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ofoceansandtombsanew · 1 year

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Tohru Honda: a Subversion of Shoujo’s Nice Girl Trope

Fruits Basket absolutely nails subverting your expectations of character tropes in anime.

Momiji is introduced as the cute childish boy but boom we are slapped with the fact that he a mother who hated him so much she had her memories wiped of him. Shigure right off the bat looks like the typical perverted uncle of anime when in reality he is one the most manipulative characters in the series. Ayame is the flamboyant, boisterous one whose bravado hides his regret and desire to repent for his past neglect of his younger brother. Which ultimately brings me to the protagonist of Furuba itself, Tohru Honda.

I'll make it no secret that I have a huge soft spot for Fruits Basket as a series. It was the first manga I read, I watched the 2001 series and I was right on the hype train when I saw it was getting a remake that would follow the manga storyline. But I did my best to be as objective as possible in this essay of sorts saying why I believe Tohru is a great example of subverting the "Nice Girl Protagonist" of Shoujo. Tohru is the protagonist of Fruits Basket and when it comes to those who don't like her, it seems she can be hit or miss due to the assumption that she is perfect.

The general consensus of those who do not like her or find her bland compared to the rest of the cast is that Tohru is a perfect and bland protagonist with no issues of her own. That all she does is wave her healing wand of warm smiles and makes everything better for those around her.

However, that opinion couldn't be more misguided. In reality, Tohru is just as emotionally broken as the Sohmas and they mend her heart just as much as she mends theirs. As such, I hope to show those who find her bland or otherwise boring that there is more substance to Tohru's character than they believe.

At first glance, Tohru does seems like your typical Shoujo protagonist. She's nice, almost to a fault. She would rather talk her way out of a situation instead of throwing hands, she doesn't get mad in situations other typically would, and she has a hard time asking for help. Oh and with a dash of anime originality, she's an orphan. However even as early as episode 1, you can see hints that Tohru is not going to be the usual nice girl protagonist with her desire to work and be as independent as possible. The mangaka does a great job throughout the series showing with hints and broad examples that Tohru is just as complex as the colorful cast around her.

Ironically enough though, when hints of Tohru's trauma are sprinkled throughout the series it is seen as annoying even when the Furuba takes time to give insight into why she does the things she does.

She mentions her mother constantly in anecdotes of whimsical stories or snippets of wisdom her mother imparted her with.

Compared to the death of parents to other anime protagonists, Tohru's situation is a bit more unique. Tohru's father may have died when she was young but the same cannot be said for her mother, Kyoko, who died fairly recently. When the series begins, Kyoko has only been dead for a few months and it is more than apparent as early as episode 1 that Tohru is desperate to keep any semblance of her mother's existence alive. Kyoko died before Tohru's first year of high school even ended and worse, was told in the middle of class. Tohru has had barely any time to heal from this loss and it is evident in how she talks to her mother's photo.

Yes, in Japanese culture, it may be typical to have photos of departed family members, making a shrine for them and leaving offerings from time to time. But Tohru takes this to a completely different level, showcasing how deep her trauma runs.

When she is digging frantically to take out her mother's photo after the landslide destroyed her tent, she cries "She can't breathe in there. She's in pain." And that's just episode one.

Nobody completely over the death of their parent would speak like this, referring to a photo as a living person. She lost her mother and she didn't even get a chance to say goodbye, even feeling guilt to an extent about the situation. Tohru didn't wake up to tell her mother that she would see her later. There is no way that simply getting up to tell her mother goodbye would have changed the outcome of her fate, but Tohru still feels that way. That it didn't matter if she had tests or work or the next day, the one she should have put first was her mother.

Anyone who has or is currently experiencing the grief of losing a loved one has likely done the same. Wondering if, if the situation was anything other than illness or old age, there was something they could have done. Things they should have said or could have said differently. What more could they have done to help and the feeling is all consuming. Even if it is unprompted, they somehow will manage to insert their lost family or friend into a conversation that didn't include them or may randomly begin talking about them. A lot of the time, these people don't even realize that they're doing it which is shown in season 2 with Tohru when Hiro asks her why she talks about her mother so much.

She is too positive.

Tohru's positivity is one of the most easily seen aspects of her character. Where others might see the glass half-empty, Tohru sees it as half-full. Her positivity is even noted upon by characters within the show, Saki (Hanajima) mentioning that she doesn't believe she could personally smile like that so soon after the death of a loved one.

Tohru doesn't like thinking about her problems. She doesn't like expressing her sadness. She doesn't want to worry those around her when they likely have their own problems to worry about. Saki predicts that this ability Tohru has to act this way is because she would scold herself if she ever showed a hint of sadness. And Saki was right because we see Tohru later on doing exactly that, crying but forcing herself to try and smile and scolding herself for not keeping it together.

Rather than let Yuki comfort her when she is in tears, she smiles and completely changes the topic even though tears are coming down her face.Tohru tells Kyo that she needs a minute to get herself together because breaking down in tears in front of him wasn't what she planned. She was supposed to smile when she saw him again.

Tohru would rather pretend everything is fine even when she is seconds away from falling apart because toxic positivity is something she struggles with.

No one can be that positive all the time, not even Tohru.

Tohru has a hard time asking others for help.

Yes, Tohru is kind-hearted by nature but she genuinely does believe that she could burden those she troubles for help. Considering how her maternal side of the family wanted nothing to do with her and her paternal side of the family talks poorly about her, it isn't difficult to see where that frame of thinking came to be. When her mother died, her paternal side of the family didn't argue over who wanted to take Tohru in, they argued over who should take Tohru in and that is an important distinction. Even more so the fact, they had these arguments in front of her. When it was finally settled that she should live with her grandfather and that was uprooted due to upcoming renovations, it makes sense that she would rather be homeless in a tent than bother her friends who don't have the space to provide for an additional person even if that.

In Tohru's mind, it was shown very clearly by her family that she is a burden. She's an extra mouth to feed and an unwanted mouth at that, as her family never holds back in disparaging Kyoko even if Tohru is present.

As such, when Tohru is in a situation where she has no other choice than to accept their help, she believes she should be extremely grateful. They're taking their time to help her when they easily could have done otherwise, so why should she want more? Why should she complain? If she has any desires, she pushes it down because of that belief because she feels awful and that she shouldn't want for more when people are already going out of their way to help an extra mouth to feed. Because of this mentality cultivated by the bulk of her paternal relatives mistreatment, she will seldom voice her wants.

She never gets angry or upset.

To say Tohru never gets angry or close to physical in her reactions is far from the truth. Tohru gets angry when the issue impacts those that she cares about.

Tohru can tolerate being mistreated but she will always draw the line at the abuse being directed to someone else. When she first meets Akito and she sees Yuki's clear discomfort and fear, she pushes Akito away from him immediately. When she witnesses Momiji being punched by Akito, she immediately steps in and places herself in front of Momiji to physically shield him. When Rin tells her not to meddle with the curse and involve herself, Tohru, without cruelty, shoots back that she will absolutely meddle and involve herself because she refuses to lose the people she cares about to someone who has clearly been abusing them emotionally and physically for years. Tohru's tolerance for mistreatment has a limit, she is just unfortunately not included in that limit. So when we finally see her get angry in a scenario that includes herselfー when Kyo tries to run away because he feels he doesn't deserve her love, it's incredible.

There is so much more to Tohru than meets the eye. Tohu's reaction to Yuki getting a cold isn't just Tohru overreacting for the sake of being a nice girl, it's because her father died from a cold he brushed off and that cold turned into a fatal illness. For Tohru, colds aren't something that can just be brushed away because what if it turns into something worse.

Tohru would rather wear clothes until they practically fall apart than buy new clothes because she knows that she can't just spend her money haphazardly. But when it came to Valentine's Day and wanting to express her gratitude for those who cared about her, she had no problem dropping an entire check to purchase the ingredients to make enough chocolate for everyone.

She disregards herself and the efforts she puts forward. When she feels she has failed in helping Arisa, she specifically says "everyone around me has always helped me and when it is my turn to do the same, I can't." These aren't problems she overcomes herself by simply "smiling through the pain" as some who discredit her argue. Tohru is repeatedly loved and helped by those around her who care for her and opens herself up to receive that love and help over time. She is taught by her grandfather and Sohmas that is okay for her to be selfish and ask for things.

Her friends teach her that she helps them so much and that in reality they feel like they are never there to help her when she needs it.Her friends get upset that the same amount of money she would spend on them, she wouldn't spend on herself.

She is told that the way she villainized Katsuya after his death because doesn't make her dirty or a bad person because she was a child that was scared to lose her mother. That her fear and desperation to make her mother acknowledge her was understandable. That mimicking her father in her attempt to draw her mother's attention probably helped more than she realized.

Tohru is not just a "Nice Shoujo Girl" Protagonist, she is a girl with trauma who would rather focus on the issues someone else has than look to her own.

Like I said before, this isn't me trying to get Tohrus haters to like her. People are entitled to like and dislike whichever characters they please, but it is a complete disservice to Natsuki Takaya's writing to say Tohru is bland and has no struggles of her own. Tohru has many problems and struggles she has to deal with throughout the series and seeing those issues she overcomes being brushed aside as her being perfect and having no problems is a complete oversight. As such, I just simply wanted to peel back Tohru's layers and showcase that just as characters such as Momiji, Shigure and Ayame are more than the tropes they are introduced as, Tohru is as well.

[i wrote this on reddit too]

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sidsinning · 11 months

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what is up with the fruits basket prequel????

It's the story of how Tohru's parents met and got together...

...when her mom was 14...and her dad was 22...and her teacher...who got her pregnant...in her teens...

Dying early may have been divine punishment for him

#fruits basket prelude #fruits basket #ask #ppl who try to correct me on her age like no she was 15 not 14 does it rlly matter #1 year off

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cinderella-ish · 20 days

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Momiji Sohma and his beautiful, complex relationship to Kyo (part 1 of 5)

So, if Yuki is my favorite character of the main trio, Momiji would have to be my favorite of the large cast of secondary characters. He may even be my favorite character outright- a hard pick, as there are so many characters to love in Fruits Basket!

When it comes to Yuki and Kyo, their relationship to each other and Yuki's relationship to Haru (which is beautiful and now I want to do a post on them, too) are perhaps the two most obvious dynamics among these four boys. But I think Momiji and Kyo have their own important, deep relationship, with huge significance to the plot and to Kyo's arc in particular.

In many ways, Momiji and Kyo's stories are parallels.

They both lost their mothers at a young age. Kyo watched as his mother stepped in front of a train, and Momiji watched as his mother's memories of him were erased (though it's worth noting Momiji's mother was also suicidal). Both watched their mothers suffer for years because of the curse.

Both had a parent who viewed them as sub-human. Momiji's mother referred to him as a "creature," and Kyo's father called him a "monster."

Both also had fathers who put responsibility for their mothers' mental health issues on them and ultimately abandoned or neglected them. And both had loving surrogate father figures who took them in out of guilt, Kyo in Kazuma and Momiji to a lesser extent in Hatori (it does seem like Momiji's father was somewhat present in his life, though Hatori was much more present for him).

They also both had reputations as a bit of a wild child, Kyo because of his short temper and aggression (and stereotypes about the cat), and Momiji because of his id-driven hedonism and frequent lack of supervision. They're both impulsive to a fault, Momiji in pursuit of maximum fun, and Kyo out of extreme self-hatred and a desire to protect the people he cares about (mostly from himself). They each lean into people's misconceptions about them - Momiji encouraging people to underestimate him due to his small size because it allows him to get away with more, and Kyo willing to let people see him as a monster because he believes that's true (and therefore using physical intimidation as his main strategy for protecting people he cares about).

They're also both quite good at reading others - for Kyo, this is remarked upon several times in canon, and for Momiji, he's often cited by fans as possibly the most emotionally mature character in the series.

And they both are at their best when they act a bit more like each other, Kyo when he lightens up and lets himself have fun, and Momiji when he stands up for himself and the people he cares about.

I would even argue that Kyo is the main driver behind Momiji's character development, and that Momiji is the main catalyst for Kyo to understand and accept his feelings for Tohru.

So, with all that in mind, let's look at Momiji's first appearance with Kyo at the first culture festival.

(An aside: Hiroshi's reactions in this scene will never not be funny to me.)

So, the first time we see Kyo and Momiji together is at the first culture festival, when Momiji is officially introduced to Tohru and thus to the reader (after a brief appearance 1 chapter/3 episodes earlier, where we're not entirely sure who he is). In quick succession, Momiji proceeds to:

jump on Yuki's shoulders and tell him he looks like a girl

get scolded by Hatori for running off on his own

excitedly introduce himself and Hatori as relatives of Yuki and Kyo to the crowd of students, making sure to mention that he's half-German

climb on top of the rice stand, frightening everyone, eating a rice ball he probably didn't pay for

get dragged away by a grouchy Kyo, laughing all the way

It's quite a memorable entrance!

But a closer look at this scene suggests that Momiji was causing a stir for Yuki's sake as much as for his own desire to have fun.

he jumps on Yuki right when Yuki's feeling extremely self-conscious about all the attention he's receiving, immediately after both Tohru and Kyo have made comments about his appearance

he climbs atop the riceball stand right when Yuki looks ready to murder Hatori

One could argue that this is just Momiji being his typical wild-child self, especially since he tells Yuki he looks like a girl right when Yuki's at his most self-conscious about his feminine appearance, but it fits with a pattern we see repeated throughout the series: Momiji is willing to make a spectacle of himself if it helps him achieve his goals, whether they are to have more fun or to protect someone he cares about (all the better if it's both!).

I do wonder about that comment - Fruits Basket can be very subtle, so I think there are multiple ways of interpreting Momiji's comment to Yuki. It's possible he made that comment because he didn't know what Yuki was so upset about, or to remind Yuki that of course people are going to talk about what he's wearing when its unusual for him, or maybe for another reason altogether. But what I think is most telling is that he says it without any judgment - it's simply an observation of fact. That, in and of itself, might be enough to help Yuki feel less self-conscious about the whole thing, whether Momiji intended that or not.

As Momiji is dragged off, Hatori reveals to Yuki that they're here because Momiji brought home the flier Tohru dropped when they met 3 episodes/1 chapter earlier. He also reveals that Akito wanted to come, to Yuki's terror, but was too ill, so Hatori is here in her place.

After Kyo drags Momiji away, we see the first iteration of their play big-brother/little-brother dynamic. Kyo's been trying to scold him this whole time, and Momiji fake cries that Kyo "hit" him, but he immediately beams when he realizes Tohru is right behind them.

Kyo probably gave Momiji a light rap on the head or something while scolding him (we know Kyo's a skilled martial artist who knows better than to fight people without training), and Momiji overreacted because teasing Kyo is fun and that's their "thing." But what's super interesting to me is that the only other person Kyo has scolded up until now or given a knock on the head is the only person we know he cares about and wants to protect: Tohru. So, even though outwardly, Kyo seems angry and annoyed at Momiji, he's treating him the way he treats people he cares about and wants to protect.

Momiji then goes over to Tohru, where he:

tells her he came specifically to see her

FLIRTS WITH HER IN FRONT OF KYO ("Ja! Fate brought us together that day, huh?")

tells her his papa owns the building where she works and he likes to hang out there

and confirms she knows the Zodiac secret before announcing his plans to hug her

Kyo physically prevents Momiji from hugging her and they have this INCREDIBLE exchange.

Kyo: "Hold it, Romeo. Remember where you are." Momiji: "Keeping Tohru all to yourself just because you like her? I bet you hug her every day!" Kyo: *blushes* "As if I'd do that!" *drops Momiji* Momiji: *jumps into Tohru's arms* "Gotcha!"

At this point in the story, I doubt that either Kyo or Momiji feel the deep, romantic love they both feel for Tohru by the end of the series. But if we accept that they both have at least a crush on her by now, they're going about it in completely opposite ways. Momiji openly wants to hug Tohru as often as possible and spend as much time with her as he can, whereas Kyo wants to avoid making Tohru uncomfortable and avoid any semblance of impropriety that could reflect poorly on her.

So, Momiji hugs Tohru and transforms, and Tohru's classmates pull back the curtain and start asking questions about what happened. How do they get out of this situation?

Well, Yuki takes a lesson from Momiji's earlier actions, making a spectacle of himself to protect the family secret (and therefore Tohru).

So, in summary, in Momiji's first appearance:

he shows Yuki it's okay to play up the aspects of yourself that make you different in pursuit of a goal

we clearly see that his crying at Kyo's scolding is an act

he immediately notices and calls out Kyo's feelings for Tohru to trick Kyo into letting him go

he generally just does whatever he wants, including hugging Tohru, in stark contrast to Kyo, whose approach to life seems to be all about denying himself what he wants because he doesn't believe himself worthy (which is the exact opposite of the advice he gives Tohru, that it's okay to be selfish sometimes)

We see that Momiji is much smarter than he lets on, but also that he has a lot of growing to do, and that he and Kyo are opposites in many ways.

I'll leave you with these cute shots from S2 (because they didn't fit with any of the other posts), where we see their big brother/little brother dynamic was already in place in elementary school. (Also, poor Yuki!)

Momiji and Kyo: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

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princess-sof-time · 10 months

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Heeey A-chan!! Moonie is here to do their usual request!! Hehe 😆 but this time the request include a cute little story!!

Since a little ago I move to another house and in that new house we have 3 unoficial cats that sometimes came to get some love and food 🤭 (except on of them that almost live with us already), they are really cute and is funny to have them around but thay are a walking disaster

Now the request 🤭 Could you write for Aqua, Ruby, Akane, Kana (Oshi no Ko) Yuki and Tohru (fruits basket) finding out that their male S/O practically live alone because his parents work all day and come to the house really late (but don't have a bad relationship with them) and he is already used to have to take care of himself and the house all alone and the only company he has is some stray cats (2 or 3) that visit him almost all the time (the only reason he doesn't adopt them is because his parents doesn't want to have the cats)

Hope is not too much 🥺

I want pictures of your cats now!!!

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ──────

🄰🅀🅄🄰 🄷🄾🅂🄷🄸🄽🄾

• Aqua had always been captivated by her male S/O's independent nature. Little did she know, there was a deeper reason behind it. One day, as she was spending time at his place, she couldn't help but notice the impeccable cleanliness and organization of his home. Intrigued, she started asking him about his living situation, and that's when he revealed the truth.

• Her eyes widened with surprise as he explained how his parents worked long hours, leaving him alone for most of the day. Despite having a good relationship with them, his parents' demanding jobs meant they often arrived home late, leaving him to take care of himself and the house. It was a responsibility he had grown accustomed to over time.

• Aqua felt a mixture of admiration and sympathy for her S/O. She admired his independence and resilience, but couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness for him. Realizing the importance of companionship, she gently suggested adopting one of the stray cats that frequently visited him. Though her S/O explained that his parents were against the idea, Aqua couldn't stand the thought of him being alone.

• Determined to help, Aqua hatched a plan. She decided to speak to his parents and explain how the cats had become an integral part of her S/O's life, providing him with a sense of comfort and companionship during their absence. Aqua believed that with a little persuasion, his parents might reconsider their stance.

🅁🅄🄱🅈 🄷🄾🅂🄷🄸🄽🄾

• Ruby always admired her male S/O's maturity and self-sufficiency. She found it endearing how he managed to take care of himself and the house, despite his parents' absence. However, one day, while spending time together, Ruby stumbled upon a heartwarming secret that added a layer of complexity to his solitary life.

• Curled up on the couch, they were engrossed in a movie when Ruby heard a faint meowing sound. Intrigued, she followed the sound to the front door, only to find two stray cats waiting outside. She smiled as she watched her S/O open the door, allowing the feline visitors to enter.

• Ruby couldn't contain her curiosity and asked her S/O about the cats. That's when he revealed the truth about his parents' demanding work schedules and his need for companionship. Her heart ached for him, realizing how much he had taken on at such a young age.

• Determined to make a difference, Ruby suggested finding a way to convince his parents to let him adopt the cats. She believed that if they understood how much these furry friends meant to him, they might soften their stance. Ruby's empathy and persuasive nature would come in handy as she prepared to have a heartfelt conversation with his parents, highlighting the positive impact the cats had on their son's life.

🄰🄺🄰🄽🄴 🄺🅄🅁🄾🄺🄰🅆🄰

• Akane was always intrigued by her male S/O's independent and self-reliant nature. She admired how he took care of himself and his home, but little did she know the full extent of his responsibilities. One day, while spending time together at his place, Akane noticed the presence of a few stray cats that seemed to have formed a bond with her S/O.

• Curiosity piqued, Akane couldn't resist asking about the feline visitors. To her surprise, her S/O opened up about his living situation. Despite having a good relationship with his parents, they worked long hours, often returning home late at night. This left him practically living alone, taking care of himself and the house all by himself.

• Akane's heart swelled with a mix of admiration and sympathy. She respected his independence but also understood the loneliness that came with his situation. The stray cats had become his only companions, providing him with a sense of comfort and company in the absence of his parents.

• Determined to make a difference, Akane decided to have a conversation with his parents. She believed that if she could convey how much these cats meant to her S/O, they might reconsider their stance. Akane's strong-willed nature and ability to stand up for what she believed in would serve her well as she advocated for her S/O's need for companionship.

🄺🄰🄽🄰 🄰🅁🄸🄼🄰

• Kana always admired her male S/O's strength and independence. She had witnessed his maturity and self-sufficiency, but little did she know the true extent of his responsibilities. One day, while spending time together at his house, Kana noticed the presence of two or three stray cats that frequently visited him. Intrigued, she asked him about the feline visitors, unaware of the heartwarming story that was about to unfold.

• As her S/O opened up to her, Kana's heart swelled with a mix of admiration and compassion. He explained that his parents worked long hours, leaving him practically alone for most of the day. Despite not having a strained relationship with them, his parents' busy schedules meant that they often came home late, leaving him to take care of himself and the household responsibilities.

• Kana felt a deep connection with her S/O's situation, understanding the importance of companionship and support. The presence of the stray cats seemed to bring him solace and comfort in their shared solitude. However, it saddened her to hear that his parents didn't want to adopt the cats due to their own reasons.

• Determined to make a difference, Kana decided to have a heartfelt conversation with his parents. She believed that if they could understand how much these furry visitors meant to their son, they might reconsider their stance. Kana's compassionate nature and ability to empathize would prove valuable as she navigated this delicate conversation, highlighting the positive impact the cats had on their S/O's life.

🅈🅄🄺🄸 🅂🄾🄷🄼🄰

• Yuki had always been intrigued by his male S/O's sense of responsibility and self-sufficiency. He admired his ability to take care of himself and his home, but little did he know the deeper reasons behind his independence. One day, while spending time together, Yuki noticed the presence of a few stray cats that seemed to have formed a special bond with his S/O.

• Intrigued by their frequent visits, Yuki couldn't help but ask his S/O about the cats. That's when the truth came to light. His parents, despite having a good relationship with him, worked tirelessly and often arrived home late, leaving him alone for most of the day. His S/O had grown accustomed to taking care of himself and the household, finding solace in the company of these feline friends.

• Yuki's heart ached for his S/O, understanding the weight of their solitary existence. While Yuki knew what it was like to yearn for familial warmth, he also recognized the importance of companionship. With a determination to make a difference, he decided to have a conversation with his S/O's parents.

• Yuki believed that if he could explain to them the positive impact these cats had on their child's life, they might reconsider their stance. He understood the struggle of being alone and wanted to help his S/O find a sense of belonging beyond the furry visitors. Armed with his gentle yet persuasive nature, Yuki prepared to have a heartfelt discussion, emphasizing the importance of companionship and

🅃🄾🄷🅁🅄 🄷🄾🄽🄳🄰

• Tohru was known for her boundless empathy and caring nature. When she discovered that her male S/O practically lived alone due to his parents' demanding work schedules, her heart went out to him. While spending time together, Tohru couldn't help but notice the regular visits of two or three stray cats that brought him solace and companionship.

• Intrigued by the feline visitors, Tohru gently inquired about their presence. As her S/O opened up about his living situation, Tohru's heart swelled with a mix of admiration and concern. She understood the challenges of taking care of oneself and managing a household, especially without the constant presence of family.

• Tohru couldn't bear the thought of her S/O feeling lonely and unsupported. The stray cats had become his only source of companionship, providing him with the love and comfort he craved. Despite his parents' reservations about having cats, Tohru believed that they could be convinced otherwise.

• With her nurturing spirit, Tohru decided to have a heartfelt conversation with his parents. She would emphasize the positive impact these furry visitors had on her S/O's life, highlighting the emotional support they provided in his parents' absence. Tohru's gentle persuasion and ability to see the good in every situation would guide her as she sought to bring about positive change for her beloved S/O.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ──────

#oshi no ko x reader #fruits basket x reader #anime x reader #aqua hoshino x reader #ruby hoshino x reader #akane kurokawa x reader #kana arima x reader #yuki sohma x reader #tohru honda x reader #male reader

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arabian-batboy · 9 months

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Finally finished Fruits Basket and I while I may still think that the very beginning and the very end of the story were a tad underwhelming, I absolutely loved the entire show and its definitely one of my favorite anime.

I came in thinking its going to be a cliche/cheesy romance anime, so I was very surprised with how much depth and personality all the characters, even the small side characters, had and it wasn’t really a case of “they will get one episode about them then we will completely forget about them” but instead it was something that was continuously built on over the course of the show in a slow burn and I really appreciate that.

My favorite characters are Tohru, who I was very quick to label as “the boring bland protagonist whose only job is to be the audience’s self-insert” but slowly she really became interesting and I found my self really loving her character and rooting for her and Kyo, who is the best boy ever that deserves all the happiness in the world and also everyone else really need to be a little nicer to him tbh and both of their parents (Kyoko and Kazuma) were such great loving parents and I loved their relationship with their own kid and also each other kid, its such a shame that Kyoko is dead, because I just know that she would have been the best mother-in-law ever with the most entertaining dynamic with Kyo.

Uotani, Manabe and Hiro are also some of my favorite, but honestly I either like or am neutral toward the rest of the cast, the only characters that I’m kinda annoyed with were Akito and Yuki (explained more in the tags), but if the last season had more episodes focused on developing Akito’s character and gave us a more dramatic way for the curse to be broken as well as leave out or fix some of the questionable romances (ShigureXAkito + KurenoXUotani) then it might have been a 10/10 show for me.

I did hear they have a prelude movie and two spin-off manga, so I will definitely be checking those out.

#prepare for an influx of Fruba fanart #Akito is just a horrible person that should be locked up in jail and I don't understand why the show let her get away with so much #and Yuki is just annoying lol #the only time I enjoyed his character is when he's interacting with the Student Council or his brother #aside from that he's just the sad uwu boy who's also smart handsome and powerful #which I could ignore.....if the show didn't continue giving him and Tohru intimate moments every two epiosdes #even though both of them are already dating other people #I'm still annoyed the show ended with a scene between her and him (excluding the epilogue)#and not to invalidate platonic love or anything but was that REALLY necessary?#I don't know if I'm annoyed by him because Kyo is my favorite but he really almost ruined the show for me #Fruits Basket

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frostiifae · 4 months

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Could you elaborate on the Dragon Maiden thing? :o

the basic premise of dragon maid, as a story about allegorically exploring "alternative" relationships, is very cute, and i like it very much in theory.

you may be wondering why i use the term "alternative" as opposed to, you know, gay relationships. the show's very good when it's about gay adults. kobayashi, tohru, fafnir and takiya are all cute and fun and their relationships are very sweet. it could have also shown some other, even more socially-unusual relationships, like, idk, polyamory. that would've been neat, but no need to do that. it's fine as a show about gay adults.

the problem is that it chose to veer instead into a couple of different sorts of "alternative" relationships.

kanna is fine. she's great, even! i really like her stand-in role as a "child" that tohru and kobayashi have to take care of as "parents", further binding them as a family unit. and, as a child character, she's adorable and very engaging.

the idea of saikawa, a girl who is experiencing adolescent attraction to kanna, is fine in theory. the execution kinda sucks, because she doesn't really come across like a primary-school age kid experiencing feelings she doesn't know how to handle, she comes across more like an upper teenager in a porn doujin that just doesn't know the porn words to describe her feelings, so it's definitely family friendly and that's definitely how it works 👌. would have much preferred, y'know, a version of her that is normal and innocent and immature and confused about her crush? it would've been funny to see her pass kanna the "get out of my school" note.

i don't feel the need to really get into the other, much BIGGER problem with dragonmaid, which is the extremely dubious decision to make an obscenely sexualized mature dragon-woman *obsessively* horny over like, a seven year old boy, that is kind of clearly uncomfortable with what's going on? like, we can all agree that that sucked on its face, no matter your feelings on age gap relationships (which this isn't), even besides the implication that gay relationships are somehow on a similar level to really transparent and unapologetic pedophilia, which i would argue is the actual problem that ruins the show moreso than the relationship merely existing? OK, I got into it a little bit, sorry.

the point of my side post was more that like. identifying kanna specifically ("the episode kanna was introduced") as the problem gives me the impression that the commenter had a very different idea of the problems with dragon maid than i did, which is a troubling observation on a post about how tragic it is that dragonmaid could be so good and somehow still be almost totally ruined by one specific element of the story. you know?

admittedly, the comment's wording wasn't very specific about it, but i'm still very confused that the commenter chose that wording, as opposed to like. any other wording.

#feyranting #also @ the remark that it's bad because of the dragon designs being bad. yes. that's also correct #i was less critical of dragon design at the time that i watched it but now that i think about it. there really was a lot of missed potentia

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crucifiedclergyman · 25 days

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I am thinking about the character Masao from the anime Shiki. I was heavily fixated on him back in 2020-2021. In fact, one can still find my old deviantart account that had fanart of him just by searching his name. I believe he made me realize my genuine love for unconventional characters.

I was thinking about him and all the missed potential with his writing. He honestly was such an interesting character with a generally relatable premise (him lashing out at his nephew for stealing all of the attention, and him lashing out at Natsuno for stealing attention from Tohru.) I felt very bad for him, despite the writers desperately trying their darndest to make him as unlikeable as possible. It didn’t feel genuine to me. While the show (and, dont even get me started on the manga) wished to portray this teenager as some horrible pathetic scum, I genuinely saw a damaged and hurt child who is in need of support.

Now, of course, and this goes without saying, this doesn’t excuse any of the poor actions he did in the anime or manga, but I still empathize with him especially when it showed how truly neglectful and cruel his parents were to him when he was, literally dying. That upset me so much. That was when I started to fixate on him.

A big thing that confused me was whether or not he was meant to be portrayed as sympathetic or not, because it seemed to me like the story wanted the viewer or reader to hate him, but then feel sorry for him at certain points, which is fine, but I just wish they did more with that. I honestly feel like honing in on the sympathetic approach would have been best for him, but this isn’t a critique, just my opinion and what I would have done.

I just feel like one really could have honed in on his motivations and reasonings for what he was doing, as I believe that he was in the show long enough to deserve at least a bit of character exploration. To me, he was the most human character in the show, and I wish that he had more time to grow as a character and have more depth to him other than just “silly annoying guy lol”.

(Speaking for the anime here as I have barely read the manga) He had a background of abuse, was brutally killed by the creepy pedo librarian guy, and then was treated poorly by Megumi and Tatsumi, and then his sister in law kills him. It just felt like such a waste of potential. Even if he did suffer, even if he did die painfully twice, even if all that still happened, they could have given us something!!! I wish so badly he was more of a main character instead of a throwaway gag character. He deserves it! He deserves character exploration and he deserved to see Tohru again as he was so distraught about his death.

#opinion #shiki #murasako masao #masao murasako #rambling #old special interest #special interest revisiting #corpse demon #anime

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madamefeu · 4 months

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hi I have a couple things I would like to ask

I know your feelings on fruits basket are quite negative by looking through you blog ( completely valid not judging) But I am curious as to what you did like about it? And aside from not giving Akito a redemption arc what else would you have liked to see changed?

Concerning miraculous what are your thoughts on ships like the love square ,lukanette, kagaminette, adrinino, lukadrien and alyanette?

And if you could make any changes to that show what would they be?

Side note you are absolutely right about Andre the ice-cream man he is insanely creepy, he is a grown adult and yet he acts like a bratty kid throwing a tantrum when things don't go his way. Such an unnecessary character.

Thank you for reading.

When I watched Fruits Basket as a teenager, I really liked the found family aspect of the show, and seeing how Tohru bonded with Yuki and Kyo. Things went to shit when it steadily became clear that Tohru was going to become the Sohma family’s therapist, and that instead of going to therapy, or addressing any of the issues that the main characters had, they all magically got better after a couple of pep talks from her. I also hated the fact that all of the characters were paired up, usually with other members of their own family, as it left no room to the imagination for shipping. The heavy levels of incest within the family are disgusting as is, but the story of Tohru’s parents was somehow even worse. Why is almost every parent in Fruits Basket horrible? The fuck kind of parents would kick their fifteen year old daughter out into the arms of a grown man who claimed to want to marry her? And the worst part is, we’re expected to think that this inappropriate relationship between a fifteen year old and a grown man in his late twenties is not only acceptable, but also romantic, and it’s treated like ‘true love’. NO. Katsuya Honda was a CHILD RAPIST. Statutory rape is still rape. The entire show deserves to be shoved into a trash compactor. Nothing can save it. Nothing can redeem it. Nothing.

As for miraculous, I hate the love square because I hate the way Marinette treats Adrien, and I hate the fact that Adrien is reduced to being her emotional support pet. Adrien’s ‘nice guy’ behaviour when he’s Chat Noir is also disgusting. To be honest, I don’t really like any of the main ships, or anything involving Alya and Nino. None of them interest me, and none of them have any meaningful development or impact. It frustrates me because the show started out with so much potential, but it’s now gone to shit. Chloe deserved a redemption arc, Zoe shouldn’t exist, Marinette should be less of a Mary Sue, and Adrien should be his own dang person, and not reduced to Marinette’s sidekick/emotional support pet.

Man this went on longer than I anticipated but I hope that answers your questions lol

#anti adrienette #anti akito #fruits basket is fundamentally problematic for this reason #fruits basket #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug salt #chloe bourgeois #anti Zoe #chloe deserves better #ask #anon ask

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petri808 · 8 months

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Just a quick ficlet for kyoru week 2023 cause I wanted to write something.

8/22 home movies @kyoruweekofficial

It’s more of a kyoru family story. Idk the idea is cute to me lol

“Hey mom, watcha doin’?” The six-year-old questions.

The woman stops wiping the shelf. “Oh, just tidying up.”

“What’s those?” The child points to a set of DVD jackets. “Movies?”

“Sort of, they’re home movies. You know, like when we record videos on our camera? These are of events we like to keep.”

“Can we watch one?”

“Sure. Why don’t you pick?” The child picks a random disc and hands it to their mom. “Oh, this is of my graduation,” the woman reminisces as she pops it into the Blue-Ray player.

They curl up on the couch as the video rolls with mom narrating for the little girl. The video was taken when she graduated from high school and her parents held a big party at the Sohma compound. Many were there, like uncle Mutsuki and his parents uncle Yuki and aunt Machi, uncle Hatsu and aunt Rin with daughters Sora and Riku, even uncle Shiki came considering he wasn’t fond of parties. Of course, aunty Akito and uncle Shigure had to attend as the heads of the clan, but it was nice to see them since they rarely left the compound anymore. She names off the relatives as they appear on camera, often pausing to answer questions because the little girl has never met many of the older generations that have passed on.

“Who’s that next to you and papa Hajime,” the child points at the elderly couple who are standing next to her grandfather.

“That’s grandpa’s parents. They’re your great-grandparents, grandma Tohru and grandpa Kyo.”

“Oh, they look so old, but so cute still holding hands.”

The woman chuckles, “well, they are in their 80s.” She sighs, “I wish you could’ve met them. You look a little like grandma Tohru when she was a young girl.” A bit of moisture clouds her vision as she reminisces. “Lets’ see, grandma passed away about 8 years after this, and your grandpa followed a year later. My parents believed with his heart gone, grandpa didn’t have the will to keep living.”

“That’s impossible,” the child looks up at her mom with concern, “how can a heart just disappear from,” she points to her chest.

“No, not like that.” The woman laughs. “They’re talking about your great-grandmother. Grandma Tohru was his heart. Great-grandpa loved her more than anything else in this world because she saved him from the Sohma monster.”

The child turns to look at her mom again, this time with an indignant glare. “Mom,” she crosses her arms. “A monster, seriously? Monster’s aren’t real so that makes no sense.”

Before responding, the woman pauses the video and pulls her daughter onto her lap. “Have I ever told you the story of the zodiac?” The child shakes her head no. “Do you want to hear it?”

“Yes!” The little girl bounces in excitement.

The mom moves her back to the couch, gets up and goes to another room. She comes back in a couple minutes holding an old wooden box and sits back down next to her daughter. She then opens the lid to show the child the little animal figurines inside, worn with age, but still discernible for what they represent. But there was one odd piece in the box.

“Mom, why’s there a wooden rice ball with a bunch of animals?”

“I’m glad you asked,” the mom talks as she pulls out the figurines of the rice ball and an orange cat, placing it in the little girls cupped hands. “These represent your grandma Tohru,” she points to the rice ball, “and grandpa Kyo,” she points to the cat. “The rest of the animals make up the zodiac.”

The child gives her a mom a confused look which gains a chuckle from her mother.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be explained in the story.” The woman takes the figurines from her daughter, puts them back in the box, and puts the box aside. “Now where should I begin?” She thinks for a moment. “A very long time ago, there was a god…”

#kyoru #kyoru family #kyoru week 2023 #fruits basket #kyoru ficlet

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the-sage-libriomancer · 2 months

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some facts:

The Sohma family (especially the zodiacs) had fucked up childhoods and family structures.

All of the zodiacs wanted to be opaque with their children about their fucked up childhoods and family structures, but didn't necessarily give them all the gory details.

Akito is biologically female but was raised as a male her entire life.

None of the Sohmas (barring a select few) knew that Akito was biologically female. They all used masculine terminology to refer to her basically their entire lives.

Japanese as a language is not quite as gendered as English (e.g. leaving out pronouns and having more gender neutral terms overall).

now a concept:

Mutsumi, Hajime, and Shiki get thrown into the past and meet their parents as teenagers.

While discussing the future and the story's present, Shiki routinely makes comments about his mother and how she's happy, healthy, and making amends for all the hurt she's caused the zodiacs and the Sohma family as a whole.

Mutsumi, Hajime, and Shiki think that Akito was raised as her biological gender, and that saying "Shiki's mother" will automatically be understood as meaning Akito.

Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo are convinced that Akito somehow found, married, and fathered a child with someone who was even worse than him.

Shigure is one "que sera sera" away from losing it.

#tell me this wouldn't be the funniest thing in the world #the worst part is that shiki would use akito's name as well as just saying “my mother”#so yuki tohru and kyo are under the impression that akito and this mystery woman will be wreaking havoc together in the near future #like the world's evilest power couple #meanwhile shigure is experiencing the five stages of grief with every word out of shiki's mouth #fruits basket #sage speaketh #au tag

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k1rishiki · 2 months

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one thing abt shiki that becomes more evident the more you think about it is the way drinking someone's blood is a metaphor for sex. like i thought it early on but then dismissed it as fujoshibrain getting to me but then i think sunako's story paralleling a child being preyed upon (having been excited to meet her parents' friend then being lured into a private space and then attacked) makes it pretty explicit. like if we go chronologically (through the. major instances of the theme. sometimes someone's blood being sucked is just that) the first time it really shows up is megumi's insistence that she'll be the one to turn natsuno bc of her crush on him, which frames the act of drinking blood as something intimate, then later when she finds out natsuno's not just been avoiding her (as she's been watching him while he sleeps and so has started staying over tohru's house) but has been avoiding her for tohru (who she's previously expressed romantic jealousy over) and sleeping in his bed, she decides to punish natsuno by assaulting tohru while natsuno watches. then after tohru turns he's the one tatsumi sends to drink natsuno's blood, something that needs to be done by the shiki bc natsuno is a problem for them, but still tatsumi waited bc he knew natsuno's feelings for tohru would lead to him consenting, which he did, meanwhile tohru feels a ton of guilt and shame for the act of drinking blood. we'll come back to that. also when he drinks natsuno's blood he always does it by slipping in through his bedroom window and pinning him to the bed. which is. a choice considering the way natsuno initially offered for his blood to be drank was through the arm. then later on when ritsuko (who tohru explicitly has a crush on) is turned and it's time for her to drink blood, she refuses bc she'd hate herself too much for preying on the innocent, meanwhile tohru pleads with her to drink the blood and be more like him in order to make him feel less dirty for having already done so. and then we also see it a lot with chizuru, specifically when she turns atsushi, having seduced him and then when he invited her to come in and presumably do smthing sexual, she drinks his blood, and again when she drinks dr ozaki's blood, she first makes an attempt to seduce him, and then subsequently proceeds to have him parade her around in town like she's his housewife. also in regards to her human husband, he relishes when she gives him the grace of drinking his blood. and last example i promise but when kyouko was turned, she had invited tatsumi in bc she was bored by her husband and wanted to spend time with another man. and got her blood sucked. also the banning of drinking childrens' blood bc that's a step too far for the shiki, even if their main goal is to make all their loved ones like them, and the shiki ostracizing yuzuki for exclusively targetting underage boys. need i say more. oh here's what it looks like when tohru sucks natsuno's blood btw .

#writing essays on shiki in the hopes that someone will go 'hey that's my favorite motif' and watch it. also bc no one else is analyzing it #bc the world completely forgot it exists #romeo.txt

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ofoceansandtombsanew · 23 days

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saw your yuki/kyo dissection and i was curious to know what's the other ship you think was an obvious possible option?

... after consulting @cafedanslanuit , Imma say it. For the plot. And Imma write my essay explaining my case. But y'all... don't get mad at me for being right. Strap in, this is gonna be a long one lmao.

But before I actually say it, we need to talk about Akito and Tohru and how they parallel one another.

Because these two are the same character at the opposite ends of the spectrum and 2/3 of the key aspects of Fruits Basket that make the show work. Without them, there's no Fruits Basket.

Both of them are quite literally the same character.

Masculine naming convention? Check.

Abandonment issues? Check.

A favored parent and a parent they have negative feelings towards? Check.

Especially since their respective relationships with their parents led to those abandonment issues and how they interact with the world. Akira was to Akito what Kyoko was Tohru. Ren's unnatural hatred of Akito, viewing her as a threat for Akira's attention, Akira's death and Kureno's curse suddenly breaking for no rhyme or reason led to Akito becoming the person she became.

Katsuya's death caused Kyoko to fall into a depression so deep she neglected Tohru for an indeterminable amount of time. Very nearly left Tohru to herself before coming her senses and becoming the best mom in the world that we the audience know her as. But that period of Tohru's life was very forming for who she became.

Kyoko came back after coming to her senses, we know this. But to Tohru, her mother suddenly embracing her for the first time in likely weeks, was the result of Tohru mimicking her dad's speech. A formal way of speaking that became so engrained into her daily habits, it's completely inseparable from her now.

Akito and Tohru's respective experiences ultimately lead them to the same core aspect of their character: Loneliness.

Both of them are terribly afraid of being alone, they just keep people in their lives in very different way.

Akito relied on fear, Tohru used kindness.

Akito used violence, Tohru used compassion.

Akito's go-to was embracing her father's words that she was a special child born to be loved. As such, she could do anything she wanted to the other members of the zodiac without facing any repercussions.

Tohru's go-to was her belief that her not prioritizing her mother over rest is inherently connected to her mother's death. That she should have prioritized her mother over everything. That her mother had to be her number one even in death. Thus, she became afraid of loving anything or anyone more than her mother. And yet, she still didn't want to lose anyone else in her life.

Tohru's kindness is genuine but there is a benefit she gains from it similarly yet juxtaposed to Akito's abuse.

That's why the two of them are able to come to an understanding with one another by the end of the story. Why Tohru was able to set everything else aside to start from zero because she understands that fear of being alone all too well.

They are both a mirror into what the other person could have been like if their circumstances were different. Tohru could have been that bitter, hate-filled woman, while Akito could have just as easily been the sweetest woman in the world.

Akito is Tohru

and Tohru is Akito.

All this buildup is to say that...

I think the only other obvious choice for Tohru was Shigure.

Yes, Shigure.

Y'all heard me right.

The final piece to what makes Furuba work, the one who instigated the plot in the first place.

And I'm sorry if y'all get mad at me for saying that, but I really don't think this is an incorrect assessment. I'll die on the hill that it was an obvious what if.

There's superficial things one can have fun mentioning in regards to these two ー

Across all adaptations of Furuba, Shigure is the first Sohma we are introduced to

Shigure's cursed year is the Dog, Tohru's birth year is the Dog

But the biggest thing for me is in how Tohru is an intrinsic part of something Shigure lacks as a person, that being empathy.

To make myself clear, I'm not saying Shigure is completely void of empathy. Because we can see him expressing it to the people he cares for in the story. (Ex. Wanting to go on a vacation during Golden Week so Hatori can avoid his ex's wedding.)

But for Shigure, empathy isn't something that comes easy for him. As he words it, his kindness isn't as good as the real thing someone like Hatori has. Shigure considers his kindness a hastily manufactured afterthought.

He's someone perfectly content using someone if he gets something out of it. And if he sees someone hesitating to reach for something they want, he'd rather just provoke them into action than attempt to warmly encourage them or understand where they're coming from. Because he doesn't see a point in hesitating at all and frankly, he knows comforting people like that doesn't come easy to him. So he normally opts not to.

As such, he's fascinated by the levels of empathy and kindness Tohru has. Tohru's kindness sometimes even makes him feel guilty and Shigure isn't someone who often feels guilt in the first place.

Contrast to him, Tohru is so pure that Shigure can't help acknowledging how twisted he is. In season 1/the manga's first arc, he even tells Hatori that because of that forced realization he gets every time he looks at her he thinks Tohru is too pure for him.

Compare to that to our final arc of the manga/season ー where it all eventually escalates to Shigure's quiet contemplationthat maybe he should have dreamed of Tohru.

That it's most likely that Akito wasn't the right one to dream of.

That someone as twisted as him needs someone like Tohru to balance it. To be that beacon that can lead him into being a 'normal' person.

He genuinely thinks about it in that moment as he playfully tells Tohru 「もしもの、お話し」 which is more accurately translated as "It's a what-if story".

Had Shigure dreamed of Tohru all those years ago, what would have been different?

...

But Tohru isn't who he dreamed of and this is the bed Shigure has decided to make for himself. One he has kept on the path of for years. So he lets himself think about the what ifs for a moment before ultimately deciding to keep lying in the bed he's made in hopes of the day Akito finally comes around.

But it's in Shigure's mind, and now the audience's mind, that more than likely it should have been Tohru. Tohru and what she represents is who he should have dreamed of.

You can see signs that a relationship with Tohru is something Shigure's considered even vaguely in the series even before that point though.

Sure it's passed as a joke, but when you look back at the scene with the "what if story" goggles, you can't help wondering "was it really though?"

Hell, Shigure desiring Tohru is something that even Akito feared.

She was enraged at the thought very thought of it during the Summer Vacation arc. It's what set Akito off enough to tell Tohru that she is the God of the zodiacs and they all belong to her, Shigure in particular.

Akito was already even in an agitated state before she asked Shigure if he felt anything even partially romantic towards Tohru. Why? Because she's displeased that Shigure isn't kind to her the way he used to be. That he used to only look at Akito but now he doesn't. She wants him to be kind to her again, like he was before.

And Shigure is exceptionally kind to Tohru.

Like he is very careful and considerate when he comes to Tohru which he even confesses to Mayu at one point when she tells him that he should treat her carefully. He tells her 「これでも僕にしてはめずらしいくらい大切にしてると思うんだけどね」 which can, more accurately be given a rough translation of "I think it's unusual for me, but I'm taking good care of her" or even "I think it's unusual for me to value someone this much".

And if you look back on the series, that isn't cap.

Excluding characters like Kisa, Hiro and Momiji (who isn't the same age as the other two but acts youthful enough it is easy to forget), Tohru is the only character Shigure doesn't really treat the way he does everyone else.

Shigure has no problem poking and prodding at people, even in moments where they're very clearly in emotional turmoil when he says them.

Asking Yuki what Akito told him during the Summer Vacation arc.

Telling Kyo that he is using hating Yuki as a shield for what he doesn't want to think about.

(... Telling Akito "bitch I wouldn't have cheated on you if you didn't cheat on me first" lmaooo.)

Even if at the end of the day, it is coming from his own way of caring (trying to get people to act and move forward), that doesn't change the fact Shigure can be a complete asshole. One that will say some very hurtful things to people.

And he's done it multiple times to the same people over and over again. Measuring what's the right amount of what to say to avoid or invoke a specific reaction that he does or doesn't want. Sometimes it's played for laughs, other times it is to rile someone up so badly they cannot contain their aggravation.

So it really isn't cap when he tells Mayu he does, in reality, treat Tohru very gently. For all that Shigure is capable of doing, he treats Tohru with more care than he normally gives to people. Especially considering he has no real reason to since she was a stranger to him until recently.

It takes Shigure until the final arc to do anything of his usual nature to Tohru. And when he does, he asks her if she's mad at him afterwards. It doesn't sound like much until you realize he's never done anything of that sort for any other character in the series.

Yuki. Kyo. Akito.

He'll back off. He might sigh and state it's pointless to continue a debate when he and the other person are going back and forth in circles. But he never asks to see how that other person feels because he doesn't care. Hell, he can tell if that other person is upset with him or done with his shenanigans.

And yet with Tohru, he feels compelled to ask for the first time ever.

And, of course, I can't talk about all this stuff and not mention Shigure's calm fury when Tohru fell from the cliffside. He stayed quiet for damn near 20 seconds as he processed that Akito told him that Tohru fell and we don't see his face the entire time he's processing. Then once he finally pulls himself together, he couldn't even let Akito finish her sentence when he asked if Tohru's 'fall' was a push.

We never truly get to see in Furuba, something that could set Shigure off.

But I think in that moment we get a glimpse of it. A glimpse that shows just how strongly he feels for Tohru. Because it begs the question, if Akito had pushed Tohru off that cliff, what would Shigure have done? How would he have reacted? I don't think even Shigure knew how he would have reacted.

I'm honestly morbidly curious.

That's all to say, that, "what if" story was with Shigure. Not Momiji, not Yuki. It was Shigure.

'If you didn't end up with A, you definitely would have ended up with B'. If we narrowed this down to Yuki and Tohru specifically, there's only two other characters that come close to that. If it wasn't Machi for Yuki and Kyo for Tohru ー YuKyo and ShiTohru would have been at the finish line.

If Shigure had dreamed of Tohru... or hell, what if he had dreamt of Akito but decided that that dream alone wasn't enough to keep the canine sense of loyalty he was cursed with?

There definitely would have been more than just proposals played for laughs and musings of that 'what could have been's.

Well anyway if you're curious to see my take on what it could have been like if Shigure dreamed of Tohru (complete w/ YuKyo and onesided AkiGure) do I have the story for you because I'm writing it on AO3. Read and give me comments to validate my delusions wwwwwwwwwww

#look she's answering #anon #fruits basket #furuba #lmao i was wheezing this because some of y'all might get mad at me for saying it #but at the same time i'm totally right not sorry #fruba #akigure #shitohru #shigure x tohru #kyoru #ish i kinda mention them here #animanga thoughts

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all-too-random · 1 year

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Sora and Riku Sohma HC'S

Rin was around 25 and Haru was around 23 when the twins were born

Their birthday is May 23 (possibly in '05 or '06), making them Geminis

(Sora is very into astrology, and everytime Riku makes her mad she calls him a "two-faced ducking Gemini")

Haru is the one who suggested names, after Kingdom Hearts characters

He half expected Rin to say no (she also loves video games and had played Kingdom Hearts with him before, so it's not like she didn't get the reference), but she didn't soooo

Haru was absolutely ecstatic about being a parent the second Rin found out she was pregnant. Rin had a much different reaction.

She wasn't angry about it; she and Haru had discussed having kids and she had decided she was ready. But when the reality of it hit her, she became very anxious.

Rin had a lot of flashbacks to her own childhood, and that didn't help at all

In addition, Rin was hospitalized through much of her pregnancy due to health complications.

When the twins were born, they were both put in the NICU; Sora came home after 3 weeks, and Riku after 5 weeks

Rin was also kept in the hospital for several weeks for her own health to be monitered

She also had really bad post-partum, and went to therapy for it until the twins were 3 months old

Riku was a fairly easy baby; he hardly ever fussed, ate well, and slept well. Strangers could hold him and he usually didn't cry. Just overall, a good baby.

Sora was the opposite. She was almost always fussy, woke up sporadically throughout the night, and wouldn't let any strangers hold her

Half the time, she wouldn't even let Rin hold her. Just Haru.

The stranger thing switched when they were about 5 months old; Riku developed stranger anxiety, and Sora did not. She became a social, bubbly baby who was always smiling.

This demeanor carried on for Sora throughout the years. She loved talking and playing.

Throughout their childhood years, both Sora and Riku loved Tohru. She would come visit their mom a lot.

As a toddler, she became very close with Mutsuki because they were both always running around

She got the habit of T-posing when excited from him; Mutsuki did it for a whole day as a joke, so she copied him. Then she never stopped.

She would also act as a walking baby doll for Kinu and Hibika, and they would dress her up and carry her around

Anytime Riku would meet someone, he would hide behind his mother's legs or bury his head in his father's chest. This lasted until he was about 7.

After that, he stopped being so anxious, but was still much more mellow than Sora and far less talkative.

Riku usually preferred to play by himself; although he did love following Hajime around at family gatherings (much to the older boy's annoyance)

Riku also liked listening to Kinu read stories to him, which she loved to do

Because Riku is so antisocial, it lead to him being bullied at school when he was young

At least, it did until Sora threatened to beat all his bullies up (she got suspended, but people stopped messing with Riku)

She still bullies Riku. But only she is allowed to do it.

Out of the Sohma kids, they are closest in age to Kagura's son (im calling him Kiyoshi), and Kagura's daughter (who I'm naming Sayuri)

Kiyoshi, Sayuri, and Sora often spend a lot of time gossiping together about things going on within the family or in their lives

Riku usually hangs out with them, but doesn't say nearly as much.

They're really close, but only see each other when the family is together because he goes to a different school

Sora and Riku both view Shiki and Mina as little siblings

Sora always smothers Shiki with hugs and will go out of her way to embarrass him (pinching his cheeks, talking to his crushes, etc.). She also goes to the batting cages with Mina just to cheer her on.

Riku shows his affection in smaller ways, such as pats on the head or shoulder and just being around them

They love going to Sohma family gatherings to see their cousins, but usually it's just their dad who brings them. Rin doesn't usually make an appearance, and when she does, she keeps a distance from everyone except Tohru and Kagura.

Sora was always slightly closer with their dad, whereas Rikh was always slightly closer with their mom. They still have a great bond with both of them, though (video games = family bonding activities)

Rin and Haru always made sure to tell their kids that taking care of mental health was important and encouraged therapy/counseling if their kids ever needed it (they usually saw someone at least once a year, just to check in and chat about life)

Riku and Sora were diagnosed with autism and adhd respectively at about age 10

In terms of school, Riku always did better than Sora. • In subjects he found super interesting, Riku would always get get A's. Other than that, he could keep a pretty steady A-B average

Sora was lucky to get an A or a B, and clung to the "C's get degrees" slogan for life

Sora was taller than Riku until they were 13-14, then she stopped growing and he didn't (she ended up being 5'3 and he ended up being 5'9)

She always tells people they meet that she is the older twin. They have to know.

Sora also loves teasing Riku about everything; for as stoic as he is, he can get easily flustered (no one can really tell except Sora, though). Sora, on the other hand, is embarrassed about nothing, so he can never get her back.

Sora and Riku love playing pranks on people. Riku is usually the brains behind it, whereas Sora actually carries it out.

This has gotten them into a lot of trouble at school and at home

Riku and Sora learned about the curse when they were 13.

They always knew their mother didn't like family gatherings, and especially did not like Akito, but didn't really know why.

Sora would asked about it as a child, but was never given a complete answer. Just something like "Well, Akita wasn't always nice to Mama." Or "It makes Mama remember things she doesn't like." Or something

She stopped asking for a while, but eventually she got curious again. So after a family gathering, she asked.

Haru and Rin decided the twins were old enough to know, and explained everything.

They explained the curse, and everything that went with it.

(They did give a warning beforehand, though. "If we tell you this, it may learn bad things about people you care about. Are you sure you want to know?")

Afterwards, Sora and Riku were both very angry. Not at their parents, but at everyone who failed them (specifically Akito).

They even stopped talking to Shiki for a while (the poor boy had no idea why)

Eventually, though, they got over it. They accepted that the past was past, and that Shiki had nothing to do with it either way.

#fruits basket #fruits basket 2019 #fruits basket another #rin sohma #isuzu sohma #haru sohma #hatsuharu sohma #haru x rin #sora and riku #riku soma

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haleigh-sloth · 1 year

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I only watched the old anime and never read the Manga, what's in the manga that's questionable?

Well the old anime was pretty much entirely a comedy, and left out, well, pretty much everything.

In the full story the things that are questionable are some of the romantic/sexual relationships. Some of them are just really ick because of the dynamic at play. For at least 4 that I can think of there are either extreme age gaps, or there are power dynamics that veer into gross/ick territory.

Depending on the ages of characters, age gaps don't particularly bother me just because of the fact that there is an age gap. It depends on the actual ages chosen. But in Furuba, 2 of the 4 relationships consist of early high school aged girls and men in their early/mid 20s. Granted by the end they are all graduating high school, but that puts the adult men 2 years older too, so.

Shigure and Akito, the age gap isn't confirmed, but context tells us it's there. And to push it into y i k e s 😬 territory there is just really toxic (literally "toxic", not just me throwing the word around "toxic") behavior and is pretty emotionally abusive (toward each other). There's a weird power dynamic between the two that--looking back now that I'm older--is pretty fucked up. This is the dynamic I'm surprised to not see a big fuss about in general, honestly.

Because we don't know Akito's actual age, we also can't say 100% that her and Kureno's relationship was like that with the age gap also, but their entire thing was also ICK 🤮. He stayed with the Sohmas because he didn't want to see a sorrowful girl cry anymore--which the phrasing itself paired with the flashbacks kind of emphasizes their maturity differences--and then he goes and has a sexual relationship with her and it's just ugh.

Truthfully the most messed up situation is Tohru's parents--whose backstory didn't get animated into the main anime and instead got its own one hour special. It's a 15 year old student and a 22 year old teacher....literally. They meet when one is a student and the other is a teacher. It's a hot mess. But they end up happy and have Tohru lol.

Pretty much all of the relationships in question end on the note that they're happy and leading happy lives together with families of their own, not wallowing in abuse and misery. So there's not really any arguing that they went on to have gross disturbing dynamics in their relationships.

There's also a lot of blatant forgiveness toward god awful abusive behavior at the end.

Personally I have no serious complaints about any of these things--mostly because I've been aware for 13 years and slowly realized over time how fucked everything is in Furuba lol. It's a good story overall and I still recommend it highly, just with a warning label lol.

****On another note entirely, the 2001 anime in the dub is fucking hilarious and I recommend everyone watch it for a good laugh. The 2019 anime actually captures the whole story and mood, but the first one is just really funny.

#fruits basket

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