Anime Best in Show

Review: Fruits Basket Episode 24 – Best in Show

Quick Summary

In Fruits Basket episode 24, “Let’s Go Home,” we learn that Kyou Shouma’s mother committed suicide, and that almost everyone blamed Kyou because he had inherited the spirit of the Cat. Almost everyone. Kazuma Shouma took an interest in your Kyou and became not only his martial arts teacher, but his replacement father. Why, then, he is talking with Shigure Shouma about putting Kyou in a situation that could cost him everything — including his life? Even after hearing Kazuma’s plan, why did Kagura Shouma take no action? And what are they all looking at Tooru Honda to do? 

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Best Moment in the Show

Kyou was not onboard with Kazuma’s plan. What a risky plan it was! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Did you happen to watch Babylon 5’s episode called The Long, Twilight Struggle? In that episode, Ambassador Londo Mollari stood onboard a Centauri starship as it used mass drivers to destroy portions of the Narn home world’s surface. 

What the heck does that have to do with this episode of Fruits Basket

Just this: Londo might well have been watching this episode use mass drivers to assault my heart.

I’m done complaining that almost every episode makes it hard to pick one Best in Show moment (except obliquely!). This episode did an expert job setting up my Best in Show moment. In fact, they’ve spent about 24 episodes preparing for it. It’s not the final moments — they spend 24 episodes preparing for those, too. But it was an amazing moment that I want to share with you.

Kazuma had slipped the rosary off Kyou’s arm, which triggered his transformation. He turned into an enormous creature that looked like a feline dragon. Apparently, it gave off a powerful odor. Kyou’s worst fear was that Tooru would see in in this form and desert him. It terrified him so much that it completely pervaded his world view; he could not fathom of any future where Tooru would stay with him if she saw him in this state.

Tooru was shocked at Kyou’s transformation; she didn’t know what to do. But one thing she did not do? She didn’t run away. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.​​

But that’s exactly what Kazuma did — he showed Kyou’s monster form to Tooru. As he transformed, Kyou screamed (12:24) “Don’t look!” But there was no way Tooru couldn’t look. And looking, she was shocked into immobility (13:07). Kyou fled into the forest, mortified that she had seen him.

Kazuma told Tooru that this was his true form. Her jaw was slack, and she couldn’t respond. But she stumbled forward, trying to follow Kyou. As she ran into the forest, she tripped on a root, and the odor finally overwhelmed her, and she had to throw up. 

The show spent 24 episodes setting up this moment. 

How do you know the quality of someone’s character? How do you portray honest character development in a story? You put a person or a character in a situation that utterly overwhelms their intellect. You put them in a situation where any rational process they’ve developed fails them. You put them in a situation that is utterly and completely beyond their beyond their experience. 

Tooru was in place where her intellect had no answer for her. She had to rely solely on her heart to decide. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

And you watch what they decide to do.

Tooru’s senses were reeling. Kyou’s new form terrifies her; the smell made her physically ill. She asked herself (14:57), “What should I do?… I don’t know what the right thing to do is.”

You know Tooru by now, don’t you? You know what she decided to do. 

In spite of her terror and in spite of her physical and real reaction to Kyou’s form, she went after her friend. 

That’s who Tooru is. That’s one of the reasons I’m watching this show. 

What did you think of Kazuma’s decision? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!

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6 thoughts on “Review: Fruits Basket Episode 24 – Best in Show

  1. I loved the moment just before the reveal when everyone was in their rooms either watching or listening. They all knew what was coming and the tension was unreal.

    1. “They all knew what was coming and the tension was unreal.”

      Yeah! That was extremely effective. I just wanted to shout at them: Why are you letting this happen?

      I think I understand. I _think_ they trusted Tooru, didn’t they? Otherwise, they wouldn’t have stood by while that happened…

      Man, what a payoff for the work planted in the first 23 episodes!

      1. Agreed. As insane as Kyo’s transformation was it made sense within the reality they’ve created and Tohru’s reaction was perfect too.

        It was risky because if she’d rejected Kyo, she would probably have rejected all of them.

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