As this series opens we find protagonist Tohru Honda living in a tent in the woods; she has been living there since her mother was killed in a car crash. Her situation soon changes though when Yuki and Shigure Sohma invite her to live at their house in exchange for doing the cooking and housework. There is something Tohru doesn't know about the Sohma family though: when embraced by a member of the opposite sex they turn into an animal from the Chinese Zodiac! Yuki is a rat, Shigure a dog and Kyo, the third member of the household, a cat
the last is not actually a member of the zodiac and for that reason the rest of the family consider him cursed even more that they are themselves.
Over the course of the series we meet several other members of the family as well as students from the school which is attended by Tohru, Yuki and Kyo; these includes Yuki's fan club a group of girls he must be very careful around given the family's secret; it is just a good thing Tohru can be trusted not to tell anybody. Over the course of the series we get to see a variety events in their lives and learn a bit more about the family; including the sinister head of the family Akito.
This is one of the best known Shoujo titles but just because it is Shoujo it doesn't mean that boys can't enjoy it too. The story is delightful and amusing for the most part; although it does turn much darker in the final two episodes. The characters are fun to watch and it is always interesting to see what creature the next member of the Sohma family we are introduced to will turn into! There are plenty of laughs to be had; especially when Yuki's fan club are around. The animation and style of the character design may be a little dated but that shouldn't prove to be a problem as it still looks pretty good. Overall I'd certainly recommend this series; anybody who enjoys anime should give this show a go at least once.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.
Over the course of the series we meet several other members of the family as well as students from the school which is attended by Tohru, Yuki and Kyo; these includes Yuki's fan club a group of girls he must be very careful around given the family's secret; it is just a good thing Tohru can be trusted not to tell anybody. Over the course of the series we get to see a variety events in their lives and learn a bit more about the family; including the sinister head of the family Akito.
This is one of the best known Shoujo titles but just because it is Shoujo it doesn't mean that boys can't enjoy it too. The story is delightful and amusing for the most part; although it does turn much darker in the final two episodes. The characters are fun to watch and it is always interesting to see what creature the next member of the Sohma family we are introduced to will turn into! There are plenty of laughs to be had; especially when Yuki's fan club are around. The animation and style of the character design may be a little dated but that shouldn't prove to be a problem as it still looks pretty good. Overall I'd certainly recommend this series; anybody who enjoys anime should give this show a go at least once.
These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.