Manga Review: Fruits Basket vol. 4

Manga Review: Fruits Basket vol.4

Story and art by Natsuki Takaya

By Aliraluna

It was the first day of school and Momiji and Hatsuharu had arrived! But when they do, the class president started complaining disdainfully about Hatsuharu’s white hair. To top it off it angered him more seeing Momiji using pieces of the girl’s uniform! When they finished disputing, they went their separate ways and to everyone’s horror, Akito appeared in front of Tohru while at the same time the others explained to Yuki that he would be attending the same school. Let’s not forget that Akito made Hatori erase his loved one’s memories. When Yuki found him and asked if he had done something to Tohru, Akito leaned in and whispered to him that perhaps he had to teach him a lesson by shutting him in the “special” room to remind him of what he is, but Tohru interfered because Yuki seemed frightened and decided to help him forget a little about what happened. So they played Badminton with the Sohma’s and her two friends and had a great time.

It was May already and Tohru was at the secret base with Yuki (a vegetable garden), but she decided to go and make lunch. While she’s drifted away in her thoughts she noticed some clothes on the ground…What’s inside her clothes? A snake, which turns out to be Yuki’s older brother Ayame Sohma. He came to visit because he wanted to make things better between him and Yuki, as he explained to Tohru. He’s ten years older than Yuki and grew up doing whatever he wanted. Since Yuki was insolated because of his “illness”, when he came back to his senses it was already too late. The gap between them was big, but he was determined to get back his brother! While Ayame’s was home he retold the crazy stories when he was in high-school and let me tell you, they were naughty.

When Tohru finished cleaning with Momiji’s help, she asked him about his parents, but to her dismay she found out that Momiji’s mother doesn’t know about him, rather, her memories were erased. He explained that when a mother gives birth she either becomes overprotective or rejects the child. In his case his mother rejected him, saying that she regretted giving birth to a creature like him. Who would have thought that under that cute face and happiness laid such sad experiences like his mother’s rejection and his sister not knowing him?

At last, it was Tohru’s mother’s anniversary so she visited her grave along with Yuki, Kyo, Hanajima, and Arisa. But this visit was different from others, they would eat and chat— just what Kyoko-san would have wanted. At home, Kyo found her sleeping outside and he kept her company while Yuki found the hat scattered in her room… Will we ever know who the boy that helped her that day was?