Fruits Basket is one of the biggest titles in the world of shojo manga and anime, starring the empathetic heroine Tohru Honda and the members of the reclusive Sohma family. Tohru has made it her mission to free the miserable Sohmas of the zodiac curse no matter what, and she will soon make many friends, and a few enemies, along the way.
Fruits Basket is beloved for its timeless themes and its lovable cast of main characters, all of whom have a great deal of personal and emotional depth to them, and viewers might relate to a few of these characters on a deep level, or at least cheer them on as the story progresses.
10 Akito Sohma Is Secretly Suffering
The primary antagonist, Akito Sohma, is a major part of Fruits Basket's story, but not in a good way. Akito is the head of the entire Sohma family and demands absolute loyalty and obedience from everyone, but if she doesn't get her way, she is liable to panic and throw a tantrum, or even abuse the Sohmas verbally and physically.
Akito is a cruel mistress, to say the least, but she is also a victim herself, being warped by the selfish and twisted words of her mother, Ren. For the most part, Akito is not very likable or sympathetic, but she does redeem herself somewhat later on.
9 Kagura Sohma Is A Troublemaker At Times
Kagura Sohma is one of the twelve Sohmas cursed with the spirit of a Chinese zodiac animal -- in this case, the energetic boar. Kagura is about two years older than Kyo and Tohru, but she tends to act younger than them and is known for her bratty tantrums. She is also quite destructive.
Kagura is a troublemaker and isn't totally likable, but at least she means well, and her love of Kyo is genuine. There was a kind of love triangle between her, Kyo, and Tohru, but in the end, Kagura had to concede Kyo to Tohru, which was the right move.
8 Saki Hanajima Can Sense People's Energies
Saki Hanajima is one of Tohru's best friends, and she is also known for dressing in somber, all-black outfits - including wearing black nail polish - and for her supernatural ability to sense people's electromagnetic waves. She was feared in her childhood for being a witch who supposedly could harm others.
Saki's personality is a bit too dry to make her Fruits Basket's best girl, but she is fairly likable as a loyal and quietly funny friend to Tohru, and that's all Tohru needs from her. She can be quite amusing without meaning to, especially where her powers are concerned.
7 Shigure Sohma Is Funny But Also Sinister
Shigure Sohma is the dog of the zodiac, and he also has his own house, where the feuding Kyo and Yuki also live, rather than living in the main compound. Shigure is sometimes like an uncle to Tohru, including his goofy personality and his fairly mature ways, but he is also a bit of a schemer.
Shigure is pretty likable thanks to his excellent humor, compelling mysteries, and more, though some fans might find him a bit eerie or off-putting, which is understandable. He can definitely be counted among Tohru's allies and friends, but the Sohmas should still watch their step around him.
6 Arisa Uotani Is A Reformed Gangster
Tohru's other best friend, the blonde Arisa Uotani, used to run with girl gangs to make trouble and defy society however they could. Arisa did this to gain a sense of belonging and have a purpose, but she changed her mind when she met Tohru and her single mother, Kyoko.
Arisa turned her life around through sheer force of will and became Tohru's protective friend, which was totally a change for the better. Now, she is highly likable as a tough but fair and funny person who can liven up any scene. She and Kyo often butt heads, too, and she nurses an innocent crush on the handsome Kureno Sohma, too.
5 Hatsuharu Sohma Must Make Isuzu Happy No Matter What
Hatsuharu Sohma is the ox of the zodiac, and he is known for switching back and forth between his light and dark halves, like the black and white parts of a cow's coat. At first, he wasn't that likable as a moody punk, but then his good side shone through, and it was worth the wait.
Hatsuharu is a whimsical and amusing boy who wants what's best for others, and he is deeply committed to his girlfriend, the troublesome Isuzu/Rin Sohma. Hatsuharu also kept Yuki company when they were younger, and he once helped Tohru feel better when she got scared in a haunted house.
4 Momiji Sohma Is A Cheerful Kid
Momiji Sohma appeared fairly early in the story of Fruits Basket as the rabbit of the zodiac, and true to his animal, Momiji is a cuddly and innocent boy who just wants to enjoy his daily life and make everyone laugh. He immediately befriended Tohru, and he soon took a stand against Akito, alongside Hatsuharu, Kyo, and Yuki.
Momiji is easy to like thanks to his innocence, optimistic worldview, compassion, and much more. In fact, he's almost like the Tohru Honda of the Sohma family, though he lacks Tohru's ability to inspire people with sheer empathy. He's a good friend to Kisa, though.
3 Yuki Sohma Longs To Be Free
Yuki Sohma is one of the three most important characters in the story of Fruits Basket, along with Tohru and Kyo, and all three of them are highly likable shojo characters. Yuki is often seen, or envied, as the ideal rat of the zodiac, but he is far from the perfect prince everyone thinks he is.
The aloof Yuki is secretly lonely and suffers from imposter syndrome, and for years, he was resigned to this fate. Now, he's fighting back, inspired by his new friend Tohru, and he pays it forward by being to Machi what Tohru is to him. He is an excellent friend and a compassionate boy, even if he tends to make fun of Kyo.
2 Kyo Sohma Is Making His Own Fate
Kyo Sohma is a hotheaded tsundere who is even more unfortunate than the other Sohmas, bearing the reviled housecat spirit. He experienced all kinds of neglect and abuse from his family for years, and he also had an intense rivalry with Yuki, but now his life is slowly turning around. He will fight tooth and claw to make a better future for himself.
Kyo endeared himself to viewers with his charming tsundere ways and his deeply sympathetic position as an unfortunate person who has never known real love in his life until now, and Kyo is working hard to change his fate and find true happiness. Every Fruits Basket fan is cheering him on as he grows closer to Tohru.
1 Tohru Honda Is The Big Shojo Star
The heroine herself, Tohru Honda, is s wonderfully likable anime protagonist for many reasons. She is making a serious effort to fix the broken Sohma family and restore the hope and happiness of every single member, all of her own volition. Understanding, helping, and looking out for others is simply what she does.
Tohru is also likable thanks to her gentle and surprisingly nuanced personality and her amusing habit of saying silly things or getting into more than a few pratfalls. She has incredible mental and emotional fortitude, but she still has her weaknesses to balance things out.