I said a while back (Episode 9 if you’re keeping score) that Fruits Basket 2019 was better when something of consequence was happening. That impression has not changed in the intervening weeks. They’ve mostly been good ones, and most of those episodes have been pivotal canon eps for the major character arcs. This one, not so much – it was perfectly fine but kind of a snoozer if I’m honest, and nothing in it is really essential to Fruits Basket as a story.
This raises an interesting point, actually, because when I saw that the reboot was stretching this subplot out to two episodes (ugh) I went back to see if the 2001 series did the same. I honestly don’t remember details like that – it’s been well over a decade, gimme a break – and it turns out Akitarou Daichi never adapted this little Uo subplot at all. If you’re a fan of this episode great, more power to you, but it seems to me another good example of why too much faithfulness to the source material isn’t always a good thing (and certainly not in Furuba’s case). I still think pretty much every change Akitarou made was for the better, and while the new series does fine with the heftier material it really becomes a slog with the lightweight stuff.
In any event, this little trifle was basically two courses. The first was a low-key swimsuit episode, which featured Uotani-san getting all verklempt over Tohru wearing her school swimsuit in swimming class (apparently in their high school, personal suits are allowed), because it’s a sign of her poverty. So she and saki decide to make Yuki and Kyou pitch in on buying her a swimsuit and not only that, come along to pick it out. Pretty predictable stuff of the sort we’ve seen limitless times before, if mildly amusing.
The B-part turns serious, as Uo flashes back to her past as a delinquent who worshipped the Crimson Butterfly (i.e. Kyouko-san). Eventually she meets her and is terribly disappointed to discover that she’s turned into a smiling, doting mom. This cuts her deeply because her own home life is a stark contrast – her mother left with another guy years earlier, and her dad sits around watching TV and drinking all night. Again, it’s fine – not much emotional impact for me to be honest, as this is all very bog standard stuff.
I’d be less concerned about this if Furuba wasn’t taking material that’s a stretch as a full episode and dragging it out over two. This ep really was a good exemplar of where the 2019 series falls short of the original (sorry but it’s true, IMO). It’s just not that great at comedy, and it’s not great at making stuff that isn’t that important to the story feel dramatic. Good adaptations highlight what’s best from a source material and putty over the cracks – they don’t just put what’s on the page into moving pictures. It’s the difference between a painting and a photograph I suppose – and while photographs can be absolutely amazing, their effectiveness is mostly reliant on the subject.
Snowball
July 21, 2019 at 3:59 amNot going to sugarcoat about this episode – it was boring. After watching this, I’m happy that the original 2001 series skipped it entirely. I don’t even remember this being that bad in the manga. It’s even grating that it’s going to be stretched into the next episode.
leongsh
July 21, 2019 at 11:49 amLosing my attention for this series. After 16 episodes, it’s been a number of short sections of good interpersed with a lot of longer stretches of not-so-good uninteresting stuff. Then, we have this whole episode that is yawn inducing.
Nutmeg
July 21, 2019 at 3:44 pmThe thing is, the original 2001 series didn’t skip this episode – this material is so far into the manga that the anime didn’t even get that far. They’re putting in some of the side stories from later volumes now to stretch this series out so we don’t reach the good stuff too quickly. Trouble is – and I understand I’m being blunt – this rendition is boring and I probably won’t stick around long enough for that. If I want literally frame for frame from the manga, I can just reread the manga. This episode is just another one that fell super flat for me.
Guardian Enzo
July 21, 2019 at 3:50 pmThanks for clarifying that – TBH I didn’t remember where this was in the manga, only that it bored me then just as it bored me here.
Still, I would say the last 4 eps before this one were really good (because of course the source material was, too). And we’re about to meet two of my very, very favorite characters – trailing only Momiji and maybe Kyou.
Amy
July 24, 2019 at 2:37 pmAs much as I’ve enjoyed reading all these reviews, I can’t resist giving my subjective, controversial opinion: that the 2019 series is a vast improvement on the 2001.
I liked the 2001 show very much; it was one of the first anime I watched. However, when I went on to read the manga, I retroactively felt that the 2001 series was a failed adaptation of great source material. Of course, others are entitled to prefer 2001 over 2019. We are lucky to have both.
My reasons are as follows:
The manga (and 2019 anime) tell complete stories where the plot and themes build over time, whereas the 2001 series felt to me like a collection of shorts with relatively little payoff. It deliberately cut material that foreshadows later events, which meant that it cut suspenseful elements and truncated character arcs. To me, the 2019 versions of Kyoko, Uo, Kagura, Shigure and even Tohru already have more substance than their 2001 counterparts. (I heartily disliked Kagura in 2001, whereas although I don’t condone her actions, the new series hints at moments of growth for her that remind me of her manga version. The 2001 Tohru was good, but 2019 does more to show her underlying insecurities.)
I thought the final episode of the old series was nonsensical and and a byproduct of having to stop only a third of the way through the story. I consider FB a manga that improves as it goes on.
While some get worn out by the sad episodes, I don’t, so I like that the new version is more serious. (I still find it funny.) The 2001 anime expanded on a lot of the slapstick gags, which I tend not to enjoy, and gave disproportionate airtime to the Prince Yuki Fanclub.
To top, the 2019 version is visually stunning. I prefer it artistically, as well as in terms of accuracy. I’ve liked most of the deviations its made from the manga, such as shuffling the order and showing Akito earlier on, since these even out pacing and stay true to the spirit of the manga. Giving Uo and Hana’s backstories now strikes me as wise if we’re to care about their characters going forward (even if the swimsuit device is silly). In all, I’ve liked every episode.
There are some points I agree with you on. Furuba can be sacharine and unsubtle, as became clear in episode 8. I do miss some details from 2001, especially the opening music and the more unique portrayal of Yuki. I loved Momiji’s song. I tend not to notice the voice casting much, but I Maaya Sakamoto is awesome as Akito.
Just my 2 cents in response to the criticisms I’ve read here. Obviously, everyone has different tastes and a different experience of the show.