Fruits Basket is not just a story about a girl living with a family under a strange curse. It’s about healing from pain, finding love, and learning to forgive. Between soft laughter and heavy tears, this series gently shows how deep emotional wounds can be touched by kindness. With a slow and sincere pace, it wraps around your heart and teaches you how beautiful it is to care for others, even in silence. From its quiet beginnings to its soul-stirring final episode, Fruits Basket leaves you full of warmth and hope.
Series Details
| Title | Fruits Basket |
|---|---|
| Director | Yoshihide Ibata |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment |
| Release Date | April 6, 2019 |
| Runtime | 63 Episodes (3 Seasons) |
| Genre | Drama, Romance, Supernatural, Slice of Life |
| Language | Japanese |
| IMDb Rating | 8.6/10 |
| Review Count | 11,000+ |
| IMDb Link | IMDb Page |
Series Explanation
It all starts with a teenage girl named Tohru Honda. After losing her mother and having nowhere to go, she begins living in a tent in the woods. She keeps smiling through everything, even when she feels lost inside. One day, she is discovered by Yuki Sohma, the quiet and polite boy from her school, and his older cousin Shigure. They take her in and give her a place to stay. That’s when Tohru finds out the Sohma family carries a deep secret.
Some members of the Sohma family are cursed. When hugged by someone of the opposite gender, or under strong emotional stress, they transform into animals from the Chinese Zodiac. Each person carries pain from this curse—feelings of being unwanted, misunderstood, or completely alone. But something about Tohru’s gentle heart begins to change them. She doesn’t try to fix them. She simply listens. She stays. That’s what makes her special.
As the story unfolds, we meet more members of the Sohma family. There’s Kyo, the angry boy with a secret burden tied to the cat of the Zodiac, a creature left out of the original legend. He feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere. There’s also Yuki, who feels trapped behind his perfect mask. Through her kindness, Tohru slowly helps both boys open up and discover parts of themselves they tried to bury.
Behind the scenes, the true nature of the curse is revealed. The one who holds power over the cursed Zodiac members is Akito, someone seen as a god but who hides deep fears behind their cold behavior. As more light shines on the family’s past, painful truths come to the surface—abuse, control, sadness passed down through generations.
Yet, even in the middle of heartbreak, the series always leaves room for healing. Tohru’s journey isn’t about saving others by force. It’s about standing beside them so they can learn to save themselves. As she struggles with her own hidden grief, especially the loss of her mother, she learns that it’s okay to be weak sometimes. Her love and patience slowly break the curse’s emotional chains.
By the final season, the family members begin to change. They start to hope. They begin to dream of futures they thought they could never have. The curse, built from generations of sorrow, begins to fade—not with anger or revenge, but with forgiveness and love. Kyo confesses his feelings, Yuki finds his own path, and Akito finally lets go of their own pain.
Tohru doesn’t end as a hero who fixed everyone. She becomes someone who reminded others of their worth. And in return, they helped her heal too. Fruits Basket ends not with fanfare, but with quiet joy. A smile, a future, and the gentle sound of moving forward.
Main Cast
| Character | Voice Actor (Japanese) |
|---|---|
| Tohru Honda | Manaka Iwami |
| Kyo Sohma | Yuuma Uchida |
| Yuki Sohma | Nobunaga Shimazaki |
| Shigure Sohma | Yuichi Nakamura |
| Akito Sohma | Maaya Sakamoto |
| Hatori Sohma | Kazuyuki Okitsu |
| Arisa Uotani | Atsumi Tanezaki |
| Saki Hanajima | Satomi Satou |
| Momiji Sohma | Megumi Han |
My Honest Review
Fruits Basket is soft but heavy, slow but full. It doesn’t rush to impress. It grows quietly and stays in your heart long after the last episode. The animation is beautiful, the voice acting is full of feeling, and the music supports every scene like a warm hand. It’s one of the most emotionally honest stories I’ve watched. The characters feel real, like people we’ve all met. Some episodes left me smiling with warmth, and others left me in tears. It’s more than a show—it’s a healing experience.
Trailer
What the Series Teaches Us
Fruits Basket teaches us that pain doesn’t make us weak. Everyone carries sadness, but that sadness doesn’t define who we are. The series shows that healing isn’t fast or easy. It takes time, kindness, and the courage to accept love. It reminds us to listen, to stay when others need us, and to forgive—even when it’s hard. It also gently shows that even broken families can find light again, and that we all deserve to feel safe, understood, and loved.
FAQ
Is the 2019 Fruits Basket series a remake?
Yes, it’s a full remake of the original 2001 version, but this time it follows the complete manga story from beginning to end.
How many episodes are in Fruits Basket (2019–2021)?
There are 63 episodes across three seasons.
Is the story sad?
Yes, the story has many sad and emotional parts, but it’s also full of hope, healing, and love.
Do I need to watch the 2001 version first?
No, the 2019 version covers the full story, so you can start directly with this one.
Is the series finished?
Yes, the story was fully adapted and completed in 2021.
