While Toradora! quickly became a popular and heartwarming romance beloved by fans everywhere, some characters fared much better than others when the series concluded. Despite being the best friend and love interest of the two main protagonists at the start of the series, Minori Kushieda ultimately loses both of them. Here's how Minori's kind and selfless behavior caused her story to go from best to worst by the end of Toradora!
Toradora! stars a short tsundere female lead named Taiga Aisaka and a kind hearted male lead named Ryūji Takasu. At the start of the series, it's quickly established that Minori and Taiga are best friends with a long history. Despite Taiga's violent and standoffish personality, she's protective and cares deeply for Minori. Due to their polar opposite personalities, their close friendship is unexpected yet endearing to viewers. As the series progresses and more is revealed about their relationship, the girls' closeness is confirmed when Minori knows all about Taiga's troubled family dynamic and tries to protect Taiga from her disappointing father.
When Taiga and Ryūji first meet and she discovers he has a longstanding crush on her best friend, Taiga agrees to help Ryūji get Minori's attention if he agrees to help her win over his close friend Yusaku Kitamura. Toradora! spends several episodes revolving around Ryūji's crush on Minori, where he becomes bashful and struggles to speak to her. Minori also visibly indicates reciprocated feelings for Ryūji, which he often misses or overlooks. As they both struggle to see each other's true feelings for one another, miscommunication and complex friendship dynamics threaten their blossoming romance before it even has a chance to take root.
While spending summer break at a beach house with their friends, Minori and Ryūji have a heartfelt conversation where she admits she doesn't know if she believes in love because she can't see it. In this scene, she indicates that she'll never know or believe that Ryūji likes her unless he shows it or directly tells her. Out of fear of rejection, Ryūji continues to miss these important opportunities to express his true feelings toward Minori. Soon afterward, the pair get into a huge fight when Ryūji encourages Taiga to reconnect with her father and Minori has to explain why Taiga shouldn't have any connection to him. While they eventually reconcile for Taiga's sake, this argument reveals how both Minori and Ryūji ultimately care more about Taiga than each other.
When Christmas Eve rolls around, Ryūji and Taiga scheme to make the school dance the perfect opportunity for him to finally confess to Minori. However, Minori shockingly tells them she doesn't plan on going to the Christmas party, despite Ryūji promising to wait for her. Minori is finally convinced to meet up with Ryūji at the party, but she happens to spot Taiga on the street crying for Ryūji. After realizing her best friend's true feelings for the same boy, Minori meets up with Ryūji and ultimately rejects him. While Ryūji is heartbroken, Minori painfully lies about her feelings and selflessly sacrifices the boy she likes so her best friend can be happy instead of her.
Determined to live selflessly for the ones she loves, Minori forces Taiga to recognize and admit her true feelings for Ryūji. Taiga is hesitant to acknowledge this truth because she also wants her best friend to be happy, but Minori admits that Taiga needs Ryūji more than her -- and that she's capable of finding her own happiness without Ryūji. Despite her admirable emotional strength, Minori eventually breaks down and cries in front of Ami when she realizes she lost everything.
While Taiga and Ryūji find their happy and romantic ending when their relationship is established, Minori is sidelined and her happiness is overshadowed. Minori suffers because of her selfless and caring nature that causes her to lose both her best friend and crush at the same time. Despite this heartbreaking and horrifying ending for such a sweet and lovable character, viewers can rest assured that Minori is bound to find her own happiness.
