I know this conversation is a few months old, but since I just recently watched Toradora for the first this weekend(yes all 25 episodes in less than 2 days) and I really loved it, but the ending did make me think a little and I just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in! :D Not that anybody cares anymore... First, I'd like to point out, my views are based off the dub version... My brain has trouble trying to watch something and reading at the same time, so I have to stick with dubs... So hopefully the dub isn't too far off the original dialogue. So most everyone has aptly explained Taiga's running off quite well. She did it to fix her relationship with her family and all that jazz. Although no one has quite addressed why she left without directly telling Ryuuji. Based on my thoughts, I believe it has to do with wanting to become a more mature and rounded person, she up until this point has relied on Ryuuji for everything and I believe she had to prove to herself that she could fix her relationship with her mother on her own and not having to rely on Ryuuji as much, so she could feel more his equal, which she began displaying that more self-sufficient attitude earlier when she began cleaning her apartment herself and such. So I believe going on her own to her mother's was the final step in maturing that way. And she didn't tell Ryuuji, because she knew he would want to help her, he did promise he wouldn't let her runaway again, so in her mind, the only way Ryuuji wouldn't try to help her out in her personal journey to fix her relationship with her family was to leave without his knowing, because he would be loyal to his promise to her. NOW, the ending headbutt... It was kind of a let down after seeing such sweet and affectionate interactions at the beginning of the Episode. After thinking a bit, it makes since that this is the way Taiga would react. Assumably they haven't seen each other in about a year and Taiga, now in a much better standing with her family and ready to return to Ryuuji, decides she would surprise Ryuuji at his graduation ceremony, as seen in the show. But Ryuuji spoils her surprise by finding her before she's ready. Between the fact she hasn't seen him in a year and the fact that he spoiled her surprise, she becomes flustered and slightly embarrassed. And I think a good indication that she wouldn't particularly like her surprise being ruined is the previous episode when she literally jumps on Ryuuji's head because she was the one who was supposed to say "I love you" first, and being the short fused person she is and will always be(this trait still seen even during the very touching "wedding practice" scene) she overreacts because in both instances she wanted to be the one to express her love first, one by actually telling him and the other by surprising him. So she is already flustered because of that, and then with Ryuuji finally tells her he loves her, she is thrown over the edge as far as being embarrassed over the whole situation and headbutts him. And I don't think she wasn't ready or disliked his "I love you." It was in her mind Ill timed, as she then says "You're suppose to wait for the right moment!" And in her mind, just having seen each other after a year and being embarrassed that her surprise was spoiled made it probably not the best moment to say it. But still, her reaction when he does say "I love you." Gives the best indication of how she feels, her blushing and flustered reaction, in my mind anyway, shows she truly appreciates it and feels the same way in return, it's just the situation that led up to the I love you that set off her headbutt reaction, caused her to react in her typical slightly violent way, even if she didn't intend to. So by thinking of it that way, I think the ending is actually satisfying and sweet and accurate to Taiga's personality... That combined with thier shared inner monologue about finding love and that it's the way it's suppose to be does make me happy. Would I rather have it end in an embrace or something sweeter? Sure. And in my head(this is literally the first time I've ever applied headcanon to anything) after the headbutt she realizes what she did, calls him a klutz (or whatever she says in the Japanese version) and then embraces him. Which is, if I remember what I read, is part of the light novel, so by extension I think that's what happens right after the headbutt... So anyway, long post... Sorry. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the matter, even though this discussion has been dead for awhile. After finishing it and seeing so many negative comments about the end, I thought I'd try to give my reasoning on the matter on why it actually is a very fitting ending. Cheers everyone!