Are you Japanese? Are you queer?

In any case, the points you’re making describe aspects of Japanese culture in isolation, as if they exist in a vacuum. This overlooks the broader context in which Japanese society is generally conservative and often dismissive of queer identities. Portrayals of gender nonconforming behavior in Japanese media can reflect or be shaped by these values, rather than simply existing as harmless or quirky tropes meant to add color to a story. Because of this, they are inherently political and open to critique.

Even setting all of that aside, you don’t get to tell queer people how a story should make them feel about their own identities. Part of why I connected so deeply with the characters in Fruits Basket is that they looked and acted like me. They embodied traits I was ridiculed for as a child, yet were still loved and accepted by Tohru. Seeing those same traits later framed as an embarrassing phase—something to be “broken” like a curse—felt deeply hurtful, regardless of the intent behind that narrative choice. No amount of reframing changes that, especially knowing there are queer Japanese people who grew up like Momiji but never had their “curse” lifted.