Fruits Basket 2019 Episode 21 Review

This is something many fans have been waiting eagerly for: an episode focused on Saki Hanajima, or Hana-chan as Tohru and I call her. Despite that, my review is awfully short. Blame my lack of inspiration and my headache again. Anyway, here are at least a few thoughts on the highly enjoyable episode 21.

Thankfully, I’ve never had to deal with a super-jealous partner in a relationship or friendship. I don’t tend to get jealous over the people I love, either. (Envy over what others have is another story, though.) Even though it’s only fiction, jealousy is something that really annoys me in anime, especially when (like usual) it’s treated as normal or expected. For instance, jealous father or brother characters make me want to throw up. So it was great to have this episode, and its main theme, showing that jealousy is ugly and stupid.

I had two minor complaints about this episode. First, Motoko, Minami, and Mion are really too dumb and childish to be believable as characters. They serve well enough for comedy and for silly examples of what not to be. I expected them to more realistic or sympathetic. Second, a lot of the comedy of this episode was lost on me. That’s because a) it’s hard to smile with this headache, and b) I don’t understand fearing the occult or even entertaining the idea that curses, witches, and devils could be real. Sure, I understood that fear when I was 7 years old. But not by highschool age like these girls.

The little brother, Megumi, was awesome. So cute and weird. Exactly what I like. Of course, though, Hana-chan is an even more awesome character with those same traits. I really am impressed with how well-written this character is and has been throughout the series. Her seiyuu, Satomi Sato, is also excellent.

Here are my favorite quotes from episode 21.

-Megumi: “Are you Saki-nee’s new friends?”
-Saki: “No. They are complete strangers who happen go
to the same school as me and happen to be the same sex as me.”
~Fruits Basket (2019) episode 21

“Actions brought on by jealousy are simply ugly.”
~Saki Hanajima

“You mustn’t think that you’ll be permitted to say anything you want just because you love him. If you think you can whatever you want just because you like him, you should think again. Do not forget that forcing your intense love on someone can burden them or hurt them. Do not forget to respect their feelings and be considerate. If you don’t, they may end up hating you.”
~Megumi Hanajima