cyanide_latte's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Let's get something straight: I was not expecting to fall so deeply in love with this light novel at all. Heck, I wasn't even expecting to watch the anime, but two chapters into this, and I knew I was going to have to watch it alongside reading this (and hopefully, the rest of the novels in this series) to get some better sense of footing.
I'm sure it doesn't take much to figure out this falls in that category of media from Japan that sits somewhere solidly between teen school rom-com and slice-of-life angst, with its own sort of set dressing. Typically, that sort of manga and anime hasn't been my thing in the past and I wasn't expecting it to necessarily grip me here either. But Toradora! reads in a manner that is at once fun and light-hearted, yet also very emotional and genuinely heartfelt. We meet our two main characters, who are meant to balance and complement one another's appearances and personalities like opposite sides of a coin, and see how their paths end up crossing and what results.
What else I could possibly say without giving away too much of the story, I'm not certain. Just know that this is very good and I think it's worth reading. I also think it's a wise idea to watch the anime alongside reading this; this first light novel does a stellar job fleshing out and really expanding on what we do get in the anime, but I think watching the show can also help Western readers to get a better grasp on the characters, their individual personalities, interactions, and character voices overall.
I'm sure it doesn't take much to figure out this falls in that category of media from Japan that sits somewhere solidly between teen school rom-com and slice-of-life angst, with its own sort of set dressing. Typically, that sort of manga and anime hasn't been my thing in the past and I wasn't expecting it to necessarily grip me here either. But Toradora! reads in a manner that is at once fun and light-hearted, yet also very emotional and genuinely heartfelt. We meet our two main characters, who are meant to balance and complement one another's appearances and personalities like opposite sides of a coin, and see how their paths end up crossing and what results.
What else I could possibly say without giving away too much of the story, I'm not certain. Just know that this is very good and I think it's worth reading. I also think it's a wise idea to watch the anime alongside reading this; this first light novel does a stellar job fleshing out and really expanding on what we do get in the anime, but I think watching the show can also help Western readers to get a better grasp on the characters, their individual personalities, interactions, and character voices overall.
phantomreader's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
imakandiway's review
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
paperd's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jeslore's review against another edition
3.0
Toradora is one of my very favorite animes, and I loved the manga, but the writing style of the english translation of the light novel is... lacking. The way it's written is really hard to follow. I love the story though, so it was enjoyable regardless.
tstone's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
absentminded_reader's review against another edition
5.0
Delightful chaos. It's too soon for me to write a review. I want to process the story and savor it some more, but my ereader is forcing my hand. What did I think of this romcom filled with acts of violence, social awkwardness, insecurity, rumors & misunderstandings, hilarity, the worst (and best) mother ever, the definitive tsundere heroine, and a kind hero who looks like he might kill you? What did I think? I thought, where is volume two? I need it now.
If you are a fan of the anime, the light novel is more nuanced, less confusing, and immensely better. If you are a fan of literature, you may not enjoy this book. It reads like American pulp fiction and anime had an affair. I loved it.
If you are a fan of the anime, the light novel is more nuanced, less confusing, and immensely better. If you are a fan of literature, you may not enjoy this book. It reads like American pulp fiction and anime had an affair. I loved it.
hornyforbooks's review against another edition
3.0
One of my favorite anime ever. The light novels are pretty close to the anime with a few changes, but it is nice to get some of ryuuji's thoughts on different points in the story.