Fruits Basket Analyzed: The Curse
I just read Fruits Basket and can I say I was amazed. I loved the thorough and insightful exploration of such a delicate and relevant topic, and was excited to discuss it with others in fandom. I was shocked to realize no one was discussing the one topic at the heart of every single Sohma character-abuse. I have dedicated my life to understanding abuse from different vantage points. I have friends and family who are abuse survivors, I have taught in areas where abuse was rampant, and I am an abuse survivor myself
I think others don’t see this series the way I do in part because we expect all abuse victims to look and act the same. Either they will become sociopaths, or they will suffer from PTSD. Both of these are valid, but human beings respond to the same trauma with a variety of coping methods, and I want to show how each and every character faced up to the same challenge in different ways. For the sake of these articles, I have decided to refer to all experiences of actual people in first person. Some of them are my experiences, and some are stories loved ones have given me permission to tell. Still others are common among the students I taught. For this series, I choose to speak for all of us.
Before I can talk about the characters, I want to talk about the curse itself. It is defined as the Zodiac Curse by the characters, in reference to the fact that they turn into an animal of the zodiac when hugged by a member of the opposite sex or when their bodies undergo too much stress [1]. Eventually, Kyo wonders “when did it become a curse. [2]” Turning into animals is funnier than it is anything bad, for the most part. In fact, animal transformations are often a source of comic relief [3]. What makes it a curse is the attitude of the Jade Emperor of the Chinese Zodiac, Akito.
Akito is the head of the household [4], and because of his connection with the jade emperor his orders to the Zodiac are absolute. He can, and frequently does, inflict physical and emotional suffering on his cousins without incurring their wrath [5]. Akito has made a mission to prove to all who dare try that no one with the Zodiac curse could ever be accepted in the outside world and needs to stay by his side for eternity, as this is the only love any of them are capable of receiving.
And really boys and girls, that it what it all comes down to. Abuse is not hitting, name calling, or any of those other ugly pictures we paint. Abuse can include all of those things, or any combination of them, but abuse all comes down to a single lie-you are impossible to love. When Torhu explains bullying to Kisa’s mother [6], she is explaining the center of the fear of the abused-no one would treat me this way if I didn’t deserve it. Fruits Basket is shows each of the characters deal with this idea in their own way. Yuki becomes numb to himself and the world to avoid further pain [7], while Kyo lashes out in every direction [8]. Shigure, defining himself as the most cursed, has simply accepted his awful nature and expects no better of himself [9].
I’m intrigued by the physical aspect of the curse making it impossible to hug. There is mention of the previous cat [10] and dragon [11] having children, so it is not a prohibition against sex. It seems to keep those cursed from being intimate with a partner. (Note: I am writing all the characters as heterosexual, and think they were intended that way.) I am a hugger and when I have a tough day I head straight for someone to give me one. A hug is a safe place, a way to communicate support and love. It’s that part of intimacy that the curse prohibits, except among themselves [12]. This is also consistent with abuse. It was scary when I finally left my abusive boyfriend and found that I had no other relationships to fall back on. He had taken so much of my time and energy that I’d let all other friendships and even family relationships fall between the cracks. When you think about it, the isolation is necessary for the lie. When you meet someone who tells you that you do deserve to be accepted, the lie will become transparent (enter Torhu!)
[Note: I’m the type of girl to read the last page first and look up spoilers before I start reading. In this case, don’t do it. The journey will be much more meaningful if you take it one step at a time.]
Kureno proves that ultimately the curse does not keep them tied to the main house. It may be difficult for an outsider to understand, but I genuinely loved my abuser and hated the thought of hurting him. Kureno did not leave after his curse was broken because he couldn’t stand to see Akito hurt [13]. Once again, it was never about the Zodiac animal, it was about Akito and how she responded
Kureno has my respect for finding his courage and choosing to leave once he saw how wrong he had been. Momiji is the hero in my opinion, because he was able to leave from the start. He is unique that he neither stayed, nor ran [14]. He walked out the doors when it was time, and then walked back in when there was something to be gained from it [15]. He did not inflict unnecessary pain on his former abuser, but neither did he enable her [16].
When I read this series for the first time I was thrilled that the curse was broken before the last book, because let me tell you, when the cycle ends the story begins. When you are no longer being actively abused, you have time to feel the pain and see the scars for the first time. The whole story has been about Yuki and Kyo finding the truth about themselves in a myriad of lies, and now all the Sohmas must do the same.
It was sad for them when the curse ended, and rightly so [17]. They bid farewell to the only life they’d ever known. The fear and self-loathing that had been constant companions were now gone, leaving them empty. I love that each zodiac member had to decide what to do with their lives, and how that scared many of them. When every moment is focused on survival, you don’t have the opportunity to dream. Under the curse each of the zodiac knew they would never have a future outside of Sohma House, and so didn’t waste time imagining they would leave. Even those on the outside (namely Ayame and Ritsu) never left town, as evidenced by their ability to show up at Shigure’s house. Hatori mentions after he is freed that he hasn’t seen much of the world [18]. I think they all felt overwhelmed that the tiny existence they once had is now replaced by something much larger than they dreamed.
At the same time, I relate to Rin when she became angry at the joy of the others [19]. When you are no longer being abused, that doesn’t mean it ends. The damage inflicted is still there, in this case Rin’s beautiful flowing hair was still short. The cursed members of the zodiac will have to live with what happened for the rest of their lives. No matter what happens to them now, they were shaped by what they endured [20]. The difference is that now that they are no longer cursed, they choose how they are affected. Before they based all their decisions on a need to survive, now they can start deciding if they want to be happy.
[1] Volume 1 Chapter 2
[2] Volume 23 Chapter 131
[3]Volume 2 Chapter 7
[4] Volume 11 Chapter 65
[5]Volume 2 Chapter 10
[6] Volume 5 Chapter 27
[7] Volume 3 Chapter 14
[8]Volume 1 Chapter 3
[9] Volume 14 Chapter 78
[10] Volume 20 Chapter 114
[11]Volume 15 Chapter 86
[12] Volume 1 Chapter 5
[13] Volume 17 Chapter 97
[14] Volume 20, Chapter 116
[15] Volume 23 Chapter 136
[16] Volume 21 Chapter 124
[17] Volume 20 Chapter 116
[18] Volume 23 Chapter 136
[19] Volume 23 Chapter 132
[20] Volume 4 Chapter 19