( a random notion... )But to the point...
My sister got this Fruits Basket fan-book at the bookstore the other day, and I got a chance to take a look at it... I remembered why I liked this series so much. Skimming the character bios and information, where they basically summarized a lot of their relationships and stories, I kept feeling like I was going to cry. There are so many stories in Furuba (which actually is it's failing, in my opinion - it starts to get really complicated and soap-opera-y...) but there are so many, many stories in there... all so sweet, sad. It's pages full of want and need - need to be wanted, accepted, loved, want to make something of themselves, want for purpose and reason, needing a place in the world, a reason to live. I remembered how much these books meant to me over the years I read them, and how those themes resonated with me so much. Because after all, isn't that what everyone wants? Acceptance and purpose?
Even though there's a lot of humor in it too, since the author is such a goof!, there's so much... there's a sense of being genuine and honest. It's a comic done very cleanly and precisely, with love... it's delicate, in a way, and yet very intense, emotionally.
It starts out so randomly. If I hadn't started reading it when I was in high school, I don't know if I would've picked it up now. The art was OK, the story seemed based on gimmick and pretty guys, and it's a school drama. But as time wears on, the art improves, the people RARELY turn into animals, it focuses less on school life and more on the Sohma family in general, and it seems to get closer to what the author wanted to say. Actually, I found out in an interview with the author printed in this book that she started from a scene she wanted to do at the end - and it all worked itself out from there...
Haha, I forgot about that... *reading wikipedia* but I like how she... uses art. She often has flashes of things go by, some of which happened earlier in the manga, but many of which are personal flashbacks by the characters. But you only see some image, or maybe a word or two, often times something mirroring what is happening in the present, and then the character's reaction... Eventually, the flashbacks are explained, but until they are, it's such a mystery...
She uses words like that too - mixing what is said and thought at exactly the same time... it's a good technique, and I can't explain... I guess it pretty much utilizes the medium of comics to its best ability - it does something only a comic can do...
It has a good balance between what is said and shown, which is a good thing, and it has nice pacing to it.
Every new volume I get, I start laughing, remembering what was exactly so funny about them, and by the end, I'm usually reading in my bed, my hands shaking and my mind spinning a little bit, affected by what I read. Maybe I just empathize with people and characters too much, I internalize things too much... but any book that does that to me, comic or otherwise, always holds a special place in my heart.
Looking at that fan book reminded me also of why I wanted to write comics in the first place - I get so touched by the stories I've read, I want to give something back, to make something that other people will be touched by... I want my words to affect someone else as much as other people's have affected me. I want to make people feel, laugh, cry, think about their lives... I want to give people hope...
I HIGHLY recommend Fruits Basket, especially the manga, since the anime seems to be... well, less awesome. XD They play up the "turning into animals" thing, they leave out that Momiji's half-German, Shigure isn't as much of a bastard with an agenda, but is rather a goofy guy, Akito... wahaha... and, in my opinon, they made Tohru a weaker character, leaving out lines and instances where she was being... a more assertive person. AND it cuts off I think somewhere in book 8? of the manga, and there's like 19 books and counting. XD
I have books 1, 9, and 11-19, 16 being... MIA currently... *glares at sister...*
When I asked her about it, she said we never had it, we borrowed it. Then I remembered. XD My friend told me she'd get me the next volume for my birthday. One day, I guess in January, she brought this, the next volume, to school, and I ended up borrowing it from her. But I expected her to get it for me, and she never did... I wonder if she figured since I read it already..? But STILL. Some friend...
So now, over time, I've forgotten that completely... huh...
Apparently there's a book 20 out that I don't have. 0_0 *shocked* and then there's 23 volumes total. Harummmm...
I think I'm going to buy some of these "Ultimate Editions" they're putting out that have 2 volumes in one large-size, hardcover book, since they're actually cheaper than if I bought them all individually. So for books 3-8... three big volumes... :D
Anyone who wants to borrow them from me is welcome to, certainly. They're all mine, I think... most of them I bought, or were presents...
The only reason why I don't have the earlier volumes is because my public library, believe it or not, had them - reading them in the library, where I was dropped after school, was what got me started. Just, when I got caught up to the new releases, I found out it it took them awhile to order the books, and then you had to be on the waiting list... so I got fed up with it and started buying them myself. Now I'm not so impatient, but still... So yeah, you guys can check it out from the library too!!
: ]
A-HA! Here, you can read the (48 page!) first chapter:
http://www.tokyopop.com/Fruits_Basket/tp_manga/1291812.htmlLinks to more recent chapters can be found over on the left, under Online Manga... Though they're incomplete, like teasers for the new books. But you can see the progression of the art, yes?
http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1194/FruitsBasket/*reads preview for 20*
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...!!!!
D8!!!!
Oh man oh man oh man oh man!!! WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT THIS!!! D8
Aw MAN...
Shit's goin' DOWN, son...
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