English Dub Review: Fruits Basket “What’s Your Name?”

Overview (Spoilers Below)

Akito and Tohru finally meet, with bloody results. Tohru cuts right to the chase, calling Akito lonely, understanding why she talks about eternity.

More explorations of the past, the strength of relationships, and what forever really means when you can move beyond grief.

Akito can’t handle such revelations, much less accept them, and runs off into the woods, distressed.

Tohru reflects on her interactions with Kyo, and everything she loves about him, and how happy he makes her. She can’t bear the thought of losing him, even if her feelings hurt him.

She acknowledges that everything ends eventually, even happy times.

Our Take

Growing up in a small town where everyone knew everyone made the fact that Kyo knew Tohru’s mom seem normal, so it’s pretty much only now that I’m realizing how weird and unlikely this actually was.

Yes, I know this series deals a lot with fate. Yes, I realize the similarities between Kyo and Kyoko are important to the development of his relationship with Tohru. YES, I get that it’s yet another instance that deepens his hatred for Yuki, even though Yuki “saving” Tohru is essentially a coincidence.

But seriously, what was Kyoko doing just hanging out near those cement pipes or whatever when she and Kyo first met?

Ok, ok, weird commentary aside, this episode is effectively Tohru’s counter monologue to Kyo’s in the previous episode.

While her immediate, unconditional acceptance of Akito still seems a bit naive and overdone, her reflection of the growing love between her and Kyo is genuinely sweet.

The animation to accompany her musings are effectively a supercut of all of their previous moments together set to yearning piano melodies. But the feelings are genuine, and that comes through spectacularly in this episode.

Momoji and Akito’s interaction followed by her flashback to being at Kureno’s bedside in the hospital (after she, y’know, STABBED HIM) is a brilliant example of both of these character’s best sides. And an intro to Momoji’s “Idiotic Traveler” story. Mikaela Krantz is really playing up Momoji’s deeper voice, and this episode’s lines are a perfect example of how soft, yet serious, this character can sound.

The themes of pain, both outward and inward are explored a bit at the end, as well as Shigure’s manipulative side. His remark that “maybe a stabbing spree was cathartic” is a particularly disturbing line, and John Burgmeier’s lighthearted delivery of it make it all the more so.

Healing is starting for all the characters, and is sure to pick up in the next few episodes. For the most part, this series, as expected, has stayed true to the manga. I’m excited to see the ending get resolved.