とらドラ 3！

とらドラ! [Toradora!] Light Novel #3

by Yuyuko Takemiya, 竹宮 ゆゆこ, ヤス (Illustrator)

まさに抱き合わんとしている(ように見える)ところを大河に目撃されてしまった竜児と亜美。みなが固唾を飲んで見守るなか、はたした手乗りタイガーはどうでるのか……？　そして季節は6月、プール開きの季節。実乃梨の水着！　亜美の水着！　そして大河の水着！　と浮かれる間もなく、竜児の身柄をめぐり大河と亜美がなぜか水泳で勝負することに。実は泳げない大河は竜児と特訓を開始するが――。イベント満載のプールシーンに要注目！　どこかヘンな面々が織りなす超弩級ラブコメ第３弾！

Genres: Light Novel, Manga, Romance, Comedy, Humor, Slice Of Life, Fiction

264 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Yuyuko Takemiya (竹宮 ゆゆこ Takemiya Yuyuko) is a Japanese writer of light novels. Takemiya debuted in September 2004 with her light novel series Watashitachi no Tamura-kun (Our Tamura-kun) which first appeared in the autumn 2004 issue of Dengeki hp Special, a special edition version of Dengeki hp. That same month, Takemiya worked on the scenario for the bishōjo game Noel by FlyingShine (also known for creating Cross Channel).

Following the completion of Watashitachi no Tamura-kun, Takemiya began her best-known series, Toradora!, which she declared to be complete in April 2010 after ten volumes and three spin-off books. The first book of her next series, Golden Time, was Dengeki Bunko's 2000th published light novel. Takemiya launched the manga series Evergreen with artist Akira Kasukabe on July 19, 2011 in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Daioh Genesis quarterly magazine.

Reviews

[Sean O'Hara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toradora! Part 2 ended with a bit of a cliffhanger. Ryuuji and Ami had returned to his apartment after catching her stalker. They were planning to clean up before going out to find Taiga and Kitamura, who'd been injured during the chase. But then Ami decided this would be a fine moment to seduce Ryuuji -- just in time for Ryuuji's mom to arrive home with Taiga and Kitamura in tow. They walk in on ... well, I think the novel illustration sums it up quite well.



So, book 3 picks up with Taiga still in a snit about that incident. Ryuuji tries to apologize repeatedly, but that just pisses her off more since what he's apologizing for isn't what has her upset -- except, she won't tell him why she's mad. (Welcome to the Eternal Brotherhood of Man, Taka-chan. Just repeat after me, "I'm a man, but I can change. If I have to. I guess.") Things remain frosty between them for several weeks (though this doesn't stop Taiga from coming over for dinner, expecting Ryuuji to pack her lunch and wake her up every morning, do her laundry, clean her house ...)

But everything changes when their teacher (Koigakubo Yuri, 29.5 years old, single, desperate) announces that the school pool will be opening in a week. Everyone in class is excited, especially the guys who drool at the prospect of Ami in a bathing suit. Well, almost everyone. Taiga is less than thrilled and even suggests she might skip gym class, until Kitamura chides her. Taiga and Minori agree to go out shopping for swimwear that afternoon, which gives Ryuuji his first taste of freedom in months. He can go out and do what he wants without having to worry about that crazy woma -- ah, dammit! Ami finds out and demands that he accompany her to pick out a bathing suit. They end up at the same store with Taiga and Minori, where he has to spend hours and hours watching them try on clothes. Which wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that in doing so he earns the eternal enmity of every guy in class.

The shopping trip proceeds surprisingly smoothly, in large part because Taiga disappears after the first five minutes. She's secreted herself in one of the changing booths and won't come out. When Ryuuji wanders too close, she pulls him in and reveals her problem: she's so petite that even the smallest adult swimsuits barely fit. One portion of her body in particular has issues. The previous year, someone had snapped a picture of her in her swimsuit, drawn a circle around her chest and written "Pathetic!"

Ryuuji helps her pick out a suit and then stays up all night tailoring it, adding pads to the chest so she can appear at the pool without feeling ashamed of her body. And it works. When she makes her entrance, she even upstages Ami. Everything proceeds smoothly at first, but then some of the guys start horsing around and the place descends into chaos. Ami sees a chance for fun and tosses Taiga into the pool. It takes about five seconds for Ryuuji to realize there's another reason why Taiga was unenthused about the pool opening -- she can't swim.

After Ryuuji saves her, Taiga is righteously pissed at Ami, but Ami sees an opportunity to turn the situation to her advantage. She points out how unfair it is to Ryuuji to be stuck all summer taking care of a girl who can't swim, and then invites him to her beach house. (This just makes the guys in class hate him more.) After that things spiral out of control and almost end in a cat-fight until Minori steps in with a suggestion -- why don't they settle this with an athletic competition. Winner gets Ryuuji. Ami and Taiga draw lots to see who'll choose the contest. Ami wins, and, being no fool, goes for a swim race.

So Eye of the Tiger time -- Ryuuji has until the end of the semester to teach Taiga how to swim, or else he'll be stuck at an isolated mansion with a beautiful model who has the hots for him. Yeah, I'm not entirely sure why he's doing this either. Of course he succeeds and Taiga wins the race fair and square.

Nah, just kidding. When they start training, Taiga can't even bear to submerge her face. By the time the day of the race, she can barely swim while loaded with floatation devices. So, she decides to cheat her ass off. And not even subtly. Her plan is completely blatant and over the top, and that's what makes it five kinds of awesome. The depiction of the contest in the anime is pretty damn cool and captures the essentials of the scene, but it pales in comparison to the book[1].

The characters in this volume remain as well drawn as the previous two books. Kitamura and Minori get short shrift as the story focuses on Ryuuji, Taiga and Ami, the last two of whom get lots of character development. Ami was already fascinating in her first introduction, but she grows more so as we learn more about her. Her treatment of Ryuuji remains ambiguous -- is she toying with him to annoy Taiga, or does she genuinely find him attractive. She's still clinging to her "Ami-chan is so cute," mask in this book, making her infuriating at times, yet there's clearly something underneath.

Taiga, for her part, shows a lot of vulnerability this time out as we discover both her insecurity over her body and her inability to swim, and realize that her badass persona is just as much a defense mechanism as Ami's kawaiiko mask. The dynamic between her and Ami is fascinating. Ami knows exactly how to hurt her -- by inviting Ryuuji to the beach house, Taiga can't really object on any grounds but the completely selfish ("Who'll fix my meals?") unless she admits there's more between her and Ryuuji than simple friendship. But Taiga lacks any reciprocal power over Ami -- the only way she can hurt her is to attack her outright.

Taiga's struggle to learn to swim, while really not a lot to hang a plot on, really worked for me. The series is a character study, so the plot is a MacGuffin anyway, but this one struck a nerve since I share Taiga's fear of water and spent a similar period in high school with a friend trying to teach me to swim (minus the pressure of a contest). The scenes with Ryuuji simply trying to get Taiga to submerge her face brought back a lot of memories, which probably elevates this book in my esteem more than it deserves.

[~Cyanide Latte~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been far too long since I got back to reading this series, and quite frankly I genuinely missed its honesty in balancing the sheer emotional turmoil and humor and growth of its characters. There's so, so much heart in Toradora! and I can't thank it enough for that. If you've already watched the anime, then this covers the episodes about the swimming competition between Taiga and Ami, and in my opinion, goes into far greater depth and detail about the emotions both Ryuuji and Taiga deal with the entire time. I feel like it's here we really start to see more of their feelings for each other moving into something romantic, and of course, they're both too stubborn to realize it's happening. Again, if you've never given these light novels a shot, I really can't recommend them enough!

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite Toradora thus far. Interestingly enough, by the end I think there was some actual change in the dynamic of what is going on in the series, but getting there was harder for me. I was just tired of Taiga's constant abuse of Ryuuji. Maybe because I've read another light novel where one of the characters if constantly verbally abusive and so reading two so close to each other... or perhaps it is because Ryuuji is such a good friend to Taiga that it is just so much worse to me. Either way, it definitely gets marked down for this.

So that being said -- if you're reading this series and wondering if Taiga actually likes Ryuuji and vice-versa it isn't totally answered, but at least it comes up. My time in HS was totally different and I'm a guy so I certainly can't say what a girl would be thinking and feeling -- but it really does seem to me that when Taiga sees Ami and Ryuuji in something that looks like a compromising position and is angry for scores of pages afterward it was hard to accept that it was because Ryuuji suggested it was because of the situation, thus forcing his idea on Taiga that made her angry. It seems a bit more realistic that it is exactly because of that. It seems that Taiga may be unwilling to admit it to herself because of her expressed interest in Ryuuji's pal Takasu.

I shan't spoil the near end -- but certainly pronouncements made in front of the entire class will make for a change in the dynamic. I hope Taiga is just a bit less abusive because it's already gotten old.

Verdict: If you want to know what's going on, stick with it. If you're tired of Taiga calling Ryuuji a dog (and/or Ami a chihuahua) -- there are dozens of other series out there, you may want to spend your time elsewhere.

[Glasdow Teacosy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tiresome volume.

Taiga doesn’t deserve Ryuuji. She doesn’t deserve any friendship, frankly. She’s a repulsive person. Yes, I’ve seen the anime. I realize that we’re at the beginning of her redemption arc. She’s been abandoned by rich, useless parents who conflate money with nurturing & love. I’m supposed to feel sorry for her.

But I don’t. She’s a terrible person.

The dialogue in this volume felt forced. Ami felt forced—the cartoon villain who existed to create tension. Minori felt forced—the best friend who created a sports event for her non-sports friend just because bathing suits needed to be involved for the plot. The depth that I enjoyed in the previous volumes felt on vacation in this one.

That’s not to say the book was bad. I found it to be mostly a good read, and I genuinely enjoyed it here and there. However, Taiga’s antics grated on my nerves. When Taiga confessed to the world that Ryuuji belonged to her, I felt sorry for him most of all.

[Angela Auten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm enjoying the light novels. I started watching the anime. I almost got to where volume 2 started, but stopped watching. I think I'm going to start watching the anime again as well. I usually watch the anime before reading the manga or light novels, but I didn't this time around. I'm really enjoying this series though.

This volume was not my favorite so far. I liked the first two more. Taiga is starting to annoy me a little bit lol

[-moonprismpower- · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series. The characters and the comedy are fantastic.
“Are you talking about those pitch black, trash raisins?!” HAHAHA I can’t stop laughing at that part! I’ve read it over a million times!

*Now comparing this to its manga counterpart, this volume was full of scenes that weren’t shown in the manga.
I wonder if that’s the way it will go from here on?

[Roxanne Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fun entry in the series, now that all the characters are there, they get to interact and bicker and... splash in the water. The big competition scene was very chaotic yet very easy to follow, so we can see the author got better since the first volume where some action was kinda hard to visualize, good job! Now I can't wait to see how summer at Ami's villa will go!

[Jacob O · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toradora! Vol. 3
Rating: 7/10
"'Maybe she dwoesn't know if she wants to be with you, but if she really hated you, Ryuu-chan, a girl like that'd die before sharing the same plate as you...is what...I think...'"

Still in the infancy of the story, but the seeds of greatness are already sprouting.

[Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The "swimsuit" Volume that every light novel series seems to have

[Maxwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the future, can this series go easier on the fan service? At a certain point it detracts from the actual story. 🤦‍♂️

[Rochelle Benoit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this storyline. But still not as hilarious as the gutters.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love them so fucking much

[Casey Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was more tense and emotionally draining than when Ron and Hermione kept fighting in PoA! Although the anime was already superb, I'm absolutely loving the additional depth in the novels and the textual comedic bits that couldn't translate into a visual medium.
Some of the humor seems mean-spirited and might be taboo for a western audience (e.g. spinster stuff, body shaming, etc.), especially since this was written before the social media driven consciousness-raising (and the backlash of hypocritical virtue-signalling cancellation mobs), but it works well within the universe of the story and the character backgrounds.

[Hartwig Th · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 3rd volume is shockingly degenerate. While the writing style is still as enchanting as in the previous volumes, the constant barrage of ecchi scenes makes me cringe.

I like how Taiga is depicted. Tsundere girls are not cute, or pleasant to be around. This is how the reality looks like. This lightnovel is a wake up call for those who romanticize toxic relationship dynamics like this.

[Daken Howlett · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terzo volume di Toradora!e i problemi della serie iniziano a farsi sentire...
Non solo in questo volume non viene introdotto alcun nuovo personaggi,limitandosi ad espandere la rivalità tra Ami e taiga introdotta nel volume precedente,ma buona parte dei punti di forza dei primi due volumi sono ormai scomparsi,niente back story interessanti o momenti emotivi di forte impatto come nel primo volume,e una scrittura decisamente più banale che si poggia molto più sui luoghi comuni della commedia scolastica nipponica rispetto al secondo volume,aggiungendo che il terzo volume è anche più corto e quasi interamente incentrato su un'unico evento e che l'idea interessante di incentrare il racconto su un ragazzo e una ragazzo e l'evolversi della loro amicizia(e non amore,visto che il loro obiettivo e aiutarsi l'un l'altra a conquistare i propri amori segreti)viene totalmente rovinata da una scena romantica estremamente forza che è ulteriormente rovinata dal fatto che in tutto il volume il rapporto tra i personaggi non si evolve minimamente in nessun modo,nel tipico evolversi delle commedie romantiche nipponiche in cui la coppia di "predestinati" sembra sempre sul punto di baciarsi o di confessarsi reciprocamente i propri sentimenti ma succede sempre qualcosa di imprevisto a rovinare tutto,e il rapporto tra i due smette di avere alcun tipo di evoluzione fino al finale della serie...cosa che,inutile dirlo,non è esattamente appassionante o originale.
Anche l'aspetto comico del volume è notevolmente sotto tono,con Taiga che finisce per comportarsi in modo sempre più stereotipato e insensato,tanto da arrivare a confessare i suoi sentimenti senza accorgersi che l'oggetto della sua confessione non la stava sentendo in quel momento(classico momento visto e rivisto in infiniti manga e anime)e ad urlare che nessuno la capisce(praticamente si sta trasformando progressivamente da personaggio forte che cerca di affrontare a testa alta una vita difficile ad un personaggio irrazionale che si lamenta e piagnucola di continuo...non esattamente un'ottimo sviluppo per un personaggio principale di una commedia romantica)e ovviamente l'immancabile momento in cui ha una crisi depressiva a causa delle sue misure troppo "scarse" per poter indossare con "successo" un costume da bagno...cosa che per la Taiga forte e determinata a superare ogni difficoltà con le sue sole forze non sarebbe mai stato un problema...ma apparentemente lo è per la "nuova Taiga"...e in fin dei conti non si può affrontare un'intera commedia romantica scolastica senza una ragazza ridicolmente ossessionata dalle proprie misure e disposta a tutto pur di sembrare più "fornita",giusto?no,si può e si dovrebbe anche,perché sinceramente tutti questi luoghi comuni stanno trasformando una serie che mi piaceva abbastanza in una serie eccessivamente prevedibile e banale,spero in un quarto volume migliore,anche perché la tematica delle vacanze estive dovrebbe facilmente eliminare tutte le ridicole situazioni da amore liceali tra i corridoi di scuola che si sono accumulate in questo volume,ma non ne sono troppo sicuro.

[🌙 mynte sofie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m here for the tension, the mundane descriptions and my childhood memories i’m NOT here for the random descriptions of titties and touching titties. if i hear the world nipple ONE MORE TIME.

[Pieter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taiga is still irritated about events at the end of volume 2, and to make matters worse, the swimming pool season is about to start at school. Ami spots a weakness in her nemesis, and decides to capitalize on events. Poor Ryuuji is caught in the middle unsure what exactly his relation is with both Taiga and Ami.

Things continue in this rom com as in previous two volumes with a slightly over the top situations (especially events at the pool) mixed in with more typical high school (and to be honest people) worries about appearances and how others think about you. There is fan service, it is a swimming pool episode after all, but nothing too serious. Characters gain a bit more depth, although their quirks are still rather extreme, maybe even more so after two volumes (Ryuuji is certainly very accepting of Taiga's extremely rude behaviour).

Still, a fun and entertain read with enough development to remain entertaining.

[fornalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading Toradora because:
a) I wanted to practice my Korean (yup, I read it in Korean)
b) I loved the anime so much that it is my all-time favourite
The problem with reading books after seeing their adaptation is that you know what's going to happen and it can spoil the fun of reading. But there are always things, usually little tiny things that don't appear on the screen, some situations omitted because they weren't that relevant for the plot. And there's a lot of those in Toradora and they make me love the series even more.
Sure, it's not a literary masterpiece and it never will be - it's a light novel, after all, but it does its job. It's funny, it's enjoyable and it enables me to meet my beloved characters once more.
Plus, Taiga's hilariousness is 100% funnier in the book.

[Ray Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gracias a una traducción pude leer la tercera entrega de esta serie de novelas ligeras a las cuales uno puede volverse fácilmente adicto.
La relación de Taiga y Ryuuji va evolucionando y aunque Ami les jode la vida, es un punto clave para que ambos entiendan el tipo de relación y sentimiento tienen entre sí.
No puedo evitar sentirme identificada con Taiga en muchos aspectos, es por eso que Ryuuji me parece un chico sumamente lindo y atento, y cualquiera sería feliz de tenerlo como amigo y novio.
De veras que es una historia que vale mucho la pena.

[#ReadAllTheBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've really started to enjoy the interactions in the Toradora series. Ryuji and Taiga really are adorable together and their antics are pretty entertaining.

There's really not much more I can say about this other than saying that since you can get free fan translations from Baka-Tsuki, you should really give this series a try.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read/rated in grade school.

[longtimewish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nota real: 4,5 (El día en que Goodreads permita poner media estrella armo una fiesta)

Si Taiga, dijiste eso de Ryuuji porque es tu perro, CLAAAAARO ;)