i find sort of a guilty pleasure in the show. You say that their character types are archetypal – and that it’s a bad thing – but i don’t think this stereotypical-ness is a bad thing. rather, i think it makes the show. but let me back up and explain myself.

after a few years out of the high school, i think i can look back and say that, regardless of how mature or immature i may have been, i and everyone around me were half-formed people: because we were so young, and due to the nature of high school, sheltered from the world, we only had limited resources from which to paint a picture of “who we wanted to be”. for some this was anime, for many, television or books. That’s why, i think, even in reality, high schoolers lend themselves to fitting into stereotypes: the jock, the nerd, the drama kid. very, very few people in high school have enough experience as people to really have a defined, individual and rounded personality. at that age, we’re all stereotypes, with little glimmers of something more – sound familiar? this is what the characters in Toradora show us. they are their stereotypes, but that’s only because they haven’t fully figured out how to balance what they want to be and who they already are. thus, we get someone like Ami, or even Taiga.

the beauty of Toradora, for me, is how well they handle this: by playing up the stereotype and the thoughtlessness of the characters, they can play up the conflict within them. in the end, the show is about silly little crushes, but the simplicity of the characters in most situation is exactly how high school is: simple, mindless and usually stereotypical.

(i’m making toradora sound much more profound than it really is, i think.)

Kemonozume to ‘Where is my Mind?’ There surely couldn’t be a more perfect combination!?

Suffice to say I agree with your thoughts on Toradora. Ami and Minori are particularly inscrutable at this point, which makes them all the more fascinating to watch.

@IcyStorm: I’m sure it’ll maintain this standard until the end. If nothing else, the execution/direction of Toradora has been really consistent so far. I suppose my only concern is that with this being an adaptation of an on-going light novel series, they might suddenly run out of source material/be forced into an open end?

@Ryvius: I’ve steadily come to accept Ryuuji’s passive personality as more of an asset. I was really bugged by the manner in which Taiga treated him at first, but he isn’t such a blithering idiot in the vein of someone like Keitaro of Love Hina, rather, it’s almost as if he’s trying to help her by shouldering the worst of her insecurities/issues. We’ll see where it all goes, I guess, but there’s definitely more to Ryuuji than the typically spineless harem lead.

@gaguri: Oh well, I can’t really argue with that. Toradora is kind of generic, whether or not you continue with it depends on your attachment to the characters. I think I was hooked by them almost immediately.

By the way, it’s always nice to meet an eloquent new anime blogger! You can’t do much better than by starting with an entry on Honey & Clover too. So, I hope to read more from you, gaguri.

@Martin: Half way through the first episode? Sounds like you’re almost as jaded as me! My own record for this kind of thing will forever remain Black Cat, which I stopped watching after around 30 seconds of the opening theme of the first episode!

@Kairu Ishimaru: A reason that is short and simple, much like Taiga

@Wildcard: It’s weird how opinions change over time. I started out really loathing Taiga’s attitude, but I’ve warmed to it over time, while on the other hand, you’re obviously tiring of it. I think I’m probably more forgiving right now because I’m expecting some kind of climax to their relationship sooner or later. Of course, I’ll definitely change my tune if nothing happens between them and Ryuuji’s fate is simply to be the ‘dog’ forever.

Still Ryugi is a punching bag, I really hope he starts standing up for himself soon, it’s becoming a little painful to watch..