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[This review contains major spoilers from Fruits Basket and minor spoilers from Fruits Basket Another!]

Sequels always tend to spark different reactions in people. Some people are happy to get a continuation of the story they love so much, and others are... not too fond of the idea of a great manga to receive a sequel. I, too, was hesitant. Fruits Basket has always been one of my favorite manga series of all time, and with the ending of the original manga having satisfied me, I was scared that this sequel would let me down. But oh boy, let me tell, you. Something that I expected ... would let me down, actually ended up entertaining me a lot.

STORY: 7/10
To put it simply, Fruits Basket Another contains the same theme core as the original Fruits Basket series. But instead of a single girl helping a whole family, it is the children of the original Fruits Basket cast helping one girl to overcome her inner demons. The premise may seem like it's recycled and predictable, but keep in mind that Natsuki Takaya-sensei is a great writer. She turns this simple concept into something that will touch your heart, and if you are a huge Fruits Basket fan like myself, you will enjoy the parallels shown between the Tohru Honda and the Sohma family, and our new protagonist Sawa Mitoma and the next generation of the Sohmas. But the story is more than this-- the characters and the mystery behind Sawa's background will intrigue you.

ART: 6/10
Takaya-sensei's art has gone a long way. I will admit that I'm not a huge fan of her original art style, but her art style in Another is decent and works well with the story. The characters have great expressions and anatomy, but they can look somewhat stiff sometimes. Takaya also doesn't use backgrounds as much I would like to see, and mostly emphasizes the character's emotions and expressions, but they are minor flaws that I can overlook since the art didn't get in the way of my enjoyment.

CHARACTERS: 6/10
The characters were the story's weakest point. The majority of the characters weren't developed and/or fleshed out, and were mostly there for “fanservice” for the original fans rather than actual plot advancement. Many of them are copies of their parents, both in appearance and personality, with one or two additional quirks to differentiate them from their parents. Hajime, despite being one of the main characters and the son of two amazingly written characters, barely feels like his own person.

However, there are a few good characters that actually feel like “real” people. Such examples are our protagonist, Sawa Mitoma, who embodies what Fruits Basket truly is about; starting over and moving forward as a path to healing. It is compelling to watch this awkward girl with serious self-esteem and anxiety problem who has internalized the idea that she is worthless, to struggle, and to heal. Who she is at the beginning is not who she is at the end, she has clear strengths and flaws, she goes through struggles and conflicts, and she experiences tons of change and growth. And at the series' conclusion, even though she has developed a sweet, budding romance with one of the boys, has many people who care about her, and learned to deal with many of her issues, she is far from okay. Her problems aren't magically fixed, and she is still hurting and suffering from the after-effects of the abuse she has experienced. The important thing, however, is that she has willingly, and confidently, begun walking on the path of healing and self-improvement.

Another example is Shiki Sohma, who is the “in-between” character and primarily embodies the theme of “the cycle of abuse”. This is fitting since he is the son of the former antagonist, Akito. On one hand, he is an integral part of an environment that never broke the cycle of abuse and never allowed his mother to repent and atone—thus making him into a victim and target. On the other hand, he is also an integral part of an environment that did break the cycle of abuse, where he is loved by all the Sohma children. However, they are also the children of the families that his mother had tormented for so long. I won't delve into his character too much since it will be considered spoiler-territory, but he has so much more depth, complexity, and development to his character than first meets the eye.

Development for the original cast from Fruits Basket is implied, even though they don't make a single appearance. And for that, I have to applaud Natsuki Takaya. She brought Yuki's arc full-circle, and handled Akito's character arc mindfully. Anyone who was upset by the fact that Akito was "let off the hook" too easily in the original series, should read Another and its bonus chapter to fully understand Akito (because even now, the former antagonist hasn't stopped growing).

ENJOYMENT: 8/10
I am a huge Fruits Basket fan, so seeing Another feature cameo appearances for characters from the original manga and plenty of inside jokes, really just took me on a nostalgia trip. With that said, I appreciate Another for what it is and what it tried to convey. Comparing Another to Fruits Basket and expecting a dramatic and heartfelt manga on par with the original manga is not ideal. Instead, focus on Another as a stand-alone series, where this lonely girl with a multitude of issues, changes into a stronger and happier girl with hope for the future. Just like in Fruits Basket, Another contains many relatable and important life lessons that will reach your heart.

Another does have plenty of flaws; very few three-dimensional characters, rushed plot-points that were never properly fleshed out (given, since it only has three volumes), and the fact that it isn't able to stand up on its own. But if you are a fan of the original manga, you should still give it a shot. You might not enjoy it, but the feeling of having your favorite characters from the original manga growing up and becoming great parents, when (most) of them were broken in the beginning and had, to put in bluntly, shitty parents, will probably warm your heart.

FINAL SCORE: 7/10.