Welcome to all she’s, he’s, and them’s! It’s great to have you here. Let’s see what happens in the next episode of Fruits Basket. Ready, set, Rant!

Rin isn’t happy at all about being in Tohru and Shigure’s care. Hatori checks up on her and tells her to go to the hospital, after which Rin literally tries to jump out the window, and would have done so if not being physically held back. Due to the way her parents abandoned her in the hospital, Rin now hates all such places. I understand, as I also have had bad experiences in hospitals and hate being in them. As Shigure sees Hatori off, he explains that Rin is trying to break the Zodiac curse. He also points out that it’s not such an absurd idea, consider how they are all breaking because of Akito.

Rin snaps at Tohru a bit later and tells her to stop trying to break the curse. Everything she says sounds harsh and hateful, but Rin does have a somewhat kind-hearted reason behind it. She knows that Tohru is kind and easily taken advantage of, in the same way that Haru sometimes can be. She does not want kind people to be tricked, misused, or used by others for their own purposes. In her mind, she is the one who will break the curse. It’s not Tohru’s job. And Rin only grows more hysterical and heavy-handed as Tohru persistently refuses to back off.

Isuzu runs out of the house, but trips and falls before getting far. In her head, she’s thinking about how, deep down, she immediately saw Tohru as a person who could comfort and accept her. But she hates that, because she views herself as someone who takes advantage of such kind people as Tohru and Haru. Tohru approaches from behind. Even as she reiterates to herself that she will work alone and never cry, Rin loses it and falls into Tohru’s lap, sobbing. She makes the decision to lean on Tohru and embrace her own weakeness.

After this emotional half, the episode changes gears. We see Haru and Yuki at school. Haru explains that Rin is in the hospital but that her overdone fury is a sign of her growing health. When the student council members call Yuki over the PA system, teasing him endlessly, Haru observes. He sees that Yuki is making great progress, and asks Makoto to please take care of Yuki. Makoto’s response (“please trust me to care for your daughter”) was hilarious.

Tohru visits Rin in the hospital, and the two go for a walk while discussing the Zodiac curse. Rin explains that long ago, probably hundreds of years ago, the Zodiac spirits and God made a promise to be together forever. The oath continues no matter how many times the spirits are reborn. Since Shigure doesn’t know how to break the curse, Tohru declares she will ask Kureno about it next. Rin tells her slow down, and asks why exactly she wants to break the curse. What is it that’s so precious to her? Tohru is surprised when she cannot answer.

That night, Tohru has a nightmare about her mother leaving the apartment and getting into the accident that killed her. In her own room, Rin reflects that Tohru might need someone to be for her like Haru was for Rin. Someone to gently open the door to one’s heart even when recovery seemed impossible. Rin adds, “Someone who knows what it’s like to be alone can’t help but love others.” This was a great insight and often quite true in human psychology.

Thanks for joining me today at Anime Rants. I look forward to the next episode of Fruits Basket, and I hope you’ll stop by again soon! Sayonara!

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PATREON