Manga Diaries – Fruits Basket Volume 22

If you don’t know what my diaries are, please go here. Spoilers ahoy!

Otherwise, let’s go!

• Page 13: Well, at least we start off with Kyo this time.
• 19: Kyo finally going to fight his fate.
• 22-23: Another parent who needs therapy. If somebody wanted to write a psychology book about this family, they’d have enough material to write for their rest of their lives.
• 24: The truth comes out.
• 30: Ah, it’s the hag.
• 32: Now she looks like Yuki.
• 35: Hiro’s really matured. You know, Takaya should have just blamed the art change on the curse.
• 37: One of the worst ways to have your confession interrupted.
• 44: Scarred Kyonkichi.
• 46: Bakyo. Baka + kyo.
• 51: Hana seems very motherly here. Practicing?
• 54: Can’t beat Hana’s waves.
• 60-61: Arisa really inheriting the Red Butterfly’s legacy.
• 64: Hana’s got a new toy.
• 65: Meanwhile, I guess Hana has inherited Tohru’s legacy.
• 70: Another couple down.
• 79: Others still don’t know the truth, I guess.
• 81: Yuki Troll Mode activated.
• 83: Kyo: ME TURN!!! ME TURN!!!
• 88: Kimi interrupts.
• 92-93: The strange couple returns.
• 98: Tohru finally reappears.
• 100: Best. Reunion. Ever. Hahaha!
• 101: Tohru’s best friends look like they’re ready to start their modeling career. “Goth and Yankee”, I can see the line being a hit.
• 108: Even the cat knows. I miss a lot of this light humor.
• 120-122: Finally…but we still have a volume and a half to go.
• 127: Just call it mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
• 129: She doesn’t look like Tohru at all anymore.
• 132-133: Dun dun dun!
• 146: Cool image…would have been screwed if there was like a “Final Boss” where the cat monster had to be consoled or something.
• 150: Ayame immediately pouncing on Mine.
• 151: Ritsu getting his required two seconds of pagetime.
• 166: Another cool image.
• 167-182: This would have made a cute storybook like the one included with that Chobits CD.
• 186: Alternate storyline: “I turn into a rat when I hug a girl.” “…” “It’s true, see!” *nothing happens* “President, go to the hospital.” “But it’s true! It was, until just now! Believe me!”
• 192: Papa’s so happy.
• 196: Of course, the volume ends with Tohru hugging a girl.

So, in the end, the cat was the wise one. It kind of reminds me of the manga Aries, a manga that deals with Greek mythology where the story that’s been told and passed down is not the truth.

So several couples are confirmed. Overall, the manga could have probably ended with this volume with only a few minor changes. Everyone’s happy, and the cat is the real hero of the story. I don’t think the next volume addresses how the cat turned into a monster, but I’d love to know that story.

Not much to say, as we’re on the home stretch. This is all just wrap-up.