Toradora!

Toradora!’sstorybeginswiththemaleprotagonistRyujiTakasuwhoisfrustratedattryingtolookhisbestasheentershissecondyearofhighschool.Despitehisgentlepersonality,hiseyesmakehimlooklikeanintimidatingdelinquentsoheisutterlyhopelessabouthischancesofgettingagirlfriendanytimesoon,anddoesnothavemanyclosefriendseither.Afterbeinggreetedbyhishungovermotherinthemorning,RyujigoestoschoolandishappytofindthathegetstobeinthesameclassashisbestfriendYusakuKitamuraandcrushMinoriKushieda.However,itisthenthatheunexpectedlyknocksinto“theschool’smostdangerousanimalofthehighestrisklevel”—TaigaAisaka—whojusthappenstoalsobeinhisclass,andisagoodfriendofMinori.

Taigahasanegativeattitudetowardsothersandwillnothesitatetosnapatpeople.AftermeetingRyuji,shetakesaninstantdislikeofhim.Taigacomesfromarichfamily,thoughshemovedouttoliveonherownduetofamilyissues,andbycoincidenceisnowlivinginanapartmentnextdoortoRyuji.AfterRyujidiscoversthatTaigahasacrushonYusaku,andTaigafindsoutaboutRyuji’saffectionstowardsMinori,Ryujisuggeststhattheycooperatesotheycanwintheobjectoftheiraffections.RyujisayshewilldoanythingtogetclosertoMinori,whichTaigaexploits,makingRyujiherpersonalservant,andgettinghimtodohouseholdchoreslikecookingandcleaningforher.Taigaspendsalotofhertimeoverathishouse,somuchsothatshecouldalmostbeconsideredamemberofhisfamily.SinceRyujispendsalotoftimewithTaiga,heisopeneduptoherworldandtoasideofherthatmostpeopledonotsee.Thetwoalsoattempttohelpeachotherinordertoimprovehowpeopleviewthem.Unknowntothem,however,peopletheyknowfromschoolstarttobecomecuriousabouttheirstrangerelationshiptogetherandrumorsbegintospreadaboutthem.