Manga Diaries – Fruits Basket Volume 23

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

Otherwise, let’s go!

Last volume!! Hooray!

One thing you immediately notice is how much thinner this volume is. The paper is much thinner. I guess they sacrificed page quality for the color insert. It’s a bit of a disappointment considering this is the final volume, and Tokyopop even went the extra mile to include fan art and stuff.

• Page 13: Here’s a spicy image to start off the final volume.
• 17: I wonder how Ritchan dresses on dates.
• 19: Gotcha moment!
• 20: Haru has two loves.
• 24: Akito-chan.
• 25: Poor Ritchan thought he found a kindred spirit.
• 31-37: I feel like “Moon Revenge” from Sailor Moon R: The Movie would work really well in this scene. It’s one of my favorite songs. I wouldn’t mind hearing an official English version, but no one will top Peach Hips.
• 41-42: Another couple confirmed. Only a couple more to go.
• 43: Tohru x Kyo fanservice.
• 46: Everyone’s shocked by Kyo’s progression.
• 48: Holidays are really going to be a huge reunion, aren’t they?
• 51: Tohru is popular with both genders.
• 56: Supervised dating.
• 59: Quickly changed his mind.
• 63: Rin makes a good point. Some people can forgive so easily, but others can’t.
• 65: Rin’s outfit makes her look like Hatsune Miku.
• 68: Akito moving forward.
• 70: But hag can’t.
• 71: You’ll be fighting suitors, surrogate children, wannabe siblings, friends, and family forever, Kyo.
• 72: Haru is very detailed here. /sarcasm
• 75: My little pony! I used to wonder what friendship could be…
• 79: So what would Hana name her familiar? Any ideas?
• 80: No more cat-boy.
• 88: Mine is more popular than Ayame. No surprise there.
• 92: Always sad to see a friend go.
• 94: LOL.
• 96: I can still see Tohru calling Hana “Mother”/”Mother-in-law”, but Hana wouldn’t allow it from Tohru. But Hana wouldn’t mind making her daughter-in-law cook though!
• 99: Another crazy family is born.
• 100: I’m surprised Tokyopop erased the “Honda Family” on the grave and replaced it with English.
• 102: Beads in her hair. That must have taken work.
• 104: …And then Tokyopop leaves the grave untouched here.
• 110: Uh, Tohru once lived in a tent. If she has a real roof, it’s still a step up.
• 116: I thought we’d see Kyoko’s ghost from behind on this page.
• 124: Of course, we knew either Kyo misheard/misread her lips or there was something more to Kyoko’s words.
• 128-132: Kind of unusual to use an ocean motif without having water or the sea be a theme. I mean, most artists would have Katsuya coming down from Heaven or something, not walking on water.
• 143: Mood spoiled.
• 145: Yuki will always tease the one he loves.
• 148: I actually didn’t know this was Ritchan. I missed the “Mitsuru-san”, and it wasn’t until Kagura called him by name when I realized who this was.
• 149: The real loser of this manga: Kagura.
• 153: Rin’s raburabu time being interrupted by Momiji.
• 154: I wonder what kind of girl Momiji will choose…
• 156: Say hello to the new mistress of the house, Kunimitsu.
• 161: Machi is going to have an interesting brother- and sister-in-law. But any child of hers is bound to be well-dressed.
• 163: Mayu feeling like a baa-san.
• 166: Akito is going to be even more clingy than Kisa.
• 173: Yuki reveals his feelings.
• 176: Everyone: Tohru >>>>>> Kyo.
• 178: Calls her by name at the very end.
• 183: Not even “Tohru-san”. But cute cookies. I’d eat them.
• 184-185: A beautiful visual.
• 186: I’m guessing Kyo and Tohru had a Japanese-style wedding. Makes sense, with Kyo inheriting a dojo. But I’m sure everyone would have loved to see her in a a flowing white wedding dress. The others might be their kids, two boys perhaps?

The end. Not going to say much here, as I’ll save my comments for my post-reading thoughts. Overall, though, not much happened here outside of providing some more information about the future. A lot of this could have been combined with the last volume or done in a quick montage. But Kagura and Momiji are the only major Sohma family members who end up alone. Kagura was rejected quite a long time ago, so she had plenty of time to meet someone in college or at work. Momiji’s crush came late, but with all the attention on their school life, he could have met someone as well. It just seems a little unfair that even Kakeru got quite a bit of attention, yet neither Momiji or Kagura even have a small encounter in this series. Momiji should have at least seen Momo again as a consolation prize.