A review by bookcheshirecat
Fruits Basket, Vol. 1 by Natsuki Takaya

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

3.0

➽ Unfortunately, I didn't like Fruits Basket that much. I can see why it's such a popular romance Manga, but this wasn't the story for me. I liked the originality though, as there's a magical twist. Tohru Honda encounters the Sohma family who are cursed to transform into animals of the Chinese zodiac when a member of the opposite gender embraces them. Tohru has always been a fan of the zodiac and accidentally discovers their secret. I really felt for her, as she just lost her mother and didn't have anywhere else to go. Tohru is a kind, compassionate girl who immediately sympathizes with the Sohma boys. I loved that she's always trying to see the best in everyone and never gives up. She's so grateful for everything she has, even after all the losses she had to face. I liked her as a protagonist and Tohru was definitely my favorite part of the Manga!

➽ Sadly, the story didn't get me invested. First off, the art style didn't work for me, some characters like Yuki looked way too perfect. I know this is an older Manga, so this style was probably popular, but I personally didn't vibe with it. I also didn't really connect with the Sohma boys  Yuki, Kyo and Shigure. They're nice enough, but with a character-driven Manga I need to be attached to them, to want to continue a series. I don't need a ton of action, but I wasn't hooked by how the premise played out and don't have any interest in seeing more. I might give the Anime a chance, as I know so many people love this series, but I didn't care for the hints of romance we got.
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