Tohru Honda

Tohru Honda (本田透, Honda Tōru) is the heroine of the Fruits Basket series. She is the only daughter was a more dignified form of address.

Tohru can be considered attractive to other boys; for instance, two boys tried to flirt with her and were planning to take advantage of her naive nature. However, they were scared off by Kyo.

Appearance

Tohru is a slim young girl of average height with long straight brown hair that can sometime look as deep as black in certain cases and eyebrow length front bangs/fringe that frame her large eyes (blue in the anime, brown in the manga). She is considered quite cute. She almost always has blue colored bows in her hair but they're sometimes yellow and purple. She either wears a large one in the back or two smaller ones pulling back her hair at the sides. On weekends she often has her hair in pigtails.

She wears a white and blue sailor striped school uniform. It is a blue mini-skirt with pleats and ruffles on the bottom, and a white and blue top and jacket with a small tie-like thing to top it all off. She wears blue socks that go up to mid-shin, and brown shoes that are slip on. This is the outfit she is most commonly seen in, although she is known for wearing dresses as well, as long as they are short. One of the only times Tohru is seen wearing a long dress is when she played the not-so-evil stepsister in the school play, Sorta Cinderella in the manga.

Personality

Tohru is an extremely kind, gentle, sweet, cheerful and over-optimistic girl who refuses to let anyone lift a finger for her, and at times she gets spacey. She is very loving, and finds things that wouldn't usually be that funny pretty funny. Her lovingness is proven multiple times, usually it is directed towards her mother, and all of her friends. She can be seen as slightly naive too. She is very considerate, and if something happens that would aggravate an average person, she commonly just smiles and moves on. This also proves her braveness, which is shown multiple times - like when she allows all of her friends to go off and have fun during New Year's Eve, and when they come back home (after finding out that this her first New Year's Eve without her mother), they find her crying, and they realized just how brave she really was. She is also brave when she stands up to Akito, who has been hurting Yuki. Her friends sometimes call her "a pushover". As a result, Ayame Sohma and Hiro Sohma seem to order her around. She makes sure everything is nice and clean in Shigure's house and promises to pay anyone back who treats her. For example, when Yuki explains to her that the area where her tent was set up was Sohma property, she says that she would stay there for only another week, and that she would pay them with what little money she had if they let her stay on the property.

Isuzu Sohma thought that she and Hatsuharu Sohma were too nice, as did Kureno Sohma. Akito Sohma thought that Tohru was an idiot because she was too kind and willing to forgive anyone for anything that they've done to her. Tohru is constantly cleaning up and enjoying housework and doesn't mind doing things for others (For example, in Volume 12, she made tea for Shishou while visiting him).

However, as the books go on and Tohru realizes that Kyo will be locked away after his high school graduation, she grows more serious and emotional, crying often, and feels more bitter towards his circumstances. She is still optimistic and cheerful, but also has a darker side to her. Upon the curse breaking, however, she returns to her normal cheerful state.

Story Overview

Family

File:Tohru young.png

Tohru as a baby.

Tohru was born to Kyoko and Katsuya Honda in the Year of the Dog. Her father died very soon after she was born, so she was pretty much raised by her mother alone. Tohru and her mother were extremely close and spent much time together. Tohru loved when her mother told her stories, especially ones about the Chinese Zodiac. Tohru always became upset when she heard of how the Cat was ignored, even wishing that she could be born in the Year of the Cat instead of the Dog, even though the Year of the Cat did not exist.

Aside from her life at home with her mother, Tohru was often a victim of bullying at school. The children would play a game called Fruits Basket, and Tohru would always be assigned the rice ball, which is not a fruit. The children did this to exclude her from the game, though Tohru just stayed positive, hoping that someone would call out rice ball so she could play as well.

One day, Tohru overslept and did not see her mother leave work. She would always say "Bye, be safe!" to her mother before she left for work. On that day though, Tohru's mother was killed in a car accident. Tohru still blames herself for her mother's death, since she did not say "Bye, be safe!" to her that morning.

Before Summer Vacation

After her mother's death, Tohru moved in with her grandfather for a while. Her grandfather told her that he was getting his house remodeled and asked her if she had a place to stay. Not wanting him to worry about her, Tohru lied and said that she would stay with one of her friends. Tohru didn't have the heart to ask Uo or Hana if she could stay with one of them, so she got a tent and lived in that for a short while. She didn't know that she was living on the property of the Sohma family though.

One day when she was walking to school, she noticed Shigure Sohma's figurines of the Chinese zodiac. They talked about the zodiac for a brief moment until Yuki Sohma came out. Yuki and Tohru go to the same school, so they walked together. Tohru learned that Yuki has a hatred for the Cat in the Zodiac, which she does not understand. Later that night, Yuki and Shigure find her tent and question why she is there. Tohru explained her situation and she offered to pay rent to them, practically begging to keep her tent there.

Shigure's allies, the wolves tell him that a landslide occurred that same night, destroying Tohru's tent. She is invited back to the Sohma house for the night and the next day she is allowed to stay with them if she does household chores. Tohru agreed, extremely grateful for this offer. That same morning, an orange-haired boy named Kyo appeared and started to pick a fight against Yuki. Tohru tried to stop him and she accidentally landed on him, which caused him to turn into a cat. She also bumped into Yuki and Shigure, causing them to turn into a rat and a dog.

Tohru then learned that the Sohma family possessed by the spirits of the Chinese Zodiac and they transform if they hug someone of the opposite gender. Tohru is still given permission to stay with the Sohma family though. Soon after this, Tohru met another member of the Sohma family, Kagura, who is the boar. Tohru is enjoying her time with the Sohmas, but she got a phone call from her Grandfather, who told her the remodelling was complete and she could come back.

Tohru had grown so attached to the Sohma family, and she finds it extremely difficult to leave them. But Tohru knew that she was not a member of the Sohma family, and that she could never be. She returned to her Grandfather's house, where she is pretty miserable.Her Grandfather knew she didn't like it here and she'd rather be some place else. Much to her surprise, Yuki and Kyo come to take her back home, because they both missed her as well as overhearing her conversation with her Grandfather. Tohru is extremely happy and grateful that they still want her to be a part of the family.

Shortly after at the school's cultural festival, Tohru met two more members of the Sohma family, Momiji and Hatori. Momiji being the rabbit, Hatori being the seahorse, which is not a member of the zodiac, but is a water version of the dragon. Hatori asked Tohru to visit the main house, though Tohru is worried that Hatori is going to erase her memories. At her meeting with Hatori, Tohru learned about Hatori's past with a human girl named Kana, and how he had to erase her memories. He also warned Tohru about the Sohmas and that they are dangerous, but Tohru refused to have her memories erased. Tohru also reminded Hatori of his former lover. Tohru again met another member of the zodiac soon after, this one being the hot-headed Hatsuharu Sohma, who is the cow. Tohru continued to develop a strong bond with the Sohmas during holidays like Valentine's Day and White Day.

On the first day of school, Hatsuharu and Momiji begin their first year of high school. Tohru is also introduced to the head of the Sohma family that day, Akito. She feels slightly intimidated by Akito, and does not like Akito threatening Yuki. Tohru managed to get Yuki and herself away by saying class started. Tohru also met Ayame, who is Yuki's older brother and the Snake of the Zodiac. She also met Momiji's mother, who has no memories of her son, as she could not cope with the Zodiac. Tohru wept for Momiji when he tells her this and she embraced him, to show her love for him. Tohru and her friends, along with Kyo and Yuki visited her mother's grave on the anniversary of her death. Tohru was extremely happy that everyone was coming along with her for this.

After taking a vacation with the Sohmas, Tohru met Kisa Sohma, a very shy girl who stopped speaking because she was being teased for her odd hair and eye color, markings of being possessed by the tiger. Tohru talked to Kisa's mother as well, and she explained how she did not wish to go to school because of the bullying. Tohru is able to relate because of her own experience. She eventually helps Kisa get the courage to go back to school. Shortly after, Tohru meets with Kagura again, who asks Tohru if she knows about Kyo's true form. Tohru does not know, but she learned when Kazuma Sohma came to see Kyo. Kazuma ripped off Kyo's bracelet, which awakened his true form. Tohru followed Kyo, desperate to help him as he is her friend, and she stayed until Kyo accepted her as his friend. Tohru returned to the house, carrying Kyo in his usual cat form.

After all the commotion over Kyo's true form, Tohru met Hiro, a friend of Kisa's who was jealous over Kisa's friendship with Tohru. Tohru learned from Hiro that he liked Kisa and that he wanted to protect her, and Tohru admired this about Hiro. Kisa and Hiro are then able to both admit their feelings for each other.

During Summer Vacation

The Sohmas and Tohru head for a private beach to enjoy their Summer Vacation.

Akito calls attended the beach trip as well and kept a close eye on Tohru. Akito noticed how Kyo was acting around Tohru and he spoke to Kyo, taunting him about how he is a monster. Akito also went to visit Tohru before leaving and he told her to stop interfering with the Zodiac. Tohru did not want to stop, and she believed that she could break the curse of the Zodiac. Time is running out to save Kyo though, since after the Cat completes high school, the Cat is to live a life in complete isolation.

After Summer Vacation

Tohru went to see Kazuma, and asked if he knew how to break the curse. Kazuma told her that he does not know how to break the curse. While Tohru was trying to break the curse, she learned that another member of the Zodiac, Rin was also trying to do the same. Tohru also met Kureno, who was the former rooster of the Zodiac, who had the curse broken somehow. But he does not know why it was broken for him. Tohru later overheard a conversation between Rin and Shigure, and learned that the curse would be broken soon because all of the animals are alive together. Tohru asked him how soon it will happen, and admitted that the one she wanted to save the most was Kyo.

Tohru also had begun to feel guilty about falling in love with Kyo, since she believed that she was replacing her love for her mother. When Tohru admitted her love for Kyo, he accused her of loving him even though he is "a little loopy" and he says "I'm disillusioned". Tohru also learned that Kyo could have saved her mother, since he was there at her death, but it would have caused him to transform. Kyo blamed himself for her death. When Kyo cannot accept Tohru's love for him, he ran away and Tohru followed him. She is stopped by Akito though, who is jealous that Tohru had won. Tohru tried to have a fresh start with Akito, offering it to her/him. However the cliff she was on collapsed and she fell.

Due to Akito's changing and accepting of Tohru, the curse was lifted and Akito decided to let go of the control over the members of the Zodiac. Tohru and Kyo met yet again and Kyo apologized for not accepting her love. Tohru asked Kyo if she could hug him, and Kyo is uneasy because he is unsure if he will transform. But when Tohru hugged him, he stayed the same. The cat's curse was lifted also due to Tohru's true love for him. All of the other members of the Sohma family are able to lead regular lives now that the curse is broken.

Tohru is last seen walking with Kyo in their old age and they also have kid(s) and a grand daughter.

Relationships

Main article: Tohru's Relationships.
Kyoko Honda (Tohru's mother)

Because Tohru's father died very soon after she was born, her mother raised her by herself. Tohru reminded Kyoko of Katsuya and so the two of them were very close. They were like best friends because of the small age gap. They cared for each other a lot and were inseparable. When Kyoko died, Tohru was grief-stricken. She was eventually able to smile but never forgot her mother. Throughout the anime, she constantly hears her Mom's voice saying 'Just be yourself, and you'll be fine'.

Kyo Sohma (friend then boyfriend and later husband)

Tohru first met Kyo in chapter 2 of the manga and episode 2 of the anime. At first, Kyo is slightly cold towards her, and manages to injure her on their first meeting, but he warms up to her as the story progresses. When Tohru sees his "True Form" in the anime she is horrified, but she runs after him and she tells him not to be afraid, but Kyo uses his arm to cut her somewhere near her collarbone. He insults her, and she is about to leave, but she comes back and hugs him while in his form, cry for him. He turns back into his human form and hugs her, saying that he finally has someone who understands him. However, in the manga, Tohru immediately accepts him and runs into his arms.

During summer vacation, they become even closer friends as they spend time alone whilst the other Sohmas are invited to go to Akito's vacation home. He ends up falling in love with her, but doesn't admit it because of Akito. She also loves him back, but Akito realizes that Tohru has the potential to break the curse, so she (he in the anime) hurts her on several occasions, and tells her to become uninvolved with Kyo and the Sohma affairs.

Eventually, Tohru confesses, but Kyo pretends to not care, and she runs away, feeling rejected. She is injured after the cliff on which she collapses, but Kyo finds her and confesses to her when she is half-conscious, and kisses her. After she leaves the hospital, Kyo chases her, and apologizes and once again confesses. They embrace, and realize that the curse has been broken. Later, it is revealed that they marry and have a son as well as a grandchild, and live happily to an old age together.

Yuki Sohma (friend)

When Tohru met Yuki in the chapter 1 episode 1 of the manga, she was surprised to see him because she only knew him as "the prince of the school". Yuki sees Tohru as a mother-figure, which he admits to Kakeru Manabe, his best friend and the vice-president. In volume 23 (the last book) while Tohru is packing up ready to leave to the dojo with Kyo, he finally admits to her that he sees her as a mother figure and calls her by her first name for the first time.

In the anime, however, Yuki is shown to love her in a romantic way, just like Kyo. He is still very protective of her, and he is shown to be blushing a lot whenever she is around or is kind to him. In episode 10, when she calls him by his nickname, "Prince Yuki," he blushed furiously upon realizing it and transforms. In his rat form, he was still blushing and virtually overheating.

Some time later, when the two of them went to Ayame's shop, Yuki was captivated by how beautiful Tohru looked in "The Thing," which was a beautiful creamy-white lace dress with matching ribbons. He then told her, once they had a moment alone, that he was happy that they'd come because, in addition to mending some fences with his brother, he also got to see her looking so adorable. Tohru got embarrassed at this and covered her face. Yuki then smiled lovingly at her and said that she didn't have to hide it, leaning closer. The two were then interrupted by Ayame.

In the second to last episode, he was shown to be very perceptive of Tohru liking more than just one season—not want the others to be left out—and smiling cheerfully about it. Then, in the finale, he went out after Tohru when she went to look for Kyo, finally realizing what she meant to him. Later, when she was attacked by Akito, Yuki overcame his fear, and helped Shigure to restrain the angry head of the family from harming her further. Afterwards, upon realizing what he had achieved, Yuki was shocked by the strength loving her had given him.

Shigure Sohma (friend)

Tohru is one of the only characters in the manga that never really think Shigure is "pervy". When she first met him, she thought he was extremely handsome, but never felt any "love" towards him, even when he seemed a little suggestive towards her. They are mutual friends and the fact that Tohru doesn't understand his "pervy" jokes angers Yuki, Kyo and Hatori.

Trivia

According to Natsuki Takaya, Tohru was the first character she created for the series, with Yuki and Kyo Sohma soon after. When asked how she came up with Tohru's personality and background, she said: "I thought that for a girl to accept other people's feelings so wholeheartedly, she'd have to have a slightly unusual way of looking at things so that she wouldn't be crushed by having so much empathy. But I still worried that I needed something else to flesh her out. And then the thought, 'Oh, yeah—I'll make her use super-polite language, and use it incorrectly!' came to me all at once. After that, her character was completed in no time".
- Takaya described Tohru, Yuki Sohma, Kyo Sohma and Shigure Sohma as the main cast.
As revealed in the manga, Tohru's favorite color is pink.
The tent that Tohru lives in is in the shape of a half cylinder in the manga; but in the anime, it is much smaller and in the shape of a triangular prism.
While many sites list Tohru as an Aries, she is actually a Taurus. The mix up exists due to a fanfiction about Tohru's birthday (Entitled "Happy Birthday, Miss Tohru!"), the story was published on April 5th, 2006. On most search engines April 5th 2006 shows up when a search is done for Tohru's birthday. All character profiles on websites predating this story list her as a Taurus. Her real birthday is May 6th.
Despite not being able to transform, Tohru is represented by a rice ball with a "plum on the back".
In the Funimation dub, Tohru is voiced by Laura Bailey, known for her work in Full Metal Alchemist, Soul Eater, and Dragon Ball Z.