Fruits Basket: Prelude

Did You Know?

• A replica key frame from the 2019 anime, depicting Kyo and Tohru hugging, was handed out during the film's screening.
• The theme song was performed by Ohashi Trio, revealed in December 2021.
• The film earned an average rating of 4.24 out of 142 reviews on Filmarks, placing first in its first-day satisfaction ranking.

Production

After the finale of the 2019 anime aired in June 2021, a new anime focusing on Tohru's parents and a stage play adaptation were announced. In October 2021, the compilation film Fruits Basket: Prelude was revealed, comprising a series recap, the Kyōko to Katsuya no Monogatari anime, and new epilogue scenes written by Natsuki Takaya. Returning staff included director Yoshihide Ibata, screenwriter Taku Kishimoto, character designer Masaru Shindō, composer Masaru Yokoyama, and studio TMS Entertainment. The theme song was performed by Ohashi Trio.

Release

Fruits Basket: Prelude premiered in 25 Japanese theaters on February 18, 2022. Moviegoers received weekly gifts: a 20-page booklet with a manga adaptation of the epilogue, a replica key frame from the 2019 anime, and postcards by Masaru Shindō. Golden Harvest released the film in Hong Kong on June 9. Crunchyroll handled distribution in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, screening it on June 25, 28, and 29 in the U.S. and Canada (Japanese and English dub) and on July 20 in the UK (dub only). Crunchyroll began streaming on October 6, 2022.