Review: Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol. 8 | Natsuki Takaya

This review is spoiler free.

“I can’t help but wonder how you see the world.”

Series: Fruits Basket
Published: 2016, by Yen Press.
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Genre: Sequential Art, Manga, Romance, Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction
Contains: Violence, Blood/Gore, Anger, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Trauma, Abuse, Child Abuse, Depression, Anxiety.

‘Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition, Vol 8’ continues the live of Tohru living with the Sohma family. In this volume, we discover how Yuki’s childhood was a long period of solitary darkness, whilst Tohru’s class is putting on a play for the school festival. However, miscasting makes it rough going for rehearsal. Kyo recalls meeting Tohru’s mother as a child, meaning that the moving story of Katsuya and Kyoko is finally revealed.

Fruits Basket was a huge part of my life growing up, and recently I decided to delve back into the collector’s editions of the series. Needless to say, I’m enjoying every moment of it.

Tohru continues to grow in this volume, evolving into a more well-rounded character compared to her solely selfless self at the beginning of the manga. She’s incredibly direct in this edition, taking it upon herself to break the curse and it’s brilliant to see.
Yuki evolves more in this instalment too, becoming happier within himself, whilst Kyo comes to terms with his own feelings. It’s incredible to witness, watching the characters develop quickly right before your eyes. We discover more of this history in this volume, however, the comparisons between then and now are inspiring to witness.
We’re also introduced to a few more background characters in this volume, those present becoming more three-dimensional within themselves. Kyoko’s backstory comes out into the open, along with her relationship with Tohru’s father, whilst we also have the opportunity to learn more through the eyes of Machi, a member of the student council who Yuki has been spending more time around.

The writing itself is very lyrical, with a beautiful narrative and gripping dialogue. It’s classic Natsuki Takaya with its use of language and elegant illustrations and I absolutely adore every page, being works of art within their own right. This volume has it’s ups and downs in tone, being humorous in some storylines before bouncing back to the main plot of the novel. However, it does so so expertly that you can’t help but be impressed.

Overall, I adore this series, it being my all-time favourite manga and I cannot wait to delve into the next volume.

5/5