Fruits Basket is a Japanese manga series originally serialized in a magazine called Hana to Yume from 1998 to 2006. It follows the Sohma family and their struggle to break free from the curse.
In each chapter, a different character who represents the Chinese zodiac tells his or her story. These characters are all deeply flawed, but they are also incredibly relatable.
Today, I'm going to take a look at some of the best Fruits Basket quotes from the series. Be prepared to feel all of the feels!
Shigure Sohma Quotes
“We’ve just witnessed a classic example of what I like to call “misdirected rage”. Though I believe the technical term is being an a**.” – Shigure Sohma
“Even I… know what it’s like to be jealous.” – Shigure Sohma
“When you get anxious about the future, it is better not to think about it. The more you think about it the more anxious you’ll get. Of course it’s important to think about what lies ahead, too, but if you only look at what’s down the road, you’ll get tangled by the “laundry” by your feet and fall, won’t you? You see, it’s also important to think about what you can do now. What you can do today, and if you keep washing things one at a time, you’ll be done before you know it.” – Shigure Sohma
Tohru Honda Quotes
“Mom taught me that people’s differences are something to celebrate. When I thought of all the different shapes of human kindness — imagining them as round or square…I got really excited. Your kindness is like a candle Sohma-kun. I can feel it light up, and I just want to smile. It’s that kind of kindness.” – Tohru Honda
“As long as you live things will keep happening! As long as you’re alive wishes will keep being made!” – Tohru Honda
“A conscience grows, just like the body. It’s bred within your heart. That’s why the shape of people’s kindness is so different.” – Tohru Honda
“No one really starts out kind. All we know how to do at first is want. We want food, we want attention… It’s just natural survival instinct, I guess… But kindness is something that we all have to learn as we go. It’s something that grows and develops slowly over time… The same way our bodies do.” – Tohru Honda
“My mom told me, it’s better to trust people than to doubt them. She said that people aren’t born with kind hearts. When we’re born, all we have are desires for food and material things. Selfish instincts, I guess. But she said that kindness is something that grows inside of each person’s body, but it’s up to us to nurture that kindness in our hearts. That’s why kindness is different for every person.” – Tohru Honda
“The scariest and the most painful thing is to be hated by someone you truly love.” – Tohru Honda
“We’re searching for a reason of existence. With our own strength, because maybe the truth is that there’s no reason for life from the very beginning. Everyone hopes and tries so hard to find a reason of existence. The reason of birth, of staying with someone, of existence, believing we have to find them all with our own hands. Like finding a place for ourselves in dreams, in jobs, in people. The reasons we conclude may be indefinite and fragile. We may lose it too, but even so, we want a reason. As long as I’m alive, I want it too. If possible, I want to find a reason of existence within a person, within someone.” – Tohru Honda
“A conscience grows, just like the body. It’s bred within your heart. That’s why the shape of people’s kindness is so different.” – Tohru Honda
“I don’t think anyone is born knowing the reason why they’re here. It’s just something you have to find as you go along.” – Tohru Honda
“If you think of someone’s good qualities as the umeboshi in an onigiri, it’s as if their qualities are stuck to their back! People around the world are like onigiri. Everyone has an umeboshi with a different shape and color and flavor. But because it’s stuck on their back, they might not be able to see their umeboshi.” – Tohru Honda
Momiji Sohma Quotes
“But I think… I want to live with all my memories. Even if they’re bad memories. Even if they’re memories that only hurt me… that I’d rather forget. If I keep them and keep trying, without running away, then someday, I’ll be strong enough that those memories can’t defeat me. I believe that because I want to think that there’s no such thing as a memory that’s ok to forget.” – Momiji Sohma
“I want to believe that memories, even sad and painful ones, should not be forgotten forever.” – Momiji Sohma
Ayame Sohma Quotes
“Strangely enough, when you get older, the things you didn’t understand when you were a child… start to make sense. “When this happened, I should have done that.” “When that happened, I should have said this.” Those types of things. You start to understand rather than regret. It may be closer to repentance. So it may be that I do want to repent and erase the ignorant self from my childhood. Maybe that’s what they mean when they say adults are selfish.” – Ayame Sohma
Hatsuharu Sohma Quotes
“Don’t try to be a hero, stupid cat. ” – Hatsuharu Sohma
“I want to possess her…to make her belong to me, and only me.” – Hatsuharu Sohma
Kyoko Honda Quotes
“Ah, I’m sorry, I guess this is farewell. Let Tohru find happiness. Please by many people let her be loved. If you become perplexed or make errors, in the end have the kind of life that you can have pride in living. The kind where you can say, “I persevered”. Repeating delightful things and sad things. And in that way keep getting older. I persevered.” – Kyoko Honda
Yuki Sohma Quotes
“If I were to live out life without any mistakes that would be great. But… there is no such path. Falling, tripping, losing the way, making mistakes, little by little, walking one step at a time, this is the only way to live out life.” – Yuki Sohma
“Why is she so cruel? She only says such cruel things!” – Yuki Sohma
“They say that we should love ourselves first, before other people learn to love us, but it’s not as easy as it seems. Sometimes, we need someone to accept us and love us first, then we would learn to see ourselves through that person’s eyes and learn to love our-self.” – Yuki Sohma
“Saying she doesn't mind being alone...that she's alright...There isn't a person alive who'd really feel that way!” – Yuki Sohma
“When I was young... ...My world consisted only of Akino, my mother... ...And whatever I could glimpse through the sliding paper door.” – Yuki Sohma
“It would be so great if it was possible to go through life without making a single mistake.” – Yuki Sohma
Akito Sohma Quotes
“Idiots should do what idiots can to be quicker.” – Akito Sohma
“It would be nice to live in a kind world without any fear, without any troubles, without hurting anybody, without ever being hurt; only doing the right thing. I wish I could reach this kind world by the shortest path possible.” – Akito Sohma
“It’s frightening that there’s no guarantee that I’ll ever be loved.” – Akito Sohma
“I want to believe that life isn’t full of darkness. Even if storms come to pass, the sun will shine again. No matter how painful and hard the rain my beat down on me.” – Akito Sohma
Ritsu Sohma Quotes
“I’m a complete failure. At everything I do, I’m absolutely worthless. I know this, and yet I continue to burden the human race with my presence. Every day I rob the world of valuable air by breathing. I’m a thief, and I hate myself for it. I don’t deserve to exist. But even though I know it’s the right thing to do, I’m such a useless coward. I don’t even have the courage to jump!” – Ritsu Sohma
Kazuma Sohma Quotes
“Just as no matter how hard you try to keep it away, despair will attack you again and again. In the same manner, hope will return to you. Again and again.” – Kazuma Sohma
Kyo Sohma Quotes
“Be selfish, say what you want once in a while. It’s okay to let yourself be sad.” – Kyo Sohma
“Tohru, I can’t stand not being with you… I… because I love you.” – Kyo Sohma
“Normally I hate people who whine all the time, but in your case… it would be okay to complain, be selfish and say what you want once in a while. It’s okay to let yourself be sad.” – Kyo Sohma
“I love you. When did I start to love you so much?” – Kyo Sohma
“I don’t want to be anyone’s burden. I don’t want you to be my dad if it’s going to hurt you.” – Kyo Sohma
“If you love someone, they could make you sad. They could even make you feel lonely sometimes. But, that someone can also make you happier than you’ll ever be.” – Kyo Sohma
“Kagura… Regardless of what your reason was, when you played with me…I was happy. Thanks.” – Kyo Sohma
“Ever since you left I’ve been getting pissed off about everything, and because I couldn’t understand why, it just pissed me off even more!” – Kyo Sohma
“You know… you really are something.” – Kyo Sohma
“I’m gonna take my place as a true member of this family!” – Kyo Sohma
“Maybe I’m not perfect. Maybe I have a long way to go. But someday… someday I’ll be able to stand and walk on my own. Without hurting anyone… and without being a burden.” – Kyo Sohma
Hatori Sohma Quotes
“If it’s possible for one person to be hurt by another, then it’s possible for that person to be healed by another.” – Hatori Sohma
“One more word Shigure and the entire publishing industry will know every embarrassing thing you’ve done since you were four.” – Hatori Sohma
“It’s true, crying unexpectedly does make you feel better. When you’re an adult you forget that.” – Hatori Sohma
“He’s just…he’s still a child. There are still a lot of things he can’t give up. There’s no rush. ” – Hatori Sohma
“I started crying. It was the first time in my life that I felt forgiven. Like I was saved. Like the frozen snow that’s melted by spring, the tears wouldn’t stop.” – Hatori Sohma
These quotes from the Fruits Basket series are great reminders about humans. Everyone has the capacity for both good and evil.
But, no matter how terrible things may seem, there is always hope. It's important to remember that even the most damaged person can be healed with love.
What do you think about these quotes? Do they resonate with you? Let me know in the comments!