Background and Personality
BACKGROUND:
The world of Fruits Basket is very similar to ours, marked by only one difference. There exists a family in their world that was cursed to transform into members of the Chinese Zodiac when embraced by a member of the opposite sex. This curse happened within each generation, no two people would be afflicted by the same animal, though it was exceeding rare for all 13 to be living at the same time. The cursed family members were ruled by a ‘god’, a being that would be the center of their universe. This family is the Sohma family, currently ruled by the ’god’ Akito and one of the first generations to have all Zodiac members present.
Momiji was born to one of the members of the Sohma clan, a large and affluent Japanese family. While his father was in university he met a German woman whom he feel in love with. After marriage they conceived their first child, a son, and it was then that their joy was shattered. When the mother went to hold her newborn, he turned into a rabbit. Momiji’s mother couldn’t deal with the curse and rejected her son. She couldn’t touch him, be around him, and never showed him any love. She outright stated her hatred for the boy and was slowly driven to the brink by the mere thought of being his mother. A few years passed and in order to help her heal, one of the cursed members of the family-Hatori, gifted with memory powers- offered to erase Momiji from her mind. Momiji’s father asked his son to let this happen, telling him it was the only way for his mother to live again and promising to love him enough for two parents. Momiji gave his permission and witnessed his mother having those memories removed. It was this event, more so then even his curse, that would be the driving force of his life.
After he was removed from his mother’s memories, Momiji was sent to live by himself in on the houses on the Sohma estate. There he was raised by servants, keeping in contact with his father but living apart from his family lest he upset his mother. He went to a upscale elementary school with the other Sohma children, and attended an all boy’s middle school with equal prestige. He grew up a youthful looking lad, getting easily mistaken for someone much younger and more female. Most of his life he simply acted out the part, even wearing feminine clothing. During his late middle school years he took to visiting his father’s work place, a company building the family owned, to not only spend time with his distant dad but to sneak glances of his mother-and the little sister that he was being kept from. During one of the evenings that he was watching the family he couldn’t have, Momiji ran into Tohru Honda, a worker in the building. Tohru was one of the few people outside the family who knew of the curse and Momiji was overjoyed to meet her. In his excitement, he exclaimed in German, kissed her, and went along his merry way before his parents could catch him.
It was shortly after this he showed up at the high school’s festival to see Tohru and his cousins. After latching on to all of his realities, he set his sights on Tohru seeking hugs. Having someone know about the curse must mean they could be his personal hug victim and from then on out, thanks to Tohru’s ready acceptance of her new role, he clung to her side. Tohru would be invited to the Sohma estate in the next weeks, where Momiji would reveal the family doctor’s secrets to the normal girl, giving us the first glance at his introspective self.
In the next few chapters Momiji would pop in and out of Tohru’s life, starting to garner a crush on her and eventually offering her a trip to the family spa as a gift for White’s Day. After tricking his way into sleeping in her bed, Momiji would reveal his actual age to Tohru and the fact he was transferring to their high school to everyone.
Once at the high school he caused a big stir by wearing the girl’s uniform, with shorts instead of a skirt, and refusing the change. His cousin Haru, and the closest friend he has, defended him from the school council. He warns the main characters about the presence of Akito, the ‘god’ of the Sohma’s, which prompts his cousin Yuki to go looking for Tohru after she runs off. In the next several chapters, Momiji again just bides his time playing a minor role in the series. He plays games with the main cast and acts as an informant about the Sohma relatives for Tohru. Around the 23 chapter he reveals past concerning his mother to Tohru after running into her while visiting Tohru.
It’s much later on when Momiji decides to send everyone on a summer trip and forces Tohru and his cousins to come with him to a summer home. While he has the family there, Akito comes to visit. During his stay, Akito comes looking for Tohru but instead meets Momiji. Worried that ‘god’ will hurt Tohru, Momiji interferes and tries to send Akito home. He’s beaten for his troubles, alerting Tohru to the commotion and getting her involved. He gets the older family members to save Tohru, but feels guilty that she is hurt. The two take the night to reconcile, and by morning Momiji is back to his usually happy self.
His next influence on the plot comes when Tohru makes another visit to the main estate and is shown in by Momiji’s younger sister. She discovers that the little girl had been watching Momiji, wanting him as a brother figure in her life. Tohru shares this with Momiji, who cries in delight that his sister wants to meet him, even though it would not be allowed and he can never tell her the truth. He offers to play a song on his violin in thanks, and helps Tohru reach her goal of meeting one of the elusive Zodiac members, Kureno. When Tohru needs a tape delivered to Kureno, Momiji does so on her behalf, unknowingly setting a romance between the elusive man and Tohru’s friend in motion.
Momiji then fades back into the background, not being a major influence on the plot. He’s still around goofing off with the other characters and offering his knowledge on the Sohma family, but he as take a backseat to the unfolding love story. Near the end of the series, Momiji hits a growth spurt. He stops dressing like a girl and starts resembling the 16 year old he is. It’s now that he begins to show a level of maturity, though he still acts bubbly he lets his introspective side show more frequently. He lectures his cousin to start showing his feelings for Tohru before she is stolen away. This effectively shows that Momiji is ready to give up on his love for Tohru and let her choose the best path. Him leaving Tohru’s home after this discussion, is where he’s getting ported from.
PERSONALITY:
At first glance, Momiji is a ball of sunshine. He’s an energetic, friendly, and very outgoing teen. He’s acts like the type of guy who hasn’t a care in the world. Momiji is full of self confidence and finds joy in the simplest of things. He faces everyday with a smile and usually heads off even the worst situation with something positive.
Momiji is childish. He sees the world in the way a small child would; filled with wonder and excitement. Normal activities are treated like games and every outing has the chance to be an adventure. He’s easily distracted and given to whimsy. He’s playful, eager to tease his friends and indulge in tasteful pranks. He laughs readily at jokes and likes physical contact. Since he can’t be close to females, he tends to drape himself over his male friends and other cursed relatives. However he still tends to be touchy with the few females in his life, delighting in holding hands and other friendly contact. This isn’t about flirting to Momiji, he just likes feeling that another person is there and his touching is his way of showing his affection.
He is a highly affectionate person. When he loves someone he loves them deeply, putting them above himself. His close friends tend to get slathered in his joy. He can and will spend large sums of cash to get them nice gifts and will always plan trips and events will a level of perfection. Forgot about White’s day? He’ll take you to a ritzy spa. Want to go to a beach? He’ll call up a summer home and bring plenty of fireworks and snacks. Momiji enjoys taking care of the people in his life and holds them as being precious. He’s willing to put himself on the line for his loved ones and will do what he must to keep them happy.
Perhaps a direct side effect of his life, Momiji is very empathic. He identifies with people quickly and can be affected by their experiences. He’s very thoughtful, despite the few see it. He delves deep into the workings of the people around him, trying to figure them out. Momiji also displays a level of high maturity. He may act like a kid but he’s emotionally wise beyond his years and skillful at problem solving. Though the things he says seem random or nonsensical, he knows the best approach to any situation and only chooses to show his spirited side until he can no longer.
Underneath all that cheer and brightness hides his negative self. Momiji’s life has been hard and deep down the events of his past have affected him. His parents and their decisions about their family have left him torn between bitterness and sorrow. Though he loves them both, he’s been left feeling abandoned and uncared for. Being part of a cursed family has stunted his emotional ties. He can’t become too close to people outside of the secret in fear of what will become of Akito’s wrath. He’s caught between his family secret and a chance at a normal life. He’s realized that the person he loves will never love him, and he worries about his chance at a future with anyone.
Momiji has been exposed to pain since his youth. He knows that there is a darker side to the world, but chooses to act ignorant to it. It’s easier for him to make believe with the sunshine then think about the cruelty in front of him. So he keeps most of his problems well hidden and all the ‘bad’ emotions bottled up. He’s not easy to anger or even upset, because he’ll just ignore the issue and cheerfully change the subject.
Now all of this doesn’t mean the kind exterior is just an act. He does truly care about people and does look for the best in everyone. He just tends to exaggerate his 'good' qualities in order to keep with appearances.
The world of Fruits Basket is very similar to ours, marked by only one difference. There exists a family in their world that was cursed to transform into members of the Chinese Zodiac when embraced by a member of the opposite sex. This curse happened within each generation, no two people would be afflicted by the same animal, though it was exceeding rare for all 13 to be living at the same time. The cursed family members were ruled by a ‘god’, a being that would be the center of their universe. This family is the Sohma family, currently ruled by the ’god’ Akito and one of the first generations to have all Zodiac members present.
Momiji was born to one of the members of the Sohma clan, a large and affluent Japanese family. While his father was in university he met a German woman whom he feel in love with. After marriage they conceived their first child, a son, and it was then that their joy was shattered. When the mother went to hold her newborn, he turned into a rabbit. Momiji’s mother couldn’t deal with the curse and rejected her son. She couldn’t touch him, be around him, and never showed him any love. She outright stated her hatred for the boy and was slowly driven to the brink by the mere thought of being his mother. A few years passed and in order to help her heal, one of the cursed members of the family-Hatori, gifted with memory powers- offered to erase Momiji from her mind. Momiji’s father asked his son to let this happen, telling him it was the only way for his mother to live again and promising to love him enough for two parents. Momiji gave his permission and witnessed his mother having those memories removed. It was this event, more so then even his curse, that would be the driving force of his life.
After he was removed from his mother’s memories, Momiji was sent to live by himself in on the houses on the Sohma estate. There he was raised by servants, keeping in contact with his father but living apart from his family lest he upset his mother. He went to a upscale elementary school with the other Sohma children, and attended an all boy’s middle school with equal prestige. He grew up a youthful looking lad, getting easily mistaken for someone much younger and more female. Most of his life he simply acted out the part, even wearing feminine clothing. During his late middle school years he took to visiting his father’s work place, a company building the family owned, to not only spend time with his distant dad but to sneak glances of his mother-and the little sister that he was being kept from. During one of the evenings that he was watching the family he couldn’t have, Momiji ran into Tohru Honda, a worker in the building. Tohru was one of the few people outside the family who knew of the curse and Momiji was overjoyed to meet her. In his excitement, he exclaimed in German, kissed her, and went along his merry way before his parents could catch him.
It was shortly after this he showed up at the high school’s festival to see Tohru and his cousins. After latching on to all of his realities, he set his sights on Tohru seeking hugs. Having someone know about the curse must mean they could be his personal hug victim and from then on out, thanks to Tohru’s ready acceptance of her new role, he clung to her side. Tohru would be invited to the Sohma estate in the next weeks, where Momiji would reveal the family doctor’s secrets to the normal girl, giving us the first glance at his introspective self.
In the next few chapters Momiji would pop in and out of Tohru’s life, starting to garner a crush on her and eventually offering her a trip to the family spa as a gift for White’s Day. After tricking his way into sleeping in her bed, Momiji would reveal his actual age to Tohru and the fact he was transferring to their high school to everyone.
Once at the high school he caused a big stir by wearing the girl’s uniform, with shorts instead of a skirt, and refusing the change. His cousin Haru, and the closest friend he has, defended him from the school council. He warns the main characters about the presence of Akito, the ‘god’ of the Sohma’s, which prompts his cousin Yuki to go looking for Tohru after she runs off. In the next several chapters, Momiji again just bides his time playing a minor role in the series. He plays games with the main cast and acts as an informant about the Sohma relatives for Tohru. Around the 23 chapter he reveals past concerning his mother to Tohru after running into her while visiting Tohru.
It’s much later on when Momiji decides to send everyone on a summer trip and forces Tohru and his cousins to come with him to a summer home. While he has the family there, Akito comes to visit. During his stay, Akito comes looking for Tohru but instead meets Momiji. Worried that ‘god’ will hurt Tohru, Momiji interferes and tries to send Akito home. He’s beaten for his troubles, alerting Tohru to the commotion and getting her involved. He gets the older family members to save Tohru, but feels guilty that she is hurt. The two take the night to reconcile, and by morning Momiji is back to his usually happy self.
His next influence on the plot comes when Tohru makes another visit to the main estate and is shown in by Momiji’s younger sister. She discovers that the little girl had been watching Momiji, wanting him as a brother figure in her life. Tohru shares this with Momiji, who cries in delight that his sister wants to meet him, even though it would not be allowed and he can never tell her the truth. He offers to play a song on his violin in thanks, and helps Tohru reach her goal of meeting one of the elusive Zodiac members, Kureno. When Tohru needs a tape delivered to Kureno, Momiji does so on her behalf, unknowingly setting a romance between the elusive man and Tohru’s friend in motion.
Momiji then fades back into the background, not being a major influence on the plot. He’s still around goofing off with the other characters and offering his knowledge on the Sohma family, but he as take a backseat to the unfolding love story. Near the end of the series, Momiji hits a growth spurt. He stops dressing like a girl and starts resembling the 16 year old he is. It’s now that he begins to show a level of maturity, though he still acts bubbly he lets his introspective side show more frequently. He lectures his cousin to start showing his feelings for Tohru before she is stolen away. This effectively shows that Momiji is ready to give up on his love for Tohru and let her choose the best path. Him leaving Tohru’s home after this discussion, is where he’s getting ported from.
PERSONALITY:
At first glance, Momiji is a ball of sunshine. He’s an energetic, friendly, and very outgoing teen. He’s acts like the type of guy who hasn’t a care in the world. Momiji is full of self confidence and finds joy in the simplest of things. He faces everyday with a smile and usually heads off even the worst situation with something positive.
Momiji is childish. He sees the world in the way a small child would; filled with wonder and excitement. Normal activities are treated like games and every outing has the chance to be an adventure. He’s easily distracted and given to whimsy. He’s playful, eager to tease his friends and indulge in tasteful pranks. He laughs readily at jokes and likes physical contact. Since he can’t be close to females, he tends to drape himself over his male friends and other cursed relatives. However he still tends to be touchy with the few females in his life, delighting in holding hands and other friendly contact. This isn’t about flirting to Momiji, he just likes feeling that another person is there and his touching is his way of showing his affection.
He is a highly affectionate person. When he loves someone he loves them deeply, putting them above himself. His close friends tend to get slathered in his joy. He can and will spend large sums of cash to get them nice gifts and will always plan trips and events will a level of perfection. Forgot about White’s day? He’ll take you to a ritzy spa. Want to go to a beach? He’ll call up a summer home and bring plenty of fireworks and snacks. Momiji enjoys taking care of the people in his life and holds them as being precious. He’s willing to put himself on the line for his loved ones and will do what he must to keep them happy.
Perhaps a direct side effect of his life, Momiji is very empathic. He identifies with people quickly and can be affected by their experiences. He’s very thoughtful, despite the few see it. He delves deep into the workings of the people around him, trying to figure them out. Momiji also displays a level of high maturity. He may act like a kid but he’s emotionally wise beyond his years and skillful at problem solving. Though the things he says seem random or nonsensical, he knows the best approach to any situation and only chooses to show his spirited side until he can no longer.
Underneath all that cheer and brightness hides his negative self. Momiji’s life has been hard and deep down the events of his past have affected him. His parents and their decisions about their family have left him torn between bitterness and sorrow. Though he loves them both, he’s been left feeling abandoned and uncared for. Being part of a cursed family has stunted his emotional ties. He can’t become too close to people outside of the secret in fear of what will become of Akito’s wrath. He’s caught between his family secret and a chance at a normal life. He’s realized that the person he loves will never love him, and he worries about his chance at a future with anyone.
Momiji has been exposed to pain since his youth. He knows that there is a darker side to the world, but chooses to act ignorant to it. It’s easier for him to make believe with the sunshine then think about the cruelty in front of him. So he keeps most of his problems well hidden and all the ‘bad’ emotions bottled up. He’s not easy to anger or even upset, because he’ll just ignore the issue and cheerfully change the subject.
Now all of this doesn’t mean the kind exterior is just an act. He does truly care about people and does look for the best in everyone. He just tends to exaggerate his 'good' qualities in order to keep with appearances.