Due to Yuki taking up episode one’s spotlight, it was only natural for it to be a very Kyo-centered episode. So… I guess I have no right to complain? And it’s not like Yuki didn’t appear. Besides, we got to witness Kazuma being best dad of this freaking series because honestly, he IS the best.
I was honestly surprised when we were introduced to Kyo’s father this episode. I didn’t expect him to show up this soon. For some reason, I thought this part in the manga happened a bit later… I feel like my sense of time in this series is messed up. Or maybe it’s just been too long since I read it. ANYWAYS, right away, we find out just what kind of man Kyo’s biological father is. He’s anxious, quick to shift the blame onto others, refuses to take any responsibility for anything and just highly defensive. As soon as he felt like he was being blamed for anything, he was quick to shift the focus onto Kazuma, calling him out for taking the money that comes into taking care of a Zodiac member. He acts like a freaking victim, as if his life is worse than anyone else’s. Out of all the parents we’ve witnessed up to this point, Kyo’s father is probably the worst. It’s terrible that he doesn’t even refer to Kyo as a person, instead calling him “it” or “that thing.” Even going as far as to shift everything that’s “wrong” with his life is Kyo’s fault.
And while it may be pretty harsh of me to say, the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree. Even Kazuma comments on how both react very similarly when they feel like they’re being put in a corner. Looking back at the series, Kyo is shown to run away from his problems, shifts blame onto others and refuses to face their problems head on. He’s even treating Yuki as the one who is at fault for everything wrong with his life… just like how his dad treats him. It’s sad because children will adopt bad habits shown to them by their parents and I have no doubt in my mind that Kyo developed his toxic mindset from his dad.
BUT, a bit but here, unlike his father, Kyo is actually trying to change. Instead of dwelling in a vortex of negativity, he is slowly trying to move past them and even face them. I also just love how supportive Kazuma is. I just love how they basically compare the two father figures and who is truly the better father figure. Kazuma challenges Kyo emotionally and mentally, only to build him back up so he can come out as a better person. While Kyo’s dad just dumps all of the blame onto Kyo and never once thinks of what this could do to Kyo as a person. I love how Kazuma basically calls Kyo’s father out on how he treats Kyo and that he should stop and think of bettering himself rather than casting blame. It’s almost as if Kyo’s dad is what Kyo himself could have become if not for Kazuma and also Tohru. I think one of the bigger hurdles for Kyo to overcome is letting go of his hostility and blame towards Yuki. So I do look forward to seeing that in his character growth.
When I first read the manga, I don’t think I fully took in Kazuma’s character, but I feel like he’s shaping up to me one of my favorite characters in this series. He’s just so gentle and supportive… but knows when to put his foot down when others are threatening those he cares about. KAZUMA BEST DAD. Especially when it shows just how much Kazuma genuinely loves Kyo like a true father would, even if that meant going against the family’s wishes. All the while throwing all kinds of shade at Kyo’s father. I couldn’t help but go “OOOOOOOOH!!!!” after all those sick burns he tossed at him. I also love how when Kyo’s father was trying to toss shade onto Kazuma for taking Kyo in just for the money, Kazume shut down that road by saying he loves watching Kyo grow and no matter what he says, he won’t agree to help in confining Kyo.
Off topic, I do find it interesting how people who care for Zodiac members are given a large sum of money. Hush money maybe?
Now, there are times where Fruits Basket just gets way too real sometimes. When Tohru was wondering about if she’d able to find a job and be able to make ends meet and started breaking down over that thought, I was like: UGHHHHHHHH since I too worry about finding a good job someday and if I actually have what it takes to find a good job. I FEEL YOU TOHRU. And while Shigure is shady as heck, he still shared some very valuable advice by telling Tohru to take on a giant load a little at a time. The metaphor of seeing a mountain sized pile of laundry spoke a lot to me as I saw my life the same was that. I feel pressured to do everything as fast as possible, but the more I think about it, the more frozen I get and I end up wasting time. So hearing things like, take on those things once step at a time while having the end goal in mind, don’t stress over it, makes me feel more at ease and hopeful. And I do appreciate that Shigure even reiterated that even while you’re doing that, you should still take some time and take a break and do something fun once in a while. It actually felt very sweet when the episode ended with everyone eating somen together. Nothing good comes from stressing about the future. Take things one at a time and think about what you can do in the present to prepare for that future.
It is kind of sad to think that the Zodiac members’ futures are uncertain and that they always have thoughts like: “I shouldn’t get my hopes because it might not happen” in the back of their minds. Especially Kyo since the fate of the cat is to be locked up until they die. At this point, I feel like everyone is hoping for the Zodiac members to be one day freed from this terrible fate.
This series is very mellow most of the time, but it sure hits you hard in the feels and throws in some applications to life every now and again. I loved watching Kazuma stand up to Kyo’s father and just the contrasts between the two father characters. And the talk about doing things one step at a time really spoke to me. I’m still torn over whether to continue reviewing this series or not, but I hope someone will rescue it if I decide to drop it. I’m willing to give this series another episode or two before I come to my final conclusion.
Kyo’a father is detestable as always. And unfortunately, parent like him would never change until the very end. He couldn’t even realize that it’s because of his own behavior that he’s suffering. But, there’s still one more parent who is as worse and idiot as he is. Ahh…why do Fruits Basket have many terrible parents. Even the sequel is the same. I wanna punch that pathetic excuse of a father in the face.
Yeah definitely. He’s so stuck in his victim mindset that he probably refuses to even think that he did something wrong. It showed that when Kazuma was calling him out, he immediately went “Are you saying it’s my fault?!” At least in the sequel there are more examples of good parents.
Well, it is his fault, in a way. This man is a Sohma (Soma?), so presumably knew there is a curse on the family. Yet he still chose to make a child with his wife, knowing there was a good chance his child would be a Zodiac. Then blames the child he helped to make? Dude does not get a pass in my book.
From what I have read and heard, not everyone in the family know about the curse as it’s mostly just the “inner family.” Take Kana for example. She’s a Sohma, but had no idea the curse was a thing until she hugged Hatori. It’s a little confusing on just how this whole family/clan works and how far spread the curse is. I can only assume that they try to keep the amount of people who know the curse as small as possible. Not to mention that the curse is SUPER random. The generation we’re following is the first time in years that the entire zodiac were all present at the same time with none of them missing.
But despite all that, Kyo’s father should get absolutely no slack because we learn later that he’s actually a lot more at fault for his own misfortune than he likes to believe.