Toradora!: Is It Worth Watching in 2026?
Our verdict — 8/10, worth watching
TL;DR — Yes. Toradora! (J.C. Staff, 2008-2009) is 25 episodes and a complete story: scary-looking but gentle Ryuji and tiny, ferocious Taiga team up to help each other win their crushes, and slowly realise something else is happening. The first half is broad comedy; the second half is one of the most emotional runs in romance anime.
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Take the quizThe verdict
Worth it, especially for the second half. Toradora! looks like a standard school rom-com, and for a while it plays like one. Then it takes its characters' feelings seriously, and the last ten episodes are why people still recommend it nearly two decades later.
The premise
Ryuji Takasu has a gentle heart, loves cleaning and cooking, and has a face everyone finds terrifying. Taiga Aisaka is tiny, rich, lonely and violent, nicknamed the Palmtop Tiger. When each discovers the other's secret crush on their best friend, they agree to help each other, and Ryuji ends up cooking for Taiga every night.
What people warn about
Taiga hits Ryuji a lot in the early episodes, a "tsundere" trope that has aged badly for some viewers. The show does explore why she behaves that way, and both leads grow considerably.
Who it suits
If you liked Your Lie in April, Horimiya or Kaguya-sama, Toradora! is an essential classic. If slapstick violence between leads bothers you, try a few episodes before committing.
Frequently asked questions
Does Toradora! get better? Many fans say so. Early episodes lean on slapstick, especially Taiga's temper, but from around the Christmas episodes it becomes a much more serious, moving story.
What should I watch after Toradora!? Director Tatsuyuki Nagai and writer Mari Okada later made Anohana and The Anthem of the Heart. For another romantic comedy, try Kaguya-sama: Love Is War or Horimiya.
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