Fruits Basket

Also Known As: FB, Furuba

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Format: 26 Episodes

Allegiance: Studio DEEN

Director: Daichi Akitarou

Vintage: 2001

Intelligence Agency Report by: Drake

After Honda Tohru's mother died in a car accident, Tohru was left to her grandfather who at the time resided with relatives who did not look so fondly on Tohru due to her mother. However, when her grandfather’s house was slated for renovations, Tohru set off to a forest and set up a tent until renovations were finished to avoid being a burden to others. One fateful day, as she was leaving for school; Tohru noticed a house in the middle of the forest, inhabited by members of the Sohma family. Eventually, she took up residence with them, and becomes entwined with a deep dark secret.

Field Agent Report by: Drake

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

8.50
9.75
10.00
9.50
8.00

Overall

9.50

(not an average)

At first sight, Fruits Basket appears to be your typical shoujo anime with a young girl surrounded by a bunch of bishounen. However, looking past that first impression you'll find a very touching story with a very realistic premise, despite how people turn into an animal of the Chinese Zodiac when hugged by a member of the opposite sex.

The thing that made Fruits Basket so special, compared to most other anime, was the usage of plot to further develop the viewer’s relationship or understanding with the characters. In most cases, it was possible to associate with each and every character regardless of the amount of screen time the character received. In some scenes the bonds I felt with some characters was so intense that I was brought to tears, happiness or grief given the situation. While such emotion may not come to many viewers in the opening episodes, over time, the characters do show enormous signs of development and are truly fleshed out into three-dimensional people.

Many people may question the level of the plot since the characters are the main focus. However, this concern is futile considering how beautifully interwoven the plot and characters are. The process of unveiling the secret curse of the Sohma family through day-to-day life and revelations of the next Zodiac member is beautifully done through out the series along with the drama that ensues in the series. The only qualm I hold with the show is the slow progress of the second half and a quick ending with many loose ends to tie up. Hopefully someday Studio DEEN will make a sequel to tie up those loose ends.

Not only did the premise and character development make a great impact on me, but the art was terrific was well. The character designs for the most part were very vivid and well-drawn. Also, with great seamless movement from one frame to another, there's no reason to doubt the animators put their hearts and souls into Fruits Basket.

Overall, this is probably of the best anime I've seen in a long time. Of course not everyone will be full of praise for this anime, but I feel this is a very touching story. So if you're in the mood for a great story with much comic relief, love, drama and a little action, check out Fruits Basket!

Field Agent Report by: Orax

Plot
Characters
Impact
Visual
Audio

8.50
9.50
9.75
8.75
8.50

Overall

9.25

(not an average)

Fruits Basket is one of those anime that I love every minute of. There are hardly any characters I don't like, and the anime supplies some of the most dramatic scenes you’ll ever watch. Whether it was my first time or my fourth time watching it, Fruits Basket always kept me captivated with the same intensity. To me, that’s an excellent indicator of a superb anime.

What I love about Fruits Basket is how all the members of the Sohma family interact. Each character's personality is taken from their respected Chinese zodiac animal, and how the personalities of naturally opposing creatures conflict with each other keeps things engrossingly interesting. Whether it’s Kisa innocently following Tohru like a cub and its mother, or Kyo bullying Momiji, or Ayame trying desperately to gain Yuki’s affection, they’re all scenes that I’ll always remember.

Fruits Basket doesn’t hide the fact that it heavily depended on its excellent cast to compensate for relatively weak plot. Simply put, the plot was Tohru getting to know the members of the Sohma family; but even with this basic premise, it still works. Discovering new people with the curse of the Zodiac kept Fruits Basket refreshing, and the end result was that there were only one or two episodes that I didn’t find entertaining or boring. At first glance the conclusion may seem irresolute, but if you focus on the significance of Tohru's relationship to the Sohma family, you'll find perfect closure.

As the series progresses, it’s apparent that Tohru is a means of healing the scars of the family curse, and the methods to accomplishing that will take a harsh toll on not only Tohru, but all of the members of the Sohma family as well. The true essence of Fruits Basket is whether Tohru has the strength and heart to see it through, and this will become clearer as you witness some of the more emotional moments this anime has to offer.