Anime Corner has concluded its Spring 2021 Best Boy and Best Girl of the Season polls. Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket: The Final has officially been voted Best Boy of the Spring 2021 Season! Click here to see the full results.
Fruits Basket: The Final was filled with memorable moments for the series. Every episode seemed to include some new revelation or moment of monumental character growth. Out of all the characters, Kyo Sohma perhaps went through the most growth in the series’ final season. Let’s take a look at just a few of the moments from Fruits Basket: The Final that made him worthy of being voted Best Boy of the Season.
Kyo confesses to Tohru
While not the happiest of scenes, this moment from episode 8 made me really feel for Kyo. During the scene, Kyo finally reveals to Tohru that he knew her mom and that he witnessed her death. It’s an extremely emotional confession, as he unleashes all the pent up guilt he feels for not preventing her death. Of course, as Yuki reminds Kyo in a subsequent episode, he’s not Superman. Whether he could’ve actually saved Tohru’s mom from being hit by a car is unlikely. But the immense guilt he feels is a testament to the size of his heart, and as he breaks down crying in front of Tohru, you can’t help but want to console the poor boy.
The scene also demonstrates the depth of Kyo’s self-loathing, as he chastises himself for putting his life before another person’s. His emotionally abusive childhood continues to impact his self-perception and his relationship with others. But these factors only make his future character development all the more satisfying.
Kyo and Tohru share their first kiss
After three whole seasons of romantic tension, Kyo and Tohru finally share their first kiss in episode 9 of Fruits Basket: The Final. The scene is appropriately dramatic, taking place just after Tohru has fallen off a cliff and lies unconscious. Kyo and Yuki both rush to Tohru’s side, but it’s Kyo who is most distraught – kneeling beside Tohru and crying. Tohru finds the strength to reach up and wipe away Kyo’s tears, telling him it will be okay.
Kyo responds by kissing her. The emotional score, supplemented by a montage of moments from their relationship, heightens the importance of the romantic display. It’s a very rewarding scene for fans who have been rooting for the pair since season 1.
Kyo confronts his father
In episode 10, after being given a pep talk of sorts by former rival Yuki, Kyo decides there’s something he needs to do first: visit his father. Given that his father played such a large role in the childhood trauma that was holding him back all this time, it seems Kyo feels it’s a necessary step for him to move on and be happy with Tohru. During the scene, Kyo’s father demands Kyo admit he was responsible for his mom’s death, and he threatens to have him immediately locked away for it.
But Kyo refuses. He’s resolved himself to being free and pursuing a relationship with Tohru – a huge departure from the Kyo who hated himself and felt he was undeserving of love. Furthermore, his father’s crazed ranting causes Kyo to have an epiphany. Remembering all the emotional abuse his mother endured, Kyo realizes it was not him that pushed his mother to suicide, but his father. After years of guilt and self-hatred, it’s positively heart-warming to see Kyo move on to a happier future.
Kyo declares his love for Tohru
During this scene from episode 11, Kyo finally tells Tohru he loves her and wants to be with her. Openly expressing his feelings and desires is a huge step for Kyo and something he would have never previously done. Tohru and Kyo share their second kiss here. Dare I say, it’s an even sweeter moment than the first (mostly since Tohru was half-unconscious for that one). Kyo asks Tohru if he can hug her, despite the fact that he’ll turn into a cat. As the music swells, he brings her in for a warm embrace…and lo and behold, he doesn’t turn into a cat! We find out that Kyo has joined the list of Sohmas whose Zodiac curse has broken.
Kyo celebrates being freed of the curse
During episode 11 of Fruits Basket: The Final, we get to see the remaining Sohma clan members finally freed of the Zodiac curse. Everyone’s reaction to the curse breaking is different, but Kyo’s is by far the most satisfying, as he triumphantly breaks the bracelet that stops him transforming. Tohru looks on, sobbing happy tears. It’s a heart-meltingly sweet moment, and I’m sure I’m not alone in how glad it made me feel for Kyo. The scene signals the beginning of their happy ending as a couple. After all the hardships the pair have endured, it’s gratifying to watch.
A happy ending
The last episode of Fruits Basket: The Final is incredibly bittersweet. It’s an episode full of happy moments for the series’ beloved characters, as well as flashbacks that highlight how far they’ve come. There are plenty of sweet moments between Kyo and Tohru, including the pair going on their first proper date. But it’s the final scene of the episode that really tugged at viewers’ heart strings. It ends with a beautiful flash-forward to a distant future, showing Tohru and Kyo’s adult children and their grandchild. Seeing all the mementos from their life together, including the painted Zodiac animals and blue cap from previous seasons felt incredibly poignant.
The final shot of the series shows an elderly Tohru and Kyo walking hand in hand, implying they’re just as in love now as they were when they were young. It’s an incredibly satisfying ending after such an emotionally-heavy season.
What was your favourite moment from Fruits Basket: The Final, and do you think Kyo Sohma deserved to win Best Boy of the Spring 2021 Season? Fruits Basket: The Final was highly popular among Anime Corner’s audience, as the series was also voted Anime of the Season. You can check out the full results of our Spring 2021 Anime of the Season poll here. The Summer 2021 anime season is just beginning! You can vote for your favourite Anime of the Week for the new season in our polls.
Another interesting fact is that the Fruits Basket: The Final anime won Anime of the Season title for Spring 2021. Not only that, but Tohru and Sohma’s voice actors were both voted #1! The only category they didn’t win was best girl, where Tohru placed 2nd and Lena from 86 Eighty-Six ranked 1st.
Whether Kyo Sohma deserved the best boy title or not, it’s for sure that Fruits Basket: The Final marked Spring 2021, and it was a beautiful conclusion to the story!
