The Sohmas are a family cursed, a curse which has led to their isolation for generations. When any single member of the family is embraced by a person of the opposite gender, they transform into an animal from the Chinese Zodiac! The Sohma’s have managed to keep this embarrassing little secret hidden for many, many years…
That is, until young Tohru Honda stumbles into their life. Inspiring some and infuriating others, Tohru manages to turn life in this most unusual household upside down as Zodiac rivals clash. But above all, she must promise to keep their secret as one of her own… Or face the consequences!
Stills from Fruits Basket (Click for larger image)
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Russell J. LEBAR
September 4th, 2009 at 4:15 am
A hidden gem!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This series has a humorous side that is hilarious most of the time but occasionally annoying. However, the serious side more than makes up for these shortcomings. If you are looking for a complex plot or lots of action then pass on this series. If you like an emotional, character driven story then this one is for you. Almost every episode has affirmations, tidbits of wisdom and touching scenes. And that’s because the series is really about the healing process people who have suffered from tragedies, abuse, etc. go through on the road to recovery and even how to live life. This is one of those hidden little gems that, once found, sparkle so brightly in the sunlight.
E. A Solinas
October 1st, 2009 at 9:19 am
They’re ANIMALS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Imagine if you moved in with a new family and friends… and found out they turn into animals when you hug them.
That’s what Tohru Honda has to deal with in “Fruits Basket,” the adaptation of Natsuki Takaya’s hit manga. And the manga adaptation is a delightful one — while the ending gets changed, it’s still charming, quirky, slapsticky and sprinkled with darker moments.
Tohru is living in the woods, with only her late mother’s photo for company. Exploring one day, she wanders down to a large house, and bumps into the owners: flirtatious Shigure Sohma, and his gorgeous cousin Yuki — the school’s mysterious “Prince.” After Tohru becomes ill and her tent is destroyed, Yuki and Shigure take her into their home as their new housekeeper… especially since the place is a pigsty.
But Yuki and Shigure are keeping some strange secrets. When Kyo Sohma bursts in to fight Yuki, Tohru tries to stop him — and the three turn into a dog, cat, and rat. Turns out the Sohma family is cursed with the spirits of the Chinese zodiac, and become those animals whenever they’re hugged by a member of the opposite sex. Surprisingly, the mysterious family head Akito allows Tohru to stay with Yuki and Shigure, as long as the volatile Kyo also stays.
And soon Tohru becomes even more wrapped up in the Sohma family, and befriends many members of the zodiac. She, Yuki and Kyo must deal with crazed fanclubs, flamboyant brothers, school festivals, New Year’s loneliness, Valentine’s day woes, trips to the hot springs, visits to Tohru’s mother’s grave, and Yuki’s band of loyal stalkers.
But Tohru also learns more about the curse — the traumatic pasts that Momiji, Yuki and Kyo keep hidden, the little “tiger” girl who is bullied into silence, and Hatori’s tragic romance. And finally Tohru discovers the horrific secret that Kyo is hiding, and the true role of the angry, violent Akito…
It takes a little while for “Fruits Basket” to get going, but after a few episodes it finds its footing and charges ahead like Kagura. Just don’t expect it to really have an ending — it doesn’t end so much as stop, on a particularly moving story about Kyo and Tohru.
There’s lots of romantic tension, slapstick fight scenes (usually involving Kyo and somebody else), quirky comedy (Ayame’s kooky cosplay shop), and amusingly tongue-in-cheek dialogue (“Sometimes it feels like the whole world is conspiring to destroy my house!”).
But while the anime is somewhat more lighthearted than the manga, there’s also a melancholy side to the story, centering on a curse that is ruining its victims’ lives. In the midst of the comedy, we get glimpses of Tohru’s tragic past, the families torn apart by the curse, and the Sohmas’ isolation from the rest of the world.
Tohru herself is the most lovable character of the bunch — she has a lot of sorrow over her mother’s death and the unkindness of some of her relatives, but she compensates with optimism and friendliness. She borders on Pollyannishness occasionally, but is balanced out somewhat by her oddball friends.
And the Sohmas rule as far as quirkiness is concerned — there’s the quiet “Prince” Yuki, the volatile loner Kyo, and the charmingly kooky Shigure. The rest of the family is even more eccentric — the flamboyant, charming Ayame, Yuki’s prodigal brother who is trying ineptly to mend fences. Not to mention the volcanic Haru, the tragic Hatori, and half-German, deceptively cheerful Momiji.
“Fruits Basket” is by turns hilarious and bittersweet, with plenty of wacky antics, sad backstories and quirky characters. Delightful from beginning to end.
A. Theopheles
October 2nd, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Fruits Basket
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The price was reasonable (cheaper at other online stores), though I do not like the way they do not describe what “Veridian” meant, and ended up with an entire extra set of the first collection of Fruits Basket. I am happy with the delivery time, it was very quick, but the condition of the DVD boxes was uspetting. All of the center pieces that click the discs in place are broken. I am not happy about that.
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