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cinderella-ish · 2 months ago

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New Fruits Basket Fic Recs!

Since I posted my initial batch of fic recs, I've come across several more I want to recommend! Some of these were just hidden in my bookmarks and didn't get posted back then; some I *thought* I'd bookmarked but hadn't, and most of them are new to me since August. I'll be adding them to the various sub-lists later this evening. Hope you see something you like!

5 Times Shigure Claimed to be Selfish + 1 Time He Admitted the Truth, by TolkienScholar23 T | Gen - Shigure & others | WIP | Hurt/Comfort "If you're looking for somebody to help you, I'm quite possibly the last man you should be asking. I'm weak, unsympathetic, and utterly worthless--the worst kind of man." So Shigure insists, and most people don't question him… and yet, somehow, his younger cousins tend to find themselves on his doorstep every time they're in trouble.

A Little Trip to Heaven, by ThreeCows101 E | Tohru/Akito | Short Story | Dark Akito isn't jealous. She just needs to see what's all the fuss about.

At Least We're Being Honest, by blackiceboba T | Kakeru/Yuki | Short Story | Fluff & Romance Yuki tries to tell Kakeru about the curse. Manabe thinks he's saying something else. Awkwardness ensues.

Be Here Now, by 8_characters_or_less NR | Tohru/Kyo | WIP | Angst & Hurt/Comfort 3 years after the Soma curse breaks, Tohru and Kyo have been living a peaceful life away from the trauma of the past. But all of that is about to change as Kyo is diagnosed with cancer.

Building Zero Thirteen, by hillnerd G | Tohru/Kyo | WIP | Drama & Romance Tohru has a new job at the Sohma estate- she finds herself given new duties bringing food to a mysterious figure on the estate- all she knows about them is they don't speak to her and don't seem to enjoy leeks or onion.

Burnished and Broken, by AnxietyAvocado T | Tohru/Kyo | WIP | Angst & Hurt/Comfort Akito got her endless banquet, but her Zodiac is no longer hers in heart and mind. Yuki is back at Akito's side, and he knows he needs to do whatever he can to help Kyo through his confinement. Tohru is living on her own, but with the Sohmas-- especially Kyo-- missing from her life, she feels adrift. Their stories converge once more as the younger Sohmas work to free Kyo and find a way to create their own happy endings, including bringing Tohru back into their lives.

The Cost for Silence, by AveSolace T | Tohru/Kyo, Machi/Yuki, Haru/Rin | Novel | Drama & Suspense Someone has an axe to grind with the Sohmas. Whether over money, business, legal issues, or some other grudge, someone has managed to find the perfect piece of blackmail to use against them. And this person is willing to keep the incriminating evidence to themselves--for a price.

Dreaming of Spring, by CalebCleveland T | Tohru/Kyo, Katsuya/Kyoko | WIP | Drama On an early spring morning, Shigure wakes from a dream.

Heart-to-Heart, by eroshiyda G | Gen - Saki & Momiji | Flash Fiction | Angst Hana and Momiji talk about their feelings.

How to Accidentally Terrify Your Entire Family, by itsalreadyhalloweenright G | Gen - Hajime & his sister | Short Story | Fluff & Humor Shirasi Sohma, youngest of Kyo and Tohru Sohma, desperately misses her brother Hajime after he's moved far away for high school. So one Friday, she decides to through some clothes into the bottom of her backpack and take the train to go see him for the weekend. Without telling anybody ahead of time.

I'd Do it All Again for You, by Oinkadoink T | Tohru/Kyo | WIP | Angst & Drama Someone falls off the cliff, but it isn’t Tohru. Fate isn’t as kind to them. In spite of this, Tohru's resolve to keep Kyo from being caged doesn't waver. It just gets a little more complicated.

In a Year or So E | Kureno/Akito | Short Story | Angst & Dark Kureno, through the seasons

Left Wanting T | Tohru/Kyo | WIP (discontinued) | Drama & Romance Tohru Honda, newly graduated but not sure what she wants to do in life, lives with her best friends Uotani and Hanajima in an apartment. She gets a job working for the infamous Sohma family as just another maid for some of the lesser family members’ homes. But when Tohru unexpectedly gets reassigned to one of the Inner Circle family member’s houses, she accidentally uncovers the very dark secret the Inner Family has been hiding from the world.

Locked Up but Not Locked Away, by RoseWolf133198 T | Tohru/Kyo | Novella | Hurt/Comfort & Romance After the Somha Family curse takes on a different form, Kyo’s released from his cage due to mysterious circumstances. Once back at home,will the orange cat of the zodiac be up for a sweet reunion with his riceball.

The Nine Lives of Kyo Sohma, by 8_characters_or_less NR | Gen | WIP | Angst, Fluff, & Hurt/Comfort Collection of oneshots about Kyo

not every wound will heal, by blue_crabs_from_maryland T | Gen | Short Story | Angst & Hurt Comfort The kids aren't all right.

of cats and curses, by faerialchemist T | Tohru/Kyo, Adora/Catra | Short Story | Crossover with She-Ra and the Princesses of Power “I’ve only seen these cats get so excited about someone sitting outside a pet store with one other person in my entire life,” a warm and almost suffocatingly kind voice said, snapping Catra out of her thoughts. “And he had that same disgruntled expression that you do. Poor kitties try to make friends with the very people who don’t want to be made friends with.”

our dreams are not our own, by AnxietyAvocado G | Tohru/Kyo | Short Story | Angst & Romance they say that your dreams are your soulmate's memories

Please, Let Her Live, by goldfishoflove G | Tohru/Kyo | Short Story | Angst Sohma Kyou doesn't pray. Why would you, when you've met your god and she hates you? After Tohru's fall, Kyou is desperate, and Akito hears him.

reaching across years, by ohmygodwhy T | Gen - Ayame & Yuki | Short Story | Angst Shigure had sounded serious. A little bit regretful. And then he’d asked Ayame to go to their parents’ house and collect some of Yuki’s things, if he wouldn’t mind, like clothes and textbooks and his extra inhaler and such. Ayame had said: okay. Shigure sounded surprised, like maybe he didn’t actually expect Ayame to agree to help, but Ayame said, again: okay. I’ll do it. I’ll do it tomorrow, in fact.

Spring Fever, by EmilNomel E | Tohru/Momiji | Novelette | Smut Kyo is gone and a lonely Tohru goes to check on Momiji, who's home with a fever. But Tohru doesn't know that what Momiji has come down with is "Spring fever", thanks to his rabbit spirit wreaking havoc with his hormones. Momiji tries to keep her away, but once she arrives, the heat of the fever begins to overtake them both.

The Sun Will Shine Again, Someday G | Gen - Kyo & Yuki | Short Story | Angst Tohru had a fever. Just a little thing, that's all it was. Too much stress, too much worry. It really shouldn't have had the effect it did. Instead of getting better, she got worse. She emphatically refused Hatori's help. She said she was feeling better that evening and that she was tired and wanted to go to bed. The last thing I'd said to her was, "Shut up and go to sleep, then." So she did. And she didn't wake up. Not the next day or the day after or any day after that. In fact, she never woke up again.

this isn't easy, it isn't clear, by lucybeee T | Tohru/Kyo, also Kyo & Yuki | Novelette | Hurt/Comfort "I don't know anything about babies," Kyo blurts. Yuki chokes on a sip of water and coughs a little. "Uh...excuse me?"

#fruits basket #furuba #fruba #fanfic #ao3 #fic recs #fanfic rec #fruits basket fanfiction #my fanfic recs #word count #genre #trope #pairing #my masterlist #my masterpost

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lys-lilac · 4 years ago

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Yuki Sohma: An In-depth Character analysis Pt. 2

Hey everyone! I hope you are all well. Now that the series of Fruits Basket has ended, it’s really difficult for many of the anime viewers to say goodbye to this masterpiece of work by Natsuki Takaya. But somehow, we have to get over it. Remember, this will always remain as a special work in your heart.

Although this is a character analysis, I have included my thanks for the Furaba team now that it has ended.

Read Part 1

[Spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk. Also a disclaimer, I am a Yukiru fan, love Kyoru and Yuchi and I don’t want to hurt anyone. If you have different theories, let me know. ^^]

(Look at this guy from this...

to this! He looks so mature here... T^T)

Moving on to the topic in hand, I was sobbing at the last Yukiru conversation in the anime. That short scene was the most important scene from the episode. Ah, I didn’t watch the whole season 3, just some snippets but I was compelled by my curiosity to watch the last episode at least to say them goodbye. I don’t have much to write now, as I had mentioned many scenes in the first part, so just grab a cup of coffee or tea while listening to my thoughts.

Let’s start today from something different from the anime. I was reading about Yuki’s character from the fandom website, and here are some screenshots which piqued my interest-

1. Comparing 2001 and 2019 Yuki (Kyo’s revealation of his True form)

So 2001 airing of Fruits Basket had a little bit different plot from the 2019 one(which followed the manga). As you can see, when Kyo runs from Tohru after being transformed into his true form, Yuki chases after them in order to help them. In my opinion this was really a good thinking, but not the best. We can figure out by now how much Yuki was confused about his feelings regarding Tohru in reboot series. Since there was not much content in the former series, so the action taken by Yuki was appropriate. Otherwise, fans would have felt that he didn’t care about all this, which is not true. On the contrary, in the reboot, Yuki stays in the house and just watches Tohru running after Kyo. And in this version, he was also not convinced by Kagura to chase after them, because both of them were uncertain about their feelings. The result of staying silents ends up in Yuki starting to distant himself from Tohru in the next episode.

Sometimes I don’t understand why viewers say that Yuki just flirts with Tohru. You can see how much care he harbors for her, and that’s not in a romantic way, but as a good friend. He is consistent with his behaviour towards her from the start to end(that is how dear she is to him).

2. Former Conclusions which are excluded in the reboot

In 2001 anime, since not much plot was there, it was easy to imply that Yuki also had somehow developed romantic feelings towards Tohru. (When I first read this, I couldn’t believe it as I am just an anime viewer who has not read the manga nor watched the 2001 anime T^T). So, it’s general for some viewers to imply the same thing by the end of season 1 reboot (which was my case). It’s easy to shape this relationship as love at first, but after thorough thinking, like Yuki did, it is to be concluded that their bond is not love at all, but something much more pure.

3. Author’s information on their relationship

The last point is regarding the ribbon that Yuki gave Tohru on White Day. One can see how much both care for each other. Yuki started to distance himself from her for both of their sakes, and so does Tohru when she realises how much Yuki has changed gradually as the time has passed. I can consider Yuki as a small child leaving his nest (his home) and finally becoming a full fledged responsible guy.

4. Why Yuki didn’t call Tohru by her first name (Season 2 episode 4)

This is really a short scene but has its own importance. When Haru turns into his dark form and is about to attack Tohru, both Yuki and Kyo along with Momiji get shocked, but Kyo is the first one to punch him and save her. At that time, Yuki’s face is overshadowed with his bangs, and in my opinion, I guess he was about to extend his hand before Kyo came.

Fruits Basket has amazing imagery throughout the series. Here you can see Haru asking Yuki to call Tohru by her first name, to which Yuki first gets shocked, then seems tensed about it. Haru is looking out of the window through broken glass which represents the confusion of Yuki’s feelings, now gradually breaking apart. And the multiple images shown refer to the multiple possibilities he thought about his relationship with Tohru, but that all got compiled to a single answer; his one and only true answer to the problem.

Yuki realises how selfish he has been about this thing, while there were much more problems going on in their house. He learns to be like Tohru and Haru, worrying for everyone and helping everyone out. So he takes a bold step afterward to visit Haru in the Sohma estate as the later had been suspended. When Tohru asks to accompany him, he firmly says no and proceeds to go by himself. In other words, he didn’t want to lose what he learnt from Tohru, that is; caring for others.

But, in the last episode, he has gathered enough courage and feelings that he can now return to her. Tohru as well as Haru cared so much about him, and now that he has reached the finish line to happiness, he wants to thank the ones who made him feel that he was also important; that he was needed by them. Shimazaki Nobunaga-san, you are really fantastic! The way Yuki says her first name is so heartwarming. And one can see Tohru smiling in the end. Even though he was slower than Kyo for this, still he did it. (So proud of you Yuki!)

We can also see how Yuki transforms with the help of Tohru. And this can also be seen by the change of his dressing style at the end of graduation. Earlier, he used to wear collared buttoned up shirts with dark hues, like blue, white, which represented how much tied down he was to the Sohma clan and the curse. But with the help of Tohru, he was able to change. This can be seen by the way he dresses, with loose fitting clothes and little bit vibrant color added to it by the time the curse breaks.

(I loved the transformation he went through... Aww.)

5. Yuki’s ‘Confession’ in the Beach Arc (Season 2 episode 7)

I knew that I couldn’t cool myself off till I get to know about the true meaning behind this scene. And so I did.

Yuki and Tohru are great as friends, their dynamics are so pure, enjoyable, but one can actually figure out that they are not meant to be for each other. One instance is in season 2 episode 7. Tohru was in inner conflict about her dad but didn’t let it show on her face. No one actually pointed out her gloom either, except for Kyo. And we can’t blame Yuki for not noticing this, because he was suffering internally at that time too.

In a particular scene where Tohru was covering sleeping Momiji, Kisa and Hiro with a blanket, a smile blossoms on Yuki’s face. But upon seeing Kyo being with Tohru, he gets a little jealous and makes an excuse to Haru to leave the spot. But this is not defined as him being ‘romantically’ jealous. He was confused about his actual feeling for Tohru, and just to not get any misunderstanding, he takes this step. The reason being, Kyo had more interactions with Tohru because he genuinely understood her. And after Tohru running after Kyo, which Yuki considered more of a womanly step, he couldn’t stand seeing him getting more distanced from someone he cared about.

There’s a great imagery when Yuki returns from the Sohma meeting. Tohru was waiting for him by the beach, and she sees him coming from far in pitch dark night. This sky covered with clouds is his past traumas that he has been dealing with. But when Yuki sees Tohru, the clouds slowly start to dissipate and moonlight shines, which implies the way Tohru helped him out in his hard times.

Remember when he said about the closed lid to his feelings? Let me tell you what do I think of that concept. Yuki didn’t actually know what he wanted or what were his exact feelings for Tohru. He had a little bit hint about the ‘motherly’ feeling, because she always listened to him, worried for him and cared for him. (Although in my point of view, this is more like a close friend helping another, not motherly affection). But he didn’t want this possibility to be the answer to his confusion. That’s why he kept distancing himself from her, trying to see her in a romantic light, but he couldn’t see the affection that she had for Kyo, for others. By this episode, he has already come to the conclusion about his true relationship with Tohru. Even though he didn’t want to accept it, but he couldn’t refuse it either. That’s why he said that he was sad. She was like a vast expanse of sky, and that meant that Yuki couldn’t have her all to himself. Thinking of this situation as goodbye to his former feelings and the beginning of a new feeling, he cries on her shoulder. (And thinking about he strong he must have been at that scene makes my tears well up too T~T).

About all the things he said in that scene, be it comparing her to the sky or how she was dear to him, I think that he didn’t say it out loud. That’s because he just silently kisses her forehead and leans on her shoulder. If he had tried to say all that, then Tohru must have been confused. (and she was even confused when he didn’t say anything.) So, in that prospect also, Yuki took the decision perfectly. And that change in him which he accepts is seen when he shares such a warm relationship with Kakeru and student council, and his developing feelings for Machi.

6. Why their ending up together would have been difficult to understand.

I was thinking at some point that how similar Tohru and Yuki are to each other. Which is another reason why they didn’t end up together, and it’s for the best.

Tohru was raised by Kyoko to such a sweet girl. Similarly, Yuki was changed by Tohru and was able to find his true self.

Both their partners, i.e. Kyo and Machi were helped by both of them to get over their traumas and to grab to the joy that they were both providing.

Both wish for the happiness of others.

Both are selfless.

That’s why one can see that their dynamics are so good, yet they are unable to complete each other, because they are similar. Both are nice to others, but have lot of pent up emotions inside. These hidden emotions can only be seen by Kyo in case of Tohru and Machi in case of Yuki. So I loved how it turned out.

(Both Kyo’s and Yuki’s expressions are so soft!)

7. The essence of the last conversation of Yuki and Tohru

Ah, so we have reached the end, huh? Anyway, at some point we had to say goodbye to this, and now is the time.

I absolutely loved how this made it end in a complete circle. The series started with Yuki and Shigure discovering Tohru in the woods, giving her shelter in their house, and Yuki taking care of her fever with Tohru thanking him the next day. And the series ends with Yuki now thanking Tohru for being a part of their family, and helping every Sohma member. The change that she brought to them is something which makes her irreplaceable in their hearts. Even though she will leave with Kyo, but everyone will remember her everyday, if she has been doing well and whether she is happy or not.

Yuki further says that he will be sad, now that no one will be there to say him ‘welcome home’. But he will also be happy because he was able to meet her, who had the vital role in making him realize his importance. Yuki’s dialogues with Shimazaki-san’s voice will bring anyone to tears. Yuki also reveals that she is like a mother to him.

Now I know that many readers might ask me why I am not accepting the fact that she was like a mother to him, even though he himself said that. The reason is, I just don’t know how to digest this. After all the beautiful moments that they shared, him helping her with every little chore, their conversations, I just can’t. It feels more as what a close friend would do for him/her. And I never found any scene which truly depicted that they are related just like a mother and child. In fact, this relationship they have is something more.

Tell me, if he saw her as a mother, then why did he profusely blush when she called him by his first name (he didn’t even blush that much when Machi said it), or Shigure asking him about his rushing along with Kyo to bring her back from her relatives? Or many other short moments? You can see the same deep blush of Tohru when she is with Kyo. Yuki’s this cute side changes by the second half of the second season, with his blush now accompanied by a happy face, which makes us understand how much he values her as a friend. Honestly, some bonds have no words to define them. They are just bonds, but they will always be special to the ones who have it. It will reflect selflessness, care, worry and each one wishing happiness to the other.

(Tohru helping him with his tie.)

(When Shigure asks Yuki about his unusual behavior.)

(His eyes were shining with joy... HNGH, so beautiful!)

The last part when he extends his hand to her for a handshake has again such a pretty touch to it. In the manga, it is seen that Yuki and Tohru handshake with their right hands, but the same scene here is with their left hands. Actually, left hand is close to the heart right? Handshaking with left hand symbolises the deep friendship that both the sides have, which will always remain close to their heart.

(Darn you Furaba team, you really want me to sob, don’t you... Also, look how beautiful they look! Yuki and Tohru look so much more mature and their blushing is like a cherry on the cake ^^)

And this series is brought to an end with our female protagonist saying “I will see you again” which again implies that they are just getting separated from the family due to change in their environment and situation, but they will make sure to see each other once again.

(Team, you won... *sobs*)

One thing I want to add is how Kyo and Yuki became friends too... It’s so precious! I really liked how Yuki helped Kyo to move on and leave negative thoughts behind when he was not visiting Tohru in the hospital. That scene portrayed how much both idolise and adore each other. The last conversation that they share is Yuki addressing him as stupid cat and Kyo addressing him as stupid rat, which is so sweet in itself.

(I wish all of you happiness.)

Also, I felt so bad for Momiji and Kagura with their unrequited love... Please let them have a great significant other!

All in all, I enjoyed the moments and the values that the anime inculcated in me, and this will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the creators, team, and of course, all the characters. Good bye, Fruits Basket,