amborghiniirl

[amborghiniirl]

Fruit Basket: Prelude Review (Potential Spoilers Below)

This movie is fucking garbage and one of the worst things I've seen this year. 

Fruit Basket is a Romantic comedy/Slice of life anime series. The anime follows an orphan girl, Tohru Honda, taken in by the Sohma clan. In the show, we see her interact and grow closer with multiple members of the Sohma family and discover they are cursed to turn into one of the animals of the Chinese zodiac whenever they are stressed or touched by a member of the opposite sex. I watched this show last year based on the insistence of some friends who love the show. I enjoyed Fruit Basket, though not nearly as much as my friends. It's a good, competent romcom. The animation is pretty, Tohru is a likable lead, most of the Sohma clan are well-written, and the backstories for certain characters are rich. It's a cute show, though I prefer Clannad when it comes to anime romcoms. Overall, Fruits Basket is a cute show that does a good (enough) job of pulling at heartstrings and makes you care about the characters. 

The Prelude is ass, though. 

Fruit Basket Prelude is a nearly 90-minute prequel movie that chronicles how Tohru Honda's parents meet and fall in love. It's a fine idea in concept. Tohru is a sweet girl with a big heart who deserves only the best. Tohru's mother had a massive influence on her as a child; one other member of the Sohma clan also had the pleasure of meeting her. Based on some flashbacks from the show, Tohru's mother, Kyoko, seemed like a lovely, tortured soul with a rough upbringing. She's one of the best aspects of the movie. Once we actually get to the film, that is. 

Again, the film is 90 minutes long. And yet there was a choice to dedicate the first thirty minutes to recap several impactful scenes from the show. I suppose it serves to show the journey Tohru embarks on throughout the series and how she ends up with her significant other by the end. But it's unnecessary for Fruit Basket fans who are here just for new content or newcomers because it straight-up spoils crucial events from the entire show. If anything, the condensed thirty minutes would be better off as a youtube video made for fun rather than taking up a third of the film. If you're looking for new Tohru content post Fruit Basket, then you may as well fast forward and watch the last five minutes. After Kyoko's story wraps up, there's a small snippet of Tohru, in the end, with her husband and her happy new lifestyle. It's too short, but it's sweet, and frankly, the film should have focused on that instead. Instead, it focuses on a story that is fine in concept but does not work based on one serious aspect. 

The one problem with Fruit Basket: Prelude is that Kyoko is 14, and her significant other, Katsuya, is fucking 22. That's an eight-year age difference. Katsuya is a student teacher, and Kyoko is a middle school student. There's an unfair power dynamic clearly on display, and any romantic intent or scene portrayed in the film falls flat on its ass as we watch a minor and a grown-ass man simp for each other. 

She speaks about her love and adoration for him often. And when he returns that same love, it's creepy. There's even a scene where she mentions their vast age difference, and he brushes it off. Katsuya goes on to say, "You child. As if there aren't other ways for us to see each other." The line is about them seeing each other beyond school hours, clearly interested in pursuing a relationship. It feels gross because he's a grown man looking to pursue a relationship with someone in 7th or 8th grade. 

Here's another scene that does not work. Early and frequently in the film, it's established that Kyoko has a terrible upbringing. Her father was abusive, and her mother was cold and distant. As a result, Kyoko has a rough background. She looks for acceptance because she received none from the two people who should have provided that for her. Katsuya is the only person to show her such acceptance, leading to their relationship. All of that sounds like it makes for a beautiful romance, except when you remember she's barely a teenager, and he's more than capable of drinking legally. So the scene in question is Katsuya confronting Kyoko's parents and verbally putting them down for how they treat her. During this, Katsuya says something to the effect of, "I can't believe you are the people that are disrespecting the woman I plan on marrying." First of all, he barely knows her. They have not spent enough time together to warrant him saying anything like that. Secondly, a line like that might work if they were closer in age. A majority of the scenes and beats would work better if either she was aged up or if he was aged down. 

In another, he says he falls in love with her "because she cried" and "because she was human." In reality, he sees a fragile child who he could mold and feed his savior complex. He takes her away from what little she had to begin with, isolating her and leaving him as the only person who could care for her. Then, of course, they get married, and except for his dad, no one supports their marriage or goes to the wedding. That's one of the best things about the movie. 

Honestly, this shit is just a wreck. There are a few positives to note. Like the show, it has pleasant animation to admire. The first thirty minutes are a cute summation of the journey Tohru and her significant other endure throughout the show, although the choice to include the montage feels unnecessary. There are three minutes of new content with Tohru and her man at the end, that's probably the best scene in the film. And Kyoko is a likable character throughout despite her judgment and hardships. But the story and genuine attempts to pull at your heartstrings fail because of the age difference. 

This would've worked better if they were closer in age. 1.5/5. 

[amborghiniirl]

I haven't complained about Yashahime in a while, but Kagome said it's been 14 years since she's seen her family 💀💀

[amborghiniirl]

allow me to introduce my favorite genre: supernaturals falling in love with humans

Kamisama Kiss

Fruits Basket

Noragami

Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Spice and Wolf

Inuyasha

Inari konkon

[amborghiniirl]

I have returned and I am seething with Yashahime hating rage.

I wish they would have at least TRIED to make Rin look older. But nah, she still looks younger than Kagome did in the og series.

Not to mention, I'll bet that scene is right after she has the twins. It's the night she disappears.

That poor child. . . . I just pity her at this point.

[amborghiniirl]

This Is disgusting. Sunrise wasn't happy just confirming with the timeline that Rin is still a child in HnY. They insist on making parallels so that we remember her as a child.

Here, they portray her making a wish in the same way as when she was 7 years old: eyes closed, her hands clasped on her chest, a shooting star/comet.

While she is wearing her kimono from when she was 11 🙄

This is absolutely gross!! Sunrise is trying to twist scenes of OG Inuyasha to make us feel nostalgic. So that we look back and think "yeah, that's something Rin would do" because we've seen her do it before.

But no, Sunrise: OG Rin was making a wish to stay by the side of her trusted adult and father figure, because she was a child who had finally found a family. She was not making a wish to watch over the daughters she had because that adult abused her.

No, Sunrise, OG Rin wore that kimono because her father figure had gifted it to her, not to wait for her husband / rapist.

Sunrise, fuck you.

[amborghiniirl]

On “Kagome going far enough back to meet her father” consider this.

Kagome grows up hearing her father tell stories of the past, a childhood seeing and learning to fight demons in his village as a young priest, but after he dies, she finishes growing believing that they were just really fun stories from a father to a daughter.

The one story she DOES believe: she was named after a very kind, very old Miko who helped him in some of his lessons who was like a grandmother to him. His stories of her usually also contained an aging demon husband who would ride the village kids around on his shoulders, which was less believable, but she knew in her heart this very old surrogate Grandmother Kagome had existed.

And then she falls into the past and eventually stays, marrying Inuyasha and living happily ever after.

One day, when they are much older and she’s been a Miko for many many years, she delivers a baby, and on hearing his name, she chuckles to herself.

“Funny, that was my father’s name.”

And then that little boy is blessed with holy powers, and she chuckles again.

“Funny, my father was a priest.”

And then one day, when she’s training him, her hands old and knotted with time, she catches his attention drifting and follows his gaze…. To Inuyasha, also old now, but with enough demon stamina left to give the children his famous piggy back rides around the village.

“Can I go?!” Her little student asks, and her heart cracks and heals as she stares into his strange blue eyes, so like hers, so like her fathers.

“Of course my boy.” She says, fighting back tears.

“Thanks Kagome! You’re the best teacher ever!” He says, giving her a brief hug before racing off to play.

And Kagome marvels once again at the strange whims of Fate and Time.

[amborghiniirl]

I think my favorite Sessr*n “defense” is when they try to use Koga/Ayame as some sort of “gotcha.” Newsflash idiots: Most antis also have a problem with that ship, however it’s still easily the lesser of two evils since 1. Koga didn’t fucking raise Ayame, only met her once then forgot about her. 2. We don’t spend most of our screentime with Ayame with her being a literal child. & 3. Ayame isn’t afraid to talk back to Koga & sass him/argue with him, she doesn’t hero worship him or obey his every command like Rin does with Sesshomaru, they are on far more equal grounds then Sessr*n could ever be. Maybe if we actually saw Rin blow up in that moment the pedo stole her babies and didn’t put her all consuming trust in her precious “Sesshomaru-Sama” it wouldn’t look like she was so blatantly groomed. (That would require her to actually have a personality beyond “child waifubot” though) As of now though it really looks like even if Sesshomaru commanded Rin to jump off a cliff she would do it and somehow still think “it was for her own good.”

1) They’re the same age (or close in age). When the InuGang met Koga, he was 15 in human years. Meaning, he was younger when he met Ayame.

The animation, however, kept his appearance the same (15), which was stupid. But hey. It isn’t the first time an anime team took short cuts to push more episodes out. Bottom line, Ayame and Koga aren’t far off mentally/physically.

2) He didn’t raise her (like you said)

3) He doesn’t have any authority over her bc

A) He didn’t raise her

B) He wasn’t in her life

C) She grew up with her family and had agency

Their dynamic is comparable to a junior meeting a senior by accident (i.e they ran into each other at the library 🤷🏽‍♀️), and then they play nice, go their separate ways, and never see/interact with each other (bc you have your own social cliche/family and they have theirs). Then some time passes and the two of them happen to be at the same college.

There’s no “grooming” in that scenario, but with s*ssrin, sesshomaru continued to be in her life since she was a child.

4) Koga didn’t even know who Ayame was. Their first encounter was so brief and fleeting that he didn’t bother to remember her.

So yeah. I don’t mind Koga and Ayame being together. In fact, I like Ayame’s design. It’s just that Koga didn’t need a gf (imo). The whole thing reminded me of one of those stories where the side characters get randomly paired together bc everyone else is in a relationship 😂

Shippers always deflect and attempt to bring down other couples that aren’t comparable to s*ssrin bc they know they don’t have a leg to stand on. It’s pathetic really...

[amborghiniirl]

Unlike Rumiko Takahashi, Katsuyuki Sumisawa is an amateur, ripping off ideas and incapable of doing anything consistent and giving character development, which is why Yashahime or rather Trashahime, is nothing but a lame fanfic filled with plot holes and nothing original, and therefore should not be considered canon

[amborghiniirl]

I know people are divided when it comes to their feelings towards Akito.

For me, Akito's moment of redemption is when she decides to let the rest of them go all at once. I believe she always had the power to break the bonds but that only happened when she'd lose a grip on the bonds she was holding onto so tightly.

When they all broke at once, it was all her. She made the decision to let go of what she was holding onto in the end. Her entire character was centered around being so abusive and possessive BECAUSE of this bond she had power over. In the moment that the curse breaks, she sacrificed so much and was completely aware that that could end up alone in the end.

It doesn't erase what she did but I think the beauty of Fruits Basket is that everyone can move on and change and live their own respective lives. Being more like Tohru myself, I'm glad that Akito gets a chance even if not everyone is on board with it. To me, this is a far more satisfying conclusion than "Akito getting what she deserves."

You can't fight fire with fire but the right person can extinguish the flames.

[amborghiniirl]

That episode was everything I hoped it'd be. I cried so much!!!!

It was as though I was weeping along with them.

[amborghiniirl]

“I LOVE YOU, KYO-KUN. I LOVE YOU. THIS LOVE IS TOTALLY INVINCIBLE.”  

“OH. IN THAT CASE, MAYBE I’M INVINCIBLE, TOO? NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF NOW, HUH? NOT IF YOU’RE HERE!” 

[amborghiniirl]

All I can think about is that they zing'd like the couple in Hotel Transylvania 😂 Yuki zing'd last episode.

New Preview Images! - Furuba S3 Ep 11 - SPOILERS!!!

[amborghiniirl]

[amborghiniirl]

I love that Kagura had the courage to stand against Naraku

to confront Kaguya

And to shout "foolish coward" in Sesshomaru's face

[amborghiniirl]

Unpopular opinion:

Koga's feelings for Kagome were incredibly superficial.

[amborghiniirl]

jessica rabbit is literally a sex symbol though she can't be asexual?

she is in romo with a rabbit because he makes her laugh and aside from using her looks to get things out of people she literally never once shows interest in anything or anyone sexually through the entire movie and is clearly appalled when anyone makes advances towards her like there is canonical evidence that jessica rabbit from the classic motion picture who framed rogger rabbit is an asexual character  

[amborghiniirl]

Came across this on Facebook and it warmed my heart completely. The account did not credit these cosplayers, but if anyone knows who they are please do link it down below.

I think they all nailed the characters so well!💖💖