Never have I read a manga that has pulled my heartstrings this much. Fruits Basket is a series that I was introduced to in its anime form when I was way younger. It was shown on a local TV channel, but I never got to follow it properly. All I remember is that there was this single episode that I seem to have watched more than any of the others: Kyo’s transformation episode. I never got to watch the episode before it, so I did not have a clue on why and how Kyo transformed, but I felt a strange sense of peace when the morning finally came, when the rays of sunshine hit the scene before me.

A few years later, I decided to purchase a DVD and finally got to watch the entire series. “Entire” anime series, you say, since the ending episode was, even though still peaceful in my perception, was a painful cliffhanger. There were so many questions still left unanswered, and I had this stinky feeling that the manga is hiding things from me, that it didn’t show me its full potential, that the cheerful and comedic value of the show isn’t all that it was supposed to show me. A few days ago, I was in a manga eating rampage and a post here in Tumblr reminded me that I wanted to read the manga. So I did. I spent four nights (neglecting duties >:D) and the early mornings that accompanied them just reading the series. It was time well spent, in my irresponsible selfish point of view.

It was a painful read. It was definitely different from the anime. Though the comedy is there, what you will remember from reading will always be the pain, and a few small moments of relief. You see young people before you get hurt all the time, getting hurt by their past, their present and their future. You meet the worst kinds of adults, and you somehow think that the claimed twisted personality of the young ones which are abandoned by the adults were caused by them themselves. You see excessive, albeit true, love gone terribly wrong. You see envy. You see loneliness. You see desperate attempts that these envious and lonely people do, hurting themselves and others in the process. You see the most unfortunate events unfolding to these characters that you have grown to love in the series. And you just sit there, stunned, not really knowing if to cry or to curse the mangaka since these things don’t happen in real life, right? But then again you somehow rephrase the question to “this things aren’t supposed to happen in real life, right?” since there are chances that they do in this twisted world of ours. That being cursed or not does not exempt anyone from having these emotional breakdowns. This song from the anime is actually very well-suited.

I’m going to stop all these general talk and comment about the specific things (Read: Beware ze spoilers). I am a strict KyoxTohru shipper. Their funny scenes were a break from all the tiresome storylines. It was already plainly forecast at the start of the manga that they will end up together, since Tohru stated that she loves the cat in the Juunishi tale. It cannot be said that Kyo is the one that needed Tohru the most among him, Yuki and Momiji, because if we are going to attack on that level, it’s as if we are saying that the mangaka is supposed to base love on pity. Plus, Tohru Honda is simply not that kind of person. At the start I saw her as this annoyingly optimistic person, but she is exactly what the other characters need. What I least expected is for her to actually seek out how to break the curse. I mistakenly viewed her as a person who always knew the right thing to say but will never do anything. But she did, and this deed made me truly fall in love with her character (in a non-yuri way of course)—that she truthfully deserves the praise and affections that all the other characters give her. 

I think it’s clever of Natsuki Tayaka to use the student council to deepen Yuki’s bond with other people. It was an implication that being in the Sohma family, or being a Juunishi, does not mean that they should only mingle with those of the same kind. I just don’t know what Yuki saw in Machi, but at least Natsuki Tayaka was smart enough to avoid placing Tohru, Yuki and Kyo in a love triangle. If she didn’t, it would be yes, more dramatic, but cliche nevertheless.

Shigure’s character is something that has been a mystery to me, but after finishing the manga, I realize that it’s true: he really is not nice, even to the person he loves the most. I do realize however that he dragging Tohru to the picture was a ploy to get things to change (even break the curse), but him speaking cruel words to Akito was incomprehensible. Maybe it was done to make Akito realize the superficiality of the bonds, but this deed may have brought upon Akito’s loathsome behavior towards the other Juunishi. Akito’s sleeping with Kureno was understandable, though. She was desperate to keep him by her side, afraid of the how fragile the curse she once believed to be unbreakable is.

Rin’s family story is absolutely heart-breaking. It makes one think of, what if she never asked her parents that question? She would definitely have lived  more peaceful life, but it would still be a life of lies.:| Momiji’s story is also too sad for words. It was cute that his younger sister felt the need to connect with him, but still… the curse is still present. Oh, I just realized, since the curse was already lifted, then can Momiji know her more? Even get introduced as her brother properly? Still, the memories of his mother about him are already gone, so I guess it’s not possible. 

It’s remarkable how this manga ignores the problems that come with a large age gap between two lovers. Just saying. It’s also remarkable how I always feel the need to hurt someone whenever there are unreasonable parents around (Kyo’s father and Yuki’s mother are evil, like Plankton). Just saying.  

In terms of art, it may not be the best compared today’s standards, but honestly, I think the art of today’s manga are too similar anyway. The series started in 1999 so I really can’t judge it, but I definitely must say this: the hands are iffy. I also think that Yuki is not drawn as bishie as I would like him to be, but at least Kyo and Haru are hot.:9 Somewhere at the near-end of the manga, the characters were drawn in a more-mature like appearance. Momiji is scrumptious, but I really don’t favor how Kyo was drawn. He suddenly just looked like all the other males in the story that is of 20 and above age. 

I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO SAY BUT THIS POST IS ALREADY TOO LONG. (T__T )