Fruits Basket Volume 1

Fruits Basket Volume 1 by Natsuki Takaya

Finally I started reading the Fruits Basket manga. Well, okay, it was a while ago now when I read volume 1. But compared to when I should have started reading it (right after watching the anime), the word "finally" is quite appropriate! After borrowing volume 1 from Beth I eventually borrowed most of the rest from Andrea, and then recently bought and finished the last few currently published in America. Now that I can't read any new Fruits Basket volumes, I'm afraid I might soon start going into a Fruits Basket withdrawal. I think a rewatching of the anime is appropriate at this juncture. Ah, the anime is wonderful. I don’t know of anyone who’s watched it and hasn’t loved it. It’s hard to describe how good it is, or why. Just watch it, and give it a decent chance, even if you don’t like anime and think it seems too much like a cartoon or something at first. You won’t regret it.

Now, to talk to the majority of my readers, who have watched it! By now, many of you have read the copies I borrowed from Andrea, but some of you haven’t. I was surprised at how closely the manga followed the anime. I even caught myself thinking for a moment, “Wow, they sure got actors who look a lot like the characters!” And then I was embarassed. But not embarassed enough not to tell about it on my blog. Apparently. Anyway, it’s very good. There were a couple small things it explained a little better about the anime, but for the most part this first volume was the same. It covered Tohru’s first introduction to the Sohmas, her discovery of their secret, Kagura’s introduction, her grandpa’s remodeling finished, and ensuing events (I’m trying to be vague in case people who haven’t seen it are reading this part – those of you who have should know the scenes I’m talking about). Obviously it’s better with color, movement, and voices, but… I love being able to read it at my leisure, too. If someone asked me, “Fruitsbasket: anime or manga?” I would say, “Yes, please!”

Here are some quotes I liked, although of course they’re much better with the pictures (and that applies to every volume). It doesn’t come up in this volume’s quotes as much as in later ones, but generally when you see words, “… …” and more words, it’s because the dialogue was in two different balloons. With a later volume I tried taking most of the dots out to make the quotes flow better, but too often you lose the sense of them saying it slowly and thoughtfully. Of course, keeping them in doesn’t keep the perfect sense of things either, but I still decided not to mess with it and leave them all in.


“‘You may be a black belt fighter, but you’re still a white belt in dealing with people. For the sake of the girl who will one day tell you she loves you… …don’t run away. Keep training.’

‘Hmph. As if someone would ever tell me that.’

‘Heh. And if someone did, what would you do?’

‘I can’t even imagine. I guess… …I’d ask her if she was sane.’” –Shigure and Kyo


“‘Uh-uh-uh-um… I just hit you with my bag… but I guess you know that. But enough about me! Were you taking a walk, Kyo-san?’” –Tohru (Great save!)


“‘Moping around like a sad rat who lost his cheese.’” –Shigure, about Yuki when Tohru left