List of Fruits Basket characters
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This is a list of the major characters from the manga and anime series Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya. The series tells the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan girl who, after meeting Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Sohma, learns that thirteen members of the Sohma family are possessed by the animals of the Chinese zodiac and cursed to turn into their animal forms if they embrace anyone of the opposite sex. As the series progresses, Tohru meets the rest of the zodiac and the family's mysterious head, Akito Sohma, and eventually resolves to break the curse that burdens them.
The name spellings used in this article are those given in the official Region 1 DVD and English manga releases. Names are given in Western order, with the family name last. Takaya named most of the Sohmas affected by the curse after the month in the former Japanese lunisolar calendar that corresponds to their zodiac animal.[1] The exceptions are Kureno and Momiji, whose names were swapped by mistake,[2] and Yuki.[3]
Tohru's family and friends
Tohru Honda
Tohru Honda (本田 透, Honda Tōru), aged 16–17, is an orphaned high school student who ends up sharing a house with Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo Sohma. She loves to cook, is an excellent housekeeper, and has an after school job as a janitor to help pay her tuition fees (since she doesn't want to be a burden on her grandfather). She's always polite, and is extremely kind and selfless; in fact, the other characters sometimes have to tell her that she needs to look out for her own interests. Both of her parents are deceased. Her mother, Kyoko, was a celebrated "yankee"-gang leader, and her father was a young middle-school teacher. Her father died of pneumonia when Tohru was three years old and her mother in a car accident when Tohru first entered high school.She forms a bond with Kyo and seems to have married him in the last chapter of the manga and has a daughter. Voiced by: Yui Horie (Japanese); Laura Bailey (voice actress) (English)
Kyoko Honda
Kyoko Honda (本田 今日子, Honda Kyōko) is the late mother of Tohru Honda, who appears only in flashbacks and photographs treasured by Tohru. When she was young, Kyoko was the leader of an all-female bosozoku gang called The Red Butterfly Suicide Squad, the name coming from how motorcycle tail-lights supposedly look like a red butterfly at night.[4] She told Kyo Sohma she was ignored and rejected by her parents, and fell in love with a student teacher named Katsuya Honda who stood up for her when her parents disowned her after a gang fight. Katsuya and Kyoko married after she left middle school and had a daughter, Tohru, and Kyoko learned how to work through difficulties together. She was griefstriken by her husband's death and nearly killed herself before remembering her young daughter needed her.[5] Because of her experiences, Kyoko raised Tohru to believe that everyone needs to feel needed,[5] and helped Arisa Uotani leave her own gang.[6] Tohru calls Kyoko the most important person in her life, and repeats bits of her mother's emotional wisdom throughout the series. Kyoko died a few months before the start of the series when she was stuck by a car. Kyo was present at the accident but couldn't save her without revealing his curse, and heard her last words as "I'll never forgive you."[5] In chapter 135, a flashback of her final moments shows that she was trying to say "I'll never forgive you if you don't keep your promise" to protect Tohru.[7] Voiced by: Reiko Yasuhara (Japanese); Julie Mayfield (English)
Katsuya Honda
Katsuya Honda (本田 勝也, Honda Katsuya) is the late father of Tohru Honda and husband of Kyoko Honda. In the series, he appears only in flashbacks. Katsuya habitually spoke formally (see Honorific speech in Japanese) as a way of distancing himself from the world,[5] a habit that, according to his father, Tohru later adopted.[8] He met Kyoko as a student teacher at her middle school and recognized that her rebellious behavior was as much protection as his own polite manners. Despite their eight-year difference in age (he was 21, she was 13), they fell in love; he helped her set aside her gangster lifestyle and they married after she finished middle school. Three years after Tohru was born, Katsuya died of pneumonia while on a business trip.[5]
Arisa Uotani
Arisa Uotani (魚谷 ありさ, Uotani Arisa), aged 16–17, is a former gang member (a "yankee", the Japanese version of the American "thug" image) and has been one of Tohru's closest friends since Tohru's mother helped her escape from her gang (called "The Ladies") when she was in middle school. Arisa is tough, brash, and sometimes violent but cries easily when it comes to her friends. She wears long skirts, sometimes carries a lead pipe, and often speaks like a man (see Gender differences in spoken Japanese). Arisa likes to play cards, protect Tohru from Yuki's fangirls, and swim. Her "convoluted" personality stems from home problems early in her life, when her mother left Arisa and her father for another man; her father became an alcoholic after his rejection. This caused Arisa to become harsh and jaded in her views of the world until she met the kind Tohru and her mother, Kyoko. With her overprotective and rather "parental" protection of Tohru with Hana-chan, she comes off as the brash and direct father-figure. In Chapter 127, she tells Kureno that she has been waiting for him all this time and needs him. Voiced by: Yuka Imai (Japanese); Parisa Fakhri (English)
Saki Hanajima
Saki Hanajima (花島 咲, Hanajima Saki), aged 16–17, is a psychic girl who has the ability to sense people's "auras" and send out electric "waves" (denpa in Japanese). Much like Arisa Uotani, Saki is extremely protective of Tohru, who was the first person in school who truly accepted her. She is very observant, polite, and loves to eat (and is rarely seen not eating outside of school). Her nickname is Hana-chan, and her manga symbol is a small flower (hana means "flower" in Japanese). Hanajima has a close relationship to her family who accept and even nurture her gifts (her younger brother, Megumi, who has his own special ability, looks up to Hanajima). Her mother seems to resemble Tohru's protective and caring nature (maybe explaining her attachment to Tohru). In the near-"parental" protection she and Arisa give Tohru, she acts as the "motherly" figure. When Kazuma comes in for Kyo's parent-teacher conference, Hana notes that he is "handsome". Kyo is not too keen on the idea of Saki as his "mother". Voiced by: Reiko Yasuhara (Japanese); Daphne Gere (English)
The Sohmas
Akito Sohma
Akito Sohma (草摩 慊人, Sōma Akito) is the head of the Sohma clan and very frail. He often runs fevers and rarely walks out of the main house other than to greet some of the Zodiac members, such as Yuki and Shigure, that live in the outside world. Akito has a definite mean streak, and has physically and emotionally scarred many members of the Sohma family, but Akito's rule in the Sohma clan is absolute, and none dare oppose him. While Akito is part of the Sohma family curse, he is not possessed by any of the vengeful spirits (mononoke) of the Zodiac, but rather fulfills the role of the Jade Emperor, a character borrowed from the stories about the origins of the Chinese Zodiac; he describes himself as the "god" of the zodiac. After a certain point in the Zodiac's lives, Akito wishes to force them to live within the Sohma compound for the rest of their lives in a never-ending "banquet." He even describes herself as the "master of their (the Zodiac's) souls". Akito comes to hate Tohru most of all, since everyone seems to love and protect her. In the end of the manga he eventually makes peace with the Sohmas and becomes friends with Tohru.
In the anime, Akito is male.[9] In the manga, Kureno reveals to Torhu that Akito was born female, but was brought up as a boy.[10] When Akito's mother, Ren, learned she had given birth to a girl, one who as the head of the curse already was getting more attention than her, she threatened to kill the baby if her husband did not agree to raise Akito as a boy.[11] The only other Sohmas who knew about this were the oldest four zodiac members: Kureno, Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori.[10] Voiced by: Wakaba Murasaki (Japanese); Chad Cline (English)
Yuki Sohma
Yuki Sohma (草摩 由希, Sōma Yuki), aged 16–17, is the rat of the zodiac. Known as "Prince Charming" at school, Yuki is very attractive and refined, and has many admirers at school, but has a hard time being friendly. He wishes that he could be with people as friends, rather than admiring them from afar. Yuki has suffered a traumatic childhood at the hands of Akito, the head of the Sohma clan, who locked up and mentally tortured him. Because of this, Yuki has a somewhat low sense of worth. With Tohru's help, however, Yuki is gradually able to loosen up. Generally quiet and reserved, Yuki is an amazing student who enjoys gardening. Yuki's fangirls hate it when Yuki gets closer to Tohru, and use harassment to try to drive her away. They claim they are trying to "protect" Yuki from Tohru, but in truth, they are merely bombarding him with one-sided love and adoration and it is Tohru who is protecting Yuki. It was revealed that Yuki was the one who saved Tohru and brought her back to her mother when she was young. Tohru has never since forgotten that memory and keeps the hat, which actually belonged to Kyo, that Yuki gave to her, saying that he was her first love. For that, Yuki always has had deep and fond feelings for Tohru for actually "needing" him. He has a garden in a small patch of forest near the walkway leading to Shigure's house which he and Tohru call their "secret base". He later admits to Manabe that he was looking for a mother and found her in Tohru. Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (Japanese); Eric Vale (English)
Kyo Sohma
Kyo Sohma (草摩 夾, Sōma Kyō), aged 16–17, is the cat, an animal not in the zodiac, but which legend says would have been if it had not been tricked by the rat into missing the induction feast (see Zodiac origin stories).[12] He is depicted as an orange-haired young man who is short-tempered and charismatic; Arisa Uotani once calls him "anger management boy," and Yuki Sohma expresses envy of his ability to make friends easily. As the cat, Kyo hates Yuki, the current rat of the zodiac, and has dedicated his life to defeating him. Shortly before the series begining, Kyo made a bet with Akito: if he defeats Yuki before high school ends, he would officially be accepted along with the other Jyuunishi by the Sohmas; however, if he does not, Kyo would be confined inside the Sohma estate for the rest of his life. Despite many months of strict training, Kyo has never managed to even land a decent blow on Yuki. Kyo runs away even from the people that want to help him, because he is ashamed of his true form (a deformed, grotesque, and larger version of his zodiac animal), which he turns into when his rosary bead bracelet is removed. When Tohru sees his true form, however, she still accepts him and begs him stay with her, which forms a bond of sorts between the two. Kyo is blamed for the death of his mother, who committed suicide. He blames himself for the death of Tohru's mother, who he could have saved from the car at the risk of turning into a cat. He was shaken by this, along with Kyoko's last words, "I'll never forgive you..." which he took the wrong way. He puts on a brave mask to impress the world, but only wants to be accepted. It has been revealed that Kyo is in love with Tohru, and it looks like she might fancy him as well. Though he admits to himself that he loves her, he refuses to subject her to the pain he is convinced he will cause, so when she confesses her feelings to him, he calls her "delusional." In chapter 129 of the manga version, when Tohru was leaving the hospital, Kyo comes to pick her up and she runs away. Though Tohru is surprisingly fast for someone just out of the hospital, Kyo catches up to her and confesses his love for her. Voiced by: Tomokazu Seki (Japanese); Jerry Jewell (English)
Shigure Sohma
Shigure Sohma (草摩 紫呉, Sōma Shigure), aged 27–28, is the dog of the zodiac and the owner of the house where he, Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo live. Shigure is extremely lazy and perverted, and, when Ayame visits, (the snake of the Zodiac) they enjoy greeting each other like lovers. He is a writer who writes both academic books and trashy romance novels under many pen names. His most common and celebrated is Karitani Noa, which he used for his erotic novel, Summer-Colored Sky. He loves to drive his editor, whom he affectionately calls "Mit-chan", to tears by feigning the non-completion of his work, sleeping in late, and smoking cigarettes. Shigure is also very caring and admits to being the "dirtiest of all" because he is willing to use or sacrifice anyone to get what he wants. In the manga, it is revealed that Shigure has deep feelings for Akito but was upset that Akito chose Kureno instead of him, so as revenge, he slept with Ren, Akito's mother. At the beginning it is revealed that Shigure is using Tohru because he knows that the bond of the curse is weakening (all members of the Zodiac are alive, the rooster's curse has already been lifted, and the dragon's transformation is incomplete) and wants to use Tohru to further weaken the bond and stir things up. Voiced by: Ryōtarō Okiayu (Japanese); John Burgmeier (English)
Kagura Sohma
Kagura Sohma (草摩 楽羅, Sōma Kagura), aged 18–19, is the boar of the zodiac. She has been in love with Kyo since they were young, although initially she does not know that Kyo is in love with her friend, Tohru Honda. Because of her "pity" of him as a child, when he was all alone because he carried the curse of the cat, she played with and took care when she was 7 and Kyo was 5, she threatened him into proposing to her (using a knife in the manga, a boulder in the anime), and partly because she thinks that they belong together because, as zodiac members, they can hug each other without transforming. Despite this love, she often loses her head and beats him senseless when he does something to anger her or make her anxious. She lives with her mother, who is okay with Kagura's double-edged personality, and Rin. Kagura is the only female member of the zodiac who is not shown to have been injured by Akito. Voiced by: Kotono Mitsuishi (Japanese); Meredith McCoy (English)
Kisa Sohma
Kisa Sohma (草摩 杞紗, Sōma Kisa), aged 12–13, is the tiger of the zodiac. She is very shy, cute, and withdrawn, largely because her classmates harass and ostracize her due to her naturally orange hair, a side effect of her curse. In Japanese society, non-black hair is considered "disrespectful" or "unnatural" and is often made fun of.[citation needed] Tohru helps her to come out of her shell, and she develops quite an attachment to Tohru, calling her "onee-chan" ("big sister"). She loves omelets and dislikes dry foods and loves a fictional anime series called Mogeta. Usually seen around Hiro or Momiji, she sometimes gets mad at Hiro because of the way he treats Tohru. Her mother is extremely protective of her and worries about her often. Voiced by: Kaori Nazuka (Japanese); Kate Bristol (English)
Hiro Sohma
Hiro Sohma (草摩 燈路, Sōma Hiro), aged 11–12, is the sheep of the zodiac and a very intelligent but verbally aggressive and smart-mouthed sophist. He is in love with Kisa, and resents Tohru because she unwittingly monopolizes Kisa's time and attention. His initial attitude toward Tohru eases through the series, through a combination of grudging admiration for Tohru,[13] and Kisa and Hatsuharu telling him to let up.[14] He is the only member of the zodiac who is shown to have a close, loving relationship with his parents, especially his mother, Satsuki. He is freed from the curse in Chapter 118, and the first thing he does is hold his infant sister for the first time.[15] Voiced by: Yuriko Fuchizaki (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke (English)
Hatori Sohma
Hatori Sohma (草摩 はとり, Sōma Hatori), aged 27–28, is the dragon of the Zodiac and the private doctor to the Sohma clan. Hatori is serious, and often without a sense of humour. It is his job to erase the memories of those who discover the Sohma clan secret, which he claims is a form of hypnosis. When his curse activates, he turns into a seahorse rather than an actual dragon, because the Japanese word for seahorse translates to "baby dragon", which he is very self-conscious about. He has had a bad experience in love during his "Spring" with a woman named Kana Sohma who was the assistant in his doctor's office. The relationship ended when Hatori asked Akito to give him permission to marry Kana. In response, Akito threw a vase at Hatori and left him almost blind in his left eye. Kana felt so guilty about the incident and blamed herself so completely that she was driven insane with depression. Hatori was forced to erase her memory to ease her suffering. His best friends are Shigure and Ayame, who are the same age. He is the tallest of the Sohmas. In the last chapter, he invites Tohru's teacher and Kana's best friend, Mayuko Shiraki, on a Okinawa vacation.[16] Voiced by: Kazuhiko Inoue (Japanese); Kent Williams (voice actor) (English)
Ayame Sohma
Ayame Sohma (草摩 綾女, Sōma Ayame), aged 27–28, is the snake of the zodiac, and Yuki's older brother. Ayame is vivacious, garrulous, flamboyant, and has a knack for annoying Yuki and Kyo. He owns a shop, named after himself, that makes "romantic costumes" and runs it with Mine Kuramae, his seamstress and girlfriend. He is vain and somewhat self-conscious, with gorgeous eyes (green in the manga, gold in the anime) and silver hair in a startling contrast to Yuki's violet eyes and grey hair. He fears being totally alone. When he was in high school, he was president of the student council and is proud that Yuki is following this tradition. When Ayame was young, he did not care for Yuki at all until he realized that when he got older, he would be totally alone without Yuki, spurring his new obsession to gaining Yuki's love. Yuki has slowly started to accept Ayame as a brother. When Ayame is freed from the curse, the first thing he does is embrace Mine.[17] Voiced by: Mitsuru Miyamoto (Japanese); Chris Sabat (English)
Hatsuharu Sohma
Hatsuharu Sohma (草摩 溌春, Sōma Hatsuharu), aged 15–16, often called Haru, is the ox of the Zodiac. Haru has something of a Yin and Yang personality related to the ox's traditional personality. He is usually calm, placid, and otherwise an all-around nice guy, but can be goaded into "stampeding," a state in which he is edgy and mean. The Sohmas call these two sides of his personality his "white" and "black" sides." Hatsuharu has a rather bad sense of direction; he once becomes lost for three days in another town after trying to find Kyo so he could challenge him.[18] He likes to make fun of Kyo passively and wants to fight with him on a regular basis. He is in love with Rin Sohma and has a secret relationship with her. Voiced by: Akio Suyama (Japanese); Justin Cook (English)
Momiji Sohma
Momiji Sohma (草摩 紅葉, Sōma Momiji), aged 15–16, is the rabbit of the Zodiac and is the son of one of the richer members of the Sohma family. Momiji is a cute and seemingly happy teenager who hides a sad family life behind his cheery demeanor. In an author's note, Takaya describes him as "the most comfortable" of his family with his spirit possession, and "the most successful of the boys."[19] He is older than he looks, much to Tohru's surprise, being only a year younger than her. His father is Japanese while Momiji's mother is German. (She speaks German and Japanese in the manga; speaks only Japanese in the anime.) Tohru unwittingly cleans Momiji's father's building for her job. He has a younger sister, Momo, who is unaware she has an older brother. Her mom's memory of Momiji was erased because otherwise she might slip into utter madness. Momiji is actually very insightful and emotionally strong despite his upbringing. He took to Tohru very quickly, even ignoring the fact that he was a Zodiac and hugged her when they were formally introduced. Much to Kyo's horror, Momiji wears the girl's version of their high school uniform, albeit with short shorts and not a skirt, until he has a growth spurt at the start of his second year. At the end chapter 115, Momiji's curse is lifted, and he decides to leave Akito after he is freed from the curse. Momiji sometimes sees Tohru at work, he sometimes helps her clean her share too. He even did Tohru's share once when she was sick with a cold. Momiji also develops feelings for Tohru. Voiced by: Ayaka Saito (Japanese); Kimberly Grant (English)
Ritsu Sohma
Ritsu Sohma (草摩 利津, Sōma Ritsu), aged 21–22, is the monkey of the zodiac. He is a beautiful but unstable young man with very low self-esteem and a tendency to overreact. He apologizes frantically for everything, even things that are not his fault. In this, he takes after his mother, the hostess of the Sohma family's onsen,[20] whose position he is in training to take over.[21] Ritsu dresses in women's clothing because that way he feels less pressure from society, and is mistaken for a woman by Tohru Honda because of his long hair and beauty.[22] Most Sohmas call him "Rit-chan" and, to Shigure's amusement, Tohru calls him "Rit-chan-san" (see Japanese honorifics). Shigure likes to play with Ritsu's insecurities and gullibility, much as he does his editor, Mitsuru.[citation needed] In the final chapter of the manga, Ritsu is shown on a date with Mitsuru,[16] and in a story in the first fan-book, they are a couple.[23] In an author's note, Takaya said that she regretted how little role Ritsu played in the main story.[21] Voiced by: Miina Tominaga (Japanese); Mike McFarland (English)
Isuzu "Rin" Sohma
Isuzu Sohma (草摩 依鈴, Sōma Isuzu), aged 17–18, is the horse of the Chinese Zodiac. She only appears in the manga. She is often called Rin by members of the family because that is an alternate reading of 鈴, the second kanji of her given name. She is depicted as tall, busty, and, initially, with waist-length dark hair, which is later cut off; in an author's note, Natsuki Takaya described her as "the character in charge of sexiness."[citation needed] She is stubborn and independent,[24] to the point she cannot stand being dependent on someone else, traits associated with those born in her zodiac year. Rin and Hatsuharu had a sexual relationship. When Akito found out about it, Rin claimed full responsibility to protect Hatsuharu, and to punish her Akito pushed Rin out a window; while recouperating in the hospital, Rin broke up with him without explaining why. Rin starts searching for a way to break the curse, and asks Kazuma, Shigure, and Ren Sohma for help, thought she resists the assistance of Tohru Honda. To punish her meddling, Akito confined her in the cat's prison, and after she is released by Kureno, she accepts Hatsuharu's support (and gets back together with him) and Tohru's assistance at breaking the curse. She initially thinks of Tohru as an annoyance and too nice to others than is good for herself, but eventually warms up to her because of the kindness Tohru gives in return. She grows as protective to Tohru as of Hatsuharu and quickly becomes angry when someone upsets Tohru.
Kureno Sohma
Kureno Sohma (草摩 紅野, Sōma Kureno), aged 26–27, is the former rooster of the Chinese Zodiac. He appears only in the manga. While he was still cursed, he did not like others to see his animal form, which looked more like a sparrow than a rooster.[25] Arisa Uotani describes Kureno as "like Tohru" because of his over-the-top politeness and scatterbrained idiosyncrasies.[26] Some members of the Sohma family describe Kureno as "broken-in".[citation needed] During his mid-teens, Kureno's curse was somehow broken, and in Akito's distress he promised never to leave.[10] Akito keeps Kureno away from the other members of the Zodiac to hide that he is no longer cursed; according to Natsuki Takaya, Kureno also took on most of the work involved with being the head of the family for Akito.[27] Kureno was sheltered enough, he first visits a convenience store for the first time at the age of 26; while at the store, he meets Uotani, who works there.[26] Despite their mutual attraction, he stays away from her because, he claims to Tohru, of his promise to Akito.[10] Kureno eventually admits he is partially responsible for keeping Akito coddled and fearful, by being too obedient, and moves out with Arisa's help,[28] and in the final chapter, he and Uotani are shown living together.[16]
Kazuma Sohma
Kazuma Sohma (草摩 籍真, Sōma Kazuma) is a master of martial arts who runs a dojo near the Sohma family compound, where he teaches several of the younger Sohmas, including Kyo, Kagura, Yuki, and Hatsuharu. He is usually addressed as shishou, meaning "master." In an author's note, Takaya said that although she draws him young, his age is "almost 40."[29] Takaya also claimed he is "clumsy with his hands and has no sense of flavor,"[29] and he is depicted as being so bad at cooking, he does not know how to prepare tea.[30] His daily routine is taken care of by his assistant at the dojo, Kunimitsu Tomoda.[31]
When he was a child, during their only meeting, Kazuma was mean to his grandfather simply because his grandfather was cursed by the cat. To make amends, after Kyo's mother died, he took in and raised Kyo as his foster son, and has become very fond of him.[29] Kazuma thinks well of Tohru and hopes her love for Kyo is sincere, and not based on pity like his grandmother's was towards his grandfather.[32] Both to test Tohru's feelings and to show Kyo he can be accepted despite his curse, Kazuma forces Kyo to show Tohru his true form.[33][34] After Rin is hospitalized the second time, he takes her in to recouperate so that she does not have to live inside the family compound.[35] In the final chapter, Saki Hanajima is shown having a job at Kazuma's dojo, and it is implied they are in a relationship.[16] Voiced by: Norihiro Inoue (Japanese); Dameon Clarke (English)
Ren Sohma
Ren Sohma (草摩 栋, Sōma Ren) is Akito's mother. She appears only in the manga. Ren was originally a maid in the Sohma household who won Akira's heart by being the only one to notice his great loneliness and treat him with kindness, instead of as just the head of the household. When she learned she was pregnant, however, she was afraid the baby would replace her in Akira's heart and demanded it be raised as a male. Before his death, Akira told Akito that he wanted Ren to be the happiest about Akito's birth because it was proof that his and Ren's relationship was special. His death further deepened the rift between Ren and Akito. Ren and Akito are extremely antagonistic towards each other. When Akito slept with Kureno, Ren told Shigure and seduced him to infuriate Akito. Ren continually claims that Akito's bond with the Juunishi is fake, rather than the true love Akito claims it to be, in order to feed Akito's fear of being abandoned.
Others
Mayuko Shiraki
Mayuko Shiraki (白木 繭子, Shiraki Mayuko) is Tohru, Kyo, Yuki, Saki, and Arisa's homeroom teacher, though what subject she teaches is never given. She is sincere and wants what is best for her students, but is also somewhat aggressive—when Kyo attempts to leave class on Valentine's Day, she stops him at the door with a folder in his face and threatens to dye his hair black instead of orange.[36] Shiraki is generally good-humored, though, and once demanded as a joke that, after some students familiarly addressed her "Mayu-chan-sensei," that they call her "Great Teacher Mayuko."[37] Shiraki sometimes helps in the bookstore run by her parents, who worry that she is unmarried.[38] According an author's note, Shiraki is "possibly sad" that she is a woman and "secretly insecure of how tall she is," but since Hatori Sohma is tall too, they "might look pretty good together as a tall couple."[39]
Shiraki is best friends with Kana Sohma, Hatori's former fiancee, and through her met Hatori, Shigure, and Ayame two years before the series begins. While Shiraki had feelings for Hatori, she was content that Kana and Hatori were happy together, and dated Shigure for a month before breaking up, partly because Shigure was distant and partly because she was only dated him to alleviate her loneliness. Shiraki was at a loss when Kana and Hatori broke up, because Hatori had erased Kana's memory.[40] Shiraki still has feelings for Hatori, but resents Shigure's continuing interference in her life, even when it brings her closer to Hatori.[38] In the final chapter, Shiraki and Hatori are shown as a couple, with Hatori inviting her on an Okinawa vacation.[16]
Mine Kuramae
Mine Kuramae (倉前 美音, Kuramae Mine) works at Ayame Sohma's clothing store as a designer and seamstress, and lives with him in an apartment above the store. She is passionate, cheerful, and determined to do anything for Ayame; she takes care of details he neglects in his enthusiasm, such as getting permission to visit Yuki's class.[41] According to Natsuki Takaya, "she is an amazing person" for being able to keep up with Ayame.[42] She is depicted as especially enthusiastic about dressing girls up in her outfits, sparkling at the thought of doing so,[41][43] and she herself is always shown wearing a frilly maid's uniform. According to Ayame, Mine is someone he "can confide in."[44] When Ayame is freed from the curse, the first thing he does is embrace her.[17] Voiced by: Miki Takahashi (Japanese); Amber Cotton (English)
Mitsuru
Mitsuru (みつる), family name unknown, is Shigure Sohma's editor. Shigure playfully calls her Mit-chan. A stressed-out young woman, she is usually shown nagging Shigure to finish manuscripts on time, in response to which Shigure either evades her or falsely claims he is not finished. His tormenting pushes her to threaten suicide more than once, and Takaya claims in an author's note that Mitsuru thinks Shigure is "evil."[45] During one such episode, she meets Ritsu Sohma,[46] with whom she later develops a romantic relationship.[45][23] Voiced by: Akemi Okamura (Japanese); Cynthia Cranz (English)
Motoko Minagawa
Motoko Minagawa, aged 17–18, is the president of the Yuki Sohma's fan club and a year ahead of him. As a devoted fan, she is depicted as obsessive and romantic, and serves primarily as comic relief.[citation needed] The fan club bans any member from being alone with their "prince," to keep him "safe" by preventing any one member from "stealing" him; as such, Minagawa hates any girl who gets close to Yuki—in particular, Tohru Honda, Kimi Toudou, and Machi Kuragi. Minagawa and the club vice-president, Minami Kinoshita, instigate multiple plots to undermine Tohru, including visiting Saki Hanajima, who they see as protecting Tohru with her "poison waves," at home to find a weakness,[47] and arranging to have Tohru cast as Cinderella's wicked step-sister to make her behave badly.[48] The few times Minagawa does speak with Yuki, she gets so overwrought that all she can do is talk about banal things, such as what he had for breakfast.[49] At her graduation, she finally confesses to Yuki that she loves him, though she knows she cannot have him, and wishes him happiness in the future.[50] Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese); Jamie Marchi (English)
Kakeru Manabe
Kakeru Manabe (真鍋 翔, Manabe Kakeru), aged 16–17, is vice president of the student council during Yuki's presidency. He appears only in the manga. He is depicted as alternately lazy and charismatically energetic, strongly reminding Yuki of his older brother, Ayame Sohma;[51] Yuki also compares Manabe's ability to make friends to Kyo's.[52] Manabe sometimes claims the student council is a super-sentai–style "School Defense Force", and once tries to get the rest of the student council to pick their team colors.[52] He is Machi Kuragi's older half-brother by their mutual father's mistress, and protective of her because she is still affected by their mothers' fight, now ended, to have their own child named heir.[53] He has a girlfriend named Komaki Nakao (whom he refers to as the "Meat☆Angel" because of her love for meat), whose father drove the car that hit and killed Kyoko Honda, also killing himself. Manabe believed that Tohru thought that she was the only one affected by the accident and confronted Tohru on Komaki's behalf, saying that she was annoying. However, Komaki was angry at him because he had disrespected Tohru's feelings. He realized that his feelings and Komaki's were not the same and vowed to understand other people better, and later apologizes to Tohru for his hurtful behavior.[54] Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Drama CD)
Machi Kuragi
Machi Kuragi (倉伎 真知, Kuragi Machi), aged 15–16, is treasurer of the student council during Yuki's presidency. She appears only in the manga. She Kakeru Manabe's younger half-sister by their mutual father's wife.[53] Machi is depicted as a quiet, nearly emotionless young woman who sometimes trashes the student council room because she hates perfection. She has difficulty expressing herself, which sometimes results in Manabe making decisions for her. During their childhoods, their mothers competed to have their own child named heir, a struggle that ended when first Manabe withdrew himself from the running, then Machi's mother bore a son. Machi lives apart from her family because her mother believes she resents, and is a danger to, her younger brother for supplanting her, an accusation she did not contest even though it is wrong.[55]
Unlike most girls at school, she does not see Yuki as anything more than just another boy.[41] Her different attitude and troubled behavior catches Yuki's eye, and he makes multiple attempts at befriending her. When Yuki and Manabe visit Machi's apartment, Yuki learns that because of the pressure to be perfect when her mother was competing with Manabe's, Machi finds perfection so disturbing she has a compulsion to mar anything too orderly, such as walking through new-fallen snow and breaking pieces of a new box of chalk.[55] Machi develops feelings for Yuki, but is not obsessive about him like other girls. In Chapter 125, it seems that Machi was able to tell Yuki of her feelings. Like the youngest Sohmas, Machi likes the fictional anime Mogeta.
Kimi Toudou
Kimi Toudou (藤堂 君, Tōdō Kimi), aged 16–17, is one of the two student council secretaries during Yuki's presidency. She appears only in the manga. Kimi is depicted as an outgoing and fun-loving young woman.[56] She is also manipulative and a mischief-maker: when Yuki first meets her, she manipulates him into sharing chocolates his fan club had just given to him.[57] She often gives things naughty interpretations, and uses sex appeal to get her way—for example, she flirts with a teacher to get him give the student council a new whiteboard.[52] According to Kakeru Manabe, Kimi likes to seduce boys who already have girlfriends;[citation needed] according to an author's note, Kimi believes all men love her, and as long as they like her she can go out with as many people as she wants.[58] Kimi sometimes speaks in third person, as in "Kimi wants this," which is a childish way of speaking in Japanese, and calls Yuki by the cutesy nickname Yun-Yun. She is good friends with Manabe and disliked by most of the girls in the school, especially Yuki's fan club. Voiced by: Yukari Tamura (Drama CD)
Naohito Sakuragi
Naohito Sakuragi (桜木 直人, Sakuragi Naohito), aged 15–16, is the second of the two student council secretaries during Yuki's presidency. He appears only in the manga. When he meets Yuki, he claims he is Yuki's "rival"[57] because he has a secret crush on Motoko Minagawa, president of the Yuki's fan club.[50] A no-nonsense and short-tempered young man, Naohito takes his job as secretary seriously and is frequently angered by Kakeru Manabe and Kimi Toudou's antics. He works hard at his student council duties and absolutely refuses to call the council the "School Defense Force", as Manabe wants. Manabe and Kimi sometimes call him Chibi-suke (chibi meaning small, and -suke being a common masculine name-ending), which irritates him because he is sensitive about his short stature.[citation needed] Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Drama CD)
References
- ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-08-08). Fruits Basket, Volume 14. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. pages 77, 111, and 141. ISBN 978-1-59532-409-2.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-08-08). Fruits Basket, Volume 14. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 171. ISBN 978-1-59532-409-2.
There was one mistake in that Momiji's and Kureno's names are actually reversed ... When I was coming up with names, by the time I realized I was mistaken, it was too late. The chapter where Momitchi first shows up had already been published in Hana to Yume Magazine.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-08-08). Fruits Basket, Volume 14. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 111. ISBN 978-1-59532-409-2.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-08-10). "Chapter 24". Fruits Basket, Volume 4. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-606-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e Takaya, Natsuki (2007-04-10). "Chapters 90–93". Fruits Basket, Volume 16. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-024-6.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-02-08). "Chapters 40–41". Fruits Basket, Volume 7. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-402-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-02-01). "Chapter 135". Fruits Basket, Volume 23. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-900-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-03-11). "Chapter 109". Fruits Basket, Volume 19. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-863-1.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Let's Go Home". Fruits Basket. Episode 26. 2001-12-27.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d Takaya, Natsuki (2007-08-07). "Chapters 97–98". Fruits Basket, Volume 17. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-799-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-10-11). "Chapter 115". Fruits Basket, Volume 20. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-237-5.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-02-10). "Chapters 1 and 2". Fruits Basket, Volume 1. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-603-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-02-08). "Chapter 39". Fruits Basket, Volume 7. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-402-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-07-12). "Chapter 55". Fruits Basket, Volume 10. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-405-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-10-11). "Chapter 118". Fruits Basket, Volume 20. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-237-5.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d e Takaya, Natsuki (2008-02-01). "Chapter 136". Fruits Basket, Volume 23. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-900-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2007-07-31). "Chapter 130". Fruits Basket, Volume 22. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-898-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-06-08). "Chapter 13". Fruits Basket, Volume 3. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-605-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-12-12). Fruits Basket, Volume 15. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. pages 139 and 169. ISBN 978-1-59816-023-9.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-06-08). "Chapter 18". Fruits Basket, Volume 3. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-605-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2007-11-23). Fruits Basket, Volume 18. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. pages 49 and 79. ISBN 978-1-59816-862-4.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-04-12). "Chapter 4". Fruits Basket, Volume 8. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-403-0.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2007-09-11). ""As Long As There's Love"". Fruits Basket Fan Book - Cat. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-14-2780-293-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-12-13). "Chapter 69". Fruits Basket, Volume 12. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-407-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2007-09-11). Fruits Basket Fan Book - Cat. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-14-2780-293-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2005-06-07). "Chapter 50". Fruits Basket, Volume 9. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-404-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2007-09-11). Fruits Basket Fan Book - Cat. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-14-2780-293-4.
It'd be stretching it to say Akki does any work (laugh). She leaves it all up to other people, like Kureno.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2007-07-31). "Chapter 127". Fruits Basket, Volume 22. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-898-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Takaya, Natsuki (2005-08-09). Fruits Basket, Volume 11. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 143. ISBN 978-1-59532-406-1.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-12-13). "Chapter 67". Fruits Basket, Volume 12. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-407-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-04-11). Fruits Basket, Volume 13. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 139. ISBN 978-1-59532-408-5.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-10-11). "Chapter 114". Fruits Basket, Volume 20. Singapore: Chuang Yi. ISBN 978-981-269-237-5.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-12-14). "Chapter 34". Fruits Basket, Volume 6. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-608-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "True Form". Fruits Basket. Episode 25. 2001-12-20.
{{cite episode}}: Unknown parameter|episodelink=ignored (|episode-link=suggested) (help); Unknown parameter|serieslink=ignored (|series-link=suggested) (help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2007-11-23). "Chapter 107". Fruits Basket, Volume 18. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-862-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-06-08). "Chapter 15". Fruits Basket, Volume 3. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-605-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-10-12). "Chapter 26". Fruits Basket, Volume 5. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-607-1.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2005-07-12). "Chapter 57". Fruits Basket, Volume 10. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-405-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-08-09). Fruits Basket, Volume 11. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 111. ISBN 978-1-59532-406-1.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-07-12). "Chapter 56". Fruits Basket, Volume 10. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-405-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Takaya, Natsuki (2006-12-12). "Chapter 87". Fruits Basket, Volume 15. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-023-9.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2006-04-11). Fruits Basket, Volume 13. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 45. ISBN 978-1-59532-408-5.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-03-11). "Chapter 110". Fruits Basket, Volume 19. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-863-1.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-04-12). "Chapter 47". Fruits Basket, Volume 7. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-403-0.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2005-12-13). Fruits Basket, Volume 12. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. page 59. ISBN 978-1-59532-407-8.
{{cite book}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-04-12). "Chapter 45". Fruits Basket, Volume 4. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-403-0.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2004-10-12). "Chapter 29". Fruits Basket, Volume 5. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59182-607-1.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-08-08). "Chapter 83". Fruits Basket, Volume 14. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-409-2.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-02-08). "Chapter 42". Fruits Basket, Volume 7. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-402-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2007-11-23). "Chapter 103". Fruits Basket, Volume 18. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-862-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2005-06-07). "Chapter 49". Fruits Basket, Volume 9. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-404-7.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c Takaya, Natsuki (2006-04-11). "Chapter 73". Fruits Basket, Volume 13. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-1-59532-408-5.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2008-08-08). "Chapter 81". Fruits Basket, Volume 14. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-409-2.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2008-03-11). "Chapters 112-113". Fruits Basket, Volume 19. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-863-1.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2007-11-23). "Chapter 102". Fruits Basket, Volume 18. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59816-862-4.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ In a freetalk, the author describes her as "uselessly lively." Takaya, Natsuki (2007-08-07). Fruits Basket, Volume 17. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. p. 109. ISBN 978-1-59816-799-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Takaya, Natsuki (2005-12-13). "Chapter 66". Fruits Basket, Volume 12. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. ISBN 978-1-59532-407-8.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Takaya, Natsuki (2007-08-07). Fruits Basket, Volume 17. Los Angeles: Tokyopop. p. 143. ISBN 978-1-59816-799-3.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)