Ask John: Will There Be More Fruits Basket Anime?

Question:
Will there be more Fruits Basket? After seeing the first season, I was not very satisfied with the ending, and I heard that the manga is still ongoing. So will there be a second season?

Read John’s answer!

Answer:
The 26 episode Fruits Basket anime TV series ended its broadcast on Japanese television on December 27th, 2001. Many fans that have seen the entire program have been unsatisfied with the conclusion, which seemed to begin with a sudden, unanticipated or predicted abruptness, and end equally quickly, without much traditional sense of closure or epilogue. Other fans have been eager for more Fruits Basket, fascinated by the characters and anxious to spend more time with them. However, the odds the their being more Fruits Basket anime seem to be relatively slim for a number of reasons.

The most telling factor is the fact that it’s now been over a year since the Fruits Basket anime ended. Research will undeniably prove that anime TV series which don’t at least have a second series or season announced within a year of their final episode rarely ever get new animation. With the amount of anime released in Japan annually, within twelve months, dozens of new shows will have premiered since the end of a given title, and all but the most hardcore fans will probably have either forgotten about the title, or shifted their interest to something more current. There are not even any rumors of new Fruits Basket anime in Japan, so in all likelihood, for lack of a more efficient phrase, the Fruits Basket anime franchise is dead.

Furthermore, series director Akitaro Daichi moved from directing Fruits Basket directly into directing the popular family-fare domestic comedy anime TV series Atashinchi, which he is still presently working on. Akitaro Daichi has also announced plans to direct the “Makasete Iruka!” OAV and “Animation Runner Kuromi-chan” second OAV this summer. With his schedule this packed, it’s unlikely that Daichi has plans to squeeze in a second stint of directing Fruits Basket animation. But even if Akitaro Daichi wasn’t involved in other projects, it’s seemingly not likely that he would be interested in directing a second Fruits Basket series. Among Daichi’s directorial efforts including Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, Sexy Commando Gaiden Masaru-san, Kodomo no Omocha, Ima Soku ni Iru Boku, Jubei-chan, Fairy Princess Ren, and Kaze Makase Tsukikage Ran, there are no series that have genuine sequels, and only one that has a second series. Akitaro Daichi directed both the 1998 and 2000 Ojarumaru anime TV series. So, director Akitaro Daichi seems to be the sort of director who doesn’t like to revive previous works.

Finally, they very style of Fruits Basket makes it an unlikely candidate for a second season. Especially shoujo series or shows with a heavy shoujo influence rarely have more than a single TV series. If we take into consideration romantic titles like Marmalade Boy, Maison Ikkoku, Orange Road, Kareshi Kanojo no Jijoo, Hana Yori Dango and Fruits Basket, several of these series had more than 26 TV episodes, but none of them had a second TV series. Shoujo and shoujo-style romance/relationship anime may sometimes get OAVs or theatrical movies, but historically when they finish their original television runs, that’s it for TV exposure.

While the Fruits Basket manga is still ongoing in Japan, there’s no evidence of any plans for more animation, and no substantial reason to expect any new animation. There are, however, several reasons to believe that there will not be any more Fruits Basket animation in the foreseeable future. Fans desperate for more Fruits Basket can refer to the manga. For everyone else, I recommend simply appreciating and enjoying the 26 episodes that do exist rather than feeling angry that there isn’t more.