In the fifth episode of the 2001 Fruits Basket anime, the finished renovations on her grandfather's house send Tohru back to her relatives, testing whether she truly belongs anywhere except with the Sohma boys.
Summary
With work on her grandfather's home at last complete, Tohru moves back in with her family and tries to settle into a life apart from Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo. The Sohma household, it turns out, may be just as unwilling to carry on without her around.
Key Events
Because her aunt, uncle, and cousin have also taken up residence, Tohru feels like a stranger among her own kin and loses her sense of home. Yuki and Kyo come to fetch her, and she rejoins them for good as a lasting member of their house. A flashback drifts back to a childhood game in which she was labeled the rice ball, sitting apart until a voice finally calls the name and she rushes, overjoyed, to join the other children.
Related Reading
See all
Naruto vs Luffy: Does the Fight Change if Luffy Tickles Hinata?
Naruto vs Luffy with the twist nobody asked for: Luffy tickled Hinata on date night, and she kind of liked it. We break down the whole fight and commit to a winner....
Namek Has No Women, and Piccolo Pulls Anyway
There are no women on Namek. That isn't an oversight, it's the biology. Why we handed Piccolo the one thing his own species rules out, and why it had to be trap soul....
Notes
The fifth episode of the 2001 series draws on chapters 5 and 6 and corresponds to the 2019 episode I've Been Fooling Myself. Its title nods to the metaphor of a rice ball that can never fit among a basket of fruit, mirroring Tohru's sense of not belonging. It aired in Japan on August 2, 2001, and in the United States on October 29, 2002, with the opening For Fruits Basket and the ending Chiisana Inori.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Tohru compared to a rice ball in this episode's title?
The title of A Rice Ball in a Fruits Basket nods to the metaphor of a rice ball that can never fit among a basket of fruit, mirroring Tohru's sense of not belonging, which the episode ties to a childhood flashback of her being called the rice ball in a game and sitting apart from the other children.
Why does Tohru feel like a stranger in her own family in this episode?
After renovations on her grandfather's house are finished, Tohru moves back in with her aunt, uncle, and cousin, but feels like a stranger among her own kin and loses her sense of home.
Who comes to bring Tohru back to Shigure's house in A Rice Ball in a Fruits Basket?
Yuki and Kyo come to fetch Tohru, and she rejoins them for good as a lasting member of the Sohma household.
What childhood memory does Tohru recall in this episode?
A flashback shows Tohru as a child being labeled the rice ball and sitting apart from the group until a voice finally calls her name, and she rushes over, overjoyed to join the other children.
Which manga chapters does A Rice Ball in a Fruits Basket adapt?
This fifth episode of the 2001 series draws on chapters 5 and 6 of the manga and corresponds to the 2019 episode I've Been Fooling Myself.
Sources & Information
Looking for more on A Rice Ball in a Fruits Basket? The Fruits Basket Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.
View on FandomThis content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Fruits Basket anime series, manga, and official materials. Fruits Basket was created by Natsuki Takaya, published by Hakusensha, and animated by TMS Entertainment. All rights to Fruits Basket and its characters belong to their respective owners. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.
Rights holders
- Created byNatsuki Takaya
- Published byHakusensha
- Animated byTMS Entertainment
All rights belong to their respective owners.
Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:
- Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to TMS Entertainment and Hakusensha.
- Game pages: official box art, credited to the game's respective publishers.
- Manga chapter pages: volume covers, credited to Hakusensha and Natsuki Takaya.
Official resources:
Help Us Keep This Wiki Accurate
Daddy Jim Headquarters maintains this encyclopedia. If you spot an error, a translation issue, or something that doesn't look right, let us know.
