Manga Diaries – Fruits Basket Volume 9

If you don’t know what my diaries are, please go here. Spoilers ahoy!

Otherwise, let’s go!

It’s been a few days since I’ve read the last volume. Still not that excited to continue. I’m not even sure where I left off in the story. I think Rin was introduced.

• Page 13: Clipping your nails. Always an excellent way to start a chapter. /sarcasm
• 15: Kick!
• 16: Honda Tohru-ryu: Hot Iron Attack!
• 22: Machi. Don’t remember what her deal is.
• 27: No recollection of this dude. Well, besides from the previous volume.
• 32: Imagine the rejected applications…
• 35: Come on, we don’t have enough Grey Rangers in sentai.
• 38: Idiot savant.
• 41: Tohru Lesson #506.
• 46: Guess who’s in love with Uo-chan? I’d guess, but I’ve forgotten the guy’s name. And what he looks like.
• 48: I know a lot of people hate including honorifics like this “bodyguard-san”, even if it’s how the original did it.
• 54: He reminds me of someone…maybe Hayata from Nanoka no Kare? Hmmm…
• 57: My first thought was Suwa, but I was sure that wasn’t it. Wouldn’t have guessed Kureno though.
• 61: Great, now Fruits Basket is lecturing people we’ve just met.
• 63: It’s these types of scenes where I’m glad manga companies at least keep the “address by surname” part of Japanese culture. It just comes across as odd if everyone is calling each other by their personal names.
• 66: Uotani is going to pass Tohru up.
• 72: Dun dun dunnn. I remembered he was a Sohma at least. I think Hana falls in love with a Sohma as well. No clue who.
• 73: She looks like Tohru here.
• 78: Cute siblings.
• 83: I like this backstory. I mean, I feel sorry for Hana, but it’s an interesting backstory.
• 88: Puffy Hana-chan. She almost looks like Megumi.
• 90: The book Megumi is reading is titled “Curses” I believe.
• 92-93: Megumi is 100% huggable.
• 98-99: Such wonderful parents.
• 102-103: Weirdo meets Weirdoes.
• 105: It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Super Ditz!
• 108: Might be more interesting as yuri. Wonder if it would ended up OT3.
• 113-117: See, perfect GL scene.
• 122: See, this is where it gets tricky when translating and adapting. Why is “obaba” kept but “mother” and “father” translated? But then again, manga often has “nii” but “mom”/”dad”. It’s so hard, and really a lose-lose situation. Someone’s always going to be upset at how a manga is handled.
• 126: I haven’t really noticed the guys growing taller…too busy staring at their aging faces.
• 129: I wonder if Takaya is still such a game addict. Somehow I doubt you could separate a controller from her for too long.
• 131: Look at that neck!
• 135: Embarrassed Kyo.
• 140: Baka baka baka!
• 143: Tohru sounds really polite in this volume.
• 145: I wonder how the cat found someone.
• 146: What’s with all these dads who hate their kids for killing their wives in manga?
• 149: It’s so sad (in real life especially of course) when people accuse good people of taking in others for the money. Of course, it’s awful when people do so as well.
• 151: Go Shishou.
• 156: Banri. Banri. Ironically, Tokyopop would end up licensing V.B. Rose, but the company would close just two volumes from the ending. Too bad, I really liked it. Poor Hidaka has several series cancelled/incomplete in English…
• 161: Bad Tohru.
• 162: One summer tradition I’d pass on: collecting bugs.
• 164: The hat. Almost forgot about the hat.
• 165: Kyo is a meanie!
• 167: Put a hat on, Momiji. You’ll probably look better.
• 171: True shock.
• 172: Did I miss something? When did a windstorm happen?
• 173: I’ve always wanted to be able to do this. Elements, bow down to me! Like the Avatar.
• 175: Even Shigure’s looks are going downhill.
• 176: Rin-chan now! Rin-chan now! Rin-chan Rin-chan Rin-chan now! (Points to you if you get the reference.)
• 178-180: Let’s all talk like we’re in a CLAMP manga.
• 184: I remember being surprised the first time around by this.
• 187: Kyo and Yuki are surprised.
• 190-191: It IS a scary story. Here’s mine: one time when I was just about to use the bathroom, I found a dead rat in my toilet. I froze for a moment before I RAN. Then I called for my mommy… Still didn’t use my bathroom for a while. Urgh, I’m still so creeped out!! One time I also went down to the basement, and a bat flew right in front of me. And whenever there was a mouse in the house, I’d always be the one to see or hear it first. Why do creepy things love to torment me?!
• 192: I wonder how many genres Shigure has written in.

So, after ending with Rin last volume, she appears again at the end. It’s like Takaya is trying to delay her meeting with Tohru. Kazuma also gets a wonderful scene, and that and Megumi’s caring for his sister are the highlights of the volume. Tohru is largely missing again. There’s a couple of big plot points here: Kyo’s future, Uotani is interested in a Sohma (who is also interested in her), and Yuki’s tenure as student body president. There’s still a lot to cover, but next volume Fruits Basket will finally hit double digits. At least it feels like I’m making some progress.