Toradora!

[Meatrose]

Bah! Igår kunde jag inte hålla mig längre. Jag läste klart den sjunde boken utan att vänta på avsnitt 19. Jag hade tänkt att aldrig "läsa i förväg" och på så sätt veta vad som kommer hända i animen, men det här fick bli ett undantag. Bra var det, riktigt jäkla bra. Boken innehåller 5 kapitel och avsnitt 17 och 18 avverkade drygt tre och ett halvt kapitel. De kan spendera hela avsnitt 19 på knappt ett och ett halvt kapitel med andra ord, och förhoppningsvis innebär det att de kan ta med så mycket som möjligt från slutet av volym 7. Om JC lyckas göra handlingen rättvisa kommer det här bli det hittills mest omdiskuterade avsnittet på nätet.

 

Får inte ha höga förhoppningar... fåååår inte.

 

Jag tror att avsnittets succé även hänger på Kugimiya Ries röstskådespel. Jag tycker helt klart att det här är hennes bästa roll hittills och hoppas att hon kan leverera en övertygande prestation.

 

Nåja, jag ska naturligtvis inte spoila, men jag hoppas att de låter så många scener som möjligt få vara med i animen. Eftersom de avverkar volymerna i ett så rasande högt tempo medför det att mycket klipps bort. Valet att spendera en extra episod på volym 7 var däremot ett mycket bra drag, så mycket kan jag konstatera efter att ha läst den.

 

Gief avsnitt 19!

[Dread]

låter som jag får ta och se serien snart då alltså

[Meatrose]

låter som jag får ta och se serien snart då alltså

 

Det tycker jag gott att du kan göra. I mina ögon är den en brinnande het aspirant på titeln "Bästa Nykomling 2008". =)

[Meatrose]

Åhh! Avsnitt 19 var riktigt bra! Jag blev glad när jag hörde att de började spela den låt jag hade hoppats på i slutet av avsnittet, och de fick med mycket av det som var riktigt bra i boken, även om jag tycker att avsnittet saknade en del saker som boken betonade på ett mycket, mycket bättre sätt. Det är väl en smakfråga när allt kommer omkring, och det är orättvist att jämföra animen med boken. Att täcka 10 Light Novels med 25 avsnitt innebär ett rasande högt tempo, och man får glädja sig åt att de valde att spendera "ett extra" avsnitt på volym 7 som trots allt bara består av 5 kapitel.

 

Jag klipper in ett översatt stycke från boken som behandlar den dramatiska scenen i slutet, för den som vill jämföra, eller bara ta del av Taigas inre monolog - något som animen inte hade tid att leverera trots det lägre berättartempot i adaptionen av volym 7:

 

Slutet av avsnitt 19, Light Novel edition, för den som vill.

 

Observera att de sista raderna, de som döljer sig under de sista "stjärnorna" inte var med i avsnitt 19. Det är de sista raderna i volym 7 och kanske kommer de vara med i nästa avsnitt. Det är absolut ingen stor grej, så enligt mig är det inget som spoilar.

 

Avsnitt 19 är det enda avsnittet jag har "spoilat för mig själv" - genom att läsa boken dagen innan avsnittet visades. Jag tänker dock inte läsa vidare förrän jag har sett materialet animerat. Animen tar onekligen stryk av att man läser boken i förväg då dessa underhållningsformer har så vansinnigt olika förutsättningar att bygga karaktärsdjup. Olikheten "bok >> film" gäller enligt mig här precis som överallt annars.

 

Nåväl, här kommer slutscenen. Stycket är långt (även om det ser längre ut än det är), men det är det värt...

 

 

 

Toradora![/i] Volume 7 - andra hälften av sista kapitlet":3gy8e4ot]

* * *

 

 

"Is that true? Is that really true?"

 

Her friend had asked her that again and again. She had patiently nodded each time to say that it was true. "Ryuuji said he won't leave until Minorin comes. He's ready to stay overnight at the school." ....The words she had repeated had become close to blackmail. For the first time in a long time, she had come to the Kushida residence, and at its door, Minori had stood still for a while, at a loss, biting her lips.

 

Taiga remembered the expression on her face.

 

".......I'm sorry, Minorin."

 

There was no way Minori could hear her, but even so, she whispered gently to herself.

 

"But, you want to go don't you? You really, want to go don't you? ....I know. We're friends. If we weren't, I wouldn't be able to do this much."

 

After all of that stuff she had said, there was no way Minori wouldn't go to the party. It was good enough if she was going because she couldn't let him stay overnight at the school. The rest would be up to him.

 

The stockings that she had tossed away were hanging on the sofa. The clutch bag was on the floor and her short fur coat was laid crumpled by the door. She was terribly tired, and not having the energy to take off her dress, she wrapped Ryuuji's muffler around her cold shoulders. She hadn't stolen it from him this time. When she sneezed on the walk back home to change, Ryuuji had wrapped it around her. She'd been busy with the preparations for the party and had forgotten to give it back.

 

She buried her nose into the softness of the cashmere and filled her lungs with its familiar smell. She exhaled and put her chin against the warmth of her own breath.

 

The blisters on her heel hurt and it was too much of a bother to stand. Sitting sloppily on the floor, she weakly lowered the lighting in the living room with the remote control. Today, she left the TV off, and the wide room was quiet, as if it was the bottom of the ocean.

 

On the low table was a small glass tree. She gently took out the candle inside along with the whole tray, and very carefully lit it with a lighter she bought at a convenience store. She did it carefully, quite carefully. No way was she going to die in a fire on Christmas Eve.

 

In the darkened living room, an orange-colored light warmly shimmered. The glass tree really was beautiful. The aroma of the candle gave off a light scent that tickled her nose.

 

She removed the pin that tightly bound her hair and resting her elbows on the table, watched the shimmering flame. The only thing that grated her was the sound of the heater. She put the muffler around her head and covered her ears. The room was filled with silence, and she felt that it was fine like this. Her body, exhausted from the calamity of the past few days, seemed like it was about doze off now.

 

Once again, she was alone. Santa wouldn't come. Even if she tried acting like a good girl just at this time of year, she realized it was too late, as if she just remembered it. After all, this year, she even got herself suspended, and the truth was, there was no Santa either.

 

That's why, this year, she was alone again. And next year, she would probably be alone too.

 

And probably, for the years that laid ahead as well, she would always, always, always be alone. As she closed her eyes to a drowsiness close to a peaceful death, Taiga mused. As long as she lived, she would probably always be alone. Just like everything until now, she would be alone forever. She was born under those parents, under that destiny, so it couldn't be helped.

 

She closed her eyes.

 

What a life. If she had to say so for herself, she did feel like she could manage, kind of, if she assumed there was "someone" out there. Of course, she knew that it was just a dream. It was because she knew that she could let herself believe that.

 

She couldn't let herself count on something, on someone. She couldn't live out "Aisaka Taiga's" life with that weak a heart. She had to become strong in order to live alone. But if it was a dream, if it was some short-lived unrealistic fantasy, then that wouldn't be clinging on something, right? If she killed someone she hated in her imagination, that wouldn't be a crime. If she embraced someone in her imagination, it wasn't something that person would know about. That was how it worked. Even if she was living in a dream, that shouldn't make her weak.

 

"......You're saying that, even when you are so clinging on someone...."

 

"!?"

 

She sprung up.

 

Did she fall asleep? No, it's only been a few minutes. It felt like something suddenly crashed and then she thought she heard someone's voice say something, but,

 

"......Eh!?"

 

This time, she really did jump up. She got up on her knees by reflex and looked toward the direction where the sound came from.

 

There was a knocking sound on glass.....probably the window. She could hear it coming from the bedroom.

 

A thief? A pervert? A murderer? ....The sound returned, one more time, this time clearer. Taiga stood up without making a sound. She tightly covered her exposed shoulders with her muffler and boldly ventured into the bedroom. Please, oh God no. This has to be a joke. I don't want to die from a fire, but being killed by someone was even worse. My wooden sword was in the bedroom. I have confidence in my strength. I don't know if I could take on a real criminal, but it was better than going down without a fight. She opened the door, stepped barefooted in the cold, dark bedroom, opened the curtains with the readiness to die, and...

 

"......."

 

Shriek

 

What screamed was only the bottom of her throat. She was so shocked that she lost her voice.

 

Her knees gave way and she fell to the floor.

 

Why was there – outside the window, at the divider between the apartment from the Takasu residence, in a posture close to falling, hands on the window, and pounding on the glass – a bear, a bear with a Santa hat?

 

The hands of the bear pounded on the glass even harder, as if he was saying, I'm going to fall! It looked like he was about to, as his footing was wobbling. His stiffened body was trembling. It was only a matter of seconds before he fell, and witnessing the very moment of his crisis,

 

"Sa–"

 

Her hesitations were blown away and she hastily opened the window without thinking.

 

".....Santa....?"

 

She pulled him inside. If it wasn't Santa, she would be in big, big trouble. But the bear was pulled inside Taiga's bedroom, rested on the floor on all fours for a while, caught his breath like he was exhausted, and soon nodded.

 

As if to say, I am Santa.

 

"No way..... Really?"

 

He nodded one more time. Slowly, while holding down his enormous head. It's true. I really am Santa. He eloquently expressed that more than anything else.

 

Even she didn't quite understand just what it was that came over her, but...

 

"........Ahhahahaha! What is this!? Ahahaha!"

 

Before she knew it, Taiga broke into laughter. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and exploded into laughter. The whole situation was too ridiculous, but, yes, she did believe. This was Santa Clause. A Santa bear came. Because she stayed a good girl, he came to see her again just like he promised. While laughing wholeheartedly, she grabbed Santa's hand. She helped him stand up, tugged on his arm as he tottered, and brought him to her messy living room.

 

"Santa! Look, this is this year's tree!"

 

The bear's black plastic eyes looked at the small tree. Then, he turned to Taiga and gave her the thumbs up. Santa approved!

 

"Yay! I knew it, I knew this was beautiful! Yes, yes, this is soooo great! It's so great that Santa complimented my tree..... No, it's not just the tree! This is great, this is great, this is great! I can't believe it, you really came! Santa really came! You're a bear, but a bear is fine too! This is perfect! .....It's like...a dream.....!"

 

 

Taiga screamed, jumping up and down. She jumped again and again and turned each time. She was so happy, so happy, and even threw a kiss with both hands to the ceiling.

 

Then, she sung that Christmas song she spent so much time rehearsing for the band. Hop, step, then jump! Then, she jumped and clung to Santa's torso. She hung on to him as much as she could. She hugged him for dear life with all her might. The warm Santa bear gently put out both his arms and firmly hugged Taiga's body. He patted her head, stroked her hair, and hugged back her body.

 

Have there ever been arms that had hugged her like this before?

 

Were there arms other than these that wouldn't betray the heart she entrusted to them?

 

There weren't, there weren't, there weren't. There weren't any others, anywhere in the world. Those arms could only be found here. The heat of joy surged from the depths of her body. Her tension rose and she felt like she was becoming an idiot. She wasn't alone this year. Taiga closed her eyes and rubbed her cheeks against his warm chest. This year, Santa came. It wasn't a dream. It was real. He hugged her. How.....happy, she was.

 

While still hanging on to him with all her might, Taiga continued to sing. She nestled her face into his dusty body. With her bare legs, she danced in steps to the song. The Santa bear also danced. Right, left, turn, then turn the other way.

 

She guffawed like an idiot, danced so much her legs tripped over each other, hung on to him, and sung a really terrible song. She sung in loops just the phrases she loved. She kept hugging him, tripping, and laughed so much that tears came falling out..... She knew she couldn't keep doing this forever. Taiga knew deep down inside. If only this moment would last forever. If only she could keep dancing with the Santa bear forever.

 

But...

 

"Aaaah....this is real, isn't it! My dream's become real.....!"

 

Muttering this, she lifted her head.

 

Then she made one long sigh.

 

Her unattainable wish was granted and became real. If this was a dream, it would have been okay to wish for it to last forever. After all, no matter how much she wished for it, she would wake up from it one day.

 

But, because reality didn't work that way...

 

"......Thank you."

 

She had to, with her own arms, with her own pulsing arms, close the curtains herself.

 

"Thank you..... Ryuuji."

 

Catching her breath after laughing too much, she took off the head of the pained-looking bear. A red face dripping with sweat even though it was the middle of winter appeared. "Ah! Don't take it off you idiot!" She laughed on reflex. Why are you fretting that much? You didn't actually think I wouldn't find out, did you?

 

"So, where did you get that?"

 

"...I borrowed it from someone wearing it."

 

Although he brusquely turned his eyes away, Ryuuji, however, smiled clumsily. The hair he had combed back was sticking to his forehead with sweat, and was a mess. Rather, more important than his hair was...

 

"Hey.... What happened to the suit?"

 

"I traded it with the guy that was wearing this. Ah, of course I'll get it back! I will, I will!"

 

Sigh...... What an idiot, Ryuuji really is an idiot.

 

"I can't believe you'd take it off when you still have the night ahead of you! Geez, you idiot! You idiot, idiot, idiot! Even when I gave it to you! Even you're supposed to be meeting Minorin!"

 

"What do you mean I'm an idiot!? .....What!? What do you mean I'm supposed to be meeting Minorin!?"

 

"I told you to believe in Lord Angel Taiga, didn't I? Minorin should be heading to the party. She might already be there. Come on, you can still make it, hurry up!"

 

"What!? But....wait, but...today... I'm already a mess, and I came back because I didn't want to leave you by yourself."

 

"What are you talking about!? Don't worry about me!"

 

She pushed the body of the dilly-dallier hard and tilted her body back, laughing.

 

"Santa and good girl role playing... It's been a while since I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt! Your performance.......it was hilarious! Ah, I'm looking forward to tomorrow of course, to the meal you promised. You'll do fine with Minorin, and tomorrow, we'll eat at your house! You didn't forget did you!?"

 

"O-of course not! There's no way I'd forget!"

 

"Good! ....Come on, go! Get up! Hurry up! If Ryuuji doesn't go to the party, that'll make me a liar to Minorin."

 

Ryuuji's eyes looked over Taiga.

 

Taiga shrugged her shoulders and smiled again. She pointed at Ryuuji's face from the front.

 

"And, 'Santa' has already come, right? .....I already received my compensation. That's why, this year, I have to be a good girl until the very end. Let me keep being a good girl. Sending Minorin to the party is the real present I'm giving to you. That's why....take it. Please."

 

"Are you really okay by yourself?"

 

She thought Ryuuji had said something like that. And repeating over and over again, "I'm fine, don't worry, go on", Taiga forcefully pulled Ryuuji's arm. She was about to push him out from the hallway to the door, but Ryuuji shouted "Ou!" like he noticed something, and returned to the living room. That dilly-dallier. Just when she was wondering what that was about, Ryuuji blew out the candle inside the tree – "Fire has been taken care of!" – and pointed at it. He couldn't leave without any worries if the candle was still lit, or something like that.

 

He really is such a nitpicker.

 

"Oookay, okay, okay. I get it. I'm a klutz so I won't light it anymore. I swear. That's good enough, right? ....Geez, you're so annoying..... I get it, so hurry up! The party's going to end! Go on, go on! Go, go!"

 

She pushed away his back with slaps. She even kicked him in the rear. She threw out Ryuuji from the front door to the hallway with pushes and shoves. If he walks outside like that, he's definitely going to stick out but..... No, it's Christmas Eve after all. He might actually fit in.

 

"Get out all ready you dilly-dallying dog!"

 

"Thanks!" was what Ryuuji shouted in the end after finally turning his back. Before the door was closed, Taiga didn't look at Ryuuji once.

 

The door was locked.

 

He finally left.

 

She took a breath. Mission accomplished. Angel Taiga did what she had to do. The sound of the footsteps descending the stairway grew softer and softer until finally, they became inaudible.

 

"Aaah. I'm so tired..."

 

It was her own fault for making a big commotion. The inside of her lonely room returned back to its former silence. While she stretched, she returned to the living room barefooted.

 

The noise of the heater was definitely jarring in her all-too-quiet room. When Ryuuji had been there, she had forgotten all about it.

 

"He finally left, he finally left, he finally left..."

 

She returned onto the top of the rug. While humming a stupid song, she thought about lighting the tree again. She'd do it carefully. She'd be fine. She'd already bought a candle. It would be a waste not to light it. But,

 

"...Huh? Huh, huh, huh...why?"

 

She couldn't find the lighter.

 

Where did she put it? She traced back her steps. The only thing she remembered was that she placed it right over here. Then Ryuuji came in, she made that big ruckus like an idiot, and then the flame had been blown out,

 

"...Ah. Maybe he..."

 

Ryuuji took it with him, thinking she'd try to light it again. That had to be it. On top of being a Santa without a present, he actually committed robbery. He had guts. When the 25th was over, she was so going to kill him by 2/3rds of his life.

 

 

She reluctantly stood up and looked to see if there was anything else she could use. Taiga looked at the desk Ryuuji had kept neat, looked at the AV board Ryuuji had kept neat, looked at the kitchen drawers Ryuuji had kept neat, but she couldn't find a lighter nor a match.

 

She couldn't move out of irritation. It was her own house yet she didn't know where anything was. She couldn't even light a candle.

 

"...No, I've had it."

 

He really is a nitpicker.

 

"No, I..."

 

And despite being a nitpicker, he made the most nonsensical entrance. A bear? Please.

 

"No."

 

He should have made it in time, shouldn't he?

 

"No."

 

His feelings toward Minori, he should have sai-

 

"..."

 

No.

 

 

"...What? Why?"

 

She asked herself out of surprise. When she touched her face, the tips of her fingers were wet.

 

Why were there tears pouring down her cheeks?

 

"Ah.....I get it now."

 

She thought about it a little, then silently nodded her head and understood why.

 

It was because, this was the end.

 

She clung on to and lived with Ryuuji as if she were dreaming. While making nonsensical excuses to herself like, "I'm not relying on him, I'm just making him help me out," while thinking, "It's just for now anyway. Because if Ryuuji moves, or I move, or he dates Minori, or I date Kitamura-kun, we can't stay together like this." She had lived together with Ryuuji. She lived, counting on Ryuuji's kindness. This is a dream, so it isn't being weak, right? Just this much should be okay, shouldn't it?

 

That ended tonight.

 

She believed that Minori was attracted to Ryuuji. She believed that Ryuuji really liked Minori. In other words, their feelings were mutual. That was why they would probably be together. When that happened, she wouldn't be able to stay with him any longer. She wouldn't be able to go in and out of his house like before. No matter what happened, she couldn't call Ryuuji. She couldn't walk side by side with Ryuuji. The one next to him wasn't her.

 

That was why...

 

"No."

 

She was sad.

 

She was surprised.

 

She never thought about it before. She didn't even give it a thought that she wouldn't want to be separated from Ryuuji. The one she was attracted to, the one she adored, the one in her dreams had always been Kitamura Yuusaku. She only thought of him. The one she loved should have been Kitamura Yuusaku. Why was this happening?

 

She remembered that day when Kitamura Yuusaku confessed to the woman he loved and had been hurt. She remembered how angry she had been on that day when she went to pulverize Kanou Sumire without thinking of her own future.

 

She was concerned more about Kitamura than herself that day. She was worried about Kitamura's suffering more than her own. The reason why she was able to put her own heart on hold was probably because Ryuuji was there. Because she believed Ryuuji would understand her. That was why she didn't have to look at her own pain. Ryuuji had always been by her, watching over her.

 

And that had been the correct thing, hadn't it? When she committed the mistake of violence, the one who grabbed her arm, the one who stopped her, the one who saved her had been Ryuuji.

 

She had been spoiled and cared for by him like that. Without realizing it, she had been counting on his kindness.

 

She was able to love because she felt near her the definite power of Ryuuji.

 

Because when she had been daydreaming about doing this and that with Kitamura, being thought of like this and that, Ryuuji had always watched over her. Because she had entrusted her heart to Ryuuji.

 

It was as if she didn't realize it at all until this happened – until she lost him. She hadn't understood at all how fortunate she was to have a place to entrust her heart to. She hadn't thought of Ryuuji as being "strength". Why? She wanted to kick her own empty head. She hadn't understood what she had been standing on. Without Ryuuji, how could anything bloom? She couldn't even wipe away the tears falling down her chin.

 

Without Ryuuji, I couldn't even love anyone.

 

After all, at this moment, I can barely stand.

 

I don't know if I can continue living.

 

I needed Ryuuji.

 

In other words, I love Ryuuji.

 

I have, since a long time ago.

 

I don't want it to end like this, I don't want this to be the end, I don't want to leave Ryuuji's side. I can't bare it, I can't go on living, I can't take it. I...

 

 

No!

 

 

"....!"

 

She ran without knowing what she was doing.

 

She ran out of the living room, kicked open the door with her bare feet, and ran out. She ran down the cold hallway. Following the stairway Ryuuji walked down from, Taiga ran down three steps at a time. The fringe of her mini skirt ripped. Not knowing how to stop her pouring tears, she dashed past the marble entrance like there was no tomorrow. She held her breath, as if praying. Please, please, let me make it in time.

 

She pressed her body against the heavy glass door to open it. She tripped outside into the chilly, gusty road.

 

The cold asphalt pierced her naked feet.

 

She looked right. She looked left. He wasn't there. Ryuuji was gone. He wasn't here. What should she do? She covered her tear-distorted face. Her feet stopped, and breathing in all the wintery air her lungs could handle, she screamed at the nighttime sky,

 

".....Ryuujiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...........!!"

 

She noticed a passing couple looking at her in surprise. "A fight?" "I feel sorry for her... It's Christmas Eve isn't it...?" So I'm pitiful am I. Taiga wailed with an even louder voice like an infant.

 

She cried and cried, and called out Ryuuji's name.

 

She knew it wouldn't reach him, but she still continued. She continued yelling even as her throat became sore. Her heart was trashed, as if a storm had passed through it, but her head was clear. A part of her looked down on her wailing self. That was why I hate reality. Unlike dreams, reality can break. Things are lost.

 

The moment he stepped in when she wanted him to, the feeling of holding him, it was all real. The fact that she wished to be with him, to not lose him, was also real. All of that broke into pieces and disappeared.

 

Yes, she had been dreaming a foolish dream the whole time.

 

The idea that she only adored Ryuuji as a father figure, and the thought that once Ryuuji and Minori were together, she'd be able to "leave the nest" and survive alone. This was the future that she'd envisioned, but it was all a complete misunderstanding. How stupid of her. She'd been thinking something as brainless as being able to bear her loneliness because Ryuuji, her father figure, wanted her to survive on her own. She convinced herself that that was what a father did.

 

But reality was different. Ryuuji wasn't her father. Her attachment toward her father, who didn't care about her, and her attachment to Ryuuji were different. The moment they parted ways, her "leaving of the nest" wasn't positive at all. She only felt "loss". She lost Ryuuji and now she had to live out her solitary future by herself.

 

 

The truth was she wanted to be with Ryuuji. It took this to happen for her to realize it. They had always moved forward through each coming day, hand in hand. But now that was impossible. Everything was too late. Reality broke. She had woken up from her dream. The only thing left was herself.

 

 

Where did she make the mistake? Ryuuji even told her that, "I'm a dragon. You're a tiger. The dragon and the tiger stand equal to each other." But her stupid self saw only dreams and hung on to Ryuuji as much as she could, being spoiled by him, counting on him, and chose to run away from the issue, disregarding it completely. She had put it off, thinking that one day, one day, she would leave him, and this was the result.

 

"...Ryuuji...!"

 

The world was flooded in tears.

 

"I don't care anymore, I hope everything breaks." she wanted to say. If this was a movie or a drama, she'd be moved off-screen, or maybe the male lead would appear before her. But reality was cruel, and the cameras wouldn't move away naturally nor would Ryuuji appear. It would be dramatic if she died of exhaustion, but humans don't die so easily. She in particular was made too tough.

 

She was miserable, bitter, sad, lonely, and pitifully stupid. But, she was alive. That was Taiga's reality. She wouldn't run away. She cried, but she wouldn't die here.

 

Because she wanted to become strong.

 

Because that was the truth.

 

She remembered the beauty contest at the Cultural Festival. She stood up that time. This time, she'll prove that she can stand up. Even without Ryuuji's support, even without Minori's support, she'll prove that she can stand up by herself. She'll prove that she can live on by herself from now on for the rest of her life. She'll prove that she can get up.

 

She lifted her tear-stricken face.

 

She will live, accepting and taking everything, no matter how shameful it was. She has already lost a lot, received a lot of pain, and been battered as she grew up, but one day, she will definitely become a truly strong adult.

 

She will get up, dammit, to reach that future. Even if she falls again and again, she'll stubbornly get up each time. So what if she was abandoned by her parents? Bring it on. So what if she got suspended? Bring it on. So what if Ryuuji is gone? Bring it on. Bring it on. Bring it on.

 

This will be the training she needs to live out the rest of her long life by herself.

 

Even so, she yelled out his name one last time out of lingering regret and,

 

"Ryu.....ACHOO! ....Ah..."

 

A powerful sneeze blew it away.

 

It was too cold to be outside with her feet and shoulders exposed. Her nose started running. Taiga clamped her back teeth down, sniffed, and stood up sluggishly. She brushed away the dirt on her knees. She rubbed her face which itched from the tears and mucus. She stood up, walked, and disgracefully returned to her apartment building.

 

And then, this time, she finally will be alone.

 

 

 

And then, and then.

 

Taiga wouldn't know until later, but when she ran out from the entrance of her apartment, at the same time, Minori had been there on the other side of the street. She hadn't just been passing by. She had come to the apartment to hear what Taiga's true feelings were.

 

And then, and then, and then.

 

After seeing all of this, Minori understood; what she had suspected hadn't been wrong at all.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Ah, I really did it this time.

 

The stars and the moon twinkled romantically in the midwinter sky, and shined weirdly on Ryuuji's contorted ogre face.

 

Ryuuji, still in the bear costume, stood in front of the school gate. The present he was going to give to Minori was still in the pocket of his suit and he didn't know the phone number of the guy he traded it with. He just now realized that it was someone from a different class. He bungled up at the last minute. Minori wasn't in the hall yet, but he still couldn't find that guy. He might have already gone home after Ryuuji had left the hall.

 

Thinking that maybe he was still hanging around nearby, Ryuuji scurried out of the hall and into the chilly outside weather, but there were no signs of people anywhere. He wondered what he should do as he carried the bear head under his arms, briefly exhaling a white breath. Just how was he supposed to talk to her without a present?

 

I screwed up, Taiga. The single mistake quickly shook his heart unsteadily. He suddenly became afraid and wanted to run away. But the reason why he wouldn't do that was because he felt like he received the imaginary baton from Taiga, who even kicked him in the back to get him to come. If he didn't hand it to the next person, Taiga's wishes wouldn't be passed on. The relay in his dreams will break.

 

He had lost the present, but his hand wasn't empty.

 

Ryuuji clenched the cheap synthetic fiber bear hand. In the cold midwinter wind, he quietly confronted the part of him that was becoming timid. What he wanted to show Minori was always inside him. Nothing was going to happen if he ran away. He stretched his back inside the baggy costume, stood up straight, and lifted his face. It wasn't a Gucci suit, but Taiga's present was definitely in his hands.

 

Then.

 

"Howdy!"

 

"....O, ou......!"

 

Arriving with light footsteps was a knit-capped Minori. Minori, whom he had been waiting for so long.

 

His mind went blank. His body stiffened like he was paralyzed.

 

Minori, wearing a down coat, denim pants, and a red-checkered muffler, sternly brought up her gloved right hand and smiled as her nose, red from the cold, sniffed the air.

 

Ryuuji hesitated, but it wasn't because of the cold. He was trembling from panic more than he thought. First, tell her thanks for coming. Explain why you're wearing that stupid costume. Then, tell her why you wanted her to come. ...was what he had been thinking, but the moment he saw Minori, all of that went flying away. Everything was about to come on. Everything inside his heart was about to come out, regardless of the order. He desperately tried to force it inside and simply stood there.

 

"That's a nice bear you got there, Takasu-kun."

 

The one who made the first move was Minori. Ryuuji, as stiff as a board, saw the expression on Minori's face in a normal conversation between the two of them, the first time in a while.

 

Minori noticed how he was looking at her, and pulled her cap down tight. Ryuuji automatically pushed up the knit cap which had been covering her eyes.

 

"......"

 

"......"

 

The two of them stayed silent. Minori, once again, grabbed her knit cap and pulled it further down. Ryuuji pushed it up again. She pulled it down again. He pushed it up. This unintelligible secret war continued, until finally,

 

"Ku, Kushieda!"

 

Ryuuji took off Minori's knit cap. Minori froze for a moment, and he wondered what she was thinking. She covered her face with both her hands.

 

He grabbed her wrist because he wanted to see her face. He tried to pull a hand away from her face, but Minori was very strong, and he couldn't easily pry it away.

 

"Wha, what's up with you!? What!"

 

"More like, what's wrong with you Takasu-kun!?"

 

"No, it's should be what's wrong with you!?"

 

"Takasu-kun is the one, Takasu-kun is the one that..... Ah...I've had it! Deeeeeeeei!"

 

Habu! And thus, Ryuuji became unable to say anything next. Minori used both hands to unfairly grab and hold down Ryuuji's lips.

 

"Bubi.........be.......ua.........!?"

 

".....Takasu-kun....sorry. Let me say this first."

 

Saying so, she pushed her face through the space between her extended arms. She looked straight down. She wouldn't show what expression she had to Ryuuji. Then, she quietly went on.

 

"Hey....do you remember? Back at summer vacation, at Amin's villa. We talked about it in the evening, right. About that weird stuff. Like UFOs and ghosts."

 

"Bu.....bu......?"

 

While moaning "ububu", Ryuuji slightly tilted his head, thinking, What? He had no idea what Minori was trying to say.

 

If he recalled correctly, Minori once described love in terms of UFOs and ghosts. The people that could see them will see tons, but she didn't think they existed since she couldn't see anything, or something like that. Then, she said that it could be because she simply couldn't see them. That's right. That's why he had been wishing that it'd be great if Minori also could see UFOs or ghosts.

 

But there must be a lot of significance to remembering this now, right?

 

"You know, about the UFOs and ghosts. I think that I don't have to see them at all..... It looks like it's better that I don't. Lately, I've been thinking about it a whole lot, and I've come to feel that way..... I just wanted to say that to you, Takasu-kun. That's the reason I came here."

 

And a whole lot was turned rightside up, just now. A lot of significance.

 

 

"Sorry for saying just what I wanted to say..... Kushieda out."

 

Minori's fingers gently separated themselves from Ryuuji's lips. Her hand gently took back the knit cap from Ryuuji's hand.

 

She tightly fitted it on, pulled it down up to her eyes, and gave a salute with one hand. It looked like only her lips laughed.

 

Minori then turned away.

 

She strode away in big steps briskly and went home like that.

 

What?

 

In other words?

 

She could tell I was going to confess and then turned me down in advance?

 

"......Eh? Really?"

 

I was shot down?

 

Really?

 

Right now?

 

Seriously?

 

"....Is this heartbreak....?"

 

On the midwinter night street, Ryuuji stood as still as a rock. Popping up in his head were endless question marks. He needn't have even bothered worrying about the present. He had been totally rejected. The pain still wouldn't come. He simply stood there in a daze from the dull shock and looked at the sky.

 

"Things may break, but they can be fixed." I don't think it's going to be fixed anymore.

 

"And for each time something breaks, it can just be made all over again." I have the feeling that I can't make it again.

 

"That's why, there's no reason to cry if something breaks." I can't even cry at the moment.

 

Still, he looked for Orion which would surely be shining up above him.

 

He looked for someone within the call of his voice.

 

The sky...rotated....in a big way.

 

 

* * *

 

 

December 25th, 10 AM.

 

Ryuuji was discovered, sprawled on the kitchen floor by Yasuko, who had just woken up. Just when did he fall, nobody other than him knows. That was why, even now, no one knows.

 

Ryuuji had been hit by influenza and had a fever of over 39 degrees.

 

He was admitted into the hospital he was carried to and was still not fully conscious. Informed by Yasuko, Taiga came to the hospital in a big rush and had strangely swollen eyes and a sniffling nose herself. It would be two days later, when Ryuuji became conscious, that she would find out what happened on Christmas Eve.

 

And thus, wounded all over, the year came to a close. Christmas, end-of-year cleaning, all of it melted away inside Ryuuji's fever-induced dream.

 

"....and then, i, demonically transmigrated....."

 

"Ryuu-chaaa~n, hang in there~! Get a hold of yourself~!" Despite the tearful voice of his mother in the background, Ryuuji's bubbling brain continued to babble about his delusion.

 

"....i fired killing beams with taiga bibibi, bibibi....i wanted to rule the world....i think.... but mom was the one pulling the strings and when i took off her mask, i saw kushieda's face....what...what, kushieda. what are you. then, the bachelorette's red string was cut, and she gave in to despair, and....bought...an apartment...."

 

Ryuuji was fighting something with a sword in one hand in a world of blazing magic. He jumped into the air, slashed away at shadows, shouted names of special moves, while somewhere inside regretting, "I couldn't take out the big trash!"

 

".....but it was an apartment with......anti-earthquake fraud......."

 

"Hang in there you coward!" A small hand gave him a slap. "Ah, his eyes opened a little!" shouted his real mother. Stop, it hurts. But, he couldn't talk. Ryuuji only continued to vainly slash away at enemies in the world of magic.

 

Ah, how stupid, how stupid.

 

If he opened his eyes, just what was he supposed to see?

 

After all, haven't all the stars in the sky exploded and disappeared a long time ago?

 

 

 

And then, there was darkness.

[Volbla]

19

Wow... Jag vill knappt veta.

 

Förväntade mig nästan att Minori skulle bli mindfuckad när hon såg Taiga gråta där, men in the end så kommer alltså Taiga före Ryuuji för henne. På ett sätt en besvikelse, men det passade in i guess.

 

Nu måste det väl vara svårare än nånsin att försöka se vad som kommer hända. Vad kommer det vara för stämning mellan de tre tjejerna egentligen, och vad tusan kommer Taiga göra? En ypperligt bra skriven story. Jag förväntar mig ett minst lika bra slut :)

[Meatrose]

Toradora! - 20

Jaha, volym 8 inleds och tempot är precis lika högt som vanligt. Detta avsnitt introducerar ju ett nytt arc i handlingen och därför känns det mycket riktigt som ett "mellanavsnitt".

 

Saker och ting har förändrats sedan det som hände i avsnitt 19. Taiga har bestämt sig för att agera ungefär som Minori tidigare gjorde och avsäga sig sin egen lycka för sin bästa väns skull. Hennes känslor i slutet av förra avsnittet är ganska tydliga, även om boken förmedlade hennes känslor på ett tiofalt bättre sätt. Skillnaden blir även tydlig i hennes interaktion med Kitamura. Inte ett spår av den gamla spänningen finns där. Hon är för alltid förändrad i det avseendet.

 

Det Minori gör irriterar mig rejält och eftersom det irriterar mig antar jag nästan att det kommer irritera Ami med. Amis medlande roll bekräftar ofta mina egna tankar och av den anledningen tror jag att hon än en gång kommer komma med en eller flera gliringar till Minori. Problemet är ju att Minori agerar, gentemot Ryuuji, som om ingenting hade hänt, som om allt vore precis som förut. Det leder till att de tre fortfarande håller på med det som Ami kallade "play house" som i slutändan bara leder till sårade känslor. Jag antar att Minori försöker minimera skadan som skedde den natten, men hennes agerande är naivt. Att låtsas som om ingenting hände får ännu värre följder. Det går inte att upprätthålla status-quo i det här fallet. Om man inte vill ha tre sårade individer vill säga.

 

Enda vägen ur problemet, som jag kan se, är att Ryuuji får samma uppvaknande som Taiga. Frågan är bara vad som skulle kunna leda till det. Jag ser väl främst två möjligheter.

 

1) Ryuuji går igenom en liknande händelse där han "förlorar Taiga" och kommer till samma insikt som hon gjorde i avsnitt 19 (även om en av de viktigaste "bekräftande" delarna med avsikt togs bort ur animens manus - troligtvis då de vill göra någon kommande scen starkare på något sätt).

 

2) Ami blir till slut tillräckligt irriterad för att tala klarspråk med Ryuuji. Hon är trots allt tydligt förbannad på honom för att han inte lyssnat till de hintar hon har försökt ge honom. Möjligen skulle hon väl kunna ta den mer indirekta vägen och konfrontera Minori, men den känns på något sätt mer... ineffektiv. Minori skulle nog behöva göra något för att få henne förbannad för att något sådant ska kunna hända.

 

Jag vet inte vilken av dessa två jag hoppas på. Eftersom jag gillar Ami som karaktär skulle det vara kul att se henne göra något liknande, men det första scenariot skulle kunna innebära mer dramatik - beroende på genomförandet naturligtvis.

[Volbla]

INTERESTING *strokes fake beard*

 

20

Så båda tycker om honom men vill att deras vän ska få honom... hörde jag polygami?

 

Skämt åsido, varför har inte Minori och Taiga pratat med varandra för? Borde inte det vara både den bästa och enklaste lösningen. Båda vet redan vad den andra försöker göra, och dom är bra vänner, så vad är det egentligen som står i vägen för ett ordentligt snack?

 

Men nu verkar det ju nästan tveklöst som det inte kommer bli några par förens slutet av serien. Lite synd, för jag skulle gärna sett hur gruppen fungerar om några av dom är tillsammans.

[Skalleponken]

21

Gah! Jag dör! Vilket avsnitt, allt på en gång. Hur ska Ryuuji ta det här? Jag vill veta om han svarar på Taigas confession, eller om han låtsas som om ingenting hänt och jag vill veta nu! Ge mig nästa avsnitt nu! ^^

[Z0nE]

21

Holy crap!

Har tagit mig ett litet maraton från ep 12-21. Och vilken ep 21 var!

Vad ska hända!? VAD SKA DE GÖRA!?

[Volbla]

21 o.O

...

 

Jag mådde verkligen dåligt av det här avsnittet. And i liked it.

 

Tycker det är lite olustigt hur dom fortfarande kan trycka in lite humor, men ändå vara väldigt seriösa. Mixed feelings.

 

Men om avsnittet. Du kan väl skatta dig lycklig Meatrose att Ryuuji också fick en uppenbarelse :P

Jag gillade också verkligen att Ami blev mänsklig nu och verkligen snappade. Men fyfan vilken situation Ryuuji är i nu, även om han kanske (?) inte fattar det själv.

 

"Hey, jag får välja vilka två av dom här tjejerna som kommer känna sig som skit."

 

The drama~

[Gravskopan]

@ Volba

Just därför väljer han den 3:e istället, dvs Ami. Jag blir nog besviken om han skulle välja Taiga i slutet : / Det känns så förutsägbart, uppebart och bara allmänt tråkigt.

[flaskis]

Något som gjorde mig arg i avsnitt 21

Jag blev så JÄVLA FÖRBANNAD (ursäkta utbrottet) på Kitamura efter att han visar hur jävla trögfattad han är! Samtidigt blev jag även riktigt pissed off på Noto som bara gick in och irriterade Maya på hennes närmanden på Kitamura. Hans beteende där var bara så jävla elakt.

Dock slår det förtfarande inte Kitamuras reaktion och hur han, trots att både Ami och sen Nanako båda blev överaskade över att Kitamura inte märkt Mayas närmanden.

 

F.ö var det ett grymt avsnitt. "Catfighten" mellan Ami och Minori var riktigt chockande, men samtidigt naturlig. Sen när Taiga låg där i snön, och man precis såg skidglasögonen ligga i snön bredvid med en liten blodfläck så skar det sig i hjärtat. Trodde nästan att Taiga hade råkat riktigt illa ut :(

[Meatrose]

Toradora! - 21

 

Nja, Ami må vara den karaktär jag gillar absolut bäst i serien, men jag har aldrig hoppats på AmixRyuuji. Ur en storytelling point of view måste jag säga att allt annat än TaigaxRyuuji skulle vara som om serien sköt sig själv i foten. Jag har sett på detta pairing som "set in stone" sedan avsnitt 1, och då låter jag ändå bli att tänka på att serien "heter" TaigaxRyuuji. Det som fick mig att redan från början fastna för Toradora! var inte resans mål, utan själva resan i sig. Visst, målet är i och för sig viktigt, men någon av de andra tjejerna har i mina ögon aldrig ens varit nära att komma upp på tapeten. Som jag har sett det har det varit "Taiga eller singel" som gäller för Ryuuji.

 

Ryuuji hade en crush på Minori redan innan serien började, och därför hade detta pairing inte krävt någon nämnvärd romantisk utveckling för protagonisten vilket skulle leda till ett underkänt betyg på den romantiska delen i min bok. Dessutom känns det mer som om Ryuuji har varit förälskad i själva idén av att gilla Minori, snarare än att han verkligen är kär i henne. Det fanns inget som helst djupt band dem emellan, och kärlek som inte växer fram "on screen" blir aldrig lika intressant enligt mig. Stackars Ami däremot kom aldrig ens in på spelplanen. Många av Amis viktigaste scener och repliker har helt dissats av animen (jag har följt böckerna i samma takt som animens avsnitt har visats) och efter att ha "sett och läst" avsnitt femton antog jag att det var för att hon skulle bli lättare att tolka för animepubliken som inte får ta del av alla inre monologer som böckerna bjuder på och som på så sätt ger ett karaktärsdjup som TV-serien aldrig ens kan drömma om att komma i närheten av. Men det är inte adaptionens fel, inte alls. Det är bara som vanligt då man jämför en bok med dess filmatisering - en orättvis jämförelse som inte bör göras.

 

För mig funkar Ami faktiskt perfekt i den roll hon får spela - den insiktsfulla medlaren som trots sina egna brister (som får henne att framstå som mer mänsklig) får de andra att förstå saker om sig själva som de verkar vara oförmögna att lista ut på egen hand. Hon är som sagt min favoritkaraktär, men hennes karaktär hade enligt mig inte gjort sig särskilt bra som den kvinnliga huvudrollen i dramat.

 

Nåväl, åter till Taiga och Ryuuji. Det jag gillar med detta pairing är det djupa band som författaren har kunnat etablera karaktärerna emellan. I de allra flesta serier som fokuserar på skolromanser kan sådant inte ske eftersom den manliga protagonisten måste gömma sina känslor in i det sista för att göra det spännande. Handlingens upplägg låter här ett extremt djupt band etableras utan att karaktärerna inser vad de känner för varandra. De är som ett gift par som värderar den andre över allt annat, men utan att förstå att de egentligen är så mycket mer än bara vänner eller kompanjoner.

 

Problemet är att det är svårt att få ett sådant förhållande att på ett naturligt och icke krystat sätt övergå till ett "klassiskt romantiskt" sådant. Visst, Taigas uppenbarelse i avsnitt 19 var perfekt, men även om Ryuuji verkade öppna ögonen till viss mån i avsnitt 21 måste jag säga att det inte kändes... "tillräckligt". Om jag vore författaren skulle jag sära på karaktärerna, eller tvinga dem att överkomma något stort som ligger i deras väg. Det rör sig om två personer som är vana vid och förväntar sig att alltid vara tillsammans, oavsett vad som händer. För att få detta att övergå i ett romantiskt/fysiskt förhållande skulle jag separera parterna och slå fast en gång för alla var de står och vad de verkligen känner och vill ha.

 

Jag har lite svårt att se vad som kommer hända med den situationen som uppstod precis i slutet av avsnittet. Jag har svårt att tro att det kommer leda till att de båda för en diskussion om deras känslor för varandra, på grund av det jag nämnde i förra stycket, då det skulle kräva att något stort yttre förhinder dyker upp som kan skapa drama i de fyra sista avsnitten. Nej, jag tror att författaren på något sätt slår in en kil mellan dem, och för att det ska fungera kan de inte rakt upp-och-ner diskutera Taigas "ofrivilliga confession". Hon var ju knappt vid medvetande när det hände, så kanske kan hon helt enkelt få fortsätta tro att hon pratade med Kitamura? Det skulle visserligen bli svårt att få henne att fortsätta tro det med tanke på att alla andra lär veta att det var Ryuuji som räddade henne, men men...

 

I vanliga fall hade jag kastat mig över nästa del (den som behandlar avsnitt 22) av Light Noveln nu efter att ha uttalat mig, men nu finns det inte mer översatt. Kanske är det lika bra då jag på så sätt slipper lägga märke till inre monologer och scener som inte överlevt adaptionen. ^^;

[Volbla]

@ Volba

Just därför väljer han den 3:e istället, dvs Ami. Jag blir nog besviken om han skulle välja Taiga i slutet : / Det känns så förutsägbart, uppebart och bara allmänt tråkigt.

 

Hoho, matte vettu. Underförstått "två av dom här tre kommer bli ägda, och jag får välja vilka". Han kan ju bara bli tillsammans med en... eller ingen.

 

Jag är glad att jag inte lever i en anime.

[Gravskopan]

Något som gjorde mig arg i avsnitt 21

 

F.ö var det ett grymt avsnitt. "Catfighten" mellan Ami och Minori var riktigt chockande, men samtidigt naturlig. Sen när Taiga låg där i snön, och man precis såg skidglasögonen ligga i snön bredvid med en liten blodfläck så skar det sig i hjärtat. Trodde nästan att Taiga hade råkat riktigt illa ut :(

 

hohoho

Låt mig säga såhär, she had it coming! Jag menar, man glider inte runt med en pulka i skidbackar och sedan dessutom drar off-pist med den. Hela idén fick mig att skratta (samt gråta), och jag tyckte dessutom det var fruktansvärt löjligt.

[flaskis]

hohoho

Låt mig säga såhär, she had it coming! Jag menar, man glider inte runt med en pulka i skidbackar och sedan dessutom drar off-pist med den. Hela idén fick mig att skratta (samt gråta), och jag tyckte dessutom det var fruktansvärt löjligt.

Sen när...

drog hon ner med pulkan när hon letade efter halsbandet? Man ser ju klart och tydligt att hon springer mot stängslet utan någon pulka i handen.

[Gravskopan]

hohoho

Låt mig säga såhär, she had it coming! Jag menar, man glider inte runt med en pulka i skidbackar och sedan dessutom drar off-pist med den. Hela idén fick mig att skratta (samt gråta), och jag tyckte dessutom det var fruktansvärt löjligt.

Sen när...

drog hon ner med pulkan när hon letade efter halsbandet? Man ser ju klart och tydligt att hon springer mot stängslet utan någon pulka i handen.

 

Det har du...

tamefan rätt i nu när jag snabbt kikade igen. Men då leder det mig till frågan hur man ramlar i snön och dessutom börjar blöda : / Är det så att det ligger en dold stubbe under snön?

[Meatrose]

 

Det har du...

tamefan rätt i nu när jag snabbt kikade igen. Men då leder det mig till frågan hur man ramlar i snön och dessutom börjar blöda : / Är det så att det ligger en dold stubbe under snön?

 

Tja du...

... "staketet" är helt när Taiga springer mot det, och sedan ser man att det har rivits ner och glidmärken syns i snön. Hon måste ha fallit över staketet. Om man tittar på scenen då Ryuuji får syn på det glimmande hårspännet (hur något nu kan glimma när det är mörkt och det dessutom rasar en snöstorm runt omkring dem) så ser man att spåret efter Taigas kropp i snön går rakt mot hårspännet. Det låg ju i ett träd, och jag antar därför att hon kastades rakt in i trädet vilket även fick hennes skidglasögon att krossas. Brant var det ju. Men jag vette fan.

 

Btw

Var det någon som lade märke till att de hade lagt till det sista "suki da yo" från fullversionen av ED-låten, det som bara sjungs av Taiga/Rie? =)

[flaskis]

hohoho

Låt mig säga såhär, she had it coming! Jag menar, man glider inte runt med en pulka i skidbackar och sedan dessutom drar off-pist med den. Hela idén fick mig att skratta (samt gråta), och jag tyckte dessutom det var fruktansvärt löjligt.

Sen när...

drog hon ner med pulkan när hon letade efter halsbandet? Man ser ju klart och tydligt att hon springer mot stängslet utan någon pulka i handen.

 

Det har du...

tamefan rätt i nu när jag snabbt kikade igen. Men då leder det mig till frågan hur man ramlar i snön och dessutom börjar blöda : / Är det så att det ligger en dold stubbe under snön?

För att avsluta det hela

Du ser ju en liten glass/plexiglaspillra liggandes bredvid Taigas skidglasögon. Antagligen orsakade det blodet. Du måste vara lite mer observant!

 

Jag har en bekant som åkte på skidsemester med sin sambo, och han skulle showa off lite och hoppa med sina skidor. Han ramlade och ungefär samma sak hände. Hans skidglasögon skar ett spår under ena ögat och blodet bara sprutade, så sånt kan hända :P

 

Meatrose: Ja, jag märkte det. Jag har ända sen jag fick tag på hela ED:n alltid blivit upprörd över att Kugryus "sukidayo" i slutet av låten inte tas med, men på något sätt passar det att de nu slänger in den ^^

[Negi]

För att avsluta det hela

Du ser ju en liten glass/plexiglaspillra liggandes bredvid Taigas skidglasögon. Antagligen orsakade det blodet. Du måste vara lite mer observant!

Heh

Ska du säga, halsbandet? Wtf? :P Annars tycker jag den där skadan såg väldigt dramatisk ut men, hennes kärleks babbel sabbade den mörka stämningen en aning. Förresten, varför fick hon för sig att det var Kitamura hon snackade med? Fattade inte riktigt det.

 

Nä, nu ska jag sluta vara onödigt. Själv så diggade jag det här avsnittet men det känns lite tråkigt att Taiga också nu ska vara betuttad i Ryuji, att detta skulle hända kunde man ju se på en mils avstånd men det jag gillar det inte. Sen så är Kitamura en sån jäkla mes och blir bara mer och mer förbannad på alla Ryujis dryga kompisar, gå och ragga själva istället för att ständigt lägga näsan i blöt! Argh!

 

Nåja, lite mer drama är nästan alltid bra.

[flaskis]

För att avsluta det hela

Du ser ju en liten glass/plexiglaspillra liggandes bredvid Taigas skidglasögon. Antagligen orsakade det blodet. Du måste vara lite mer observant!

Heh

Ska du säga, halsbandet? Wtf? :P Annars tycker jag den där skadan såg väldigt dramatisk ut men, hennes kärleks babbel sabbade den mörka stämningen en aning. Förresten, varför fick hon för sig att det var Kitamura hon snackade med? Fattade inte riktigt det.

 

Nä, nu ska jag sluta vara onödigt. Själv så diggade jag det här avsnittet men det känns lite tråkigt att Taiga också nu ska vara betuttad i Ryuji, att detta skulle hända kunde man ju se på en mils avstånd men det jag gillar det inte. Sen så är Kitamura en sån jäkla mes och blir bara mer och mer förbannad på alla Ryujis dryga kompisar, gå och ragga själva istället för att ständigt lägga näsan i blöt! Argh!

 

Nåja, lite mer drama är nästan alltid bra.

Lite svar med möjlig spoiler av avsnitt 22

Det är inte så illa att Taiga blir "betuttad" i Ryuuji". Tvärtom följer dem upp förra avsnittet riktigt bra, och det märks att manuset får ett upplägg som kommer sluta allt annat än mediokert!

[Volbla]

22

Håå. Det var ju...

 

Sacre bleu Ryuuji, vad vill du egentligen? Ska han låta dom spela sitt omvända schack utan att besvara någons känslor? Tycket det mest intressanta nu är vad Ami kommer göra, för hon är väl den enda av dom som gillar honom som faktiskt vill bli tillsammans med honom. Men hon är väl också den enda som Ryuuji egentligen inte är kär i.

 

Nah, det här kändes mest som en upprepning av de senaste avsnitten. Väntar på att det faktiskt ska hända nåt.

[Meatrose]

Heh

Förresten, varför fick hon för sig att det var Kitamura hon snackade med? Fattade inte riktigt det.

 

Svar

Hennes första tanke är ju att det är Ryuuji som räddar henne, men hon ändrar sig samma sekund hon stöter till hans skidglasögon med handen hon sträcker fram. Hon misstar dem för Kitamuras glasögon och säger därför "Kitamura-kun?".

 

Över till något helt annat.

 

Sanningen bakom catfighten

[Volbla]

*snyft* ;_;

[Meatrose]

Just ja, här glömde man helt bort att posta. Avsnitt 23 var bra tycker jag. En sak som däremot inte direkt gjorde mig överlycklig var att se att avsnittet inte täckte volym 9:s klimax. Det innebär att detta klimax samt hela volym 10 får klämmas in i de två sista avsnitten.

 

En sak som däremot gjorde mig glad var att se en viss bro i preview. Detta i kombination med episodens titel (som dök upp på nätet för ungefär 2 veckor sedan) bevisar, bortom allt rimligt tvivel, att studion faktiskt följer författarens böcker hela vägen in i mål. Det är skönt att se att de faktiskt lyckades samordna det så pass bra. Jag menar, dessa avsnitts manus och storyboards skapades innan den sista boken ens hade tryckts.