Tohru Honda is relentlessly kind and optimistic—so much so that one would never expect that she was practically homeless, working constantly and living on her own in a tent after the death of her mother. However, after her shelter is buried under a mudslide, a more permanent place is offered as a home, living with a family with a most unique connection to the animals of the zodiac.
Fruits Basket holds a dear place for so many anime fans of a certain age…I’m so glad that it’s been remade for a new generation, though strangely enough, it may be us older folks that enjoy it even more. My experience with the series is relatively minimal, having read most of the manga and watched a few episodes of the anime, but even I was struck by how this initial episode captured the feel of the manga—by the end of it, I’d both experienced teary eyes and a wide smile. Both for newcomers and those who have waited all these years to see the anime close out properly, this is going to be a special, special ride.
I should note that I watched the dub for episode one. It was excellent—Laura Bailey remains just the right actress to play Tohru, and the dialogue, too, felt so natural that in a series that’s so Japanese-y, I’d quickly forgotten I was watching a dub. Recommended!
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The dub for Fruits Basket can be streamed on Funimation.
I thought the first episode was simply fantastic!! And I am soooo happy that they were able to get Laura Bailey, John Burgmeier, Jerry Jewell, and Eric Vale to reprise their roles as Tohru, Shigure, Kyo and Yuki, especially Ms. Bailey! She captures Tohru’s innocence and sweetness so perfectly!! ^_^ I also thought the animation was gorgeous!! I understand that Ms. Takaya urged the animators to make the characters look “better” than they appeared in her drawings, as she was not in the best of health when she rendered FB years ago, and thus, her artwork was shaky!
I am about halfway through the manga at the moment! I can’t wait to go along for the ride of this very special reboot!! ^_^
Oh, I didn’t even mention the animation—right from the first shot, it was gorgeous! A wonderful accompaniment to a wonderful story. I’m excited!
While it might be too soon to make any sweeping judgments, I’m in awe of how gracefully this anime has conveyed the characters and emotional contours of the manga so far. ‘Fruits Basket’ is my favorite manga (and one of my favorite works of fiction, period), and I could find virtually nothing to criticize in the first episode.
I’ve been hearing similar reactions from other Fruits Basket fans—so glad to hear that at least it’s starting off on just the right foot!