Fruits Basket

I wrote this assuming you read the description!

I gave this series a 10 in almost every category (the category that I didn't was art, because it was admittedly unimpressive at the beginning, but it does improve). It is my favorite story of all time. It doesn't matter if you bring me novels, animes, comics, cartoons, movies, or anything else, because I'm sure this series will rein supreme.

From the outside it looks like your average shoujo series: cute, optimistic, orphan girl living in bishi heaven and knowing something secret about them. But it's not! Natsuki Takaya writes characters that really take flight into a life of they're own. No character is perfect (even miss-goody-two-shoes main character has a few dark secrets).
The "curse" that the family who's lap she's fallen into is under is no laughing matter. Essentially the curse is simply a social setting within the family, only that the members of this social circle turn into the members of the chinese zodiac (as well as the cat) when they are hugged or bumped into by a member of the opisite sex. As the series goes forward this seemingly silly curse becomes something of dark nature and you see that the people living under this curse have had to give up so much, including love, family, memories, and hope.
You see through the eyes of every character from the main characters deceased mother to the head of "Prince Yuki Fan Club". This continuous switching of perspective makes it impossible to hate any character completely for the mangaka always seems to be making you sympathize with them.

Yet the series stays lighthearted. It's sweet, cute and hilarious in the weirdest ways. If you give this series a try i can garuntee you'll never regret it!

--Five Spoiler-Free Reasons Why You Should Read the "Fruits Basket" Series--

1. Characters.
The characters are really wonderful. There is a large cast of characters in this series, and yet Takaya gives each of them (not exaggerating here) a great amount of depth. Readers will become personally invested with all of the characters in this series.

2. Story.
Although the publisher puts this series in the "romantic comedy" genre, it really doesn't fit neatly into any specific category. I was quite reluctant to read this series because the label said romantic comedy, and well, I'm not very fond of romantic comedies, to say the least (I much prefer some dark, gritty action and violence :]). Takaya herself describes the series as a sort of "domestic drama", which is a pretty good, though not all-encompassing way to put it. This story has moments that are hilarious, touching, heartbreaking, and uplifting. It'll go from being really funny in one chapter to really dark in the next. It's a story that was written for the sake of being a story (if that makes any sense), without worrying about fitting it into any particular genre/category.

3. Complete, focused series.
This series is short (for a manga series, that is), only 23 books long. Everything that happens in the books is important by way of characterization, character development, and plot. This is not an ongoing series, in which the author keeps writing books as long as they keep selling. With how popular this series was/is, Takaya could've dragged the series out a lot more if she had wanted to (much respect to her for not doing that though).

4. Better than the anime.
If you liked the anime, you'll love these books (but watch out; if you read it, it might lessen your enjoyment of the anime). I liked the anime, but the manga really is much better in my opinion. The characters are all a lot deeper in the books (as usual :P). I think that Tohru in particular comes across as a bit "preachy" in the anime (though not at all in the manga). The story is also incomplete in the anime, since it only goes through the first eight books or so.
~4a. Side note about scanlations.
I wouldn't recommend it. When I first became interested in the series, I tried finding some good fanscans online, but the only ones I could find were riddled with confusing and inaccurate translations. If you want to read this series, but money is an issue, then I'd look for used copies of the books. Keep an eye on Amazon and Ebay for some good deals on used copies (that's how I got my set).

5. The hype is there for a reason.
I was hesitant to try out this series because of all the hype around it. But hey, in this case, it's there for a reason. You should give it a try if you're at all interested.

This manga is what you'd call a mixed bag. Those of you who have read it know what a mean. There are many different issues, themes and such all mixed into one and it makes for a truly wonderful combination.
This series has few flaws, and small ones at that.
All the characters were good, more or less, exept for maybe Kakeru, Yuki's "evil friend". I think the series would have been better if he wasn't stuck in there. I think he was an eyesore and a very bad example of the kind of friend somebody should have.
The head of the Sohma family, Akito, was more likeable as the series goes on to almost every extent, but for a while when I was closer to the end, Akito wasn't too appealing to me. I think this may have been caused by a bit of a shock revealed in Volume 17.
The art of this manga is pretty good, although like pretty much any manga, there were parts where it could have been better and would have been more appealing to look at.
I laughed quite a bit at different parts of the series, from beginning to end. There is plenty of comedy, and good comedy at that. It never gets into the really gritty comedy you sometimes see on modern-day American TV shows and the like, and for that I am greatful. Clean humour is the best humour.
As the characters begin to tell us more of their story and their pasts are revealed, it feels more and more like a veil has been pushed away from your face and you can see clearly. Pieces of the puzzle that were there at the beginning of the series lock into place with the new things to put everything together.
I'm sure it's impossible for anybody not to go through this series without shedding a few tears. I cried at different parts, but the one that got me the most were the last 2 or 3 pages of the last chapter. It got me. The ending was so beautiful and happy, I couldn't help it. I felt my self thinkg "Oh my god. Oh my god." It was a surprise, yet great.
However, a few stones were left unturned at the end, but maybe that's what the writer wanted. Afterall, this was ultimatly the story of Tohru, not the other characters.
Overall, I think anybody who hasn't yet touched this series should give it a go. I can almost guarantee you will like it. The chapters seem to flow by and you really get to know the characters. At the end, it feels like letting go of old friends.

This is the first manga that I think is worthy enough for me to leave a review. Although I like most romance manga, I am pretty strict when it comes to whether the title contains high quality content or not. Fruits Basket is the most beautiful and inspirational manga I have ever read. Even though it is a shoujo manga targeted at young girls, the deep content makes it readable for everyone. The manga starts off slowly and innocently but as it goes on it becomes deeper with dark themes of psychological and physical abuse, abandonment, and the real darkness that goes with the curse that at first seems not so bad. It shows you that the flaws and wrongdoings of humans, although inexcusable, are not without a reason, purpose, or cause and that everyone deserves another chance. Torhu is a character that I think everyone will come to like and even aspire to be even though she is a fictional character. With detail, the background of the suffering each character has gone through is told and how they overcame the darkness surrounding them. I don't think there will ever be a manga written as beautifully as this one. If you are looking for a manga that contains solid romance, serious drama, and something that will make you want to change as a person, Fruits Basket is for you.

This Manga will go down in history. I truly believe all true Otakus should read this. It is beautiful in the story, its true and heartfelt and is not sugaroated. In brings to light honest human emotion, struggle and issues through a fictional curse. When reading this series, I cried and I laughed. It is full of characters that are excellently developed, they have their secrets, their pasts, and they all are tied together by the same thin thread. If not anything, you should read it for its excellent comedic sense that can lighten its sad mood whenever the reader needs it. A must read.

It is really a great manga, once you start it's hard to stop. All of the characters have depth and are well developed, and the story line and characters grow realistically.

I LOVE I LOVE I LOVE IT. I liked the way it was funny. I liked the way it was so damn beautiful. I liked the way it was so sad that i wept like a little child for hours. I loved every single bit of it. And alwys will.
Though, the saddest thing about it was that it ended. But I'll just never forget such a beautiful story.
And it's really something more than just "outstanding", it touches you so deep in the heart that you realise you'd never been down there before.

I loved Fruits Basket when I first watched it, and then my friend told me about the manga. The manga is perfect for any fan of the anime since it tidies everything up and creates a satisfying end for a great show!
The story was great, although at certain times it felt like there was too much going on at once, which made it slightly confusing. But the story was truly accented by the characters themselves, once I stated reading I couldn't stop and I read for eight hours straight because the characters drew me in so much. The relationships within the manga were written extremely well and I felt like any one of the characters could be a real person (well without the curse of course).
The art was a bit confusing at times because some characters looked similar which left me wondering who was talking at sometimes but it certainly didn't detract much from the story.
Overall, I loved this manga and I'm glad that it was the first I read,; it's perfect for fans of the anime or for anyone looking for a wonderful story with awesome characters. I rated it a nine instead of a ten due to the slight problems I had with the story and the art but it is a manga that is worth the read!

Some might say this manga is unrealistic, but it's not supposed to be realistic, it's suppose to give you hope. Most characters in this anime have been rejected, and hurt in every way (physical, emotional, spiritual), but they all some how find a haven in each other's hearts and words.


I must apologize for giving this a nine, instead of a ten. Everything in this was perfect, except for the fact that it slowed down ALOT towards the end, and felt like nothing but characters screaming at each other about how they can become a better person, and how they wish they were each other and so on...

Fruits basket is one of the best manga I have ever read. It's one of those books that will stick with you like a childhood memory. All the characters grow and develop really well.

The story starts out really happy but gets increasingly dark the more you read and you just can't put it down even if you aren't in to that kind of thing. even so every volume will make you cry on top of your laugh.

As far as the art go's it changes with the story and it grows with the story. I always am surprised whenever I look back on the first volume how different it looks and how much it got better. You can really see the emotions on the characters and it affects you. Well... It affected me anyway. When the characters were sad I was sad. When a Charicter was happy I was happy. You get the picture.

I enjoyed this manga so much. It is the first anime I watched, so I decided to finally read the manga. I have no regrets, it is so amazing. The characters all have back stories and interesting personalities, and are well developed. I cried and laughed quite a lot from reading this as well. I can honestly say I finished this with no loose ends! I felt content. The story itself is very interesting and different, and ties in romance which I greatly appreciate.

Highly recommend. :)
(Sorry if this is all over the place, I just finished and wanted to write a review asap haha~)

I don't even know where to begin about this amazing manga. I might be a little bias about how good it is simply because it was the manga that started my addiction. But I can back up why it is one of my favorites. Fruits Basket while chalked full of cliches is an endearing story that just touches your heart. You fall in love with all of the characters even the ones whom you hated at first. At first the naivety of Tohru might grind on your last nerve but over time she grows on you and you really support her through all of the trials that she has to go through. My favorite character by far is Kou, he just pulls on my heartstrings and I always wanted to gather him up and sooth all though worries and frustrations away. I honestly could go on and on and give several very detail lists about why you should read this manga but that would take up too much time, so I'll just end this with review say that I highly recommend this manga!

Fruits Basket is by far the greatest manga I have read and will ever read. It tops both my manga and anime experiences. So far, I have read 22 out of the 23 volumes, but I can say that it is my favorite with no doubt in my mind. The story is truly a Romantic Dramedy, a love story with extreme drama splitting it apart, but with comic relief intertwined within the pages.

The story blew me away with it's deep emotions and feelings. It is the kind of story that makes you experience a ray of emotions, but in the end you still enjoy it. It is only enhanced with the wonderful art, that really helps your own emotions come out as you picture the emotions in the eyes of each character. It is a wonderful ride as the volumes increase, and the characters both look and act older. The details become even more exciting as you think about how the characters have changed from the first volume to the last.

Fruits Basket is not just another manga you should read on the computer. Since I received the first volume, my goal has been to own them all. It is a very deep story that keeps you on your toes, and is even something that you can incorporate into your own thinking process and life. All of the characters have their own unique look, personality, back story, and dynamic changes that make it that much more enjoyable. Over the course of reading, I've laughed, cried, blushed, felt angry, overjoyed, and a rainbow of other emotions. I am proud to say that volumes 1-22 are sitting upon my shelf while my other owned manga stays hidden away in another area. Soon, 23 will be up there to complete my collection. Fruits Basket is amazing, and recommended for anyone who enjoys a dynamic story filled with ups and downs, but mainly ups. Once I finish the series, Fruits Basket will definitely be a manga that I reread, and be one that I pull off my shelf to read as my release.

The storyline for Fruits Basket is simply genius! Throughout the series you find yourself falling in love with all the characters and being consumed by Natsuki Takaya's work. One minute you'll be laughing your head off and the next minute you'll be remorsing in sorrow. These emotional transitions will make you jump up and down.

This story sheds a new light on teenage life and love. Once you read it, you'll certainly be hooked!

Okay, I decided a long time ago that my first review would go to Fruits Basket, so I guess it's about time. Before I start I want to say two things:
First of all, I finished Furuba almost a year ago, but I re-read a few chapters from time to time, and I still remember almost everything.
And second of all, my english may not be the best, so don't be surprised if there's something that sounds weird.

Story - 9/10

At first, it's not really something special. It's a cute girl who meets a family who turns into cute animals when they hug people. Cute.
However, that's not all there is to Furuba. This whole story isn't about people turning into animals, so don't stop reading before you understand that.
Furuba's story is darker than it seems. There are secrets, tragedies and unsolved mysteries that turned this 'cute' manga into something much deeper, something you'll remember for the rest of your life. And what's even more remarkable is that, despite all these tragedies and all this despair, everything gets a happy end. I admit it, I cried my eyes out.

Art - 9/10

At first, I was thinking about giving it 8, but then I thought about one of my favourite pages, one where you see Katsuya holding little Tohru and smiling, and realized how much I love this style.
Natsuki Takaya is, without a doubt, one of my favourite mangakas, and her style goes through a huge transformation between the first and the last book. Another thing you can't help but notice between book 1 and book 23 is how the characters have grown. If we take my favourite character, Kyo, as an example, I didn't notice until I started comparing. And wow, she's really done a great job here! Even when they're all grown up, you have no problem telling who the characters are. This gets an extra point from me, cuz I just happen to love to see characters grow up (and sometimes get a family, like in Clannad or Itazura na Kiss)
So, art is a 9.

Character - 10/10

This is doubtless the best part of Fruits Basket. The characters.
Let's start of with the main characters.
Tohru is probably one of my favourite shoujo heroines of all time. I've seen people who find her hard to believe, but in my point of view, it doesn't matter. Manga isn't reality, so she makes an excellent protagonist. She is sweet, helpful, a little slow, but with a heart of gold. Nuff said.
Kyo and Yuki were also good characters. I can say that now.
Kyo was my favourite right from the start, which is probably on of the reasons to why I disliked Yuki. He's acts mean and sometimes violent, but he really cares about Tohru (an excellent tsundere, that is). Yuki seems perfect at a first glance, but later you realize that he's not like you thought. After 23 books, I didn't hate him anymore.

However, the supporting characters are just as important as the main. They all have their own problems and personalities, and you get to see them work everything out, with the help of our lovable heroine. Everything gets a happy end, and I can only think of two (fairly important) characters who didn't fall in love.
In the end, you'll like at least one or two.

Enjoyment - 10/10

I love Furuba with all of my heart. It did take me a lot of time to finish it, since I read online with a bad internet connection, but in the end I'm so happy I did. There were so many moments and characters that touched my heart, and in the end I was crying like a little baby. The best manga I've ever read since the day I was born.

Overall - 10/10

Everything that needs to be said has been said. Wonderful story, beautiful artwork, and lovable characters. I'd recommend Fruits Basket to everyone I know.

Story: There really is no plot. There is one single idea that tends to drive on the story, but I felt that it was too forced. Throughout much of the series, the characters don't even focus on this one problem that just barely manages to bind together the series.
Art: Although ,it's not the best I've seen, it's still pretty good. The art is clean and has originality. These kinds of drawings are fun to look at.
Character: This is one of the reasons why I dislike this manga more than others. Let's discuss the main character first. Honda is just too perfect. There is no human on earth that can possibly posses 0 bad traits. Characters that have faults are more fun to read about. They make the story more enjoyable and more realistic. Honda is just way too perfect for me to like.
Enjoyment: I enjoyed most of the story. I loved the humor and the interactions between the characters.
Overall: It would be a 6 (fine)

Let’s get this straight, I suck at writing reviews. I go off on tangents, I have terrible grammar, I have unoriginal thoughts, and I’m not objective at all. That being said, I still feel compelled to write about Fruits Basket and express what it means to me. So, I want to make it clear that this review might be extremely bias. I cannot help it. The feelings I have for this manga goes beyond any love I have for other series that have been published so far. Regardless of how objective I intend to be, the infatuation I have for Fruits Basket is likely to show through my writing. I am not going to apologize for that. Whether it's a song, a book, a manga, or an anime, we all have something that we can resonate with. Regardless of how insignificant it may seem to others, we cherish it-- I will always cherish Fruits Basket. Always.

Fruits Basket is the #1 Shoujo manga sold in the United States and the number 2 in Japan. It has been 8 years since it ended, and I assume it is still as popular as ever.
Typically, when something is ranked so highly, there is a tendency of having two distinct opposing opinions. People will like it. People will hate it. I personally abhor the # 1 selling Shoujo manga (HYD) in Japan. No amount of convincing can make me feel otherwise; it just left a bad taste on my mouth. Some may feel the same way about Fruits Basket, and it is totally understandable. For me however, Fruits Basket managed to gently grab my stained heart and wash away the dirt with the tears of the characters.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE ANIME VIEWERS: Read the manga from the very beginning regardless of how repetitive or uneventful it may feel. The manga incorporates a lot of things that can appear irrelevant but are very important to the overall storyline (e.g. the boy with the hat). It approaches numerous important matters in a very subtle tone, and it is only later on in the story when everything starts to piece itself together. The anime on the other hand disregards almost all these details. It actually sways the viewers who are transitioning into reading the manga to have a much distorted version of the authentic story.

Pros:

This series is melancholic. For some readers, it will feel overly melodramatic and annoying. Every character has a past: almost everyone (asides for a few) suffered because their parents were incompetent, apathetic and scumbags. To some readers, the pain and the feelings the character go through might seem exaggerated, but for me, I sensed each and every characters emotions. It felt unbelievably real. I might have not gone through that extensive pain and trauma, but their emotions of helplessness and hope felt so relatable. I kept wondering how Natsuki Takaya could even write such a beautiful story and explore such psychological aspect of individual suffering. I was cheering for almost all the characters, and before I knew it, all I wanted was them to be happy at the end.

1) If I had to name one thing that the Fruits Basket did right, it is the characters. They are ridiculously well developed. Almost all of them go through obstacles in order to grow, flourish and change. It is hard to not become attached to them because they are realistically portrayed. They’re not just angsty teenagers. They are characters with depth. They have both inferiority and superiority complex. They constantly fight their own environment and their inner self to create change in the way they are living and feeling.

Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki are the center of the storyline. They are the archetypical main characters. You have the overly empathetic female, the rebellious male, and the prince charming. However, what separates them from any other characters I have read about is the fact that they develop, and almost every part of them is explored. You can abhor Tohru for not being assertive, but you end up sympathizing with her because she is such a strong-willed fragile girl. You can hate Kyo for being insensitive, but you can find yourself empathizing with him because of who he is and how his circle of family views him. You can dislike Yuki for being prince charming, but you can relate to him knowing he is always battling the world as the people around him only knows him through a superficial lens.
I can also go on about the other side characters, but tons of essays can be written about each individual. That’s why, all I will say is that each character was able to highlight the beauty and the flaws of the three musketeers.

(If I had to choose one character I favored and related to the most, it was Yuki. I loved how he used the metaphor of opening the lid of a bottle to the suffering he was going through. He truly evolved throughout the manga, and it wasn’t just a single moment that changed him. He worked for his growth, and along the way, the readers were introduced to new energetic characters that magnified his bad and good qualities while supporting him at the same time. In my opinion, Yuki was just a dynamic character. His name fitted his personality so well. He was pure as the snow but believed that he was stained.)

2) If you intend to read this series only for the romance, that is something you definitely will be served at the end. Moreover, the love triangle in Fruits Basket is unique. When first starting, this manga may appear to be a reverse-harem where everyone falls in love with the main heroine, and that is exactly the truth. All the characters care deeply for Tohru as she does for them (platonically). To be honest, if I hadn’t known the spoilers beforehand, I might have actually been sad knowing that the character I probably would have believed to end up with Tohru didn’t end up with her. However, that is the thing, do not read the manga just so your favorite character could end up with Tohru. There is more to the Fruits Basket manga than the surface level romance. Also, midway through the series it actually becomes very apparent who Tohru will be with purely because every character starts diverting and trying to find their own place in the world. If that does not satisfy you, Natsuki Takaya did mention that Tohru could have been suitable for anyone, even Momiji! However, Fruits Basket took us on an adventure where two characters just had the chance to become closer and grow feelings for each other.

Also, one of the most admirable part of the series is that the male character who did not end up with Tohru was given the last line of the entire series before the epilogue. I thought that was one of the most delightful thing Fruits Basket did because that character was able to sum up everyone’s feeling for Tohru in a few sentences and also create closure for everything that had happened to all of them. I could not help but become emotional by it. A happy ending might have appeared unrealistic, but after everything that the characters went through, a happy ending was the only thing I could imagine for this manga in order to be 100% fulfilling.

Furthermore, almost all the side characters (with a few exception) gets the chance to fall in love and have their story told. And for some preternatural reason, those stories smoothly connected with main storyline. At the end, just like any shoujo, love conquers all!

3) Fruits Basket actually felt as if it was planned from the very beginning. I can’t help but admire Natsuki for using so many literary techniques to foreshadow the ending. Sometimes, it was impossible to even recognize all the clues she gave about the characters and story until it finished and was read the second time. I have also noticed that Natsuki used humor to easily disguise some major plot and twist without making anything obvious. I applaud her for making the story go full circle—just like the cover of the books. The first volume had a picture of Tohru to introduce the main character, and the last volume had a picture of Kyoko (the mother) to close the series.

4) There were numerous lessons in this story. The most significant one is “just be yourself.” Although this is one of the most obvious lesson that could be learned anywhere in the world, it probably is the most difficult one as teenagers. In a way, this manga was a coming of age story; the characters wanted to fit in and become comfortable with who they were. However, they were too busy comparing their own pain and suffering with the rest of the world that they could not accurately be who they were meant to be.

Another lesson I learned was that traumatized people can be the most empathetic. The first people that we as humans are introduced to/interact with in this world are our parents. And when parents are not doing their jobs well, it can easily traumatize the children. In this story, most of the characters are abused by their parents emotionally (with the exception of Hiro’s, Kisa’s, and Hana’s parent). However, what fascinated me was the fact that one of the most imperfect parent created the most perfect child,Kyoko. Kyoko was a trouble teenager, and she was devastated by her circumstances, but it was those experiences that allowed her to raise Tohru, the most empathetic human being alive.

There were numerous morals in this story, and the more you read it, the more you’ll discover them.

Cons:

As much as I love this manga, there were so many things I found distasteful while reading it; in fact, I probably wouldn’t have read it if I knew all these beforehand simply because the substance of the story did not completely fit the genre/intended audience.

1) If you watched the anime or read only the first few volumes of the manga, you might begin to assume that Fruits Basket is a fluffy and sweet story of an overly optimistic girl. However, this is not the case. Piles of different emotions will be thrown at you from left to right as you further delve into it. The melancholic atmosphere was always there to begin with, but it simply was masqueraded by the main characters smile and overly exaggerated attitude. Although I do think this was a great quality of the manga, sometimes I could not help but think the shift of the mood was never intended from the beginning.

2) When we were first introduced to the zodiacs, the animal form of the Sohmas were always censored with clouds. One would assume it was because the story was catered for a certain audience. However, when the horse was introduced to the story, the censorship toned down just a little. A part of me just did not like the inconsistency of that because I was not expecting any form of “mature” content especially if it was never hinted at the start. Even Kagura (the female zodiac) was censored when she first transformed back to a human during the introductory of the story… so why change that consistency later on? Moreover, there were some implication of sex. (Don’t worry. it’s not our 3 main protagonist; they’re just too innocent and pure to even remotely know what sex is.) If you’re uncomfortable with that, you might want to bite your lips and just skim those moments where characters are being overly dramatic and typical by accusing/ arguing with each other about who slept with whom. I can’t be the only one who was startled by this shift in Fruits Basket, right?

3) The art is very subjective. Fruits basket has the classic Shoujo design from its bug eyed protagonist to its floral background in every romantic situation.

All the characters slowly grow physically as the story progresses (except Tohru. Starting at volume 8, she became cuter and younger for some odd reason).However, the biggest problem I had with the art was that almost all the characters began to look the same. It became hard to identify the characters at first glance. E.g. Kyo looked like Katsuya and Kureno, Yuki looked like Akito,etc. EVEN PEOPLE WHO WEREN’T SOHMA’S LOOKED LIKE THE SOHMAS’.

4) A flaw that I noticed about Fruits Basket was that it sped up the storyline at the very end by having a character succumb to an injury. Although it blended well with the storyline, I did not think it was completely necessary to do so. It might have not been a cop-out, but I believe Takaya could have been more creative to bring closure to the series without forcing one last final drama when there were many dramatic moments on the sideline to begin with.

5) Another thing about Fruits Basket is that it is a completely a heterosexual world. This did not bother me, but I know it may bother some. However, what did irk me was the fact that this story had pseudo-yaoi characters just for plot device purposes. Since I went in reading this manga knowing major spoilers, I wasn’t shocked by any of the red herrings, and I actually thought some of them were very clever and well written.

6) Incest. Honestly, I do not believe any of the relationships were incestual merely because I put culture into consideration, AND because I believe the Sohmas’ were not actual cousins. Maybe it’s my way of justifying some of the relationships, but I’m on the boat that thinks that the Sohmas were a clan (that’s why some of them don’t even know each other).

7) Whether you’re reading the official TokyoPop translation or the fan translations, some of the things will appear way off. It’s not noticeable the first time the book is read, but it becomes very obvious when it is read more than once. Natsuki Takaya foreshadows a lot of events, and sometimes things are lost in translation. Nevertheless, I do not think this should discourage anyone from starting this series. Heck, I have not read the original Japanese version of the manga, but I do know that Takaya did apologize once for having spelling and other mistakes. On another note, the TokyoPop English translation of Fruits Basket is no longer distributed in stores, so it might be difficult to even get the official English translation ( I heard it will be translated again soon under a different publishing company).

8) Lastly, one of the biggest con I believe this series had was that there was a major age gap between two characters that were together. I have a very strong dislike for stories that romanticize student-teacher relationship (teenager-adult relationship). Although the couple were not the main characters, the story of their relationship still snuck up on me. I found myself actually being moved by the feelings and the journey that these two characters went through, but at the same, the other part of me felt guilty and disgusted for reading it further. I know for a fact that I probably would not have read this series if I knew there was even a slight chance of this a student-teacher relationship being possible. I’m mentioning this because some people might abhor this more than I do and might be repulsed by even the idea of it. As for me, luckily I was half way through Fruits basket when this was introduced, and I wasn’t willingly to drop this series because I was already attached to everyone especially the main 3 munchkins

ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: There is going to be a sequel to this manga. It is called Fruits Basket Another. The sequel does not need to be read because Fruits Basket in itself was completed. Also, I honestly highly doubt Fruits Basket Another will be as successful as the prequel, but I’ll still read it because I’m sadly a hardcore fan.

Enjoyment- Fruits Basket is a special manga for me. Despite the flaws, I hold it dear to me because it touches my heart, and it motivates me to want to be better. It is a beautiful adventure to read, and it is very overwhelming as I can never help but cry and smile along with the characters.
It gave me butterflies the first time I read it, and it probably will give me butterflies every time I read it again.

People underestimate children and teenagers. When you're a kid, you're a blank slate that can be easily damaged. When you're a teenager, you tend to go through a lot of crap and as you get older, the baggage from when you were a teenager can carry over to your adult life. Yet there's this preconceived notion in our society that children/teenagers are stupid and that the problems that they go through when they're this young are trivial in comparison to the trials and tribulations they'll go through in their adult lives. Fruits Basket is a manga which tells the story of Tohru Honda and her life with the Sohma family and is also a tale of emotional hardship.

Though Fruits Basket might seem like a supernatural comedy at first with its reverse harem premise and some occasional cuteness/man service to boot, it quickly turns into something much darker and deeper as it dives into the story of the Sohma family (specifically, the 12 members of the Chinese Zodiac, plus the cat) and their history of abuse/neglect and emotional hardship. At the forefront of all this is our plucky heroine, Tohru Honda who by the start of the series is an orphan. While many people like to criticise Tohru's characterisation as being "too perfect," I'd like to take the time to say that it's not entirely true.

Yes, Tohru is certainly kinder than most people and embodies certain characteristics that one might find rather stereotypical/idealistic. However, it should be noted that Tohru is not infallible. She actually is a flawed individual and is capable of making mistakes. Her cheerful demeanour simply masks the strife that she's endured. In fact, being TOO and cheerful and upbeat is her coping mechanism for all the shit she's gone through. Her behaviour doesn't go unnoticed. People do call her out on being "too happy" all the time, and what's more is that we get to see the child crying out for her lost mommy and daddy as the manga progresses. Each instance we see the part of her personality that her bubbly exterior masks is brief, but it's more than enough to remind us that she isn't perfect.

Another purpose that Tohru's cheerful demeanour serves is to lighten the mood of the overall story. This is a manga which deals with VERY heavy subjects such as parental/psychological abuse, neglect, and emotional codependency. Tohru and virtually every member of Zodiac is a seriously damaged individual with a history of great strife. Without something to lighten the overall tone of the story (if only a little), Fruits Basket would immediately become a work thoroughly entrenched in the melodramatic. Despite what most people who suffer from depression like to say, their lives aren't all bad. There's always going to be a light spot, some jovial mood every now and then, etc. In that sense, Tohru is even more of a necessity and not a hindrance to the storytelling.

When it comes down to lightening the mood, Natsuki Takaya did an excellent job with Fruits Basket. In fact, this is what I love about it so much. Far too often in anime and manga, we tend to get what seems like a light-hearted narrative that quickly devolves into a melodrama which tries too hard to evoke an emotional response out of the viewer/reader and Fruits Basket manages to avoid these very pitfalls by carefully blending the comedy with the drama/romance without creating some sort of dichotomy between these elements. With the right blend of comedy, drama, and romance along with some very well-written characters who play off of each other very well, she was effectively able to throw something depressing at you while reminding you that it's not all bad and that things will eventually get better for the characters.

When it comes down to characters, virtually everyone in the cast is properly fleshed out and play off of each other really well. Characters of particular note are Yuki, Kyo, Hatori, and Rin. We know exactly who each member of the cast is, we know their back-stories, and we see them grow and change as individuals. Tohru's friends, Saki and Arisa are also given their own time to shine in the sun and prove to be invaluable to Tohru's character growth. However, if there had to be a character that stood out to me more than anyone else, it would have to be Tohru's mother, Kyoko Honda. Surprisingly, even a deceased character is given time in the spotlight via flashback to show just how much of an influence that she's had on Tohru and vice-versa and for that, I applaud Natsuki Takaya.

Unfortunately, I can't really say the same about Takaya's artwork. It's going to be hard enough for people who are unfamiliar with the shoujo aesthetic to get used to the artwork in Fruits Basket, and her artwork certainly isn't bad by any means. What's more is that her artwork does go through quite a bit of refinement as the series progresses. However, the biggest fault that the manga has when it comes down to artwork is the relative lack of detail put into everything along with the fact that it seems like character faces/hairstyles sometimes end up recycled for side/supporting characters. I had a hard time trying to figure out whether or not Kyo was in the panel, or if it was one of the student council members, just as an example. Regardless, Takaya certainly did an adequate job of the artwork and it works for what it does.

So final thoughts: Fruits Basket is definitely one of the best mangas I've ever had the pleasure of reading. People often think of the shoujo demographic as being rife with big eyes, man service, reverse harems, debauchery, idiot girls fawning over guys who are complete dicks to them, etc. That's not entirely the case. Yes, that is certainly true for anime/manga on the lower end of the spectrum. However, if you're really looking for a shoujo series to read that's in the top of its class, I cannot recommend this manga enough. Now, there is an anime adaptation currently available from Funimation that was produced by Studio DEEN back in 2001. However, it only covers the first 38 chapters or so of the manga which is relatively early in its run. It's still worth watching, don't get me wrong but you might find it a bit too jovial compared to the rest of the manga.

Currently, Fruits Basket is out-of-print. TOKYOPOP used to publish the series and it was one of their all-time bestsellers (with sales only being topped by Naruto, believe it or not). Unfortunately, TOKYOPOP went out of business in 2011 and as such, all their titles have gone out-of-print and Viz Manga/Yen Press/Dark Horse/Kodansha Comics have not yet picked it up for publishing. Fortunately, there are plenty of volumes in circulation for you to read at a fair enough price so you should be able to pick up the entire series on Amazon or possibly Right Stuf if you're lucky.

With all of that said, I'm done with this review. Feedback is greatly appreciated as always. This is also my first manga review so please be gentle, senpai >////

I find that there are people who absolutely love (this seems to be the majority) Furuba or people who can't stand it.

I believe that it's hard not to like Furuba. At first I thought it was just going to be funny, because the first 7 or so volumes are full of hilarious scenes (mainly because whenever the Juunishi are hugged by the opposite sex, they change!). But once you get to volume 6 everything seems to start to gravitate in a different direction.

The story line, when it's revealed, is a little cliche in my opinion. Hence the rate of a 9. Don't get me wrong, its a beautiful story and one I find myself learning from over and over again no matter how many times I read it. It's about growing up and becoming who you're meant to be and finding the reason why you were born. It's almost hard to believe sometimes, the pain the characters have to go through in Furuba. But I'm so engrossed in each pain that it's not something that can be put down easily.

The characters are the winning point in Furuba. In reality they'd be a bunch of loners, depressing and sad. And just about every one of them is believable. Their personalities range from overtly happy (meaning there hiding the pain) to stubborn as a horse (go figure) and just down right conceited (he knows who he is). Even 'God' too. The growth of each of them is stunning and gorgeous and reading them grow is like watching the sun rise on a rainy day. I've laughed obnoxiously, cried until my chest hurt and felt the red hot burn of hatred while reading this manga. My favorite character is Kyo because he's absolutely adorable and I think I would also try to solve everything with anger myself. And the one character that I hated and grew to love was Yuki because he, in my opinion, is the one who grows the most. The one problem I have though is our main character. I love and I hate Tohru Honda. It's hard to place into words, what Tohru is. Because she becomes everything at once. A mother, a sister, a friend, a confident, a hero and the reason for someone else's life. But she's also the saddest girl I have ever seen. Bottled up with the most horrifying feelings. Even in the beginning it's obvious. Losing your mother would tear anyone's heart it two. I love her and what she does for everyone in the story. Because if I were to meet her myself, I think I would react much as all the Zodiac do. I would treat her as if she were the sun itself. But where, but in a manga, do you find someone so selfless.

The enjoyment I had and continue to have for this manga is absolute. I own every single volume and I'll pick up one all the time and just read it. There's a lesson in every chapter and words, that even though I don't think anyone in the real world has the heart to say, that make me want to become a better person. Someone who would give and give and give and ask for nothing in return. It makes me want to smile. To be the reason that someone else could smile. It makes me want to to the rock that someone can stand on. It's hard to read this manga and not feel ashamed for something you've done. It makes me ashamed to feel that I don't do as Tohru does. Which is why I believe that everyone should read this manga. Because it's heartwarming, sad, and where life continues to grow.

I used to think this was a cute goofy story with a love triangle and drama for it's own sake sprinkled in. But now if I had to give an elevator pitch for Fruits Basket it would be something along the lines of...
"Young adult/teen characters in a abusive and closed-off family environment with a variety of resurfacing childhood traumas, and how a girl whose greatest strength is her kindness manages to awaken new changes in dealing with that trauma."
(so for those of you who are saying Why Don't The Sohmas Just Leave or Act Like ___ Way, the answer is, that's how trauma be.)

Fruits Basket was one of my first manga series ever. I started reading when I was about 12 years old. I didn't know what the heck I was doing, but gosh darn it if I didn't love it when people transform into animals and cute edgy orange haired teen boys, and I saw the series to the end even though I couldn't make sense of the themes and volatile relationships. Now, about ten years later, with much more perspective on un/healthy relationships and family dynamics, and better taste in people I date, I wanted to see if any of my nostalgia needed debunking and if I could clear my past confusion.

The short answer is that the good parts are better than I remembered, and the bad parts are as bad as I remembered. The main characters are still likable (except for Shigure and Akito), whoever your 2008 Sohma crush was they're still dreamy, the character interactions are engaging, and even when they're put in simple scenarios like The Hot Sprints Chapter, The Beach Chapter, The School Festival Chapter, ect, there's still great story and personality development. Before rereading this month, I thought Tohru was probably actually really bland and didn't do anything but I was wrong. You'd be surprised how many of the Sohmas have never had just a single straight up polite semi-nice person interact with them. She's not just a magical cure all fix for problems either, she has her doubts and moments where she has to learn something new, just like any other person, thus she is interesting. Tohru's best friends are often understated on why others like this series. Hanajima and Uotani are not only unique but lovable. I feel that I am vicariously living through them when they confront bullies in high school.
It wasn't just the silly handsome ratboy being eye candy, it was seeing my own personal desire to care for people an try to "fix" their problems and the cascades of twisted relationships found underneath. We've all had to deal with emotional issues between ourselves, friends, and family at some point, so you might see a scenario between these characters mirror something that happened to you. And even if that's not the case, you'll probably feel empathy and the desire for change towards these characters.
Like this, there are a lot of great moments in Fruits Basket, but no need for me to spoil the whole show.

This isn't Natsuki Takaya's first manga, but the art definitely improves from the first chapters onwards. For my tastes, peak Takaya artwork happens between about chapters 35 through 77. I know that post chapter 77 Takaya has some sort of permanent hand injury and the only way she could continue to draw was by changing her style, however on a level of my personal preference, I dislike the new style. I feel it's much less expressive and less detailed than before and I feel it literally shows on the character's faces, and there's more lack of variety in other things like screentones and patterns. I have to give her props though, for not giving up and pushing through a lot of pain.

Now...for the bad unfortunately. Most of the main and side characters are part of a family community. This means that everyone is related to someone in some way. There are cousins who love their cousins in this story and it's put in a positive light, which really puts me off, especially when one of the central themes of this series is learning to find a better way in life with people who aren't connected to you in unhealthy ways. Incest is a pretty big moral taboo, and a lot more bad has come out of it compared to any good.
There is also a very large age gap between Tohru's mother and father. It seems she was about 14-15 years old when they got married and he's about 8-9 years older than her, putting him around 23 years old. They joke once that he's a pedophile, while all the chapters previous explained what a nice guy he was. Most if not all relationships with this kind of age gap where one side is 15 years old are abusive. Chapter 90 portrays the father in too positive of a light, and that's where I ended my reread this year because I was ready to make my full judgments.
I don't consider these to be spoilers though I know others might disagree. But it's a big part of my hangups about the series and I feel I couldn't complete this review without the above information.

Closing statement:
If you've never read this, you're curious, and can push past the incest and the one age gap, I say go for it. It's got a great mix of fun and seriousness, the characters are gems.
If you already read this and your nostalgia is creeping up on you, I say revive those old memories, and just hit the pause button after chapter 77. In addition to my warnings above, I feel that the story pacing after 77 becomes slower and starts to suffer.
If you read this and don't like it by the end of volume 2 or 3, drop it.

Thanks.