Like Gunslinger Girl, Fruits Basket is another one of those popular FUNimation series that is being re-released as a more affordable brand. Sure it's basically an effort to get rid of old stock but that's what business is all about right? I assure you that in the case of Fruits Basket getting it into the hands of newcomers for cheaper is a fine thing indeed. This is a fantastic series that is as amusing as it is endearing and chances are good if you give it a shot it will strike a cord in you.

The show originated from a manga that was created by Natsuki Takaya in 1999. Two years after the fact Fruits Basket was released in its anime form and was produced by Studio Deen (Fate/Stay Night, Law of Ueki). With 26 episodes backing its peculiar story, Fruits Basket became a success in Japan and it wasn't long until American audiences latched onto it. I personally stumbled upon a plethora of accessories and the like from the series at 2007's Anime Boston and even caught glimpses of a few cosplayers.

Fruits Basket is, at its core, a shoujo romance tale. In many ways the story could be considered a reverse harem because a female stars at the center of a character roster with a bunch of boys. Sure there are plenty of other girls and some apparent cross-dressers in between, but no matter how you slice it Tohru Honda is the one in the middle of everything.

When the series begins Tohru is living it out in a tent somewhere in the middle of the woods. This may seem strange at first considering she still goes to school and pretends like nothing is wrong but there is a reason for this silliness. Her mother recently passed away in a car accident and she was living with family. That was well and good but her family decided to renovate the house and she had to find a friend to stay with. Not wanting to burden any of her buddies with her problems she opted to live it out in the forest like Grizzly Adams, though without the beard. Lucky for her she stumbles upon a nearby house on her way to school one day and it turns out to be the residence of classmate Yuki Sohma.

The Sohma house is disheveled and messy beyond reproach. This is due to the fact that no woman lives there but there is more going on here than meets the eye. At any rate Tohru is invited to stay at the house until her family makes all of the necessary repairs. Considering Yuki is one of the prettiest boys in school the thought of living with him makes Tohru blush and draws ire from her fellow female classmates. Odd things begin to happen when she meets other members of the Sohma family though.

It would seem that the Sohma's are cursed. A big theme in Fruits Basket follows the zodiac system and there are many references to the animals that reside within. This is because whenever a Sohma is hugged by a member of the opposite sex they turn into the anime of their zodiac sign. You can imagine Tohru's reaction when at the end of the first episode she accidentally gets her arms around Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo. After a puff of light and smoke the three turn into a rat, dog, and cat respectively.

As the first volume continues Fruits Basket takes a fair amount of time to explain what exactly is going on. Tohru comes to terms with the Sohma family curse and accepts it for what it is. After some debate regarding whether or not to erase Tohru's memory and send her packing the Sohma's decide that she can live there as long as she doesn't reveal their secret. Cue in a boatload of awkward romantic moments and some random transformations and you have the next two episodes of the program as the show finds its footing.

Things get more interesting when Kagure Sohma arrives at the household and represents a challenge for Tohru. She is able to hug the men of Sohma without turning them into cut little animals! How exactly can Tohru compete with that? As the volume begins to wrap up Tohru gets a piece of information that may mean she has to go back to live with her family. It's interesting to see how she and the rest of the cast deal with this fact and it helps develop their characters even further.

Fruits Basket is a fun and often irreverent anime. The characters are off the wall and yet very likeable all at the same time. We have seen cursed transforming people before and if you have ever watched Ranma then some of this may feel familiar. The shoujo elements edge Fruits Basket away from the traditional paths and set up some very unique moments within the show. Despite the fact that this is a 26 episode series the show is actually broken down into four volumes. That means six episodes are on this first disc and with FUNimation's new pricing structure for the re-releases that makes for a very affordable and entertaining purchase.

With the series being broadcast in 2001 it's not surprising to see a full frame aspect ratio attached to the DVD. The very surprising thing is that FUNimation was able to squeeze six episodes onto this disc with no loss in terms of quality. The picture throughout this volume remains vibrant, sharp, and clean. At no time did I spot defects such as compression blocking or artifacts and grain was kept very minimal. This leaves the show beautiful looking which helps to elevate the wonderful character designs and bright backgrounds.

Also not shocking with regards to the presentation is the fact that both the English and Japanese languages are served up here as 2.0 stereo pieces. Technically speaking both audio tracks are fine with no flaw but they are just underwhelming in the grand scheme of things. The presence on the soundstage is nowhere near as dynamic as it could have been though I suppose it didn't have to be due to the abundance of dialogue rather than sound effects. Fortunately the dubbing quality for both languages is solid enough and I found myself enjoying both the English and Japanese dubs.

Color me shocked! FUNimation was able to squeeze some extra features onto this DVD even after the six episodes of the show. Granted they are mostly simplistic with trailers, character profiles, and textless opening song being featured prominently. However, there is a behind the scenes featurette which was very nice to find. Clocking in at just under 26 minutes this original Japanese supplemental offers a very comprehensive look at the production of the manga and anime. It features a lot of information with some interviews and even commentary from the Japanese voice cast. Too bad more shows couldn't include extras like this on their American releases!

Fruits Basket may only be six years old but the series is arguably a classic. The subject matter feels somewhat fresh, the characters are endearing, and the story is a lot of fun. These six episodes start things out wonderfully and if you have ever seen the series before then you know it only gets better from here. If you haven't checked it out yet then FUNimation's re-release is a must. The price is just right and you get a lot of anime bang for your buck. Highly Recommended

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