Ep 8. I Never Back Down from a Wave Fight

Kyo and Yuki's rivalry reaches a boiling point in season 2 episode 8 of Fruits Basket. The episode, titled "I Never Back Down from a Wave Fight," sees the two boys competing in an intense game of "toro nagashi" (floating lanterns) as part of a festival at their school.

The game involves releasing paper lanterns into a river and seeing whose lanterns make it the farthest downstream. Kyo and Yuki are both determined to win, each grudgingly admitting to themselves that they don't want to lose to the other.

As they make their way to the river, memories of their past rivalry come flooding back. Kyo remembers being bullied by Yuki when they were younger and how he used to feel like nothing more than a tool for Yuki to assert his superiority. Yuki remembers the jealousy he felt towards Kyo for being the cat of the zodiac while he was the rat, the two animals who are said to have the greatest rivalry.

Their emotions start to boil over as they each try to sabotage the other's lanterns, and the game quickly turns into a full-on fight. But as they struggle against each other, they both start to realize that their rivalry isn't based on anything real anymore. They've both grown and changed since they were children, and they no longer need to prove anything to each other.

In a touching moment, Kyo reaches out to Yuki and helps him release his lantern, saying that he wants to win but not like this. Yuki is touched by Kyo's kindness, and the two boys finally start to acknowledge each other's strengths instead of just focusing on their weaknesses.

The rest of the episode focuses on the aftermath of the lantern game. Kyo and Yuki reflect on their rivalry and how it's affected their relationships with others. Yuki confesses that he's always admired Kyo's ability to say what he thinks, even if it's not what people want to hear. Kyo, meanwhile, realizes that he's been too focused on proving himself to others and not focused enough on just being himself.

As they walk away from the river, the two boys are no longer enemies but not quite friends yet either. But they're both open to the idea of forging a new kind of relationship, one that's based on respect and understanding instead of competition and jealousy.

Overall, "I Never Back Down from a Wave Fight" is a great episode that explores some of the deeper themes of Fruits Basket. The show is known for its heartfelt and emotional storytelling, and this episode is no exception. If you're a fan of the series, this is definitely an episode you won't want to miss!