2011-05-17, 04:45 | Link #161 |
Me, An Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
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Episode 18.
Ami gets it spot on when she says Ryuuji worries about "not knowing if that man will treasure her as much as you do" but I also think she puts a bit of a spin on things by comparing it to a father and daughter relationship in the hopes that Ryuuji might be turned off and consider someone else (like Ami) instead. And Taiga giving presents to children? Makes you want to squee doesn't it? And I'm pretty sure that star Minori broke that she wants to fix was meant to to symbolise something...
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2011-05-20, 14:34 | Link #162 |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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Episode 19
Ohhhhhhh snap!! The legendary episode. Seriously, there is so much emotion in this single episode, it's amazing. And I'm not just talking about Taiga's crying, but Ami and Minori had their moments too. I think I was hoping for a non-Taiga ending at this point just to break the mold... but I was just deluding myself, lol. And I really didn't like Ami and Tagia's dresses or hair. Lastly, note how we learned that Yasuko ran away from home in some serious ill will.
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2011-05-21, 09:34 | Link #164 | |
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 39
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I watched episode 19 the same day I watched episode 18 of Clannad After Story. Left me in a strange euphoric high for days. Anyway so as not to sound redundant on one of the best RomCom episodes I have ever seen, I stand by the very same post I talked about more than 2 years ago.
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2011-05-21, 09:48 | Link #165 | |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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HEY! You can't do that. You cannot be thinking to same exact thing, come on. What about knowing what was going to happen? That didn't change your perspective?
I first said: Quote:
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2011-05-21, 13:03 | Link #167 |
Me, An Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
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Well there is one difference. He's spelling Ryuuji with an R now.
There's not really much I can say that hasn't already been said except that I don't know how many times I've watched the scene where Ryuuji pretends to be santa for Taiga and Taiga's realisation. The massive piss-take is that the music that plays during the scene where Ryuuji pretends to be santa for Taiga was never released. And it's one of my favourites too.
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2011-05-22, 16:27 | Link #168 | ||
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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Quote:
Quote:
And don't forget to read the novel!
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2011-05-28, 09:09 | Link #169 |
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 39
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Episode 20.
It's only my second time rewatching but only now I started to notice how much different Taiga really acts towards everybody at the start of the episode. She's relatively more civil towards everyone, Ami in particular. It becomes really apparent how much her sacrificing and self-depreciating ways is meant both as a way to protect herself and also as the developmental core of her personality. A self-defeating lifestyle that is latched on to her own experience where, as I had posted on before, she pushes all the good things to others because she doesn't believe herself to deserve any of it. It doesn't take a genius to know that from here on in after her speeches it looks and sounds like she just wants to cry but she doesn't, to keep up the brave facade of surviving suffering. In the end, of course, she's just breaking herself for other people's sake, when in reality there's enough to go around for everyone, and no one should ever be considered undeserving of happiness. In that aspect Minorin is almost exactly the same, also putting up her usual genki girl facade to hide the fact that she's sacrificing herself as well. The awkward tension between her and Ryuuji is as thick as galvanized rubber. The way they're both pushing Ryuuji towards the other is both hilarious and depressing because, in the end, you know someone will definitely get hurt.
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2011-05-28, 14:50 | Link #170 | |
Me, An Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
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Quote:
It really is wonderful how sutble this show can be. One thing I noticed is that after Taiga and Ryuuji's convo is over at the start of the episode, Ryuuji thinks "Don't run away, huh?", whilst we have a shot of Taiga who just said that she'll stop coming to Ryuuji's house and take after herself. And it's amazing how insane Haruta can be sometimes. Intentionally pissing off Taiga? It's like someone wrote his name on a Death Note... And as expected Ryuuji is also worried about Taiga taking care of herself as much as he's worried about his chance with Minori. He's wondering if it's still worth it. If Taiga hadn't pushed it on him then I think Ryuuji would've given up on her already. It's always wonderful to see Taiga and Ryuuji interact with the other secondary characters in a big group. It really gives a sense of just how far they've come. Up until Ano Hana, I've always thought Toradora! had the best group dynamics.
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2011-05-31, 09:48 | Link #171 |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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Yes, the juxtaposition and all is great. I wish more attention was given to Noto, but there wasn't any time to do it. The poor guy.
And as stupid as Haruta is, he ends up with one fine girlfriend in the end. More details to follow.
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2011-06-04, 22:59 | Link #173 |
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 39
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Episode 20
I'm still convinced that Ami KNEW someone, at least Taiga anyway, was inside that closet. She noticed the towel on the floor and probably knew that was the one Taiga used, and was very vocal about her once again spot-on observations about people. That was the first complete dissection of Minorin in the entire series. Again the tension between people have started to become as thick as rubber despite the facades everyone puts up, and only Ami thinks it that the things unsaid need to come out. It ends with one of the most solid catfights I've seen animated, and it takes both Ryuuji and and Taiga again to pick up the slack and pieces. Most important is that while episode 19 was the climactic setup, this episode was what got everything tolling towards the conclusion. This was the episode that Ryuuji finally started to realize "holy shit I like this girl" and of course, in her semiconscious state, Taiga finally tells Ryuuji the truth that she's been struggling with for the last 3 episodes.
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2011-06-07, 10:30 | Link #174 | |
Me, An Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
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Quote:
Episode 21. Heh, I hadn't even considered that Noto liked Maya but the signs were clearly there. You can clearly see that almost every line has a double meaning to it now. Takasu realising he just can't get with Minori was kinda sad but inevitable. And it's good to see how perceptive he is aswell. Watching Ami argue with Minori was just gripping. It's great to have a character like Ami that can so brilliantly take down a character like that. But then watching tensions just explode like that between Minori and Ami...man they were really on thin ice and it only took a small nudge set it all off. But maybe just seeing Minori seriously angry like that was shocking in itself. Ryuuji: "I'll never let go of you when I catch you this time!" - I WONDER WHAT THAT MEANS?!?! And then it happens. That draw dropping confession. No words can describe how utterly perfect that was...
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2011-06-07, 13:59 | Link #175 |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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Ahh... brilliant writing here, brilliant.
Who would have thought that Minori had a better mask than Ami? I do feel bad for Ami though. She really got shafted here. People may call her a bitch or say she has no place saying this, but she liked Ryuji too - and that's why she says what she says and does what she does. They were very wise to blend the ED in there. I think a non-vocal would have been better (never thought of it before watching Gosick) but it was still excellent. I love when they make full use of their time like that. Yeah, Noto has a thing for Maya. Poor slump. XD And this is where the novel is getting really abridged. So if you were unsure if you'd be able to read it due to time or whatever, read the final three volumes. I will have to say shame on you for not reading it all thought, it's really really good.
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2011-06-11, 09:32 | Link #176 |
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 39
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Episode 22
Goes to show why Ami is the sharpest character in the series, and one of the sharpest supporting characters in anime I have ever seen. And here she's already grazing the surface of the central personality conflict in the entire series: that is, what happens when everyone is sacrificing for each other to the point of self-destruction. We ran that debate years ago when the series aired. It was rightly pointed out that much of what has been happening was a result of everyone simply being selfless to the point that the road to hell becomes paved with good intentions. When they have each other in mind too much, everything deflects off each other, and no one benefits. It becomes highly evident here as Ryuuji shows that he is very much like that to a fault, when teacher asks what he feels about it rather than what everyone else does. The same question could be posed to the rest of the cast for all other situations. Too much of selflessness is just as bad as too much selfishness. He's just as bad as Taiga. Lying to themselves and to each other thinking that it'll help the other. The biggest kicker was the complete bald faced lie she told Ryuuji at the end. Here they lie to themselves and each other even though we see right through them. The status is no longer quo, and the cracks have broken. All it needs now is the truth to stop all the falsehoods. Which we will see next week.
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2011-06-14, 21:23 | Link #177 |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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My favorite thing is how realistic the current arc is. Most teenagers don't recognize their parents efforts for them. I sure didn't.
And I am really liking Taiga right now. I much prefer her cute side.
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2011-06-16, 14:12 | Link #178 |
Me, An Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
Age: 33
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Episode 22.
When I watched the final episodes, I never really understood why Minori rejected Ryuuji if she loved him too but this episode makes things clear. "Things that you can see" are her ambitions in life and she thinks she won't achieve them if she focuses on "ghosts she can't fully see" (love). I wish they made that clearer (unless it's made clearer in the next episodes and I just missed it) I just love what Ryuuji says at the end "Taiga, you really are a clumsy girl, aren't you?" He's obviously referring to her clumsiness in relationships aswell. God, the dialogue is just so awesome I can't ever get used to it.
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Last edited by Haak; 2011-06-16 at 14:22. |
2011-06-16, 14:47 | Link #179 |
Spoilaphobic
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: USA
Age: 37
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Minori chose the safe road. Should she had pursued Ryuji, there would have been pain since she knew Taiga liked him. That's how I take from her 'what you can see' spiel.
All of the dialogue is meant to be vague and it works quite well.
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Tags |
re-watch, toradora |
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