Warning! This review on Fruit basket 2 The final chapter contains spoilers. If you haven’t seen the episode yet, I recommend watching it and then going back to read the review.
“β¦I am different”
Fruit basket 2 The last chapter begins with a monologue by Kureno, an important revelation awaits us. The start of the year was a bit chaotic, but brought good opportunities. However, there is someone who can’t stand this impulse, after watching the video Momiji entrusted him with, Kureno makes his decision. After speaking to Shigure, he meets Tohru and reveals that he is no longer possessed by the curse, but that he has no plans to get away from Akito. In his heart he is closely connected to Akito as he can no longer make him cry. You just can’t give up on this sad GIRL who depends on your ties. With these two major revelations, this second season ends.
Another curse
Let’s start with leaving behind everything we already know, because even though it’s true, that Fruit basket It’s a story of growth and self-discovery. It is also true that you have to stumble and bottom to get there. One of the most important emotional conflicts in this story is about the Souma curse and the consequences it has on their lives. Thanks to this curse, nobody can access the normality of daily life, building relationships is not easy and, above all, they are constantly exposed to a mysterious bond that may look beautiful, but is still cruel because it is nothing that they want to perpetuate, at least not than herself.
In this order we will focus on Kureno, the final sign, the rooster of the zodiac. Until now we have known him as someone who is mysterious, clumsy, depressed and very aloof. He is the only one of the twelve zodiac who never leaves Akito’s side, to the point that the other members of the zodiac cannot see him often either. The most real rapprochement we had with him was during his encounters with Arisa, who had the virtue of ending up with melancholy. Up until that moment the reason for this wasn’t entirely clear, it is true that as an obsessed with the zodiac he cannot have the freedom to be with Arisa, but it was still strange how much he avoided it, despite the obvious longing he felt for her to come closer. So far we are learning the answers to this strangeness.
Kureno was freed from his curse a long time ago, he no longer has this unchangeable bond with the others. Out of nowhere and without explanation, he was freed from the curse of the Souma. Obviously there was a strangeness and unmatched joy associated with it, but none of which he could fully experience when something else crossed his field of vision. Leaving their curse behind also meant leaving a bond that binds them and fully supports someone else. For Akito, the bond of the zodiac, more than any other, is paramount, it is to what he lives. Losing one of these ties completely destabilized him, and under such conditions Kureno just couldn’t turn his back on him. Honestly, he cannot be blamed, both he and Akito were just kids, his reaction couldn’t have been ripe.
In this way, Kureno voluntarily accepted a new curse, despite initially promising to stay with Akito to stop his tears. Over time, this promise became more solemn, as as a man he could not just withdraw. Also, it’s not easy to let go of the hand of someone you know is going to break the moment you turn your back. Certainly, Kureno was freed from his curse, but in the end he fell into a new, more cruel and unfortunate one, the curse of goodness bathed in compassion. His situation is unfortunate as not only does he have to endure his own guilt as he is the only one released, but he also has to deal with his identity conflict. As long as Kureno stays by Akito’s side he can never be himself, but if he left her side he would completely destroy her in that moment.
There are a lot more things I could say about Kureno’s choices and the role he will play from now on, but that would be a huge spoiler for what awaits us in the third and final season.
The secrets that change everything
Not only was this episode the season finale of that marvel of the series, but it also looked for the best way to leave us in complete surprise. Surely many have already read the manga and the information given came as no surprise, but we have to admit that animating sets a new tone for all of these revelations. Not content with revealing that the curse has already been broken by someone from the zodiac, they also revealed that Akito is not a he but a she. These two truths revolutionize everything we thought we knew so far.
On the one hand we have the breaking of the curse, knowing that it is possible to break free from this millennial bond there is only fear of how we can achieve it. Well, despite the fact that Kureno managed to break the bond, even he doesn’t know how it happened or why. There is no way of knowing what kind of situation made the curse so stressed it was broken if more. While this is a very important clue about Tohrus and Rin’s quest, they can’t really get anywhere from there. But the bottom line is that we now know that the curse can be broken and it is possible to set the rest of these invisible chains free.
The latest secret to be revealed is the real cliffhanger for season three. This is the Souma best kept secret, Akito is actually a woman. The reasons he had to live like he was a man will be revealed to us until the last season. For now, that revelation has only made us click in a few situations. The most controversial so far has been his relationship with Shigure, which, as you can recall, is an excess of tension every time they meet. Without going too far, or yes, let’s go back to season one where Shigure already revealed a dark possession about Akito. Now that we know she is a girl, our only attention is drawn to the fact that this is about romantic feelings.
Things are going to change a lot for the final season, the foundations are already in place, we’re ready to begin the climax of the story. What awaits us in 2021 is going to be a good drama, full of great lessons and a conclusion that I can tell you was completely satisfactory.
What did Fruits Basket 2 leave us in the end?
Again we have reached the end of another season, the true end of this story has not yet come. However, we need to follow tradition and talk about where this second installment came from Fruit basket left us behind. Mainly it has to be said that this season was connected with a lot of personal growth. Before, I told you that one of my favorite arches is the one on the way to the beach. The reason is simple, it’s the biggest turning point of our protagonists. I mean mainly Yuki and Kyo. This journey serves as a starting point for your own discovery of your desires, feelings, longings and future struggles. With that in mind, I have to admit that I was deeply satisfied with the result. This trip spanned almost half of the season and the rest witnessed the gradual growth of emotions.
As for the best things left us this season, it has to be said that Yuki’s growth deserves an Honorable Mention. Eventually the prince was able to release a heavy burden on his heart and began to develop his own “self”. The most important thing, however, is that you have been able to acknowledge your feelings and free your heart. Now he has a friend to rely on who has undoubtedly been a lifesaver for him. If we hadn’t stepped up and faced the challenge of running the student council, we would never have seen the real Yuki. And possibly his transition to acknowledging his true feelings would have been slower and more tortuous for himself.
In summary, it’s been a wonderful season for character development. The imperfections of Tohru, the perfect protagonist, have already come to light. We had great emotional moments, and it must be said that Rin’s entry into the story certainly marked more than one. So I dare to say that this was a very well adapted season, full of drama, comedy, and even romance. The Kyo x Tohru is more alive than ever.
If I had to talk about the flaws, all I could say is that as the hub of the whole story this could have felt like an overly dramatic season. As you have to admit, at least 20 out of 25 chapters have moved us to tears. While I personally don’t think this is a bad thing, maybe so much drama would have made me turn my back on the story.
Final comment
Fruit basket 2 The final chapter was an almost ideal season finale to keep the audience interested. While fair, with such a large cliffhanger, there is a very good chance that many will run to the manga to resolve all of their doubts that have already been planted in them. In that case it would be most idyllic in my opinion. While I’m excited about the animation of this story, I have to admit that I just can’t let go of my love for the original story embodied in the manga. But I don’t want to confuse anyone, because the customization has actually been too faithful so far, the omitted details are minor details.
Before we close with that, it’s time to give a final grade. Be careful here, this note pertains only to this season, not to the series in general or to the whole with the first season. Without further ado, I would say this season is a 91/100. In my humble opinion, the adaptation was masterful and the work of the speakers receives one of the greatest accolades. But as I said above, there were so many dramatic moments that it was sometimes very painful to see them. It must also be said that the cliffhanger is a little tricky in the end, but since I love it I won’t say more.
Finally, I leave you with my usual questions: what did you think of this episode? What grade would you give this second season? What were your impressions of the great revelations of this season finale? If you’ve already read the manga, what would you like to see animated last season? Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing the story of Kyoko and Katsuya as well as a specific scene on a clothesline. You will know what I mean.
