Review of Fruits Basket

Plot: 7/10 The plot of Fruits Basket, at least for the anime, can best be described as a “meet and greet” plot. Most of the series revolves around getting to know various members of the Souma family who are afflicted with the curse. While this is all good in fine, it does not do much to set up a conflict within the story, with the only other major plot point being Tooru’s dealing with living with the Souma family. The series also suffers from an uneven pacing with there being heavy development early and late in the show, while the middle sort of drags, dueagain to the “meet and greet” nature. Lastly, the anime ends leaving the viewer unsatisfied as no matters revolving around the curse have been closed and the ending is very much open ended. While these flaws are rather obvious when watching, they do not detract from the enjoyment of the series as the plot is rather unique, and quite fun.

Characters: 9/10

Fruits Basket best quality is its characters, without a doubt. Most characters receive a strong dose of development, and the Souma family characters are perhaps the most interesting. Their personalities are highly reflective of the Zodiac animal they stand for, and no two are alike. This creates an interesting duality to look at in these characters as most have their Zodiac personality but also how their curse has afflicted their pasts and presents. One flaw is the limited development of Tooru, who while she has plenty of backstory, does not grow nearly as significantly as many other characters in the story do. This weakness is not especially noticeable, however, but is a bit of a let down since she is the primary protagonist. The only other complaint is the lack of introduction to a couple of the Zodiac characters, notably the Horse and the Rooster.

Animation: 9/10

As the animation is a bit old, some viewers may find it off putting or strange. Otherwise, the animation is pretty decent and clear, and does not detract quality wise from the show.

Soundtrack: 9/10

The soundtrack does a good job of setting moods for each scene, and for the most part is enjoyable. However, the opening does a poor job early on of setting the mood, as the series is generally more lighthearted early on and becomes more serious as one moves along. As such, the opening seems a bit out of place.

Themes: 10/10

The themes in Fruits Basket revolve around family and acceptance most often, as much of what the plot deals with is Tooru accepting the Souma family’s secret. One major recurring element within the series is the seeming lightheartedness of the curse actually hides a lot of tragedy. The series deals a lot with how one’s past determines a character present day personality, and how people mask how they are feeling. Overall, the anime carries very powerful themes that everyone should consider. These themes are never lost either, as the series does a good job of not straining from its serious undertones even during the more comedy oriented moments. The tension of the series builds the whole way through, but is unresolved at the end, again due to the plot being cut short.

Final Score: 44/50

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