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cinderella-ish · 1 month

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My evolving thoughts on who Yuki should've ended up with, and fanfic's role in changing my mind

So, I want to talk about Yuki Sohma.

Yuki is the member of the main trio in Fruits Basket with whom I most identify. I have little in common with both Tohru and Kyo, and it took me several watches and read-throughs to start to understand their characters/arcs. (I love them, don't get me wrong! I just didn't fully appreciate the depth of their characters/arcs until maybe my third time through the series.)

Yuki, on the other hand, not only had many external qualities in common with me, but the way he grew mirrored some of the ways I changed in early adulthood. His arc felt true to my life, and so he was my favorite character from my first exposure to Fruits Basket.

When I started reading fanfic, I initially limited myself to canon compliant or limited canon-divergence fics, but eventually, I dipped my toes into some alternate pairings. Interestingly, while I truly can't see Tohru with anyone but Kyo, and I can only see Kyo with someone other than Tohru in very specific circumstances, Yuki seems to work with almost everyone he gets paired with. I mean, Yuki and Machi are my OTP, yet I have probably read (and bookmarked) every Yuki/Kakeru fic on Ao3, and some of the most beautiful fanfic I've ever read is Yuki/Kyo.

This confused me at first. Deeply. If Yuchi is my OTP, why do I devour every Yukeru and Yukyo fic?

Well, I think that's because Yuki's arc is, among other things, one where he rejects compulsory romance. This is made explicit in the Cinderella-ish story (why yes this is my favorite part of Fruits Basket, why do you ask?), where he quite literally rejects the role of the prince - the role that's been put onto him by others through the series. I think his arc would have been complete without him ending up with Machi, but there are things about their relationship that make his ending so much more satisfying. In stories where he ends up with Kakeru or Kyo, Machi almost always appears as an important friend for him. I think, for him, having strong bonds outside the Sohmas that he forged on his own was the point, rather than ending up in a relationship.

Anyway, with that out of the way, here are my thoughts on the five most common Yuki pairings on Ao3!

Yuki/Machi

Yes. I love them. 1000/10.

Okay, so the one criticism I have of Yuki/Machi is that Yuki is strongly gay-coded throughout the series, and it would've been awesome to see that play out in the way it was set up. I think that's a huge part of why I connected with Yuki - his arc definitely reminded me of my own experience coming to terms with my own queerness. For more on this, see this exceptional post by @yunsoh

But there are so many moments between them that make me swoon. The chalk scene, first and foremost. I used that scene to talk to my partner about how to support me when my OCD or ADHD is bad. Then there's scene where Yuki figures out why Machi destroys things, then asks to make footprints in the snow together (and tells her he's proud of her! and sees how hard she's worked!). The way he bought her Mogeta memorabilia or figured out she likes red or understood her intent when she chased him around the school to give him a flower and just ended up getting angry at him. The way he understood she bought Tohru a bath set because it's what she would want, just because Kakeru made a similar remark. The way he lit up when he saw Machi's trashed apartment - "the sea of despair."

And the way Machi understood and empathized with Yuki. The way he lit up and started laughing when she called him an airhead. The way she said it took someone like him to notice someone like her. The way she opened up to him and always sought him out. The way Kakeru shipped them. The way he knew she would miss him if he were to disappear, and the way being a support to her was something he needed for himself. The way she accepted him as he actually was, and not the way he thought he was supposed to be. The way she broke the door down with a chair when Yuki was trapped in the storage room. The way he teased her!

They've both been put in seemingly desirable positions within their families, yet those positions are responsible for so much of their pain and trauma. They get each other at a deep level. There's a mutuality to their relationship that Yuki desperately needed. I love them so much!

PS: if you also love Yuki/Machi, come find me on Ao3! I'll be posting some Yuchi content later this week!

Yuki/Kakeru

They have a fantastic and fun dynamic, and they are always touching each other. Kakeru is Yuki's confidant and someone who makes Yuki feel safe in being himself, flaws and all. They help each other grow - Yuki helps Kakeru be more empathetic, and Kakeru helps Yuki become more comfortable with himself. I think this pairing would have also been a satisfying end for Yuki, full stop. I love them, and I will read all your Yukeru fics, please and thank you. (Also, lots of Yukeru writers are just really good writers, so there are some gorgeous works for them.)

Yuki/Kyo

So, I didn't get why this ship was so popular at first, but then I was reminded that Yuki's first thought when he met Kyo was "pretty!" They both secretly admired each other, they're written as foils for each other, and there's a reason enemies to lovers is so popular (and it's called sexual tension).

There's a Yuki/Kyo fic that I'd credit with showing me what fanfic can really do - especially in the ways it expanded the universe, found its own way of handling the curse, and developed the relationship between the two boys in a way that also grew their characters. That fic is The Pursuit of Repeating History by @mistergrass

I do think that Yuki ending up with someone outside the Sohmas is more satisfying for his character arc than someone from the Sohma clan, but his relationship with Kyo is such a key part of his arc that this could be satisfying in its own right.

Yuki/Haru

I absolutely love the relationship these two have in canon. I love how Haru looks out for Yuki, and I love how he drives Yuki a bit crazy. I love how Haru tells Yuki the things he needs to hear, like that it's okay for him to focus on himself for a while, and I love how Yuki braves the Sohma estate to check on Haru. I also love the way Haru can read Yuki like a book.

Haru's words to Yuki about finding someone who will appreciate his fragility and kindness are always so touching. Haru is almost a mentor to Yuki, in a way, or a fairy godmother. (Or a long lost sister?) The fact that he was the one who got Yuki out of isolation at the hands of Akito, or that he was the one person who would check on him just speaks to the strength of his loyalty to Yuki.

I take Haru's statement of "Yuki was my first love" seriously, because he tells Yuki he is serious when Yuki warns him people will take him seriously when he says that. I know there's an argument to be made that Haru is just being his weird self, but that gives me and they were roommates vibes.

Unfortunately, most of the Yuki/Haru fics are dubcon with Dark Haru, which is not something I enjoy reading. What I'd really love to read is an AU where they're together in high school or later, or something that explores Haru's early feelings for Yuki, or just something that explores interesting sides of their characters that are brought out when they're together.

I don't think this would be a terribly satisfying end for Yuki, but I do really love their dynamic.

Yuki/Tohru

Okay, so, full disclosure: I was #teamyuki when I first watched Fruits Basket. Yet now, they're the only pairing on this list that I don't like. Why? Well, as I said above, Yuki's arc is much about rejecting this specific compulsory romance.

Compulsory how? Well, from the beginning, the series seems like it's setting up a love triangle, but kind of tells us (more and more explicitly as the series goes on) that things are not what they seem.

I think the series does a phenomenal job of making the reader/viewer complicit in placing this compulsory romance onto Yuki. A brief aside, making the reader/viewer complicit in the thing a story is criticizing is one of the most effective ways to criticize something, IMO, because it doesn't let the reader/viewer off the hook. We don't get to say, "Look at them, they're so foolish!" We're forced to examine our own expectations and acknowledge that we were made a fool of, too.

I totally got tingles at the spa scene (pictured above), even though upon rewatch, it's obvious how much of an act it is on Yuki's part, and how uncomfortable it makes Tohru. In fact, many of their most "romantic" moments, where the shojo bubbles appear and everything, are when Tohru is acting in an explicitly motherly way to Yuki, and he awkwardly tries to flirt because he's either misinterpreting his feelings or in denial about them.

I also thought his line, "that isn't what I want!" when he tells Kakeru about his true feelings for Tohru is one of the most powerful moments in the series. It's the moment he's finally letting go of being the Princely character and choosing to be himself, for himself, because he deserves to be known and accepted - something he'd never fully believed until that moment.

I think part of why I was initially #teamyuki was because I came to Fruits Basket through the anime first, where much of the development of his relationship with Machi was cut. Also, as I said above, I didn't really get the characters of Kyo and Tohru right away, and I think that prevented me from seeing the power of their romance. The True Form arc was a key moment that I truly didn't understand until several viewings/readings later.

So, all of that is why I don't care for this pairing. I get why people do, but I do feel it undermines Yuki's agency and his character arc. It's a pairing that makes me sad when I see it, as if this character I love has taken a step backward.

(Incidentally, I've been wanting to write a fic where the True Form arc plays out differently and Yuki takes longer to realize the nature of his feelings for Tohru. I truly wonder how he would've come to that understanding without witnessing her running after Kyo. Would he have tried dating her? Would it have been a total disaster?)

Other pairings and larger relationship structures

Out of the other pairings I found, the only one I'm genuinely curious about is Yuki with Saki Hanajima. I'll have to go read those fics. They are each the "cold" half of a "hot/cold" duo (the "hot" halves being Kyo and Arisa, who are basically the same person). I'm very curious what led people to pair them in the handful of fics about them!

(Interestingly, I think it's possible to read Saki and Arisa both as having a bit of sexual tension with Kyo, but not with Yuki.)

The others include Akito, Ayame, Hatori, and Shigure - all pairings that would have a noncon/dubcon element due to Yuki's age, and that's before you get into the specific traumas that these characters have inflicted on Yuki, or the inherent power dynamics between them, or the close familial relationship with Ayame, etc...

The trio relationships are all intriguing and full of possibility. Yuki/Tohru/Kyo? Obviously. Yuki/Kakeru/Kimi? Potential for lots of wackiness. Yuki/Kyo/Haru? Could be the next Mabudachi trio.

(No shade to anyone who enjoys fics with the pairings or tropes I don't like! This blogger believes in "don't like, don't read.")

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kris-creations · 9 months

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Here’s Season 2 of my analysis for Fruits Basket Cuts and Changes

I apologize for the delay, been really busy and had Furuba burnout while working on this.

Here’s part 1

Left Out/changed entirely:

-Kyo noticing and feeling relieved Tohru’s scratch from True Form healed with no scars.

-Hiro ran to Kazuma’s dojo after stealing Tohru’s notebook.

Season 2 Ep 1, Chapter 42

Left out: Minegawa not wanting to elect a new Yuki Club President and the discussion of hiding the fact she broke a Yuki Club rule.

Season 2 Ep 2, Chapter 46

Left out: Kyo noticed a glimpse of Tohru’s anxiety for the future.

Season 2 Ep 3, Chapters 36, 47

Changed: They awkwardly combined both of Yuki’s important conversations with Ayame.

Season 2 Ep 5, Chapter 50

Changed: Kureno actually bumped into Arisa as well at the convenient store, further adding the similarities to Arisa’s first meeting with Tohru.

Season 2 Ep 5, Chapter 53

Left out: Tohru’s window broke and Kyo saw her holding the hat.

Part 2: https://www.tumblr.com/kris-creations/724948386244067328/xgirl109

Part 3: https://www.tumblr.com/kris-creations/724949438171316224/xgirl109

#fruits basket #furuba #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket season 2 #tohru honda #kyo sohma #yuki sohma #fruits basket analysis #Cuts and Changes

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the-sage-libriomancer · 6 months

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Shigure's relationship with Kyo drives me crazy. he doesn't hate Kyo in the slightest - in fact, he pities Kyo, and not in the condescending "oh you poor little boy, cursed to be a horrible, disgusting monster" sort of way that everyone else does. Shigure pities Kyo for the reason he should be pitied: he's just a kid caught up in a system so inhumane it can't possibly be survived without some seriously unhealthy coping mechanisms.

and it drives me crazy because - listen, Shigure is the only zodiac member who's emotionally aware enough to see the other zodiac members as exactly what they are. he knows Yuki is a severely traumatized kid who projects all of his self-hatred on a single convenient target. he knows Akito is really a scared little girl with a raging god complex (literally) and no concept of a healthy relationship. and he knows Kyo is a regular-ass human being who doesn't deserve to be locked up for the rest of his life just because some arbitrary system says so. he KNOWS it's stupid. he KNOWS it's ridiculous and unfair. and he has to share a house with Kyo knowing that Kyo is living with a sword over his head, hating himself and hating others in perfect tandem because he has no other way of coping with the insane amounts of negativity he's had to deal with his entire life.

but the thing about Shigure is that he KNOWS all of this, and the same time he doesn't really CARE. he feels sorry for Kyo, but an apathetic sort of pity, a disinterested "this is how it is. such a shame." sort of pity. in some ways he's worse than the other zodiacs because he DOES see Kyo as a person, someone he likes being around even, but he still considers Kyo below his attention because all his focus is on Akito and breaking the curse. and sure, once the curse is broken Kyo will theoretically be set free with the rest of them, but that's more of a coincidental side effect than anything. despite being in a much more dangerous and precarious mental space AND comfortably in Shigure's reach, Kyo is about as much a priority for Shigure as Ritsu or Momiji.

and it drives me CRAZY because i think Shigure does start actively caring about Kyo as the series goes on, but it's hard to tell when that happens and to what extent. when Kazuma told Shigure he planned to reveal Kyo's true form and Shigure said he was going too far - whose sake was it for? was Shigure trying to protect Kyo, who would be hideously traumatized/emotionally scarred by such a cruel betrayal? was he trying to protect Kyo and Tohru's relationship, which was still formulating and might, under such severe testing, ultimately end up damaged beyond repair? was he only trying to protect Tohru, who wasn't ready to be burdened by such a horrible aspect of the curse so soon, or perhaps simply didn't deserve it? or was it all for the sake of himself, trying to protect his still-forming plans of using Tohru's positive effect on the Sohmas to break the curse?

Shigure cares about Kyo, but they're not close and Kyo clearly isn't a priority. he treats Kyo like a person - offering him genuine advice, teasing him like he teases anyone else, even speaking up on his behalf once or twice - and yet he's too entrenched in the long game to spare much active interest in Kyo. for a very long time, he doesn't care about Kyo the way he cares about Yuki or Tohru, and it's never made clear when exactly that changed. and the thing that gets me about this whole situation is that right from the start, Shigure is in a position where he can meet Kyo at his level - as equals, just one human being to another - but he doesn't, because Shigure is a chessmaster, Shigure is someone who observes and calculates, Shigure never steps in unless one of his chess pieces makes a wrong move and he absolutely has to.

it drives me crazy. Shigure drives me crazy. this series drives me so so crazy.

#i think my point here was “shigure sees kyo as an actual human being but still treats him badly”#which is kind of the point of shigure - it's why he's such a gray character #he plays with people's lives like they're toys #but this post actually originated from the realization that shigure doesn't hate kyo in the slightest #(honestly i don't think the majority of the zodiac actually *dislikes* kyo. i think they're just too used to dehumanizing him)#and i was like “okay. so how *does* shigure view kyo?”#and then i thought about it more and went progressively more insane #tbf i think shigure knew he was being immoral in the way he treated kyo #he's incredibly self-aware and knows exactly what he's doing #he just chooses to do it anyway. that's why he calls himself “despicable”#i think the fact that kyo clearly suspects shigure has something more going on under the surface probably didn't help either #it's a very interesting sort of complex #anyway. them #fruits basket #shigure sohma #kyo sohma #analysis #edited for your convenience #(<-capitalized all the names bc it was driving me up the wall)

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chodzacaparodia · 1 month

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Another reason why Episode Nagi is a shoujo manga

One thing from Episode Nagi chapter 21 hit me hard. I mean the moment when Nagi was thinking about how Reo believed in him.

No one had ever placed hope in Nagi before. He himself has also never shown any initiative before. Nagi didn't seem like a person who would do something or be motivated to act because he believed in himself.

It wasn't until he realized that someone believed in him. Thanks to this faith, he began to act. And when there was no one around who believed in him, he was left with faith in himself.

However, Nagi would never believe in himself unless someone (Reo) believed in him first. Without it, he would still remain passive and do nothing with his life.

When I noticed this dependence, I immediately thought that a similar philosophy was presented in Fruits Basket (shoujo manga).

I'm specifically talking about story of Kisa, who had problems getting along with her classmates. She received a letter from a teacher who briefly advised her to like herself first so that others would like her.

However, Yuki did not agree with this.

When someone likes you, you will like yourself.

When someone believes in you, you will believe in yourself.

In both cases, the entire change depends on the other person. The character won't do much on their own because they need some motivator to influence them.

In Fruits Basket, this should not be surprising, because it is a shoujo manga that will focus on interpersonal relationships.

However, for example, in the main series of Blue Lock, where Isagi is the protagonist, the main character does not really need anyone's help for his development, because he is his own cause. Isagi does everything himself. Yes, he uses the help of others, but it is not perceived that way. He didn't need anyone else to believe in him to believe in himself. (Yes, this could be an example of his initial relationship with Bachira, when Meguru immediately began to have great hopes in Isagi. However, I don't see it as "Oh, Bachira believed in me, now I believe in myself! I wouldn't have gone this far, if it weren't for him.", because Isagi very quickly began to notice his own possibilities, which he was entitled to himself).

But Nagi is not like Isagi. He couldn't do anything on his own. He needed someone who would believe in him. If it weren't for Reo, his life would have come to a standstill. He would have no reason to believe in himself or work on himself.

Nagi is more like a shoujo protagonist who needs the presence of another person to initiate his development. He doesn't necessarily need this person all the time in order to continue to develop, but he certainly wouldn't be able to make any changes in his life without their constant presence in his mind.

And Episode Nagi (compared to Blue Lock) does not focus just on the independent development of the main character, but also devotes a lot of attention to his relationship with another person.

I'm not saying it doesn't exist in Blue Lock. It's just more emphasized in Episode Nagi, in a shoujo manga style.

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falling-star-cygnus · 3 months

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Valentino is the most sludge-sucking, horrendous, tone deaf character i have ever seen portrayed in media and i hate him with every bone in my body

but goddamnit im a slut for good character design and the little "o^o" faces he makes HAVE NO RIGHT BEING THAT CUTE

LOOK AT THIS ASSHOLE

#somebody had to say it #full disclosure his character is beautifully orchestrated #a villain perfectly written and irredeemable #like what's her face from fruits basket #but worse #hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel 2024 #character analysis #hazbin hotel valentino #the vees #hazbin hotel vees #valentino hazbin hotel

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celestialastronmy · 5 months

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It seems like people are always saying that the main character, Tohru, is boring because she's just there for us to project ourselves onto, without any real personality of her own. But that's just not true.

Sure, she comes across as really kind and upbeat at first glance. But there's so much more to her than just being a "good girl". Her past taught her how to be resilient after going through struggles that would break most people her age. And her care for others comes from truly understanding what we all need - compassion in a world that can be so cruel.

The critics only see surface things and stereotypes instead of who Tohru really is as a person. She connects with each member of the Sohma family not by trying to save them, but by appreciating their humanity above all else. Tohru grows not through angst or ambition, but by finding her self-worth through the family she chose.

Saying she doesn't matter is like saying the heart of the story doesn't matter. These stories thrive not just on drama, but on showing us that love and acceptance can heal even the deepest wounds. Tohru shows us this by building such deep bonds and inspiring so much growth in everyone around her.

At first look she might seem plain, but Tohru offers a nuanced portrayal of finding purpose through caring for others. Her character resonates because it conveys such meaningful messages about family, forgiveness, and unconditional care for all people through kindness rather than dramatics alone.

#tohru honda #fruits basket #meta #character analysis #shoujo #i love her so much

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cormancatacombs · 6 months

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A more polished version of what I tried scribbling on a marker board after my partner asked how my day was…

[Image ID: A 3-circle Venn diagram comparing the TV series Haunting Of Bly Manor, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and Fruits Basket (2019).

The overlap between Revolutionary Girl Utena and Fruits Basket reads “shoujo anime.”

The overlap between Haunting Of Bly Manor and Revolutionary Girl Utena reads, “WLW.”

The overlap between Haunting of Bly Manor and Fruits Basket reads “tearjerker.”

The overlap between all 3 reads “breaking supernatural cycles of trauma &/or abuse.”

End of description.]

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goldenharmony · 9 months

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Colour Association with Romantic Interest (OnK/Fruits Basket Spoiler)

As a fan of both these series, I noticed a vague similarity with ships.

Kana’s idol colour is represented through white, which also happens to be Aqua’s favourite colour.

Similarly in Fruits Basket, Yuki is pinned to be “red” based on the student council being assigned colours, and its later revealed that Machi likes the colour red, which was also hinting at her feelings for Yuki.

#oshi no ko #aquakana #furuba #fruits basket #yuichi #yuki sohma #machi kuragi #aqua hoshino #kana arima #analysis #onk analysis #my analysis #onk spoilers

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haydenthehistorian · 11 months

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New video! The FRUITS BASKET PROBLEM

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgbDHEye_Xk

Art by https://twitter.com/aime_bun

#fruits basket #furuba #studio deen #natsuki takaya #2001 #anime #analysis #anitube #aesthetic #y2k #2000s #early 2000s #manga #kodocha #kodomo no omocha #nurse angel ririka sos #bokura ga ita #akazukin chacha

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asafeplaceforus112 · 4 months

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Fruits basket Zodiac = Neurodivergent

Please forgive me if its hard to read due to spelling or grammer or stuff, I cranked this out in like 5 minutes and this stuff is based on personal experience rather than academic research

What the text reads is under keep reading

The treatment of the zodiac children in fruits basket is similar to the treatment of neurodivergent children. The disgust, overprotectiveness or denial of the parents is often how many neurodivergent children are brought up.

Furthermore, the predisposition to risk factors such as personality, mood or eating disorders is also similar to neurodivergent people. For example, being seen as strange by the other children which results in the bullying such as for Chise.

Similarly to how neurodivergence is a spectrum, each zodiac is different from each other, but also has similarities and a shared understanding that they cannot fully understand each other even though they are the same.

Furthermore, the whole “zodiac spirits can hug each other without transforming” thing which results in them having relationships with each other more easily than a zodiac x “normal” person, is similar to how neurodivergent people end up together a lot, even if they’re different types.

Each zodiac member obviously masks to the outside world just like neurodivergent people, and whilst not the greatest fit, the fact that when the zodiacs hug someone they change into an animal, could be interpreted as them unmasking in front of someone they love. This fits more than the last concept, but the fact that the zodiacs turn into their animal form when they are sick or weak, matches how neurodivergent people struggle to mask when overburdened.

Furthermore, I know its because its an anime, but the fact that most of the zodiacs have like only 1 or 2 outfits that you see them in, shows how they have comfort items like yuki or literally most of them. Also similarly to neurodivergent people with similar vibes as me, having a comfort aesthetic that is consistent with clothes for example Isuzu or momoji.

The bond the zodiac has is similar to the idea of a bond between neurodivergent people si similar to the whole “Similar way of thinking of the world” thing people go on about.

The dislike of being touched without permission is interesting.

The separation between siblings who are neurodivergent and their other siblings is VERY similar to the separation between the non-neurodivergent and neurodivergent kids (in my experience).

How the zodiac are either thought of as “gifted and productive” or “Trouble makers and stupid” are also very similar to how neurodivergent children are treated.

Also Yuki was totally gay. Theres no way he wasn’t gay, he literally had an enemies to lovers arc with manabe, like???? You’re telling me that yuki was a girl he wouldn’t have fallen for manabe???

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kursed-arcana · 7 months

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Rin feelings for Kagura and their bond as foster siblings

Rin and Kagura's foster sibling relationship may be rocky but its clear they both care about eachother. Siblings don't always get along. Sometimes being close to someone involves petty arguments and cruel remarks (like rin telling kagura her love is fake). A lot of siblings aren't exactly super close and loving, sometimes there's animosity, but still a sense of loyalty for those you're stuck with. Rin didn't get that from her own family, and she didnt choose kagura's, but kagura and her mother are loyal to her. That's what it's about at its core. But more importantly, a lot of subtlety was lost in the anime.

It's important to realize that most of the early stuff we saw of Rin was her at her worst. She was pushing everyone away. Haru, Hiro, kagura. She was trying to push them away to protect them while she risked her life to free Haru from the curse.

Takaya sensei has also said that Rin got into fashion partially as a result of living with Kagura (and that haru made her acessories lol). And speaking of fashion, we see Rin's sense of fashion change of her arc is resolved. She goes from wearing a lot of tight clothes. To wearing more loose fitting items. This change helps illustrate her personality softening and her no longer feeling the need the need to be held tightly. It shows her being more comfortable and relaxed

There were great moments that show Rin and Kagura's character development that were left out of the anime. Like how rin snapped at kagura for hitting tohru and how kagura apologized and comforted her with a hug. And then later when kagura is whining, she asks rin to comfort her, rin calls her annoying but her expression is softer, and she doesn't try to remove kagura from her shoulder. Sensei's (kyo's dad's) assistant even comments on how they've gotten much closer recently.

Rin is just a hit of a tsundere. We see it in her interactions with tohru and haru as well. She gets embarrassed and gets a little obstinant about hiding her true feelings.

This is why moments like these are important and the anime butchering the finale season is such a tragedy. We get the core character arcs but we don't really get to see how the characters change. It's why the manga is a well written masterpiece and the anime falls short. Too many stories tell and don't show. Fruits basket shows how the characters change, even characters who didn't get much attention like Ritsu.

Bonus

I primarily focused on Rin in thus analysis because I saw someone saying they believe Rin doesn't like Kagura, but there are multiple clear moments of affection on Kagura's side and I'd like to briefly mention a few.

Like kagura going to visit Rin and stay with her instead of attending the barbecue at Shigure's or her concern about Rin being missing, and wondering if she was really in the hospital, as well as picking up her diploma for her graduation.

#fruits basket #furuba #fruba #natsuki takaya #kagura sohma #isuzu sohma #rin sohma #rin soma #isuzu souma #kagura souma #kagura soma #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket the final #analysis #anime #anime analysis #manga #shoujo #shojo

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cinderella-ish · 1 month

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Yuki, Kakeru, and the boyhoods they never had

So, I was talking with my partner the other day about how Kakeru and Yuki are always touching each other (one of many reasons they're the most popular non-canonical furuba pairing on Ao3). Anyway, it got me thinking-- if we don't read all this physical contact as necessarily romantic, what are some other possible explanations? An examination:

When Yuki first meets Kakeru, he immediately gets up in his face talking about his favorite Super Sentai character, then walks him out of the student council office with an arm around his neck, despite Yuki's obvious discomfort.

When Kakeru puts a hand on his shoulder soon after, he teases Yuki about his feminine features. Yuki bats his hand away and decides he already hates Kakeru.

In Kakeru's next appearance, he puts a hand on Yuki's shoulder, removing it when Yuki gives him a death glare.

When Kakeru stays behind that day to needle Yuki about Tohru, Yuki is the one to initiate touch this time. This leads to the two of them sharing a moment of vulnerability and the true beginning of their friendship. Kakeru putting his thumbs up on Yuki's shoulder is also a change to the way he's touched Yuki before - it's perhaps a bit more comfortable for Yuki, who's reacted negatively to all touch from Kakeru before this. Kakeru's communicating in his own way that he'll try and consider Yuki's needs from now on.

Next, we have the Kyoto trip, in which Yuki is still not fully comfortable with Kakeru (shown by his embarrassment when he tells Kakeru they wouldn't be friends anymore), but is starting to consider him a friend and spend time with him intentionally. We also have some sweet moments like this exchange between Haru and Kakeru, which Kakeru takes very seriously.

After this, Yuki finally learns (some of) Kakeru's backstory when he goes to help Kakeru clean up after Machi destroyed the student council office again. Yuki gets context for why Kakeru is the way that he is, learns about the successorship conflict, and then tries out some Kakeru chaos for himself. We also see Yuki initiate touch for the third time. I think this episode is where the real shift in their relationship happened. Yuki sees that there's a wisdom to Kakeru that he wasn't seeing without that context of Kakeru's oppressive childhood-- something to which Yuki can relate all too well. In a way, Kakeru's impulsiveness and sense of fun is his own way of either reclaiming or living out the childhood he didn't get to have, along with other traits like his love of Super Sentai.

And now, a brief aside.

We see pretty clearly that the other three cursed Sohma boys around Yuki's age are all pretty comfortable interacting with each other physically. Kyo will roughhouse with Haru and give Momiji noogies, Momiji will hug or lean on both Kyo and Haru. These sorts of interactions began when they were young boys, and are pretty typical of boys through adolescence. Yuki, being shut in a room with Akito or alone, didn't get to have that experience of boyhood. All his physical interactions with Kyo are negative, and his physical interactions with Momiji are neutral-ish (Momiji jumps on him at the culture festival, Yuki dabs his tears in Kisa's first episode, and Yuki scolds Momiji a handful of times). (Aside within the aside: while Haru sometimes reciprocates the affection from Momiji or rough play from Kyo, he clearly has a special way of physically interacting with Yuki in the T-shape and shirt pinch, or the stroking of his chin, etc..., and he initiates touch with Yuki much more often than with the other two, likely because he noticed that as one more thing Yuki was missing out on and wanted to include him in a way that would be comfortable for him.)

So when Kakeru tells Yuki about his childhood, and Yuki gets stuck in the storage room later that episode and has a flashback to his own terrible childhood, he's already primed to open up to Kakeru about his own childhood and to start looking at the world more like Kakeru does.

So, after that day, their friendship becomes much more physical. Yuki no longer bats away Kakeru's hand and even initiates touch more often. They roughhouse and Kakeru often puts his arm around Yuki in a gesture of affection. To me, it's a way of reclaiming those experiences they didn't get to have in their childhood-- especially the type of friendships neither of them got to form when they were younger.

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kris-creations · 9 months

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Part 2

Season 2 Ep 7, Chapter 59

Left out: Tohru thought how Akito’s arrival felt like a fire had gone out in everyone.

Season 2 Ep 10, Chapter 65

Changed/Left out: The boys also thought about wanting to protect Tohru.

Season 2 Ep 11, Chapter 66

Left out: Tohru’s friends teasing her about going on a “date” with someone and Kyo thinking her flustered face was cute.

Ep 11, Chapter 67

Left out: Tohru remembering her mom and Yuki and Kyo telling her to be herself while her memory of Kyo looks the clearest.

Ep 11, Chapter 68

Left out: Kagura wondering if Kyo would be relieved to hear Kagura had already given up on being with Kyo.

Season 2 Ep 14, Chapter 70

Changed: during Tohru’s memory spiral, there’s an image of Kyo or Katsuya along with her begging someone “don’t go” like her mom.

Season 2 Ep 15, Chapter 71

Left out: along with flashes of her mom and Kyo and her putting a lid on those feelings, there’s also a glimpse of 2 people who later we find out is Kakeru and his girlfriend, Komaki.

Season 2 Ep 17, Chapter 76

Changed: Tohru hesitated before approaching Kyo.

Then, she dropped her wallet that held a picture of her mom to chase after Kyo.

Ep 17, Chapter 76

Left out: the teachers go scold students for being in the other genders room while Mayu thinks about how it’s weird our main cast is passed out and NOT being troublemakers.

Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/kris-creations/724947590273204224/heres-season-2-of-my-analysis-for-fruits-basket

Part 3: https://www.tumblr.com/kris-creations/724949438171316224/xgirl109

#fruits basket #Furuba #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket season 2 #tohru honda #kyo sohma #yuki sohma #fruits basket analysis #Cuts and Changes

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the-sage-libriomancer · 6 months

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can't stop thinking about Ayame. he's such an outlier to the zodiacs in so many ways:

-the only (adult) zodiac member not living on Sohma grounds.

-the only zodiac member who genuinely likes themselves and actively practices self-love.

-the only zodiac member with a sibling in the zodiac.

-the only zodiac member Akito hasn't harmed either mentally or physically (because she can't stand him lmao).

all of it makes him feel weirdly isolated from the Sohma family's trauma and the story as a whole. he isn't under the Sohmas' thumb. he isn't bogged down by hatred or self-loathing. he's never experienced Akito's wrath the way the other zodiac members have.

and it's fascinating to think about how he must've had a completely different experience from the other zodiacs. when he was growing up, Akito hadn't hurt any of them - Shigure and Kureno both had immunity, Hatori never caused problems, and the rest of them were too young or too obedient. Ayame never hated himself, nor did he ever find himself alone and friendless. he moved far away from the Sohmas, started his own business to make his own money, and hasn't had them breathing down his neck in years. he has, for all intents and purposes, escaped the Sohma family and its mountains of trauma completely unscathed.

and you know. i wonder if that's something else Yuki hates about Ayame. that all of the zodiacs have a horror story about Akito - that Rin got thrown out a window and Hatori lost an eye and even little Kisa was beaten half to death, that Yuki himself had to endure years of intense isolation, psychotic episodes, and literal fucking torture at the hands of Akito -

and Ayame never got hurt.

not even once.

#i have a character analysis of ayame stewing in my drafts #he's the kind of character that makes me ramble like crazy #anyway i do wonder how much ayame knows about akito's reign of terror #bc it's possible shigure/hatori told him about drama in the main house #but it's also possible that they didn't #(either bc they were protecting him or bc they didn't think he'd care)#so like. how much does ayame know ab zodiac trauma at the hands of akito #he's literally never had to deal with akito in crazy mode #he might not know much ab yuki's time with her except maybe vaguely that it was Bad #does he understand what sort of shit yuki went through??? does he fully appreciate the EXTENT of it???#questions that keep me up at night #fruits basket #ayame sohma #yuki sohma #akito sohma #analysis #sage speaketh #edited for your convenience #(<-capitalized names and tweaked some wording)

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ashendoll · 2 years

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Media I enjoyed this summer

Yuru Camp

Where I live gets extremely hot each summer, so the serein crisp winter that Yuru Camp portrays is extremely comforting. This anime genuinely made me want to go camping, to the point of even planning out a trip in February with my parents. The characters are just a delight to watch interact with each other, and Rin’s (the girl shown) introversion and enjoyment of solo camping is never shown as a bad thing, she’s just someone who enjoys spending time alone, I can relate to that.

This anime is low stakes with a wonderful atmosphere, I’ve only watched the first season so far but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Made in Abyss : Season 2

I previously watched Made in Abyss season 1 and Dawn of the Deep Soul this spring and began reading where they left off, the manga is absolutely breathtaking in of itself but the anime adaptation is in a league of its own. Season two covers one of the darkest arcs in the story so far, loosing none of its grotesqueness in adaptation. Although you loose Akihito Tsukushi’s intricate art style the music and attention to detail in the animation truly bring the atmosphere together.

Once episode 12 drops I highly recommend picking up the manga as there’s only a few chapters into the new arc.

Silver Spoon

One of Hiromu Arakawa’s works adapted into anime, in terms of genre its far from Fullmetal Alchemist, but I’d recon for what it is it’s still great. A lot of it is based off of Arakawa’s own experiences living on a diary farm, and you can just feel her knowledge in how she writes about farm animals.

The characters are extremely enjoyable, especially Hachiken, as you get to watch him slowly adapt and thrive in this new environment. Also the anime makes the food these characters are frequently eating look amazing.

Kemono Friends

Kemono Friends isn’t anything to write home about, it’s a simple and fun kids show with jank as hell animation. Despite that it’s great, it’s not a complex anime by any means, but its fun to watch. Each episode comes with little facts about the real life animals each of the girls is based off of, which is always fun to watch.

Unfortunately the second season wasn’t nearly as good, although the animation improved the small story that was there wasn’t built on in a good way. The second season wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as the first. .

Continued Under the Cut

Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

Something not a lot of my online friends know is that I have an extremely raunchy sense of humor, and this show managed to hit that right on the head. I watched paswg twice in the past, and since I heard that a second season will be coming in the near future I figured I’d rewatch it. I had a grand time with this thing, it’s stupid and fun and great.

Steven Universe

This is not my first time watching this show, I kept up with it from the end of Season 1 to the movie. For 4 straight years, from when I was 12 to 17, this show was an extremely important part of my life. I decided to rewatch it since it had completely finished, and so far it’s been an absolute joy. The show is slow in the beginning, but it truly picks up in the second season. Although it doesn’t enrapture me like it did when I was a kid I’m having fun watching it now.

Gravity Falls

Much like Steven Universe, I watched this show when I was younger. I caught up with it in late 2015, a few episodes before the final, and it’s been a joy to rewatch it. The shows atmosphere is wonderful, spooky and fun, I’m enjoying this as much if not more than when I first watched it. I’ve finished the first season and am working my way through the second.

Arcane

I don’t particularly care for League of Legends, I have never played the game and I don’t particularly want to. But this show is incredible, the story it tells is heartbreaking, Jinx portrays someone with ptsd and psychotic episodes almost perfectly. She’s not just crazy for crazy’s sake, she’s broken and hurting. Needless to say the character writing in this is top notch, the mix of 3d and 2d animation is breathtaking. It’s a feast for the eyes, highly recommend.

Animal Crossing : New Horizons

Although I played this game back in 2020 when it first came out, I dropped it a few months in. It didn’t really hit me as something to keep coming back to at the time, I recently restarted my island and picked the game back up again and am making more progress than I did before. I’m having fun, this game isn’t story based and that can be a comfort for me. I both enjoy and detest looking for rare fish.

All in all I’m having a blast, I can just pick this up and have fun without any real pressure.

Honkai Impact 3rd

I initially started playing this game last summer, and have played it fairly consistently since then. Despite this I mention it here because I went on a break of sorts from it and have gotten back into, it just had a new summer update and the events have been pretty fun. I haven’t been keeping up with the main story as I find the open world to be kind of exhausting. Anyway, play this game the story is great, the combat is snappy and fun, and it’s characters are just a delight on the eyes.

Tokyo Mew Mew

Despite a reboot currently coming out for this franchise I havent been watch it, instead I’ve been on and off again reading the manga. I will probably watch the 2001 anime once I’ve finished it. This series holds some nostalgia for me since I watched it when I was younger, in the awful 4kids dub in 3 parts an episode on youtube, those were the days

Never the less this series is simple for a magical girl show, but It’s fun. The art of the manga is wonderful, the late Mia Ikumi’s art is delicate and captures innocence wonderfully.

Fruits Basket 2019

The originaly fruits basket series was such an important anime to me as a kid, I struggled with anger issues and feel like no one understood me, I related a lot to Kyo. I originally kept up with the first season of the reboot while it was first airing, the anime is a wonderful adaptation of the entire original manga.

It was also a joy watching a good portion of the original dub cast come back years later with more experience under their belts revise their old roles. Laura Baily especially is a delight to watch as Tohru.

Adventure Time: Distant Lands

Adventure Time had an incredible ending, and although it didn’t need the epilogue specials, they were wonderful. Telling one off stories about set characters in each episode. ‘Finn and Jake are Dead’ was my favorite out of the four specials, wonderfully wrapping up the brothers story together wonderfully. ‘Obsidian’ did a wonderful job further fleshing out Marcaline’s past, as well as showing why she an Bubblegum originally broke up in the first place. I’m glad to have seen both of them grow and have a healthy relationship now.

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yellowbluemoonshine · 1 year

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Feminine Archetypes In Fruits Basket;

Honda Tohru - The Maiden;

Maidens are tend to be innocent, they give that ‘take care of me’ vibe. They are innocent and creative, sometimes naive and positive. They tend to be a little more sensitive. They have that youtfull energy, and childish curiosity. Maidens are also explore their sexuality very slowly. And their weakness is sometimes they can lack commitment, direction or they can be codependent.

I think all those traits fits really well to Tohru. Since she is very sweet, ‘take care of me’ type of character and positive and naive too. She also tend to be very codependent.

Sohma Akito - The Queen;

Just like any typical queen, Akito has that royalty energy. She is natural noble, elegant, she has confidence and natural leader, she has manners. Queens’s weakness are that they tend to struggle when they dont have partner. They are also very loyal and expect loyalty from them to the point they justify their partner’s toxic behavours. I know pre-redemption Akito is toxic but this is what actual Akito would be, if she actually had life and she deserves very good, loyal guy. Also, queens tend to easiely erase their female friends which is one of the biggest flaws they have.

Sohma Kagura - The Maiden;

Just like Tohru, Kagura also tend to be very naive, she has very youthfull energy. She is also very childish.

Uotani Arisa - The Huntress;

Huntress are adventreous type, they are passionate and competitive, though they sometimes might emotionally dumb. All those traits fits well to Arisa.

Hanajima Saki - The Mystic;

Mystics are asocial, they live in their small world, and they are fine with that. They have very cozy, comfortable energy. Which also fits very well to Hanajima.

Sohma Kisa - The Maiden;

Kisa is definitely ‘take care of me’ type of character, she is also very sweet, naive and innocent.

Sohma Rin - The Huntress;

Huntress are more adventerous type, they desire freedom and one of the biggest of flaw of them that they sometimes might be emotionally distant. Riin always give me that ‘adventreous’ type of energy.

Kuragi Machi - The Sage;

This one was hard for me to find out but i think sage fits better for Machi since she is succesfull woman and tend to act with her logic. At least, it fits better compared to other types.

Extras;

Tohru’s mother is huntress. Sohma Kana is maiden. Shiraki Mayu is huntress. Sohma ren is very ‘toxic’ lover type. Minagawa Motoko might be maiden. Toudou Kimi might be lover type. I dont remember others. Mother type character doesnt fit to any characters. I write the type what those girls fit the most, they all great though, they all are different which is what makes it fun to analyze.

+ This is made for fun, inspired by this video, yeah.

#Fruits Basket #honda tohru #sohma akito #sohma kagura #uotani arisa #hanajima saki #sohma kisa #sohma rin #kuragi machi #honda kyoko #sohma kana #shiraki mayu #sohma ren #minagawa motoko #toudou kimi #female characters #feminine archetypes #furuba analysis

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