Anime Episode Review: ToraDora Ep. 1

SUMMARY:

Ryuuji Takasu is entering his second year of high school. Having inherited the sharp look of a delinquent from his father, his hungover mother (Yasuko) praises him, but he despises being compared to him. After finding out he is in the same class with his friend, Kitamura, and manages through a staggered conversation with his crush, Minori Kushieda, he encounters a chibi-sized girl with a ferocious attitude known to all at school as the “Palmtop Tiger.” Taiga Aisaka violently makes her way into Ryuuji’s life, getting him caught up in her own klutziness in a way he could never imagine. However, in the midst of his own family issues, Ryuuji acknowledges Taiga’s own shortcomings, though one would hardly call his new situation fortunate.

INPUT:

I found this intro episode to be not only hilarious, but catered nicely to my otaku side. The one thing I like about this series already is that it didn’t try to hook you in with some over-the-top scenario. The character interaction is just right to do that all on its own. Exactly how I like my anime.

JC STAFF is handling the animation for this one, so I can definitely tell the animators had plenty of fun with Taiga’s Shana-like personality. For crying out loud, Taiga even attacks Ryuuji the same way Shana attacked Sakai! On top of it all, they even got Rie Kugimiya (Taiga/Shana’s VA) to do Shana’s famous “Urusai (x3)” [Taiga only does it x2] and Yui Horie (Minori/Kanon [2006]‘s Ayu) in on this!

Now for an equation of pure mindblowing fanlove:

(Minami Ke‘s Chiaki + 5 years) + Shana’s soul = Taiga Aisaka! I seriously fan-gushed so hard!

Amazing casting once again for a series that is really shaping up to be worthwhile series to keep an eye on. Not to mention we all know JC STAFF won’t freaking slack on the key animation, which makes me happy. As a side note, I heard the manga for this was pretty good.

FSS’s EPISODE RATING: 8/10

EPISODE 1 GALLERY

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