Fruits Basket

I'm being a bit more critical in rating this manga series. It's genuinely excellent, though. Thus, it is definitely recommended for anyone who has seen the anime and wishes to see the story concluded.

Story [10/10]: The foundation of the story was wonderful and perfect for weaving a lengthy narrative involving people connected with the zodiac. The central concept driving the story forward is that each person, possessed by an animal spirit linked to the Chinese zodiac, endures emotional hardships because their parents or society won't accept them. Their suffering is exacerbated by the head of the house, who mentally pressures them to obey. Tohru Honda comes to alleviate their pain. Each zodiac member's interactions with Tohru and the resulting changes in their attitude towards their curse and the head of the house form the 23 volumes of this series. The story heavily emphasizes human emotions—mostly negative from the zodiac members' perspective and a mix of positive and negative from Tohru's. I should add that the manga isn't all comedy, unlike most of the anime. As the series progresses beyond where the anime ended, you'll encounter many negative thoughts and emotions. At times, reading the manga made me wonder if it was based on the same story as the anime. Despite the story becoming quite dark, there are also plenty of comedic situations, well-executed in the anime. Since the series spans many volumes, the story isn't rushed. We learn about the family backgrounds of most zodiac members in considerable detail. Each character's story significantly impacts the reader. Their gradual acceptance of their situation and efforts to break free from years of emotional trauma are smoothly conveyed.

Art [8/10]: The art style varies across the 23 volumes. If you compare the first and last volumes, the difference in character designs is striking. This somewhat disappointed me. However, since it's the story that matters most, it's not a major issue. Apart from the changed drawing style, the art is clean. Backgrounds are well-drawn, body proportions are reasonable, and panels aren't cluttered.

Character [8/10]: Another strong point of the manga. All characters have distinct personalities that stick with you. Most characters have dark streaks due to their surroundings and hardships, further fueled by their twisted head of the family. The head of the family is abusive, which personally bothered me. But it drives the other characters' behavior. Another aspect I didn't enjoy was how Haru and Rin's relationship was portrayed—too intense for their age. Similarly, Akito's relationships seemed uncomfortable. Given that Tokyopop rated this manga Teen (13+), I wasn't expecting mature interactions between characters. Besides these points, none of the characters are annoying, and their gradual change in perspective feels believable.

Enjoyment and Overall [8/10]: It's easy to lose control when repeatedly placed in unpleasant situations. But maintaining hope and enjoying life despite such challenges is what the protagonist tries to convey. People today need such motivation more than ever. Overall, it was a fun, long read. The plot was captivating, and the storytelling smooth. Highly recommended!

I adored this story for several reasons. Watching the illustrations in the books evolve into something much more beautiful was truly captivating. It astonished me how significantly the drawings improved over time. Additionally, I appreciated how the author delved so deeply into emotions, making the story feel incredibly realistic despite its fantasy setting.

However, there were a few aspects I didn't enjoy. I felt that the final volume seemed unnecessary and lacked purpose. Its ending was somewhat disappointing. The characters deserved a happier conclusion; for instance, the bunny character, Momiji, should have had a better ending. If he couldn't be with Tohru, at least reuniting with his family would have been fitting. His storyline was the most heartbreaking. I believe the author should consider writing a sequel focusing on him—it would be fantastic and heartwarming.

Overall, though, the book series was great! I relished reading every volume (except the last one) ^^