#rich characterization

[cinderella-ish]

Momiji Sohma and his beautiful, complex relationship to Kyo (part 1 of 5)

So, if Yuki is my favorite character of the main trio, Momiji would have to be my favorite of the large cast of secondary characters. He may even be my favorite character outright- a hard pick, as there are so many characters to love in Fruits Basket!

When it comes to Yuki and Kyo, their relationship to each other and Yuki's relationship to Haru (which is beautiful and now I want to do a post on them, too) are perhaps the two most obvious dynamics among these four boys. But I think Momiji and Kyo have their own important, deep relationship, with huge significance to the plot and to Kyo's arc in particular.

In many ways, Momiji and Kyo's stories are parallels.

They both lost their mothers at a young age. Kyo watched as his mother stepped in front of a train, and Momiji watched as his mother's memories of him were erased (though it's worth noting Momiji's mother was also suicidal). Both watched their mothers suffer for years because of the curse.

Both had a parent who viewed them as sub-human. Momiji's mother referred to him as a "creature," and Kyo's father called him a "monster."

Both also had fathers who put responsibility for their mothers' mental health issues on them and ultimately abandoned or neglected them. And both had loving surrogate father figures who took them in out of guilt, Kyo in Kazuma and Momiji to a lesser extent in Hatori (it does seem like Momiji's father was somewhat present in his life, though Hatori was much more present for him).

They also both had reputations as a bit of a wild child, Kyo because of his short temper and aggression (and stereotypes about the cat), and Momiji because of his id-driven hedonism and frequent lack of supervision. They're both impulsive to a fault, Momiji in pursuit of maximum fun, and Kyo out of extreme self-hatred and a desire to protect the people he cares about (mostly from himself). They each lean into people's misconceptions about them - Momiji encouraging people to underestimate him due to his small size because it allows him to get away with more, and Kyo willing to let people see him as a monster because he believes that's true (and therefore using physical intimidation as his main strategy for protecting people he cares about).

They're also both quite good at reading others - for Kyo, this is remarked upon several times in canon, and for Momiji, he's often cited by fans as possibly the most emotionally mature character in the series.

And they both are at their best when they act a bit more like each other, Kyo when he lightens up and lets himself have fun, and Momiji when he stands up for himself and the people he cares about.

I would even argue that Kyo is the main driver behind Momiji's character development, and that Momiji is the main catalyst for Kyo to understand and accept his feelings for Tohru.

So, with all that in mind, let's look at Momiji's first appearance with Kyo at the first culture festival.

(An aside: Hiroshi's reactions in this scene will never not be funny to me.)

So, the first time we see Kyo and Momiji together is at the first culture festival, when Momiji is officially introduced to Tohru and thus to the reader (after a brief appearance 1 chapter/3 episodes earlier, where we're not entirely sure who he is). In quick succession, Momiji proceeds to:

jump on Yuki's shoulders and tell him he looks like a girl

get scolded by Hatori for running off on his own

excitedly introduce himself and Hatori as relatives of Yuki and Kyo to the crowd of students, making sure to mention that he's half-German

climb on top of the rice stand, frightening everyone, eating a rice ball he probably didn't pay for

get dragged away by a grouchy Kyo, laughing all the way

It's quite a memorable entrance!

But a closer look at this scene suggests that Momiji was causing a stir for Yuki's sake as much as for his own desire to have fun.

he jumps on Yuki right when Yuki's feeling extremely self-conscious about all the attention he's receiving, immediately after both Tohru and Kyo have made comments about his appearance

he climbs atop the riceball stand right when Yuki looks ready to murder Hatori

One could argue that this is just Momiji being his typical wild-child self, especially since he tells Yuki he looks like a girl right when Yuki's at his most self-conscious about his feminine appearance, but it fits with a pattern we see repeated throughout the series: Momiji is willing to make a spectacle of himself if it helps him achieve his goals, whether they are to have more fun or to protect someone he cares about (all the better if it's both!).

I do wonder about that comment - Fruits Basket can be very subtle, so I think there are multiple ways of interpreting Momiji's comment to Yuki. It's possible he made that comment because he didn't know what Yuki was so upset about, or to remind Yuki that of course people are going to talk about what he's wearing when its unusual for him, or maybe for another reason altogether. But what I think is most telling is that he says it without any judgment - it's simply an observation of fact. That, in and of itself, might be enough to help Yuki feel less self-conscious about the whole thing, whether Momiji intended that or not.

As Momiji is dragged off, Hatori reveals to Yuki that they're here because Momiji brought home the flier Tohru dropped when they met 3 episodes/1 chapter earlier. He also reveals that Akito wanted to come, to Yuki's terror, but was too ill, so Hatori is here in her place.

After Kyo drags Momiji away, we see the first iteration of their play big-brother/little-brother dynamic. Kyo's been trying to scold him this whole time, and Momiji fake cries that Kyo "hit" him, but he immediately beams when he realizes Tohru is right behind them.

Kyo probably gave Momiji a light rap on the head or something while scolding him (we know Kyo's a skilled martial artist who knows better than to fight people without training), and Momiji overreacted because teasing Kyo is fun and that's their "thing." But what's super interesting to me is that the only other person Kyo has scolded up until now or given a knock on the head is the only person we know he cares about and wants to protect: Tohru. So, even though outwardly, Kyo seems angry and annoyed at Momiji, he's treating him the way he treats people he cares about and wants to protect.

Momiji then goes over to Tohru, where he:

tells her he came specifically to see her

FLIRTS WITH HER IN FRONT OF KYO ("Ja! Fate brought us together that day, huh?")

tells her his papa owns the building where she works and he likes to hang out there

and confirms she knows the Zodiac secret before announcing his plans to hug her

Kyo physically prevents Momiji from hugging her and they have this INCREDIBLE exchange.

Kyo: "Hold it, Romeo. Remember where you are." Momiji: "Keeping Tohru all to yourself just because you like her? I bet you hug her every day!" Kyo: *blushes* "As if I'd do that!" *drops Momiji* Momiji: *jumps into Tohru's arms* "Gotcha!"

At this point in the story, I doubt that either Kyo or Momiji feel the deep, romantic love they both feel for Tohru by the end of the series. But if we accept that they both have at least a crush on her by now, they're going about it in completely opposite ways. Momiji openly wants to hug Tohru as often as possible and spend as much time with her as he can, whereas Kyo wants to avoid making Tohru uncomfortable and avoid any semblance of impropriety that could reflect poorly on her.

So, Momiji hugs Tohru and transforms, and Tohru's classmates pull back the curtain and start asking questions about what happened. How do they get out of this situation?

Well, Yuki takes a lesson from Momiji's earlier actions, making a spectacle of himself to protect the family secret (and therefore Tohru).

So, in summary, in Momiji's first appearance:

he shows Yuki it's okay to play up the aspects of yourself that make you different in pursuit of a goal

we clearly see that his crying at Kyo's scolding is an act

he immediately notices and calls out Kyo's feelings for Tohru to trick Kyo into letting him go

he generally just does whatever he wants, including hugging Tohru, in stark contrast to Kyo, whose approach to life seems to be all about denying himself what he wants because he doesn't believe himself worthy (which is the exact opposite of the advice he gives Tohru, that it's okay to be selfish sometimes)

We see that Momiji is much smarter than he lets on, but also that he has a lot of growing to do, and that he and Kyo are opposites in many ways.

I'll leave you with these cute shots from S2 (because they didn't fit with any of the other posts), where we see their big brother/little brother dynamic was already in place in elementary school. (Also, poor Yuki!)

Momiji and Kyo: Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

[cinderella-ish]

Momiji, Kyo, and what it means to protect the ones we love (part 5 of 5)

From the beach arc onward, we see Kyo intentionally spending more time with Tohru. He asks her to hang out in Kyoto, he eventually agrees to be in the play, they spend the New Year together, and he does little nice things for her when he can, like washing her scarf, or giving her the paper flower when he sees how upset she is.

This isn't wildly different from S1 Kyo, of course. He's done little nice things for her right from the beginning, like going to pick her up from work in E2. But he's more intentional with it now, and he's aware of his feelings for Tohru and desire to spend time with her. He may still feel unworthy of her, but he finally accepts that his presence makes her happy, so he's willing to quash his self-hatred enough to spend time with her, for her sake.

And we see Momiji work at protecting Tohru, most notably in Ask Him For Me, when he tries to accompany her on her mission to find Kureno, and when she insists on going alone, he draws her a map, tells her to stick to the bushes and give his name if she's caught, and tails her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble as she searches for Kureno. (Just look how worried he is! And look at him getting Tohru out of there!) He sees that Tohru feels very strongly about being involved, so he does absolutely everything he can to make sure she can do so as safely as possible. We even see his memory of the night Akito scratched Tohru's cheek, just to make his worries crystal clear.

He also doesn't try to distract or manipulate Tohru when he realizes she's upset. He asks her what's wrong and listens, and he even cries with her.

Takaya also connects Momiji and Kyo in the structure of Ask Him For Me/manga chapters 74 and 75. Momiji's section of this episode is almost bookended by two appearances from Kyo.

Near the beginning, Tohru asks Kyo about Kureno, and he warns her not to go looking for trouble. And at the end, we have that rooftop conversation.

Tohru: It's only natural to want to be with the person you love, to want to be by their side, right? Kyo: What is it? Are you in love with some guy? Tohru: N-n-n-no! It's not about me! Kyo: Don't worry. When you do fall in love, you'll have my full support.

So, in this episode, we have Momiji trying to protect Tohru, and Kyo trying to cheer her up and spend time with her, a complete reversal from where they started relative to each other.

And then, Momiji grows up.

After Golden Week, a bunch of the kids gather at Shigure's house for dinner, and when Tohru notices that Kyo isn't with them, Momiji volunteers to go get him (Momiji really is always the one to invite Kyo to join everyone). In the manga, Tohru starts crying when she notices that Kyo's not with them, no doubt thinking of Kyo's upcoming confinement.

When Momiji arrives in Kyo's room, they have this exchange:

Kyo: You guys are gonna eat here, too? Momiji: It's okay, we settled on curry. Kyo: Whatever. You grew a lot, huh? Momiji: Right? Pretty soon I might be taller than you, and better looking! And then, and then... maybe Tohru will accept my proposal? Do you get that if you give up, something like that might happen? So you shouldn't give up. I'm gonna stop going, 'There's no point in thinking about this,' and giving up. Wouldn't it sting if some other guy took Tohru from you? Well, look at the time! We better go help make curry! Come on!

In the manga, it's made clear that Kyo is horrified that everyone knows he loves Tohru. He stands separate from the rest of the group at the barbecue. In the manga, he and Tohru share a cute moment of blushing eye contact.

I love how Momiji says he'll stop thinking it's pointless, too, after he encourages Kyo not to give up. In a conversation where he could have focused on the fact that Kyo is his romantic rival, he instead focuses on the fact that they both might have futures worth fighting for. They're fighting beside each other, even if they can't both be the one Tohru loves romantically.

Later that episode (or a few chapters later), Momiji's curse breaks. He now has a real future ahead of him, but he sees how Tohru looks at Kyo, and he knows that his own future won't be at her side like he wants.

Kyo: Momiji? Jeez, you're here of all places. Tohru and them are inside looking for you, so- Momiji: What? Kyo: Huh? Uh, nothing. Did something happen? Momiji: My curse is broken. Would it surprise you if I said that? Kyo: What? Listen, you- Momiji: Yours breaking would make Tohru happier than mine breaking. I'm sure she'd be happy. I mean... you know, right? I'm the one this stings. Kyo: Shut up. I don't wanna realize that. It's too...

Gosh, this scene breaks my heart every time. On both of their behalves. Momiji is dealing with his first real heartbreak, and Kyo is dealing with his extremely complicated feelings about loving Tohru, his guilt over Kyoko's death, and his upcoming confinement in the Cat's House.

It's clear Kyo cares for Momiji in this scene, and Momiji really tries to put on a happy face for Kyo, but he can't. Megumi Han does an outstanding job as Momiji in this scene. The way her voice breaks when Momiji smiles and says, "Would it surprise you if I said that?" is just crushing.

The visual storytelling is stunning, too. The wide shots, emphasizing how lonely both Momiji and Kyo are. The way the scene is composed to emphasize the distance between them. The close-ups on their faces when they're each grappling with the thing that's gutting them. The way Momiji's smiles are always immediately followed by the saddest looks. The way their solo shots mirror each other's, at the beginning, middle, and end. We also don't see Kyo's eyes between the moment Momiji says his curse is broken and when Kyo is saying, "I don't wanna realize that."

Before the beach arc, I don't think Momiji would have watched that sort of interaction from a distance, and I don't think he would have let it stop him from making plans with Tohru. He would've just wanted to make her smile and spend as much time with her as possible, even if that meant ignoring her feelings. And he definitely wouldn't have let himself feel sad. Momiji's pain in this scene is evidence of his growth.

That night, Momiji goes to speak to Akito, after having dismissed her the night before. His speech to her might be my favorite moment of the whole series. It's the climax of Momiji's arc, at the very least.

Momiji: I'm sorry I sent you home alone yesterday. I spent the whole day thinking. Wondering why my curse is gone... only mine. I couldn't think of anything that would cause it. But I can say this: Akito, I can't stay by your side for the rest of my life. And you can't tie me down anymore. [Akito slaps Momiji] Akito: Monster! Traitor. Traitor! [Akito beats her fists against Momiji's chest] Akito: If you leave here, leave me, you've got no place to go! Your mother and father won't just welcome you back! No one will! You'll never be happy! Momiji: I know. I've become so free, and so lonely. The curse breaking doesn't mean I'll get the girl I want. And the bonds that unconditionally connected me to everyone are gone. It's too late. I can't go back to before things were broken. But... but don't tell me that not having those things means I can't be happy! Don't just decide that! I feel vulnerable being free, but a happiness might exist for me! It might be somewhere in the future, waiting for me to catch up! I'm going to finally start walking along my own life's path. What about you? How long will you stay here? The person most afraid that if they leave this place, they'll have no home and no happiness... Akito: Shut up. Just shut up. Get lost. Momiji: Okay.

It's almost the credo of the whole series, isn't it? That it's better to make your own way, with no guarantee of love or happiness, than to cling to bonds that have become a burden and wish for things to never change. What Momiji's saying is what Akito needs to accept in order to be free herself.

And Momiji, despite all the loss he's suffered, despite having his heart broken that very afternoon, he's still determined to keep going.

I love this as the climax for Momiji's arc because it showcases the ways he's grown while also showing us the things that have always made him such a special character. He's standing up for himself and his future, not afraid to make Akito angry or say things she doesn't want to hear. He's acknowledging that it hurts, and that he might never have the family he so desires. But he also might.

It's a waste of time to think about loss or life getting harder. The traveler never thought about that stuff.

He still has hope, even as everything seems so dark. And he still tries to help Akito, even after everything she's done to him.

The parallels between Kyo and Akito in this episode/chapter are so well done. For both of them, the pain of moving forward is just too much right now, but Momiji still wants to see them both move forward anyway, and he's telling them this in a straightforward, mature way, rather than manipulating them.

And Momiji's not done affecting Kyo's arc.

After Kyo asks Tohru if she loves him, we see Momiji's face and hear him say, "I mean... you know, right?" Once more, it's Momiji whose voice Kyo hears at such a crucial moment.

It's painful for Kyo to finally accept that Tohru loves him. He doesn't know she already knows about his confinement, and worse still, he knows he has to tell her about the day of her mother's death.

But again, it was Momiji who led Kyo to realize that he loves Tohru in S2, and now it's Momiji leading Kyo to realize that Tohru loves him, too.

After Kyo unloads his guilt on Tohru, and Tohru falls from the cliff, it's really Yuki who gets Kyo to take the final step toward accepting Tohru's love, so I won't say much about that except to point out that Yuki says making Tohru smile was protecting her, and that only Kyo could make her smile like that.

I think this scene, where Momiji and Kagura team up to tease Kyo, is the last time we see Kyo and Momiji together. But they're still affecting each other's arcs all the way to the end.

After Kyo and Tohru get together, they visit Kyoko's grave, and Kyo asks Tohru to move away with him.

It's selfish, and it's going to take Tohru away from everyone else, but he still asks anyway. It's a very Momiji-like thing for him to do.

And then, he says this:

I'm taking her with me. You good with that? I'll keep my promise. I know I'm really late, but... I'll protect her for life. So, we're good, right?

He's taking her with him, and he'll protect her for life. He's learned from Momiji, but he's still Kyo.

As they get ready to leave, Tohru starts reminiscing and starts to cry because she'll miss everyone so much.

Kyo: Clearly you don't get it. Listen up: everyone loves you more than you think they do. So it'll be okay. This isn't the last time you'll ever see them. It's the start of a new banquet, right?

In his last appearance, Kyo hugs her and cheers her up and offers a healthy dose of optimism for their future.

And the last time we see Momiji, he's sitting at the dojo with Haru and Rin.

Momiji: More importantly, how dare Kyo take Tohru with him! I bet he just wants her all to himself. I wanna pinch him! Really hard! Haru: Why not pinch him tomorrow? Momiji: Nah, I can't do it in front of Tohru. Oh, but thanks to him, I have another dream. I'm going to find an amazing significant other, and we're gonna go visit them just to show off! So Tohru had better stay happy. She'd better keep on smiling, or I'll be disappointed.

He's complaining and getting annoyed at Kyo (and threatening light physical violence!), but he's still dreaming of a bright future for himself. And he's trusting Kyo to keep cheering Tohru up in their new home.

When I started thinking about writing this series, the point I thought I'd be making was that Momiji functioned as Kyo's mentor in Fruits Basket. But after putting these posts together, I really think it'd be more accurate to say they were each other's mentors. Their relationship has a mutuality from the start. I hope they remained close as adults.

And I really hope Momiji found an amazing partner.

Momiji and Kyo: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Here's a plug for my fic, Bloom Within Us. It's a canon-divergent AU where Tohru dies after falling from the cliff. I've really enjoyed exploring Momiji and Kyo's relationship in that story. If you've enjoyed this series, I hope you'll check it out!

[cinderella-ish]

Kyo, Momiji, and the beach trip that changed everything (part 4 of 5)

So, the beach arc is one of the best parts of the beautiful story that is Fruits Basket. Functionally, it's the midpoint, occurring from chapters 54-65 (out of 136) of the manga, and episodes 31-35 (out of 63) of the anime.

What is the midpoint in story structure? From author K.M. Weiland's site Helping Writers Become Authors:

As the centerpiece of the story, the Midpoint in many ways encapsulates the entire point of the story. Plot, character arc, and theme all coincide here (more obviously even than usual) to provide the protagonist with at least the opportunity to see the world in a different and potentially more functional way than previously. Depending on what the character realizes and accepts at the Midpoint, he should be able to use this new knowledge to move onward more effectively toward the plot goal.

In the article I linked above, Weiland talks about the two halves of the story's midpoint: first is the plot revelation, where something key about the external plot is revealed to the protagonist; and second is the moment of truth, where the protagonist uses that new information to change their perspective on the story.

For Tohru, the main protagonist, the plot revelation is when Akito reveals that the cursed Sohmas will all return to her and Kyo will be confined after graduation. The moment of truth is when she decides she wants to break the curse.

For Yuki, second protagonist, the plot revelation is that Tohru was the little girl he saved all those years ago, and the moment of truth is that it's time for him to "open the lid" and accept his feelings for what they are.

Even Hiro experiences his own midpoint shift. His plot revelation is that Tohru, like him, has her own feelings hidden deep in her heart, and that she covers up her pain with a smile. His moment of truth is that he wants to stop taking out his frustration on Tohru.

So, let's look at the beach arc as it pertains to Momiji and Kyo and their character arcs.

First, we have this cute little moment where Momiji comes to let Kyo know about the trip.

Momiji: Kyo! Hey, Kyo. You sick? Kyo: I'm tired. I don't have the energy to talk to you. Get out. Momiji: Got it. *inhales* We're going to the vacation house tomorrow, so get packed! Kyo: (angrily) You don't get it! (calmly) Wait, tomorrow? To the vacation house? Momiji: Yep! Kyo: Don't 'Yep' me! Momiji: Wah! Kyo hit me! But you'll come, right? You won't say no, right? Right? Kyo: Stop bugging me. Momiji: Tohru will be sad if you don't come. We'll play together! We'll swim together! Kyo: I said to stop bugging me! I never said I wouldn't go. Sheesh. I'm so tired. Momiji: You've gotten nicer. Kyo: Huh? Momiji: Nothing! Oh yeah, I'm gonna catch stag beetles! And Hercules beetles! Kyo: You're being serious?

I love that Momiji is consistently the one to invite Kyo to do things. While Yuki is helping Tohru finish her homework, Momiji tells Kyo about the trip in the most obnoxious way possible. Kyo gets annoyed, naturally, and gives Momiji a bonk on the head. Momiji pretends to cry (as usual), but then asks Kyo if he'll come.

Momiji seems genuinely worried that Kyo won't come, and goes right for Kyo's weak spot to manipulate him, saying, "Tohru will be sad if you don't come."

I also love the soft look on Momiji's face when he says to Kyo, "You've gotten nicer." Cuuuuuute.

After they arrive, there are a few cute moments in the first day or so at the beach. When Momiji points out Tohru's swimming and Kyo goes to rescue her (because he knows she's holding her breath), he asks Momiji to teach her how to breathe while swimming. Here, Kyo demonstrates a great deal of trust in Momiji. Tohru's safety is the most important thing to him, and he's trusting Momiji to look out for her safety, too.

I also love Momiji's comment when Yuki baits Kyo into staying in the water to race. "They should just swim like normal people. How childish." Yeah, okay Momiji.

Later (and this may be a change for the anime, as I couldn't find it in the manga), when they're all looking at the beetles, Momiji says Kyo is the person who taught him the sugar water trick.

But soon, Akito arrives, and everything changes.

This is a great scene for understanding how Akito operates as an abuser, but to keep the focus on Kyo, it's when Akito brings up Tohru that Kyo's entire demeanor changes. He'd been crying, begging Akito to stop, at his lowest point both literally and figuratively, when Akito shifts the conversation from Kyo's mother (and, in his mind, Kyoko) to Tohru, and her reaction to his True Form.

He immediately shifts from self-pity to fear and then anger, yelling back at Akito, defending Tohru from Akito's accusations, even when Akito is yelling at him to shut up. Suddenly, he falls quiet, and we hear his internal monologue:

She knew that if she let go of my hand, I would never return. That I might never return to anybody. She didn't take up all my pain. She didn't fill in all the brokenness. But those... those weren't important. The most important thing was that she stayed with me. Finding joy in the smallest things, being happy and smiling so cheerfully... Why? She should think of herself more. Why? Doesn't she think she's getting the short end of the stick? She thinks that she's stupid, or that there's nothing good about her.

And then we see Momiji and hear his voice.

It's a waste of time to think about loss or life getting harder. The traveler never thought about that stuff. Even if other people think that makes her an idiot, I just don't. That's all. Yuki, Kyo, What about you? What do you think when you close your eyes?

We then see Kyo with his hands over his eyes, interspersed with images of Tohru and the sound of her saying his name, as he lowers his hands and looks directly at the camera, articulating exactly how he feels about Tohru.

I love you. I love you so much. Just as you are.

It's a great callback to The Foolish Traveler, and the way Momiji closed his eyes when he was reflecting on how he interpreted the story, opening them when he realized he saw it differently than his classmates.

The sequence where Kyo finally realizes his feelings for Tohru is beautiful, possibly one of the best-done sequences in the anime. It's painful and moving and both Yuma Uchida and Jerry Jewell deliver gorgeous performances as Kyo. This is Kyo's plot revelation.

But most importantly (for the purposes of this series of posts, at least), it's Momiji whose voice Kyo hears at this crucial moment. It's Momiji whose words lead Kyo to realize he's in love with Tohru.

There's a lot that happens between Kyo's revelation that he loves Tohru and when he finds her on the beach that evening, but it's less important to the relationship between Kyo and Momiji, so I won't include it in this post.

What is important, though, is Kyo's moment of truth. The thing he decides is to spend as much time with Tohru as possible while he's still free.

I love you. I don't want to take anything else from you. I don't want to trample you ever again. At some point, I hoped we could always be together somewhere far off, but I won't hope that anymore. I won't hope that I could make you my own anymore. I won't hope that, so please, at least... at least be by my side for the time I have left. I want to be with you. Until we're separated far apart.. until the last moment.

I wonder who put that idea in his head?

In the next episode, we get this conversation between Kyo and Momiji.

Momiji: Kyo, Akito didn't call you in tomorrow, right? Kyo: Nope. Momiji: Really? If I thought, 'Good for you,' would you get mad? Kyo: I wondered why you all abandoned Tohru as you were told like good little kids. But I see. If you prioritized Tohru over Akito, Akito would get mad, huh? That would just make Tohru look bad. You guys, including Yuki, were protecting Tohru from Akito, huh? Momiji: You make it sound like we were doing such a good thing. But that's not it. We've- I've been doing it all wrong. I'm selfish for wanting to make memories with Tohru, despite everything. I'm selfish for loving Tohru so much. Kyo: I'm selfish, too. Momiji: Hmm? Kyo: Never mind. Anyway, weren't you going on about watching something on TV earlier? Tohru: Momiji-kun! Kyo-kun! Momiji: I was so scared! Kyo was trying to mug me! Tohru: What? Kyo: Seriously, you think I'm some delinquent?!

They both display a vulnerability and honesty here that they've really only shown before to Tohru. Kyo's reflecting on his anger at Yuki, and Momiji's being much more straightforward than he usually is, stating his realizations as they're coming to him, rather than using them to manipulate. I also love the detail of Momiji correcting from "We've" to "I've." It really shows the change in his maturity that occurred during this arc.

I see this as Momiji's plot revelation, that fun isn't the most important thing when you love someone.

This is also the first time Kyo verbalizes his feelings for Tohru out loud, if obliquely. When he smiles to himself and says, "I'm selfish, too," he's referencing what Momiji just said, that he's selfish for loving Tohru so much. It's notable that the first time he does this is in front of Momiji, even if he doesn't repeat it when it's clear Momiji didn't hear what he said.

I think, from this point on, Momiji and Kyo are trusted confidants for each other. This will come up more in part 5, but I really just love the way their relationship matures here.

And then, Akito returns.

This is one of the most harrowing sequences in the anime. We know Akito's already in a bad mood, we know she blames Tohru for taking away her Zodiac, and we've seen exactly how she abuses those she serves as god.

Momiji: Akito. What are you doing here so late? Akito: I came to see Honda Tohru-san. I have to return home suddenly, you see. But I haven't seen Honda Tohru-san yet. Momiji: Right now? But Tohru's most likely sleeping. Akito: Wake her. Momiji: No. Akito, you're mad right now, right? You'll take out your anger on her, huh? Akito, what's wrong? Why are you so mad? Did something happen? Akito: Something happen? What? Why do you need to know? You want to get to know me? To understand me? Why? [Akito punches Momiji] Akito: You make me sick! Understand? Understand me? You just want to belittle me! You just want to define me by your twisted logic, to paint me as a villain! Tohru: Stop, please! Momiji: T- Tohru: Sto- stop, please! Akito: Stop? You're giving me an order. Terrible. Terrible. You're not a very nice person. Momiji: Akito! Akito: But Tohru. Honda Tohru, I was kind enough to come see you. I don't care how disrespectful you are to me. There's... there's something I came to tell you. Don't be so full of it, scum. You might think you saved Yuki and Kyo. Better take that arrogance down a notch right now. Let me tell you something. I'll tell you. Kyo, you see, after high school, will be confined. Just like the previous cat, confined for life.

It's here that we see Momiji is no longer there. In the manga, we see Momiji run away. Akito and Tohru's conflict continues, but I want to focus on Momiji's actions here.

When he understands the situation, he starts gently, reasoning that Tohru is probably sleeping. When that doesn't work, he moves to defy his god in order to protect her.

When Tohru shows up and puts herself between Momiji and Akito, Momiji is clearly upset. He'd only wanted to keep her from getting hurt, and now she's trying to protect him. He feels like he's failed, but the danger is still happening. When Akito takes Tohru by the head and starts telling her about Kyo's impending confinement, he runs for help.

Momiji likely blames himself for Tohru getting hurt. It was his idea to go to the beach house, and he angered Akito before Tohru arrived. His moment of truth is that he needs to focus on protecting Tohru and consider her safety in the future.

I wonder where he got that idea.

It's worth noting that this scene happens the same night as his hallway conversation with Kyo. While Kyo was beginning to understand that fighting isn't the only way to protect someone, and that sometimes you need to keep your head down and play the role in which you've been cast in order to protect someone, Momiji was learning the opposite lesson, that sometimes, you need to acknowledge the hard truths about a situation, that fun and pleasure don't erase pain, and that some things are worth fighting for.

Akito and Tohru's conflict ends when Kureno arrives and takes Akito back to the estate. Next, Shigure and Hatori arrive, and when Tohru asks why they're there, Shigure reveals where Momiji ran off to.

Shigure: Momicchi ran to me in terror. I didn't know what was wrong. Tohru: Is Momiji-kun hurt!? Where's Momiji-kun!? Hatori: Don't worry. He's right there. Tohru: Momiji-kun! Momiji-kun, are you all right?

Momiji tries to smile, but he can't, and he breaks down instead.

We've seen Momiji fake cry dozens of times before now. We've seen real tears from him only twice: once when he told Tohru about his mother (and even then, it was only after he transformed that he let himself cry), and once on Kisa's behalf, when he was telling the others about her bullying, and that he imagined how he'd feel if people laughed every time he spoke.

But this is the first time we've seen him break down.

Again, Momiji is blaming himself for what happened. He sees the mark on Tohru's face, and he knows she got hurt even worse after he left. He's upset that she ended up protecting him instead. He believes he's failed in every way. It's a feeling Kyo's incredibly familiar with.

But even though Momiji thinks he's responsible for Tohru getting hurt, everyone acknowledges he did something very difficult and brave.

Shigure: Well, Momicchi really hung in there. Compared to him, look at the other young folk. Hatori: Compared to him, look at us... right?

It's then revealed that Yuki, Kyo, and Haru were watching from just inside, and Haru was physically holding Kyo back from intervening.

Haru: See, Akito left. I told you Momiji would get the older ones. Kyo: I'm so pathetic I could puke.

Kyo is ashamed that he didn't act, even though he knows it wouldn't have helped, and might have gotten Tohru hurt worse.

Momiji and Kyo both feel responsible, but by thinking themselves responsible, they belie the fact that they don't hold the other person responsible. Kyo sees that Momiji actually did something, that he stood up to Akito, while he stood back and let Tohru get hurt. Momiji isn't upset that no one else stood up to Akito beside him. He's not even sure that was the right thing to have done.

But they're both wrong, of course. The only person who's actually responsible for Tohru getting hurt is Akito.

Thankfully, the arc ends with a nice moment of everyone enjoying fireworks together. They've all changed, but some things will always be the same.

Momiji: Let's do some sparklers together! Tohru: Okay! Momiji: Kyo! Come do them with us, Kyo! Kyo: So annoying. Just do them without me!

Yuki then baits Kyo into joining them, and the four sit together and do fireworks.

Even after everything that's happened, Momiji's still the one who invites Kyo to join in the fun.

Momiji and Kyo: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5

[cinderella-ish]

Momiji, Kyo, and the things they each do for love (part 2 of 5)

So, the next time we see Momiji appear with Kyo, we get nearly an entire episode of them together! And it's a hugely significant episode in setting up the way Momiji impact's Kyo's character arc.

Momiji walks home with Tohru after her job. Kyo reacts with his usual annoyance, giving Momiji a noogie. (I love that this is Kyo's go-to whenever Momiji shows up. It's adorable.)

Momiji then announces he's taking Tohru to a Sohma-owned onsen for White Day, but Tohru doesn't seem happy.

Tohru: A hot spring is so expensive... and I'd be going without Mom! Shigure: Whoah, Tohru-kun. It's just a hot spring, okay? It's not Paris or anything! Tohru: B-but... Momiji: He's right! And if you're happy, your Mutti will be happy for you! Or... do you not want to...? Tohru: I do. I'm happy. Momiji: Yuki and Kyo will come, too! Kyo: Where do you get off just deciding that, you brat? Momiji: Aw, don't say that! Let's go! What about you, Yuki? Are you against it, too? Yuki: I'll go. Why not? Momiji: Yuki says he's coming! Kyo: That makes me want to go even less!

Here, Momiji is manipulating Tohru into going with him. When Momiji asks her, "Or... do you not want to...?" we fill in the end of the sentence for him, assuming he's saying, "Do you not want to go?"

But what Tohru hears is "Do you not want to make your mom happy?"

We know not to trust Tohru when she tells us she's happy; we know she's hiding so much pain behind her constant smile. She's even crying when she tells Momiji she's happy. (And I'm sure Kyo feels horribly guilty here when she mentions her mother.)

Momiji may be manipulative, but he's still kind. Wanting to see Tohru smile, he announces that Yuki and Kyo will come, too, to try and make her happy, but Kyo pushes back.

There is so much richness in this single conversation, but what I love most is how it encapsulates the differences between what Kyo and Momiji value most, both for themselves and in their relationship to Tohru.

Momiji uses pleasure to distract from his own pain. In his view, having as much fun as possible is the secret to life, and pain is to be avoided at all costs. When it comes to Tohru, Momiji wants to spend as much time with her as possible and make as many happy memories together as they can. He wants her to smile, even if he has to manipulate people (including Tohru) for it to happen.

Kyo, on the other hand, cherishes agency. He knows he faces a future behind bars, so of course he bristles when other people try to make decisions for him (including relatively innocuous ones, like Momiji saying he'll come to the hot spring). Kyo still believes Tohru needs to be protected (especially from him), so his approach is generally to give her space and scold her when he thinks she's not being cautious enough. He's also extremely aware of the pain Tohru feels over the death of her mother, even if he's suppressing that. Anything that could bring that pain into sharper relief is a huge red flag for him. He wants her to be safe, even if that means he can't enjoy her company.

It's at this point that Shigure mentions Tohru is a month behind on her payments toward her school trip. (Also, look how Momiji is still hugging Kyo! So cute!)

When everyone (except Momiji) figures out it was because of the Valentine's Day chocolates, Kyo barely stops himself from flying into a rage, telling Tohru to go take a bath, now.

She leaves, and when Yuki asks why they didn't catch on, Kyo snaps that it's because she hides her feelings with a smile.

This shows us how well Kyo already understands Tohru. I also suspect his anger is not really at Tohru, but at himself for failing to protect her.

Next, Kyo starts venting about how stupid she is, how she'll end up deep in the hole one day, etc... which is when Momiji calmly speaks up and tells them about a book one of his classmates brought in to school, and we're treated to one of the most memorable sequences in the whole series: The Foolish Traveler.

Momiji's choice to tell that particular story in response to Kyo's complaints shows just how well he understands both Tohru and Kyo, and that his own cheerfulness is a conscious choice. We see that he's someone who believes looking past loss and seeing the good in a situation is a virtue, and he admires the foolish traveler (and Tohru) for it.

I really love the way this sequence was drawn. As Momiji is telling the story, Kyo and Yuki are shown with their eyes obscured, so Momiji's are the only eyes we see, except when he's taking time to reflect on how he interprets the story.

Everyone in class laughed. They called it a dumb story. But I closed my eyes and thought about it. I thought about the traveler who was swindled out of everything but her head, and still cried and said, "Thank you." And what I decided was... what a lovely person. It's a waste of time to think about loss or life getting harder. The traveler never thought about that stuff. Even if other people think that makes her an idiot, I just don't. That's all. Even if other people think it's worth tricking her, I just won't. I'll just want to make her happy for real. Yuki, Kyo, what about you? Do you think she was an idiot after all? What do you think when you close your eyes?

It's telling that the very next scene is Kyo agreeing to go to the onsen with Tohru after all. (This is honestly one of my favorite Kyoru moments and I think of it as the first sheet scene.)

Kyo tries to give himself an out, ("Though maybe you're fine with me not going...") but Tohru is ecstatic. Look how happy she is! And when she smiles and tears up, it's genuine this time.

Kyo naturally melts into a puddle of goo at Tohru's reaction (is this the first time we get the shojo bubbles with them?), and Momiji's the one to call him out on it, loudly pointing out Kyo's "heart eyes" to everyone. This is now the second time Momiji has verbalized Kyo's feelings for Tohru- and I believe he's the only character to have done so at all by this point. (Also, peep Momiji still hugging Kyo after Yuki wakes up! Cuuuuute!)

They arrive at the onsen, and Okami (Ritsu's mother, the proprietress) shows them their rooms.

Kyo: So this means I've gotta share a room with damn Yuki? Okami: I see you two still don't get along. I'll put up screens to partition the room. Please rest easy. Kyo: That's not the issue! Why do I even have to be here with him at- Momiji: I bet you're just saying that 'cause you wanna sleep in Tohru's room! Kyo: Huh!?

Momiji knows exactly how to press Kyo's buttons. But, more importantly, he's stopping Kyo from saying something he'd regret, something that might hurt Tohru's feelings.

After Okami loses her shit at Kyo, Momiji asks to bathe with Tohru, and Kyo immediately tells him off. After Yuki successfully scolds Momiji, he asks to share a room with Tohru, thereby doing exactly the thing he was teasing Kyo about just moments earlier.

I think, to Momiji, wanting to spend as much time as possible with Tohru is just the most obvious thing in the world, so naturally, it must be what Kyo wants, too!

After the baths, when Kyo is about to destroy the ping pong table after failing to score against Yuki, Tohru asks him to battle (probably to defuse the tension between them). Momiji encourages Kyo to play, and right after he does, we cut to Kyo playing with Tohru.

I think this is a small example of how Momiji gets Kyo to spend more time with Tohru. The onsen trip itself is a bigger example, of course, but even little things like encouraging Kyo to play ping pong with her help push them together.

Kyo and Momiji start playing each other while Tohru leaves to check on Yuki, and just look how happy they are! Cuuute!

I also love the chaos of this ending. Okami is using Kyo as a crutch. He complains, but doesn't stop her from doing so. Tohru asks Momiji if he'll be starting middle school and is shocked to learn he's only a year younger than them. Kyo is grouchy when Momiji reveals he and Haru will both be coming to Kaibara, but Kyo softens pretty much immediately, merely expressing surprise that Haru was allowed in with his unique hair.

Kyo almost seems to express affection - to both Momiji AND Tohru - by acting irritated on the surface. (What's extra cute is that Hajime kind of does this, too, always seeming somewhat exasperated at Mutsuki despite the fact that they're obviously in love.)

Anyway, this is among my very favorite episodes of Fruits Basket, and I hope you enjoyed reading this!

Momiji and Kyo: Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

[cinderella-ish]

Kyo and Momiji: interlude (part 3 of 5)

So, here are just some cute scenes from late S1/early S2 that also inform us of the nature of their relationship.

First, these gems from the Hiro episode.

Momiji immediately figures out what's going on when Hiro starts castigating Kisa for bringing the Mogeta DVD to Tohru instead of watching it with him. When Kisa expresses confusion, Momiji cheerfully says, "Hiro's being unreasonable!"

Soon after, we get this delightful moment:

Kyo: What the heck is going on? Momiji: You're so dense, Kyo. Kyo: Huh? Momiji: Hiro was jealous of Tohru. He's trying his best, but he's still a sixth grader. He's awkward about his feelings.

(cut to Kisa and Hiro talking, then back to our faves)

Tohru: Ah, so I was his romantic rival! Momiji: That's rough for you, Tohru! Kyo: Huh?

And later, when Tohru sentences Hiro to "hug penalty," Kyo's response is adorably telling.

Kyo: Seriously? How is that a punishment? Momiji: *giggles*

I mean, just look at Momiji's face when he calls Kyo dense! But also, it's extremely telling that Kyo trusts Momiji enough to ask him what's going on.

I think this interaction highlights the difference between their people skills. Kyo is good at getting a read on people; he can tell when someone's upset, when someone is genuinely happy, etc... but he may not always be able to verbalize what's at the core of their feelings. He immediately knows Hiro has done something to upset Tohru, but he can't make the leap to understanding it has anything to do with Kisa. I wonder how much of this was a survival/coping mechanism he picked up because of his status as the cat. He would need to be good at getting a quick read on people, especially his biological father, for his own safety.

Momiji, on the other hand, is very good at understanding the underlying things that drive people (knowing that Tohru values her mother when he wants to convince Tohru to go to the onsen, for example, or knowing that Hatori is really just trying to protect Tohru in Spring Comes, or- in this very scene- knowing that Hiro cares about Kisa more than anything), but either can't always tell when people are down and need to talk to someone, or just doesn't like giving space to negative emotions. I suspect this is because of his own traumatic childhood; he needed a narrative way to understand what his parents did, to empathize with them so he wouldn't hate them. He had time to reflect on and understand their perspective, even if it still hurts him.

Momiji uses his ability to understand people's driving forces to manipulate them (not necessarily a bad thing - he manipulates Hiro into apologizing to Tohru and returning her pocketbook by bringing Kisa into the situation, for example). Kyo uses his ability to read people in the moment to make sure his loved ones are safe and happy.

Something else I find interesting here is that the interaction between Kisa and Hiro is a bit of a microcosm of Kyo and Tohru's relationship, right down to Momiji's role as interpreter and catalyst. Momiji's the one who brings Kisa into the situation

Just a cute li'l brotherly moment between them in the episode where Tohru gets sick.

Here, Kyo, Tohru, Arisa, and Saki are planning for their Kyoto trip, and Kyo is being a grouch about having to spend time with Yuki. Momiji scolds him for focusing on that instead of the fact that he gets to spend time with Tohru (something we've seen Momiji scold Kyo for before).

Momiji: Kyo, you dumbo! You already get to go with Tohru! Don't be so selfish! Kyo: Oi. Momiji: I wish I could go with Tohru! I want to eat deer crackers with her! Arisa: Can't eat 'em. Momiji: Kyo, you don't wanna? You don't wanna do stuff with Tohru? Kyo: Idio- 'Course I- Saki: 'Course you-? Arisa: 'Course you-? Momiji: 'Course you-? Kyo: Yeah! This is exactly how you all mess with me! Arisa: It's out of love, I tell ya!

And this scene, after Mayu pours the bucket of water on Kyo and Haru, where Kyo scolds Tohru (again, one way he shows affection), Momiji translates for him/verbalizes Kyo's affection for Tohru again, and Kyo gets embarrassed (cuuuute).

Kyo: And you. Stay away from Haru if he turns dark. Tohru: Huh? Kyo: You can't be trusted not to get hurt. Tohru: O-oh, but that would be rude to Hatsuharu-san... Kyo: He's the one who's rude! Tohru: B-but that's- Kyo: Sheesh, you don't get it at all. Momiji: "I couldn't stand that happening!" is what Kyo wants to say, I'm sure. Tohru: Eh? Kyo: Momiji! Get outta here! Leave! Stop blabbing abou-

It's worth noting that Kyo's scolding Tohru because she could have gotten hurt, and he cuts himself off when he catches sight of his beads and is reminded that he once hurt Tohru, too. Tohru getting hurt is the worst possible outcome of any situation for him.

Just another cute brotherly moment complete with a big brother noogie from Kyo.

The scene where Momiji takes them to the haunted house is also a great little moment showcasing the different ways they show they love Tohru.

Momiji: Here! This is it! Wow, it looks like so much fun! Yuki and Kyo (internally): This... has gotta be... Momiji: So exciting! Let's go! Kyo: Hold your horses, kid! Yuki: Why don't we ask everybody if they want to enter first? Like Honda-san. Haru: She's speechless. Kyo: That means no. Let's go home. Momiji: Aw, Tohru, you can't? You're scared? Tohru: N-no! Well, if you ask if I'm scared, I would have to say I am! But they say that if you clear your mind of worldly thoughts, even fire doesn't feel hot! I can't keep avoiding it! Kyo: Actually, it's fine to avoid it. Tohru: I'm going to enter and show you I can! Go me!

Again, Momiji wants to do fun things with Tohru, while Kyo wants to protect her.

Inside the haunted house is hilarious, too. Yuki and Kyo are both exasperated by the other three, and both of them scold Tohru for closing her eyes or trying to laugh her way through (like Momiji). Kyo teases her, too, which is always delightful. When she falls, Kyo and Yuki both offer their hands, then immediately start fighting. Momiji takes her hand and scolds the two of them.

Momiji: Don't ignore a girl as you fight! It's a no-no! Kyo: Shut up, brat! Hurry and go! Yuki: He's right, though.

Momiji is again telling Kyo to worry less about his hatred for Yuki and more about his love for Tohru, which seems to be a recurring theme. Hmmmm....

Anyway, part 4 will be the beach arc! Hope you enjoyed reading!

Momiji and Kyo: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5