The thing that makes a good manga is the story and the art. This more than met the expectations I had. I wish it had been a little shorter but I see that to much would have been cut from the character's if it had been.

This is a very amazing story. Setting aside the zodiac animal situation, it's very realistic. Not much I can say, but if you don't like air-headed leads, than this isn't your cup of tea. But, the fact that Tohru is an air-head makes her very pure and full of fluff, I guess you could say.

This is the first manga I've read all the way through and I have to say it still ranks in the top of my all time favorites. It seems a cute from the start but it's such a deep deep story, I absolutely love it, I've read it 3 times now and watched the anime through 2x, and I only read manga casually, I prefer books but love this soo much.

omg this is my all time favorite i love ths manga the only thing i would change about it if i could would be the end part about momoji (srry i suck @ spelling) i wish the author would have told more about him he was my fav character

It's certainly not perfect in some of the story executions, but the overall character development is some of the best I've seen. As to all the tragic pasts, it's the nature of the Souma family and for the non-Soumas, terrible parents are just that common. On top of that, people who have dealt with a lot of tragedy tend to have more developed emotions and understanding, and as such tend to gravitate towards people like them.

The author has an excellent grasp on psychology. It got a little shaky in the end (Akito especially), but it's the heart of the whole series. They're realistic people with realistic personal troubles. To complain that there are too many characters with sad pasts is unfortunate in my opinion, as that's what makes the story so great. It's not just a few characters who are brought to life as loving people despite everything, it's many. I never felt the story was dramatic for the sake of the drama, there was always a point or some character being fleshed out. A worthy read for anyone who enjoys character development.

Plot: Takaya does occasionally lose focus and tell us everyone and their grandmother's backstory, and it sometimes seems like she's forgotten who the three main characters are supposed to be. Also, BE WARNED. Around the introduction of Rin (volume 9 or so), the series starts to take a really dark turn. If you've only watched the anime, this could be a real slap in the face.

Length: This series is pretty long for a shoujo, at 23 volumes, and sometimes it seems to drag (especially at times when it's focused on a character you may dislike). It takes commitment.

Characters: This is far and away the greatest thing this manga has to offer. Takaya did a brilliant job in this department. There's bound to be at least one character you like. And although you may not like where they end up, all of the characters undergo some sort of change during the story. The side characters are excellent. My main problem was with the main character. She annoyed me for most of the series. However, the whole stepford smiler part of her nature was a pleasant twist, and her cheeriness in the earlier part of the series took on a whole different light. The characters are where Takaya excels.

Art: The art is pretty typical shoujo. You have a bunch of bishonens, but nothing that really stands out.

Possibly Offensive: Most of the time I'd discuss violence or fanservice in this category, but Fruits Basket offers something else entirely. Where this manga excels is in playing with your mind and your heart. It can at times be psychologically disturbing, as it touches on some pretty deep subjects such as abuse, neglect, and parental abandonment. It's not some light-hearted shoujo for little kids.

Other Comments: This was my first manga series, and a lot of other people's as well, it seems. This was also the series I used to get my sister to read manga, and now she has become addicted to many other series as well, like me. This is certainly not the greatest manga out there. However, it is good for getting people into the world of manga.

... Last updated on August 27th, 2009, 3:57pm

It started out well, but the plot became way too convoluted. Everything that had to do with the Sohma's just became bullshit after a while. Honestly most of the proper drama came from tohru's family and friends.

thismomentisfate pretty much said what needed to be said about the series.

... Last updated on May 15th, 2009, 7:32am

i highly recommend this manga!!! Its a really cute manga and its different to most shojo manga's.this is one of my favorite mangas as it has made me smile, cry and laugh out loud. i love, love, love it!! i love all the charters and their personalty's.I have never been so upset when a manga has finished.

One of my fav mangas, (I love Tohru and Kyo) I love all of the characters except for Kagura, they overdo her selfishness and resentment towards Kyo and Tohru. Otherwise, it is a very cute story. You cant help but love the fact that Tohru still forgives people and still is willing to help them despite all of the wrong they have done to her. The ending has its sad parts but everyone gets a happy ending. I especially love who Tohru gets with....hehe ur gonna have to read that part to find out!

i love this manga, its happy, its sad and it makes you feel warm inside, its actually rely funny too!! has to be my fav-i have the entire series in book form AND on my pc. wud definatly recomend it!!!