The unexpected ascent of Toradora is not very easy to explain... After using the cute trick of having uninvolved leads, the remainder was somewhat formulaic. That is, until Ami was trotted on the scene five episodes down. I have no idea where the creators are going to take the show, and that makes it interesting.

The lack of noses continues to irritate me. Also, Minori Kushieda wasted her screentime without producing much development or insight... she remains a rather shallow character, which is a pity.

BTW, it almost looked like the cafe scene in the beginning of 05 took the stock parfait from Nodame. Unfortunately, it remains too small in Toradora, so a direct comparison is difficult: it's impossible to see the bespoke refraction in the glass. It sure looks like the same design though.