The adored 2001 version of the ‘Fruits Basket’ has always been a fan favorite and has attracted continuous viewership over the years. Though the story abruptly ended, the characters and the plot drew the fans in. Things took a completely different turn when it was again released in 2019.
In 2019, a rebooted version of Fruits Basket took the stage with the full intention of tying the previous knots. Well, it did its work miraculously. The new animated version took the net by storm once again with its adorable characters, a dark understory, and of course romance.
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Fruits Basket: 2001
The 2001 Fruits Basket abruptly ended its series. The whole plot was about Tooru and the 12 cursed Zodiac signs. Her involvement with each of the characters was supposed to bring them closer to freedom, but it was never shown in the series.
Akito’s backstory (the antagonist of the series ) has never been revealed and has been portrayed as someone with psychotic problems. He continuously tortures the Zodiacs whenever they try to love someone or get close to one. It was never shown if Tooru broke the curse successfully or not.
Moreover, not all the 12 Zodiacs were shown in the first series. That was a lot disappointing to the viewers. Then again there’s also been no conclusion to the love triangle between Tooru, Kyo, and Yuki. It’s not even hinted at who Tooru will choose in the end. The first series, though gained popularity didn’t tie any loose ends.
Fruits Basket: 2019
The recent Fruits Basket series is much better than its ancestor. The story though started with a slight pace soon turns into a dark and mysterious one. The transition between these is beautifully drawn. All the characters in the story get their own ending with a glimpse of their backstory.
In the 2019 version, they also completed the 12 sets of Zodiacs. It’s more of a dark and mature tone, as it portrays the deep emotional trauma caused by Akito. Each Zodiac greatly suffered at his hands. There are two plot twists that I loved in the series.
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It’s revealed that Akito is not who he appears to be and so is Shigure. He’s not the happy-go-lucky character, but an obsessive, calculating person who doesn’t really hesitate to sacrifice anyone to gain his ultimate goal. In the end, Tooru successfully obliterates the curse from each of Soma’s family members and frees them.
The missing Zodiacs, Tooru’s mother Kyoko, and even the hat that kept appearing since the beginning of the 2019 series are clearly explained. You’ll feel a much deeper bond with each of the characters, unable to hate anyone fully. To put the cherry on top, Tooru has her own romantic ending, and so do most of the characters.
Conclusion
Though both are vastly the same as one another, there are scenes that were deleted in the 2019 version, rightfully so. Unimportant parts gained no attention, while the 2019 series highlighted the plot. The visuals are great in 2019 compared to 2001. It’s an intricately woven series, which one should surely watch.
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