Rolling Review – Fruits Basket 2019 – S3 (13)

Episode Synopsis

With the curse lifted, Tohru and Kyo prepare for the next chapter of their life together. The rest of the Somas reflect on all that has happened and look towards their own future. Free of the curse and Akito’s control, some want to travel, others wish to find love, and yet others are working to better themselves and their new relationships. It is not really the end of one story, but the beginning of many more.

Review:

As we lower the curtain on the revival of Fruits Basket, we can finally see how this story concludes and where all of our players end up. The decision to draw out the conclusion into several episodes of denouement was absolutely the right one. With such a large cast and so many interpersonal relationships, I’m glad we’ve taken the time to address the changes everyone has gone through and set up where everyone goes from here.

That setup is the focus of this episode, as we follow Tohru and Kyo relaxing and preparing to set out on their new life together. Of course, this wouldn’t be complete without our two favorite moms giving Kyo their blessing in their own special way.

The rest of our time is spent visiting the other members of the zodiac as they look towards the rest of their own lives. Yuki is ready to strike out on his own, but reaffirms his relationship with Machi, even if he’s a bit of a jerk about it. Frankly, he wouldn’t be Yuki if he wasn’t kind of an ass. Even with everyone finding some sense of peace after all they’ve been through, no one comes through the Soma household without getting a bit twisted.

While we spend a little time with nearly everyone we’ve met, I wanted to highlight the moment between Momiji, Haru, and Isuzu to piggyback off of some of Su’s feelings from the last episode. Isuzu says that she can’t forgive Akito, and doesn’t understand how the others can simply move on. Clearly it’s not so cut and dry for any of them, but it’s important to show how strong these feelings still run. Unfortunately, the others don’t really address this, and while it’s probably unreasonable to expect abused teenagers to clearly state their feelings in real life…

… and that’s what they do all the time. Moving on and getting away from the people and systems that have caused them so much pain is a completely valid response, and I understand why most of the Somas would seek that for themselves. For others, healing could involve confronting Akito for what she did, and the rest of the family for allowing it, especially those not affected by the curse. I appreciate that they don’t sweep that under the rug, but they very deliberately avoid addressing it, which I see as a missed opportunity.

Even so, this is a show about love overcoming adversity and young people growing around their traumas, so it must end on a happy note. The final scenes are genuinely touching, and are a beautiful sendoff to show that embraced its all-too rare second chance at life.

Fruits Basket did more than just conclude the show – it breathed new life into a story that was important for many of the first fans to grow up with anime as a hobby, and provided closure for a show that meant a lot to them. Seeing the reactions of people who waited years to see how this story came together is as heartwarming as anything in the show itself, and that makes it all worthwhile

Summary:

I wish I could say more about this episode, but I honestly think that its impact can only be measured by your own experience with the show. I found it a touching sendoff, and a perfect capstone to a beloved story. It will be great to discuss it with the rest of the Con Artists when we do our end-of-season wrapup, and I can’t wait to share those thoughts and conversations with the rest of you.