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Tag Archives: fruits basket

All the Relationships in Fruits Basket Ranked

06 Tuesday Jul 2021

Posted by Jessica Wood in adaptation, anime, Blog, fandom, romance, shojo

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

anime relationships, fruits basket, fruits basket 2019, fruits basket anime, fruits basket manga, relationships

Now that the Fruits Basket anime has come to an end, I’d like to indulge in it a little longer by ranking all of the relationships in the series from my most to least favourite. Remember that this is all my personal opinion, so don’t complain if I rank your favourite ship low on the list, or your least favourite near the top.

Major spoilers for Fruits Basket, obviously.

  1. Yuki and Machi

Yes, I’m putting them even ahead of the main couple. Personally, I love this relationship dynamic just a little bit more and how it provides some of my favourite romantic moments. The two understand each other so well long before they officially get together, such as Machi breaking down a door to prevent Yuki from having a panic attack and Yuki later breaking a piece of chalk to prevent Machi from having an anxiety attack. It wasn’t so much that Yuki helped Machi gain a personality but more he let her realise parts of herself that she didn’t know were there. And Yuki was finally able to break free of the confines of the Sohma family thanks to Machi, who was practically the only girl at school who didn’t idolise him but saw him as he truly was.

2. Tohru and Kyo

Of course I couldn’t put them too low. Their love literally broke a generations-long curse! Watching Kyo change from an angry hot-head to a caring boyfriend all thanks to Tohru really shows how much he deserves such a special girl. It isn’t just Tohru; thanks to her influence he is gentler and more sociable with everyone. Even outside of romantic scenes, they interact so naturally and can’t get enough of each other’s company.

3. Hatsuharu and Isuzu

Not only do I adore their matching goth aesthetic (even their accessories match, now that is relationship goals) but I adore how Hatsuharu helped Rin through her trauma, and she in turn helped him transform from a punk kid to a responsible adult. Come to think of it, Rin seemed to pick up a few things from Tohru. Haru did realise that not all of his actions were right and he hurt Rin in some ways, yet he still vowed to do the right thing for her, while Rin realised it was ok to rely upon his support. It’s also kind of hilarious that after years of having a crush on her, Haru just came straight out and said ‘Wanna kiss?’ one day completely out of the blue.

4. Ayame and Mine

They’re both a little nuts, but that’s what makes them so perfect for each other. Even before the curse was broken, the two of them were completely overjoyed just being in each other’s presence and complement each other’s overwhelming confidence and sense of style. Mine probably knew about the curse for a long time and not only hid it from Akito but was perfectly happy being with Ayame, even if it meant she couldn’t hug him. Thank God the two can be all over each other now. Keeping with the theme of personal improvement, Mine also helped Ayame realise how cruelly he had treated Yuki in the past and was fully supportive when he tried to mend their relationship.

5. Ritsu and Mitsuru

It’s a shame we don’t see much of this couple, as they are another completely adorable pair. Not only do they fully relate to each other’s anxiety disorders but in a bonus manga, Mitsuru had no idea whether Ritsu was a man or a woman but didn’t care either way. I imagine she might not even find out until their wedding night! I’m glad we got to see a little more of their blossoming relationship in the anime and how they are a calming influence on each other.

6. Kisa and Hiro

Yes, they’re still too young and probably haven’t started a proper relationship yet, but it is easy to imagine they will eventually get together. Hiro recognised how he hurt Kisa, both intentionally and unintentionally, and realised he had to change for the better, even if it meant getting over his jealousy over Tohru. He became the knight who can protect Kisa.

7. Kakeru and Komaki

I’ll never forgive the anime for cutting out Komaki. She was such an integral part of Kakeru’s character arc. She helped him realise that ‘white knighting’ for her wasn’t right when it involved shooting other people down. That and it’s hilarious how he both plays pranks on her and finds even her smallest traits adorable. She truly is his ‘meat angel’.

8. Hatori and Mayuko

It’s not that I particularly dislike this couple, more it’s not one of my favourite side-plots. But it is a nice change of pace amidst so much high school drama to read a story about two mature adults who have already faced relationship issues and finally found peace with each other.

9. Kureno and Arisa

Even ignoring the age difference, there are a lot of red flags in this relationship. Kureno only seemed to fall for Arisa because she was one of the first people he met outside the Sohma family, they have little in common (not exactly Kureno’s fault since the confines of the Sohmas haven’t left him much room to develop a personality), and they are completely head-over-heels in love after interacting twice. I suppose the implication was supposed to be that their relationship was over before it even began thanks to the curse, but they still essentially decide to live happily-ever-after as soon as it’s broken rather than get to know each other naturally.

10. Ren and Akira

They are a perfect example of how some relationships can bring out the worst in a person. Akira certainly loved Ren, but only because his isolation left him with few options other than arranged brides. Ren was so jealous and possessive over Akira that she projected it onto their child, and Akira did little to stop this behaviour. Plus for all her talk of loving Akira, she was quick to jump into bed with Shigure just to spite Akito.

11. Kyoko and Katsuya

Yes, they did create the miracle that is Tohru Honda, but that doesn’t make their relationship much better if you really think about it. First of all, when they met Katsuya was an adult and Kyoko was only around fourteen. Secondly, they have little in common apart from both being lonely. Thirdly, Kyoko only married Katsuya because she had just been kicked out of her parent’s house and was dependant on him. The Honda family were a little right to be wary of her because she had a recent history of gang violence, and anger issues don’t go away just because you get married. Thankfully Kyoko matured and became a responsible mother after Katsuya died and realised she didn’t need to depend upon him her entire life.

12. Shigure and Akito

These two and their relationship dynamic are actually one of the most fascinating parts of the series for me. But that’s not the same as being healthy. Akito is a victim of abuse carrying on the cycle of abuse and is severely mentally ill. Shigure is cruel, manipulative, and willing to throw anyone under the bus to get what he wants, and justifies it by claiming it’s all for Akito’s sake. If some of the relationships above weren’t questionable enough, Shigure fell for Akito the night she was conceived and has retained that toxic hold over her ever since. He even slept with Akito’s mother just to make her jealous. And they still got married and had a son. The sequel manga did go some way to rectify this unhealthy relationship, but I still don’t see a bright future for the two of them.

 

What are your favourite and least favourite relationships in Fruits Basket? Let me know in the comments!

Manga Review: Fruits Basket Another

05 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by Jessica Wood in anime, art, Blog, internet, manga review, musings, romance, series review, shojo, story

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

fruits basket, fruits basket another, haru sohma, kyo sohma, manga, manga review, natsuki takaya, review, shigure sohma, tohru honda, tokyopop, yuki sohma

fb another

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya, the story of a teenage orphan who becomes involved with the reincarnated spirits of the Chinese zodiac, was one of the most influential manga and anime series of my late teen and university years and remains one of my favourite titles ten years later. It was so popular in the west that the end of its print run is probably one of the reasons why Tokyopop closed down. A few months ago it was announced that Takaya was releasing a sequel series online with the same setting but a new cast so of course I was excited. But do we really need another Fruits Basket or is Takaya trying to cash in on her former glory?

The story starts with Sawa Mitoma, a high school girl who purposely avoids interaction with others because she fears she is nothing but a bother. Her mother constantly leaves the house without telling her where she’s going or paying the rent, leaving Sawa to be shouted at by the landlady. After one such occasion makes her late for school and gets her in trouble with a teacher, she is ‘saved’ by a cute boy named Musuki Sohma, a member of the same Sohma clan from the original Fruits Basket. Musuki asks Sawa to go to the student council room after school, where she meets Hajime, another member of the Sohma family…By accidently stepping on his face.

After a few more brief encounters, Musuki announces that Sawa is to be a representative on the student council and all of a sudden the girl who avoided everyone is the talk of the entire school.

There are some instant and noticeable parallels with the story of Fruits Basket. The two Sohma boys are obvious copies of Yuki and Kyo, they might even be their sons, indicating that this is going to be another love triangle story. It already seems that the Kyo clone is going to be the winning love interest. I’m a little disappointed as when I was originally reading Fruits Basket, I shipped Tohru and Yuki for the longest time and thought it would be nice if ‘Yuki’ could be the winner this time. Then again, the Yuki clone is somewhat creepy and forced Sawa into the student council without asking her. Perhaps he is actually Shigure’s son.

I’m also pissed that out of all the five billion characters in Fruits Basket, the only one to make a cameo is Makoto Takei, the obnoxious leader of the student council. The one who Haru showed his… special area to. (It took me years to understand that joke!)

Sawa, like Tohru, is a cute yet plain girl in a criminally short skirt. The big difference I see between her and Tohru is that despite being an orphan and living in the woods, Tohru initially seemed to be endlessly cheerful and optimistic. As the story progressed, it became evident that this was just a mask to deal with her crippling emotional issues. Sawa’s issues are clear from the start, even the cover image spells it out. This made me emphasise with her a lot, especially when the stress gets to her and she starts to cry in public without meaning to, lamenting how she is constantly disappointed in herself. I hate to think what suddenly becoming the centre of attention at school is going to do to her already fragile emotional state.

The artwork and character designs are as adorable as I remember and there is the style of humour that Fruits Basket was known for, especially the face stepping incident. Did the Kyo clone get a good look up her skirt when that happened?

This sequel shows good potential to be just as good as its predecessor and we do know that Takaya is talented enough to pull it off. I do want to find out how Sawa is going to deal with her issues and why she is so important to the Sohmas. It will still take a little longer to see if the series progresses into a worthy successor so I’ll keep reading to see if that happens.

Manga review – I Am Here!

26 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by Jessica Wood in anime, art, internet, manga review, musings, series review, shojo, story

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

blogging, fruits basket, i am here, internet relationships, kodansha, manga review, romance manga, school manga, shojo manga

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk

The amount of slice of life shojo manga out there seems to be severely lacking ever since Fruits Basket ended. There have been re-prints of old titles like Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura, which we all appreciate, but when it comes to pure slice of life, there’s only been smaller, lesser known titles. Ouran High School Host Club probably doesn’t count because it’s more insane rich people.

I Am Here is one of those lesser known titles that deserves a bit more recognition. And that’s what I’m here for.

It’s the story of a middle school girl named Hikage Sumino who has no friends at school because she is invisible. Not literally of course. She is so quiet and shy that no one ever notices her; her classmates, her teachers, even waiters look right through her.

But really, if Hikage is as ‘plain’ looking as everyone in the manga says she is, then Japan must be full of slim, adorable, bright eyed, long haired teenage girls!

fanpop.com

fanpop.com

Behold, an ‘average’ teenage girl!

Hikage’s only joy comes from looking after a sunflower that she has found growing in a hidden corner of the schoolyard. And her only outlet to the world is through her photo blog, where she talks to her two online friends Black Rabbit and Mega Pig, who console her and try to help her with her problems.

One day, Hikage is surprised to find that Hinata, the most popular boy in school, knows her name. And not only that, he’s been watching her for a long time (don’t worry, not in a creepy stalker way) and wants to be friends with her.

Hikage is thrilled to finally be accepted by someone, but the other girls in her class soon become jealous of all the attention he is giving her. So Hikage must decide whether she should finally come out into the sun or stay in the shade where it’s safe.

fanpop.com

fanpop.com

I think I’m drawn to this series because in a lot of ways, it is a lot like Fruits Basket. The Hikage/Hinata/Teru trio has an almost uncanny resemblance to Tohru, Yuki and Kyo. But be warned, the romantic pairings may be a little different…

It lacks the soul crushing angst of Fruits Basket while keeping the heartwarming moments and occasional comedy that we all read it for. Hikage’s invisibility, as much of a heartache it is for her, is actually treated with humour. And so is the road accident that leaves her in the hospital for months!

The artwork is wonderfully shojo with lots of sparkles and flowers and pleasing character designs. The covers are simple, colourful and fitting and I also like how the members of Hikage’s class each have their own unique character designs rather than just being stick figure mooks. Although this class of 30 only seems to have about 5 boys in it…

This is a series that will really speak to anyone who has ever felt unnoticed. Things like the feeling of dread when the teacher asks the class to get into groups are all too relatable for shy people. It makes Hikage’s story incredibly realistic.

The ‘online friend is someone you know in real life’ story is a little done to death by now and writers still can’t seem to comprehend just how unlikely this story actually is. But thankfully it doesn’t actually take up that much of the plot. The first book is more about Hikage becoming accepted among her classmates and dealing with bullies while the second is about the love triangle.

The big reveal that the story builds up to is maybe a little obvious to any savvy shojo fan. It also takes quite a while for the third wheel in the love triangle, Teru, to get much focus in the story, and that dilutes the romance plot quite a bit.

The boy’s actions are also a little suspect, at least in my eyes. Hinata, love interest number 1, makes Hikage promise to pass her tests so that they can go to the fireworks festival together. But then he ends up messing her around so much that she can’t study and fails her tests, leaving her feeling guilty for breaking her promise! I’m sorry but that is NOT the way you treat a young girl with severe self-confidence issues.

At five volumes combined into two omnibuses in the English release by Kodansha, this series is refreshingly short compared to the never ending drama of Furuba. But in a way, that also hinders it as the love triangle element of the story comes in a bit suddenly half way through the story and is then resolved rather quickly.

Still, this is a great little series for shojo fans that most definitely needs more love. Check it out if you want a good, heartwarming story about love and acceptance.

My verdict – 5/5.

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