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murph76
Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 3291
Location: Akron, OH
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:10 pm
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Ningensei wrote: | The Fanbook has been released? I haven't seen it in bookstores yet so I had no idea! Where did you purchase it from? |
Really? The one I bought was at my local Borders bookstore, right on the shelf next to all the other Furuba manga. Maybe the Midwest stores got their copies first? I actually had a harder time finding Vol. 17. I think my local store was down to two or three copies. I had grab my copy off an endcap.
And, thank you for the compliment. I wasn't sure if I was getting a little too wordy in that description ...
-Murph
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Ningensei
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 333
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 3:19 pm
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Well, I did buy my Volume 17 about 3 weeks ago at my local Borders, so maybe they just didn't get the fanbook in back then. I'll have to go back sometime soon to check it out. I was at Barnes the other day and didn't see it so I was a little confused, but maybe they just don't have it yet either?
Thanks for the info!
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LydiaDianne
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:01 pm
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It's Friday and since it isn't a Freaky one ( ), it's time for the discussion of Fruits Basket Vol. 7!
In this volume, we meet another member of the Sohma family and perhaps the biggest pain the butt next to Akito - Hiro the Sheep. I don't think that I've seen a bigger brat in manga or anime. I mean, REALLY!, if we were to hold a Biggest Brat tournament here on ANN, I think Hiro would be in the Final Four. But, on the other hand, one has to realize that he is the way he is because he regrets telling Akito how he feels about Kisa and Kisa's subsequent physical abuse at Aktio's hands. But, even knowing that, his attitude is a bit much.
In Chapter 38, Shigure and Hatori are discussing Hiro's attitude and at the end of the discussion, Shigure says "Whatever we choose to do, mistakes we make, Akito will be the one to pay for it in the end." Interesting statement. It makes me wonder if it connected to the breaking of the curse. And if so, how will Akito "pay."
Then there is the chapter where the group goes to buy Tohru a new swim suit! God! What a laugh! Shigure's reaction when he's told that it's a middle-school swimsuit, Yuki and Kyo being highly uncomfortable about being in the store AND having their opinions asked.
Also in this chapter we learn of Arisa's gang past and what she went through and how she met Tohru and Kyoko. And her shock at learning that Kyoko was a somewhat normal mom with a daughter complex. It was interesting to Arisa change as she got to know Tohru better. Changing to the point that she left her gang. I liked seeing Kyoko show up at that point. She looked really Tough! Perhaps looking the way she did in HER gang days. And the picture of Kyoko carrying Arisa on her back and arriving home to Tohru was beautiful!
Another excellent volume!
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Aylinn
Joined: 18 Nov 2006
Posts: 1684
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:33 am
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Hiro sweet kid, I started liking him immediately after he appeared. He is rare example of likeable kid, at least to me. I love when he pisses off other people.
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Richard J.
Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis.
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Posted: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:52 am
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Finding out how Uo-chan and Tohru became friends is THE high point of this volume for me. Her vision of what Kyoko's daughter must look like is absolutely hysterical, especially when she then runs into Tohru and we see that she's even more sweet and clumsy than she is now!
I love when she bows and scatters the papers all in a long row. Then, when some random guy is stepping on them and Tohru's trying, and failing, to politely ask him to get off of them, Uotani scares him off and helps her. This illustrates easily that even back then, there was a really nice girl hiding behind that face mask.
I love how they show her first rejecting Tohru and Kyoko, then slowly becoming more connected until she actually leaves her gang just to protect Tohru's reputation. I wonder if we'll see her gang sempai again? She proved herself a real friend when she went and got Kyoko.
The whole swimsuit buying escapade with the trio of gang girls showing up at the end in is fun too. (I don't know why Hana doesn't like her hair being all loose in the pool. She looks amazing like that. A little creepy, but gorgeous.)
And we meet Hiro.
. . . .
The only reason I don't completely hate him is because Kisa likes him. If she likes him, there must be a redeeming trait somewhere hiding behind that caustic attitude of his.
Unless something major is revealed, he's my least favorte Sohma. (That's right, I even like Akito better!)
*Spoiler tagged for maximum protection!
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Ningensei
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 333
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:06 pm
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All of my manga (including Fruits Basket) is packed away in boxes right now. So I can't really, reread any of the volumes for the weekly discussions anymore. I'm still getting ready for the move to Japan and won't be needing to take any books with me (too heavy!). I guess the best I can do is just react to other's posts and views. Heh.
I actually really like Hiro. I know he is a major brat and sometimes I get really angry with him, I can feel how much he loves Kisa and much of his attitude problems towards Tohru is because of how jealous he is that Kisa is spending so much time with her and not him. I think that it just shows that he is still just a little kid, no matter how mature he wants to be, which I think is an endearing quality. Plus there are also later moments which make me like Hiro more as well. Anways, Kisa likes him, so he can't be all that bad, right?
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fighterholic
Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:09 am
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You wonder why Hiro acts the way that he does, but after his encounter with Tohru, his getting mad at Kisa, and Momiji having to explain some things here and there, you understand that he is just a 12 year old kid who is moving forward in his adolescent years. Growing up, which can be a confusing and scary thing. Especially when he's blaming himself for what happened to Kisa, but the words of Tohru tell him that he can do better, even to become the prince for Kisa.
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Richard J.
Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis.
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:32 am
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I don't know fighterholic, I still think he's a pompus jerk of a little boy, even after reading all the way up to volume 17. (I've been a busy little Tohru fan.) Even after he gets better, he still keeps up with the snide comments.
He does improve though, I will fully admit that he improves. The stuff with his family helps. Also, his desperate attempts to adapt to Kisa's fondness for Tohru and the sage advice he gets from the others does start to sink in after a while. Still, I find him annoying most of the time.
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LydiaDianne
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:00 pm
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Okay, it's another Friday and time to discuss Volume 8!
This volume starts out with the gang discussing their class trip when Momiji runs in, and after being side-tracked for a bit, tells them that Haru has gone Black in the classroom. Yuki and Kyo go to calm him down but he's so enraged that he starts poking at the two and even tries to bring Tohru into it but Kyo prevents him. But the best part is how Miyu-sensei stops both Haru and Kyo in their tracks. A bucket of cold water works well, don't you think?
Yuki is still learning about himself because he says that he is self-absorbed but Haru points out that if he really was self-absorbed then he (Yuki) would not have come to see if he (Haru) was okay. Then Haru says that he too is self-absorbed that's why he turns Black and that the reason that he turned Black this time was because he was dumped.
This is a very busy first chapter because we also get to meet another member of the Zodiac, Ritsu, the Monkeyarrives at Shigure's. And boy does Ritchan seem VERY familiar. Ritchan comes to meet Tohru because Ritchan had heard that almost all of the other Zodiac members had met her already. Of course, Shigure is snarky and sets off poor Ritchan about every other second. Ritchan, like most of the Zodiac, has issues. Being very shy and then going over the top and apologizing for every little thing is Ritchan's. But the best part of Ritchan's arrival is when Mitchan (Shigure's Editor) arrives and, because Shigure is once again avoiding her and his responisbilities, begins writing a suicide note. Of course, Shigure adds to her distress and happily blames Ritchan as well. Both Mitchan and Ritchan both go over-the-top and perhaps something begins to form? Tee Hee!
Surprisingly enough Yuki is able to sit down and have a decent conversation with Ayame about his upcoming parent/teacher conference, Ayame coming instead of their parents and their parents and what Yuki does or does not expect from them. This is probably the best conversation that the two of them have ever had with each other and very revealing to each other and to us.
As usual, another great volume of Fruits Basket!
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murph76
Joined: 26 Jul 2006
Posts: 3291
Location: Akron, OH
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:43 pm
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Ritchan has a lot of very funny moments in this volume. My favorite is when Kyo asks whether there is any milk, and Ritchan appears behind Kyo in all his apologetic glory, offering Kyo the milk in his cereal.
I'm at work right now, so I'll post more later.
-Murph
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LydiaDianne
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:47 am
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It's Friday still (I think. At least it is in California), I don't feel good but the Vicadin has kicked in, so let's start with volume #9!
I'm sorry but seeing someone cut their toenails is gross even if it is in a manga.
It's summer vacation but Yuki is finally getting to meet his fellow student council members. Of course, he is a bit surprised to see that one of them is destroying the student council room and the other one is sleeping on the job! It's Machi and Kakeru. Yuki is taken aback but Kakeru's attitude and realizes that he's like another person who drives him absolutely insane! Kakeru = Ayame! Poor Yuki! He just can't escape the madness, can he?
And Arisa, unknowingly, meets the most mysterious member of the Zodiac, Kureno. And since chasing guys down the street is NOT her usual behaviour, it is obvious that she feels something for this guy, even if both don't want to admit it, even to themselves.
And in Chapter 51, we get to see Saki's story. She definitely had it hard when she was younger. Not having good control over her powers when she was a child had to have been incredibly difficult. But, at least she had a very loving family who did their best to make her feel comfortable with her gifts and tried to protect her the best they could. It's really terrible that she felt that she deserved the treatment that her classmates gave her.
It was so beautiful seeing Megumi pray that someone who would love Saki for who and what she is to come find her, was just so wonderful. Absolutely charming. It took a while but Megumi's prayer came true when the family moved and Saki met Tohru. And we know what sort of open and loving heart that Tohru has. And Tohru brought her to Arisa who liked her as well. Three misfits who all fit together quite well. Saki realized that they were the same as she was...hurting inside but not willing to show it to the world.
We also get to see Kyo's father in this volume. Lousy bastard! I love the fact that Kazuma told him that perhaps that it was time that he grew up, just like Kyo has grown up!
And we get to see Rin, another member of the Zodiac, and the fact that there is something strange going on between her and Shigure.
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fighterholic
Joined: 28 Sep 2005
Posts: 9193
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:21 am
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Not doing any physical activity for a year, smoking, and gaining 25 pounds can really take a toll on you, especially when you're not used to wrestling four weight classes up from the last time you wrestled. But I was able to win a match yesterday, I think thanks to just having experience and knowing what to do in a certain situation. But enough of that.
I was very touched by Saki's story to say the least. Here was a girl who was having problems, but what really got to me was the fact that somehow she couldn't feel the love that her family was giving to her, and believe me, her family was VERY supportive. Seems funny how the genes of her parents mixed. They both seemed to have lighter hair yet Saki and Megumi both had black hair. Saki couldn't feel the love, so somehow it had to be brought to her, and that's what Tohru did. Tohru opened up Saki's heart, and brought her to the position she stands right now in the series, not only as a best friend of Tohru, but also a guardian.
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LydiaDianne
Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:50 am
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Congrats on your win, fighter!
You know it's really sort of strange that out of all the characters in this series, most of whom have some abnormal capabilites, that the girl who is the "most feared" is the one with the most normal family life.
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aya_honda
Joined: 12 Sep 2006
Posts: 920
Location: Around here
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 3:07 pm
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Yey for fighter!
Now, what I enjoyed most in this chapter is.... of course, you guessed already: the meeting between Arisa and Kureno. I mean, that meeting at the supermarket is one of the best written scenes. I liked very much the simplicity and at the same time the melancholy that surrounds this meeting especially because in a way we already sense that something is wrong and by the end of the chapter we realise who Kureno trully is. Still I absolutely loved the extraordinary meaning that the small gestures have in this little chapter and how they gain so much importance as the story progresses. For instance: "small" words like "I wanted to see you again" or the tries to get a hug and everything, it all shows how much love both the characters need and might find in one another. I love this story.
Also I think that Kakeru is perhaps one of the most important characters ever introduced later in the story, because he embodies two other characters who mean the most to Yuki: Ayame and Kyo. And we can easily see this: firstly Kakeru is superficial and crazy: he laughs, he sleeps at work and he gives an extreme importance to Yuki - here he resembles a lot to Ayame. But the at some point he tells Yuki that he really has a girly face and so he reminds him about Kyo. All in one is just a little too much to Yuki but he realizes that this might just tur right for him.
I'll stop here for now.. For a come back, I think it's enough.
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Ningensei
Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 333
Location: Seattle, WA
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 3:29 pm
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I just wanted to say bye to everyone here, well, for now anyway. I'm leaving for Japan tonight, and I'm not sure how soon and frequently I'll be coming back. Hopefully, when I am settled in, I'll be more of a regular again!
This is definitely my favorite thread with all my favorite people.
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