Fruits Basket Episode 22: More waves
Published on August 31, 2019
I thought last week's Saki-focused episode was great, but I was nowhere near prepared for her full backstory. She truly has a heartbreaking childhood, and it's amazing to see how much she's changed. I like her character so much more after this episode, enough to say she's probably my favorite in the series. This series just continues to amaze me with how it treats its characters.
I definitely wasn't expecting the wave magic to be an actual power. I was planning to say something about it, but then I remembered that this series takes place in a world where people turn into zodiac animals from hugs. Yeah, basic telepathy isn't a problem in comparison.
Seeing the younger Saki internalize her suffering because of a heavy feeling of guilt was genuinely sad. It's not hard to see why a child's mind would go to that conclusion, and it's so tragic to see it happen.
Even before Tohru and Arisa come into the picture, I loved watching Megumi's relationship with his sister. Despite being unable to help her at school, he desperately searches for ways to help her with her powers. His prayer for her was also such a sweet moment.
I also appreciate that Arisa reaches out to Saki separately from Tohru. Tohru tends to take the spotlight in these kinds of scenes, so it's always nice to see that she doesn't solely drive things forward. People like Kyouko or Arisa have a lot to add.
Part of me wanted Saki's power to be overblown. I guess the possibility still exists, since the girl's reaction could easily have been planned. Maybe it's a cheap win, but I was thinking that maybe her story would end with her figuring out that the incident from her childhood was faked. I think it's mostly because I like the idea of Saki having a power that isn't so dangerous.