天下制覇

There’s no crying in skiing!

Impressions:

Well, that was a packed episode. Ryuuji all but decided to give up on Minori, two different sets of people nearly came to blows, and Taiga confessed her love for Ryuuji. Granted, in a feverish hallucination, so I’m sure the writers will have no problem tossing up amnesia and just letting Ryuuji angst over the entire cast wanting his junk. I’m betting he goes with the Kitamura ending anyway. Some of it was fun, but most of it was angst and bad skiing. If they’re such good skiiers, why weren’t they on parabolics? THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR MY SKIING SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF.

Anyway, I found it amusing the amount of damage Minori and Ami were able to do to each other while wearing thick gloves and heavy jackets. I don’t think the animators realize that those things are… thick gloves and heavy jackets. It’s an effort to even move in that crap, let alone in heel deep snow, let alone fight. At least they’re pretty clearly going to have a real ending here though, even if we’re still in the "amnesia’s totally a useful plot device to string thing along" phase. At least they’re still keeping a little bit of silliness as the angst reaches monumental levels for just about the entire cast.

Oh yeah, and don’t forget to give Totali crap for refusing to watch the Toradora DVD special.

Brief Summary:

After running over Ryuuji, Taiga and he discuss their lack of relationship progress on the trip. Kihara and Second Banana #2 get into an argument over her sticking to Kitamura that ends with Kihara in tears. Later, Ryuuji and Minori try to get away from all the angst, but after Ryuuji sees Minori wearing the hairpin he made her (delivered from Taiga) along with Minori’s semi-inane rantings, he wonders again to himself whether a relationship with Minori really is possible. As he angsts it up in his room, the stooges pop in to harass him. He ends up telling them that he likes Minori and they decide to help him out and head off to the girls’ room.

Nobody’s there, so… of course… they start rooting through their girly things like creepy perverts. They hear someone coming and flee into the closet. It’s Taiga, who spills some soda, mops it up, and then uses the same towel to dry her hair. She hears Ryuuji freak out about that from the closet and goes to investigate. When the other girls approach, the guys drag her into the closet and keep her quiet. The other girls idly chatter for a little bit, but then Ami can’t resist twisting the knife in Minori and tells the others that Minori likes Ryuuji. Minori clams up completely. She keeps pushing and pushing after Minori says that Ami’s not involved until they almost come to blows. The other two make them apologize to each other before leaving to find Taiga, letting the guys escape.

The next day, Ami’s moping by herself, so Ryuuji goes to talk to her. The talk is brief because Taiga and Minori crash into Ami on their sled. They try to apologize, but Ami is livid and yells at Minori for always getting in the way between her and Ryuuji. The two eventually start fighting (keep in mind that they’re still wearing mittens) and need to be dragged off each other. In the melee, Minori’s hairpin goes flying and Taiga runs off to find it.

Later, Taiga’s still missing and the weather’s gotten worse. Since the cops won’t be here soon, some of them go out to find her. Minori finds her tracks, but Ryuuji sees the hairpin stuck in a tree and realizes what happened. He holds Minori back and goes after Taiga himself. He finds her facedown in a snowdrift and starts carrying her back. She mumbles to herself, thinking that she’s talking to Kitamura, and apologizes to him, saying that she loves Ryuuji.

Preview:

Career prep.