Fruits Basket  Recommended
Director
Akitaro Daichi
Production
NAS, Studio Deen, TV Tokyo
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Series
Running time
26 episodes
Year
2001
Fruits Basket volume 2: What Becomes Of Snow?
By otaku_kei
3rd Dec 04  The Sohma family cursed to transform into one of the Chinese zodiac whenever clasped within the arms of someone of the opposite sex. Tohru Honda a sweet natured girl who can only ever find the best in people has been invited to stay in the home of the Sohmas'. Already accepting of the Sohma families predicament Tohru works for her place amongst the Sohmas whilst also struggling with all the added pressures of high school, financial worries, a crazed jealous fan club of a certain Sohma, and all the other problems that living under the same roof as a family with a curse can provide. The simple yet engaging story behind Fruits Basket continues at the languid pace set by the first volume. Yet more Sohmas' are introduced: firstly are Momiji and Hatori, followed quickly by Hatsuharu! All of these characters come into Tohru's life, carrying their own emotional baggage, and we get to see how the curse has effected different members of the Sohma. Whilst Momiji may be carefree and joyous, especially when given the chance to meet someone aware of the curse so he does not need to restrain his effervesent-self, that is shadowed by the withdrawn and sombre Hatori and the mentally unbalanced Hatsuharu. Now whilst this story may have started as little more than the trials and first steps of sweet love between the central triumvirate characters, but things are starting to change in this volume. At several points a darker tone slips into the series that covers the painful side of love: loss. Almost every character has lost something or someone dear to them and we are intermittently given an insight into what has caused that pain. Episode 8 in particular stands out as one of the most emotive episodes of the series, or of many anime out there at all. And that is where this anime succeeds, in it's ability to show not only the sweet and good but also the pain and suffering that the average person goes through. Even if that average person turns into an avatar of the Chinese zodiac when hugged. This series is something special, and it hasn't been since Martian Successor Nadesico that I acquired all the series so quickly just because I had to know what was happening to these characters. Tohru may be too saccharine for some, but she fits this anime perfectly. The supporting characters are a fantastic mix of the sombre and the eccentric, but none of them are stereotypical carbon copies of characters you've seen before. This series has it all: the looks, the scripting, the plot... The whole show is firing on all cylinders and certainly is now ranked as one of my top 3 recommendations of 2004. If only I had known earlier...*sob* 9/10
R2 DVD Notes
Features: 2.0 English; 2.0 Japanese; English Subtitles; Textless Opening; Interview with Director Akitaroh Daichi; Character Profiles; Fruits Basket Room #1; Eyecatch Gallery #1
Release information: 7th June 2004 - OUT NOW
Notes: MVM seem to be releasing quality title after quality title. The picture and audio are great once again. The dub being much better for this show. The extras provide little extra value, but in my opinion thats fine when it is more than easily compensated by having 6 episodes on a disc.
-- otaku_kei 3rd Dec 04
Fruits Basket Images  
|
