The appeal and reviews of the first season of "Fruits Basket": A moving story and character depth

The appeal and reviews of "Fruits Basket 1st Season"

"Fruits Basket 1st season" is a TV anime series that aired from April 5 to September 20, 2019, and is based on the manga of the same name by Takaya Natsuki. It was broadcast on TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, and other networks, and consisted of 25 episodes in 30-minute slots. Animation was produced by TMS Entertainment, the Fruits Basket Production Committee, and the director was Ibata Yoshihide.

story

Honda Tohru is a high school girl who lost her mother and lives alone in a tent. The place where she pitches her tent is on the grounds of the prestigious "Soma family". There she meets Sohma Shigure, who admires her housekeeping skills, and she ends up living with Sohma Yuki, the prince-like figure of the school, and Sohma Kyo, who sees him as an enemy. However, Tohru does not yet know that the Sohma family is bound by a "curse" that has existed for hundreds of years...

cast

A luxurious cast of voice actors has been assembled, including Manaka Iwami as Tohru Honda, Nobunaga Shimazaki as Yuki Sohma, and Yuuma Uchida as Kyo Sohma. In addition, there are many talented voice actors who support the unique characters, such as Yuichi Nakamura as Shigure Sohma, Rie Kugimiya as Rakura Sohma, and Megumi Han as Momiji Sohma.

Main Staff

The original story and general supervisor is Takaya Natsuki, the series composition is Kishimoto Taku, the character design is Shindo Yu, the art director is Kamiyama Yoko, the color design is Sugawara Mika, the director of photography is Shitara Nozomi, the editor is Hida Fumi, the sound director is Aketagawa Jin, the music is Yokoyama Masaru, and the music production is by TMS Music, with professionals from each field involved in the production.

Theme songs and music

The opening themes are "Again" by Beverly (#2-13) and "Chime" by Ai Otsuka (#14-), and the ending themes are "Lucky Ending" by Vickeblanka (#1-13) and "One Step Closer" by INTERSECTION (#14-). Also, the insert songs "Mogeta no Uta" by Mogeta (#3, 10) and "Umaeru Negai" by Uta Ally (#5, 8, 25) are impressively used.

The appeal of "Fruits Basket 1st Season"

"Fruits Basket 1st Season" is a work that combines the deep human drama of the original work with beautiful visuals and moving music. Below, we will explain its appeal in detail.

Deep human drama

The greatest appeal of this work is the human drama of the characters. In particular, the growth of Honda Tohru and the family love and friendship depicted through her interactions with the members of the Sohma family strike a strong chord with viewers. The addition of the fantasy element of the Sohma family's "curse" creates a unique worldview where reality and fantasy intersect.

The inner lives of each character are carefully depicted, including Tohru's purity and strength, Yuki's kindness and suffering, and Kyo's rebelliousness and loneliness. The other members of the Sohma family also have their own problems and pasts, allowing viewers to empathize with their lives.

Beautiful visuals

The visuals of this work are consistently beautiful, from the character designs to the background art. The character designs by Yu Shindo faithfully reproduce the images of the original work while adding movements and expressions unique to anime, bringing out the charm of the characters to the fullest.

The background art by art director Yoko Kamiyama is also characterized by its beautiful and detailed depictions, from the luxurious Sohma family mansion to the natural scenery. The colors by color designer Mika Sugawara are also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story.

Inspirational Music

Masaru Yokoyama's music expresses the emotions of the story in a rich way. The opening themes "Again" and "Chime" and the ending themes "Lucky Ending" and "One Step Closer" capture the hearts of viewers with moving melodies that match each scene. The insert songs "Mogeta no Uta" and "Umaeru Negai" are also used effectively in important scenes of the story, enhancing the emotions of the viewers.

Review of "Fruits Basket 1st Season"

"Fruits Basket 1st season" has been highly praised by a wide range of people, from fans of the original work to new viewers. Below, we will explain in detail the key points of the evaluation.

Faithfulness to the original

This work has been highly praised by fans of the original work by faithfully recreating the story and characters of the original work while adding expressions unique to anime. In particular, important scenes and lines from the original work are carefully depicted, conveying the excitement of the original work as it is.

Character Appeal

Each character in this work is unique and charming. In particular, the inner thoughts of each character are carefully drawn, such as Honda Tohru's purity and strength, Sohma Yuki's kindness and anguish, and Sohma Kyo's rebelliousness and loneliness. The voice actors' performances are also excellent, and the characters' emotions are expressed realistically.

Story Development

The story of this work draws viewers in with its fast-paced development. In particular, the addition of a fantasy element, the "curse" of the Sohma family, creates a unique worldview where reality and fantasy intersect. Also, the story progresses from the perspective of a different character in each episode, allowing viewers to enjoy the story from multiple angles.

Visuals and Music

The visuals and music of this work have also been highly praised. From the character design to the background art, it is consistently beautifully drawn, and the colors are also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. In addition, Masaru Yokoyama's music expresses the rich emotions of the story and captures the hearts of viewers.

Recommendation for "Fruits Basket 1st season"

"Fruits Basket 1st Season" is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of people, from fans of the original work to new viewers. Below, we will explain in detail the recommended points.

Recommended for fans of the original

Fans of the original work will enjoy the animation, which faithfully reproduces the story and characters of the original. In particular, important scenes and lines from the original are carefully depicted, conveying the excitement of the original as it is. In addition, the addition of expressions unique to anime gives it a different appeal from the original.

Recommended for new viewers

New viewers will enjoy the fusion of deep human drama, beautiful visuals, and moving music. In particular, the family love and friendship depicted through Honda Tohru's growth and her interactions with the members of the Sohma family will strike a chord with viewers. In addition, the addition of the fantasy element of the Sohma family's "curse" creates a unique worldview where reality and fantasy intersect.

Enjoy with family and friends

"Fruits Basket 1st Season" is also perfect for enjoying with family and friends. In particular, the story, which has themes of family love and friendship, can be an opportunity to deepen the bonds between viewers. In addition, the beautiful visuals and moving music are also elements that all viewers can enjoy.

summary

"Fruits Basket 1st Season" is a work that combines the deep human drama of the original work with beautiful visuals and moving music. It has been highly praised by a wide range of people, from fans of the original work to new viewers, and is also perfect for enjoying with family and friends. Please experience this moving story.