Sep 17, 2009 7:41 AM
Fruits Basket: My view on a classic
Anime Relations:
Fruits Basket
Just for warning this Blog may contain things that might spoil the anime for those who haven't watch it yet so if you don't want to ruin the series then do not click on the spoiler tab...Otherwise please enjoy my blog :)
When Fruits Basket was brought to the screen in 1999, the world of anime bared witness to what has become one of anime all time classics with its delightful characters, its well thought out storyline and near poetic speeches, it became a true favourite to fans of all ages and genders but was that all that made it such a wondeful and endearing anime?
Well in a way its both yes and no, sure all of the above are increasingly important to the success to an anime but this anime had something else to it, a deeper meaning to the entire story, it shows the importance of friendship and acceptance to all kinds of people.
First of all its important to realise that each main character has a their own personality but most importantly they are personality that you find in all types of friends -
Yuki Sohma - Plain, Quiet and alway on the backfoot
Kyo Sohma - Agressive, hot and short tempered
Shigure Sohma - Juvenile young adult
Hatori Sohma - Cold hearted and to the point
Hatsuharu Sohma - Split Personality
Ayame Sohma - Loud and positive attitude
Kisa Sohma - Scared and Defensive
Ritsu Sohma - Apologetic and timid
Tohru Honda - Space out , Easy to fool and trick
Akito Sohma - Power hungry and hatred towards anything
momiji Sohma - Hyperactive, fun loving and high spirited
Hiro Sohma - Bad Attitude and Overbearing Jealously
Arisa Uotani - Tough Attitude and Thuggish
Saki Hanajima - Protective, Creepy and Gothic-like
Kazuma Sohma - Understanding, father/ Big Brother like figure
Motoko Minagawa - Determined, one track mind, Over processive
Kyoko Honda - Streetwise and trustworthy
As many people will know, when making friends you will never have the same personalities within each and every one of them, some will controdict one another like Yuki and Kyo who end up fighting continuously but then theres the ones who work well together like Shigure and Ayame who are able to have continous laughs and even talk to each like lovers but then again you can add a negative personality to the equation and have a positive reaction, Yuki and Kyo might be a negative choice of friends but adding Tohru Honda to the mix and all three seem to be the best of friends and then if you add Hatori to Shigure and Ayame they are still the positive group but now with a level head to keep them in line.
Another great thing that Fruits Basket does is to give advice about how to accept people and make friends but whilst dealing with a major problems, without a wise person in the series that can be respected to give out any of the information who could they use so that people will listen and take it to heart rather than put it down as mere dialogue...they simperly make Tohru tells stories that her recently deceased mother told her when she was younger and had stories told about how she was both loving and streetwise throughout the series.
Although its not clear until towards the end of the series, Kyo is actually the main focal point to the entire storyline, although a small hint is apparent in episode 4 when Kagure mentions his "other form" but after that absolutely nothing is either mentioned or shown about it, when Kyo true form is revealed as a hideous monster it's actually a metaphor for a dark secret in someone past, sure many people believe that if they are friends with someone without knowing about their dark past that it wouldn't matter...but that not always the case in fact its likely to instantly break up a friendship because of it.
The other two focal points in the series are Tohru Honda and Akito Sohma, they are like two sides of the same coin, the north and south pole, basically they are known as the positive and negative of all life...Tohru is shown to be able to see peoples true personality and bring it out into the open whilst Akito's only ambition in life is to make everyone around him miserable in order to give himself self pleasure but by the end of the series its proven a positive attitude towards life can defeat any negative feelings towards it.
Another point to the series is the fact that the series stays clear from the real zodiac story, for example the Rat (Yuki) is compatible with Dragons and Monkey but during the series he has a hatred towards the Dragon (hatori) and is Annoyed with the monkey (Ritsu), also the Sheep is compatible with Rabbits and Pigs but when he meets Momiji he refers to him as the "damn rabbit". This was probably done because of the addition of the 13th Zodiac aka The Cat which is unknown if the cat was indeed a part of the original story but if not Fruits Basket may have begun a new folk tale that could easily be told for generations to follow.
The order of the zodiac is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig and the story was told in the form of a race which was won by the Rat after he ride all the way to the back of the Ox which makes it interesting that the Rat is more compatible or less compatible with the Ox since it can be either deplicted that they worked as a unit or that the Rat used the cow to gain victory.
The most interesting character is Akito Sohma who is shown to have been bought within a tragic life to bare almost like the sort of life you wouldn't want anyone to be born into, during the series it is discovered he holds the core of the zodiac curse (kinda like taking the part of all cancers that kill you and take them into yourself so everyone may live longer) but its pointed out that this was a decision made by others without Akitos knowledge, its not even clear if he had been born before this choice was made. As a sort of award for his suffering he is automatically given the title as the Head of the family which gives him the right to tell everyone especially the members of the zodiac what to do to make his life more pleasant, its again not clear if the way he treats people is common to all the previous heads but it does seems as this may vary with every person (eg The Cat, Kyo is hot tempered but Kazuma's grandfather was Kind and understanding).
Another part of the series thats interesting is the fact it manages to contain alot of genres within its series as well as many aspects, for example the series containing Frequantly used swear including "Bastard", theres the continous use of male nudity (even if you only see the chest or back) as well as the one moment of female nudity (Kagura Sohma), theres also use of unacceptable dialogue within series which is covered by the infamous "Bleep" this was probably to show that in the real world theres no such thing as a clean atmosphere and that politically incorrect stuff is often said.
The Series also goes serious occassionally showing the dark side of the Fruits Basket world including deplicting Yukis childhood abuse by the hands of Akito, Momijis abandonment by his own mother and Tohru inner struggle with the death of her mother.
This was probably done again to show that the world isn't all roses and although it is a comedy that the character have not always had something to smile but gives impression to anyone in the same situation right now by basically saying "don't worry, one day you will smile again I promise"
Although it is comedy the story does frequantly changes genre wether for a short time or a whole episode, it is shown to be a fighting anime (which is mentioned in the series as well), its a children horror (episode 25), usually it becomes a romance (whenever Kagura gets near to Kyo).
When Fruits Basket was brought to the screen in 1999, the world of anime bared witness to what has become one of anime all time classics with its delightful characters, its well thought out storyline and near poetic speeches, it became a true favourite to fans of all ages and genders but was that all that made it such a wondeful and endearing anime?
Well in a way its both yes and no, sure all of the above are increasingly important to the success to an anime but this anime had something else to it, a deeper meaning to the entire story, it shows the importance of friendship and acceptance to all kinds of people.
First of all its important to realise that each main character has a their own personality but most importantly they are personality that you find in all types of friends -
Yuki Sohma - Plain, Quiet and alway on the backfoot
Kyo Sohma - Agressive, hot and short tempered
Shigure Sohma - Juvenile young adult
Hatori Sohma - Cold hearted and to the point
Hatsuharu Sohma - Split Personality
Ayame Sohma - Loud and positive attitude
Kisa Sohma - Scared and Defensive
Ritsu Sohma - Apologetic and timid
Tohru Honda - Space out , Easy to fool and trick
Akito Sohma - Power hungry and hatred towards anything
momiji Sohma - Hyperactive, fun loving and high spirited
Hiro Sohma - Bad Attitude and Overbearing Jealously
Arisa Uotani - Tough Attitude and Thuggish
Saki Hanajima - Protective, Creepy and Gothic-like
Kazuma Sohma - Understanding, father/ Big Brother like figure
Motoko Minagawa - Determined, one track mind, Over processive
Kyoko Honda - Streetwise and trustworthy
As many people will know, when making friends you will never have the same personalities within each and every one of them, some will controdict one another like Yuki and Kyo who end up fighting continuously but then theres the ones who work well together like Shigure and Ayame who are able to have continous laughs and even talk to each like lovers but then again you can add a negative personality to the equation and have a positive reaction, Yuki and Kyo might be a negative choice of friends but adding Tohru Honda to the mix and all three seem to be the best of friends and then if you add Hatori to Shigure and Ayame they are still the positive group but now with a level head to keep them in line.
Another great thing that Fruits Basket does is to give advice about how to accept people and make friends but whilst dealing with a major problems, without a wise person in the series that can be respected to give out any of the information who could they use so that people will listen and take it to heart rather than put it down as mere dialogue...they simperly make Tohru tells stories that her recently deceased mother told her when she was younger and had stories told about how she was both loving and streetwise throughout the series.
Although its not clear until towards the end of the series, Kyo is actually the main focal point to the entire storyline, although a small hint is apparent in episode 4 when Kagure mentions his "other form" but after that absolutely nothing is either mentioned or shown about it, when Kyo true form is revealed as a hideous monster it's actually a metaphor for a dark secret in someone past, sure many people believe that if they are friends with someone without knowing about their dark past that it wouldn't matter...but that not always the case in fact its likely to instantly break up a friendship because of it.
The other two focal points in the series are Tohru Honda and Akito Sohma, they are like two sides of the same coin, the north and south pole, basically they are known as the positive and negative of all life...Tohru is shown to be able to see peoples true personality and bring it out into the open whilst Akito's only ambition in life is to make everyone around him miserable in order to give himself self pleasure but by the end of the series its proven a positive attitude towards life can defeat any negative feelings towards it.
Another point to the series is the fact that the series stays clear from the real zodiac story, for example the Rat (Yuki) is compatible with Dragons and Monkey but during the series he has a hatred towards the Dragon (hatori) and is Annoyed with the monkey (Ritsu), also the Sheep is compatible with Rabbits and Pigs but when he meets Momiji he refers to him as the "damn rabbit". This was probably done because of the addition of the 13th Zodiac aka The Cat which is unknown if the cat was indeed a part of the original story but if not Fruits Basket may have begun a new folk tale that could easily be told for generations to follow.
The order of the zodiac is Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig and the story was told in the form of a race which was won by the Rat after he ride all the way to the back of the Ox which makes it interesting that the Rat is more compatible or less compatible with the Ox since it can be either deplicted that they worked as a unit or that the Rat used the cow to gain victory.
The most interesting character is Akito Sohma who is shown to have been bought within a tragic life to bare almost like the sort of life you wouldn't want anyone to be born into, during the series it is discovered he holds the core of the zodiac curse (kinda like taking the part of all cancers that kill you and take them into yourself so everyone may live longer) but its pointed out that this was a decision made by others without Akitos knowledge, its not even clear if he had been born before this choice was made. As a sort of award for his suffering he is automatically given the title as the Head of the family which gives him the right to tell everyone especially the members of the zodiac what to do to make his life more pleasant, its again not clear if the way he treats people is common to all the previous heads but it does seems as this may vary with every person (eg The Cat, Kyo is hot tempered but Kazuma's grandfather was Kind and understanding).
Another part of the series thats interesting is the fact it manages to contain alot of genres within its series as well as many aspects, for example the series containing Frequantly used swear including "Bastard", theres the continous use of male nudity (even if you only see the chest or back) as well as the one moment of female nudity (Kagura Sohma), theres also use of unacceptable dialogue within series which is covered by the infamous "Bleep" this was probably to show that in the real world theres no such thing as a clean atmosphere and that politically incorrect stuff is often said.
The Series also goes serious occassionally showing the dark side of the Fruits Basket world including deplicting Yukis childhood abuse by the hands of Akito, Momijis abandonment by his own mother and Tohru inner struggle with the death of her mother.
This was probably done again to show that the world isn't all roses and although it is a comedy that the character have not always had something to smile but gives impression to anyone in the same situation right now by basically saying "don't worry, one day you will smile again I promise"
Although it is comedy the story does frequantly changes genre wether for a short time or a whole episode, it is shown to be a fighting anime (which is mentioned in the series as well), its a children horror (episode 25), usually it becomes a romance (whenever Kagura gets near to Kyo).
Posted by
OhhhFreakOut
| Sep 17, 2009 7:41 AM |
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