Fruits Basket aced the romance genre with mutual care and respect between the characters. The romance was a slow burn with its fair share of tear-jerking moments. We were introduced to different characters and how they come together to support each other. The show also highlighted the difference between platonic love and romantic love.
- While there are multiple pairings in Fruits Basket, the central duo stands out for being the best of them all. Given that they got the most screen time as well.Â
- Ever since the beginning Kyo always perceived Tohru as an equal. He never put her on a pedestal and helped her in opening up more. Their initial attraction towards each other blossomed into resilient love. But we know all of this because Kyo and Tohru ended up together, is there someone else better suited for her?
Fruits Basket: Top 3 characters who could be Tohru’s Love Interest, if not Kyo
Kyo and Tohru are one of the best-written pairs across all shojo anime. Their romance was gradual and sweet. The viewers and readers were given time to warm up to the characters. In the last volume, Natsuki Takaya mentioned light-heartedly that if Kyo messes up, she’d have Tohru end up with one of the other characters.
The potential romantic interests surprisingly included Akito and, unsurprisingly, Momiji. Let’s entertain that idea and see who would Tohru end up with if not Kyo. This list doesn’t include Yuki as he clarified that he feels like Tohru is a guardian to him.Â
3. Hatori Sohma
The age gap is a bit problematic but out of all the Sohmas, Hatori was the most normal with Tohru. He never put Tohru on a pedestal. He was considerate of her in a more natural way as compared to the others. He looked out for her and was attentive to her needs. We are aware of how clumsy Tohru can be. It’ll come in handy if she always has someone by her side to treat her injuries.Â
2. Isuzu Sohma
Due respect to the author’s wishes regarding the characters’ preferences. Hypothetically, if Tohru was even slightly attracted to females, Rin would be her perfect match. Rin was very similar to Kyo in the way she perceived Tohru. She realized that beyond kindness, there’s a lot to Tohru. She never expected Tohru to look out for her and took her time accepting her kindness and care.
It felt like she acknowledged her strengths and weaknesses all the same. She also mentioned how Haru and Tohru resemble each other. Both of them extend their kindness to those they love. Rin gets brownie points as Tohru admires her beauty.Â
1. Momiji Sohma
Momiji gets the best boy trophy in Fruits Basket. He supported Tohru from day 1. Even if there was something he didn’t agree with, he still supported Tohru with it. An example of this is the moment when Tohru wanted to see Kureno. Momiji also became a love rival in season 3 after puberty hit him.
His sincerity towards Kyo while confessing his feelings was commendable. He always looked out for everyone, not just Tohru. Throughout the series, he was consistent with his feelings towards Tohru. Before the romance angle which was introduced in season 3, he was selfless and attentive towards Tohru.Â
Conclusion
Every character puts Tohru on a pedestal except for a few including Kyo. All the characters except for Momiji in this list can be scratched out without a second thought. Kyo was always the first one to realize when something was bothering Tohru. They provided each other with the security of having a safe space where they could let loose. No wonder they ended up being the endgame, Kyoru for the win!
I agree, all couples were written well for each other. I can’t place Hatori and Tohru though, but I could see Momiji and Tohru.
Kyo was always the first one to notice when Tohru was acting off. Their romance took too slow to build for me, but it’s understandable due to all the prior trauma both endured. I get it. Really happy they eventually found confidence to be together despite the odds.