In a recent
comment forum discussion, anime fans have expressed their bewilderment at the
increasing amount of criticism and disdain directed toward Taiga Aisaka, the
protagonist of the popular anime series “ Toradora! “. The
discussion focuses on analyzing the reasons behind this aversion towards a
character who, at the time, was widely acclaimed and loved by the otaku
community.
“Toradora!”,
an anime series based on the light novels by Yuyuko Takemiya, has been a
mainstay in the romantic comedy genre since its release in 2008. The plot follows the story of
Ryuuji Takasu, a high school student with a intimidating appearance but a
gentle heart, who meets Taiga Aisaka, a classmate known for her explosive
temper and diminutive stature. As the two begin to interact, a complex
story of love and friendship unfolds, full of emotional and funny moments.
Taiga
Aisaka, nicknamed “Compact Tiger” for her diminutive size and fierce
personality, is one of the most iconic protagonists in anime. With messy blonde hair, intense
brown eyes, and a defiant attitude, Taiga has endeared herself to many fans for
her determination, loyalty, and moments of vulnerability. However, in
recent times, some viewers have expressed dissatisfaction with her character,
arguing that her aggressive behavior and overreactions make her less likable
compared to other girls of similar personality who came after her. .
Despite
the criticism, “Toradora!” remains one of the most beloved and cited series in
the romantic comedy genre. The chemistry between the main characters, the exciting narrative,
and the memorable soundtrack have contributed to its longevity and its status
as a modern anime classic.
- " I think the only
people who hate Taiga Aisaka are those who haven't finished watching the
anime and only make their judgment based on her tsundere and abusive
attitude in the first episodes ."
- « I agree with you, to
say those things about Taiga and her relationship with Ryuuji those people
are simply superficial or blind. Taiga is a wonderful character in my
opinion, she has many merits and flaws and I love seeing her mature
throughout the series. And whoever says that the relationship between
Taiga and Ryuuji is "bad" is not understanding anything about
the series .
- « Tsundere are not bitches,
they are simply misunderstood .»
- " They probably
hate her because she's a tsundere and they thought she'd act like that all
the time because you know she gets angry, and she's pretty abusive to
Ryuuji so they thought she'd be like that all the time and they left the
series based on their judgment ."
- « All my friends saw
Toradora! and they love Taiga, I don't understand the general hatred ».
- « Hatred of Taiga is a
sentiment commonly reflected within the anime community, or at least they
are very vocal, and their arguments usually boil down to: “I hate her
because Ryuuji gave her 10 times more patience than she deserved because
of the way she was. in which he treated him. The way he acted pissed me
off for so long. He needs one more season of apologizing to Ryuuji before
I can like him .
- « A lot of people like
it, but the people who don't like it say it clearly. And judging by the
number of likes their messages receive, they are not a minority .
- « As for the Taiga,
first we have to talk about the tsunderes. Basically, you either love them
or hate them, and it's a pretty difficult type of character to discuss
since people tend to get defensive. I love Taiga, because I agree that
she's not a tsundere because she "don't care, baka." She is a
tsundere due to the circumstances of her life, after her own family hurt
her, it is normal to have higher defenses like her. And most of the people
who hate her only see that protective shell, and don't see the sweet girl
inside her. Anyway, at least that's my opinion .
- « I think she uses her
tough exterior as a means to make it difficult for people to get close to
her. She has been betrayed twice, which in my opinion is the reason why
she is so tough and aggressive. Although she is not a tsundere in the
sense that she uses her aggressiveness to hide her feelings of love, she
uses her hostile and brusque attitude as a means to protect the Taiga who
is more cowardly, scared and indecisive than her. carries inside her. Like
a bully, she compensates for her weakness by hiding it .
- « He hits and abuses his
classmate every time for no reason… Need I say more? ».
- « I agree with you that
Taiga may be the kind of person you would meet in real life that would
frustrate you, but I still dislike how over the top she is and how she
wins over Ryuuji in the end. I just don't see how Ryuuji could come to see
Taiga as the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.
- « I think you're right
that the anime doesn't give many clues as to why exactly he falls in love
with her. Still, the relationship seemed believable to me because between
the two of them it was the only genuine relationship that wasn't built on
a facade. No one in the series is sincere with anyone else, except Taiga
with Ryuuji and Ryuuji with Taiga. "Throughout the series, they see
the best and worst in each other, they surprise each other a little, and
they inevitably come to connect intimately through the sheer openness with
each other as time goes by ."
- « Ryuuji likes to clean.
Taiga's life is a disaster. Is that enough for a relationship? Well, at
first I think so, but I agree that it's ridiculous how far these sidekicks
will go to stay together. It's hard for a lot of people to accept (myself
included), but since Ryuuji isn't a generic protagonist (for the most
part), that means his motivations won't always match those of the audience .
- « Taiga before Christmas
was quite horrible, to be honest. He knocked out the protagonist in the
first encounter, showed a really short temper and aggressive nature
throughout the beginning of the series, attempted to "kill" the
protagonist with no signs of holding back with his (wooden) sword. And
after everything he does to her, taking care of her, cleaning her house,
making her food, helping her with her love life, she still calls him a
useless dog on every occasion .
- « She is a violent
bitch. What else do we need? Having a reason why you're a violent bitch
doesn't excuse you from being a violent bitch. It means that you have a
starting point to learn and become someone who is not a violent bitch .
Source: Reddit