[Darknemo2000]

Originally Posted by stormy001_M1A2

Taiga main riposte is not her physical but her laser like retorts. This is where her main strength lies.

Excatly. Thats what I was trying to say as well. She is more of an barking type, it doenst mean that she cannot hit but for the most part she expresses her negative emotions verbally, not like Louise - physically. And that is what I think others had in mind saying that she is more bitchy in this episode. It means she is more physically bitchy than in original at the similar circumstances (Ryuuji day dreaming, trying to approach). In manga she uses words or simply butts in, but in anime she actually hits Ryuuji.

Is more physical means more bitchy, well I guess thats the question. Since verbally one can be just as much bitchy and wounds made by words can hurt just as much...

[Anh_Minh]

They do if you care. Since Taiga's insulting all the time, it's hard to take it seriously.

[stormy001_M1A2]

Originally Posted by Darknemo2000

Excatly. Thats what I was trying to say as well. She is more of an barking type, it doenst mean that she cannot hit but for the most part she expresses her negative emotions verbally, not like Louise - physically. And that is what I think others had in mind saying that she is more bitchy in this episode. It means she is more physically bitchy than in original at the similar circumstances (Ryuuji day dreaming, trying to approach). In manga she uses words or simply butts in, but in anime she actually hits Ryuuji.

Is more physical means more bitchy, well I guess thats the question. Since verbally one can be just as much bitchy and wounds made by words can hurt just as much...

But saying it too, it is hard to ignore Taiga's physical prowess when she is flustered or on an agenda. She certainly did not lack any inhibition to use it if it suits her purpose. The trashing of the class to emphasize a point is a strong indicator of this factor.

[Anh_Minh]

Yeah, but nobody got hurt.

And in the side-story, she didn't really hurt the kid either. Only humiliated him. Not excusing her or anything, but, well.