Fruits Basket

Episode 41

I think of Tohru as a relentless optimist, but this episode of Fruits Basket was too much for even her to bear without bursting into tears. “Ask Him For Me” is the story of two tragedies that each seem tailor-made to dredge up Tohru's unaddressed trauma and grief for her mom. Both Momo and Momiji's forced distance and Kureno and Arisa's relationship that wasn't are about the artificial circumstances that keep people apart. It's especially distressing to somebody like Tohru, who is experiencing a very real inability to be with her mom. It goes without saying that if this episode is sad enough to make Tohru break down, the rest of us didn't stand a chance.

From one perspective, Fruits Basket is a show featuring many adults that are irresponsible at best and abusive at worst, and the younger generation muddling through life without positive role models. Tohru may be a de facto orphan, but her Sohma friends aren't doing much better, as particularly evidenced during the last episode and its highlighting of Yuki's mom, an emotionally distant workaholic. This week, we learn about Momiji's even more tragic circumstances brought about by a selfish father who thinks he can build the perfect family by abandoning his inconvenient son. As a reminder from a few dozen episodes ago: Momiji's mom doesn't remember him, and Momiji's father wants to hide him from his little sister, too. It's difficult to believe that anyone would be upset by a baby who turns into an adorable bunny when hugged, but such is the dark shadow of the Sohma family, which portrays such whimsical circumstances as a shameful curse.

Still, it's only the older generation that feels this way. The younger Sohma set (like Kagura with Kyo, for example) have always been far more forgiving, and it turns out that Momo just idolizes Momiji. The Sohma kids are still too innocent to adopt the prejudices of their parents, and this couldn't be more blatant than how Momo's recognition of Momiji's resemblance is obvious to her but explained away by her mother. “She's always known who you are,” Tohru says. It's even sadder how Momiji takes Tohru's relayed proposition to be Momo's big brother. This same rift that makes Tohru so desolate is joyful news to Momiji, who is just happy to be noticed by his sister. It's infuriating to realize how every little gesture Momo makes to grow closer to him just makes Momiji's life worse—he can't even continue violin instruction with the same teacher anymore when his whole life's dream is to go pro. The saddest part is that it doesn't have to be this way.

Tohru's happening on the drama of Momiji and Momo was pure coincidence; the B part of the episode is about searching for Kureno within the Sohma compound. It's a funny interlude amidst all the angst to follow along with Secret Agent Tohru, who would in reality be a terrible spy. In the end, it's Kureno who finds her and saves her bacon while he's at it. When Kureno learns why Tohru is there, he has every reason to be upset at her for meddling in his private affairs, but it's a relief when he isn't. Normally I wouldn't be cheering on a girl who inserts herself into her friend's love life to this extent, but the narrative has made it starkly clear why Tohru has a personal stake in Arisa's happiness. To Tohru, these social barriers that keep her friends from the people they love simply aren't real—they aren't kept apart the way Tohru is from her mom, and certainly these circumstances aren't as binding as life and death. It's understandable why Tohru feels a need to give them a push in the right direction, but I'm sitting here in 2020 begging her to think again. The real reason Kureno and Arisa shouldn't be together is their 10 year age gap (Kureno is 26, Arisa is 16)! Didn't bother me when I read the manga as a teen, but as an adult, yikes.

In the middle of these two tearful subplots, I have to point out that this episode was visually and audibly arresting. It's never been more apparent that this redux is giving Fruits Basket the luxurious retelling that it deserves as in this second season. Tohru and Kyo make a pretty picture on the rooftop, and the decision to frame this with violin music reminiscent of Momiji is spot-on. The still-life visuals of house sparrows in each of Kureno's scene remind us of his Zodiac identity, no hug required. And of course, I've got the sonorous OP and ED sequences playing on repeat. If you need a good cry this week, this episode will get the job done—and it'll look great doing it.

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Fruits Basket is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist and model kits at Gunpla 101.