Parents' Guide to

Fruits Basket

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 11+

Thoughtful anime has great messages for older tweens.

TV Online Kids' Animation 2002
Fruits Basket Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 11+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Sirashlie
Sirashlie Parent of 6, 9, 13 and 13-year-old
January 18, 2023
age 13+

Beautiful moving read but..

Fruits Basket starts out as a light hearted novel with simple family feuds with the fantastical twist of "If I get hugged by someone of the opposite sex I turn into my zodiac animal, isn't that funny and awkward!". The first couple of novels are just exploring the normal dramas of teenage relationships with school mates and family but it does evolve into something more dark as it progresses. Some of the family members face abuse (mental and physical), some get abandoned or shunned, and there is some dips into incest as only other family members do not trigger the transformation. Over all its a amazing story and worth the read but I think the age range on here is too low. ETA : I now see this is for the anime which did not nearly have as much content as the manga, take my rating as strictly for the books.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
goosesaumon
goosesaumon Parent of 4, 5 and 8-year-old
September 18, 2022
age 9+
Good for kids, had a lot of simple lessons and fair less violence and nudity compared to other animes. I let my 8 year old watch it with me.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

FRUITS BASKET opens to the story of recently orphaned Tohru Honda (voiced by Laura Bailey) stumbling upon the closely guarded secret of the Sohma family, whose 13 members bear a curse that can turn them into embodiments of the Chinese zodiac animals when they're stressed or if they touch a member of the opposite gender. When she promises to keep their secret, they invite her to live with them as a housekeeper, which allows her to get to know them -- and their alter egos -- better over time. She's drawn to Kyo (Jerry Jewell), a fiery teen who embodies the resentfulness of his animal form, the cat whom legend says was left off the Zodiac because of the rat's trickery. Meanwhile Yuki (Eric Vale), the rat, harbors feelings for her as well, which complicates matters in the Sohma home. Determined to help her adoptive family, Tohru sets out to break the curse that holds them hostage.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10):
Kids say (51):

This series is a surprisingly warm-and-fuzzy addition to the anime genre, thanks to overwhelmingly positive themes about strong relationships built on trust and mutual respect. Flashy, loud, and often weighted down by blatant marketing (Pokemon and Bakugan, anyone?), anime is an acquired taste, and it doesn't strike a chord with everyone. But because of Tohru's generosity and kindness, the guarded Sohmas come to appreciate long-avoided companionship in an unexpected way, which eventually proves life-saving to everyone involved.

Despite its exceptional attributes, some of Fruits Baskets' content still demands a tween's maturity, particularly in the periodic language and the often-violent feelings that surround the characters' circumstances. But if yours tune in, they'll also witness an evolving teen relationship that favors patience and devotion over physical infatuation, and several emotional journeys out of despair and loss, all tied together by a strong underlying spiritualism.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about coping with feelings of sadness or loss, like Tohru does in Fruits Basket. Have your kids ever dealt with issues like these? How does confiding in someone help? To whom do they go for a sympathetic ear when it's needed?

  • Tweens: Do you feel much pressure to conform to how your peers dress or act? Are you ever self-conscious about the qualities that set you apart from them? How does it feel to be different from the pack?

  • Conflict is a constant presence in the characters' lives. How do your kids resolve differences with siblings or friends? Is violence ever the right answer?

  • How do the characters in Fruits Basket demonstrate empathy? Why is this an important character strength?

TV Details

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