#insert song

Fruits Basket has great music, in both the 2001 anime adaptation and the 2019 one. While they each approach the soundtrack quite differently, they both have some truly great songs among the openings, endings, and insert songs.

So, I figured it would be fun to put out my own personal ranking of those songs! It gives me an opportunity to listen to them all again, and to dig into what made them so great (or not).

This list will not include "Teru Teru Momiji" or "Mogeta no Uta", since those diegetic insert songs serve a decidedly different purpose than the rest of the songs, which are non-diegetic.

Scoring:

The score will largely be based on my own taste in music, and how much I happen to like the song. However, I will also look at the following things:

General Thoughts: My overall opinion on the song

Music: My opinion on the music itself.

Visuals: Do the visuals significantly add to the song/the show? (n/a for insert songs)

Lyrics: Are the lyrics meaningful in the context of the show?

Relation to Episode Content: Does the song fit with the episodes in which it appears?

Then, I'll average the scores together to give each song an overall score.

Anyway, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please tell me if you agree, where you disagree, and anything else relating to these songs!

16. "Again"

General Thoughts: I don't particularly dislike this song, but I also don't think it did much to excite me about watching Fruits Basket, which, given that it's the very first opening of the 2019 anime, is a big let down. 4/10

Music: A little boring, even if there are some nice moments. I do like some of the more complex chords, and the singer has a beautiful, clear voice. I enjoy the full song a lot more than the short version we get as the opening here, and I enjoy listening to the song in isolation, but in the episodes, I will usually choose to skip intro. 5/10

Visuals: Also a little boring. I do enjoy the visual with young Tohru and Kyoko, and that they included the detail of Kyo's shirt being too short when he's lounging on the roof. Otherwise, I don't think the visuals contribute much. 3/10

Lyrics: I do like the lyrics-- they both have meaning to the characters in the present, as well as foreshadowing that they all somewhat knew each other before the events of Episode 1. However, they are also a little generic, and not particularly memorable. 5/10

Relation to Episode Content: I generally think the song fits with the episodes it's in - there's not usually a huge tonal shift between the song and scenes on either side of it. 7/10

Overall Score: 4.8/10

15. "Haru Urara"

General Thoughts: Not a great song, not at all appropriate for most of the episodes in which it appears, but some really special, beautiful visuals drawn by Takaya-sensei herself. A lot to dislike, but also a lot to love. 3/10

Music: It was honestly so jarring to hear this song in the anime, it made me dislike it more than I think is reasonable. The song itself is...fine, but not one of the better ones. As a former music teacher, it very much felt like a cheesy, concert-ending, uplifting, Broadway-inspired song that a middle school choir would sing, especially in the full version. 4/10

Visuals: Tohru's shelf of sentimental items shifts, and we suddenly have some very exciting, new pictures: Tohru and Kyo sharing the scarf, their traditional wedding, and several photos of their children. And if that wasn't enough, we then get some truly lovely artwork by Takaya-sensei, including some of the underutilized characters and relationships (like Ritsu appearing with both Mitsuru and Kagura!). I do wish they did slightly more with these new drawings, but I also understand not wanting to detract from her art. 9/10

Lyrics: I think the lyrics are fitting. They are very clearly from Yuki's perspective, about Tohru, which is a nice touch, given that his speech to Tohru is the last line spoken by a main character in the anime. 7/10

Relation to Episode Content: If you are wondering whether this section exists specifically as a callout to Haru Urara, it does. I really can't get over how much this song pulled me out of the mood of those darker episodes in S3. It made me actively dislike the song. However, it did fit well with the last episode, and a few others, so I won't give it a 0 for that reason. 2/10

Overall Score: 5/10

14. "Prism"

General Thoughts: Overall, this opening felt very "meh" to me. I don't particularly like or dislike anything about it, which is a shame for the song that introduces one of the most beautiful arcs of the show. 5/10

Music: There are some nice touches to this song, but it overall feels a bit directionless and "blah". The opening verse is the biggest culprit, I think. It sounds more like a few improvised lines over a vamp than a real verse. This doesn't improve in the full version, either. The bridge (only in the full version) is a massive improvement, though. 4/10

Visuals: Having the characters all walk forward was an odd choice. I definitely see what they were going for-- this song played through the beach arc, which is when a lot of characters really start to move forward in new ways-- but I don't know that it was entirely effective. 5/10

Lyrics: There are some nice references to scenes from the beach arc, particularly the scene where Yuki begins to accept his feelings, but the overall perspective is a bit unclear. 6/10

Relation to Episode Content: Yeah, I guess this one is mostly applicable to each episode where it appears. However, it is kind of disappointing that the song didn't do more given the beautiful material it was working from. 6/10

Overall Score: 5.2/10

13. "Lucky Ending"

General Thoughts: This is one that has grown on me considerably. Every time I rewatch Fruits Basket, I have a moment of "Oh yeah, I actually really like this song". 6/10

Music: There are a lot of little things that I really enjoy about this song. I like that there's a somewhat long intro, which can be played under the last moments of the episode unobtrusively. The song uses a musical technique called hemiola, making it sometimes unclear whether the music is in simple meter like 3/4 or compound meter like 6/8. This adds interest and drives the music forward. There's also a pre-chorus, which is probably my favorite part of the song. It's rare for an opening or ending song to have more than two sections (one verse and one chorus). The full song has a really enjoyable bridge, too. 7/10

Visuals: While not as visually stunning or stylistically unique as some of the other endings, the visuals of the sleeping Zodiac members under the tree on the hill are sweet (how cute is Kyo conked out on his tree branch?), and I also appreciate the detail put into the visuals during the pre-chorus, where Yuki watches the others from his window. 6/10

Lyrics: This may be a problem with the available translation, but the lyrics seem almost nonsensical to me. I think it's about the tension between wanting things to change and fearing what change will bring? Which, if true, is a really interesting and resonant theme, but I don't know that it's totally successful in its execution. (If there is a better translation than what's on the wiki, please let me know!) 3/10

Relation to Episode Content: Like I said before, I liked how the opening would play under the last moments of many episodes, and was never put-off by how the song connected to the other episodes. 7/10

Overall Score: 5.8/10

12. "Niji to Kite"

General Thoughts: It's really too bad we only got this song in Prelude, because it's really quite good. 8/10

Music: I love the string melodies in the opening; them seem like they would be a lot of fun to play. I also really enjoy the R&B-inspired chords and sung harmonies, and the marching snare beat in the background during the verse. I love when the melody unexpectedly goes up to the second scale degree in the third line of the chorus. This is just a really interesting song with a lot more to it than first meets the eye. Later on, there are even more fun string lines and a rockin' organ solo, too. Definitely one of my favorites on a purely musical basis. 9/10

Visuals: This plays during the credits to Prelude, which only shows a white screen with frames from the full series off to the side. 1/10

Lyrics: Working from a machine translation, but the lyrics seem appropriate and somewhat poetic. 7/10

Relation to Episode Movie Content: Yeah, it fit Prelude well. I do still wish we got this song more than once. 8/10

Overall Score: 6.6/10, let down almost entirely by the lack of visuals

11. "One Step Closer"

General Thoughts: This is the first of the highly stylized endings with beautiful art. I'll say more about the visuals in that section, but I generally really loved this ending and the only reason it's so low is that I loved the others even more. 7/10

Music: I really love this song. The range, voicing, and flavor of the piano chords at the beginning give it such a peaceful feeling, and transitioning to a more bluesy, singer-songwriter-style piano feel as the other instruments join gives it a more modern feel than the previous cour's opening and closing. 8/10

Visuals: I think these are gorgeous. I love the needle-felted look of the Zodiac animals, the motif of ripples on the water, and the confetti-like items falling from the sky in each of the frames. It feels hand-crafted in a way that emphasizes the warmth of the overall series. 9/10

Lyrics: Hopeful, if a bit generic. Also, the English words don't make a ton of sense where they're used (I'm mostly referring to the "no, no, no, no___" after "I need you to know"). 4/10

Relation to Episode Content: This song works both as a warm hug after some of the more painful episodes, and as a hopeful cap on some of the happier episodes. 7/10

Overall Score: 7/10

10. "Chiisana Inori"

General Thoughts: Quirky, playful, a bit surprising. This is the lowest scored of the songs from the original anime, and that's largely because some of the best parts of this song were not actually included in the anime! 8/10

Music: Ugh, what a great song. The section that's played at the end of the anime sounds like a classic from the golden age of recording. The full song has some really interesting orchestral sections as well. I love the use of guitar, the Tchaikovsky-esque woodwind flourishes, the Latin-esque percussion, the soaring string melodies... it's just gorgeous. And I just love Ritsuko Okazaki's lilting voice. Knocking off a couple of points because we didn't get some of the best parts. 8/10

Visuals: Given that this accompanied the first anime, which was released nearly 20 years before the second, it's perhaps not surprising that the visuals are weaker than most of those in the second anime. The grainy "footage" of the characters is a couple of steps above the nothingness of the visuals for "Niji to Kite". 3/10

Lyrics: There's just a hint of bittersweet melancholy in the lyrics, but the contrast with the song's playful feel emphasizes this difference, making the line about tears dissolving into thin air even more notable. It ends up working on several levels-- is it referring to the comfort Tohru gives the Sohmas? Probably. The comfort they bring her? Also probably. The fear that the good times may be suddenly cut short? Hmm, possibly. But they mostly elicit Tohru's complete denial of her inner pain, something the show didn't really get to explore much. There's a specificity and a simplicity that makes these lyrics work really well. 10/10

Relation to Episode Content: The song always worked fine in context, and added some layers of meaning if you knew the lyrics and the rest of the story. 7/10

Overall Score: 7.2/10

9. Chime

General Thoughts: I probably like this song a great deal more than most fans of the show. It's a lot more clever than it seems at first. 8/10

Music: The driving pulse behind the verse makes me feel excited for each episode in the way I wanted from "Again". I love the imitation of the ringing bell at the end. When I was first watching this show, that was a reference that got my attention in The thoughtful orchestration add a lot of interest, too, helping define the different sections. I also love the way the rhythms in the pre-chorus complement the melody. 8/10

Visuals: There's a lot here that I think is underappreciated. The backgrounds during the verse are really beautifully rendered, especially with the way the sun peeks through the clouds. The umbrella motif is a nice choice, especially with how it connects to the scene in "You Look Well" where we learn that Kyo gets lethargic when it rains. They're also very thoughtful about the characters' umbrellas, such as having Shigure using one in a more traditional style, Saki using a black one with ruffles, Haru using a white one with a single black segment, Ayame and Mine's being very "extra", Kyoko's having a red butterfly, etc... During the chorus, when the characters are zooming toward the camera, there are all sorts of little details in the characters' expressions when they arrive in front of the camera. Shigure suddenly puts on his mask of playfulness, Ritsu starts panicking and apologizing, Hiro smiles when he turns to look at Kisa, Arisa flashes her peace sign, Kyo's eyes follow Yuki after they cross paths, etc... 9/10

Lyrics: This is another song where I think the lyrics really nail the combination of specificity and simplicity. 8/10

Relation to Episode Content: While there are some episodes where this song felt a little too energetic, the verse comes way down and helps soften that abruptness. 6/10

Overall Score: 7.8/10

8. "Umareru Negai"

General Thoughts: It genuinely hurts to put this song so low down, but that's just how it is when a show has so many great songs to work with. 8/10

Music: I love how motifs from the soundtrack are quoted in the intro of this song. I also think it worked well as a choice for Momiji to play on violin (and the track Momiji's Violin is a beautiful piece in its own right). The feel of the song works in several different contexts, and I love that the last vocal line moves up, giving the song a sense of "looking ahead". The last chords are partly unresolved, too, which I think adds to that sense of moving forward without knowing for certain what's next. It's just a very effective song. 8/10

Lyrics: The lyrics are really well-done. They encapsulate a lot of what the story of Fruits Basket is about without watering it down. They also work from multiple characters' points of view, without feeling overly generic. 9/10

Relation to Episode Content: The song generally fits where it's used. I think there are times it's more effective (such as when Kyo and Yuki return to the house on New Year's Eve so Tohru doesn't have to be alone), and times where it works more because an insert song was needed (such as at the end of S1), but the song never causes a problem. 7/10

Overall Score: 8/10

7. "Pleasure"

General Thoughts: This song is so catchy and hip. It really set the tone for a season that took off at a full sprint. 8/10

Music: The song is enjoyable, modern, interesting... there's a lot to love. I actually think the version used in the anime is better than the full version. I like the way the song builds to the chorus, and I really enjoy the melody of the verse-- it's a bit unexpected. 9/10

Visuals: This opening makes really good use of 3D/computer effects. That's a lot harder to do well than it seems. I like the grayed tone, and the art of the characters is really beautiful. I also like the way they cut Tohru and Machi into the shots of Kyo and Yuki. The visuals did spoil some important plot beats, though, such as Kyo pulling off his beads, or Momiji's growth spurt. 7/10.

Lyrics: While a lot of the lyrics to songs on this list seem to be from Yuki's perspective, this one seems most clearly from Kyo's perspective. I think they captured his mindset well. 8/10

Relation to Episode Content: Even though this song is a total bop, it doesn't feel out of place in the more serious episodes. I think the grayed tone of the visuals and the rain sounds in the beginning do a lot to help with this. 9/10

Overall Score: 8.2/10

6. "Serenade"

General Thoughts: This song is one of the highlights of the 2001 anime, which just had a great soundtrack in general. 8/10

Music: This song is so, so beautiful. Ritsuko Okazaki's performance is so sweet and understated. The orchestration of electric piano and orchestral strings suits the tone of the song-- the electric piano just gives this sense of looking through a stained glass window on a rainy day, and the strings really warm it up when they come in. The heavier electro beat in the second verse is a bit strange, but I love the brass interlude-- it's like something on a Chicago or Moody Blues album in the best way. 9/10

Lyrics: The lyrics are moving and poetic. Just one of the many things that come together to make this song so affecting. 9/10

Relation to Episode Content: This was a nice inclusion in the final episode. 8/10

Overall Score: 8.5/10

5. "Haseru Mirai"

General Thoughts: There is so much I love about this song, beyond its inclusion in one of the most beautiful scenes of the series. 9/10

Music: Harmonically this is one of the most complex songs on this list. The breathy, light tone of the singer echoes the soft-spoken style of Ritsuko Okazaki while adding enough newness to not feel like an imitation. The churning pulse makes this song fit with the beach arc perfectly, and the mysterious, atmospheric feel shine during a part of the story where a lot of information is being revealed, only raising more questions. Just like "Umareru Negai", this song subtly quotes the instrumental soundtrack at the beginning. It's interesting, it's beautiful, and it draws the listener in. I feel like I discover more to love every time I listen to this song. 10/10

Lyrics: The lyrics are such a clear expression of what Yuki's feeling when he begins to accept his true feelings for Tohru. It's beautiful and bittersweet. 10/10

Relation to Episode Content: While this fits perfectly in the scene pictured above, I think it's less effective in the other episode where it appears, which I believe is when Rin is pushed from the window by Akito. Though the lyrics can apply to Rin in that moment, I think it weakens the effectiveness of the song to use it there after using it in the earlier episode. 7/10

Overall Score: 9/10

4. "Eden"

General Thoughts: The visuals do a lot for this song, as they are some of the most beautiful and memorable illustrations for an ending theme, not just in Fruits Basket, but of all the anime I've watched. The song itself is fine, but it's the visuals that really make this ending special. 9/10

Music: I like this song quite a lot. I don't love it. I like the beginning, which is more subdued, featuring only voice and guitar, much more than the chorus. The melody is nice enough. 7/10

Visuals: The hanakotoba illustrations from this ending are a fan favorite for good reason. They're absolutely beautiful and full of layered symbolism. They also connect to how each of the Sohma characters got their name. 10/10

Lyrics: The lyrics are poignant and timely, and connect to several characters and moments in the series without feeling overly generic. 10/10

Relation to Episode Content: This song felt appropriate in the episodes where it was used, and seeing the translated lyrics shows that it's even more relevant to the second half of S2. 9/10

Overall Score: 9/10

3. "Ad Meliora"

General Thoughts: This gem of a song features gorgeous harmonies, a direct callback to the opening of the 2001 anime (which unfortunately didn't make it into the shortened version used in the anime), and really beautiful artwork. 10/10

Music: This song is so understated and beautiful. I love the tone color of the acoustic guitar the way it's used in this song. The electric bass has some really groovy lines that nevertheless remain in a supporting role. The hushed vocal timbre gives the song a very private, reflective feeling. The song almost has a bit of a bossa nova feel to it, which I think comes from the instrumentation and vocal timbre. Also, the intro and outro directly quote "For Fruits Basket", which is a bit of intertextuality that I love. 10/10

Visuals: I think the visuals for this ED are sorely underappreciated. The silhouettes of the Zodiac members with their animals are so cleverly done, and the nighttime water scene is a really lovely choice for the setting. It also connects to the folk tale, with the god living alone on a hill, and the fireworks from the end of the beach arc. 8/10

Lyrics: I don't think the lyrics are quite as strong as some of the more recent entries, though I do love that the title means "toward better things". 8/10

Relation to Episode Content: This song kept me in the headspace of the beach arc and kept me reflecting on the episodes after they finished. 10/10

Overall Score: 9.2/10

2. "Home"

General Thoughts: Out of all the songs on this list, this might be the one I'd be most likely to listen to if I'd heard it outside the context of the show. It's a song that stays with me in a way very few do. I love it. 10/10

Music: I love the Norah Jones-esque voice of the singer, and the jazz-influenced way she sings this song. I actually went and looked up more of her music after I heard this song. The chords are tinged with just a bit of nostalgic melancholy, which suits the tone of the show at this point very well. The string melodies in the background and interlude are really catchy and lovely, too. 9/10

Visuals: I like the way the visuals work with the music, and the golden warmth of the sunset scenes are so beautifully done. Even the way the pavement sparkles under Tohru's feet as she walks home is beautiful. 9/10

Lyrics: The lyrics have a poetic simplicity that makes them beautifully effective. I also love that they use the metaphor of a flickering light, which is a nice callback to Tohru's speech to Yuki in early S1 about the shape of his kindness. 9/10

Relation to Episode Content: This opening matched the tone of the second half of S2 quite well. I like that this opening was more subdued than most of the others. 9/10

Overall Score: 9.2/10

1. "For Fruits Basket"

General Thoughts: Oh gosh. This song makes me emotional just thinking about it. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous song, and a stunning performance. It's such a beautiful way to start each episode, drawing you in immediately with the ethereal vocal harmonies, melancholy electric piano, and rich orchestral strings. 10/10

Music: The song is absolutely beautiful, and again, Ritsuko Okazaki's performance makes it feel so intimate and bittersweet. The harmonies are sometimes surprising, which makes the sections with a more standard chord progression feel more fleeting. The orchestration is perfect. I don't know what else I can say, it's such a special song. 10/10, though I would give it more if I could.

Visuals: This is really the only place where this song loses points, though that may be more a function of the time than anything. When compared to the other visuals on this list, it's clearly not at the same level as "Eden", or even "Chime". However, I do think it's an example of how simple visuals done well will always be better than complex visuals done poorly. The stills they chose and the transitions and other elements combine to match the song's nostalgic, melancholy feeling, and give a sense of loneliness that's essential to the story. I think the visuals are arguably better than "Prism", but I don't think I can feasibly score it any higher than "Lucky Ending". 6/10

Lyrics: Ritsuko Okazaki's lyrics are poignant and beautiful once more. She really has a knack for capturing complex emotions in poetic imagery. 10/10

Relation to Episode Content: This song had the difficult job of working for the entire run of the 2001 anime, and it absolutely succeeded. Whenever I get to the final episode, I'm kind of let down that I won't get to hear this song anymore. It helps to ground some of the goofier moments in this iteration of the story, and many fans were disappointed not to hear it again in the 2019 anime. 10/10