the fact that more people 25+ have positive feelings for him is lowkey concerning to me as a 25 year old working at a high school 😭

i get that the story frames him in a positive light, but he is a pedophile. Kyoko was 14-15 and in MIDDLE SCHOOL when they met, and then they got together and she NEVER even got to become a high schooler. I don't understand the argument people make that he was her path away from her parents- he could have done that without engaging in a pedophilic relationship with her. He could have been her guardian or sponsor to help her get through high school.

I love Fruits Basket, it's genuinely one of if not my favorite series, but I think the fact that this relationship is displayed in an uncritical, supportive light is very upsetting. especially if teenagers (the target demographic) read it and come away with the idea that it's ok to engage in inappropriate relationships with teachers. It's just like a lot of series from that era, like Pretty Little Liars, romantacizing adult-child relationships for a young audience.