Fruits Basket: The Final Season Reveals Shigure & Akito's Messed-Up Relationship

Given how much ground Fruits Basket: The Final Season has to cover in terms of character development and plot resolution, it seems likely fans can expect at least one major drama-bomb per episode this year. While the first half of Episode 2 is dedicated to Tohru processing the previous episode's stunning revelations -- with a little time for some comedic school hijinks on the side -- the second half involves yet another series of intense reveals, this time regarding the twisted relationship between Shigure and Akito.

Tohru's big struggle this week is that she doesn't have anyone to talk to about the secrets she's learned from Kureno. She almost starts a conversation with Shigure, one of the only people who she knows is at least aware of Akito's gender but stops herself. Later, she tries to discuss the possibility of the zodiac curse breaking with Kyo, who is annoyed by her "hypothetical questions" but nonetheless comforts her when she gets down on herself about it. Yuki and Machi also have their own tsundere romantic moment amidst a comic relief subplot involving the Prince Yuki Fan Club's theft of graduation decorations.

Then the focus shifts to Shigure, and it's increasingly clear he knows more than he ever let on before. The first big reveal is that he's already figured out on his own that Kureno's curse is broken. They talk over the phone about this and Kureno reveals new details about the Sohma family's complicated web of relationships: while Akito may be most possessive over Kureno, it's Shigure whom she truly loves.

Shigure goes to speak with Akito in private, and what results is perhaps the steamiest scene in Fruits Basket (we're still thinking about that tie removal before their kiss). That the two of them have an intensely complicated love-hate relationship has been built up for a while now, but now viewers get the juicy details on just how vindictive and manipulative both the Dog and "God" are.

It turns out Akito slept with Kureno to spite Shigure for sleeping with Akito's mom. Akito also banished Shigure from the main Sohma compound for this act of cheating, explaining why he, Yuki and Kyo have been living separately from the rest of the family. Shigure has never been a trustworthy character, but this episode's dramatic reveals show just how twisted he can truly be.