Episode 13: Sure Thing
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 13 Best In Show Review
In Fruits Basket Season 2 episode 13, “Sure Thing,” a new school year was starting, and Yuki Shouma tried to assume his new role as student council president. However, he had a steep hill to climb. Between the disrespectful hijinks of Kakeru Manabe, the Hiro Shouma-rivaling temper of Naohito Sakuragi, and the antics of the high-spirited and wily Kimi Toudou, it was not at all clear how Yuki could get them all moving in the same direction. Things got even worse when Yuki learned that Kakeru is practically his polar opposite. Can they learn to work together? Or is it going to be a very, very long year for Yuki’s presidency?
Episode 14: I Should Just Die…
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 14 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 episode 14, “I Should Just Die…,” Tohru Honda’s grandfather hurt his back, and the rest of her family really didn’t want to to go Tohru’s parent-teacher conference. Making a show of his magnanimity, Shigure Shouma offered to go, much to Tohru and Yuki Shouma’s shock. Was Shigure being genuine? Or did he have an ulterior motive? Later, Yuki came upon Isuzu “Rin” Shouma, who tried to avoid him. She dropped a major revelation on him, and he didn’t have time to recover before Hatsuharu “Haru” Shouma found them. The meeting was tense. Why did Rin dump Haru? Does he still want her back? And what did Rin’s revelation have to do with Haru?
Episode 15: See You Later
Fruits Basket S2E15 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket S2E15, “See You Later,” it’s student teacher conference time! The meetings began normally enough, with one exception: Saki Hanajima amazed everyone, including me, by saying she thought Kyou Shouma’s dad, Kazuma Shouma, was attractive. Her casual statement shocked Tohru Honda and Arisa Uotani into silence! Later, Shigure Shouma attending Tohru’s conference was only a minor annoyance to her teacher, Mayuko Shiraki. But When Yuki Shouma’s mother arrived, the meeting started as an undeclared war and only got worse. What can Yuki do to stop his mom’s flood of politely-disguised vitriol and disrespect? Or is there nothing he can do except for listen to his teacher try to defend him — without defending himself?
Episode 16: Ask Him for Me
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 16 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 16, “Ask him for Me,” Tohru Honda made a startling discovery: Arisa Uotani had met Kureno Shouma, one of the Shoumas, over the summer! Because of that, Tohru made it her mission to let Kureno know of Uotani’s affection, though Uotani tried to dissuade her. Unfortunately, despite her most brave attempts, Tohru couldn’t find a way into the family compound. She literally ran into little Momo Shouma in the street, who offered to help Tohru find a way in. But what Tohru learned from their brief encounter did something that no other encounter, even the one with Akito Shouma, did: it exposed her to a tragedy so profound that it nearly broke her. Can she pull herself back together to fulfill her mission? Or will that open her to even greater harm?
Episode 17: You Will, I’m Sure of It
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 17 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 17, “You Will, I’m Sure of It,” Tohru Honda and her classmates took a class trip to Kyoto. After visiting a bamboo forest, they stopped to rest when the unheard of happened: a random classmate called Kyo Sohma aside to confess to him. Did Tohru’s friends respect his privacy? Of course not! Arisa Uotani led the charge to eavesdrop. At least Saki Hanajima pretended to be discrete. Later, Tohru chose some souvenirs to take home — as well as some “paper clay.” What was she planning to make? And what souvenirs will Yuki Sohma take back for the student council members not in his class — if anything?
Episode 18: Do You Wanna Kiss
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 18 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 18, “Do You Wanna Kiss,” Hiro Sohma saw Isuzu “Rin” Sohma crossing a bridge and dashed up to her. Hiro had matured a great deal since we last saw him, because Rin’s state terribly worried him. He saw her exhaustion and her ashen face, so he asked if she had been eating properly. Rin, driven by a despairing fury, verbally lashed out, asked he if felt guilty because “he was there when it happened.” When what happened? Why is Rin driving herself so hard? Why has she been attacking everyone, including Hatsuharu “Haru” Sohma, for this whole season? And why in the world would she cower in front of Tohru Honda, of all people?
Episode 19: There’s Just No Way
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 19 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 19, “There’s Just No Way!,” Isuzu “Rin” Sohma awakened to find her mother tending her. But it wasn’t really her mother; it was actually Tohru Honda. Determined not to let herself get close to Tohru, Rin tried to make a getaway, but the sound of Tohru’s honest concern for Rin’s well being made her reconsider. Why does Rin so detest the idea of getting close to Tohru? Why is Rin so adamantly against Tohru trying to break the curse? Worst of all, what chill advanced in Tohru’s heart — a chill that Rin dimly perceives in Tohru as a fear of being alone? Just how deep does that fear go?
Episode 20: Are You Okay?
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 20 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 20, “Are You Okay?”, there was a lot going on at school. Yuki tried to juggle his time between student council and the upcoming play, and he found it hard to give either his full attention. That became a real problem just outside the student council room. A book and crashing glass almost injured him and Kakeru Manabe! Inside, they found Machi Kuragi standing amid a flurry of papers and scattered folders. Why would such a quiet young woman wreck the room? Why did Kakeru offer to help so readily? And wait — who did the class pick to play Cinderella and the Prince in the upcoming school play?
Episode 21: There Was, Definitely
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 21 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 21, “There Was, Definitely,” Kakeru Manabe’s demand for a clear explanation of Yuki’s mood filled Yuki’s mind with childhood memories back. The memories weren’t filled with childish delight, though. He remembered his mother signing him over to Akito Souma more or less as property. Also, he remembered how even his brother Ayame consigned him to a life of misery. Until one day, Yuki snapped under the pressure. He ran, literally for his life. What he found on his journey would show him something tremendously important in the world — and introduce him to the force of nature who gave birth to Tohru!
Episode 22: That Isn’t What I Want
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 22 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 22, “That Isn’t What I Want,” Yuki finished telling his story to Kakeru Manabe, who felt frankly astonished that Yuki saw Tohru as a mother figure. But the admission brought a real sense of peace to Yuki. Later, partly because Tohru’s attempt to be evil did not work out well, they had to rewrite the script to Cinderella. At Tohru’s request, they agreed to change Kyo’s role, too, in an attempt to get him to attend rehearsals. Yuki agreed to search out Kyo and ask him to attend so Tohru would stay put. When he found Kyo, it became clear why he wasn’t attending rehearsal. And something else became clear, too.
Episode 23: It’s Cinderella-ish
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 23 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 23, “It’s Cinderella-ish,” Saki Hanajima stared in the school play as Cinderella. She’s not your run of the mill Cinderella, though. She’s less interested in meeting the Prince, played by Kyou Souma, than she is in eating yakiniku. Speaking of the Prince, he’s not exactly interested in dancing with Cinderella, but there is one character he shows more interest than he had intended to publicly show. That character? Tooru Honda as the step sister! How much of their feelings will they reveal on stage? Can the student charged with narrating maintain any kind of order? And what did Machi Kuragi mean by her comment about Yuki Souma — and did it have anything to do with the part that Yuki played in Cinderella-ish?
Episode 24: Here You Are
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 24 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 24, “Here You Are,” Kimi Toudou suggested that the Student Council go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate their successes. Kakeru Manabe liked the idea. Naohito Sakuragi, did, too, along Yuki Souma. But Machi Kuragi declined outright. Can Yuki understand her perspective well enough to entice her to attend — or would that be a bad idea? Speaking of bad ideas, Yuki decides to spend New Years at the Souma compound — with Akito, among others. Can he get through the evening peacefully? Was that even possible? Finally, Tohru spends New Years with Kyo Souma at Kazuma Souma’s house. There’s another guest present — one who almost costs Tohru here forehead!
Episode 25: I’m Different Now
Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 25 Review – Best In Show
In Fruits Basket Season 2 Episode 25, “I’m Different Now,” Momiji Souma excitedly asked Tohru for praise. Why? Because Momiji had delivered the DVD of Cinderella-ish to Kureno Souma expressly to watch the performance of Arisa Uotani. Especially the part where she cries out that she wants to see him. Her words collide with the emotional hold that Akito had on him. In an attempt to resolve the conflict, Kureno called Shigure’s house, hoping to talk to Tohru. Instead, he talked to Shigure himself, with subtly devastating results. Kureno, still determined to resolve the conflict, colluded with Shigure to meet Tohru in a park, where the full power of Akito’s influence came into conflict with Tohru’s irresistible force. Will Kureno agree to see Arisa? Will Akito’s hold on him win out? And what will Tohru do when one of the Souma’s secrets comes to life?
