The anime Fruits Basket is an amazing story that blends elements of various genres (like Shoujo, Magic, fantasy, Reverse Harem et cetera) altogether. It has received worldwide popularity for its unique premise on which the plot develops and progresses.
It had even received the Kodansha Manga Award for the Shoujo Category in 2001. Also, in a 2002 issue of the Animate Magazine, Fruits Basket was crowned as the best anime in a coveted list of the best anime shows.
Fruits Basket has two anime versions, one produced in 2001 and one very recently in 2019. The 2019 Fruits Basket version looks more modern and has much better animation quality. Also, it takes on a more serious tone and covers more morbid elements.
Read on to help you decide if you should be watching this anime or not!
1. Quick Review
The anime Fruits Basket is one of the most beautiful and popular Shoujo anime of all time. The plot explores the life of Tohru and her relationships with the male members of the Soma family.
There are various running jokes throughout the anime that fortunately don’t get annoying. Expect a dash of magic and fantastical elements as well, to add flavor to the plot. The romance bit is also entertaining and develops relatively fast.
2. Is it worth watching?
The anime Fruits Basket is a delightful watch. All the characters are relatable, funny, and cute. The art style and character designs are impeccable. It has rib-tickling slapstick humor and a dash of romance to keep the plot going.
I. Plot
The plot revolves around the likable protagonist, Tohru, who is caught red-handed living in a tent in the forests. In a humorous turn of events, these forests belong to the property of the Soma Family, whose members include Tohru’s classmate.
As she is allowed to live with them together in the house, she learns of the terrible curse that has plagued members of the Soma family for centuries. She finds out that they turn into each animal character of the Chinese Zodiac if and when they are stressed or hugged by the opposite sex.
However, this secret is kept hidden from the outside world for fear of social sanctions and ostracism. Under strict conditions of Tohru not revealing their secret, is she allowed to live with them. Soon, she starts making tremendous positive changes in their lives that affect them in a good way and help them grow and prosper.
The plot progress reveals a lot of secrets and history steadily, which helps bring the characters to life and make them more likable.
While the plot seems light and easy-going (which it is), it is punctuated with moments of tragedy and dealing with trauma. In fact, dealing with the lifelong repercussions of traumatic events is the main theme in the entire anime.
For the huge task of making a reboot of a long-standing Shoujo classic, the 2019 anime version does a brilliant job. While it takes an altogether different trajectory and approach, it will be quite nostalgic to see some scenes of the original recreated and reproduced.
II. Characters
The characters of the Fruits Basket Universe come in all shapes and sizes with the weirdest quirks and character designs. All of them complement the narrative and add their own uniqueness to the plot, thus enriching it.
The female protagonist of Tohru is the classic female lead of a Shoujo anime/manga. She is extremely lively and optimistic though her dark and sad side is also significant enough to notice. Her optimism is so infectious that her time at the house makes noteworthy changes in the men.
All the Chinese Zodiac characters embody certain stereotypical personalities, as they exist in the popular collective consciousness of East Asians. The most prominent in the anime are the Rat, Dog and the Cat. It can be very entertaining and informative even for viewers who are really into zodiac signs and whatnot.
The character development of the characters in the 2019 Fruits Basket is not as elaborate as it is in the anime. But if taken independently, it does do well in this aspect too. Every character starts maturing and showing more depth as they spend more time together and learn more about each other’s pasts.
3. Final Thoughts
Fruits Basket is highly enjoyable and memorable. It strikes as no surprise that it holds a very dear position in the hearts of many Shoujo fans and is one of the most iconic Shoujo mangas of the 20th Century.
Studded with addictive optimism, moral lessons, and beautiful visuals, it is very entertaining and nostalgic to watch this anime. I would definitely recommend it. Whether you’re looking for just some high school romance drama, fantasy, or tragedy, you will find all the above three genres, coalescing into one big chunk of entertainment.
4. Grade
Story: A+
Cinematography/Animation: A+
Art: A
Music: B
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