yukikyo real

SO like a lot of anime that came out in the 2000s they were all adaptations of unfinished manga which left a lot of questions not only unanswered but ... alternatively answered. AKA they deviated from the source material in minor to major MAJOR ways. 

When the 01 Fruits Basket anime originally aired the manga had only been released up to volume seven which was as far as Ritsu’s character introduction. So the climax of the 01 anime revolves around the reveal of Kyo’s true form. Which, in hindsight, we know is not even half of Fruits Basket. But, because it was the conclusion to a 26 episode anime they had to tie up a lot of unfinished ends. 

The last 3 episodes of the anime covers this: Kazuma’s arrival, Kyo running off into the woods after his true form is revealed, Kyo & Kazuma’s backstory & the story of Kazuma’s grandfather, & then Tohru goes after him and everyone is fine again : )  Where the story deviates is: 

The issue isn’t resolved as quickly as it is in the manga because Tohru runs into the woods after Kyo, is shaken up, gets sick --- but then Akito shows up to rub her misery in her face because she “deserves” it for involving herself with the Sohmas in the first place. 

Then Shigure shows up, wards Akito off, & starts crying on behalf of Tohru and this ordeal she has to go through. (Since you are asking me this question in the first place I’m assuming you have never seen the 01 anime --- any and all of Shigure’s scheming & darkness is completely exempt; the goofier aspects of his character are way more played up, mostly for comic relief, and he’s really nestled into the guardian role with no ulterior motives or anything. And, clearly expresses more empathy for Tohru). 

 Tohru, discouraged by Akito’s words and second guessing whether or not she even belongs with the Sohmas because she’s feeling way in over her head with Kyo’s true form, goes to her mother’s grave for comfort. (A LOT of people are upset that she doesn’t go to Kyo right away just like the manga --- I personally don’t mind the deviation, but I digress) Hana and Uo show up after Hana ~sensed~ that they just needed to be there. Tohru’s really moping about it, REALLY set on not being able to go back. Uo tries to console her but Hana INSISTS that ~whatever it is~ that Tohru needs to do, she’s the only one who can do it and at one point she PUSHES Uo to stop her from consoling Tohru it’s wild. 

Eventually Tohru realizes yeah, Hana is right. She’s gotta do this --- so she does go to Kyo & the rest of the scene unfolds just like the manga EXCEPT --- and this is my favorite part --- 

while all this was going on, Yuki & Kagura were having a conversation inside the house about how the cat and the rat hate each other and Kagura is like “But...who decided it had to be that way???” 

So BEST thing in the world BEST 👏🏻 THING 👏🏻 

YUKI GOES AFTER KYO TOO. Tohru’s there, Yuki’s there, the gang is all fuckin here & Tohru is trying to reach Kyo but he’s being aggressive and dismissive and tries to run away bUT OH NO YUKI FUCKING GRABS HIM & WRESTLES HIS MONSTER ASS TO THE GROUND, ROLLING AROUND IN THE DIRT AND SCREAMING ABOUT HOW “IS THIS ALL WE DO? RUN AWAY? WELL I DON’T WANNA DO IT ANYMORE” it’s fucking beautiful and THEN Yuki is like “TOHRU YOU GOTTA TELL HIM THE TRUTH YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM HOW YOU FEEL” 

So then cue Tohru saying what she says in canon & her and Kyo have their moment, he hugs her, she carries a crying cat home --- its beat for beat. Only they get back and Shigure is so relieved he’s laughing about it --- in context it’s pretty wholesome IMHO you just gotta suspend the right disbelief if you’re not butthurt about it 

ANYWAY 

we’re not done yet

The next morning Tohru asks Shigure if she can go to see Akito and long story short they all go -- Shigure’s all dressed up in a suit all nice, Yuki is there, Hatori is there it’s a real fuckin come up (Kyo is stuck waiting outside). 

Akito is being tempestuous as fuck, and asks Tohru why she showed up. When she says “I don’t know” Akito lashes out and grabs a fistful of her hair tO WHICH SHIGURE & YUKI RUSH TO HER DEFENSE AND RESTRAIN AKITO. So it’s dramatic, right our girl Tohru is in Akito’s clutches (oh -- who btw is male in this anime because the manga never published the gender reveal. & also he is not ‘god’ per say, but bears the “full weight of the zodiac curse” which is deduced to an explanation of “he doesn’t have much longer to live and that was decided at birth” weird ik just work with me here). 

Tohru immediately begins to empathize with Akito, try to connect with him over getting him to ~talk about his feelings~ saying “it must have been sad and scary to know you were going to die” At first he’s not having it, throwing a bitch fit and ordering Hatori to erase Tohru’s memories (which he WONT) BUT THEN to EVERYONE’S SURPRISE AKITO OPENS UP it’s some real melodrama. 

So he lets Tohru go, everyone is relieved that their best girl made it out alive, she’s allowed to go on living with Shigure & the boys and they can keep being a little cute found family, and then Hatori & Shigure say something about how even though she doesn’t think so, Tohru made a difference going to see Akito that day & that’s it that’s the end.