Search - Fruits Basket Box Set (Viridian Collection) on DVD

A genial theory that breaks every barrier

Alejandro Charcape | Bronx, NY USA | 02/26/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Definitely, Fruits Basket is a series that will capture you with its charm, friendliness, and especially, its philosophy.
Talking strictly about the series, it features Tohru Honda, a 16-year-old high-school girl that lives in a tent at the beginning of the story. One day, while going to school, she finds out that the garden where she lives is private property, as she meets Shigure Sohma, the owner. She also finds out that Yuki Sohma, one of her classmates, lives there. At the evening of thay day, she is found in the garden by Shigure and Yuki; she apologized and requested for additional time, but then they make a deal and Tohru becomes the housekeeper of the Sohmas as exchange of a room. At first she did not want to bother them living there, but she accept the proposal of the Sohmas. That is the base point where Tohru Honda begins to build a strong and enviable friendship with Yuki and Kyo Sohma, Yuki's cousin who appears later in episode 1. However, the Sohmas are not a common family. Several of its members have a strange curse: when hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they transform into an animal of the Chinese Zodiac; the animal depends on the year the cursed member was born. This fact, at first, surprises Tohru a litte bit, but then she takes it as normal. First proof of the philosophy that Tohru Honda demonstrates: Be respectful of your friends no matter what they look like!
As the story goes, Tohru Honda is always caring about others, especially Yuki and Kyo Sohma, and these demonstrations of her thinkings are the most appealing stuff of this series. She shows that one must be oneself, that one must never give up, that one must be kind with everyone without considerations... and so many other phrases that all together define Tohru's personality. I can say that is why Fruits Basket was in 2001 winner of almost every existent award in Japan: Fruits Basket won even more than Inuyasha, and by a considrable difference: Tohru Honda was so far the most popular character, even more that the sum of the votes for Inuyasha and Kagome Higurashi. This was the main reason I bought this box set, and after analyzing the series, I can say the same results.
About the box set itself, it is bigger that ADV thin boxes, but the discs are a lot better used in terms of content. This set not only contains the episodes but also extras about several facts such as how the anime was made, the seiyuus, interviews and curious features. However, although I understand that Funimation is serious about illegal copy, they go a little bit too far by putting seals on every side of the box set, even over the slots where you put your fingers to open a single DVD case. I ended up with a medium bag of garbage, full of seals and plastic. But this is a minimum and superficial matter, so it is not important after all (unless you consider it).
Therefore, Fruits Basket, this box set, is definitely a great product by all means. The series present a great philosophy that breaks any barrier, which is doubtlessly the main reason of the success of this anime. With these reasons, you must buy this one."