Ep 22. Prince Yuki Fan Club

As the twenty-second episode of the first season of Fruits Basket, "Prince Yuki Fan Club" follows the story of Tohru Honda and the Sohma family. This episode is centered around Yuki Sohma, one of the most popular and desired men in his high school. His fan club, a group of girls who idolize him, are causing trouble for him and for those around him.

As the episode begins, the viewer sees Tohru walking with Yuki at school when the Prince Yuki Fan Club interrupts them. The girls gush over Yuki and ignore Tohru, which upsets her. It also bothers Yuki, who feels trapped by them and their admiration. Later on, Tohru walks with two of her classmates, Saki and Arisa. They discuss the Fan Club, which they believe is detrimental to Yuki's well-being. The Fan Club's behavior, they say, is unhealthy and unnatural.

The viewer sees flashbacks to Yuki's childhood, where he was isolated and mistreated because of his supernatural powers. His isolation led him to seek out the company of others, but it also made him feel trapped and unable to be himself. The Prince Yuki Fan Club is another form of isolation for him, another way that people are putting him in a box and not allowing him to be the person he wants to be.

As the episode continues, the Fan Club becomes more aggressive in their pursuit of Yuki. They interrupt his classes, leave him gifts, and generally disrupt his life. The school administration is afraid to do anything about them, as they are one of the wealthiest and most powerful groups in the school. Tohru, however, is not afraid of them. She decides to confront them in the hopes of helping Yuki.

The confrontation does not go well. The Fan Club belittles Tohru and tries to convince her that Yuki would be better off with them than with anyone else. Tohru, however, is undeterred. She demands that they back off and allow Yuki to live his life as he sees fit. The Fan Club is angry and threatens her, but Tohru stands up to them anyway.

In the end, Yuki confronts the Prince Yuki Fan Club himself. He tells them that he does not want to be their prince, that he is just a person like anyone else. He tells them that their behavior is inappropriate and that they should leave him alone. The Fan Club is shocked and hurt by this, but they eventually back down and leave Yuki alone.

Throughout the episode, Yuki is shown struggling with his feelings about the Fan Club. On the one hand, he is grateful for their support and their admiration. On the other hand, he feels suffocated by them and unable to be himself. When he finally confronts them, he is able to express these conflicting emotions and find a resolution.

"Prince Yuki Fan Club" is a powerful episode that explores the themes of isolation, identity, and self-expression. It shows the viewer how even the most popular and desired people can feel trapped and unable to live their lives as they want to. It also shows the importance of standing up for oneself and expressing one's true feelings, even in the face of adversity. Overall, this is a poignant and thought-provoking episode that is not to be missed.