Review: Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol.6 | Natsuki Takaya

This review is spoiler free.

“It ain’t like she took on all my pain. It ain’t like she solved all my problems either. That crap ain’t important. The most important thing is that she’s there for me.” 

Series: Fruits Basket
Published: 2016, by Yen Press.
Pages: 392
Format: Paperback
Genre: Sequential Art, Manga, Fantasy, Young Adult, Graphic Novels, Romance
Contains: Strong Language, Death, Grief, Trauma, Violence, Blood/Gore, Anger

‘Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol.6’ is the sixth instalment of Tohru Honda’s life with the Sohma family. They’re all at the Sohma vacation home, enjoying the time in the sun, but ever since Akito appeared, Yuki and the others go off every day to meet with the zodiac leader. Yuki then assembles with the student council, and Tohru is desperate to break the curse.

Fruits Basket continues to be a huge part of my life, my reading dominated by the world and its characters. This instalment was no exception to that, desperate to continue Tohru’s life with the Sohma family.

Tohru Honda continues to be the light in the Sohma family’s worlds as she starts to develop a plan on how to save Kyo, Yuki and the others. She’s bolder in this instalment, protective over her friends and continues to share her aura of positivity around everyone she possibly can.
Kyo develops the most within this volume, sharing his deep innermost desires with himself during his involvement with the Sohma family. He evolves more within this book, becoming kinder and less angry whilst his past is revealed between him and a lost love interest.
Yuki also develops more, being quieter and fighting his inner battles while also becoming sweeter to Tohru. He’s gradually seeing things for how they are between those around him, and also needing that security from those he loves. It’s heartbreaking to watch him struggle, Natsuki Takaya’s work making you empathise with the characters on the page.

The writing itself is simplistic yet beautiful, making you feel for the characters and their struggles whilst accompanied by beautiful artwork. It feels as if its passing in real time, the characters growing and changing in every volume and making maturer decisions. The artwork is gorgeous, a few coloured pages at the beginning of the volume, and decorated throughout. It’s a gorgeous collection, one worth treasuring for many years to come.

Overall, this volume was a delight to read. Although, the story is developing more darker, there’s still a lot of joy amongst the pages. The characters are as lovable as ever, and it definitely makes this series worth the read.

5/5