Life lessons from Fruits Basket And Fruits Basket: Another

The 2019–2021 adaptation of Fruits Basket was well-awaited for many FruBa fans everywhere. Both the anime and the manga are absolutely beautiful things to experience. The overall plot and art is breathtaking to say the least. The reason why this became an absolute favorite for many was the fact that you can see how the characters grow and become better people over time. Not only that, but you also learn so many life lessons and can relate to the characters in one way or another. For me, many of the things were triggering to say the least, but I enjoyed everything about this. Now, keep in mind, this is not just Fruits Basket, but also its sequel—Fruits Basket: Another—that quickly gained popularity and the author recently announced that they will continue writing it. With that being said, here are a few life lessons within Fruits Basket & Fruits Basket: Another.

WARNING: THERE ARE TOPICS HERE THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO CERTAIN PEOPLE. THIS ALSO CONTAINS SPOILERS IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T READ THE MANGA NOR WATCHED THE ANIME.

I apologize if I ramble a bit on this. I connected to this franchise a lot and might talk about things from my perspective. If you are going through any of the issues/situations mentioned here, please know that there are people out there who are willing to listen to you and love you.

Looking for validation from someone who constantly puts you down is a waste of time

Throughout the anime, we see how Kyo is always struggling to be accepted in one way or another. One of the many examples is his attempts to “beat” Yuki just once in order to finally be accepted in the family/ banquet as the cat (as Akito told him it was the only way to do so). In Yuki’s case, he was always looking for some kind of validation or love from his birth mother. Both were able to find what they most desired/looked for within Tohru. They both soon let go of looking for some sort of validation or love from someone who wouldn’t even bat an eye or acknowledge them in a positive light.

When you’re looking for validation from someone who won’t show you any sort of support or the type of love that you need and want, you start to get drained and will start to make yourself into something you’re not happy with. Surround yourself with people who support and love you. You deserve to be validated and loved as a person.

Nothing is 100% set in stone

Throughout the anime, all of the Sohma family (save for one) believed they were all condemned to live with the curse for the rest of their lives. They all thought that they were set to live in a certain way/have certain lives. In season 3, we see that is not the case. Each of the characters started to be able to live their own lives how THEY dreamed/wanted—especially after the curse was finally broken. They were all able to find the happiness they all desired and dreamed of.

That goes for real life too. If you ever feel stuck or in a situation that seems impossible to change, please don’t give up. Nothing is set in stone. Things can/will change. If you have at least a slither of hope that things will someday become better, they will. Keep trying and going for what it is you truly want in life.

A little bit of kindness can change a person’s entire life

In this case, it’s not just one person’s life that changed, it was basically everyone within the show. Tohru, with her kind heart and persistence, was able to change the lives of everyone around her and they cared for her in turn. Everyone (the Sohmas, Hanajime, and Arisa) had so many hardships (abuse, bullying, hatred) within their lives, and Tohru was the one who gave them a hug when they needed it. She was the ear who heard all of their problems and always tried her best to understand them.

In life, sometimes we don’t need material possessions or anything at all really… Sometimes we just want to be understood and heard. If everything seems horrible or if everyone seems to hate and reject you, there is always that one person who is willing to be there for you—to be willing to listen and comfort you in the way that you need. It may seem like a small thing to you or to other people, but even the slightest bit of kindness can change a person.

Family isn’t always someone who is blood-related to you

While this is seen a lot in the original Fruits Basket, this is a lot stronger in its sequel Fruits Basket: Another. While in the original story of Fruits Basket everyone connects with Tohru, it’s in Fruits Basket: Another that is the other way around. The manga has Sawa Mitoma as the protagonist. A high school girl who is verbally abused by her own mother and is often berated by the landlord of their apartment about how ungrateful she is towards her “loving mother” and how useless she is. She was always alone throughout her life until she met the Sohmas (the children of the original story). They all gave her the family that she never had.

Sometimes, our blood-related family—the ones who are supposed to love and protect us unconditionally—are the ones who hurt us the most. While the saying “blood is thicker than water” can be repeated a thousand times by those who are supposed to love us unconditionally… a lot of the time, it’s in those who aren’t related to us where we can find protection and love that makes them family. The manga is still ongoing so it’s going to be interesting to see how it goes, but it’s gotten a piece of my heart already.

That’s it for today. I hope you all enjoyed reading this. I am so sorry if I rambled a bit. While this is a bit triggering, even for me, the franchise itself does such a good job with connecting to the audience and making them feel like they’re not alone and that anything and everything can change for the better. If you guys liked the series, was there something else that you learned? I would really love to know. Until next time, keep your paws and bowls of ramen up, everyone! Nya! 🐾