Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12 Review – I Won’t Budge on This

Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts

Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12 Review – Quick Summary

In Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12, “You Fought Well,” Machi called Yuki and asked he would please meet her. She didn’t expect his “yes” to be so enthusiastic! Nor did the passersby expect such a public show of emotion… Akito’s invitation for everyone to meet at the family compound came as a surprise. Her appearance came as an even greater surprise. What is Akito up to this time? Or is she up to anything at all? Finally, Kyou asked Tohru if she would come away with him so he could continue his training. He also wanted to gain more experience in the world now that he had a future. Will Tohru leave her friends and mother’s grave?

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

Favorite Quote from Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12

Well, at least Kagura’s smiling now! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

It was quite a surprise for Kyou to show himself at the Souma family estates. He’d been there so seldom, in fact, that it was hard for him to remember where to go. He spotted Kagura leaning against a column. Seeing her glum expression, he smiled and said, “Yo.”

That’s not my favorite quote. But it’d be kind of funny if it were, wouldn’t it?

Anyway, she responded that “yo” wasn’t good enough and hurled herself into his arms. She yelled at him and pounded his chest with her small (but wildly dangerous!) fists. She wasn’t really serious about trying to hurt him, and he easily fended off her attack.

Or so he thought. Her physical violence wasn’t the real attack. Momiji’s camera was! Snapping a picture of what looked like Kagura in Kyou’s arms, a look of disgust on his face, Momiji said (08:05), “Cheaters are scum.”

That certainly cheered up Kagura! Momiji showed he was kidding, too, but I kinda felt sorry for Kyou for a second there! Still a funny setup, though.

Best in Show Moment for Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12

Yes, Kyouko said what Kyou heard. But it didn’t mean what Kyou thought. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Setup: A Parent’s Nightmare

Are you a mom or a dad? Then, unless you are a lot luckier or made of sterner stuff than I am, you’ve opened your eyes at 3:00AM. You’ve stared at the ceiling, or at the clock, or at the cat. And you’ve wondered what you could have done better for your kids.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve wondered if the lesson I tried to teach about consequence was too harsh. Did I just built unwarranted resentment in my son or daughter? Or should my lesson have been more strict? Did I just not reinforce the importance of personal accountability?

You can ask your spouse or significant other if you were right. It might come up in conversation with your friends. But the thing is, no one knows. No one can know; the future is opaque to us. All you can do is make your best effort, while being haunted by the fear it’s just not good enough.

Will our kids turn out all right? Did we do all we could? We can’t know. So we ask for help. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

I bet you can see where I’m going with this.

The last scene in this episode made me confront my greatest fear, as a parent and as a human being. And it was my favorite moment of the episode.

Delivery: A Blessing from Beyond the Grave

Back in this season’s episode 8, Kyou could just not get beyond Tohru’s mother Kyouko’s last words. As she lay dying, Kyou heard her said that she would never forgive him. He thought she meant for letting her walk out in front of the taxi. Since Kyou felt he should in fact have stopped her, her words deeply wounded him, and he fled. He could also not accept Tohru’s contention that her mom would not have meant that.

Tohru was right. But they couldn’t know that, because she was dead. Standing near Kyouko’s grave with Tohru, he reiterated his promise to keep her daughter safe. He also said he hoped that was all right with Kyouko. It was more than all right. What he pledged to do was actually the intent of her last words. This episode showed us her perspective of her last moments.

After the car struck her, she felt horrified that her death would leave Tohru alone. Kyouko’s mind flashed back to a younger Kyou. She’d asked him to watch over Tohru. Now she felt her life ebbing away, and in her mind, she said to Kyou, “You need to… keep our old promise” (21:50). Then aloud, likely not even aware she spoke, she said, “Or I’ll never forgive you.” In he mind, she completed the thought: “Please, please do what I can’t…”

Kyouko wanted Kyou to protect Tohru. Kyou misunderstood, based on his own circumstances. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Exquisite craftsmanship brought that moment, like so many other moments in this series, to painful life. It drew me in so deeply that I was only aware of her pain and her longing. And now I’m left with the memory of her passing, made only slight less painful by the very last seconds of the episode.

I’m going to miss this show.

What did you think of everyone’s reaction to Akito’s kimono? What was your Best in Show moment? Let me know in the comments!

Fruits Basket – The Final Episode 12: Other Posts

Other Anime Sites

• Reddit: Fruits Basket: The Final – Episode 12 discussion
• The Otaku Author: Fruits Basket (Episode 62) – You Fought Well
• 100 Word Anime: Fruits Basket: The Final Season Episode 12 Impressions – The Long Epilogue of a Narrative

This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)

• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 1: I’ll Hold Another Banquet
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 2: That’s an Unwavering Truth
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 3: I Hope It Snows Soon
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 4: I’m… Home.
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 5: I Mean… You Know, Right?
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 6: It was So Foolish
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 7: That’s Right, It’s Empty
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 8: I’m Disappointed in You
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 9: What’s Your Name?
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 10: I Just Love Her
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 11: Goodbye
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 12: You Fought Well
• Fruits Basket – The Final – Episode 13: See You Again Soon