I'm currently working my way through the Manga series Toradora! in English. So far I've finished volumes 1-2 and am working my way through volume 3. This series was turned into an Anime, however, the powers that be deemed it would not be enough of a commercial success in America and so it was never dubbed into English and is only available as a subtitle only release. Which is a shame because I find it a compelling slice-of-life high school romantic comedy.
I find that one factor that will compell me to buy a manga edition over any other criteria is if the associated Anime does NOT have an English dub. I also bought the omnibus edition manga to Strawberry Panic! for exactly the same reason. If there's an English manga version of Oriemo then someday I'll buy that also.
Ryuuji is a kind-hearted teen who only looks like a tough guy on the outside. And then he gets on the bad side of his school's tiny terror, Taiga Aisaka, aka "the palm-top tiger". She is the ultimate Tsundere from hell. It's a story of star-crossed love. Taiga actually likes Ryuuji's best friend, and Ryuuji likes Taiga's best friend, Minori. But ironically enough, not only does Ryuuji capture Taiga's rather unwanted attention, he discovers that they're practically next door neighbors. He also learns Taiga doesn't have the best family life and lives alone and doesn't take very good care of herself. He takes pity on her and lets her have home cooked meals with him and his mother next door. Taiga is definitely a little spitfire, full of passion. She has a reputation for brutally shooting down any boy who has ever asked her out. Most of the girls except for Minorin think she's a little scary. Yet Taiga is also lovesick and forelorn. And she becomes platonic friends with Ryuuji.
They end up spending so much time together that rumours start flying that they are themselves a couple. And as much as they hotly deny it, people don't seem to believe them. And with the tender affection that emerges between Ryuuji and Taiga as he comforts her in her moments of pain and anguish, we don't really believe it either.
I have not seen the anime series and have not finished the manga, but I predict this will turn out to be a heart-warming take on the "realizing the boy/girl I love was in front of me the whole time" story-line.
