Originally released in the 1990s, Fruits Basket is one of the most popular shojo manga in both Japan and the United States and has received praise for its attention to loss, trauma, and family struggles. Accordingly, Fruits Basket has become a classic romantic drama series with some comedy sprinkled in to ease the tension. Character interactions are an essential ingredient to Fruits Basket's phenomenal storytelling, and each character gets a good amount of growth in their respective arcs.
The dynamic between Tohru Honda and Kyo Sohma, however, is the central relationship in this series, and each character receives a fleshed-out, detailed character arc to fuel their motivations. There are a fair amount of hints sprinkled throughout the narrative that point to Tohru and Kyo eventually returning each other's feelings.
10 Tohru Always Loved The Zodiac Cat
One of the first things revealed about Tohru is her sympathy for the cat in the original zodiac myth. After she hears the story from her mother as a child, she feels so bad that she cries and says she wishes she was born in the Year of the Cat instead of the Dog. In other words, Tohru was on the Cat's side from the very beginning, before she ever met Kyo or the other Sohmas and learned about their curse. It's only natural that she'd be drawn to him most.
9 Kyo Rejected Tohru, But She Never Gave Up On Him
Since Kyo knew his future was to be confined to the Cat's Room after he graduated high school, he tried not to become close or attached to anyone. This extended to Tohru, of course, and Kyo was initially very rude toward her. He lost his temper with her on more than one occasion and tried to distance himself by acting inconsiderately and insensitive toward Tohru. But Tohru didn't let Kyo's bad attitude drive her away, and he eventually allowed her into his heart.
8 Kyo Eventually Let Himself Relax Around Tohru
Although it takes a bit of time, Kyo is eventually able to relax around Tohru. Instead of his usual prickliness and tendency to lose his temper, Kyo becomes much more observant and patient around Tohru. He lets his guard down and focuses all his attention on her because he believes his time with her is limited.
It shows a lot of growth for Kyo as a character since he's ordinarily avoidant and reluctant to become close to others. At this stage, it's abundantly clear that Tohru is causing positive changes in Kyo.
7 Tohru Accepted Kyo's True Form
The Cat of the Zodiac exists as a scapegoat for the other cursed members, an outlet for their own frustrations about being cursed. Because of this, Kyo is the only Zodiac member to have a "true" form, a monstrous four-legged creature that vaguely resembles a cat. It's the part of himself that Kyo hates most. So, when Kazuma revealed his true form in from of Tohru, Kyo ran away, thinking it was all over and she would never look at him the same again. Instead, Tohru swallowed her fear and chased after him because she wanted to understand his feelings.
6 Kazuma Recognizes Tohru's Positive Influence On Kyo
Since his grandfather was the previous cursed Cat, Kazuma has a special interest in Kyo's fate. He offered to take Kyo in after he saw how the Sohmas treated Kyo during his mother's funeral. Kazuma understood that the burden of the Cat was too cruel for anyone to have to bear, and he wanted to make Kyo's life a happier one. He never gave up on Kyo and kept nudging him to allow others into his heart, which Kyo vehemently opposed. So, when Kazuma noticed Kyo's slight change in personality after he started spending time with Tohru, he knew that Tohru was a good influence on Kyo's spirit.
5 Tohru Became Especially Motivated To Break The Curse After Learning About The Cat Room
While Tohru wanted to free all the Sohmas from the curse, it's undoubtedly true that she wanted to free Kyo the most. After she learns that Kyo will be confined to the Cat's Room for the rest of his life after graduation, Tohru becomes even more driven to find out how to break the zodiac curse. Tohru impressively strives toward her goal to learn as much about the curse as possible despite the danger it poses, as Akito desperately wants to keep the zodiac bonds.
4 Kyoko & Kyo Knew Each Other Briefly
Fruits Basket surprised viewers when the story finally revealed that Tohru's mother and Kyo actually knew each other in the past. Observant fans definitely noticed Kyo's strange behavior after visiting Kyoko's gravesite with Tohru, Uotani, and Hanajima.
It turns out that Kyo used to spend time with Kyoko after school while he was adjusting to living with Kazuma. During their time together, Kyoko told Kyo all about Tohru and her own struggle to be a good parent. Just like Tohru loved the Zodiac Cat since she was small, Kyo fostered his own interest in Tohru when he was a child.
3 Yuki Started Expecting Kyo To Treat Tohru Well
This is probably one of the biggest giveaways since it indicates that Yuki recognizes Tohru's fondness for Kyo and signals an understanding that he isn't in love with Tohru himself. Yuki previously expressed irritation with Kyo's treatment of Tohru, and he usually stepped in to soothe Tohru himself instead of leaving it to Kyo. But after he recognizes Tohru's love for Kyo, Yuki starts expecting Kyo to be the one to make things right instead of stepping in on his own.
2 Kagura Relaxes Her Possessiveness Over Kyo
Although Kagura's interest in Kyo was born from a desire to feel better about her own circumstances, Kagura did eventually fall in love with Kyo. She adamantly insists that she'll never give up on Kyo and thinks that no one could understand him like she does, since she's also seen his true form. But after seeing Kyo become gentler and more level-headed through his interactions with Tohru, Kagura realizes she's lost him. She steps aside for Tohru but also insists she'll never give up her feelings for Kyo.
1 Tohru Keeps Kyo Company When Akito Is Around
Kyo is rarely a welcome guest when it comes to the Zodiac members spending time with Akito, so he's frequently left out. Tohru usually spends time with him instead, so he won't feel alone. A key moment occurs when Tohru and Kyo are at the Sohma summer home during summer vacation. Akito sees Tohru and Kyo together and realizes that Tohru is effecting positive changes in Kyo, so she decides to put Kyo back in his place. When Kyo meets with Akito, he realizes how much he loves Tohru, initiating the acceptance of his feelings.