Fruits Basket -Prelude- is coming to select U.S. theaters in sub and dub on June 25, June 28, and June 29. Crunchyroll is distributing the film, which is a prequel to the 2019 anime adaptation of Fruits Basket. Although it’s a prequel, Fruits Basket -Prelude- actually isn’t a great starting point for fans looking to get into the series.
Does Fruits Basket -Prelude- Include Spoilers?
Yes, there are many spoilers in Fruits Basket -Prelude-. Audiences should note that the film still covers some pivotal moments from the Fruits Basket anime despite the core storyline taking place prior to the series. The first half of the movie involves a recap with major spoilers, especially from the third season. For fans who finished with the anime, this first part is a good refresher before moving to Kyoko and Katsuya Honda’s story.
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What Point of the Anime Should I Watch Up To?
However, for those who haven’t completed the anime, we recommend you finish the third season before watching the film. It’s also worth noting that Fruits Basket -Prelude- also includes a short epilogue set after the events of the anime that puts a nice bow on the series, further cementing that it should be watched after you’ve finished the anime adaptation.
Film Synopsis, Cast, and Crew
“Before there was Tohru and Kyo – there was Katsuya and Kyoko. Discover the turbulent beginning of Tohru’s mom’s dark past, and the man who breathed new hope into her. Watch the evolution of their love story and the birth of the Honda family, as this chapter completes the full adaptation of the heartwarming Fruits Basket story.” the official synopsis states.
Yoshihide Ibata (Fruits Basket, Attack on Titan: Junior High) is directing the film. The Japanese and English voice cast includes:
- Kyoko Honda – Miyuki Sawashiro (Japanese) and Lydia Mackay (English)
- Katsuya Honda – Yoshimasa Hosoya (Japanese) and J. Michael Tatum (English)
- Tohru Honda – Manaka Iwami (Japanese) and Laura Bailey (English)
- Kyo Soma – Yūma Uchida (Japanese) and Jerry Jewell (English)
Fruits Basket -Prelude- is a standalone story based on the manga Fruits Basket. TMS Entertainment and 8PAN are handling the studio animation.
Fruits Basket is a shojo manga created by Natsuki Takaya. Its serialization ran from 1998 to 2006 under the publishing company Hakusensha. In 2001, Studio Deen produced the first anime adaptation. TMS Entertainment and 8PAN released the second adaptation in 2019. The 2019 anime adaptation is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.