Aug 8, 2013
Okay, so I will start off with saying that this was my first manga ever. I've reread it several times since then, but it still has a certain nostalgia attached to it that I will try to bypass in this review. Feel free to take my scores with a grain of salt.
Story (10): Tohru Honda is an orphan and a typically hard-working shojo manga heroine who finds herself living with the Sohma family (for reasons I won't get into here, it's not that important anyways). She gradually discovers that the Sohma family has a secret: a curse. 13 family members, the 'Juunishi', have been cursed
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with a particular sign from the zodiac, and when hugged by a person of the opposite sex, they turn into that animal. Put that together with the fact that Tohru is living in a house with two attractive boys her age, you expect a cute love triangle and a cast of adorable supporting characters, right? Wrong. Takaya almost uses this expectation to her advantage, as the characters who begin so one-sided and simplistic suddenly reveal depth through their backstory or their actions (there is, however, a love triangle). The 'curse' is aptly named. Best of all, once you re-read it, you realize that Takaya has been hinting at the ending and certain plot twists throughout the series, long before she reveals them (through use of reoccurring symbols and dialogue). Even after several re-reads, this story is still excellently done.
Art (9): Takaya DEFINITELY improves throughout her journey (comparing the first book to the last book is shocking). There will be a few awkwardly drawn joints, and the characters are rather out-of-proportion in the first few books, but it is manga, so it doesn't detract from the storyline. One of my absolute favorite things Takaya uses is space: her panels are impeccable, and there are more than few instances where I have paused just because the panels have been so striking (mild spoilers: when Kyo thinks (about Akito and Tohru) "Is he using her?" comes to mind). Overall, her work is very very well done.
Characters (10): This is what makes this series so lovable. Every character, even those you don't think are interesting (see above) become slowly 3-dimensional. You will love them, cry about them, hate them (I don't know if I've ever hated a character more than a certain character in Furuba), and gradually think of them as a family, albeit an extremely disfunctional one. They are so well written, and they're what make this series so worthwhile. If you read this series for anything, read it for the characters. If storyline is a 10, this should be a 12.
Enjoyment (10): Even after reading so many manga and watching so much anime over the years, this is still in my top three. I honestly believe that I changed to become more like Tohru after reading this (I read it at a fairly impressionable age), and I still love paging through it. It should also be mentioned that, while giving the reader a wonderful storyline and great life lessons, Fruits Basket is funny - surprisingly so. I've been reading Fruits Basket in public places and had people turn to look at me because I was laughing aloud.
Overall (9.5; I rounded down for my official score): The only reason this isn't a ten is because I'm sure that I've been influenced greatly by my nostalgia and love of the series. That being said, I truly believe this series is one of the best I've ever read. I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it, and buy it if you can (it is out of print now). I hope you enjoy it!
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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