Back in 2019, Fruits Basket was rebooted with the intention of more accurately adapting the manga of the same name. The series came to an end in 2021, but there are still more Fruits Basket stories to tell. A new film, Fruits Basket: Prelude, is now showing in select theaters. This film endeavors to focus on the romance between Katsuya and Kyoko, Tohru's parents. While this could have been a sweet slice of life anime that could appeal to old and new fans, it's unclear what story Fruits Basket: Prelude wants to focus on, and the emphasis on the age gap between Katsuya and Kyoko leaves the audience more concerned than content.
Fruits Basket: Prelude tells the story of how Katsuya and Kyoko met, revealing more about Kyoko's troubled past with her school, family, and gang, as well as the romance that blossomed between her and Katsuya. Prior to that, fans of the series will get a recap on how the anime ended, specifically focusing on Kyo and Tohru's relationship. The recap feels like an attempt to catch new viewers up on what's what, but it's done in a way that raises more questions than answers, throwing the reader into the middle of a narrative. And longtime fans are likely to find the review fairly redundant, as it takes almost 30 minutes to get into Kyoko's story.
Kyoko's an interesting and complicated character. The original series captures her complexity perfectly. The series made it clear to audiences that she was an amazing but flawed person. A film about her past should be a home run, but this prequel struggles to live up to its own potential. The film primarily focuses on how the two feel about each other, and while shojo anime is no stranger to inner monologues, this works better in a series, where fans can spend more time with the characters, and there's a better balance between showing and telling. However, in a condensed film like this, the romance feels more compulsory than organic.
The inner monologues undermine these partnerships, which is a shame, as the animation is beautiful. Just like the 2019 anime, there is a romanticism to this animation style. It's smooth and gentle. Everything around the characters seems to reflect their inner feelings. This atmospheric approach truly works in the film's favor, and it's a perfect way for fans to see why these two fell for one another; however, all that narration makes the romance feel less genuine.
Along with that, there is the issue of the age gap between Katsuya and Kyoko. The substantial difference turns what could have been a sweet romance into a predatory relationship. Kyoko is in middle school when she meets Katsuya, a student teacher who soon transitions out of the classroom and into the workforce. No matter how one cuts it, Kyoko was a child, and Katsuya was an adult in a position of power. The movie even points out how the age difference and their relationship is not acceptable by society. There are jokes about a Lolita complex and how Katsuya blames Kyoko for being born later than him, and perhaps most damning is Katsuya admitting that he didn't act earlier because she was in middle school, but he planned to hold on to her regardless. The number of red flags around the couple is downright alarming, and the movie dares to romanticize this predatory relationship and compare it with Tohru and Kyo's.
There are so many ways to accomplish what the film wants to with Katsuya and Kyoko without making it about an adult falling in love with an underaged student. For instance, he could have been an upperclassman and teacher's assistant who notices Kyoko's cries for help, and the plot would be practically the same. It's a real shame because one of the most compelling and heartbreaking moments of the film is how Kyoko deals with Katsuya's death and how that impacts her parenting, but the foundation of their relationship is so creepy that it undermines this strength of the film.
Focusing mostly on Kyoko's past in a gang and her time parenting as a single mother could have been plenty for a movie on its own, and there could have also been interesting parallels between her and Kyo as outsiders who finally find a sense of security and home thanks to Tohru. The movie even attempts to compare Kyoko and Kyo's stories, but the pacing and the Katsuya problem overshadow this.
Fans and critics alike were excited for Fruits Basket: Prelude. Kyoko's past is as intriguing as Tohru and Kyo's future, but all of this is overshadowed by the problems of the central relationship, and the constant narration doesn't help. At least fans get a brief epilogue dedicated to Tohru and Kyo. But sadly, this movie proves that some things are best left in the past.
Fruits Basket: Prelude is now playing in select theaters.