Fruits Basket, or Furuba as I knew it back in the days when I read the hodgepodge translations in a dedicated yahoogroup (RIP RosettaStoneCafe), on paper sounds so...inane that I can understand how some people would question its popularity. Lasting over 20 books, spawning a vastly popular anime and have the distinct infamy of having worse OTP wars then almost ANY other series (with a resolution that was straight up WRONG whether you were Team Kyo or Team Yuki or just Team Tohru), Furuba turns even the most jaded hearts of shoujo manga to puddles of water.

Don't let the pastel colors, cheerful faces and sparkling quotes fool you--Furuba chapters often do heel turns in narrative tone with no warning (the anime at least the MUSIC changes to ominous) that involve dark themes. I have friends today who STILL can not hear "When snow melts, what does it become?" (or any variation of that) without BAWLING (don't worry you find out why in the next volume). I personally can't think of Momiji without getting sniffly and watery-eyed.

The basic premise is this: Tohru Honda (who has the blandest name ever, its like Jane Smith in English) is a perky, sheerful, 1st year high school (10th grade American) student who's hardworking, has two very close friends and in general looks on the bright side of life. Despite being abandoned by her only living relatives after her mother (who raised her single-handedly for over a decade) died in a sudden brutal accident. Having to live in a tent while working every night to afford to go to school. One day, by accident, she finds out that she camping on the "Prince" of the school's family property and through a series of vaguely believable (if you've already bought into the premise of a 15 year old girl living in a tent because her relations are jackasses) circumstances winds up living at that Prince's home (that he shares with his cousin Shigure, a novelist).

Thus begins Tohru's life as she's swept up into the drama of the Sohma family's curse.

Its important to note that even though this first volume doesn't do much to persuade the reader of Tohru's Mary-Sueness being acceptable, there's a lot of smaller details here that later becomes important. Shigure in particular as this guy is SHADY AS HELL. And I'm not talking about his inappropriate need to comment on High School girls constantly (this kind of makes sense in a twisted way later on).

If you've come from the anime into this then be aware that the anime covers roughly the first five volumes of the manga. A few character/situations are excluded in the anime, as they're not important/expanded on until later volumes, but overall the anime did a faithful reproduction of these volumes. In some cases a BETTER then faithful reproduction. for instance Tohru's paternal side (her grandpa, Aunt and 2 older cousins) as well as that whole situation has a bit more emotional weight to it in the anime because it comes a smidge later then in the manga. We're given more time in the anime to see how (and why) Tohru unintentionally leads herself into forgetting that living with the Sohmas is temporary. It was more impactful when her own family treats her worse then a trio of complete strangers.

Especialy that one jackass son of the aunt's who wants to be a police officer so Tohru choosing to accept the hospitality of a classmate SO SHE WOULDN'T LIVE IN THE WOODS IN A TENT BY HERSELF was a "stain" on the "family's reputation". His smug insinuations that she was engaging in tawdry activities made my skin crawl and her female cousin's insistence that she keep her meager possessions in a corner is ridiculous.

I really hate her paternal family (even her grandfather, who though he stands up to his family doesn't seem to understand WHY Tohru, if she really had no other option, would have put up with that crap. She's distressingly desperate to belong somewhere, to have a family again. To have someone tell her she's wanted and needed.).

But this my friends is the only volume without any real OMG THE ANGST IT KILLS ME angst. Yuki, primarily, has some darker introspection moments (but that doesn't bare fruit until later) and we get glimpses of the true pain Tohru is hiding behind her cheerful smile, but by in large this is a fluffy, light-hearted volume.

From here on out get ready for abuse (verbal, mental, physical), quasi-incest (other then a few direct connections the Sohma's all call each other cousins so who the hell knows who is closely tied to who), intolerance, racism, classism, prejudice, social stratification, a level of emotional manipulation the world has rarely seen, bullying, gender identity shaming, mental illness shaming/slandering and of course AKITO.

If you're coming from the anime that Akito is only a tenth of how vicious this character gets. Actually not even a tenth. More like a drop in the pail of how vicious this little jerk is. Granted the problems Akito faced growing up are tenfold worse as well, but that also means Akito brings the hell. ( )

First manga I had ever read and it was as incredible as I had heard. ( )

The story is, at times, hard to follow. Right when I'm getting into the characters and their lives, something happens that doesn't seem like it belongs in the story. ( )

Girl cooks and cleans for interesting men, one of whom is emotionally abusive to her, but hey, he's awkward and interesting so it's okay! ( )

This is a general review for the Fruits Basket series, but I may add specific reviews to certain volumes.

This manga series will always hold a special place in my favorite books collection, possibly because it was the first one I ever read. But also because it rivals "text" books in terms of character, plot, and sheer emotion.

It starts off misleadingly simple. Tohru Honda, a young orphan who recently lost her beloved mother, is living in the woods to avoid being taken to her unsavory relatives. By chance, she wanders past the home of three charismatic young men one day; Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo Sohma. Sympathetic to her situation, they offer her a temporary place in their household. But it doesn't take long for Tohru to realize they are hiding an astonishing secret. The three of them, as well as the other thirteen members of the Sohma clan, are cursed by the spirits of the thirteen animals of the Chinese zodiac. Each time they are too closely touched by a member of the opposite sex, they transform into their spirit animal.

And as the story goes on, you are drawn inexorably into its very heart. The way that Tohru meets each Sohma, each with painful memories, angry scars, burdens of sorrow; each grappling desperately with the pain of being alone, unable to truly become close to another. The way Tohru's kind heart and pure spirit slowly begin to work their simple magic on the Sohma family. And the way each character comes to terms with love, life, the past, family, and their own identity. And of course, as with every story, there is the romance; the warring cousins Kyo and Yuki, both of them falling in very different ways for Tohru.

I laughed. I cried. I clutched the book with anger and fear and suspense and hope. I tried to pick favorites from the immense cast of characters, and came up with about fifteen. This manga was not just a passing "fun" series that was good for a laugh. I truly became deeply attached to it. ( )