Fruits Basket -prelude- review and ratings: What's the appeal of the second TV series and the first OVA?

The appeal and depth of Fruits Basket -prelude-: a moving story and character development

Fruits Basket -prelude- is an OVA released by Avex Pictures on February 18, 2022, based on the popular manga Fruits Basket by Takaya Natsuki. The work is the first to tell the story of Tohru's parents, Honda Kyoko and Honda Katsuya, and also includes an all-new episode that follows Tohru and Kyo's story. It is made up of one 88-minute episode, animated by TMS Entertainment and directed by Ibata Yoshihide.

The appeal of the story

The story of this work begins when Kyoko, who was living a desolate life unable to believe in anything, meets Honda Katsuya, who has come to work as a student teacher. Kyoko is at the mercy of Katsuya's polite but rude personality and eccentricities, but gradually she is drawn to him. However, after an incident with some delinquent friends, her parents disown her. Kyoko thinks this is a punishment for doing as she pleases, but then Katsuya appears before her and the two of their destinies cross paths.

This story depicts the relationship between Kyoko and Katsuya from their first meeting to the birth of Tohru, and carefully depicts their growth. It is particularly moving to see Kyoko reexamine herself and grow through her meeting with Katsuya. The scene of Tohru's birth is also depicted as the moment when the love between the two came to fruition, deeply moving the viewer.

Character Depth

The characters in this work bring out the charm of the original work to the fullest. In particular, the performances of Sawashiro Miyuki as Kyoko and Hosoya Yoshimasa as Katsuya realistically express the complex emotions and growth of the two characters, leaving a strong impression on the viewers. In addition, Iwami Manaka as Tohru, Shimazaki Nobunaga as Yuki, and Uchida Yuuma as Kyo also firmly portray the individuality of each character.

Kyoko was an uncontrollable delinquent who only attended junior high school a few times, but she began to change after meeting Katsuya. Katsuya called Kyoko "Miss Eyebrows" and they began spending their lunch breaks together. Tohru lost his father at an early age and his mother in a traffic accident, so he lived alone in a tent, but his housekeeping skills were appreciated and he began living with Yuki and Kyo. Yuki is a prince-like figure with beautiful eyes and eyebrows, an all-around athlete, and even an established fan club, but he is bad at cleaning and tidying up, and has no sense of cooking. Kyo trained in the mountains to beat Yuki, but was ordered by the head of the Sohma family to live at Shigure's house and was transferred to Umihara High School, the same school as Tohru and the others.

Beautiful images and music

The visuals of this work are a testament to the high level of technology of TMS Entertainment. In particular, the scenes where Kyoko and Katsuya meet and Tohru is born are depicted with beautiful colors and flowing camerawork, drawing the viewer into the world of the story. The music also adds excitement to the story with beautiful melodies by Masaru Yokoyama, and the theme song "Niji to Kite" and the insert song "Umaeru Negai" in particular resonate deeply with the viewer.

Connections with related works

"Fruits Basket -prelude-" is deeply connected to the 2001 version of "Fruits Basket," as well as "Fruits Basket 1st Season," "Fruits Basket 2nd Season," and "Fruits Basket The Final," which aired from 2019 to 2021. By watching these works, you can gain a deeper understanding of the growth of Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo, as well as the changes in their relationships. In addition, since this work depicts the story of Tohru's parents, it is also an important work for understanding Tohru's background and family history.

Impressions and reviews

"Fruits Basket -prelude-" is a wonderful work that draws out the charm of the original work to the fullest while depicting the story from a new perspective. The carefully drawn story from Kyoko and Katsuya's meeting to the birth of Tohru, the growth and depth of the characters, the beautiful visuals and music, all of these things deeply move the viewer. In particular, the fact that the story of Tohru's parents was visualized for the first time was a long-awaited episode for fans, and it is a work that can be highly recommended not only to fans of the original work but also to new viewers.

Recommendation

When watching "Fruits Basket -prelude-", please pay attention to the following points.

• The meeting and growth of Kyoko and Katsuya: The relationship and growth between the two is carefully depicted, leaving viewers deeply moved.
• Tohru's birth scene: It is depicted as the moment when the couple's love came to fruition, and leaves a strong impression on the viewers.
• Character Acting: The performances of Sawashiro Miyuki, Hosoya Yoshimasa, Iwami Manaka, Shimazaki Nobunaga and Uchida Yuuma are excellent and bring out the individuality of their characters.
• Beautiful visuals and music: TMS Entertainment's high level of technical skill and Masaru Yokoyama's beautiful melodies add excitement to the story.
• Connections to related works: It is deeply connected to the 2001 version of "Fruits Basket" and the series that aired from 2019 to 2021, allowing you to gain a deeper understanding of the growth of Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo, as well as the changes in their relationships.

"Fruits Basket -prelude-" is a work that can be highly recommended not only to fans of the original work, but also to new viewers. Please be sure to watch the touching story that depicts the story from the first meeting of Kyoko and Katsuya to the birth of Tohru.