#Ritsu Sohma

[aretheyqueer]

Is she a trans girl?

disclaimer: this is a hc, not speculating on what the writers intentions were.

reason: She prefers to wear women’s clothing throughout the show and has talked about how whenever she didn’t wear them she felt uncomfortable. She talked about how her family was always apologizing for her and how she tried to stop presenting more feminine for them, but she couldn’t because she felt much more comfortable and like herself in woman’s clothes.

[natade-art]

i love to rewatch my earliest anime and be deeply disappointed. anyways /i/ know the most important part of furuba

[whoishotteranimepolls]

"Who's Hotter?" Pride Month Event: Canon Gender Non-conforming

[mrsmarymorstan]

Went to MCM on Friday and managed to get my Art Book signed by a bunch of the English Dub Cast 🥰

[metallica-nero]

° 。 ⋆༺♱༻⋆。 °

Fruits Basket Wallpaper

° Feel free to use

[landofanimes]

Fruits Basket 2nd Season

[cinderella-ish]

Fruits Basket Queer Headcanons

The more I watch and read Fruits Basket, the more I get the sense that no one is straight here. Well... almost no one. So, in honor of pride month, here are my queer headcanons for the cast of Fruits Basket!

(Disclaimer that these are my own personal headcanons, obviously nothing official, etc... I try to draw on evidence from the text, but I'll admit I'm occasionally going purely off vibe. Also, I'm bi and genderfluid, so that's the lens I'm bringing to this. I'd love to hear your headcanons, especially if they differ from mine! Enjoy!)

Genderfluid and/or genderqueer: Ayame and Ritsu

I (probably somewhat controversially) think a lot of the gender non-conformity among Fruits Basket characters is just that: gender non-conformity. Momiji is one example; he dresses in girls' clothing (though not "like a girl") until his growth spurt, but it seems important to him to be seen as a man from at least that point forward.

Ritsu is someone whose gender identity and/or nonconformity really should've been explored more in the manga - as written, it feels like Ritsu's exploration of gender was viewed as something he'd grow out of, rather than a search for understanding himself. He doesn't really seem to mind being identified as either male or female, though he obviously feels a lot of shame about his comfort with wearing women's clothes (though no one around him when we meet him really seems to mind, which is nice-- I also appreciate that Ritsu was shown to have friends who adore him outside of the Sohmas). Anyway, the fact that he seems okay with being referred to as both a man and a woman is the entire basis for this headcanon.

Ritsu also idolizes Ayame, and I think part of this stems from Ayame's own security in his non-traditional gender presentation. We don't really get a lot of Ayame's thoughts on gender, despite his line of work, but he strikes me as the sort of person who would enjoy playing with his own gender presentation and would be more than open to exploring his gender identity (and probably has!). I think Ayame would lean more toward having an expansive view of masculinity rather than dressing more feminine when he feels more feminine, but I also think he would embrace the different ways people might perceive his gender.

Transgender Woman: Akito Sohma

This I think is quite clear in canon. Akito was assigned male at birth, then transitioned to female.

What makes it hard for some people to see Akito as trans is that the reason she was assigned male at birth was not the typical reason people are assigned male at birth in our world (it was her mother's demand, rather than a guess based on the shape of her genitals), but I don't think that makes her any less trans.

Under the Ace and/or Aro Umbrellas

This umbrella is a little tricky for several of these characters, because they've been forbidden from dating, or had very controlling parents, or thought they'd only hurt anyone they loved, so they haven't necessarily had time to figure out whether they've just repressed that part of themselves or they just don't experience attraction at all/without a strong emotional connection first. (Not everyone needs time to figure that out, though!) But anyway, here's who I think would eventually find themselves under at least one of these umbrellas!

Asexual/Aromantic: Kazuma

I love the tidbit that Kazuma tried dating women, but talked so much about Kyo that he never got a second date. I like the interpretation of him as a gay man, but to me, he reads as asexual/aromantic. Dating just doesn't even seem to be on his radar!

Demisexual/Demiromantic: Kyo, Shigure, Machi

A lot of the fandom sees Kyo as demi, and I'm totally here for that interpretation of him. He generally seems annoyed by or frightened of girls who aren't Tohru (frightened either when there's a risk of transforming, or when Kagura is involved). Also, it's CUTE that Kyo takes after his dad (Kazuma) in this way.

At first blush, it seems very unlikely Shigure is under the ace umbrella, but I couldn't stop thinking about his brief relationship with Mayu. He's the one who suggested they date, yet he seemed completely disinterested in her. He did sleep with Ren, but that was only for revenge and because he imagined Akito would look like her if she'd been allowed to grow up as a woman. I genuinely believe all his "high school girls" ickiness was an act, much like most of his personality.

It doesn't seem like Machi can totally tell if/when she likes something (or someone!). This makes me wonder if she's just never had feelings for anyone before Yuki.

Demiromantic: Rin, Hiro

Rin seems open to sexual relations with people other than Haru, but I genuinely can't see her having romantic feelings for anyone other than him. I see Hiro similarly with respect to Kisa. I think, if they ever split, it would take an extremely long time for him to even be open to falling for someone else.

Under the Bi/Pan+ Umbrella

So, I'm not making a distinction between these two (and other orientations that fall under the same umbrella, like poly- or omnisexual) because that seems like a very personal, internal conversation. I know some people make a distinction between the way bi and pan people experience attraction, but some don't, and that feels too prescriptivist for my purposes here. So, these are characters who I think experience attraction to multiple genders!

Tohru obviously falls for Kyo, but she also thinks Akito is cute, she thinks Rin is "shapely" and "beautiful" (her words!), and she goes along with it when Saki talks about them getting married.

Yuki ends up with Machi (and I love them together!) but I think Kyo was his first crush. His arc is also very relatable for a lot of queer folks (myself included!). And he's a disaster. Long live bisexual disaster Yuki Sohma!

Shigure is tricky, because the flirtation between him and Ayame could just be a joke, but I personally think it's a joke that arose out of some fun nights spent together...

Akito obviously likes men, but she also flirts with Tohru when they first meet.

Saki talks about marrying both Tohru and Kazuma. She's probably joking about Kazuma, but she's generally a very literal person, so I don't think she's joking about Tohru. She also marries a foreigner canonically, and that foreigner is probably a man.

Momiji talks about finding an amazing sweetheart-- not an amazing wife or girlfriend!!-- one day. I think he was being very intentional in not specifying his future partner's gender.

Hatori is the one I feel least sure of, but my headcanon is that he gets so annoyed and embarrassed by Shigure and Ayame because he doesn't want anyone to know he was totally part of at least a few of those trysts...

Mutsuki and Hajime are definitely together, right? And it seems like the fandom mostly sees Mutsuki as bi, which... yeah, that tracks.

Hatsuharu's first love was Yuki, and his last love was Rin.

Kakeru has a girlfriend, but for some reason, I have it in my head that he always refers to Kyo as Yuki's "hot cousin"? Did I just imagine that? Anyway... even if I did make that up, I think his backstory is a great analogy for the experience of coming out. He was trying to fit in a box and decided he was done with it. Pure chaotic bi energy.

For Ayame, see Shigure and Hatori above. (Also, “I am a bottom ALL THE WAY!!!”)

Mine is admittedly here just based on vibes.

Mitsuru likes Ritsu even though she's not entirely sure of Ritsu's gender!

Kimi is also here purely based on vibes.

Gay and Lesbian

Hiroshi has always struck me as gay. I can't really explain it. I usually have absolutely awful gaydar, so it's odd that he gives me such clear gay vibes. I wrote him as gay in my longfic, Bloom Within Us, and I'll probably always write him as gay.

President Takei obviously has a crush on Yuki. We don't really see him show interest in anyone else (partially because he's such a minor character). He also seems to still be a bachelor in Another, which could be because he can't legally marry yet...

My headcanon that Kunimitsu is gay kind of popped up as I was writing Bloom Within Us. There's no particular reason, and he doesn't give me strong gay vibes or anything.

Hajime and Mutsuki are definitely a couple! (Right?!) And it seems like most of the fandom sees Hajime as gay which... yeah, I can get behind that.

Akimoto (Arisa's senpai from her gang) is another character who gives me such strong vibes that I thought it was canon that she was a lesbian. Whoops. Anyway, I headcanon that Akimoto is gay, and referenced that in one of my oneshots.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

Controversial omission: Arisa Uotani. She says she likes Kureno because he reminds her of Tohru, but she doesn't like Tohru? Yes, she gives me major queer vibes but this to me points to her being straight. Also, based on the way she reacts to her friends developing crushes or falling in love (and the way they react to her falling in love), I don't think there's anything between her and Saki or her and Tohru (as much as I love fics that pair her with Saki!). I also think not every relationship with lots of physical affection and strong feelings of love has to be romantic.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading my queer headcanons! This has been in my drafts for months, so I'm really glad Pride Month gave me a reason to finish this post!

Happy Pride!

[lilium-dragomir]

[iammissingautumn]

Okay but canonically out of all the elder zodiac members (fruba spoilers ahead) . Kureno, Shigure, Hatori, Ayame, and Ritsu. Ritsu is the only one who doesn’t know about the family head’s gender. Ritsu is basically a complete parallel to Akito in a lot of ways. Akito is uncomfortable dressing as a man but does it anyways out of needing to present powerful. Ritsu on the other hand loves dressing as a woman. To her it is bracing her femininity. For Akito it is filling in a dead man’s shoes with a bitter mother’s heart. Akito claims to never be at the wrong for anything and Ritsu apologizes for everything. Explodes.

[dino-anarchy]

trans-coded color wheel

[roseillith]

[whosyourfavevoicedby-polls]

[aparticularbandit]

I know we universally dislike how Danganronpa handled Chihiro and "he dresses like a girl because it makes him feel comfortable and less anxious but also he wants to become stronger so that he can shed his anxious feminine self and be a real man" but.

I had less of a problem than maybe I should have.

Because.

That's Ritsu's storyline in Fruits Basket (albeit with less murder). Ritsu dresses as a woman - full Hiyoko style get-up - because it makes him less anxious, because it calms him. His idea is that when he becomes more confident and sure of himself (and feels less like his existence is a blight on the entire world for which he must apologize (hi Mikan)), he will dress in suits and be more manly. In fact, the main character, Tohru, believes he is a woman until it's revealed otherwise, and this is seen as a deep point of shame.

However.

Fruits Basket also gives us Ayame Sohma, who overflows with the most confidence of anyone in the entire series, and who also. is a fashionista. Also occasionally wears women's clothing (a wedding dress, at one point, because his clothing store is to fulfill men's fantasies, and one of them is apparently wearing a wedding dress and getting married). Does not see a problem with stylizing his little brother's clothes as more feminine or putting him in a dress (despite said little brother very much not liking being mistaken for a woman or having people mention how feminine he looks).

Like.

Ayame aggressively does not care about your gender roles ever at any point in time.

And Fruits Basket tells us that this is the person Ritsu wants to emulate.

So like.

I should have a problem with how Danganronpa handled Chihiro.

But I'm also starting to wonder how common a plot point/trope this sort of thing is in Japanese media.

[landofanimes]

Fruits Basket: The Stage (2022-2024)

Main Visuals

[colourful-light3215]

[couldtransitionsaveher]

RITSU SOHMA from FRUITS BASKET

JUSTIFICATION:

"listen. listen. imho the whole "he has constant anxiety and dressing feminine and being perceived as a woman" is SUCH a cis author fumble (along with the whole magic system depending on AGAB and it being "revealed" with Ritsu...) and "explanation" of what could easily be a trans narrative instead, its so obvious... anyways in my head the story ending wrt Ritsu is different in that she does not feel "confident enough" to literally detransition but instead embraces her transfemininity in the whole world, not just the contains of the Sohma estate. also Mitsuru is obviously a lesbian and they still date, but lesbianly" - @otto-von-stirlitz

Reminder: Submissions are always open! Submit here!

Did you make your daily click today?