Vol. 1, Fruits Basket Collector's Edition

Okay. So.

Honestly?

I was never a fan of Manga.

And I keep wanting to prounounce it Mangma or Magma, but anyway...when my friend lent me this book one day, I just. Couldn't. Stop. Reading. It.

I was happy to know that there were more books in the series, but I wouldn't want to become too obsessed with the whole Manga issue.

After all, they're just animated characters. (;

My suggestion?

Read the whole series at a bookstore, so you won't have to waste any money.

Aside from all this, this book is really one you should read, but I guess I just think that since I've never read any other Manga before. But if you want to get in to Manga for some reason, this is a great starter book! Hope you enjoy.

Okay so people say "Never judge a book by it's cover" well...I sort of did you could say. I looked inside Fruits Basket volume 1 and thought 'it's not my style.' i'm really picky about how my manga i read is drawn. And normally I don't get this kind of manga style. I prefer manga drawn like Hot Gimmick, W Juliet, or B.B. Explosion. So anyway I checked out the first volume from my local library and instantly fell in love with it. Tohru is an unrealistic optimistic character but loveable. I wonder if she is in love with either Kyo or Yuki sometimes but how could she possibly chose? Both are so nice! Well anyway I haven't read the whole series yet (heck no one has yet it's not done!). I've only read up to the fourth book out of the 13 that are out right now. I'm still loving it tho!

Thought you were sick of that old shojo formula? The irrepressibly optimistic heroine surrended by a bevy of droolworthy bishonen (and really, ladies, do we need more of those? ;3). Fruits Basket is a fresh spin on the tried and true formula: by throwing in a Ranma-esque curse that causes members of the Sohma family to turn into animals of the Zodiac when hugged by the opposite sex and creating deep characters you can really root for. Even I (a shojo maniac) get fed up with the unbelievebly happy-go-lucky heroines like Sailor Moon, but Tohru is more down to earth, more believable. She's been through a lot in her short life, but she just keeps on trucking, trying to find her place and make it happy for her and those she cares about. If you're a parent, Tohru is a GREAT role model for young girls and the story is safe for anyone over 11 (at least in the first two volumes). But more importantly, there are amazing BISHONEN! There's a gaggle of glorious man-babes in the Sohma family, and the men are all unique and entertaining (I personally love the dog...). Fruits Basket's art is older, but in no way bad. It's gorgeous in its simplicity and more than makes up for it with a great story and even better characters. Definately worth the money!

Natsuki Takaya hit manga gold with "Fruits Basket," a romantic/comic/fantasy story about one cursed family, and a girl who might be able to set them all free.

The first volume of any series is usually the weakest, and that's true of "Fruits Basket Volume 1," but it's still a warm-hearted, entertaining little collection, which mainly serves to introduce the lead characters. And it doesn't take Takaya long to hit her storytelling stride.

Orphaned Tohru Honda is living in a tent in the woods. But one day she bumps into the large house of school idol Yuki Sohma, and his older cousin Shigure -- and after a landslide buries her tent and most of her belongings, they take Tohru in as a housekeeper/cook. But when the volatile Kyo Sohma breaks in to fight with Yuki, Tohru slips and accidently hugs him -- and he transforms into a cat.

Turns out that the Sohma family is cursed -- certain members turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac, including Yuki and Shigure (rat and dog, respectively). Warm-hearted Tohru doesn't let this stop her from befriending the Sohmas... and then the call comes that her grandfather wants her to come back home. But Shigure, Yuki and Kyo weren't expecting to miss her this much...

"Fruits Basket" isn't a hard series to like -- it has a little something for everyone, especially manga fans who love beautiful young men (of which there are plenty). Evil curses, slapstick comedy, swift martial-arts battles, a bit of romantic tension, and a horde of fangirls who are obsessive about Yuki.

Takaya spends most of the first volume introducing the characters, and arranging for them to live in the same house. Her artwork also takes a little while to get adjusted to (the first few chapters are a bit awkward) but settles into an elegant, polished style by mid-book. And she has a knack for very, very funny dialogue ("Didn't she say she'd forgive him for cheating on her?" "I DIDN'T SAY I WOULDN'T PUNISH HIM FIRST!").

Tohru must have been a difficult character to make likable. She's almost Pollyannaish in her optimism and cheerfulness. But Takaya makes her likable -- she doesn't instantly spread sunshine, and she's rather goofy and clueless. To top it off, she has two of the weirdest girls in school as her best buddies (and personal bodyguards).

The other characters aren't quite fleshed out yet -- Yuki and Kyo are basically the Handsome Charming Guy and the Antisocial Outsider, but Takaya drops a few hints of their deeper personalities here and there. Shigure is basically a goofball, while boar-girl Kagura transforms into a violent psychotic whenever Kyo tells her to get lost.

About to conclude in Japan, "Fruits Basket" started off strong with the first volume, with a solid concept and likable characters. Excellent beginning.

I am very picky about the manga I read, since it takes a bit of a financial investment to start and complete a series. So when I was looking to start a new manga series, I thought about Fruits Basket and how it was so popular. I figured 'why not give it a try', so I picked up the first 2 volumes.

And now I am addicted. This is flat out one of the best series I've ever read. It has humor, action, romance, and quite a bit of drama. I'll admit, there where a few volumes (4 and 6, I beleive) that had me in tears.

The basic premise of the story is of a young girl, Tohru, who just lost her mother, and to make a long story short, is living in a tent in the woods (don't worry, this is all explained). It turnes out that Tohru is actually living on the property of the Sohma's, and in a strange turn of events, Tohru finds out their secret; they turn into animals of the zodiac when hugged by a member of the opposite sex. Yuki and Shigure Sohma feel bad that Tohru is living in a tent, and in exchange for her housecleaning services, they let her live with them. And that's just in the first few chapters!

I don't want to give away too much of the story, because half the fun is going through all the shocks and surprises that Tohru goes through. But it is all done at a pace that isn't too quick, yet it keeps the story moving. It's just one thing after another, and some of the discoveries are sad, and a little frightening (these happen in later volumes). Tohru and her eternal optimism and cheeriness can get a little grating; I'd like to see her get really mad at least once (and maybe that does happen later; only 7 volumes are out so far), but I don't think the story would be the same if she were any different. The same goes for all the other characters.

This is a fantastic series for long-time manga fans, and beginners as well. You get a little bit of everything, the artwork is nice and cleans, if a little busy at times. I'm glad I didn't pass this up, and I hope you won't either!

Fruits Basket is about an orphaned girl (Tohru Honda), who somehow ends up living in the Sohma household. She was living in a tent in the Sohma woods. One day, she found a house in the woods. It turns out that the owner of this house just happened to belong to Shigure, a cousin of the most handsome freshman at Tohru's school. So, after Tohru moves in with Shigure and Yuki, along came Kyo. Kyo was looking for a fight with Yuki, and, well, Tohru managed to slip on a piece of wood and landed right on Kyo, and he suddenly turned into a cat!!

Tohru soon finds out that Yuki is a rat, and that Shigure is a dog, and that was when Tohru started her interesting life ager her moster's death.

Well, I've always been one to prefer "new things". All the past manga I've bought has been brand new which is why I was a little hesitant to get this manga used (because there is no way I was going to pay like $20+ for a new one). I was slightly disappointed with what I got (only because I like new things) some of the pages were folded which I didn't like and the front cover and back were a bit dirty which I also really didn't like but overall I guess it was alright

This is not merely a story of fluff, romance and comedy. Amidst all of that also lies dark secrets, the pain and suffering of each character, described in a touching matter. It's not simply about the romance triangle between Yuki, Tohru and Kyo and them turning into animals, it's actually more about FRIENDSHIP. Tohru, who had lost her mother, takes nothing for granted and helps whoever is in need despite herself. Her generosity and kindness are infectious and gradually spreads throughout the Sohma household.
Natsuki is a wonderful author who develops the relationship between the Juunishi (12 chinese zodiac) clan bit by bit, like any type of a real relationship. As you progress through the volumes, bit by bit you see the characters' relationships develop not only with Tohru, but with other characters as well. There are many moral lessons within this story that will make you see the world in a different, more positive light. This is probably the first manga whose main focus is really about platonic friendship and not the stereotypical romance.
This is truly a story that will warm and touch your heart, volume 1 is only the tip of the iceberg :)

Fruits Basket, aka Furuba, is my favorite manga of all time! The art is absolutely adorable and unique, the characters are so wonderful and the plot is so cute that it makes me cry. ^^ I'm a monster fan of Furuba, so I might be a bit biased, but really- this is an awesome manga! It's about a orphan girl named Tohru Honda, who makes friends (And takes up residence) with the Sohmas! Yuki, The popular High school prince, Kyo, the anger management boy, and Shigure, their perverted novelist cousin make an interesting crowd to live in. But when she stumbles (Literally) into the dark family secret, will she be allowed to stay there with them? Click the 'order' button and find out! :D

A very sweet, fluffy manga with a sweet, fluffy heroine and (hopefully) a sweet, fluffy resolution (please, Takaya-san?).

The main character, Tohru Honda, recently lost her mother in a car crash and is living in a tent when she is discovered by a boy in her class, Yuki Sohma, and his guardian, Shigure Sohma. They take her in to live with them until her grandfather's remodeling is complete - only to have her discover their family secret: that each one of them is possessed by an animal of the Zodiac, and when they are weakened or hugged by a member of the opposite sex, they turn into that animal.

Tohru takes it all in stride and adjusts happily to living life with the Rat, Dog, and Cat (yes, there IS no cat, technically, but that's part of the story). Obviously, this manga is by no means realistic, but then to be fun it doesn't have to be. Tohru is a selfless, genuinely caring character; Yuki is emotionally distant (for a good reason, let me add) and so princely as to have a fan club of girls at school (which he doesn't know about); Kyo (the Cat) is prideful, extremely combative, and very lonely; Shigure is complex, somewhat lecherous, and extremely playful... the list goes on and on. This is an amazing little piece of work, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has to smile when someone does something kind for someone else or when he or she is watching a friendship form.

I got this manga from my friend for my birthday. I knew it was her favorite anime so I'm all like, "I guess she wants me to check it out, I won't get hooked..." I got hooked. This manga is the best manga ever made! It's way better then any other manga I ever read! I love the storyline, the comedy, the romance, all of it! I love Shigure Sohma. He's my favorite character! I love dogs... So, I would totally reccomend this book to anyone that loves anime, manga, comedy, romance, or anything that has to do with that! Like a great reviewer at Play Magazine once said, "You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll say, 'Did that boy just turn into a cat?'"

I am usually a shonen fangirl and HATE most other shojo mangas, but, i tried this manga when a friend of mine highly recommended it. I don't regret reading it at all.

This manga about a girl named Tohru who meets some members of the Sohma family, which has a strange curse (i'll let you find out if you don't already know).

Although there is absolutely no blood and one, maybe two fight scenes throughout the whole thing, it is a well-drawn, humorous manga with a good story-line. It had me hooked from the first volume. I now collect this manga and have all volumes up to 10.

Over all, this is a great manga and, unless you are completely attached to action packed, bloody mangas, you will not regret buying this book.

Fruits Basket, affectionately called Furuba by its fans, is a wonderful manga. It is about Tohru Honda, a high school girl who is an orphen.

At the start of the story she is livng in a tent on the Sohma estate. Tohru doesn't want to burden anyone with giving her a place to stay, that's all about to change. When Yuki and Shigure Sohma discover Tohru living in a tent, they take Tohru to live at their house with the arrangement that she will act as their maid, cooking and cleaning for them. But is everything as it seems?

Tohru soon discovers the Sohma's dark secret. I don't want to spoil any surprises, so you'll just have to read this in order to find out what it is.

Fruits Basket has comedy, romance, and emotion. At times it will have you laughing out loud, and at times it will deeply move you. It's a fantastic story, but beware- once you start reading it you'll be hooked! And, yes, the title is explained in the story.

At first I wasn't very interested in this series.Being an anime/manga fan I knew of how popular this series was in it's native country and here in America.So when the manga was released in Febuary,I saw it at the bookstore I was in and decided to give it a try.Now i'm hooked on this manga!(I currently have all the volumes that were released so far)The story has a very nice blend of comedy,drama,and romance and it never gets boring.It's start out sweet and funny,but starting around vol.4 it start's to get a bit more serious.If you are a big fan of shojo manga/anime,read Fruits Basket.You won't be dissapointed.

Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket volume one gives you an introduction to a Ranma 1/2 like eccentricity plus some sugary shojo flare that will be laid out in upcoming volumes, and it is a good one. This first volume is absolutely entertaining and will demand your interest. I mean here is an optimistic girl who lost almost everything living with people who turn into animals when they get hugged by opposite sex. Without a doubt, there are plenty of hillarious and delightfully awkward moments that fill the volume. But it's not only comedy but plenty of sweet drama as well. The balance between drama and comedy is great. there are hints of more dark side of the story as well, but the writer does not make it predictable.

I personally enjoy the Last chapter of this book the most because it shows how things are beginning to change for everyone inwardly. Surely, change through relationships with others is the most important theme in this manga seris and the first volume sets the mood perfectly.

Great first volume to a great seris. I would expect nothing less.

I have the whole series and love it. It's really just an adorable and great storyline that you follow along with. Although, looking back on it, this is probably an anime I would read once and then move on. Reading it once is the best. Rereading it is a little boring because it is very easy to remember what is about to happen. I like the drawings a lot and the emotion the author drew, but it's a one-time read. However, I must admit the ending of the series is one of the most adorable endings I have ever seen.

Okay, so yea I'm the girl that reviews a ton of anime/manga and I say that about all the things I review, but it's the truth! This thing rules!!! I've been getting my friends hooked on anime and manga, even my math teacher luvs them!!!!! Anyway, I just recently let her borrow Furuba (she doesn't have any of her own yet) and she gave it back when she was done and said "Oh my gosh Alyssa!! This is sooooo good!!" and so I gave her #2 and she was all "Thank you!" Who can blame her? It's only one of the best manga out there!! I don't think the anime is as good, tho I haven't seen it, but it seems to cut off a lot. Anyway, get yourself a copy and spend the rest of the day reading!

I had heard so many positive comments about this manga series that I thought I was sure to be disappointed when I finally got around to reading it myself. But after reading this first volume, I've found that it's even better than I expected.

I was mainly drawn in by the fascinating dynamics of the secretive Sohma family, particularly in the dysfunctional relationships between Kyo and each of the other main Sohmas--Yuki, whom he is jealous of and is constantly (and futiley) trying to best in martial arts skills, and Shigure, whose respect he seems to grudgingly covet. Throughout the story, the young heroine, orphaned-but-still-optimistic Tohru, is also drawn in not only to the Sohma family secrets, but also to their problems, fights, and private pains. What really pulled at my heartstrings was the way she, instead of focusing on her own problems, sought out her new friends' knots of discord and then did what she could to slowly untangle them.

This is a very touching story, and what is most remarkable is that it's handled in such a way that it doesn't feel overly saccharine. Author Natsuki Takaya seems to have struck just the right balance of humor, honesty, and poignancy in this story.

Fruits Basket #1 written by Natsuke Takaya is 5 stars of romance and comedy.

Tohru-Honda has been living in a tent in the woods for a couple of weeks near the Sohma family house hold. Thru-Honda has been living there until the Sohma's gave her a place to call home. Tohru soon discovers that she is living with Yuki the schools "Price Charming". But what happens when Tohru figures out the family's ancient curse? I like this book because I kind of shows you the life of a cartoon.

If you're into animals and comedy this book is perfect for you!

My aunt is the head librarian of our small-town library, so when she asked me about getting some graphic novels, I jumped at the chance to go shopping with her (Graphic novels, and comic books being my main area of expertice). I was a little iffy when she picked up Fruits Basket, thinking it was going to be another weird little Manga book...but it is the most adorable, funniest thing I've ever read -and I read a lot.

Out of all of the books she bought, this is really one of my favorites, and I can't wait for our library to get more of them!!

I got this book after after a friend showing me some videos about Fruba, and man....was that the best desision in book-choosing I EVER MADE!!!!!!!! The plot drags you in so much, i finished in in under an hour!

The main character, Tohru Honda, lived in a tent (on the mysterious Soma family's property) after her mother died. One day, a member of the family finds her and brings her into the house, and she discovers that they are cursed by the spirits of the Chinese Zodiac animals...and thus the story begins.....READ THIS BOOK!!!!!

I'm a die hard manga fan and let me tell you, if you don't read Fruits Basket, you don't know good manga. Amazing plot, loveable characters (come on now, who doesn't love good ol' hot headed Kyo? Princelike Yuki? Charming Tohoru? Perverted Shii-chan?) hahaha. A lighthearted and instantly fabulous manga with a hint of prospective darkness...intruiging yet not TOO heavy. When I went to Japan, I was thrilled to discover that there are THIRTEEN volumes out of out beloved Faruba aka Fruits Basket, and I eagerly await their English translations as I thumb through the five editions that I already own. A must read.

When I read the reviews online about this series, I didn't think they could be serious. I'm 16 years old, and this looked like a kiddie manga.

But it's not. In fact, I'm even rate it PG-13 for language and some comical crossdressing.

Tohru Honda is an orphan who finds a job housekeeping for the Sohma family, a family with a terrible secret. When embraced by a member of the opposite gender, they turn into animals of the zodiac. The head of the family is the sinister and mysterious Akito. He tryed to keep the family cooped up in his estate, but three members chose to live in the outside world.

The characters were easy to relate to. Yuki, the teenager struggling to get through school and keep his independance, as well as his social status. Kyo, the feiry-tempered teen, jealous of his cousin's insane popularity and his space as one of the zodiac twelve. Tohru, the girl who goes from day to day trying to keep a smile on her face.

A lot of the book is about relationships. When they succeed, when they fail, when they're hurt, when they're healed. Sappy romance, make a girl's eyes water, but bore most guys to tears. Interjected are bits of humor, unforced, realistic.

There are dark points. The love of the beautiful Hatori, the girl whose memory he was forced to erase. Akito, the man who wields steel control over the family.

The storyline moves rather slowly, but the art is beautiful and the characters are amazing. It revolves around characterization, rather than plot.

Definately one I'd recommend.

This is probably the best series I have EVER read. It comes second only to Harry Potter. Yes, I'm definitely comparing Fruits Basket to a novel. It might as well be one. That's why it makes me sad when people decide they don't like it after reading the first 3 or 4 books. Not even half of the characters are introduced by then! You only meet Akito(maybe the most interesting and despicable character in the story) in the 4th book and you don't even find out his true identity until book 11! Give the series a chance!

An then there's the complant: 'but it's so confusing!' No, it's not confusing. You just have to THINK while you read it! Oh NO! Thinking? Who could ever ask that of us??

Oh, yes. I almost forgot the 'it's too sugary' complaint. The people who are only keeping up with the English release(i'm keeping up with the Japanese release, which is much farther storywise) are probably wondering why it's rated Teen if it's so 'sugary'. It's probably because almost all of the sugar is gone. Shigure, our lovable puppy, is somewhat of a villian. Oh yeah there's also that whole thing where someone gets pushed out of a window.... Hey! Where'd all the sugar go? I think a lot of the problem is that people think Tohru is too happy and perfect. But that's where her flaw is. She doesn't show her feelings. She keeps them bottled up. If you keep reading the series you'll see that her past was even darker than it seems.

I've noticed that a lot of Yu Watase fans don't like this story. I'm not really sure why. I LOVE Watase!! But I still love Takaya-sensei. I'm guessing it's because Watase's manga is straightforward and moves much more quickly than Fruits Basket. I don't know... I sort of like having to THINK while I read a story.

And although I've never done this before I'd like to rebutt some of the statements made in a previous review on this manga by Robert P. Beveridge. You OBVIOUSLY did not read the book carefully. You complained about the 'fruit' in 'Fruits Basket' being spelled with an 's'. If you had read carefully you would have noticed that the title is based off of a children's game. This game is called 'fruits basket' NOT 'fruit basket' or whatever you want to call it. And Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo aren't brothers, they're cousins. And 2 of them are her classmates NOT one. I would also like to ask how the three alleged 'brothers' are 'indistinguishable'? I'm guessing you don't mean by how they look considering they all have different colored hair. And I don't think you can mean there personality since one is quiet and kind, the other is loud and hot-tempered, and the other is hilarious and slightly mysterious. Umm, indistinguishable? I think not.

Fruits Basket is an amazing achievement. I really don't know how one person pulled this series off. There is a remarkable depth in the story that lies in the characters physcological abuse. And you really need to keep reading the manga up to around the 9th book before the foundation for the story is set and the characterization goes off the charts(reading the foundation is enjoyable too). There are over 21 characters and each has there own story that somehow meshes with the central plot. It is also an endearing love story. It's just so sweet! You'll find yourself pulling for various couples and hoping that others don't wind up together. And not just so YOU can have Yuki you crazy fangirl. There are also amzing (amazingly sad...) plot twists. Oh, my poor, poor, poor, Kyo-kun..... So will the Sohma's be free from the curse or will they be in bondage for even more generations to come? READ!!!!

Fruits Basket

Alternative Title: Furuba

Age rating: Teenagers (May contain bloody violence, bad language, nudity)

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural

Plot Summary: Tohru Honda is 16 year old orphaned girl who gets invited to live in the house of her classmate, the handsome boy Sohma Yuki, and his cousins, 16 year old Kyo and 27 year old Shigure. However, these young men and parts of the rest of their family (both close and distant) hold a curse; if they are hugged by the opposite gender, they transform into animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Everyday is an adventure for sweet Tohru, as she gets to know all of the very different members of the Sohma family better (especially Yuki and Kyo), in both common and bizarre situations. But, the Sohma family curse is certainly no laughing matter... it also holds horrible cruelity and heartbreak.

Personal Rating: 6 out of 5 stars! i enjoyed this whole series a bunch and highly reccomend it! i love the relashionship between the main character and everyone! i love the idea of her mother and orphanism. if thats a word. but i recommend this along with "Hana-Kimi", "Tsubasa", "Card Captor Sakura", "Hot Gimmick, and "Jing". sooooo, check 'em out!!! ;D

^__^

Forget all the screaming girls raves,

you are a shonen lover,

should you try out this shojo manga?

The answer would be no.

While I still buy it merely for my love of two of the characters (Shigure and Ayame), I wouldn't reccomend it for any who have a strong thirst for blood and violence. The fight scenes (if you can even call them that) are short, dull, and usually one sided.

As for drama, the story goes from a petty cold or fever being serious business, to, I love you... but so does he. Comedy, now there is plenty. Especially from Ayame and Shigure. But, stick with shojo, don't cross over for this just because it's popular.

Go read Samurai Deeper Kyo if you haven't already.

If you remember watching this as a kid then you know you have to know it. Some people have all these stigmas about how childish "cartoon shows" are but not this. It is much more than a romantic comedy. The book teaches about life and how to see things in a new light even through the most dire of adversities.

I had to buy this book for a class I took and surprisingly I actually enjoyed reading this. It has a nice blend of drama and humor in it, combined with that anime/manga style flare. The story is about this young teenage girl (Thoru) who ends up living with the Shoma family for a while and accidentally discovers their family secret, they turn into the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac (plus the cat) when hugged by a member of the opposite sex. The plot sounds kind of wacky and ridiculous, but it's through this ridiculousness and the way it is well drawn and the drama staged that this story works. I'm tempted to collect the whole 20+ volumes.

That all said, this book is not for everyone. People who only enjoy serious manga/anime with serious themes probably wouldn't enjoy this. Also this book is printed in the traditional Japanese way, so it goes right-to-left not the other way that we in America are used to reading our books. If either of these conditions doesn't appeal to you then I suggest you don't read this, but if you just want to read something fun and enjoyable I would suggest Fruits Basket. It will surprise you.

I love this manga!!!!

Clean and sweet, without being sappy, Fruits Basket is a really cute story about a sixteen year old orphan named Honda Tohru. One day when walking through the woods, she discovers a strange house. Under further investigation, she finds that the house happens to be the home of none other than the prince of her school, Sohma Yuki. When Yuki and his cousin Shigure find out that Tohru had been living in a tent, they immediately take her in. However, Tohru soon discovers their family secret. The Sohmas are the bearers of the "juunishi" (zodiac) curse. When their bodies grow weak, or when they are embraced by a member of the opposite sex, they transform into their designated animal of the Chinese zodiac, or in Kyo's case the outcast aka the cat.
I have only read two volumes of the manga, but I own all four anime dvds and love them. It starts out sweet and gentle, but the end, of the anime at least, is dark, depressing and to use a word I hate a real "tear-jerker." I cried. A lot. Even so, it was wonderful. Don't not buy it now because you think it to be dark and full of pain and misery. It's not. Every {good} story needs some dark pasts, mental scars, and evils. Otherwise, how did the villian become a villian, why is the good guy good? There would be no motivation. GO buy the manga. NOW.

I read manga like Naruto and One Piece and this manga is a good romance fiction but to me its just... a little to cute and happy all the time. I have 1-6 but have only read 1,2,and 3 and I will probably read the rest becuse I do like a good romance once in a whyal but if you are more into violent/action manga (like me) then you will not be to into these but all in all it is a cute story and if you like that everything-works-out-in-the-end manga then this is for you! :) enjoy!

Today I went to the book store with my mother and my little sister. I choose out a book in about 5 minutes and then was ready to go. My sister hadn't even wandered over to the book section yet (She was still listening to a pop CD) and my mom was trying to dicide which of about 10 books she wanted (She ended up getting none of them).

So there I was, bored stiff and looking for something to keep me from my tormenting bordum. I wandered over to the manga books. I am not a manga fan, and I have never been a manga fan, I have nothing against manga, but I have never really read any of it. I picked up a book that my good friend had been reading on the last day of school, it was Fruits Basket.

Now, what kind of lame- o- name is Fruits Basket, is the book about a girl carrying a basket of fruit? I thought to myself. I really thought it was going to be positivly horrid until the second page; I fell in love with it.

It is like a drug, once you start reading you can't stop, you need more, like your body depends on it, and the farther into the story you go the worse it gets, the more you need. It is so addicting I begged and begged my mother to get me the first three and when she did, I finished them soon after I got home.

The characters are excellent and the plot is even more so... to make this long story short: FRUITS BASKET IT THE BEST THING EVER.

Although I am only telve years old, I think that Fruits Basket is the best manga ever. The characters are all so unique and different, with their own personalities that can be read like a book once you get to know them. Tohru Honda is a fifteen year old girl whose mother has died recently. Because her grandfather is renovating their house, she has taken to living in a tent. One day, while walking to school, she spies a set of painted eggs, each bearing a different animal; the Chinese Zodiac animals. When the owner of the house, Shigure Sohma, sees her eyeing his treasures, he lets her in. There she meets Yuki Sohma-the "Prince" at her high school, a soft spoken hunk, and Kyo Sohma-an angry teen who appears to hate Yuki. Things turn for the-er-weirdest when she accidentally hugs all three of them at the same time-and they turn into animals!!! These three are possesed by the vengeful spirits of the Chinese Zodiac; Yuki is the Rat, Kyo is the Cat and Shigure is the Dog. Find out what happens as she meets more Sohmas who happen to all be possesed by Zodiac spirits, and learn more about their 'curse...' Discover along with optimistic Tohru-you won't be sorry!!

The book starts out with a young girl,Tohru, who with the death of her mother is living alone in a tent. She then meets the Sohma family who is suprised to hear that she lives near by, because all the land in the area is owned by them.
She goes to school with her new found friend Yuki who is the popular handsome guy of the school. Later you find that for some reason Yuki hates cats as they walk together. Yuki and Tohru go their seperate ways, but later that night Yuki finds Tohru living in a tent and he takes her in because she dosn't look well.
In return Tohru cleans the house to earn her keep. Then a boy named kyo challenges Yuki to a fight. As they fight Tohru falls and keeps her balance by hugging Kyo. Kyo then transforms into a cat.
Thoru freaks out and then everyone else in the family transforms into a different animal.
They explain that their family is cursed wwith the spirts of the Chinese Zodiac. Each family member is possesed by a different animal spirit and when under great stress or embraced by a member of the oppisit sex they transform.
This first book takes you through the events of the first 5 episodes of the anime.
This first book is awsome and is followed up by more just as good!

I love this story, but how did this version make it into production? It's full of spelling and grammar errors on practically every page. If you are looking for this series to add to your collection, try to find the original English printing unless you can overlook the errors.

Sweet but strange. Surprisingly funny, full of engaging characters of all stripes, this is a great start to a great manga series that manages to make the transition to English with grace and humor intact. The first volume introduces the most central characters (of a cast where no character is truly minor), the circumstances that propel the majority of the series, and plant the seeds for further plot explication and development. Just lovely.

I went into reading this series knowing absolutely ZERO about it, and I still adored it. So, I'm not going to give a big analysis. Just give it a go and formulate your own opinion! Here's all I have to say:

Do NOT miss this series! Fruits Basket is the cream of the crop of shojo manga, and possibly manga at large! From volume one, the characters, storyline, artwork, dialogue, *everything* is worth your time. If you have never read any manga, this is where you need to start. Do not--I repeat, DO NOT--watch the anime. The only thing redeeming thing about it, in comparison to the original manga, is the theme.

I'm a pretty big manga/anime fan, but I haven't been able to find something comparable to this one (except possibly Honey & Clover).

It's easy to see why this series is a fan favorite, as the plot is well rounded an the characters endearing and funny, all perhaps save the main character Tohru who is so achingly polite and helpful that you just want to smack some spunk into her. This manga will have you laughing and crying with the Sohma family antics and has an incredible addictive draw. My only complaint would be that at certain points the plot drags a bit, and it seems as if perhaps around some of the middle volumes Takaya sensei could have cut things a little bit. However, it begins to pick up again and is overall a worthwhile investment.

I love fruits basket! I have been an anime and manga otaku for 2 years, and i have never encountered such a kawaii shojo! You will love every single character!(Which is rare for me for there is one character in a manga that i hate with a passion!)Anyway to the story....

Young Tohru Honda just lost her mom and is living in a tent in the woods. Turns out, her tent is pitched on Sohma property. When she is invited to stay in the sohma house..... She learns when they are hugged by the other gender.......*poof* they turn into animals. It may sound stupid, but trust me, it is really woth reading.

Fruits Basket, Vol. 1 is the first part in the Fruits Basket manga series and is about a girl named Tohru Honda. Ms. Honda was an orphan with no place to live until one day the mysterious Sohma family offers her a place to call a home. The animation is great and the story line is intriguing. A definite page turner. Highly recommended. 5/5.

The first time I saw Fruits Basket I thought it was cute. Actually, I thought it was a little TOO cute. But it stuck in the back of my mind. When I read that the second one had come out, I thought "Why not?" and bought them both.
In the end I was almost shocked at how well it was done. I found myself laughing out loud, shouting "Oh my gosh! That's so sweet!", getting mad, getting excited, and when it was over I was surprised. I don't usually come out of reading manga feeling... good!
Fruits Basket is refreshing, for lack of a better word. It is much better than I ever dreamed and if you (like me) are a fan of works like Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Fushigi Yuugi, and the like and don't think it's you type of manga, try it! I think you'll be surprised as well!

Fruits Basket, Vol. 1 is the first part in the Fruits Basket manga series and is about a girl named Tohru Honda. Ms. Honda was an orphan with no place to live until one day the mysterious Sohma family offers her a place to call a home. The animation is great and the story line is intriguing. A definite page turner. Highly recommended. 5/5.

The first time I saw Fruits Basket I thought it was cute. Actually, I thought it was a little TOO cute. But it stuck in the back of my mind. When I read that the second one had come out, I thought "Why not?" and bought them both.
In the end I was almost shocked at how well it was done. I found myself laughing out loud, shouting "Oh my gosh! That's so sweet!", getting mad, getting excited, and when it was over I was surprised. I don't usually come out of reading manga feeling... good!
Fruits Basket is refreshing, for lack of a better word. It is much better than I ever dreamed and if you (like me) are a fan of works like Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Fushigi Yuugi, and the like and don't think it's you type of manga, try it! I think you'll be surprised as well!

I love it! I'm so obsessed with it because it's so good! I love this series so much that I have been a faithful supportor of Fruits Basket and bought all of them, and I cannot wait for the next one to come out! It is so cool. I mean, the plot is so well written and its pictures are so pretty! Plus, in this manga, you can send Fan Art! I wanna send fan art because it's so wonderful! Like I said before, I can't wait until the next Fruits Basket is out. I'm dying!

I'd seen ads for Furuba in the back of other Tokyopop books I own, but wasn't really interested in reading it. So of course the only reason I picked it up was because I was bored, and now I can't put it down. This series has just about everything going for it: characters, art, plot.... It also encompasses a lot of genres. We've got romance, humour, Yuki's and Kyo's fights add action for the guys, and we've got Akito to add creepiness. The first book get a bit confusing at times, but a little bit of excercising the brain hasn't hurt anyone. The book was left unreversed, and the sound effects are in the original japanese, so it has a very original feel to it. Just about anyone can understand and enjoy this series. The one remaining worry: that someone will get seriously injured in a fight over who's better, Yuki or Kyo. (Yay for the cat!)

My first ever manga experience, and is an amazing one! Great story, fantastic pacing, and stunning visuals.

The only issue is that if you're under the age of about 13, it may be a bit too inappropriate for you due to its language, and mature subject matter in the later volumes, but otherwise, I'd 100% recommend!

Natsuki Takaya, Fruits Basket vol. 1 (Tokyopop, 2000)

Ah, the wonders of Engrish grammar. How can you not be intrigued by something called Fruits Basket? Especially when you think about the number of translators and proofreaders it probably came through to get to the publication stage. And yet, the plural of "fruit" still, somehow, retained an incorrect s.

Okay, so the story begins with Tohru. Tohru is an orphan. She's been living in a tent ni the woods while saving up money. She's discovered by the owner of the property on which her tent sits, and after a whole bunch of panels, invited to live with him and his two brothers (one of whom is a classmate of Tohru's) at their place as general housekeeper/cook/what-have-you. All well and good, except for that pesky family curse: when any of the brothers (or other family members) is embraced by a member of the opposite sex who's not a part of the family, they turn into creatures from the Chinese zodiac. (Speculation about generations of inbreeding ensues.)

Putting aside the general Deliverance-ness of where the story could go, the biggest problem this first installment in the long-running series has is that it starts off confusing. Part of the problem is that the three brothers are almost indistinguishable from one another, but more perplexing is the setup of the storyline. This, however, goes away by (roughly) the beginning of what was originally issue 3, so there's still more than enough time once you've figured everything out to get involved with the story.

It's cute, and interesting enough that I've got vol. 2 on hold from the library, but beware of some confusing moments at the beginning. ***

Fruits Basket definitely isn't your typical shoujo manga.It's sweet and sad, hilarious and toughing, a manga that will definitely tug at the heartstrings. All around, it's probably the best manga I've ever read (or could ever wish to) and it's definitely got somethig for everyone! You really cant categorize it... just read it and be amazad at Takaya-sensei's beautiful story.

Fruits Basket (or Furuba as it's known to many fans) is a truly amazing manga.
From the title of it, you would expect it to be very hentai-ish, but it's not. In my opinion it has to be the cleanest manga that one can possibly stand. (IE it's not so clean and happy go lucky as Hamtaro *shudders* Hamataro is evil, pure evil). Well I got off track. This review has spoilers abound so beware if you haven't read the manga (or seen the anime).
Fruits Basket is about a girl name Tohru Honda a girl with a heart of gold and truly a wonderful person, whoes father died when she was very young. She is now 16, her mother had just died in a car wreck, and she went to live with her grandpa on her fathers side. (Because her mother and she were not exactly on speaking terms with her mothers side of the family). Her grandfather has to get his house remoldeld for some distant relatives on his side of the family so Tohru has to move out for a while. He told her to find some friends to stay with.
Not wanting to be a burden to any of her friends Tohru decides to rough it, and she finds a tent and campsout for about a week, on the Sohma familys property (not knowing of course). One day while walking to school she comes across the Sohma family household. She looks around in it for a while and comes across some stones with the Chinese Zodiac on it. Than she run's into Shigura (who is the year of the dog) and Yuki (her high-schools "Prince" He is the year of the rat) Later on in the story we are introduced to Kyou (the year of the cat, who is not in the zodiac because he was betrayed by rat). And this is where the trouble starts.
The Sohma family is cursed and therefore whenever they are touced or huged by a member of the opiset sex of someone NOT in there family, they turn into the animal that they are the year of. Tohru finds out this secret, and therefore she might have to have her memories erased from her. What will become of our poor Tohru? Find out when you read the manga! And belive me, you will. It is a must read.
Now I odviously left out a lot of details from this manga, but I didn't want to give away the whole storyline, that would be quite dumb wouldn't it?
Also this manga is printed in the original left to right reading format, therfore preserving the original artwork and sound-effects. It makes it even more enjoyable. All in all this manga is a must read. It's kinda of a comedy/romance, kind of. And it's shojo, so it's more or less going to be apealing to the femail gender a little bit more. That's not to say that a guy wouldn't like it. It has quite a bit of action in it (not like Trigun action) more martial arts action. But it is a must read. And I really hope my review helped. Do you believe it was written by a 16 year old? The reveiw I mean.

The best manga series EVER!!! I read this book in the first week of november, and finished the whole series by the second week of december! They are so adictive you won't wan't to ever put the books down! If you want a break from all those 'oh no! the world is ending and I have to save it while dealing with my personal life, how will I do it?' type books, but still wan't a full story with intracite characters and a good story line, this is the book for you!

This is the first manga I ever read and I loved it! I am so glad I bought it, the artwork is good, kinda pointy and you can relate to most of the characters (except for the whole curse thing) You will love the characters I guarantee it. You'll be sad for them and cheer them on EVERYTHING and I'll tell you now you WILL laugh out loud. Natsuki Takaya I love you! And Kyo is better!

when It comes to shojo manga I tend to stick with ken akamatsu or rumiko takahashi. But after reading some online reviews I knew I had a winner in the form of fruits basket.The thing that imedidiatly struck me were the characters,and how likeable and real they were.The story is also very cool,I see a lot of potential in the story,I really cant think of more to say.......ummm buy this,trust me you will love it

p.s I hope tohru ends up with kyo, just my opinion

Fruits Basket is one of my all-time favorite series. It mixes happiness with a touch of bittersweet sorrow, and the result is a wonderful manga. However, I would only recommend this manga to those who are fans of shoujo, but can stand there being painful moments, or to those who don't judge whether a manga is good or not just by a label. I fall into the second category because I enjoy both shonen and shoujo equally and very much. Takaya-sensei has worked wonders with the characters, to the point where you feel you know them, that they are real. I must admit that I was at first a little prejudiced to the idea of them turning into animals, assuming it would ruin the manga. Having previous experiences with not-so-amazing mangas, I thought Takaya-sensei would use the curse to help them work they way out of situations, etc. Takaya-sensei, I am very sorry for misjudging you. This is a wonderful manga. I already have 1-5, and am about to buy all of the others that have come out. It would be well worth your time to at least read this first installment in the series.

THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES, NOT JUST THE FIRST BOOK

This manga quenches the thirst for so many different things. It combines fantasy with reality. It also may seem sugary-sweet, but it does have little dark secrets in the book that make you want to read more. While it has kind, happy, normal moments, it also has crazy, out-of-control moments. It has a variety of characters with different personalities. Plus, it has some good ol' martial arts in it, for those action lovers. Almost any kind of manga fan will be satisfied with this series. For those people who say it's too sweet after reading the first book: keep reading, although it does retain its happy exterior, the dark secrets in the book become more pronounced. To top it all off, IT IS HILARIOUS!

This is one of the best manga books ever! You meet cool characters: Tohru Honda the main character who lives in a tent but then meets some of the Sohma characters like Shigure,and Yuki. Tohru starts living with the Sohma's and finda out their "secret". You'll meet other Sohma's like Kyo and Kaugra. You'll have to read it to find out!

Either I'm a sucker for a good anime, or I don't know what. After seeing the show a couple times, I gave the book a try. I enjoyed it more than any other manga books that I've read thus far. Each personality of the characters came through clearly in this book. Actually, in my English class, we were discussing this sort of thing about characterization and stuff like that, so I could see each character clearer than I would have if I read it a million times over. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series...once I can buy them. ^_^;;

I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!

Tohru Honda is an orphan that stumbles across the Sohma house. Inside she meets the "School Prince" Yuki's uncle. They take her up and she discovers that if a member of the Sohma clan gets hugged by the oppisite sex they transform into the animals of the zodiac!! She must keep the secret for their protection

I LOVE Fruits basket!! I've just started reading manga and was a bit confused as to what to read (because alot of manga can look okay, but end up being a bit adult).

But fruits basket was different. It's about Tohru Honda, a 16-year-old orphan who lives in a tent with her mothers photo.

But when she meets a boy named Yuki Sohma who kindly invites her to live in his older cousin Shigure's house with his other cousin Kyo Sohma too. But while living with the three Sohma's Tohru discovers a secret, the Sohma family are possessed by animals from the chinese zodiac!

But, as I said, I LOVED fruits basket and i definitely think that it is a great way to get into manga!

p.s and for the record it isn't about fruit in baskets!

The story of 'Fruits Basket' is wonderful! The comedy is comical and the deeper moments are deep. ^.^ And that's how it should be. My favourite moment is in the first book (I believe?) when Tohru explains how everyone has an onigiri on their back with a different flavor of umiboshi in the middle. (Or something like that.) Anyway, she uses it as a brilliant metaphor for different people possessing their own special abilities and personalities. Even though it does get a little bit deeper as the story progresses, I'd save this for a day when I'm in a grumpy mood and need an uplift. Tohru is so kind and sweet it's almost sickening, and sometimes that's what I need.

Everyone I know had "Fruits Basket" and raved til high noon about it. New to manga, I picked it up from a friend of mine (til volume 3). The story isn't bad at all - but it just doesn't leave me wanting more.

Sure, you'll be curious to learn about other members of the cursed family, but other than that, there isn't nothing else keeping your attention. The art is a little too exaggerated - Tohru is especially annoying, in that she just looks too damn perky and sickly sweet. Perhaps I'm just turned off by the female drawings, as Kyo, Yuki, and the other male members of the Sohma clan are well done. The plot is original, I say - a near-orphan taken in by a strange family with curses isn't your everyday occurance. On that note, though, I'd expect a little more. For a comedic manga, too, I rarely found myself laughing or even giggling. The pace is a bit too slow for my taste, with each novel I read ending with a small, weak, anticlimatic gurgle.

While I find a lot wrong (or overhyped, really) about this series, it isn't that bad. If every book magickally dropped out of the sky for me, I'd keep and read them. I've definately read worse. I'm not willing to invest in the series, though.

I completely adore Fruits Basket. If you read the description, you'd hear all about a zodiac curse and people turning into animals etc etc. What was unexpected about this series, was the deep emotions that are portrayed in it. It's something that most people can relate to at one point in their life. But it's not all drama, it's also full of comedy. It's amazingly upbeat and amazingly depressing all at the same time. Fruits Basket continues to be something I can read/watch over and over again. I never get tired of it.

Yes it's true, I am addicted to this series. I've noticed people complaining that it's to sweet or slow paced, but I think it's like a nice walk in the park in spring. Pleasent and soothing, with the occasional dramatic twist to keep things interesting. I've become interested in every single character that's been introduced, and can hardly wait for the next volume to find what happens. I suppose it was inevitable I became addicted, I love teen drama. If you do to, this is the perfect manga for you. (Or if you just want to see guys turning into animals.)

I read some reviews for this item and figured I might like it. It was a little weird figuring out the order I was supposed to read the boxes in, but after I got that figured out I was really into the story. The story isn't too dramatic or serious; it was really light hearted and funny, although I do feel for Tohru. I think it's refreshing that the main character states her situation but doesn't get depressed or angry about it all the time.

If you love mangas and love a story that gives you every emotion a story can give you, then this is the book for you. The main part of the story is comedy but it does have a lot of other emotions to it and there are a lot of plot eliments that will keep you wanting to read. I don't want to give anything away so I wont, you'll just have to read it. ^_^

fruits basket is...nothing like i expected. when my friend first recommended it, it sounded okay at best. but i was so wrong. this manga has it all...hilarious antics, wonderful suspense, and touches with reality that may bring tears to your eyes. the beauty for the manga cannot be described in words...you just have to go out and read it for yourself. never before have i read a manga this good, and i doubt it can ever be topped.

I love this whole series! Everything that all the characters go through and all the twist and turns that occur keep you wanting to read more. I just wish that they would put this series on the kindle since I lost some
Of the volumes when I moved.

i love yuki. i idolize him with my heart and mind as Prince Charming, but even he can't save this series from going down the tubes.

the first couple of books are good with the humor and love anticipation found in either Yuki or Kyo. the artworks amazing too--i love Shigure's hair. isn't it so flippy?

but the story drags too long. it's on how many volumes now and we still don't know what the heck is shigure planning!!! too many people to actually make it an involved series, but that's just me maybe.

i love the origionality of the series and her characteres (ahhhh...yuki...) but sometimes the series is just plain stupid.

for example, this might be partly because of yuki, but tohru honda is just plain stupid. not clumsy stupid, just plain stupid. i mean her character, though nice and soft, is unrealistic. there might be people out there who truly are like her, but if so i pity them. it is scientifically impossible to be that clumsy, and soft, and helpful and smart, and good at cooking, and sympathetic ALL THE TIME!!! if i was that flippishly soft, id implode!!!!

all in all, good read, maybe for some people it's a story to keep with you for the rest of your life, but to others it's just plain stupid in the end.

though for some reason, i still read it...

Fruits basket, or Furuba as its commonly known. is a hilarious transformation story. my favorite charactor would have to be Momiji by far! Momiji is the "rabbit" of the chinese zodiac though Momiji himself being half german half japanese doesn't come in until the second or third volume! I would GLADLY refer this manga! a top 10 by far

There's a reason entire book racks are filled with the Furuba collection. Out of all the animes I've watched and mangas I've read, this is still the one who remains 1# on my list. Takya puts great background into her characters, and adds depth, reason to what they say. It's brilliantly planned out, not only is it laugh-out-loud hilarious, but has drama, too. I've shed so many tears over the series T.T Of laughter and sadness. Anyways, it's a 100% one heck of a good book!

Kyo-kun! I love you <3

Die Yuki-bozu Mwuhahaha!!!

This book was confusing at first, but once i got of hang of reading japanese books, I was hooked. I read it 6 times and it still wasn't boring. My sister and fight over it all the time. It is a hilarious combo with a litte spice of sadness, but not to much sadness.Just my kind of book. If you love these kind of, it is worth buying. I can't wait to get the second book, third, fourth, fifth, and the whole series. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!

I can see why people enjoy this manga. It is sweet and some parts are truly funny. The characters are fairly interesting, but seem bland compared to some other stories out there. The story is light, and because I borrowed it, I read the first few books. However, there is NO WAY I would spend 10$ a book on this series, but that's just my opinion. I consider other series much more worth my time and money. The art work is not as gorgeous as it could be, but it suits the story very well. The best thing about this story is that the idea of using the Chinese Zodiac is fairly original. I got bored with this series quickly, but if you read the other reviews, you'll see that not everyone shares my opinion.

Fruits Basket: An obvious plot, a ditsy heroine, and cute animals. I know I should hate this manga, but I don't. Nothing cheers a bad mood like Fruits Basket. Takaya seems very genuine and her love of her characters is apparent in her art.

The anime is fun, better produced then most, but misses most of the major drama of the manga.

If you are following it in Japanese (I am) you will soon find out that the "shocking" drama does not seem to end, it goes on and on. Recently, after a year of almost painful redundancy the story started moving again and becomes interesting.

Those unfortunate people that like drawn out sentimentality will be surprised how engrossing this manga can be. If not, this manga will lose interest somewhere between book 10 and book 15 (not yet released in US.)

This manga is so good that I can't even explain my love for it in words. I only typed this review to make sure that every otaku out there gets Fruits Basket immediately if you haven't already! You may have heard that this manga only appeals to females, but I am a male 14 year old who happens to LOVE it! Believe me, guys and girls alike, this manga is worth EVERY penny!

Fruits Basket is my current favorite thing in the entire World. It is a manga and an anime (and I recommend you see the anime!!!) with rich chatacters and a very original storyline. It's full of humor, drama, romance and (especially in the anime) the most beautiful and heartwarming words and speeches. I couldn't say enough good things about Fruits Basket!

One thing I knew when I opened this manga was that it wasn't any regular or ordinary manga. I knew this when I looked at the cover with Tohru on it. It had tiny pictures all around her of animal. And I'm all like "Whoa. That certain group of animals looks oddly familliar...." well, then it hit me. It was the chinese zodiac! This is a very cute story, and I must say, the guys are hot! lol.

This is a definitely CUTE book. It tells of a very modest girl and her need to belong. However, the lack of a strong support and structure have made this become an okay book. The characters are very distinct, and the storyline is original. It still needs a strong plot to make this into a great manga. Basically, this is a sweet, but mindless book. It is great for a mindless read, but if you are looking for an actual book, this is not what you are looking for!

i was looking for some new manga, so i decided to just look at this one to see what it was about. now i have become addicted to the furuba manga and anime. it is so cute and you will absolutely fall in love with the characters. probably one of the best mangas out there in my opinion.

(first of all, greg a. is not writing this, his daughter is)

anyway...

I LOVE THIS SERIES. The plot is gripping, the characters are both lovable and L.O.L. funny, and overall the series is amazingly well done.

I can't wait to pre-order the fifteenth one!

I know I'm going to earn myself a week in the stocks with a horde of angry otaku hurling rotten eggs at me for this review, but it needs to be said...this manga is boring.

Alright, before you all run me out of town brandishing pitchforks and torches, let me just say that this book definitely does have some good aspects to it. I really like the fact that Tohru never succumbs to her many hardships, and the zodiac curse was original and interesting. Oh yeah, and the simmering homoerotic atmosphere prevalent all throughout the Sohma household was definitely worth the couple of stars I gave in this review. :-P

Now, on to the plethora of reasons as to why I will not be picking up volume 2. (Go get your feathers and hot tar ready.)

While I respected Tohru for making her own way despite the roadblocks fate set before her, I also saw her as being rather MarySue-ish. She is perpetually effervescent, terminally perky, and extremely annoying! She is always apologizing and has a tear in her eye in like, every other panel! I swear to you, she was so damn sweet I was going into diabetic shock just looking at her...Oh, and the whole cat-dude-battling-rat-guy thing stopped being funny after the umpteenth time. Jeez Natsuki, get a shovel and bury that joke already. The rest of the jokes weren't any better. I know it's supposed to be a comedy, but honestly, this book only managed to elicit a few half-hearted chuckles from me. I also thought the art was pretty crappy. Maybe I've just been spoiled by Sang Sung Park, but I thought the characters all looked very stiff and plain.

Luckily, I did not waste any money on this book. I received it as part of a manga swap, and let me tell you, I'm so glad I did. I was curious to find out what all the hulabaloo was about, and had I actually paid for it, I'd have been hopping mad. One good thing about the fact that there are so many (misguided) fans of this series...I'll have no problem trading this in exchange for something good :-)

Alrighty...*extends hands* bring on the thumbscrews!

I Love fruits basket so much that I want it to last forever I have a crush on YUKI he's so perfect. I envy Tohru Honda she got everything she needed. I rate Fruits basket 5 stars perfect. Im a big big fan of fruits basket!!! I will love fruits basket forever. I sometimes draw them. I thank the creators who made it thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

soooooooo much that i will never forget it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At first I didn't want to even look at it because I thought I wouldn't like it and I didn't think I would but my friends forced me to read it and I instantly loved the book! After about 2 hours I had finished it and I wanted to read the next one but I couldn't and now I have to wait.... :/ . I'm not reccommending the book (although I am) but I am suggesting it is a VERY good book and I think every one should read it.

I LOVE Fruits basket!! I've just started reading manga and was a bit confused as to what to read (because alot of manga can look okay, but end up being a bit adult).

But fruits basket was different. It's about Tohru Honda, a 16-year-old orphan who lives in a tent with her mothers photo.

But when she meets a boy named Yuki Sohma who kindly invites her to live in his older cousin Shigure's house with his other cousin Kyo Sohma too. But while living with the three Sohma's Tohru discovers a secret, the Sohma family are possessed by animals from the chinese zodiac!

But, as I said, I LOVED fruits basket and i definitely think that it is a great way to get into manga!

p.s and for the record it isn't about fruit in baskets!

I read this manga a couple months ago...It's a fluffy manga directed towards young girls, which is extremely ironic considering I'm both of those...

Again, the main character is an orphan *yawn* I've yet to see a manga where the main character had both parents...

I really tried to get into this manga despite the fact I see fangirls squelling over it. I bought the second and third manga and maybe it could just be because I tend to like mangas with a little more action and the fact that I'm not much of a romantic...But I just. Didn't. Like it.

If your anything like me, I'd suggest going towards mangas with a tad bit more fight...Mainly, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, YuYu Hakusho, or Naruto.

Happy Otakuing!

If you have seen the anime then you will completely love the manga! But if you have not seen the anime I recomend to watch the anime and read the manga. This is such a good series that when you start with it you just don't want to put it down! So I fully recomend this series.

I mainly don't like this manga because of Tohru; I HATE HER. I'm not collecting this manga, becuase,

A.) I'm a girl who likes shonen manga.

B.) Humor is lacking, and fight scenes are boring.

C.) Seemingly all the guys like Tohru.

D.) It's all about Tohru.

E.) I hate Tohru!!

Now, I'm pretty sure I've gotten this through some of the thicker skulls, and I don't care is you don't think this is helpful. I only read it and continue to read this volume because of Shigure. Shigure is awesome.

This work perfectly captures the self concept of a person who stays in an abusive relationship. "If only I can be sweet, patient, forgiving, and helpful enough, the person I love will stop his destructive behavior." This assumption has killed countless girls and women for millennia. How happy are the creators to perpetuate that dynamic where a person's change for the better is on the shoulders of a girl, yet again? Trauma, no matter what kind, can be exorcised only by a community, not an individual. It is the entire community's responsibility to heal the trauma within it. To foist it onto a girl who has to carry the "secret" that is causing everyone's shame is old, twisted crap that perpetuates the myth of the "eternal feminine" of Faust's Gertrude, Snow White, and the girl killed by her father to "preserve" her in Chaucer's Physician's Tale. This trope is an evolutionary throw-back that is one Japanese thing that the US should not ever emulate. Tohru is cloying, and in reality she'd be eaten alive by the first few Sohma characters. Their dysfunction has no business being on her shoulders. To suggest as much is to egg on dysfunction, codependency, domestic violence, and misogyny. Stop sugar-coating codependency and feeding it to another innocent generation.

I'm going to save everyone I can from the awful experience I had to go through and give this clear warning: STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK!!!

I picked up this book because it's a pretty popular manga and it looked like it had a good storyline. But then... I opened it.

Right from the start I could make no sense of it. It went from place to place, jumping here then there, not fully explaining itself... it was a disaster.

Then the story starts to finally come into place and I'm thinking, "At last, it's finally going to be good!" No such luck. Right as it started getting better, it went straight downhill again. The dialogue isn't comedic or smart at all and the art isn't well drawn. The main character, Tohru, was pretty likeable(despite the writing) until Kyo was in it a lot. She was all over the Rat boy(I don't remember all their names because they're crazy Japanese names) until Kyo appeared, and the only reason she switched was because she loves cats. Not because she thought Kyo had a better personality or because he was nice to her, but just because she liked cats better.

Kyo was the only likeable character after that. He was crabby enough that it was funny but not so crabby that it got on your nerves.

Since I already suffered through the first one I'll probably read a few more to see if it gets good, but I doubt it will be.

I hope you listen to this review. This is the most boring manga ever. The main character is pathetic. She is such a wimp. The art is pretty bad. This isn't a comedy. You won't laugh at all. The action scenes are terrible. One of the genres is romance. The romance is badly written. If you want manga with beautiful art, try The Tarot Cafe. If you want comedy, try Popo Can. If you want action, try Fullmetal Alchemist. If you want romance, try Dramacon. Please, do not buy this garbage.

This work perfectly captures the self concept of a person who stays in an abusive relationship. "If only I can be sweet, patient, forgiving, and helpful enough, the person I love will stop his destructive behavior." This assumption has killed countless girls and women for millennia. How happy are the creators to perpetuate that dynamic where a person's change for the better is on the shoulders of a girl, yet again? Trauma, no matter what kind, can be exorcised only by a community, not an individual. It is the entire community's responsibility to heal the trauma within it. To foist it onto a girl who has to carry the "secret" that is causing everyone's shame is old, twisted crap that perpetuates the myth of the "eternal feminine" of Faust's Gertrude, Snow White, and the girl killed by her father to "preserve" her in Chaucer's Physician's Tale. This trope is an evolutionary throw-back that is one Japanese thing that the US should not ever emulate. Tohru is cloying, and in reality she'd be eaten alive by the first few Sohma characters. Their dysfunction has no business being on her shoulders. To suggest as much is to egg on dysfunction, codependency, domestic violence, and misogyny. Stop sugar-coating codependency and feeding it to another innocent generation.

I'm going to save everyone I can from the awful experience I had to go through and give this clear warning: STAY AWAY FROM THIS BOOK!!!

I picked up this book because it's a pretty popular manga and it looked like it had a good storyline. But then... I opened it.

Right from the start I could make no sense of it. It went from place to place, jumping here then there, not fully explaining itself... it was a disaster.

Then the story starts to finally come into place and I'm thinking, "At last, it's finally going to be good!" No such luck. Right as it started getting better, it went straight downhill again. The dialogue isn't comedic or smart at all and the art isn't well drawn. The main character, Tohru, was pretty likeable(despite the writing) until Kyo was in it a lot. She was all over the Rat boy(I don't remember all their names because they're crazy Japanese names) until Kyo appeared, and the only reason she switched was because she loves cats. Not because she thought Kyo had a better personality or because he was nice to her, but just because she liked cats better.

Kyo was the only likeable character after that. He was crabby enough that it was funny but not so crabby that it got on your nerves.

Since I already suffered through the first one I'll probably read a few more to see if it gets good, but I doubt it will be.

I hope you listen to this review. This is the most boring manga ever. The main character is pathetic. She is such a wimp. The art is pretty bad. This isn't a comedy. You won't laugh at all. The action scenes are terrible. One of the genres is romance. The romance is badly written. If you want manga with beautiful art, try The Tarot Cafe. If you want comedy, try Popo Can. If you want action, try Fullmetal Alchemist. If you want romance, try Dramacon. Please, do not buy this garbage.