Fusion post: Top 5 Anime/Manga Couples

Hey there audience! 

In the spirit of ol' Saint Valentine (you know, the guy who was beheaded in Rome for marrying lovers in secret in opposition to the tyrannical rule of Emperor Claudius the Cruel?) Alice and I have gotten together to present our own personal Top 5 Anime/Manga Couples!

Now, Alice brought up a pretty good point when we were talking about the idea, we are guys and girls. In fact, I even think that it is safe to say that about 92% of all anime watchers on this planet are boys and girls.

So, not only will our lists and opinions differ semi-radically but the way that our readers will be looking at this lists might also play into this here... We will just have to see!

If we haven't included any of your favorites, we likely have not seen the anime that the couple is featured in. So we apologize in advance for that! 

We had hoped to post this on Valentines Day, but because science beckoned and we got into our writing/perfectionist modes, we came a bit late.

So without further adeu, we dive into the world of the animangaverse to ask the question "What is love?" and to ultimately decide from our viewing/reading experiences who plays that game the best.

Here are your countdowns offered by your very own dynamic duo: Alice and AvatarHippo!

We both hope you enjoy!

Fruits Basket: Bittersweet Yet Mostly Bitter Kiss

Yes!!!! The day has finally come! Tohru and Kyo finally kissed! But...it wasn't much of a victorious kiss. It was an incredibly heart touching, sad moment for the two of them. I deem this the best climax I've ever read. Here's the story of what happened...in picture style:

Tohru forgived Kyo for "killing" her mother, even saying that she disagreed with her mother not forgiving Kyo before she died. What did Kyo do? He said "you're disillusioned" and ran away...asshole -_-

Akito meets up with a crying Tohru, telling her how hurt and jealous she is of her. How everyone is now siding with Tohru and breaking the bond with Akito. Having just broken the bond with her mother, Tohru tells Akito the truth about bonds: that they don't last. However, she does say that there is still time to create new bonds and start over. So she reaches out her hand and says, "Let's be friends"

Ok, this part got me confused at first. I thought Tohru falling off the cliff was just a metaphor or delusion in Akito's mind, but people...that shit went down. Akito freaks out, having lost her first and only friend. Yuki finds Tohru first, on the floor bleeding, and Kyo follows.

Kyo says the sweetest things. Seeing Tohru laying in a pool of blood, he gets flashbacks of Kyoko. He breaks down, begging her not to leave. Not to give up. That even though she'll make mistakes, and mess up, that she still has to live. He needs her, and can't bear seeing her like this.

Tohru wakes up, begging Kyo now, to stop worrying. That she's alright, that it's ok. Kyo stops her, and then they kiss, both of them crying. 

I love this manga so much. It's the most heartwarming, heartwrenching, tear jerking manga I have ever read. I will admit it: I cried like a little baby in these few chapters.  This includes: *Chapters 120-123*

Fruits Basket: The Mystery Behind Kyo and Kyoko

Kyo :'(

My heart is breaking. My eyes are tearing up. I never would have thought that a cartoon could bring me this much heartache. I've officially reached the bittersweet zone of the Fruit's Basket manga, and everything seems to be unraveling in the story. Chaper 119: "Do You Love Me?" broke my heart. To recap, Tohru finally confronts Kyo with her feelings, asking whether he loves her. Kyo responds by asking about her mother, whether she truly loves her mother, and that she shouldn't love him. We then learn the history behind Kyo and Kyoko: they met one day when Kyoko spotted a young Kyo, and approched him to tease him about his funny looking hair. For weeks, the two would meet up with each other and talk about many things, Tohru being one of them. The day that Tohru got lost, Kyo made a promise to Kyoko, saying that he would always protect Tohru. However, Yuki ended up being the one to find her, and that hurt Kyo. He cursed the rat, saying that even though he found Tohru, he was still evil. He ran away, with Kyoko smiling and shouting, "don't forget your promise" behind him. They didn't meet again...until the day of her accident. There, in that moment, Kyo had had the chance to save her, but in order to do so, he would have to hold her. Worried about his curse being discovered, he let her die.

Kyo took the blame for Kyoko's death, and Tohru's sorrow. This whole time he must have wondering whether getting close to Tohru was a good idea. Whether getting close to her would hurt her in the end.  His hurt, pain, and guilt was just too much to handle. I literally screamed at my computer screen, saying, "it's not you fault!! You don't need to make youself unhappy because of that!" I can't imagine how he must have felt when he saw Kyoko die. Added to the guilt that has been put on him because of his own mother's death. I want to hug him right now. Poor Kyo...poor Tohru.

Fruits Basket: Momiji Grew Up!

That sexy man with his hand on Tohru's shoulder?
Yep, that's the new and improved Momiji!! (He's still as childish as ever though)

A young, cheerful Momiji...Still not
able to wear the boy's uniform

He guys! I'm right now reading page 6 of chapter 111 of Fruits Basket, and I literally had to stop reading it just so I can gush about what I just saw. That is, Momiji-kun as an adult!! Like! Jesus! He's a man after all! A super hot man (fangirl squeel)! It's such a surprise to see Momiji looking like that. The anime hinted that he would grow older and eventually be able to wear the boy's uniform, but I never thought that they day would come. Wow, now all the flirting and affection that Tohru and him give each other will seem more like a couply thing, rather than a cutesy friendship thing. He's so cute!

Akito is a Woman?: The Twisted Love Triangle

Akito, the evil little demon child of the Sohma household. Akito, the possessive child that rules the junishi. I've always wondered why he was so mean towards the women of the 12 zodiac. But now I understand...It's because he, himself, is a woman!

In chapter 97 we finally learn the reason why Kureno didn't want to see Arisa again. We not only learned that he was freed by the cruse, but that it was his choice to stay with Akito. Apparently, the fact that Kureno left the junishi affected her greatly. She then became incredibly possessive of Kureno. Since Kureno can't stand to see her cry, he puts his feelings for Arisa aside in order to not hurt Akito. Kureno seems to be sort of like Tohru, huh?
Apparently, Shigure used to be Akito's favorite, and he was deeply in love with her. In chapter 100 Shigure and Akito confront each other, and Akito explains that he kicked Shigure out because he slept with her mother, Ren. Due to Akito and Ren's bad relationship and hatred for each other, Shigure knew that doing that would force Akito to throw him out. However, instead of wanting to be thrown out because he wanted freedom, we learn that Shigure did it because he loved Akito. Since Akito slep with Kureno, Shigure felt betrayed and unloved by Akito. Once Akito learned his true reasons for sleeping with her mother, the two make up. Shigure tells her that he loves her, and the two end up sleeping together at the end of the chapter.
I find this all rather disturbing.

Is This Love?

Is this love, is this love, is this love, that they're feeling?? Muahaha! The cat and mouse finally have something in common. And what is that? They've finally admitted that they love Tohru!! (Though Kyo said it more straightforward)

Yuki's Moment

After an encounter with Akito at the Sohma's beach house, a shaken Yuki takes a walk to sort out his thoughts. He then meets Tohru, who was searching worriedly for the others (who had gone to visit Akito in the guest house). The two share the sight of a shooting star, while Yuki tells Tohru what he's been feeling. He says that he knows exactly what will happen when he opens the "tightly closed lid"( I still am not sure what he's refering to here, but I think it has to do something with his past with Akito). He finally tells Tohru that he was the young boy who help Tohru when she was a little girl, explaining the mystery of the baseball hat. The fact that Tohru was the first person to need him, made Yuki realize how important she was to him. Yuki and Tohru share a heartfelt moment under the stars. Yuki kisses her forehead, and whispers soft words to her. Yet, behind the love, we still feel Yuki's pain, and Tohru's worry.

"You're just like the sky above...touching my heart with bittersweet sadness
...and yet, so dear and precious to me"

Kyo's Moment

Okay, so I'm gonna stop hiding this from you guys - I'm a total Kyo fan. He's just so...gaahh. And he and Tohru seem perfect for each other! Now, to the recap. Akito calls Kyo to his room, where we learn of Kyo's unfortunate future. If he doesn't "beat" Yuki before the end of his highschool career, he will be imprisoned and face the same fate as his Shishou's grandfather (past cat spirit). 

Akito throws insult after insult towards Kyo, saying that he was a monster, that he killed his mother, that he didn't deserve to love or be loved. However, it's when he calls Tohru a monster that Kyo snaps. He shouts at Akito, telling him how scared Tohru was of his true form. But, dispite her fear, she kept holding his hand* and accepted him and his true form. If she had let go, he would definitely have ran away from everyone. That's when he recalls Momiji's story of the foolish traveler and, with teary eyes, he thinks to himself..."How is it, that I love her so much?" 

"Had it been too unbearable not to love you?"

My eyes began tearing up since chapter 59 (Yuki's moment), but chapter 62 and 63 pushed me over the edge. Poor Kyo- He's the "monster" of the family. A boy who has been bashed and blamed for the death of his mother. A boy who has no future to dream of, whose fate is to be confined in a dark room. The thought that Tohru opened his heart into believing that he can love, and the selflessness he shows towards her just breaks my heart...in such a happy way. Is that even possible?
*Note: In the manga, Yuki was not with them, and Tohru and Akito did not encounter each other in this chapter (unlike the anime).

Fruits Basket: The End

Episode 25 "True Form"

Tohru sees Kyo's true form, and Kyo, in turn, flees from her sight. Tohru chases after him, fully willing to accept Kyo for who he is. While chasing him, she stops to throw up, meeting Akito. He tells her that she deserves to suffer, that she doesn't belong with the Sohmas, and that her suffering will not end. Shigure steps in, shooing Akito away, and apologizes to Tohru, saying that she can end it all now. Tohru ignores him, silently walking away from him. Back at the house Kagura tells Yuki that Tohru is the only one who can save Kyo, and that makes Yuki go after her. We then learn that Kyo's shishou is actually his adopted father. Hanajima and Uotani find Tohru crying at her mother's grave, saying that she no longer belongs with the Sohmas. Hanajima reads Tohru's "waves" and convinces her to "do what she needs to do", refering to Kyo.

Bye bye beads, hello true Kyo

Kawaii Kyo from his Shishou's flashback
 Episode 26 "Let's Go Home" 

We learn that Kyo's mother was so afraid of Kyo's true form, that she would cover up her fear with love. However, the young Kyo realized what she was doing and noticed that she was ashamed of him. This caused Kyo to hate himself. When Tohru and Yuki find him, his immediate reaction was to run, but Yuki holds him down, and Tohru grabs his arm, telling him that she accepts him, and wants to stay together. The rain stops, Kyo turns back to normal, and the two embrace. Tohru carries Kyo home. The next day, Kyo's shishou leaves, and Kyo says that he will one day become a man who is worthy of calling him his father. Later, Tohru tells Shigure that she wants to see Akito. We then learn that Akito is cursed with all the zodiacs, and that he was born to die. Yuki, Shigure, and Hatori accompany her to the Sohma's main house. Upon meeting Akito, she is grabbed by the hair and abused. She starts crying, not out of pain, but for Akito. She realizes all the pain and suffering that he went through, and tells him that if he were meant to die, he wouldn't be alive right now. Akito, touched by her words, lets her stay with the Sohmas. Kyo greets the four at home, and everything seems to have gone back to normal. The final scene shows Tohru running after Kyo and Yuki with a smile on her face. 

"I'm scared. You're scaring me...but I want to keep living togther,
eating together...and worrying together"

"Why is someone like you, always crying by my side?"

"I can't image what Akito is feeling"

Let's go home

Though the ending of the anime didn't follow the manga, it was just as good. Fruits Basket is an anime that can make you laugh and cry all at the same time. The heartwarming story of Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo is tinted with the melancholy truth behind the Sohma's curse. The character development was excellent, and it shows that all things can be healed with just a little love. This is definately a series that I won't forget. I've finally reached the end of this anime, and I'm so sad to see it end.

Fruits Basket: The Beginning of the End

The last few episodes of an anime series is what I like to call the "bittersweet zone". On one hand, you so desperately want to see how the story ends, how loose ends are tied up, how relationships are kindled or broken. On the other hand, you don't want to face the reality that the single thing that has saved you from boredom, is ending.
I'm on episode 24 of Fruits Basket. I have officially entered the bittersweet zone. This episode set up the confrontation with Kyou's true form. I've read the manga, and know exactly what's going to happen, yet I'm still reluctant to finish the series. I have two episodes left, and exactly an hour left until I have to go to bed. But...I can't bring myself to do it! I don't want to accept that this is the end :(.
So, guess I'll just have to procrastinate in finishing this series. However, when I finally reach the end, don't expect my obsession to end.

Fruits Basket

This sweet, shoujo anime follows the story of Tohru Honda, a girl who lost her father at a young age and recently her mother. Abandoned by her grandfather, Tohru decides to live in a tent, unknowingly staying on Sohma property. Once she is discovered, and her tent is destroyed, she then is forced to live with the Sohmas: Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure. The Sohma family is cursed, with thirteen of them possessing the spirit of a Chinese zodiac animal. Whenever they become tired, or are hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into the animal that possesses them.Yuki is the rat, Shigure the dog, and Kyo is the cat that was tricked into missing the induction banquet of the zodiac.

I'm on chapter 26 of the manga and episode 8 of the anime. So far I've found it to be incredibly heart warming. Though the story isn't fast paced or complex, the characters make it for me. Tohru is such a sweet, optimistic, and strong girl, whose personality proves to help Yuki and Kyo open up. The series itself is actually quite sad at times, as you see how their curses effect their life and love. However, the comical side of the series truly proves to be comical (laughed my head off at the end of the first episode. And when Haru turned into a cow? Good stuff). This is a great series for any woman (or man) out there.

To watch the first episode of Fruits Basket click here.