Fruits Basket (Episode 37) – You Cried for Me

Tohru’s teacher, Mayuko has a chance encounter with an old friend and stirs up some long-forgotten memories. If only it had been a chance encounter. Some people are always meddling!
What happened?
Mayuko was watching her parent’s bookstore when she happened across an old photo of her with Hatori and Kana. She remembered how she had instantly fallen for Hatori but suppressed her emotions for her best friend. As if that wasn’t enough, Shigure entered the store and continued to stir up the past. It turned out that Shigure had dated Mayuko, although it appeared to just be a way for her to have some company. They never even kissed or hugged. Then, we got to see Kana’s memory loss from another point of view, which was just as sad.
Shigure left the bookstore after discovering that the book he ordered wouldn’t be available until tomorrow. Soon after, Hatori came into the store and asked about the book Shigure had ordered him. Mayuko was shocked and when he came back the next day, she couldn’t hold back anymore. When Hatori told her that happiness wasn’t for him, she broke down and then got mad at him for making her cry for him. She told him to make his girlfriend do it next time, to which he replied he didn’t have a girlfriend… Shigure!!!

What did you think?
So, an episode without Tohru, Yuki, or Kyo! I didn’t see that coming, but shouldn’t be surprised. Nor should I be surprised that it was excellent. After Shigure’s dark meddling in the previous episodes, he finally seemed to put his powers of manipulation to good use and engineered a way for Hatori and Mayuko to meet up again. Shigure has always held Hatori’s feelings close as we saw in the episode where he and Ayame took him to the cabin on the day of Kana’s wedding. He knew of Mayuko’s feelings toward Hatori and finally saw his chance to play matchmaker. It’s amazing that a character that’s barely been used to this point can command an episode in such a manner.

What have you learnt?
This series is the benchmark for character development. Every single one is brilliantly crafted and meticulously put together. The fact that so many characters are able to feel alive is a true testament to that. It doesn’t seem to matter who the episode is about, it just feels easy. Part of this must go down to the foreshadowing, most of which we won’t even be aware of until it’s too late. Even then, it doesn’t matter because deep down in our subconscious we’ve stored away this information and while we may still get surprised, it’s never too outrageous that it pulls us from the story. I can’t help but admire the amount of planning that obviously went into writing this series.

Other reviews in the series
- Season One
- Episode 1 – See You After School
- Episode 2 – They’re All Animals!
- Episode 3 – Let’s Play Rich Man, Poor Man!
- Episode 4 – What Year Is She?
- Episode 5 – I’ve Been Fooling Myself
- Episode 6 – Perhaps We Should Invite Ourselves Over
- Episode 7 – Spring Comes
- Episode 8 – See You When You Get Back
- Episode 9 – Yuki Was My First Love
- Episode 10 – It’s Valentine’s, After All
- Episode 11 – This is a Wonderful Inn
- Episode 12 – You Look Like You’re Having Fun
- Episode 13 – How Have You Been, My Brother?
- Episode 14 – That’s a Secret
- Episode 15 – I Wouldn’t Say That
- Episode 16 – She Said Don’t Step on Them!
- Episode 17 – This Is for Uo-chan!
- Episode 18 – What’s Important Is…
- Episode 19 – I’m So Sorry!
- Episode 20 – I Can’t Believe You Picked It Up
- Episode 21 – I Never Back Down from a Wave Fight
- Episode 22 – Because I Was Happy
- Episode 23 – You Look Well…
- Episode 24 – Let’s Go Home
- Episode 25 – Summer Will Be Here Soon
- Season Two
- Episode 26 – Hello Again
- Episode 27 – Eat Somen with Your Friends
- Episode 28 – Shall We Go and Get You Changed?
- Episode 29 – I Got Dumped…
- Episode 30 – Wait for me, tororo soba!
- Episode 31 – Are you really this stupid?
- Episode 32 – Let’s Start the Watermelon Splitting Contest!
- Episode 33 – Well, It’s True
- Episode 34 – My Precious…
- Episode 35 – Who Are You?
- Episode 36 – All Mine
- Episode 37 – You Cried for Me
- Episode 38 – Sure Thing
- Episode 39 – I Should Just Die…
- Episode 40 – See You Later
- Episode 41 – Ask Him For Me
- Episode 42 – You Will, I’m Sure of It
- Episode 43 – Do You Wanna Kiss?
- Episode 44 – There’s Just No Way!
- Episode 45 – Are You Okay?
- Episode 46 – There Was, Definitely
- Episode 47 – That Isn’t What I Want
- Episode 48 – It’s Cinderella-ish
- Episode 49 – Here You Are
- Episode 50 – I’m Different Now
- Season Three
- Episode 51 – I’ll Hold Another Banquet
- Episode 52 – That’s an Unwavering Truth
- Episode 53 – I Hope It Snows Soon
- Episode 54 – I’m… Home.
- Episode 55 – I Mean… You Know, Right?
- Episode 56 – It Was So Foolish
- Episode 57 – That’s Right, It’s Empty
- Episode 58 – I’m Disappointed in You
- Episode 59 – What’s Your Name?
- Episode 60 – I Just Love Her
- Episode 61 – Goodbye
- Episode 62 – You Fought Well
- Episode 63 – See You Again Soon
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