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Page Last Updated 03/10/02

Fruits Basket
Yami no Matsuei

These features were taken just as they were when I first made then so they are probably seriously out of date on some of the information. Updating the features and adding links is in the works.

When Honda Tohru was a little girl her mother used to tell her the story of how the Chinese Zodiac was formed. God asked all the animals to come to a party to celebrate the New Year, but the rat played a trick on the cat and told him the wrong day. On the day God made the Zodiac, the cat, believing the rat's lies, was absent and missed becoming part of the Zodiac. Every since her mother told her this story, Tohru has loved cats and vowed that even though she was born in the year of the dog, she would always be a cat.

In a strange twist of fate, Tohru becomes involved with the Sohma family, which surffers under a strange curse. Thirteen members of the family are cursed to turn into one of the characters from the Zodiac when hugged by the opposite sex. Now Tohru is caught in the middle of a conflict between her school's 'prince', Yuki, who is possessed by the spirit of the rat, and his cousin/rival Kyo, the outcast of the Sohma family and possessed by the spirit of the cat.

Fruits Basket is full of interesting characters, and hidden plot lines. What appears to be pure fluff anime is actually an intriguing story. So far Anime Nakama has subbed up to episode 4, there are 26 episodes in the series, of which currently 14 have aired in Japan. If you would like to know when I have added new episodes to my list, join my mailing list.

Jenna Scale: 4 ^_^

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Yami no Matsuei

"In Meifu, the land of the dead, there is a bureaucratic organization that is in charge of jugding the dead by their past deeds. The Ju-Oh Cho. Enma Cho is the summoning division that assists the Ju-Oh Cho by gathering the lost souls of today. Those who work in the Enma Cho Summoning Division are otherwise known as Shinigami. Gods of Death." - Taken from Yami no Matsuei Introduction

At first glance, YnM may appear to be your average detective murder mystery show, but the stories go much deeper lasting three episodes each. With these kind of story arcs the makers of the show can really bring the full story out without having to rush to a conclusion in twenty-so minutes. YnM's plot and characters swing from light hearted humor to dark angst and horror, while still managing to keep in perfect balance.

The good guys, the bad guys. The two main characters are Asato Tsuzuki, the most powerful Shinigami in the Enma Cho, who is light-hearted, easy going, guilt stricken and has a tremendous sweet tooth, and his new partner Hisoka Kurosaki, an empath that is new to the Enma Cho Division. Hisoka is an angry, angst filled, literally tortured soul that met his untimely death at age 16. The two do not get along from the start, but true to Tsuzuki's nature he feels responsible for Hisoka and protects him. There are numerous supernatural bad guys and demons of the show, but most notably is Muraki Kazutaka, a doctor was some fairly odd tastes. He is obsessed with Tsuzuki, wants to possess him body and soul, and he despises Hisoka for being his partner. Hisoka falls prey to many of Muraki's evil plans and Tsuzuki has to use the power of his spirit gods to help save him.

Made to be shounen ai, the story does go a little heavily over the male relationships, but never sinking to soap opera-ish behavior. So far I have only been able to find five episodes out on the net, but you can purchase all thirteen episodes, subbed on VHS, from Obaasan's Anime and a couple other fansub distributors. I will continue to search, if you would like to know if I find any additional episodes and add them to my list, join my mailing list.

Jenna Scale: 4 ^_^

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