The 2019 Fruits Basket anime series is the second to be adapted from Natsuki Takaya’s manga series of the same name, and it includes all 23 volumes of the narrative. According to Takaya’s request, the new anime adaptation was revealed in November 2018 and would have a new cast and crew. TMS Entertainment will produce the three-season, 63-episode production from April 2019 to June 2021. The series was directed by Yoshihide Ibata, with Taku Kishimoto in charge of the series composition and Masaru Shindou in charge of the character designs. Funimation, which distributed the series via a Crunchyroll-Funimation agreement, collaborated on the revival.
Parts of volumes 6 and 7 and the first five manga volumes were adapted for the first season. From April 6 through September 21, 2019, 25 episodes were shown on TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, and TV Aichi. “Again” by Beverly is the initial opening theme for episodes 1 through 13. “Chime” by Ai Otsuka serves as the second opening theme for episodes 14–25. Vickeblanka’s “Lucky Ending” is the first episode finale theme for episodes 1 through 13. “One Step Closer” by INTERSECTION serves as the second closing theme for episodes 14–25.
Before you read: To be clear, this is not meant to judge or invalidate many bisexual people in heterosexual relationships. While many Fruit Basket characters are clearly or implicitly attracted to people of different genres, all the final canonical partners in the series tend to be between men and women.
What is the Ending of Fruit Basket?
The fruit basket is heartbreakingly long and has a happy ending. After the curse is lifted, everything goes well. Most Soma finds a romantic partner, and Tohru and Kyo grow old and have grandchildren together. Mostly, this is very satisfying, but the anime and manga endings have a significant flaw. Almost everything arrives in the most heterogeneous way possible.
The fruit basket contains many bisexual and non-conforming gender characters. Still, with a few verifiable exceptions, these characters are either in a straight-line relationship or are beginning to follow the traditional roles of their gender assigned at birth.
The Ending was Beautiful
Although Yuki was Hatsuharu’s first love, he ends up with Rin. Once the Yuki/Machi relationship began, any possible chemistry between Yuki and Kakeru was finally given up. According to the Fruit Basket, even Hana, who had no overt love subplots and was simple to interpret as sapphic, gets coupled up with a guy in the end. Another manga sequel.
It fits with prevailing tendencies in anime and manga to frame high school as a period when youths are free to explore before eventually ending up in heteronormative relationships. All these overt or covert homoromantic subplots arrived and departed while the protagonists were in high school. Ayame is the one significant exception to this tendency. Although he also gets a girlfriend, he openly declares his attraction to both sexes as an adult, making him seem more like an authentic bisexual portrayal than someone who views bisexuality as a phase. The only prominent gender-nonconforming character in Fruit Basket, Ayame, maintains his androgynous appearance throughout the story.
Another good moment for gay inclusivity in the series finale is when Momiji says he’s seeking a “significant partner” but doesn’t say what gender he’s looking for. This phrase raises the potential that Momiji would still be open to exploring his sexuality beyond high school and not as a “phase,” even if Fruits Basket Another reveals that Momiji finally married a woman, at least as far as the anime is concerned. Since his growth spurt, Momiji has presented himself as more of a man, but this was a naturally occurring development (his intention was always to crossdress as a child and wear men’s clothing as an adult), and his display of masculinity still leaves space for softness and sweetness.
In case you forgot, “See You Again Soon.”
Tohru, Kyo, Arisa, and Saki are on a date to the zoo. Kyo recalls how Tohru took up the shattered rosary beads to hold onto a reminder of their prior selves as they moved on. Yuki reveals to Kakeru that he applied to a distant college and that, like Machi, he would also be leaving the city. Near the conclusion of their date, Arisa and Saki advise Kyo to treasure and care for Tohru, since her departure means that everyone would be losing a significant part of themselves.
After finishing high school, Tohru and the others are prepared to start the next phase of their lives. Tohru describes her first experience with the Sohmas, including how Kyo attempted to attack Yuki, how Yuki and Shigure discovered her living in a tent, and how she learned about the curse. She laments the good times and how sorry she is that they are ended. Kyo comforts her by assuring her that she will see the Sohmas again and that everyone loves her.
Yuki, who is also heartbroken about Tohru and Kyo’s moving out, arrives at Machi’s house and offers her the key to his new home. Ritsu talks with Kagura about how everyone is starting over and how they all want to be happy after cutting their hair short. Since Tohru is going, Kisa starts crying as she and Hiro chat about how no one will be staying at Shigure’s home anymore. Momiji admits that he envies Kyo for having Tohru, but he also promises to meet his soul mate one day. The idea that everyone is acting as if they have forgotten about Akito’s tragedy causes Rin to start crying, but she finds it difficult to stop.
Saki and Kazuma discuss how everyone would eventually get over Akito’s pain. On the phone, Arisa expresses to Kureno her readiness to be with him when the moment is right. Akito shares with Shigure her appreciation for meeting Tohru as a friend. In their heart-to-heart, Tohru tells Yuki that she was like a mother to him and expresses gratitude for having impacted everyone’s lives. A flashforward reveals that Tohru and Kyo are married and have a grandson.
The Fruits Basket Spinoff Series has been announced.
Shortly after the last Japanese episode of the Fruits Basket anime aired, a teaser trailer for the new project, Kyoko to Katsuya no Monogatari, was uploaded to YouTube. Tohru Honda, the series’ main character, is the son of Kyoko and Katsuya. The show’s creators omitted to say if this new anime is being produced as a TV series, film, or OVA.
