By: Natsuki Takaya Publisher: Tokyopop Average Rating: Binding: Comic Label: Tokyopop Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 216 Publication Date: April 10, 2007 Reading Level: Young Adult Release Date: April 10, 2007
Book Description: A new chapter is opened in the Sohma family's story--and the rumors are true! Kyo has indeed met Kyoko in the past...and when he did, she told him the story of how she met Tohru's father, which he then tells to us: Tohru's birth...the truth about her mother and father...Yuki's declaration of independence... Grab your best friend and get ready for the New Year's Eve ball--everything you've been waiting to know is right inside the next volume of the super-popular Fruits Basket, the world's #1 shojo manga!
Fruits Basket 16 I totally cried as I read this, the story of Tohru's parents is devastatingly adorable and romantic, but the eventual ending is enough to rip your heart out. But as always, Natsuki Takaya-sensei has composed a new chapter in Tohru's story that keeps you turning the pages.
Takaya shoots for the stars, but ends up making a mark on the moon!!! I loved this book, and how it was so dramatic, from a romantic story, to a tragedy. Takaya did very well. I enjoyed the twist with Kyo meeting Kyoko. I could not put the book down. I cannot wait for the next book to come out.
Sugoku tanoshii wa yo. I own this series in Japanese, and it is a wonderful read! It has all the important elements of a good shoujo manga: it is romantic, twisted, with a shoujo (in the traditional meaning of the word) involved in finding a new family and love triangles galore. It is just a very fun read, no matter the language!
Beautiful and Tragic, Interesting and Compelling Kyoko's story is revealed in this book, and it's well-written and beautiful, yet also very saddening. It was also extremely interesting to finally meet Tohru's father - who is nothing like what we imagined he might be! Also, we learn a little about Machi of the student council - and it turns out she's very interesting indeed! I'm getting really attached to her character, and I think a lot of the "quiet, good-grades, no social-life" kids out there can really identify with the poor girl and her situation. I hope there's even more of her in future books.
The story behind Kyoko The stories behind Yuki's mysterious classmate and Tohru's idolized mother come to light in the sixteenth volume of "Fruits Basket." It's a rather sorrowful volume that shows off Natsuki Takaya's skills with messed-up people finding meaning in their lives, but she throws in some humor at the end.
Kyo looks back on his meeting some time ago with Tohru's mother, who told him her life story: her parents only cared for how she made them look, so she became a brutal, angry gang leader known as the Red Butterfly. But then she met a sweet, caring young student teacher named Katsuya Honda, and slowly fell in love with him.
When she failed to get into high school because of a savage beating, her parents disowned her -- and Katsuya proposed. Their life was full of happiness and love, especially when their daughter was born -- until Katsuya died unexpectedly. Overcoming his loss, and finding something to live for, was the greatest challenge that Kyoko ever dealt with.
On a school trip, the mysterious Machi shows another side of her personality to Yuki, and faces up to her growing feelings for the "Prince." And at the New Year's banquet, tensions are riding high when Hatori faces up to an old debt, and Yuki enrages Akito to violence. And finally, Momiji has an unusual New Year's present for Kureno...
As with many of the "Fruits Basket" volumes, Takaya gets your tears pouring, only to cheer you up with some comedy and healed wounds by the end of the story -- and along the way, she tells of a true love story against all the ods, which ended far sooner than it should have.
The first story is the darkest, especially since you know there can't be any happy ending for Katsuya and Kyoko, but the final one has a balance of darkness (Akito going berserk) and deliciously kooky moments; The scene where Ayame carries off Yuki, screaming that they vowed to die together by the Seine is priceless.
And Takaya's artwork only emphasizes the strength of her writing -- she brings scenes like Kyoko's crying fit and violent past or Kyo's bloodstained nightmare to life, in more detail than ever before. But there are some charming scenes too, such as baby Tohru, or the sight of Haru kissing a sleeping Rin.
Kyoko's not the only one whose past is revealed here -- we also get to see glimpses of how Machi became the quiet, introverted person she is, compared to her outgoing brother. But the regulars get some development as well: Yuki has obviously grown stronger and dmore confident, while Kyo's sense of guilt runs a lot deeper than anyone suspects.
The sixteenth volume of "Fruits Basket" is unusually dark, but is a brilliant exploration of the characters' pasts -- and the grief, hope and love that come with them. And it promises to get better.
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