Warning: the following contains spoilers for Fruits Basket season 2, episode 7, "Let's Start the Watermelon Splitting Contest!" now streaming on FUNimation and Crunchyroll.
In the latest episode of the Fruits Basket anime, it is clear that Akito Sohma wants to maintain a tight grip on every member of the family, but that may prove impossible by now. Yuki and Kyo in particular are ready to defy Akito's verbal abuse and selfish ways, and both boys have realized that Tohru Honda is the most important person in their lives, not the family head. Shigure, Hatori and Kureno are most often seen by Akito's side, but they are not yes-men, either. There is a definite shift in progress.
What Akito Wants
For some time now, Akito has been established as an emotionally abusive control freak, due to having the position of family head. Akito is central to the Sohma zodiac curse, and the twelve animals of the zodiac are meant to surround the family head (in any era) and be their eternal companions. Akito is secretly terrified of the idea of any family member leaving, and will do anything to keep these Sohmas in line.
This ranges from daily visits across the Sohma compound all the way to inviting all twelve animals to the yearly banquet. Akito took it badly when Yuki opted out of that event. Now, Akito has arrived at the summer estate, demanding the attention and adoration of everyone there. Out of duty, all the Sohmas at the estate except Kyo have to attend a meeting at Akito's demands. Akito reaffirms that that they all belong together, but these words ring hollow by now.
A New Star In The Sky
Yuki and Kyo are at the fore of the Akito defiance movement, but they are not alone. Shigure, who goes to great lengths to keep Akito happy, is making subtle remarks that the Sohmas are not going to just bow and scrape because Akito demands it. Once Akito leaves the room, Shigure comments that while Akito thinks Yuki is deluded, it may be Akito who is the delusional one. En route to the family meeting, meanwhile, Momiji comments casually that he's used to Akito's cruel ways, and he doesn't even care what Akito says. He's not entirely intimidated by Akito, either.
Kyo was left out, since he is the ultra-cursed cat, and Tohru makes pancakes for him on request. Later that evening, Tohru is on the starlit beach, and she comes across Yuki, who is ready to admit a few things. He makes it clear that Akito once tormented him in that lonely prison of a room, but now he is moving on. For the first time, he felt needed when he gave Tohru directions home as a child, and now, Tohru has become the most important person in his life. She is like the sky, he says, and he's ready to open the "lid" on his past secrets. Akito can't control him with fear anymore, because Tohru has empowered him with the light. He realizes how just how dear Tohru is to him, and he's in tears.
Akito wants so badly to be the god of the twelve zodiac animals, but they are people with their own lives, and they are all realizing this vital fact one at a time.
New episodes of Fruits Basket Season 2 premiere Mondays at 1:30 PM EDT, dubbed on FUNimation and subtitled on Crunchyroll.