Book: Fruits Basket, Volume 6 by Natsuki Takaya

Pages: 208 (Paperback)

What I Thought: In Volume 6 of Fruits Basket, we meet Kazuma Sohma, who has raised Kyo since he was little, but doesn’t want Kyo to go and live with him because Kazuma thinks Tohru is a good influence on Kyo and has gotten Kyo to open up.  Kazuma takes off the bracelet that Kyo wears: the bracelet is significant because it keeps Kyo’s true form from appearing.  Kyo’s true form is not pretty: a very grotesque, terrible-smelling creature.  Tohru (being Tohru) doesn’t care, and goes running off after Kyo.  He tries to push her away violently, but she refuses to leave until he comes to terms with the fact that she accepts him for who he is.  We also go to Ayame’s dress shop, and meet his assistant Mine. 

Takaya really balances the seriousness and the funny very well.  A good chunk of this volume is serious…and then we see Ayame, who’s over the top.  I liked the volume as a whole, and of the 6 I’ve reviewed so far, this one is my favorite.  Even though Tohru is scared of Kyo’s true form, and is clearly nauseated by the smell, she still goes running after him, and still accepts him for who he is.  It’s a good lesson in accepting people for who they really are, for what they’re like inside, and not to judge by appearances.  People aren’t always what they seems, and if there’s anything that showcases this, it’s Fruits Basket. 

And as always, the artwork is amazing, the sidenotes are fun, and the fan art is really cool!  Plus, we learn about the year of the rabbit. 

Rating: 5 out of 5.  I think most of the 5 star ratings I’ve been giving out have been to Fruits Basket, but it really is that good!