I absolutely do not understand why people don't like this manga. It was actually the first manga series I have ever read, being the first I actually then had really high standards for the others I read. It is funny, sweet, contains a lil bit of fantasy and lots of romance. The art is good... I don't know why people say they stopped because of the art, you need to get use to it, which takes like 2 secs.

Touching, quirky and truly romantic, this is my favorite manga of all time. This is the only time I have ever given a manga a 10, and it deserves every 10 it gets. If you don't cry during this manga, you are not human. The art is excellent, the characters are dynamic and the ending is where I wanted it to be. This is how I rate other mangas, on how it measures against this shojo classic. The anime, though amazing, cuts out alot of the best parts, as they had not even gotten near the best part of the manga. I probably have read this manga 5 times, and watched the anime about 4 times. I don't think I will ever find another manga that measures up to it.

10/10

PS: I really don't get some of the tags such as "male lead falling in love first" or "Mary Sue" as NEITHER ARE TRUE! Also, where is the LGBT influence other than some joking around?

... Last updated on July 3rd, 2013, 8:05pm

Fruits Basket was one of the first animes I ever watched, and thus the manga essentially introduced me to the world of shoujo. I can somewhat understand when people today complain about its cliches as it probably isn't as timeless as most had anticipated. After reading many mangas over the years, Fruits Basket is a typical shoujo manga in many ways: clutzy, aloof heroine who somehow manages to intrigue a house full of seemingly perfect guys.

But Kyo is special. And I love that the manga gave him a voice. Kyo, the angry, misunderstood, underdog, found a place in an unforgiving world. He saw something in Tohru, and it was something more than her looks or naivete. And I think that is why Fruits Basket remains a favorite of mine.

... Last updated on February 19th, 2017, 11:24pm

Initially I thought Tohru was going to end up with Yuki, but until the later part in the chapters then she was with Kyo. Some part in this story made me cry, rejoice and etc. In total it's totally worth the read! Not to mention you would get hooked on once you start reading.

The one thing I always look for in mangas like this is how realistic it is. Of course, the idea that people turn into animals from the Zodiac is completely unrealistic, but when this story develops, it doesn't even matter anymore! Tohru is a very loving girl, the degree of kindness she exhibits is actually very unbelieveable in the beginning, but we come to realize that she's so much more than a nice girl. Kyou, the cat, at first seems to be some annoying jerk, but he turns out being sensitive and caring. Everyone in this story has secrets that they don't want others to know, and the bond of the Zodiac animals is so amazingly strong that the fact that some situations that seem blown out of proportion are isn't such a surprise. You have to really read it to understand, since I don't want to put spoilers up here. Just believe me when I say I've read this five times and I probably will never get tired of this! You will really enjoy it.

Character Development: Too good. Characters got mature and almost seemed real life.
Plot Line: Very good plot line. You can tell it was thought out very well and the mangaka must have written everything out and finally drew it. Amazing, really.
Ending: Very realistic. As usual, amazing

My favorite character was Tohru. She is kind and really thoughtful. Reminds me of my mommy She helped the Sohmas a lot, directly and indirectly. And I used to like TohruxxYuki first, to be honest. But now, I like KyoxxTohru. Kyo is just too funny and easy to piss off. I like how the mangaka wrote and drew the entire story so easily. Every time, every time, I re-read this, I cry. I just can't take it and cry. I'm a strong-hearted person, so that always surprises me. I always get into a somber mood when I finish re-reading. This manga is truly amazing and even for the people who don't read shoujo, give this a shot, you won't regret it. That I promise.

I started reading Fruits Basket in 2005, originally, and waited for it to be finished on my country (2007). Then, from time to time, I re-read it, because that's just the effect of a manga that really sticks to your memory.
However, Fruits BasketI isn't a manga that needs much recommendation or reviews, since it's already so popular, but I can't help on wanting to add mine.

First of all, since I take a long time before I read it again, I’m older every time. Even so, my love for Furuba never changes a bit. I never think it's sillier or more childish, no matter how much I mature. On the contrary, it's actually a complex manga, but still readable for everyone. What I mean is, if you're a kid and wants to read it, you will have fun. If you're a teenager, you'll identify with at least some of the characters. If you're an adult, you'll see the brilliant lessons throughout the manga! It's amazing.

What makes this so special are the side-stories and characters' pasts/problems. Fruits Basket feels real. No matter how many years pass, you will never forget about Hatori's emotional love story, Akito's loneliness or Kisa's shyness. You just can't.

Takaya Natsuki-sensei is a genius. She managed to connected the zodiac tale itself to the characters' real lives (as exemplified in Yuki/Kyo or Yuki/Hatsuharu's relationship, for instance). But what really makes this remarkable is that you can relate to it, no matter how unrealistic you think manga is. It's got all sorts of personalities for you to like, hate or just not care for, and also all kinds of ages and good-looks (yeah, because everyone - and I mean, EVERYONE - is hot/cute).

Nothing’s perfect, of course, and, as a lot of people previously mentioned, I’m also not very fond of Tohru. It doesn't bother me to the point I can't stand it (especially since I love Tohru/Kyo ♥), but she is indeed too kind to the point it's annoying and rather unrealistic. I think the magic around Tohru is that everybody looks up to her. Not only the characters, but the readers as well. We want to have her pure heart, her qualities and be so happy about life as she is. I think her character is a lesson to be learned, and that's what makes her special. BUT I don't think the Sohma family's problems are solved because of Tohru. She is more like a tool, what gets it started and, though she did help the family a lot on her own, there are parts where she only contributed indirectly.

Also, I don't know about you guys, but I'm a sucker for angst. And I cry every time I read it. No matter how many times. And it’s not like, some tears, but the WHOLE manga crying!
It's a beautiful, heart wrenching and deep title...and I will have to comment on some things especially (so I'm sorry if I end up writing too much).
My favorite characters, firstly:
Kyo - Yeah, I'm totally Team Kyo here, which makes me get bored by Yuki. Yuki is just too depressive, and there are characters with problems far worse than his, but he still can't seem to get interesting or even positive. Oh, also because of that, the triangle REALLY annoyed me at parts. I was "jealous" of the couple I supported (Kyo/Tohru), you know? As for Kyo himself, he is...one of the keys to this story. He is what makes Tohru go on, at times, even if she doesn't realize it herself. But his own troubled mind and bad boyish aura get me hooked on him every time I read it. I can't help but cry whenever he's slightly sad. Kyon-kitty is just so complex and amazing!
Ayame - Aya, Aya...ahh...! If I could start a "Prince Club", like Yuki's, it'd be Aya-chan's! I can't even begin. Not only he's to die for, and as charming and sexy as they come, he makes me crack up. But it's not like he's superficial and adds only to the most shoujo parts - he's also kind and gentle, even though he always seems like a pervert. His feelings towards Yuki are really a sight for the eyes. It puts your whole mind to work on the "regret" part of your life.
Hatsuharu - it's pretty obvious that he is one of the most complex characters because of the black/white thing. But to me he comes off more as a very cool and composed guy, very caring even when he's "Black Haru". He intrigues me.

Also, I especially like some relationships, such as:
Shigure/ Hatori/ Aya - their nicknames with each other are too cute, for starters! And they are so...I don't know...so yaoish! o>w>o For a BL lover like me, it's unavoidable that I'd fall for them! But that's not only it. Coming to the deepest part of it, their friendship is really nice to see.
Haru/Yuki - Ok, THAT is totally for the BL part. I declare myself guilty on that =X
I’d actually like it a lot more if Haru ended up with Yuki (though I like Rin and Machi a lot), hohoho

Overall, Fruits Basket changed my life, from values, to what I think about people and how to act. It makes you realize a lot of things about yourself or your life. Makes you want to be a better person. How can fiction do that to you? That’s Furuba’s power.
When Fruits Basket ends, it gives you a feeling of having belonged to the Sohma family or having watched it from a close distance, like Tohru herself. You will cry, feel sad, no matter how much you try to fight it. After all, you have grown with them. You have gone through their lives, overcame their fears, shared their happiness - and your own of all that. Not only you see them getting stronger and turning into adults, but the artwork follows it closely. You will cry when it ends just because it is over. But really, give it some time and read it again. The characters are so multidimensional that you will think they are parts of your life, every time you remember Fruits Basket.

... Last updated on September 2nd, 2011, 11:16am

Compared to tons of shoujo manga out there, Fruits Basket is probably much better. I don't hate any character. They're all likable in some ways or the other. The story has some meaningful lessons.

However, this mangaka really made a huge deal out of small things. Most of the problems in FB can be solved with just a straight-forward conversation but for some odd reasons, the characters have to be cowards and avoid speaking to each other at all costs. And they all wait for Tohru to come and get it straight for them. I mean, seriously? The entire cast combines of weak-minded people. I can understand if some individuals are like that but here, ALMOST ALL OF THE CHARACTERS. I know they suffer from the curse but aside from that, their problems are really minimal. In reality, there're people who have more serious problems than that and they never get submissive to fate. And I'm not just talking about those 12 children and Akito here. They think too much but never do anything. They're just living to be hurt.

I like Tohru. I really do. She's not annoying like other shoujo girls. She's genuine and caring and probably the strongest person out of the entire cast. But how I wish the mangaka could at least let me see something selfish in her. The only thing that is supposedly selfish about her is that she feels like she begins to forget about her mother as she's living happily. And that's not even selfish. It's only natural. She doesn't forget about her mother, she's just guilty of being happy without her mother. Again, that's not even close to a flaw.

All in all, I'd recommend this series to those who want to look for something different from other ridiculous, absurd shoujo manga. But personally, I think this manga is ridiculous and stupid in its own way. Especially how the characters think and act. I gave this a 7.

... Last updated on June 19th, 2011, 8:41am

I admit. This is a series that will remain a classic no matter how much I personally like or dislike it. I can see why it’s so popular, and why nearly every rating down the list is a 10. I’ve read about 1/4th of the whole series here and there, and from what I gathered, Takaya tells her stories very touchingly even if it’s slightly childish sometimes. The series does get darker with Akito’s involvement though my favorite part was the story with Tohru’s parents. I fell rather deep into it and wished there were more, or better, if Kyoko Honda was the heroine.

However, with that said, I absolutely cannot stand Tohru. She is the biggest reason I could not get through the series (the art annoyed me a little too). I sat down at least five, six times to try to read FB because everyone says it’s the best, and I can see the characters are top notch in terms of development (Kyo being the best example), but Tohru was an eyesore. Way too saintly, forgiving and unrealistic. I feel like she’s forgiving by default, without trying to realize the fundamental issue behind the situation. I wanted her to get angry for once, think for her own well-being instead of always for others or just – anything! Anything that would make her more human and realistic. I do know the story behind why she’s like that, but her very nature – the way it’s portrayed, rather – made me annoyed beyond annoyed. I prefer characters with flaws, especially anti-heroes or ones that don’t always do the most righteous acts but are well developed. Tohru just comes across as bland and I sometimes think I’m going crazy for not being able to see what the other characters and readers see about her - which is sad because I feel like I’m missing out on the story as a whole and was only able to manage parts of it. I guess it doesn’t work like that since Tohru’s personality is what links the entire story together.

Other than that, Fruits Basket did set the precedent for 10 billion shoujo series that followed and tried to emulate its formula. If there’s a love triangle, with an even slightly similar cast, it will be compared to this one, and frankly, I know it’s nearly impossible to surpass FB from a critical standpoint. I suppose it’s kind of like people never being able to create a magical girl manga without people comparing it to Sailor Moon. (Not that FB and SM are similar by any means.)

... Last updated on June 10th, 2011, 4:37pm

Love the story line.
End my opinion, the story doesn't get that dramatic until the end.
The begining was okay.
I thought Tohru was going to fall in love with Yuki at first but instes she fell for Kyo which turn out to be better than I thought.
Anyways the manga is really really good!
I would say this is one of my favorites manga I ever read.<3