This Review is meant for all seasons and contains no spoilers Its not as easy to tell a good story then you might think a tale that will have a lasting effect on you and you come to appreciate more over time. Thats what Fruits Basket is at the most basic level for me. Its a complete reboot of the original shoujo anime. Out of nowhere we got this new adaptation with a bit more modernized look while retaining all the charm and flavor of the old. What a surprise it brought when it blew so manys minds when it stole the heart of many as it left its imprint on the anime community by cozily resting on the top spot. I hope it stays there. I have seen my fair share of anime and I can confidently say Fruits Basket is among the few deserving. This incident also is what led me to take the dive. At the time I couldnt predict that Fruits Basket would end up taking its spot in my favorites. Its been so long since the last time. I am unable to even recall it. I am stubborn as you can tell yet something in Fruits Basket finally won me over and showed me what marvel and precious treasure anime can be. Fruit Basket is undoubtedly the embodiment of a Shoujo the pinnacle. It retains most of the same quirks but at the core its nothing like most typical Shoujo out there. The amount of Shoujo I liked I can easily count on one hand. Its too few. Shoujo is known for its cheapness and stalling romance subplots without real meaning or value and until the last couple of episodes/chapters. This goes for adding unnecessary drama but never really getting to the point until pigs start flying. Let me tell you now that Fruits Basket is nothing like that. One of the potentially most significant dramas plot devices was solved effortlessly in a realistic and grounded manner without being milked into oblivion. This also led to the author Natsuki creating opportunities to mislead us again and again. Creating a most twisty turny experience since it was hard to guess how things would transpire. Sadly many may not connect with Fruits Basket because the first season can be a grueling experience if you are not patient and dont like SOL elements. But long story short Fruits Basket is a precious gem for those who dont mind stories taking a long way if there is a satisfying payoff and a meaningful and valuable message waiting on the other end changing your perception of what you thought was innocent and pure at first. As youd expect SOL is Fruits Basket bread and butter much like any other Shoujo. We start with some wholesomeness nothing but pleasantries and a ton of cute moments topped with charming comedy. Then slowly but surely the story perspective gets intenser and darker as we get a hint about our characters and their burden. Otherwise Fruits Basket begins episodic following the same formula of introducing someone mostly zodiac members of the Soma family. Already from the getgo its clear the character is cleverly designed and written with attention to detail holding some meaning. The standard format starts with us being introduced to a quirky character with a heavy burden pressuring them. In the first episode we see who they are as a person as they bounce around with our cast before concluding with an emotional episode. If you are not a fan of the episodic format it might be a buzzkill but I can assure you that you will be well rewarded if you are patient. One Piece taught me that. Natsuki is also pretty good at foreshadowing and leaving trails that will ultimately connect when the puzzle becomes clearer. Its incredible how well everything came full circle when we learned the secret and how it all came to be. There is no doubt in my mind that watching Fruits Basket on a second watch will give you a much more satisfying and valuable experience. Its that kind of tale. Playing the long game is usually a doubleedged sword. Not many like to have to wait before seeing the story in its full glory. But Rome wasnt built in a day same as how a great story a really impactful one that will stay with you for a lifetime cannot be told easily either. Its why stories of the ones that end up as dear treasures to me are those that are told over a longer period. Just like how you cannot get good at say soccer in one day. One cant expect to be genuinely emotional and charmed unless the author puts in the effort to make you feel that way. This is exactly why the first season works so well as the prologue to Fruits Basket. At the forefront we got our insanely lovable heroine Honda Tohru who in the most simpler terms is like the sun which shines her light on everyone by warming and comforting them in their time of need. But she could also sadly be the reason most turns away from this gem. Tohru comes off as flawless in the first season someone who cannot make mistakes but please dont let that fool you. And if you are hesitant about the episodic formula for the first season I am here to assure you there are more than enough things that make up for it. Among the biggest is the absolutely phenomenal cast of characters. For me if the cast is solid then I can still find enjoyment but dont get me wrong. Fruits Basket has a wonderfully complex personal and relatable story to tell. It might not be apparent at first glance but theres a reason why Fruits Basket is so loved. The cast is a big reason no question asked but the story is nothing to dismiss at all nor is our female heroine Honda Thoru. Tohru allows the characters to come to terms with their sad life accept them and nurture some confidence to keep going rather than give up. Shes like a doctor giving free therapy to everyone whos down in the dumps ready to give up everything. The characters issue tends to vary greatly. Common ones include loneliness regret curse and many more. Its all sad and emotional but it never really feels like the same thing. Tohrus overall focus in the first season is to be the bandage to the casts darkness. We never really understood her as a person on a deeper level before much much later. Not that I disliked her even once. Shes so charming and so lovable it should be illegal. I dont usually rock with a joyous protagonist who cant do wrong and are always happy and cherry. But something about Tohru just works well despite her being clumsy and feeling so simple at first glance. Her voice alone makes me feel at peace. Honestly its more accurate to say shes an ideal mother a taste of paradise. Shes no doubt one of the best and most fleshedout female protagonists out there. Plus shes essential. Everyone needs a Honda Tohru in their life. In any case Fruits Basket has many life lessons to give and you should listen up because many of them can hit close to home. The first season explores these issues and conveys to the audience how to best attend to them. Fruits Basket shows that pain is a part of who we are we can forget it but it will always come back to haunt us until we embrace it as a part of us and accept it happened even if the memory is lingering over might be painful. Burying it is like removing a part of yourself and removing a part of yourself is like denying yourself. In the simplest explanation this is what Tohru is for the Zodiac members burdened with heavy darkness. Shes the light causing it to balance out so they wont be consumed by the negativity. Yes I really enjoyed how the latter half of Fruits Basket had some wellcrafted backstories and character development despite the cast being relatively new to us. The author Takaya Natsuki knew what she was doing and quite well. There are only so many authors out there in this world with that talent. One that easily comes to mind is Eiichiro Oda of the immaculate and extremely massive One Piece. Both the backstory and how characters were fleshed out felt akin to Odasenseis touch with One Piece. Natsukisensei is not writing characters but real people with immediate flaws and quirky points unique to themselves making it easier for us to grow attached. Natsuki doesnt limit herself either and keeps on pouring with the characters yet somehow knows how to use the surroundings to flesh them out. I dont felt any character was wasted. There is a lot of things we can take from them into the reallife. This is also where the zodiac bond between the main members of the Soma family comes in. Its clear to me the zodiac bond and its curse are used as a catalyst to explore various parts of the characters and their bond with say parents friends lovers etc. Each of them has a reason for how the zodiac curse ties them down acting as a mental chain forcing them to carry a deep burden of both sadness and pain. We see this in how each of the Soma even the most irrelevant is haunted by a dark and sorrowful past they cannot break free from. Much like the bond between Zodiac members that ties them down. Its a constant reminder of the dark past they cannot escape no matter how much they struggle. In short the bond is like a symbol of being stuck in the past. On another note the side cast is reasonably well fleshed out. Tohrus wholesome friends are charming and bring so much enjoyment benefit and comedic relief to Fruits Basket. Yuki and Kyo are interesting as love interests and remarkable characters with tons of layers to them. I could go on a huge raving on how delightfully charming the cast is. There is nothing but praise here as I cannot even come up with one glaring issue as to why not like them. There will always be some you prefer more over others some you may come to hate but more or less by the end you might find it surprising how many characters you like. In the second season of Fruits Basket there is a big change. One thing is because Tohru Honda is more than just a pretty and innocent face that melts our heart and makes it worth living to see that smile and hear that soothing voice. Before it was not easy to attach emotions to our lovable heroine. She seemed so perfect but in the sequel we see how even Tohru got flaws and how the first season even foreshadowed it through the many characters that got fleshed out. It even gives meaning to what seemed like pure gag moments. It was actually subtle clues hinting at the deeper parts about Tohru. Its impressive how well Natsuki hid it in plain sight but it only became visible when it was time. Tohru always had something eating at her from the inside this whole time and its clearly connected to a bond. A major theme in Fruits Basket. I hope everyone who reads this review can learn to appreciate Tohru more if you are still wavering about her and are concerned about starting Fruits Basket because you might not like Tohru. Shes not that easy. Not to mention if you hate Tohru you are my enemy and I beg of you to not talk to me. In any case its again so nice to see how similar Natsuki is to Oda in how they dont mind playing the long game because the payoff will be all worth it. Another thing that makes the second season stand out more is how it depicts the influence of childhood and how much it impacts the person we become when we grow up. A child is the reflection of their parents in some form or the other. They are the ones who will guide their child into a respectable or a terrible person in society. When we first come into the world we are enamored by our parents. We depend on them respect them love them and do whatever we can to receive their attention and make them love us back. For some this might not even change once you grow up and Fruits Basket makes that painfully clear. One of the worst kinds of hell in life can come from our parents but thats also where we can get a taste of paradise. If your parents shower you with much love attention and are there to guide you. Be there for you not condemn you but correct you if you are mistaken in an orderly and mature fashion the child can learn from that can become a dear memory not a nightmare that haunts them for all time. This all depends on our parents and the things we learn from them. Fruits Basket shows this exceptionally well by exploring different issues between the characters bonds. Thats to say if the parents are terrible they blame everything on their child by slapping them with all their stress and worries. This will affect the childs livein society later. I would like to show an example but I dont want to make this review a spoiler only for a potential newcomer. So let me see if I can be vague as possible. Consider your upbringing was meant to make you a perfect human. No slouching laziness allowed. All about getting those perfect grades talk in a calculated way no real fun to be had. Really no free will but behaving based on how society and your parents want you to. You are literally a slave to the whims of the parents. You get strict discipline its tough maybe even scary but your parents pay attention to you and clearly care about you. Even if they only do it for themselves but will a child notice this when they are young? One day due to unforeseen circumstances the parents decide to abandon you once youve reached their goal there is no explanation but suddenly you find yourself it is suffocating to be around them. They dont even bother wishing you a good night at night anymore or ask about how school was even welcome you home. Its like they wiped you out from their memory. This could become a haunted memory once we grow up and influence our stands and position in society negatively. The whole personality could be significantly affected. It brings sad memories and terrible expectations. You think the world would hate you if you were yourself. Hence you pretend to be someone else but thats not secure for success either so you end up just keeping yourself alone not interacting with the other kids. Since you are afraid if you cannot be someone they like. They will end up abandoning you pouring salty on the past injury. Fruits Basket shows this concept outstandingly well. I have seen not one or that many anime so far that has accomplished so much and meaningful in honestly no that many episodes and feel this realistic. When it feels like the world is out to get out we do so many things to run away from the world instead of facing it headon and overcoming the pain. Among others we create a socalled bad guy someone you dont like who you force to take on all your responsibilities so you can keep running from your own mistakes. Maybe you seclude yourself from others so you dont have to deal with pressure or even put on a fake mask to forget past scars. Fruit Basket shows us that people are not who they might seem at first glance. The most playful and gentle soul can be all kinds of broken on the inside even if the exterior tells a different story. Even the harshest and vilest can be as innocent and pure as a baby but to cope with their pain. They bring pain to others to make themselves feel superior. They shame others so they can have a reminder those people are more miserable than I am. Something that lets them forget their own pain. Fruits Baskets shows us all too well how greedy whimsical and imperfect we are as a lifeform but thats exactly what makes us human in the first place. Lets say you are free from a destructive bond. You conquered your fears. Youve grown up gained experience and matured. At that time even the biggest bully once you are younger and unaware can seem like a joke not even a bit threatening. Whether those bullies are the parents who use you to take their responsibility or even someone who controls your life with you having no say in the matter. Wait a minute whats all this philosophical talk youve been raving on and on for a decade. So I thought Fruits Basket was a romance? Is it not? Its far more than that. It has romance and the way its executed is unique and honestly so charming. There is no unnecessary drama every step has a purpose and there is an actual main couple. We understand why it had to be them and not someone else. So if you are worried about the kiss not being shown or on some lewd handholding put your worries to rest. We see the couple kiss and we see it in its full glory without interruptions or cockblocking. That beautiful moment is not taken away from us as we stare into the sunset. So get that out of there. We dont do that here. Fruits Basket goes a step above and shows handholding. I know quite lewd and it doesnt even bother to censor it so you have nothing to worry about. Moreover the main couple is not the only romance story arc here. There are several and by the end I didnt even realize it but its crazy how many couples we got on our hands. Above all it makes sense. There is a reason for x and why to be together. They may heal each other scars and comfort each other be relatable in some fashion maybe even total opposites and the list goes on. But In the end they all complimented each other and were meant to be together. On another note Fruits Basket is so pleasant to the eye. It is back up by a solid and mostly consistent production value. It was vibrant and popping with the life and energy emanating from the good old days from the early 20s0s. Even the background is so unbelievably stunning. It does a firm job of capturing the emotions and setting the mood. I can see the comedy may be feeling off in what should be serious moments but this was more prominent in the first season and is not a big issue in the sequels. The comedy is perfectly encapsulated through the visuals and art and voice acting. Seriously its on another level. Never have I heard so much emotion in a single line or reaction. Its so amazing how passionate the voice acting crew is about their characters. They literally become them. It was immaculate. Whether it be Tohrus angelic and soothing voice Kyos rash and explosiveness Yukis cool and calm collectedness Shigures mature playfulness Hatoris mature and chillness. Or say Hanajimas sarcastic and absolutely satisfying voice complemented with Arisas upbeat energy. I loved it all. I could write a book about how incredible the voice acting alone was. But hopefully I got my feelings across. Then there is the absolutely breathtaking soundtrack yet another huge blessing to my ears. Enhancing the emotions when its playing. Above all there are only topnotch tier OP and ED that more or less do a solid job of capturing the various essence of Fruits Basket. I would like to talk a bit more indepth into them because its genuinely a marvel. The first opening alone gives you a sense of nostalgia. I have not seen Fruits Basket before now and still felt the same. Its like a gentle hand reaching out to embrace you. A quality ballade thats telling you to welcome back to Fruits Basket. I wont go through them all but each opening and ending makes me feel something different. Another case is the third opening which captures Fruits Basket so incredibly well with its upbeatness and cheery vibes making you automatically bop your head to its catchiness. In any case each opening is really unique in what it symbolizes how it sounds like. No I dont dislike any of them but I prefer more than others as expected. Overall however there is nothing but quality here. As for the ED they are all so soothing healing to the soul peaceful and chill and are especially nice to have once you get to the more dramatic and intense parts of Fruits Basket. One thing I want to note is if you dont like Shoujo please dont fret about trying out Fruits Basket. It might honestly surprise you with its rather complex narrative thats both philosophical and grounded in reality a phenomenal cast a fantastic soundtrack impeccable voice acting and a really consistent production value. To summarize Fruits Basket is about how one person not conveying their thoughts and emotion the right can influence so mucheither positively or negatively and is the cornerstone for what becomes of the person. It influences who you are who you become even what you become in both body and soul. Its crazy how many things went wrong due to the wrong interpretation of others intentions feelings emotions wishes actions words and behavior. But the way it was laid out was beautiful beyond words because it called connected back to the starting point which made all these things happen in the first place. This was the casts own bond their relationship with their close ones family friends or lovers alike. Its linked to a bond thats either strong as steel and unbreakable. Suffocating and dreadful like a poison that slowly kills you from the inside. Terrifying and painful like a nightmare you want to get away from and forget at all cost. All these were the catalyst that nurtures the absurdly many painful and sad scenarios our cast found themselves in and its one of the core essences that makes up Fruits Basket. I am not ready to say goodbye but as we well know nothing lasts forever and all good things must come to an end.