What do you think?
Rate this book
フルーツバスケット [Fruits Basket] #1
Fruits Basket Ultimate Edition Volume 1
Relive the first two unforgettable volumes of the world's number one shojo manga in this collector's edition!
A family with an ancient curse...and a girl who will change their lives forever...
Tohru Honda was an orphan with nowhere to go until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now her ordinary high school life is turned upside down as she's introduced to the Sohma's world of magical curses and family secrets. Discover for yourself the Secret of the Zodiac and find out why Fruits Basket has won the hearts of readers the world over!
A family with an ancient curse...and a girl who will change their lives forever...
Tohru Honda was an orphan with nowhere to go until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now her ordinary high school life is turned upside down as she's introduced to the Sohma's world of magical curses and family secrets. Discover for yourself the Secret of the Zodiac and find out why Fruits Basket has won the hearts of readers the world over!
408 pages, Hardcover
First published June 28, 2016
464 people are currently reading
6180 people want to read
About the author
Natsuki Takaya
153 books2,701 followersName (in native language) : 高屋奈月
Natsuki Takaya (高屋 奈月 Takaya Natsuki, real name Naka Hatake) is the penname of a Japanese manga artist best-known for creating the series Fruits Basket. She was born on July 7, 1973; (Tanabata). Takaya is left-handed and once revealed that she wanted to be a mangaka since first grade, when her sister started drawing.
She was born in Shizuoka, Japan, but was raised in Tokyo, where she made her debut in 1992. She enjoys video games such as the Final Fantasy series or Sakura Wars, or working on her different manga series, such as Fruits Basket, which is the second best-selling shōjo manga ever in Japan, and the top selling shōjo manga in North America. Fruits Basket has also been adapted into a twenty-six-episode anime series.
In 2001, Takaya received a Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo manga for Fruits Basket.
According to Takaya (in a sidebar of a Fruits Basket manga volume), she enjoys drawing girls (girly ones) more than she does boys. Takaya also enjoys electronics and music, but dislikes talking about herself. Also revealed in a sidebar of Fruits Basket, Takaya broke her drawing arm (left) after Fruits Basket volume six was published. She had to go into surgery, and as a result, had put Fruits Basket on a brief hiatus. Takaya made a full recovery, but complains that her handwriting had gotten uglier, due to the surgery. During her hospital stay, she gained an interest in baseball.
Natsuki Takaya (高屋 奈月 Takaya Natsuki, real name Naka Hatake) is the penname of a Japanese manga artist best-known for creating the series Fruits Basket. She was born on July 7, 1973; (Tanabata). Takaya is left-handed and once revealed that she wanted to be a mangaka since first grade, when her sister started drawing.
She was born in Shizuoka, Japan, but was raised in Tokyo, where she made her debut in 1992. She enjoys video games such as the Final Fantasy series or Sakura Wars, or working on her different manga series, such as Fruits Basket, which is the second best-selling shōjo manga ever in Japan, and the top selling shōjo manga in North America. Fruits Basket has also been adapted into a twenty-six-episode anime series.
In 2001, Takaya received a Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo manga for Fruits Basket.
According to Takaya (in a sidebar of a Fruits Basket manga volume), she enjoys drawing girls (girly ones) more than she does boys. Takaya also enjoys electronics and music, but dislikes talking about herself. Also revealed in a sidebar of Fruits Basket, Takaya broke her drawing arm (left) after Fruits Basket volume six was published. She had to go into surgery, and as a result, had put Fruits Basket on a brief hiatus. Takaya made a full recovery, but complains that her handwriting had gotten uglier, due to the surgery. During her hospital stay, she gained an interest in baseball.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,135 reviews
July 25, 2019
Cute and sweet, but I think the anime does a better job of having a more palatable art style, better pacing of the story, and a more clearly established tone.
April 24, 2023
Volume 1 ★★★★★
Volume 2 ★★★★★
re-read review — April 2023:
I'm not sure what happened or when, but a Goodreads glitch seems to have deleted my review for this volume at some point. 😩 Anyways, this was probably my 8th or 9th time reading this volume, and it just never gets old. This series is so comforting and precious, despite how tragic and heavy it feels at times (such as when we learn about Hatori's former love in this volume). I adore these characters and how goofy and over-the-top they can be. ♥
✨ Content warnings for:
———
twitter | booktok | bookstagram | blog
December 3, 2020
4.5 Stars ⭐️
I loved it. Now I have to buy them all a little at a time because they are expensive but I want to own them and my libraries don’t have them.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I loved it. Now I have to buy them all a little at a time because they are expensive but I want to own them and my libraries don’t have them.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
September 6, 2020
★★★½ /5
This was cute, I really enjoyed it. I like characters and the general concept is interesting.
This was cute, I really enjoyed it. I like characters and the general concept is interesting.
August 8, 2024
sometimes i wanna jump off a cliff but then i remember W.W.T.H.D.
What Would Tohru Honda Do? 🙂↕️
What Would Tohru Honda Do? 🙂↕️
March 11, 2024
I genuinely don't know how I feel about this book...
On one hand, the characters are stuck in my head, and I want to learn more about them. But on the other hand, nothing really happens in this story. It's more of a character study full of wistful one-liners, reminiscent of 5 Centimeters per Second.
Also, I was so confused at the start by the random scene changes (in the middle of conversations!) and then showing the end of that scene through flashbacks later on. Like, what? I had to watch the first episode of the anime to understand who everybody was and who was saying what.
All of that aside, it was sweet, and I can't help but appreciate any story that emphasizes empathy and cutting others some slack.
Torn about whether to continue...
On one hand, the characters are stuck in my head, and I want to learn more about them. But on the other hand, nothing really happens in this story. It's more of a character study full of wistful one-liners, reminiscent of 5 Centimeters per Second.
Also, I was so confused at the start by the random scene changes (in the middle of conversations!) and then showing the end of that scene through flashbacks later on. Like, what? I had to watch the first episode of the anime to understand who everybody was and who was saying what.
All of that aside, it was sweet, and I can't help but appreciate any story that emphasizes empathy and cutting others some slack.
Torn about whether to continue...
June 13, 2018
All the glittering stars! *throws them in the air like confetti*
This was such an exquisitely beautiful and touching read. I loved every single page and each character I met throughout.
Fruits Basket is such a charming book - it follows Tohru Honda, an orphan, who lives in a tent on private land owned by the prestigious Sohma family, and throughout the course of the story, we get to meet more of the clan. What's truly unique though, is that when a member of the opposite sex hugs a member of the Sohma family, they turn into the Chinese animal which corresponds with their year! Cue lots of cute, funny and charming reveals. In this first volume we meet the rat, cat, dog, boar, rabbit and dragon! Tohru is lovely too and her sweet-nature just makes you fall completely in love with the story.
I love the banter between Yuki and Kyo and think Momiji is ridiculously adorable (honestly, he's like candyfloss covered fudge with sprinkles on top), and Hatori is very mysterious (his backstory is pretty sad too). Each character adds their own personality and develops the story so that when you finish reading the last page, you're cursing that you don't have the second volume (at least that's how I felt).
The drawings are so beautiful and the characters' eyes are like magic pools shimmering with ancient secrets *swoons*
There are plenty of backstories and banter to keep the reader thoroughly entertained, and just knowing that more of the Sohma clan will be revealed in the next volumes makes me giddy with anticipation.
Fruits Basket is a superb example of shoujo manga and perfectly encompasses humour, cuteness and poignancy. It addresses life's trivialities along with the serious stuff people are reluctant to speak about. My heart feels like it’s about to burst from all the joy and happiness I feel <3
A MUST READ for anyone who enjoys shoujo manga!
This was such an exquisitely beautiful and touching read. I loved every single page and each character I met throughout.
Fruits Basket is such a charming book - it follows Tohru Honda, an orphan, who lives in a tent on private land owned by the prestigious Sohma family, and throughout the course of the story, we get to meet more of the clan. What's truly unique though, is that when a member of the opposite sex hugs a member of the Sohma family, they turn into the Chinese animal which corresponds with their year! Cue lots of cute, funny and charming reveals. In this first volume we meet the rat, cat, dog, boar, rabbit and dragon! Tohru is lovely too and her sweet-nature just makes you fall completely in love with the story.
I love the banter between Yuki and Kyo and think Momiji is ridiculously adorable (honestly, he's like candyfloss covered fudge with sprinkles on top), and Hatori is very mysterious (his backstory is pretty sad too). Each character adds their own personality and develops the story so that when you finish reading the last page, you're cursing that you don't have the second volume (at least that's how I felt).
The drawings are so beautiful and the characters' eyes are like magic pools shimmering with ancient secrets *swoons*
There are plenty of backstories and banter to keep the reader thoroughly entertained, and just knowing that more of the Sohma clan will be revealed in the next volumes makes me giddy with anticipation.
Fruits Basket is a superb example of shoujo manga and perfectly encompasses humour, cuteness and poignancy. It addresses life's trivialities along with the serious stuff people are reluctant to speak about. My heart feels like it’s about to burst from all the joy and happiness I feel <3
A MUST READ for anyone who enjoys shoujo manga!
February 11, 2018
This is my first time reading Fruits Basket, and I'm so happy that I love it so much! It makes me laugh with the shenanigans and outrageous premise, and it also just has me loving these characters one and all and needing more more more.
February 2, 2021
Aunque no me disgustó, me dejó muy descolocada y confusa, no estaba entendiendo muy bien los personajes de la familia Sôma y su comportamiento, aunque afortunadamente, todo cobró sentido rápido, pues una vez que se descubre su impactante secreto, y se empiezan a dar un montón de situaciones inesperadas, sorprendentes y embarazosas, todo se vuelve entretenidísimo a la par que muy divertido.
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
Reseña completa: http://fiebrelectora.blogspot.com/202...
October 16, 2020
a wonderful start to a classic shoujo series. i love all the characters except akito who at this point is just a cause of tragedy. the lighthearted humour paired with the deeper messages is perfect. all in all, it's a bittersweet volume that's always going to be one of my favourites.
December 27, 2022
really enjoying this series overall.
this is my first ever manga series (webtoons don't count)
this is my first ever manga series (webtoons don't count)
January 14, 2021
¡Menuda sorpresa!
El primer capítulo me dejó muy desconcertada, pero desde entonces no ha hecho más que mejorar: entretenida, original y muy divertida, con personajes entrañables.
El primer capítulo me dejó muy desconcertada, pero desde entonces no ha hecho más que mejorar: entretenida, original y muy divertida, con personajes entrañables.
January 25, 2025
Jedan je Fruits basket.❤️
Vec sam pocela da placem, ne znam kako cu preziveti do kraja
Vec sam pocela da placem, ne znam kako cu preziveti do kraja
April 13, 2020
Forever a favorite!
April 15, 2022
VIDEO REVIEW HERE: https://youtu.be/PWLz8dQBW1Y
3.5 stars
Alright, don't come for me Fruits Basket fans, but I didn't love this. *hides*
I can't really say why I didn't connect with these characters, but I feel it wasn't until the last chapter that I felt invested in the story and the characters. Despite that I have been told that I'm very much Tohru, she was the one person I could not connect with the most. And I feel SO bad for saying that because she is the MC!
One thing I was surprised by is that while I didn't have a favorite character (outside of maybe Tohur's best friends because I loved those two!), I liked Yuki quite a bit. I've really liked Kyo from an "outsider" who hasn't seen or read Fruits Basket before this, so I never imagined I would like Yuki the most between these two boys!
I think the story is good and think I can see why it is so popular and so loved. I'm bummed that I didn't love this first omnibus more and unsure if I'll continue reading it or not. I may try the second omnibus and see if maybe I'll enjoy it more, but I'm unsure if my feelings will change unfortunately.
Don't hate me friends that love Fruits Basket!
3.5 stars
Alright, don't come for me Fruits Basket fans, but I didn't love this. *hides*
I can't really say why I didn't connect with these characters, but I feel it wasn't until the last chapter that I felt invested in the story and the characters. Despite that I have been told that I'm very much Tohru, she was the one person I could not connect with the most. And I feel SO bad for saying that because she is the MC!
One thing I was surprised by is that while I didn't have a favorite character (outside of maybe Tohur's best friends because I loved those two!), I liked Yuki quite a bit. I've really liked Kyo from an "outsider" who hasn't seen or read Fruits Basket before this, so I never imagined I would like Yuki the most between these two boys!
I think the story is good and think I can see why it is so popular and so loved. I'm bummed that I didn't love this first omnibus more and unsure if I'll continue reading it or not. I may try the second omnibus and see if maybe I'll enjoy it more, but I'm unsure if my feelings will change unfortunately.
Don't hate me friends that love Fruits Basket!
June 20, 2020
3.5
I loved the characters in this book and I found them so easy to connect with. I did find the pacing to be quite slow in the beginning and didn’t really pick up until the end. I also found the story to be repetitive at times having similar conversations. But once they got more into the zodiacs everything got better. And the art was really cute. Overall, this story was really cute and sweet.
I loved the characters in this book and I found them so easy to connect with. I did find the pacing to be quite slow in the beginning and didn’t really pick up until the end. I also found the story to be repetitive at times having similar conversations. But once they got more into the zodiacs everything got better. And the art was really cute. Overall, this story was really cute and sweet.
September 7, 2016
4.75 stars!
July 24, 2022
Quite an interesting storyline. Thought I might lose interest as I went on, but I didn’t. Didn’t know much about this series till friend employee mentioned it to me and told me that a friend ex-employee who hired me loved this series. I can now see why, as it was entertaining! Will plan on reading the next volume, definitely! 🐾 Ty you Kayla and Katie for mentioning it to me! XO
June 29, 2022
Not for me.
I totally see why someone who started this series or watched the manga when they were younger might have liked it. However, I don't think I would've liked this when I was a teenager either. It's everything about these types of series that I just never really liked.
The MC is very, very bland. Unfortunately, like quite a few series about teenage girls, the only personality "traits" I could pinpoint were that she was just really nice, never took offense to anything and generally just liked everything and everyone. Add to that the whole "everyone always excluded me" thing and it was just not much for me to grab onto. If I don't find the MC interesting or distinctive, it's a rough go for me to like the book. I just got the sense we were supposed to see her as a self insert.
For a premise that sounds interesting, I wasn't all that enthused by the plot. Essentially Tohru's mother passes and her grandfather's house is being remodeled, so she lives in a tent. She's found by these kids that live in a nearby house and they let her stay there. It's clear you're meant to read this and pick which guy you like best based on their traits. There's the mature, handsome one, the pretty one, the angry one (who's secretly sensitive) and they all have more interesting interactions with each other than Tohru, to be honest.
To be fair, I was 100% not the target audience for this. There wasn't anything I found particularly engaging or memorable. So, while I'm sort of glad to have read it, because this series gets recced a lot on TikTok, it is going in my "sell to Half Price" pile because I have literally no incentive to read the next parts or purchase them.
Onto the next book!
I totally see why someone who started this series or watched the manga when they were younger might have liked it. However, I don't think I would've liked this when I was a teenager either. It's everything about these types of series that I just never really liked.
The MC is very, very bland. Unfortunately, like quite a few series about teenage girls, the only personality "traits" I could pinpoint were that she was just really nice, never took offense to anything and generally just liked everything and everyone. Add to that the whole "everyone always excluded me" thing and it was just not much for me to grab onto. If I don't find the MC interesting or distinctive, it's a rough go for me to like the book. I just got the sense we were supposed to see her as a self insert.
For a premise that sounds interesting, I wasn't all that enthused by the plot. Essentially Tohru's mother passes and her grandfather's house is being remodeled, so she lives in a tent. She's found by these kids that live in a nearby house and they let her stay there. It's clear you're meant to read this and pick which guy you like best based on their traits. There's the mature, handsome one, the pretty one, the angry one (who's secretly sensitive) and they all have more interesting interactions with each other than Tohru, to be honest.
To be fair, I was 100% not the target audience for this. There wasn't anything I found particularly engaging or memorable. So, while I'm sort of glad to have read it, because this series gets recced a lot on TikTok, it is going in my "sell to Half Price" pile because I have literally no incentive to read the next parts or purchase them.
Onto the next book!
October 10, 2023
3.5 stars
I'll always love Fruits Basket. But given that I've both watched the anime and attempted to finish reading the manga countless times since I first watched the anime on a CD I borrowed from the library on a whim when I was 6-7, I think I'll always be a little biased in assessing how I much I enjoy reading it.
Though I do hope that this reread is the one that sticks and I finally actually finish reading the manga this time. I always get bored and stop reading at the same part every time.
Reading this first volume brings back so many memories. It's such a sweet series and even if I'll always find most the characters annoying I still love them.
I'll always love Fruits Basket. But given that I've both watched the anime and attempted to finish reading the manga countless times since I first watched the anime on a CD I borrowed from the library on a whim when I was 6-7, I think I'll always be a little biased in assessing how I much I enjoy reading it.
Though I do hope that this reread is the one that sticks and I finally actually finish reading the manga this time. I always get bored and stop reading at the same part every time.
Reading this first volume brings back so many memories. It's such a sweet series and even if I'll always find most the characters annoying I still love them.
January 12, 2021
Aaaaaah this series is so wholesome... Maybe it's because I'm über-sentimental but I cannot go through a single chapter without tearing up a little. The chapter with Hatori and Kana almost had me bawling even though I don't know how many times I've read this story. But obviously Tohru, Kyo and Yuki have my heart!!
December 31, 2019
Super cute! I think I liked this more because I've seen the 2019 anime and already really liked these characters. If I had gone into this blind, I probably would have needed to read a few more volumes to really connect to them.
Content warning: some mild language
Content warning: some mild language
April 29, 2024
Dang, I'm really not into this. It seemed really disjointed and frantic, and the translation was bizarre. I will probably just watch the anime.
Read Harder Challenge 2024: Read a manga or manwha.
Read Harder Challenge 2024: Read a manga or manwha.
June 5, 2021
i just *clenches fist* love this story and the characters and everything so so much
December 18, 2022
i really enjoyed this volume but i already knew i would tho
May 29, 2021
Guys
GUYS
This was my first manga and it was FANTASTIC
This entire book was the first season of the anime (2019) and I'm kinda anxious as to what is filling the other 11 books
GUYS
This was my first manga and it was FANTASTIC
This entire book was the first season of the anime (2019) and I'm kinda anxious as to what is filling the other 11 books
September 11, 2017
Edición preciosa y super cuidada para mi manga favorito ♥
La historia como siempre de 10
La historia como siempre de 10
June 13, 2018
THIS was just an okay read for me. Things started to pick up a bit towards the end because more characters were introduced and I could see that maybe there's some drama on the horizon. For the most part I found this quite repetitive- the same information is spoon fed again and again, the characters have similar conversations and there's no real plot. There's aspects that I enjoyed a lot such as the almost mock hateful relationship between the rat and cat zodiacs. Lots of moments made me laugh and other moments had a lot of heart but there wasn't anything about this manga that really stood out to me which is a shame because I'd been looking forward to reading it for a while.
February 6, 2020
Same as it ever was
The original Fruits Basket anime was one of the first I watched, and it is probably the source of my continued preference for shōjo manga and anime.
I knew there was more to the story than was included in the original series and was pleased to have the opportunity to read it when this series of Collectors Edition reissues was published. The story is sweet and funny, and the art is simple but it gets the job done. I'm enjoying hanging out with Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure again.
The original Fruits Basket anime was one of the first I watched, and it is probably the source of my continued preference for shōjo manga and anime.
I knew there was more to the story than was included in the original series and was pleased to have the opportunity to read it when this series of Collectors Edition reissues was published. The story is sweet and funny, and the art is simple but it gets the job done. I'm enjoying hanging out with Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure again.
February 10, 2017
This will be my third time re-reading Fruits Basket, and honestly my feelings for it never change. It's nice coming back to the characters and seeing them all again. Like good friends! And these nice, large, special editions are simply gorgeous so I can't wait to collect them all again like I did the original series. Much love and respect, as per usual, to Natsuki Takaya for creating such an amazing cast of characters with good world-building and plot.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,135 reviews