Fruits Basket: Prelude
Synopsis
Despite Kyouko Honda's tragic death, her vivid memory lives on, providing guidance through times of hardship to her close ones. However, Kyouko was not always the wise and radiant person that she is fondly remembered as in the present day. Feeling deserted by her own family and rejected by society, a young Kyouko abandons stability for a life of delinquency, jeopardizing her education and future. Fortunately, her descent into despair is interrupted by a fateful encounter with her husband-to-be Katsuya, who has recently started his teaching internship at her school. With a composure surprisingly unaffected by Kyouko's tantrums, Katsuya quickly wins her over through his gentleness and attention toward her—sincere gestures that she has never received before. As the two grow closer together, Kyouko opens her tormented heart to him and, along with it, a door to new horizons. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Audience Consensus
Audience reception is divided. While some viewers found the backstory of Tohru's parents emotional and well-executed, many criticized the excessive recap, the romanticization of a relationship with a large age gap, and the poor pacing. Some long-time fans were disappointed, feeling it was a cash grab that detracted from the original series.
Strengths
- Backstory of Tohru's parents is beautiful and tragic, on par with the best flashbacks in the anime.
- OSTs brilliantly bring out the emotions of each scene.
- The story of Katsuya and Ryoko was heartfelt, and quite romantic.
Weaknesses
- Significant portion of the film is recap of previous seasons, presented in a poor format.
- The film romanticizes the relationship between Kyouko and Katsuya, which is described as grooming by some.
- Poorly edited and haphazard mess with rehashed footage.
- Plot didn't advance the series much at all, and made some viewers dislike characters.