I only own vol. 1,18,19,and 20...i need more of them-.- ( )

Fruits Basket is coming to a close and there are a lot of storylines to tie together and clear up. Volume 20 was a little jarring as it tried to incorporate these storylines, flashbacks, and characters' personal thoughts and feelings. It reveals important back-stories for Kyo and Akito, while leaving us with some cliff-hangers. As I read it, I found myself needing to go back every few pages and review as sentences were broken up by panels of memories or inner thoughts. It was a little annoying, but part of that is that the pacing is so fast, you can't help but quickly flip to the next page and keep reading, even if you aren't absorbing it all. It's an emotional volume and serious (even Takaya comments in the two side columns that the mood shouldn't be interrupted), and requires some reflection afterwards.

Okay, so down to business! This part has spoilers, so watch out! The opening was a little weak - Tohru's still struggling with her feelings for Kyo replacing her feelings for her mother, and the fear that she'll disappear if Tohru lets herself really love Kyo. Kagura avoids Tohru at first, but when Rin and Tohru talk about these feelings, Kagura can't help but burst in and fight with Tohru, ordering her to tell Kyo. This felt out of place, but it did show that Tohru isn't willing to apologize to Kagura after the fight, so we've seen that she's grown a little stronger.

The meat and potatoes of this story deals with Ren and Akito's past, particularly involving Akira's love for his wife and his daughter. We get an idea of just how warped Ren is - she was jealous of Akito before she was born, when the zodiac first called attention to the pregnancy. Ren didn't have an easy marriage or pregnancy, but she also never gave Akito a chance. We also get to see the involvement of the old woman (does she even have a name?) who's watched over Akito and the Sohma household since Akira was around. She was the one to Akito the mysterious box she treasures and we learn its history. In an act that could have been kind and meant to comfort, she did a great deal of damage to Akito after her father's death. Fruits Basket seems to live off of those moments of potential kindness that only hurt people more when that hope is taken away.

In the midst of learning Akito's history, Momiji is freed from the curse - it's not the happy moment we all expected, but rather one of sadness, because now Momiji doesn't belong anywhere. His immediate family doesn't recognize him and he's no longer a part of the zodiac. He still loves Tohru, but he doesn't get in the way of the love Kyo and Tohru feel for each other. And yet, you still feel that if anyone of the Sohmas has a chance at happiness, it's Momiji. Unfortunately, this means confronting Akito. Momiji no longer feels the bond, and that sets Akito off, resulting in one of the cliffhangers - dum dum dummmm. Even as we leave Akito, we see another member of the zodiac's curse breaking, with mixed feelings.

Towards the end, we pick up with Kyo and Tohru. Both have been urged, by Momiji and Kagura, to confess their feelings to each other. But before that, Kyo must tell Tohru a secret he's been harboring since the beginning of the series (and it makes things make SO much more sense). Not only did he know her mother, but he was also connected to her death. Kyo could have prevented her from dying, but at the risk of exposing the family secret. And thus, another cliffhanger.

So now we wait another couple of months before the next Fruits Basket. Time to reread the old volumes! Man, this was a long review! ( )