Fruits Basket, Volume 1: A Great Transformation? (Episodes 1-6)
by Nagisa Miyazaki
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DVD details
Actor: Aya Hisakawa, Eric Vale, Jerry Jewell, Laura Bailey, Yui HorieDirector: Nagisa Miyazaki
Editor: Daniel Mancilla
Editor: Jeremy Jimenez
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); French (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language); Spanish (Original Language); Tagalog (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 123 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-29
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Funimation Prod
DVD Reviews of Fruits Basket, Volume 1: A Great Transformation? (Episodes 1-6)
DVD Review: Life At The Sohma House Is A Zoo
Summary: 4 Stars
Fruits Basket (also called "Furuba" by fans) is a story about finding your place, a place where you can supposedly "just be yourself." When Tohru Honda loses her mother, the only family she's ever had, she is lucky enough to stumble across the home of "Prince" Yuki, the most adored boy in her high school. When he and his cousin Shigure learn of Tohru's problem (how she's living in a tent not wanting to burden anyone) they offer her a place in their home in exchange for housework. What Tohru doesn't know is that almost every member of Yuki Sohma's family carries a so-called, "curse." This curse has been bestowed on 13 unlucky members of Yuki's family and it has been proved when touched by a member of the opposite sex or put under a great deal of stress they encounter a transformation into one of the 13 animals of the of the Chinese Zodiac. (13 including the "poor cat.")
Focus On The Anime
This review is really meant for people who have started to read the manga and want to watch the anime.
(Even though I did it backwards...he he)
Story: B+
Like in the manga the true story of "Fruits Basket," spanning in 26 episodes, really un-ravels when Tohru Honda promises not to tell a soul about the Sohma family curse. Below is a list for fans of some of the things different from the manga that kind of disappointed me (I have only done this to inform you that the anime is funny, but it is not as rewarding as the manga. I had realized this after I watched the anime and started to read the manga):
1.Although I have only reached volume three in the English manga, I have noticed at least one or two moments in the manga that do not occur in the anime. And as a critic, I think it wouldn't have hurt to put those in somewhere.
2. Also, although I haven't reached the end of the manga I know there are two characters (the horse and rooster) that do appear. I would just like to say that they do not appear let alone get a mention in the anime.
3. Another thing pointed out to me by fans is Tohru's eye color. In the anime the animators were somehow possessed to change her eye color from the original brown in the manga to the new and improved blue.
4. Having watched the anime to it's fullest I was quite disappointed with it's ending, but fortunately I had then received the news that the manga extends beyond that crappy anime ending, which is why I had started to read Fruits Basket in the first place, even after watching the full English and Japanese anime.
Dubbing: A
I was amazed at how each character portrayed their personality through each voice, and having heard the Japanese actors, which were also very good, it made me even more surprised how well some of the English voices fit the characters just as well.
Another thing that surprised me was "Fruits Basket" supporting English dubbing company, FUNanimation, who was really used for dubbing dramatic fighting animes...why they would take a chance with Japan's popular "Furuba" I don't know, but they did a pretty decent job on it.
Yuki's Voice- He did sound a little bit dull and emotionless. Well, actually he sounded a bit like he was on crack or something but a good thing was that the voice made him sound a bit sarcastic when delivering his comeback lines, which was better cause he really used to bore me. Also, although I did say that he sounded a little plastered the voice did kind of suit the calm, cool, and collected attitude of Yuki Sohma.
Kyo's Voice- Jerry Jewell deserves a mention for this one. I would have to say Kyo's probably one of my favorites because of his fine acting job. Whether it was one of his hilarious hot headed fits of rage or a calm touching moment to remember the moment the voice was perfect in every way imaginable.
Shigure's Voice- Another fantastic job! Jhon Burgmeler, had me literally laughing out loud with his dubbing of the voice of Shigure, the hilariously, childish, jokester of the Sohma family.
Tohru's Voice- Ok call me mean, but our high-school heroine's voice was dubbed as a cute squeaky 8 year old...but I must say at some times Laura Balley's voice did suit her. But from what I noticed the only time it seemed to get better and more mature was when she cried.
If you are reading the manga and have seen the Japanese version of this anime like I have, you will also notice a change in some of the lines. Here are two new improved lines from the English anime said by our one and only Shigure that go somewhat like this:
1."That's something we like to call misdirected rage, I believe the technical term is being as a$$..."-Shigure (About Kyo yelling at someone.)
2."Better not, the closest thing Yuki has seen to a mop is that haircut of his."- Shigure (Tells Tohru when Yuki offers to help her clean.)
Rather then pick on the new dubbing. I simply laid back and watched it all, finding I ended up enjoying both versions of each line, laughing harder during the English version because well, it was in English!
Music: B
In all honesty, I was never really partial to the Fruits Basket theme song in Japanese or English. I found it dull and sort of sad and compared to how much humor was in the show... I don't know it didn't seem to fit it. The sad part is I never really paid attention to the subtitles of the Japanese theme so I wouldn't know the difference between that and the dubbed lyrics, but after really really listening to the English dubbed theme I found it to be sort of clever, lyric wise. Without me realizing it the lyrics made quite a few references to the show itself, such as the line "Let's stay together always..." which has only one reference, which I will not reveal to people who haven't read or watched it. The ending them however I hated in English and in Japanese, it was one of those songs that would just annoy the crap out of you. It made no sense and it had no clever references to the show at all. The background music was ok, it's really just typical cartoon music, it never really seemed to have a genre like the background of maybe "Ai Yori Aoshi" which themed around the traditional Japanese sound.
Conclusion: B+
All in all I got a kick out of most of the episodes, and I would probably age rate it at 13 and up for some mild cursing. Enjoy it, and although I'm a tough critic it's most definitely worth the watch...
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