Fruits Basket (sometimes abbreviated Furuba) is a Japanese manga series by Natsuki Takaya. It was serialized in the semi-monthly Japanese magazine Hana to Yume, published by Hakusensha, from 1999 to 2006.
Plot
Although the anime is based on the first 8 volumes (the anime ends at halfway through book 8), there are some differences in the stories, such as Akito's life being short due to the curse and his still being male.
Each volume cover features main characters from the series. From volume 2 to 14, the covers are the characters who are cursed and they are used as the cover character in the order of which Tohru has met them. Volumes 15 and on feature Akito Sohma, Kazuma Sohma, Tohru's friends (Saki Hanajima and Arisa Uotani), Yuki's two new friends from student council (Kakeru Manabe and Machi Kuragi), Ren Sohma, and Tohru's parents (Katsuya Honda and Kyoko Honda; not in order).
Anime
- Main article: Fruits Basket (Anime)
The series was also adapted into a 26-episode anime series, directed by Akitaro Daichi. The series tells the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl who, after meeting Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Sohma, learns that thirteen members of the Sohma family are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac and are cursed to turn into their animal forms if they embrace anyone of the opposite sex. The name was derived from a popular children's game, called Fruits Basket.