#Momiji's mother

[fairystarstorm]

You know what I wonder about like how did they cover up momoji's existence like that. What did they tell the non-sohma's around momoji's mother about momoji and her amnesia? Did they have have to spin tales of her son mysteriously dying and have suffering amnesia as a result? Did they make other people around her promise to never speak about her son again. Or were the sohma's the only people in her life?

Did they destroy any and all pictures that they had of her pregnant? Her maternity clothes? Move all of his stuff out of their residence? How and at what age did they explain all of this to momiji?

Also since momo knows by the time fruits basket: another happens, how did that revelation go down? Did she start seeing herself and her husband and their relationship differently as a result? Could you truly come to terms that you decided to erase your child from your memories?

[runawaycarouselhorse]

An analysis of Momiji's parents (yes, you read that right, bear with me, this is not absolving them completely, but will perhaps help you understand them better!)

Note: Momiji's one of my favourite Fruits Basket characters and one of my favourite characters in general so please don't think I don't appreciate how incredibly painful, traumatizing, and lonely his childhood experiences are. I am not at all denying that what his parents put him through was traumatizing.

We all know Tohru, her friends, family, and especially the Zodiacs are complex, believable (once you peel back the layers of eccentricities and the influence of their Zodiac animal spirits) people, but it seems many do not expect their parents to be so, too. While it's true most hardly appear on-screen/on-panel and therefore come off as a bit one-note and the story is, after all, mostly from the perspective of children going through adolescence (so we also see pivotal, powerful moments like them finally becoming strong enough to realize these abusive parents and relatives, who once seemed insurmountable and bigger-than-life, are in reality, so small, weak, and have their own struggles... or that terrible moment where Kyo realized his father was speaking to him the same way he always spoke to his mother, always shifting blame and breaking people's spirits with undue blame and finally understood why his mother had done what she did)...

Momiji's mother, curse aside, exhibits very, very clear signs of a real psychological condition, the milder and more famous form known as baby blues (low mood after giving birth, difficulty bonding with and caring for a child, lasting one or two weeks, often treated with support and understanding from family), and its more severe representations, which Momiji's mother exhibited, much-less-understood and far-more-stigamtized, post-partum depression.

I believe there is a strong, but ignorant, form of ableism in bashing Momiji's mother, because she is very, very clearly a case of post-partum depression, leading to a suicide attempt, that never received the help she needed, likely due to either social stigma (remember, the Soma are a very powerful, elite, and secretive clan) or, more likely, due to her and her husband's strong belief in the curse.

People often idealize mothers and motherhood, even pregnancy, leaving many of its serious risks and dangers unspoken about, even though we have long-known women often used to die in childbirth, particularly in the past, before the advances of modern medicine. Still, some risk is inherent to pregnancy, due to the many changes it brings about in the body and the effects of the fluctuating hormones--which can also affect one's sanity and mental state.

Unlike the very temporary baby blues, postpartum depression is much more severe and even dangerous untreated and without understanding and support from the family to care for the child when the mother is unable... failing to bond with the baby, rejecting them, and even thoughts of harming herself or the baby--Momiji's mother had untreated postpartum depression.

Now, the reason I say they likely didn't treat her more because of the belief in the curse and how inevitable it is than the fear of stigma (which is unfortunately common throughout Japanese society and many eastern/Asian societies, like mine, where any form of mental illness is severely stigmatized and people will shun you as a "crazy person," refuse to marry or hire such a person, avoiding them, discriminating against them, etc.--this is likely why all of these kids in Fruits Basket had to overcome their past on their own, with Tohru's help...) is because Momiji's father was clearly not that kind of man to care about what others think, despite the deeply traditional society and old-fashioned clan.

Think about it, Momiji (while still small and childlike, due to the stronger influence of the rabbit spirit, when the curse was still strong and largely unbroken) dressed in frilly, childish, and even girlish Lolita-inspired articles of clothing. Even when he's older, he's quite fashionable, he just no longer dresses cutesy or frilly, but he still wears that bunny backpack and has tons of bunny plushies.

Momiji did seem to understand he couldn't get away with it anymore when he finally looked his age, although it's hard to tell if that's from his father or from society at large (maybe Momiji is a little more sensitive to that than his father or he simply wants to be recognized as the man he's growing up to be, in faint hopes that Tohru would love him back? Momiji was so happy when she called him "handsome"... "but I'm a man too")--given how they gave him flack at school for wearing the female uniform's top, even though he wore boyish shorts underneath and added a sailor hat--the a sailor suit, which yeah, was originally for boys, but that top was tailored for the female school uniform in Tohru's school...

A boy getting to dress like that might happen under a mother's care, but a father? Momiji at this point is raised only by his father, who promised to love him twice as much to make up for the terrible sacrifice he is about to make (erase Momiji from his wife's memories, so she can be rid of her knowledge of the cursed child she bore and never loved...).

I believe he truly did try. Someone had to have bought Momiji all of those cutesy clothes, the bunny bags, the many bunny plushies in his room... I think his father did his best to indulge him, but was still too weak and cowardly to fight against the curse. The curse was seen as something powerful, all-consuming, mysterious, and he likely did not believe getting his wife help otherwise, while keeping this child near her, would do any good. He's still a very weak-willed person for placing such a terrible weight on his very young child's shoulders and I'm less sympathetic to Momiji's father, but I definitely believe he truly did try to love and indulge Momiji more, while still afraid of the curse and so keeping his family away from him. That's why he didn't even want Momiji showing his face around them and, heartbreakingly, told him to quit his violin lessons because Momo was learning from the same teacher within the clan (Soma being as insular a clan as they are, they were likely only learning from one violin teacher who IS part of the clan and lived on the estate, much as the zodiacs only receive treatment from one doctor, Hatori himself...).<-partly conjecture, but based on Hatori being their doctor.

He likely believed it was all the curse's doing and, maybe, in the world of Fruits Basket, it really was all the curse's doing, because as they mentioned, mothers of zodiac spirits were usually either suffocatingly overprotective or completely rejecting their children--but this doesn't erase that Momiji's mother clearly exhibited nearly all of the signs of a true mental illness and was never treated. She really was depressed to the point of trying to take her own life. There's an ableism in fandom--however born of ignorance of the condition or the young age of the readership and viewership making them unable to empathize with an adult character it might be--but it's clearly there.

TL;DR: I think a man, from a very old-fashioned and hierarchal clan in a very conservative country as Japan, who would allow his boy to dress the way Momiji does publicly, indulging all his love of rabbits and childish and cute frilly clothes, would would NOT care about the stigma of having a "crazy" wife either and would get her treatment, so I think it truly is because of the fear of the curse and belief that it's something insurmountable and impossible to overcome that prevented it.

As Momiji grows up, he can speak with his mother, even if only from a distance, without her knowing who he is, and even without knowing, Momo wanted him as her brother... as an adult, Momo knows he's her brother (I haven't read Fruits Basket Another, myself, yet, so I only know that one scene, keep in mind!), so I think, especially as the curse breaks, there's no longer a reason for Momiji to stay away... I don't know if they'd ever tell his mother about all of that (I wonder how immensely guilty she'd feel if she was told after the curse broke, or if she would never be able to bond with him simply because all her memories of him from back then were erased, or if they'd have an easier time bonding without that cloud over them (more like she's adopting him?), or if it'd always be a bit awkward instead, but still pleasant...) <-this last part is all conjecture.

[echothelover]

one part about Fruits Basket that I don't see getting praised too often is how well it manages to pull off a depiction of post-partum depression that focuses on the neglect and trauma of the child without demonizing the mother for being mentally ill

[rian-threeden]

Daily Earthbound #50 + #51

Momiji and Aya's design from Touhou 10. Sorry this One took Me a While i Could not Do ANYTHING on Task yesterday It was Awful. i'm Good now Tho so I have these Two. i Gave aya Some unique Poses as Well as Her design From touhou 10.

Refs ^

[ghosthippie27]

“Thank you. I’m glad we met, so glad. Knowing you changed my life. So thank you. Thank you.”

[astro-b-o-y-d]

Teenage me discovering anime/manga for the first time and coming across Fruits Basket: Boy I sure hope this doesn't fundamentally change me as a person

[shunin-gumis]

Nagi Birthday(2024) SSR Story

Best Wishes Snap

Happy Happy Day! (1st part)

The Yellow and white marker is Toi, Red is Ryui, Beige over black is Yodaka, Neon Pink is Netaro, and the All-black is (probably?) oshisha-sama (iykyk)

Messages Toi: Happy Birthday Nagi-kun! We love you 💖 Ryui: Happy B Day, show some energy. 🐙 Netaro: Birthday Boy 🌟🌟🌟 Yodaka: All happiness on your birthday ✨ Oshisha: My pet ➡️ Fun fact the rat ears doodled on Nagi is in reference to his radio persona named 'Nure Nezumi' meaning Drowned Rat!

Nagi: Haa.....

Boy: Mama, that man on the swing set has been staring at the ground for so long now.

Mother of the boy: It's not good to stare, we should leave him alone.

Nagi: I couldn't tell anyone it was my birthday today in the end.

Nagi: The "Random Present System"... I wonder if I was counted in it too.

Nagi: I'm sure the person who was selected to gift me a present has been decided, but no one actually knows it's my birthday today.... Besides, it must have been a hassle to get me something when the system was only just implemented....

Nagi: ...... Well, I guess it's fine even if my birthday isn't celebrated.

Nagi: Sonia sent me off with a smile and told me to enjoy the party, so I can't just go back to the shop now. I'll just return to Hama House, take a nice hot bath and sleep.

Nagi: I'm ba...ck?

Ryui: Finally! Where the hell were you off to all this time? You're late!

Nagi: Huh? Um, I'm... sorry?

Momiji: Welcome back, Nagi-kun.

Yodaka: We were just about to set off to find you.

Yodaka: It wouldn't do for the birthday boy to be absent for his own party, now would it?

Nagi: But I thought no one knew my birthday...

Netaro: What a silly goose you are Gii~ Surely you must remember the fact that you had to note down your birthday on your profile.

Momiji: It was in the company's documents too.

Nagi: Ah... you're right.

Toi: Ushio-kun prepared the cake -"Blooming Happiness ⭐ Full Bloom Flower Cake"! The flowers on top of the icing are all edible, isn't that amazing?

Nagi: Not just that, the entire table is packed with all kinds of food...

Nagi: You prepared all this... for me...?

Momiji: Nagi-kun, I've prepared a ton of vases so I can receive as many flowers as you want to give me later, so enjoy tonight as much as you want!

Nagi: ....!!

Everyone at Hama Tours: Happy Birthday!!

Renga: As fellow team leaders... let's do our best to get along and hype up HAMA.

Renga: This pink rose is my birthday gift for you.

Renga: It's thanks to your advice that my roses grew so beautifully, so you can have this one.

Nagi: ....hic.....

Renga: ...Wait, huh!? Are you crying!?

Ten: Ah... look at those tears. Renga-san, how could you do that to him....

Renga: Is this my fault!?

Renga: It's not like it's something specia- I mean, I did put a lot of thought into it, but!

Renga: O-Oi, stop crying already...!

Nagi: ....hic, I've never seen such a beautiful rose before. It's the most beautiful one in the world, no, in this entire galaxy!

Renga: I-Is that so...!

Muneuji: Hachinoya-san, please accept this watering can from me. I hope you can make use of it at your store. I wish for 'Flower Laundry' to continue to flourish and prosper.

Nagi: I-I promise to make my store one that everyone loves for the next 1000 years.

Liguang: ... He keeps crying every time someone greets him.

Ryui: He's a pain...

Nagi: Liguang-san, and Ryui... Even the two of you prepared a present for me?

Liguang: That's right. Grease and cloth included, I've prepared a maintenance tool set that you can use on your beloved bike.

Nagi: Thank you very much....

Ryui: This is a little something to ward of bad luck.

Nagi: Band-aids? It's even got a nice design...

Ryui: It's because you keep getting hurt all the time and getting Toi all worried. And stop bawling so much it's gross.

Nagi: ... Thank you for getting someone like me a gift. It's the first time my birthday's been celebrated like this...

Chihiro: Oh em gee, isn't Nagipeko crying a lil too much tho? You'll shrivel up at this rate!

Nagi: It'll be ok if I drink water right after letting it out.

Raito: Haha, guess I should prepare a pitcher for you in that case.

Nagi: I would really appreciate that.

Nagi: I want to give back all this gratitude I'm feeling. So that all of you can smile just like I am-

Nagi: I'll do a stand-up comedy right now.

Momiji: Eh, all of a sudden?

Tao: That's not what I was expecting from that speech!

Nagi: Even if you feel like cringing, please don't look away. I'd like you to accept my honest feelings of gratitude.

Momiji: Huh, wait, Nagi-kun...!

Nagi: Presenting my short skit, "How I surprised myself on my own Birthday."

Part 2

[ofoceansandtombsanew]

Tohru Honda: a Subversion of Shoujo’s Nice Girl Trope

Fruits Basket absolutely nails subverting your expectations of character tropes in anime. 

Momiji is introduced as the cute childish boy but boom we are slapped with the fact that he a mother who hated him so much she had her memories wiped of him. Shigure right off the bat looks like the typical perverted uncle of anime when in reality he is one the most manipulative characters in the series. Ayame is the flamboyant, boisterous one whose bravado hides his regret and desire to repent for his past neglect of his younger brother. Which ultimately brings me to the protagonist of Furuba itself, Tohru Honda.

I'll make it no secret that I have a huge soft spot for Fruits Basket as a series. It was the first manga I read, I watched the 2001 series and I was right on the hype train when I saw it was getting a remake that would follow the manga storyline. But I did my best to be as objective as possible in this essay of sorts saying why I believe Tohru is a great example of subverting the "Nice Girl Protagonist" of Shoujo. Tohru is the protagonist of Fruits Basket and when it comes to those who don't like her, it seems she can be hit or miss due to the assumption that she is perfect. 

The general consensus of those who do not like her or find her bland compared to the rest of the cast is that Tohru is a perfect and bland protagonist with no issues of her own. That all she does is wave her healing wand of warm smiles and makes everything better for those around her.

However, that opinion couldn't be more misguided. In reality, Tohru is just as emotionally broken as the Sohmas and they mend her heart just as much as she mends theirs. As such, I hope to show those who find her bland or otherwise boring that there is more substance to Tohru's character than they believe.

At first glance, Tohru does seems like your typical Shoujo protagonist. She's nice, almost to a fault. She would rather talk her way out of a situation instead of throwing hands, she doesn't get mad in situations other typically would, and she has a hard time asking for help. Oh and with a dash of anime originality, she's an orphan. However even as early as episode 1, you can see hints that Tohru is not going to be the usual nice girl protagonist with her desire to work and be as independent as possible. The mangaka does a great job throughout the series showing with hints and broad examples that Tohru is just as complex as the colorful cast around her.

Ironically enough though, when hints of Tohru's trauma are sprinkled throughout the series it is seen as annoying even when the Furuba takes time to give insight into why she does the things she does.

She mentions her mother constantly in anecdotes of whimsical stories or snippets of wisdom her mother imparted her with.

Compared to the death of parents to other anime protagonists, Tohru's situation is a bit more unique. Tohru's father may have died when she was young but the same cannot be said for her mother, Kyoko, who died fairly recently. When the series begins, Kyoko has only been dead for a few months and it is more than apparent as early as episode 1 that Tohru is desperate to keep any semblance of her mother's existence alive. Kyoko died before Tohru's first year of high school even ended and worse, was told in the middle of class. Tohru has had barely any time to heal from this loss and it is evident in how she talks to her mother's photo.

Yes, in Japanese culture, it may be typical to have photos of departed family members, making a shrine for them and leaving offerings from time to time. But Tohru takes this to a completely different level, showcasing how deep her trauma runs.

When she is digging frantically to take out her mother's photo after the landslide destroyed her tent, she cries "She can't breathe in there. She's in pain." And that's just episode one.

Nobody completely over the death of their parent would speak like this, referring to a photo as a living person. She lost her mother and she didn't even get a chance to say goodbye, even feeling guilt to an extent about the situation. Tohru didn't wake up to tell her mother that she would see her later. There is no way that simply getting up to tell her mother goodbye would have changed the outcome of her fate, but Tohru still feels that way. That it didn't matter if she had tests or work or the next day, the one she should have put first was her mother. 

Anyone who has or is currently experiencing the grief of losing a loved one has likely done the same. Wondering if, if the situation was anything other than illness or old age, there was something they could have done. Things they should have said or could have said differently. What more could they have done to help and the feeling is all consuming. Even if it is unprompted, they somehow will manage to insert their lost family or friend into a conversation that didn't include them or may randomly begin talking about them. A lot of the time, these people don't even realize that they're doing it which is shown in season 2 with Tohru when Hiro asks her why she talks about her mother so much.

She is too positive.

Tohru's positivity is one of the most easily seen aspects of her character. Where others might see the glass half-empty, Tohru sees it as half-full. Her positivity is even noted upon by characters within the show, Saki (Hanajima) mentioning that she doesn't believe she could personally smile like that so soon after the death of a loved one.

Tohru doesn't like thinking about her problems. She doesn't like expressing her sadness. She doesn't want to worry those around her when they likely have their own problems to worry about. Saki predicts that this ability Tohru has to act this way is because she would scold herself if she ever showed a hint of sadness. And Saki was right because we see Tohru later on doing exactly that, crying but forcing herself to try and smile and scolding herself for not keeping it together.

Rather than let Yuki comfort her when she is in tears, she smiles and completely changes the topic even though tears are coming down her face.Tohru tells Kyo that she needs a minute to get herself together because breaking down in tears in front of him wasn't what she planned. She was supposed to smile when she saw him again.

Tohru would rather pretend everything is fine even when she is seconds away from falling apart because toxic positivity is something she struggles with.

No one can be that positive all the time, not even Tohru.

Tohru has a hard time asking others for help.

Yes, Tohru is kind-hearted by nature but she genuinely does believe that she could burden those she troubles for help. Considering how her maternal side of the family wanted nothing to do with her and her paternal side of the family talks poorly about her, it isn't difficult to see where that frame of thinking came to be. When her mother died, her paternal side of the family didn't argue over who wanted to take Tohru in, they argued over who should take Tohru in and that is an important distinction. Even more so the fact, they had these arguments in front of her. When it was finally settled that she should live with her grandfather and that was uprooted due to upcoming renovations, it makes sense that she would rather be homeless in a tent than bother her friends who don't have the space to provide for an additional person even if that.

In Tohru's mind, it was shown very clearly by her family that she is a burden. She's an extra mouth to feed and an unwanted mouth at that, as her family never holds back in disparaging Kyoko even if Tohru is present.

As such, when Tohru is in a situation where she has no other choice than to accept their help, she believes she should be extremely grateful. They're taking their time to help her when they easily could have done otherwise, so why should she want more? Why should she complain? If she has any desires, she pushes it down because of that belief because she feels awful and that she shouldn't want for more when people are already going out of their way to help an extra mouth to feed. Because of this mentality cultivated by the bulk of her paternal relatives mistreatment, she will seldom voice her wants.

She never gets angry or upset.

To say Tohru never gets angry or close to physical in her reactions is far from the truth. Tohru gets angry when the issue impacts those that she cares about.

Tohru can tolerate being mistreated but she will always draw the line at the abuse being directed to someone else. When she first meets Akito and she sees Yuki's clear discomfort and fear, she pushes Akito away from him immediately. When she witnesses Momiji being punched by Akito, she immediately steps in and places herself in front of Momiji to physically shield him. When Rin tells her not to meddle with the curse and involve herself, Tohru, without cruelty, shoots back that she will absolutely meddle and involve herself because she refuses to lose the people she cares about to someone who has clearly been abusing them emotionally and physically for years. Tohru's tolerance for mistreatment has a limit, she is just unfortunately not included in that limit. So when we finally see her get angry in a scenario that includes herselfー when Kyo tries to run away because he feels he doesn't deserve her love, it's incredible.

There is so much more to Tohru than meets the eye. Tohu's reaction to Yuki getting a cold isn't just Tohru overreacting for the sake of being a nice girl, it's because her father died from a cold he brushed off and that cold turned into a fatal illness. For Tohru, colds aren't something that can just be brushed away because what if it turns into something worse.

Tohru would rather wear clothes until they practically fall apart than buy new clothes because she knows that she can't just spend her money haphazardly. But when it came to Valentine's Day and wanting to express her gratitude for those who cared about her, she had no problem dropping an entire check to purchase the ingredients to make enough chocolate for everyone.

She disregards herself and the efforts she puts forward. When she feels she has failed in helping Arisa, she specifically says "everyone around me has always helped me and when it is my turn to do the same, I can't." These aren't problems she overcomes herself by simply "smiling through the pain" as some who discredit her argue. Tohru is repeatedly loved and helped by those around her who care for her and opens herself up to receive that love and help over time. She is taught by her grandfather and Sohmas that is okay for her to be selfish and ask for things.

Her friends teach her that she helps them so much and that in reality they feel like they are never there to help her when she needs it.Her friends get upset that the same amount of money she would spend on them, she wouldn't spend on herself.

She is told that the way she villainized Katsuya after his death because doesn't make her dirty or a bad person because she was a child that was scared to lose her mother. That her fear and desperation to make her mother acknowledge her was understandable. That mimicking her father in her attempt to draw her mother's attention probably helped more than she realized.

Tohru is not just a "Nice Shoujo Girl" Protagonist, she is a girl with trauma who would rather focus on the issues someone else has than look to her own.

Like I said before, this isn't me trying to get Tohrus haters to like her. People are entitled to like and dislike whichever characters they please, but it is a complete disservice to Natsuki Takaya's writing to say Tohru is bland and has no struggles of her own. Tohru has many problems and struggles she has to deal with throughout the series and seeing those issues she overcomes being brushed aside as her being perfect and having no problems is a complete oversight. As such, I just simply wanted to peel back Tohru's layers and showcase that just as characters such as Momiji, Shigure and Ayame are more than the tropes they are introduced as, Tohru is as well.

[i wrote this on reddit too]

[romancemedia]

Ladies and Gentlemen, behold the moment every Heizuha fan has waited for...

Plus Momiji is crying

And Kazuha's mother is FINALLY introduced and she was disgused as her daughter!!!!!

[cinderella-ish]

Momiji Sohma and his beautiful, complex relationship to Kyo (part 1 of 5)

So, if Yuki is my favorite character of the main trio, Momiji would have to be my favorite of the large cast of secondary characters. He may even be my favorite character outright- a hard pick, as there are so many characters to love in Fruits Basket!

When it comes to Yuki and Kyo, their relationship to each other and Yuki's relationship to Haru (which is beautiful and now I want to do a post on them, too) are perhaps the two most obvious dynamics among these four boys. But I think Momiji and Kyo have their own important, deep relationship, with huge significance to the plot and to Kyo's arc in particular.

In many ways, Momiji and Kyo's stories are parallels.

They both lost their mothers at a young age. Kyo watched as his mother stepped in front of a train, and Momiji watched as his mother's memories of him were erased (though it's worth noting Momiji's mother was also suicidal). Both watched their mothers suffer for years because of the curse.

Both had a parent who viewed them as sub-human. Momiji's mother referred to him as a "creature," and Kyo's father called him a "monster."

Both also had fathers who put responsibility for their mothers' mental health issues on them and ultimately abandoned or neglected them. And both had loving surrogate father figures who took them in out of guilt, Kyo in Kazuma and Momiji to a lesser extent in Hatori (it does seem like Momiji's father was somewhat present in his life, though Hatori was much more present for him).

They also both had reputations as a bit of a wild child, Kyo because of his short temper and aggression (and stereotypes about the cat), and Momiji because of his id-driven hedonism and frequent lack of supervision. They're both impulsive to a fault, Momiji in pursuit of maximum fun, and Kyo out of extreme self-hatred and a desire to protect the people he cares about (mostly from himself). They each lean into people's misconceptions about them - Momiji encouraging people to underestimate him due to his small size because it allows him to get away with more, and Kyo willing to let people see him as a monster because he believes that's true (and therefore using physical intimidation as his main strategy for protecting people he cares about).

They're also both quite good at reading others - for Kyo, this is remarked upon several times in canon, and for Momiji, he's often cited by fans as possibly the most emotionally mature character in the series.

And they both are at their best when they act a bit more like each other, Kyo when he lightens up and lets himself have fun, and Momiji when he stands up for himself and the people he cares about.

I would even argue that Kyo is the main driver behind Momiji's character development, and that Momiji is the main catalyst for Kyo to understand and accept his feelings for Tohru.

So, with all that in mind, let's look at Momiji's first appearance with Kyo at the first culture festival.

(An aside: Hiroshi's reactions in this scene will never not be funny to me.)

So, the first time we see Kyo and Momiji together is at the first culture festival, when Momiji is officially introduced to Tohru and thus to the reader (after a brief appearance 1 chapter/3 episodes earlier, where we're not entirely sure who he is). In quick succession, Momiji proceeds to:

jump on Yuki's shoulders and tell him he looks like a girl

get scolded by Hatori for running off on his own

excitedly introduce himself and Hatori as relatives of Yuki and Kyo to the crowd of students, making sure to mention that he's half-German

climb on top of the rice stand, frightening everyone, eating a rice ball he probably didn't pay for

get dragged away by a grouchy Kyo, laughing all the way

It's quite a memorable entrance!

But a closer look at this scene suggests that Momiji was causing a stir for Yuki's sake as much as for his own desire to have fun.

he jumps on Yuki right when Yuki's feeling extremely self-conscious about all the attention he's receiving, immediately after both Tohru and Kyo have made comments about his appearance

he climbs atop the riceball stand right when Yuki looks ready to murder Hatori

One could argue that this is just Momiji being his typical wild-child self, especially since he tells Yuki he looks like a girl right when Yuki's at his most self-conscious about his feminine appearance, but it fits with a pattern we see repeated throughout the series: Momiji is willing to make a spectacle of himself if it helps him achieve his goals, whether they are to have more fun or to protect someone he cares about (all the better if it's both!).

I do wonder about that comment - Fruits Basket can be very subtle, so I think there are multiple ways of interpreting Momiji's comment to Yuki. It's possible he made that comment because he didn't know what Yuki was so upset about, or to remind Yuki that of course people are going to talk about what he's wearing when its unusual for him, or maybe for another reason altogether. But what I think is most telling is that he says it without any judgment - it's simply an observation of fact. That, in and of itself, might be enough to help Yuki feel less self-conscious about the whole thing, whether Momiji intended that or not.

As Momiji is dragged off, Hatori reveals to Yuki that they're here because Momiji brought home the flier Tohru dropped when they met 3 episodes/1 chapter earlier. He also reveals that Akito wanted to come, to Yuki's terror, but was too ill, so Hatori is here in her place.

After Kyo drags Momiji away, we see the first iteration of their play big-brother/little-brother dynamic. Kyo's been trying to scold him this whole time, and Momiji fake cries that Kyo "hit" him, but he immediately beams when he realizes Tohru is right behind them.

Kyo probably gave Momiji a light rap on the head or something while scolding him (we know Kyo's a skilled martial artist who knows better than to fight people without training), and Momiji overreacted because teasing Kyo is fun and that's their "thing." But what's super interesting to me is that the only other person Kyo has scolded up until now or given a knock on the head is the only person we know he cares about and wants to protect: Tohru. So, even though outwardly, Kyo seems angry and annoyed at Momiji, he's treating him the way he treats people he cares about and wants to protect.

Momiji then goes over to Tohru, where he:

tells her he came specifically to see her

FLIRTS WITH HER IN FRONT OF KYO ("Ja! Fate brought us together that day, huh?")

tells her his papa owns the building where she works and he likes to hang out there

and confirms she knows the Zodiac secret before announcing his plans to hug her

Kyo physically prevents Momiji from hugging her and they have this INCREDIBLE exchange.

Kyo: "Hold it, Romeo. Remember where you are." Momiji: "Keeping Tohru all to yourself just because you like her? I bet you hug her every day!" Kyo: *blushes* "As if I'd do that!" *drops Momiji* Momiji: *jumps into Tohru's arms* "Gotcha!"

At this point in the story, I doubt that either Kyo or Momiji feel the deep, romantic love they both feel for Tohru by the end of the series. But if we accept that they both have at least a crush on her by now, they're going about it in completely opposite ways. Momiji openly wants to hug Tohru as often as possible and spend as much time with her as he can, whereas Kyo wants to avoid making Tohru uncomfortable and avoid any semblance of impropriety that could reflect poorly on her.

So, Momiji hugs Tohru and transforms, and Tohru's classmates pull back the curtain and start asking questions about what happened. How do they get out of this situation?

Well, Yuki takes a lesson from Momiji's earlier actions, making a spectacle of himself to protect the family secret (and therefore Tohru).

So, in summary, in Momiji's first appearance:

he shows Yuki it's okay to play up the aspects of yourself that make you different in pursuit of a goal

we clearly see that his crying at Kyo's scolding is an act

he immediately notices and calls out Kyo's feelings for Tohru to trick Kyo into letting him go

he generally just does whatever he wants, including hugging Tohru, in stark contrast to Kyo, whose approach to life seems to be all about denying himself what he wants because he doesn't believe himself worthy (which is the exact opposite of the advice he gives Tohru, that it's okay to be selfish sometimes)

We see that Momiji is much smarter than he lets on, but also that he has a lot of growing to do, and that he and Kyo are opposites in many ways.

I'll leave you with these cute shots from S2 (because they didn't fit with any of the other posts), where we see their big brother/little brother dynamic was already in place in elementary school. (Also, poor Yuki!)

Momiji and Kyo: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

[couldtransitionsaveher]

MOMIJI SOHMA from FRUITS BASKET

JUSTIFICATION:

"She prefers to wear feminine clothes even when other characters make fun of her for it. In addition to this her story is that her mother rejected her because of something that she was born with and her dad still takes care of her but she has to hide who she actually is" - Anonymous

Reminder: Submissions are always open! Submit here!

Did you make your daily click today?

[runawaycarouselhorse]

The fandom’s demonization of Momiji’s mother shows both that the userbase is still entirely biased against the concept of mentally ill abusers (or in denial that mental illness can manifest in abusive behaviour left untreated) and the general ignorance in society about postpartum depression.

Rejection of the child, inability to care for the child, suicide attempts, resentment of the baby, thoughts of harming one’s self and/or the baby… that’s all textbook post-partum depression. Momiji’s mother needed therapy, but no, everything gets forgotten, swept under the rug, and Momiji has to stay out of sight like he’s illegitimate.

[simply-trash5]

Found Forever

Had a sweet request from @twilightlover2007 for a Momiji little something and this was so cute. It's a little short but I hope you like it <3

Pairing: Momiji X Reader

CW: none--fluffy fluff fluff

Momiji knew the moment he saw you that he had found his forever. 

That day in the park had started like any other for him, a nice warm day for him to run and clear his mind when he saw the sweet little bunny stuffie fly out of the stroller being pushed by what could only be described as an angel. 

‘It must be fate…’ he thought to himself as he chuckled and plucked the small toy from the concrete. He jogged alongside the stroller pulling an earbud from his ear and tapped you on the shoulder, your sweet face stopping his heart. 

“Excuse me, Miss…I believe this belongs to you…” Momiji said with an accent and smile that melted you on the spot. A blush bloomed across both of your cheeks as your hands brushed ever so slightly at the exchange of the plush toy. “T-thanks…” you stammered feeling like a teenager again. 

At the loss of momentum of the stroller your baby began to stir, making a fuss in her bundle and wanting her presence to be known. Momiji’s eyes lit up pleasantly at the sound of the baby. “What a sweet little face! What is her name?” he cooed looking down at your brunette bundle of joy. You reached into the stroller to grab your fussy infant who seemed to calm at the sight of Momiji almost instantly. “Her name is Mika–she is only a year old…” you smiled and kissed her cheek while Momiji smiled at the two of you fondly.

 You looked over at the tall blonde with a blush and a smirk. “Hey, I never got your name. How do I know you aren’t some creep who follows around young mothers in the park?” Momiji froze and began to stumble over his words. “I..I am so.. No my name is Momiji..” he stared at his feet suddenly feeling like a small child again who was caught sneaking a treat when he had been told ‘no more sweets’. 

You laughed loudly and placed your daughter back into her stroller. Momiji relaxed at the sound of your laughter knowing that it was the most magical sound he had ever heard. “Well, Momiji my name is Y/N if you would like to keep walking with us you can…” you offered with a mischievous lilt to your voice. You began walking without hearing his response, leaving him completely dazed. ‘Wake up Momiji…follow her!’ 

You soon heard his footsteps as he jogged alongside you and fell in step with you. The two of you walked until late in the afternoon talking about your less than amicable split with Mika’s father and him about his tumultuous relationship with his family; honestly it was cathartic talking with someone who was practically a stranger about the most deep parts of yourself…but when he walked with you to your car and helped you pack the stroller you had to admit you didn’t want him to leave.

“Y/N…” Momiji began to speak in a hushed tone, making you regret that the end of your time together had come. You nodded acknowledging him, “Can I see you and Mika again? I know that we just met and that it wasn’t exactly a date bu-”

You placed a featherlight on his cheek. 

“You talk too much. Of course I want to see you again.”

You grabbed his phone and put your number into it telling him ‘text me or else no more cheek kisses.’

Walking away from your car that night he knew, you and Mika were his forever.

[patibato]

[Bitter Sweet Sixteen] 002-B01 - The Hateful Five

Female Student A: Oh, ufufufu! Just what I'd expect from you, Yumenosuke-san! Sharp, smart, athletic, and funny to boot.

Female Student B: I'm so happy we can spend time together in mahorova like this.

Yumenosuke: I'm also honoured to be able to talk with delightful ladies such as yourselves. It's a shame that, due to me being at my villa in Switzerland, the metaverse is our only way to meet, but… well, there's only about half of Summer Vacation left.

Next on the agenda is how to make the best use of the remaining time—let's have an open discussion about it!

Female Student A: Sounds good to me! By the way, what are your plans?

Yumenosuke: I completed all my assignments in the first week, so in the remaining time, I think I'll put all my efforts towards ensuring the success of the open days we'll be holding at the end of the month.

Female Student B: Oh my! That's wonderful! We should learn from you.

Female Student A: We should. I've just been obsessed with the "LashColle" releases lately…

Yumenosuke: LashColle… "Eyelash Collection", you mean? Unfortunately, I'm rather unfamiliar with the eyelash world, so I appear to be falling behind.

However, I believe the top LashColle award from the other day was acquired by my Uncle, with an overwhelming point difference, yes?

Gannosuke: Indeed, along with one of the audience awards.

A pleasure to meet you, lovely young ladies. I am Yumenosuke's Uncle, Kuraku Gannosuke.

Female Student B: I was wondering who the mysterious gentleman next to Yumenosuke-san was… so you're that renowned eyelash artist?

Female Student A: Congratulations on your winnings! Your work was the boldest, most radiantly decadent one of them all…!

Female Student B: So true. On top of that… it felt a little different to your usual style!

Yumenosuke: Huh… has there been a change in your mental state or something?

Gannosuke: Well, the other day I had a once in a lifetime encounter on the island. There's no doubt that he sparked a flame in my imagination.

Yumenosuke: Oh! That's wonderful to hear. I wonder, just what kind of encounter was it—

Student Council Member: President Kuraku!

Yumenosuke: What is it? Quiet down.

Student Council PR: It's serious! Please look at this news!

Yumenosuke: …!? "Active High Schoolers Recruited as Tourism Ward Mayors"…!?

Student Council PR: What's more, while this hasn't been announced yet, my mother who works with the news says the ones nominated are—…

Female Student A: Of all people, it's those lowly Rank One students who may have blown up the old school building…!? Aah, I'm getting dizzy…!

Female Student B: A-are you alright, Yumenosuke-san? You've gone pale…

Yumenosuke: …Kh!

(Ward Mayors have a lot of influence over the political world, and despite knowing that, the Ward 0 Mayor chose THEM? In the first place, it's clear this personnel decision was enforced without proper consideration… an unacceptable folly!)

(What's more, being a Ward Mayor…! It's the position that I should have been inaugurated into in "Kuraku Yumenosuke's Life Plan Chapter 3 ~Tourism Ward Mayor Edition~"…!)

(Surely those savages responsible for the bombing incident took the positions with no great effort involved—absolutely unforgivable! How dare they do this to my perfect life plan… how dare they…-)

Gannosuke: Are you alright, Yumenosuke-kun?

Yumenosuke: … Excuse me. I have some business to attend to, so I shall take my leave now!

Gannosuke: …

Momiji: Everyooone! The press release is ouuut!

Akuta: Ooh! For real!? Can I see~~~?

Nanaki: Oi, Akuta. Sit properly while you eat.

Ushio: Hmm… this celebration* soba is pretty good.

Muneuji: Indeed. I'm sure even my mother, who's very particular about Japanese food, would choose to eat this 100% buckwheat soba.

*slurping*

Kiroku: … Slurp…

Akuta: Uuum, "Actibb high shkoowers~"…

Yachiyo: Ah, should I read it out? Since everyone's busy eating…

Renga: That's thoughtful of you. —Hey, you guys, hand it over.

Momiji: Sorry, Yachiyo-kun. Please go ahead!

Yachiyo: "Active High Schoolers Unexpectedly Chosen for Wards 5-9 in the Hama Special Tourism Ward"

Liguang: … …

Yachiyo: "Aiming to incorporate a new sense of values into Hama's tourism based on the younger generation, who bear the burden of the future—"

"We are pleased to announce that active high schoolers have been inaugurated into the position of Tourism Ward Mayors for Wards 5-9 under the orders of Ward 0 Mayor and Hama Tours President, Oguro Kafka."

Yukikaze: …

Yachiyo: "As with the tour held by R1ze—the Mayors of Wards 0-4—which concluded to high acclaim the other day, their upcoming first tour will include a Hospitality Live."

"And this time, there'll also be an inauguration ceremony held on the first day, making this a tour packed with events."

"Furthermore, it will be held at their school building, one of the symbols of Hama—"

Ten: This soba's good.

Yachiyo: "Hama Asunaro High School, in collaboration with the open days being held."

"It will be a tour that can be enjoyed by not only the prospective students and their guardians, but the general public as well, so please rouse yourselves to take part, everyone."

—Done!

Momiji: The press release really does make it hit home and get you motivated.

Akuta: A Hospitality Live for the tour…! Just hearing that gets me going all of a sudden~~~!

Liguang: Don't shake the table, boy.

Nanaki: Ah, sorry, I'll scold him later.

Renga: But you know, feeling excited for it is… well, I understand it. But what will you do about the contents? Your concept is important.

Kiroku: …The… concept… …

Ushio: Our dear Idiotake-san, how's that coming along?

Akuta: Nghe?

Muneuji: Thinking up the concept is the leader's role. Do you have anything in mind?

Renga: W-wait! Students. —I appreciate that you guys don't know up from down when it comes to making plans.

If you're struggling, I could deign to lend a hand—

Akuta: Ac-tua-lly, I DO have a proper plan!

Renga: Wh—

Liguang: Patronising them is futile.

Ten: Isn't it nice that they won't be taking up any of your time, Renga-san?

Renga: …- Y-yeah, right.

Momiji: —Alright, if we're finished with the soba, let's get on with the rest of the moving process!

All Five: Got it.

Nanaki: So the room arrangements have me, Akuta, and Kiroku rooming together.

Akuta: The room's called "Coil" huh. We should think up a coiled pose later.

Kiroku: … Hm…

Momiji: Are you fine with this room arrangement, Ushio-kun?

Ushio: Can't complain about rooming with Muneuji. The name, on the other hand…

Muneuji: "Whinny Clan" is an interesting one. Shall we devise a Whinny Clan pose later?

Momiji: (The former inn does have weird room names…)

Nanaki: We should finish carrying in our luggage now. Let's go Akuta, Kiroku.

Kiroku: Mhm…

Ushio: … …

Yukikaze: Why are you scowling at your phone? Have you finished putting away your luggage?

Ushio: Elevator's full so I'm waiting for it to be empty. Gotta use that spare time to ego-search that news from earlier.

Yep, there's the slander. Reported.

Yukikaze: …

Ushio: …You think what I'm doing is pointless, don't you? So do I. It doesn't really matter.

Yukikaze: No, it's not pointless. I'll help.

Ushio: … Idle curiosity, huh.

Momiji: (It's not out of curiosity, it's out of kindness. Ushio-kun…)

Muneuji: Uuchan, step aside a bit. I want to put this there.

Momiji: Woah! That bag looks super heavy…!

Yukikaze: How grand. …It doesn't look like a piece of furniture.

Kafka: Amazing, right? It's full of congratulatory gifts sent by Muneuji's family.

Momiji: Wow~! It's got everything from high class sweets to electric appliances!

Kafka: Looks like we won't need to worry about equipment for a while. There's even tea cakes for tea time with Chief-chan.

Akuta: Lured by the presence of food, I have arrived from the second floor!

Ushio: Are you a dog…?

Akuta: Can I have this gold leaf castella? Ah, if I gather up the gold leaves, will I become rich?

Momiji: Ahaha, I wonder.

Ten: What's your home like, Akuta? Your family must be happy to hear you're a Ward Mayor.

Akuta: Nyah, my uncle's holed up at work so we've not had a proper talk yet. Nom nom…

Momiji: Your uncle?

Akuta: He's an animation director, Isotake Taiji. He's been looking after me.

Momiji: Is that so…

Ten: Isotake Taiji's a pretty famous animator. And even if he wasn't, people working in animation have it hard.

Momiji: (There goes Ten-kun…! Splendidly moving past the complicated circumstances and continuing the conversation…!)

(Come to think of it, the family member who signed the letter of consent for the trip was his uncle, wasn't it.)

(I wasn't going to touch on it, but—I see, that was why.)

Renga: Oh, Akuta! You're here! I was looking for you!

Akuta: Mgh?

Renga: A-about your concept! Earlier, I wondered if you were bluffing in front of everyone… I understand that too, or like…

A concept isn't something you can put together so easily! So I, the leader of the Morning Team, shall-

Akuta: Nah, I'm good. But thanks for the thought, Renga-san.

! Nanaki and Kiroku have come back at just the right time.

Hey, gentlemen of Asu-High! Attentiii~~~~on! Please gather here tomorrow!

Renga: …Uu.

Akuta: I'll be announcing the best, most powerful concept to render the guys who treated us like idiots speechless!

Renga: I-I… can lend… my knowledge…

Momiji: (I'll console him later…)

*"引っ越しそば" (hikkoshi soba) is soba eaten to celebrate a successful move. It's traditionally given by neighbours, but in recent years has become something eaten regardless

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Masterlist

[sugawara--san]

i will never not cry over momiji sohma. completely rejected by his mother who regretted ever giving birth to a creature like him and chose to forget him instead of trying to love him. begged by his father to let her forget and promised by him that he would love him that much more to make up for it. but instead his parents have another child who doesn't even know about him and become the happy family they wanted but without him. his little sister somehow still takes notice of him though but his father is so desperate to keep momiji away to keep his happy little family. he makes him quit his violin lessons just because his sister sees the same teacher, even though she only started the violin because she watches him play and wanted to be like him, to play WITH him. even though his dream is literally to become a professional violin player and to one day play a private concert just for the three of them. he even HIDES the german accent he got from his mother whenever he speaks to them so they aren't suspecting of him. and he loves tohru, who he knows loves kyo. even though he's sad, i think he was still happy to encourage kyo to keep living and to get with her because he cares a lot for him, for both of them. he's always happy go lucky and upbeat and hopeful and strong and so kind despite what he's been through. it devastates me every time i think of him.

[masterdetectivexx]

Hello MDX, do you intend to do a review of Movie 27? What are your thoughts on it? And by the way, what do you expect of the August Naniwa case?

I have not watched Movie 27 yet, since it's not available where I live, but if I have a lot to say about this highest-grossing DC film, I'll post something about it.

File 1129-1133 Predictions

As for the upcoming Osaka case, the main thing I'm definitely expecting is for Heiji and/or Kazuha to finally relay their romantic feelings to one another. It's gonna be a 5-chapter long case, so I do expect a serial murder, similar to Crimson School Trip (ShinRan confession/reply case), and of course, we can't have the Osaka duo appear without the Kyoto duo, especially after Momiji recently implied that she shouldn't wait any longer and start acting in File 1018.

I also expect that we get more Muga development/hints about his character and past, especially now, when we're potentially reaching the climax of Momiji's romantic endeavor and where we will only be left with the main plot-relevant side of his to progress (like Iori's Public Security past with Kuroda and his potential big secret identity as the main antagonist of this arc). This could mean that we might also get Kuroda interactions in the upcoming case (whether as a flashback or not), which is always a treat.

Gosho alluded to the appearance of "an important person who has remained mysterious up until now" in the upcoming case, which is very likely to be Kazuha's mother. This will also mean that we will finally have the official appearance of Heizo, Ginshiro & Shizuka (Heiji's parents and Kazuha's father) in Rum arc (who as of yet still hasn't appeared since Bourbon arc), which is clearly overdue.

If Kazuha's mother is finally getting introduced, then we could also get Momiji's parent(s) introduced, which would also bring forth more Ōoka household dynamics reveals, potential Haneda family-relation development and Former prime minister exposition (that could further hint to that he is the mysterious Falcon Elder).

If Gosho wanted to high-gear into the main plot as the following case after this, then it's also possible that Gosho could have Shinichi get involved in the case to aid Heiji, which could potentially tip off any unsuspecting observers (like Iori) of Shinichi's whereabouts and start Rum's Shinichi hunt in the awaited Rum climax soon after this case ends. For now, we only have Heiji, Kazuha, Ran and Conan confirmed as the cast of the upcoming chapter (according to AC). We'll have to wait for more teasers, but couldn't be more excited for what's to come.