Fruits Basket 2nd Season – 07

I asked for Fruits Basket in “substance” mode, and the last couple of episodes are definitely delivering it.  The core chapters are just so much more impactful than the too-numerous toss-off ones, which I guess is why the best way for me to approach this series is to be the editor myself rather than lamenting that this adaptation isn’t fulling that role like the first one did.

Things are already interesting even before Akito arrives to spoil everybody’s fun, because it’s with this core group of characters that the strength of Furuba lies.  There are lots of excellent little Hiro/Kisa and Momiji moments here, starting with the news that Hiro’s mother is pregnant.  Hiro’s mom scores major points amongst a very poor group of zodiac parents, having accepted her son and stayed bonded with him despite his curse.  Momiji, meanwhile, keeps getting himself grouped in with “the kids” but it’s illustrative to watch him once the news of Akito’s arrival hits.  Momiji is, effectively, cosplaying – this genki fairy prince persona of his is just that, a persona, because his reality is too painful for him to live in without it.

Shigeru takes the “family” off to pay their respects to Akito – which pointedly leaves Kyou out.  Tohru, meanwhile, musters the nerve to ask Kyou about his parents after he confronts her about Hiro having upset her.  He lies about how his mother died (she’s not fooled) but quickly enough turns the conversation back to her.  It’s striking how well Kyou understands Tohru, both because he’s a perceptive person and because they share a bond as outsiders.  This is a sharp contrast to the moments Tohru and Yuki share (such as on the beach later in the episode) where even when he opens up about his emotions, a great gap exists between them.  The irony here is that Yuki is alone and isolated in a much more profound way than the supposed outsider, the cat – who has much more meaningful ties to other people (including Tohru).

As for Akito, it’s more of the same.  Shigeru gets praise from Hatori for scheming for change, despite his troublemaking, but Akito’s hold over this group is still iron-clad.  Akito has brought along another Sohma, a young man named Kureno (Umehara Yuichirou), who we’re meeting for the first time – someone who’s rarely allowed to interact with others, it seems.  That’s all we get for the moment, as with everything Akito-related there’s clearly a lot more to this story than we’re being told.

Kitsutsuki Tanteidokoro – 06

I’m not sure if this week’s mystery corresponds to an Edogawa Rampo story – if it does, it’s one I’m not familiar with – but that seems to be a trend with Katsutsuki Tanteidokoro.  Certainly, Rampo is the one name among this group modern anime fans are most likely to be familiar with (apart from Souseki Natsume of course, but he’s sort of on the fringe of the narrative) so playing up that angle makes a certain sense.

A kinginka as a living doll is another concept I’m not familiar with – I only know it as honeysuckle.  Eternally lovesick Yoshii sees this kinginka mystery as the chance to finally break through with Kiku-san, but that’s something he’s much better off steering clear of.  Once more the mystery here is pretty serviceable, if nothing riveting – the dynamics among the bohos are more interesting (and more the point).  Ishikawa-san is as always mostly in this for himself – he worms his way into Yoshii’s investigation because Kindaichi-san has cut him off financially (and otherwise, it seems).

Ishikawa-san getting involved here does wind up saving Yoshii’s bacon, though when the chips are down Ishikawa reveals himself to be a coward on top of his many other character flaws.  It’s irritating that this guy is always the smartest one in the room (though Hirai-kun can give him a run for his money), just like I’m sure it’s irritating for Kindaichi (who himself saves Ishikawa and Yoshii because he can’t not be involved) that Ishikawa is so much more talented and charismatic and handsome than he is, despite barely putting in any effort.  The heart wants what it wants – even if it’s bad for it – which is the one theme we see recurring though pretty much every episode of Woodpecker Detective’s Office.