This series is based on Manga by Natsuki Takaya and, for the most part, sticks closely to that storyline. It's directed by Akitaro Daichi. Originally in Japanese, the DVD can be watched either subtitled or dubbed. I prefer dubbed, since it's always easier to enjoy a TV show if you're not reading what everyone's saying. This DVD contains the first six episodes of a twenty-six episode series.

~~~ The Plot ~~~
Tohru Honda went to live with her grandfather when her mum was killed in a car accident, but when his house needed remodelling, he thought Tohru should stay with a friend so she would be able to stay at school. However, Tohru didn't want to be a burden on her friends, so she decided to live in a tent in the woods.

When Shigure and Yuki Sohma discover her, they invite her to live with them as their housekeeper, since neither of them is able to cook or clean. But the Sohma's have a secret. When they are hugged by a member of the opposite sex, or when their bodies are under a great deal of stress, they transform into the animals of the zodiac. They won't be able to keep the secret long with a girl in their house, especially when other family members arrive on the scene.

~~~ The Zodiac ~~~
This is the story of the zodiac, as it is told in the series. God invited the animals to a party, but the rat told the cat that it was on a different day. So, all the animals went to the party, with the rat riding there on the back of the cow, except for the poor cat. Because he was tricked, he never became a part of a the zodiac.

The zodiac animals are the dog, rat, cow, snake, rabbit, boar, dragon, tiger, sheep, monkey, horse and rooster. Of these, the horse and rooster never appear on the series. There are thirteen Sohmas who turn into a specific animal.

~~~ The Characters ~~~

Tohru Honda is perpetually cheerful, despite all the tragedy that has occured in her life. She is determined to make the best of a situation and to see the best in other people. She always tries to think of other people, to such an extent that she often fails to do what's most important to her. Amazingly, this attitude doesn't get annoying. Instead, it serves to make more crucial those few moments when she is sad.

Yuki Sohma, the rat, is amazingly good looking and considered the prince of the high school. He's liked by so many girls that they've set up a Prince Yuki Fan Club. Despite all this attention, he lacks self-confidence because he was abused as a child. He is afraid that if anyone learns the truth about him, they will be appalled.

Shigure Sohma, the dog, is a cheerful person and, like Tohru, inclined to look for the best in a situation. In the Manga, some of his lines can come across as dark and creepy, even sinister, but the way they are played in the series are much more joking, making him a very likeable character. His is a writer and has a tentensy to torment his editor.

Kyo Sohma, the cat, is left out of the Sohma family just as the cat was left out of the zodiac. He yearns to be accepted and hates Yuki, blaming him for the fact that the cat was left out. He longs to beat Yuki and spends a great deal of time training martial arts to do just that.

Uotani (Uo), used to be a gang member, until Tohru and her Mum helped her to see what a mess she was and helped her get out of it all. Because of this, she is fiercely defensive of Tohru and threatens to beat up anyone who Tohru doesn't like.

Hanajima (Hana), is a psychic who senses electrical waves coming from people. She senses something strange about the Sohmas, but doesn't know what it is. Because she's weird, she was an outcast at school until Tohru made friends with her. As with Uo, this makes her want to protect Tohru against any dangers.

Kagura Sohma, the boar, is madly in love with Kyo and determined that they'll marry, whatever Kyo might think of the matter. She has a very changeable personality, going from sweet and gentle to incredibly violent in a matter a seconds. This tends to happen a lot when Kyo is around and she gets extremely jealous of the fact Tohru gets to live with him.

~~~ The Animation ~~~
Most of the animation is in the usual Anime style, but there are also moments that are animated in a more charicaturist way. These charicatures are drawn in less detail and are generally used for a humorous effect. For example, members of the Yuki fan club might be being rude to Tohru, then they'd see Hana. The next thing shown would be a few shots of the characture Hana chasing away the fan club girls.

There are also the animal forms for the members of the zodiac. These are also used for humour and effect. For example, the main view would be focused on one character, say Yuki, but Shigure is in the room and says something funny. The focus would stay on Yuki, but a little dog's head would appear in the corner with the speach bubble coming out of its mouth, while Shigure says the line.

The different styles blend together incredibly well. There are moments when some of the styles are combined, such as an image of Kyo in human form, but with cat ears. This technique is extremely good at demonstrating emotion, as well as being interesting to watch.

~~~ The Episodes ~~~
Each episode is a little over twenty minutes, giving the total runtime of the DVD as 123 minutes. They manage to pack a lot of plot into a short time though.

~ The Strangest Day ~
Tohru decides to go for a walk before school and comes across a house with the painted figures of the zodiac set to dry outside. She meets Shigure and Yuki. The two of them are surprised when she says she lives nearby until they find her tent and decide to invite her to live with them. She is struggling to believe her change in fortune, when Kyo bursts through the roof. Just when things can't get any stranger, the three Sohmas turn into animals.

~ The Sohma Curse ~
Shigure explains to Tohru about the zodiac curse and she promises not to tell a soul, but it might not be enough. Yuki warns her that she might have her memory erased anyway. But Yuki has other things to worry about when Shigure announces that Kyo will not only be staying with them for a while, he'd also be joining their school.

~ All Shapes and Sizes ~
Kyo's first day of school goes badly when he jumps out a window, tries to fight Yuki and loses his temper at Tohru. He goes to talk to Tohru later to apologise. Too bad he was coming up behind her in a dark wood where she'd been warned there were some dangerous people about. After she hits him over the head, they finally get to talk and

Pictures

Kyo with cat ears

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he admits to hating Yuki because he wants what Yuki has, to be a full member of the family. But Yuki is trying to get away from the Sohma family, and is angry that Kyo wants so much what Yuki hates. Tohru thinks that if they could understand each other better they might become friends, but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon.

~ Here Comes Kagura ~
Having heard that Kyo is back, Kagura comes to Shigure's house to look for him. Jealous of the friendship that's formed between Kyo and Tohru, she is determined to prove that she'll be the best wife Kyo could ever want. He efforts to prove this, however, lead to disaster since she isn't too skilled at housework.

~ A Rice Ball in a Fruits Basket ~
The remodelling finished on her grandfather's house, Tohru is able to go back to live with him. She leaves the Sohma's to go back to her grandfather, who now has other relatives living with him. But she doesn't get on with those others, and the Sohmas find themselves missing her. It isn't long before Yuki and Kyo go after her and ask her to come home.

~ Invincible Friendship ~
Tohru tells Hana and Uo about living with the Sohmas and they decide to come over and check that its suitable for her. Having two more girls in the house for one night shouldn't be a problem, right? But things get extremely hard when it comes to keeping them from discovering the secret.

~~~ Special Features ~~~
There isn't a great deal in the way of special features. There are character profiles and a behind the scenes featurette. There is also the option to watch the opening credit song without the text that is usually on it.

~~~ Overall ~~~
This series is extremely funny and entertaining. There is drama in the series, but it doesn't really appear until later on. It deals with difficult issues such as the loss of a loved one and the importance of family and friends, but it does so in a way that doesn't detract from the storylines and makes for a highly interesting show.

If you're fond of Anime, this is a great series to watch. It's also good if you're new to Anime. This was one of the first Anime series I watched and I love it, but it was recommended to me by friends who are part of an Anime society, and they love it. So really, it's good for newcomers and oldtimers alike.

However, if you've seen the series and are after the extras, don't bother. The special features on this DVD are extremely poor, but the series itself is well worth a watch.