Anime Review: Fruits Basket

Review Fruits Basket Written by Warpshadow Rating Excellent

Do you like Shojo anime? Do shows filled with pastel colors and willowy male characters? Even that sort of stuff isn't your bag I still strongly recommend Fruit basket. I really liked it and I am even a guy.

Tohru Honda is a kind and cheerful high school student. If she wasn't recently orphaned and living in a tent this wouldn't be extraordinary. By coincidence Tohru is camping on the property of one of her classmates Yuki Sohma. While staying the night at Yuki's house, Tohru learns the deep, dark family secret of the Sohma's. A number of the Sohmas are cursed so that if they touch a member of the opposite sex they turn into an animal in the Chinese zodiac. Eventually a deal is hashed out that Tohru can live with the Sohma's in return for being their maid and keeping their secret.

There are shows, anime or otherwise, that people call feel good, heartwarming or otherwise made to satisfy emotions in a comforting way. In this respect Fruits basket not only succeeds but excels as an anime show. The plot is somewhat weak but the show is held afloat an exceptionally likable cast of characters. At the center of it all is Tohru Honda, who manages to navigate all the pitfalls that a main character in a shojo anime faces. Add to this a cast of bishonen who not only look good but have a wide array of unique personalities and we have a great show to watch.