Fruits Basket gets the "Brotherhood" treatment

[Brian Christiansen]

Lots of anime has been remade to be more like the manga (sailor moon,
hellsing,DBZ, etc.). Though the trend has been called the "brotherhood
treatment,FMA was not the first anime to be remade.

For instance the show Astro Boy has been remade twice. The original was
made in 1963, and the first remake in 1980, and the 2nd in 2003 (I think
I have those dates correct). In fact, if the pattern is followed, a new
one should be coming out in the next year. I have no idea which one is
most like the original manga though. I might have watched the original
when I was little, and remember quite enjoying the 2003 version, but
don't think I have seen much more than clips/pictures from the 1980 version.

The new version of Fruits Basket is more like the manga, or at least
that is what I have heard. In fact, it is my understanding that the
original only covered the first half or so of the original manga because
the original mangaka originally withdrew the rights because the show
became to "cutesy" and incorporated too much comedy. Apparently, the
mangaka has been given more control to keep the story more "dark" like
the original manga was.

I am really liking the new version, and think there are some points of
comparison to the original, at least to the 2001 anime, I can't really
say any thing about the original manga as I have never read it.

Art style: The styles are very different, with the new one being
perhaps more "realistic" (I hate to use the word "cartoony," since in my
opinion, I have never seen an anime that is any more or less "cartoony"
than any other, to me all anime are equally "cartoony"). Which one is
better is in the eye of the beholder, I have not decided which I like
better.

Music: When I first heard the opening theme, it sounded familiar, but I
could not quite figure out why. It did not take me too long to figure
it out though. It sounds, or at least I think it sounds very much like
the theme to "Aishiteruze Baby." I don't know if it is the same singer
(though I think that is at least plausible), but I think the singing and
music style are both very similar.

Plot: At first it seemed like a scene by scene remake of the original,
with the individual scenes being a little bit different, but more and
more changes have been creeping in. The episodes where Tohru goes back
to her grandfather's house and the "Valentines Day" episode tell the
same basic story but are nonetheless very different.

The one where Uo and Hana come visit is half an episode in the new one
but a full episode in the original. The silliness about Yuki, Kyo, and
Shigure transforming back and getting some clothes for when they change
back and forth between their animal forms, which is presumably "filler,"
has been cut. If there are any whole episodes that are "filler," I
presume those will be cut as well.

There is a series of videos on youtube, I think by Ami Yoshiko (at least
that is the name of the channel), that does a much more in depth
comparison of the 2 series.

[Nick Bowler]

Post by Brian Christiansen
Music: When I first heard the opening theme, it sounded familiar, but I
could not quite figure out why. It did not take me too long to figure
it out though. It sounds, or at least I think it sounds very much like
the theme to "Aishiteruze Baby." I don't know if it is the same singer
(though I think that is at least plausible), but I think the singing and
music style are both very similar.

There is no obvious artists in common between these two songs, so it is
likely just a coincidence (of course, maybe Beverly loves listening to
the OP from Aishiteruze Baby!)

「Again」 (Fruits Basket 2019 OP)
Vocals: Beverly
Lyrics: 坂田麻美
Composition: XYZ
Arrangement: XYZ, Sally Cinnamon

「sunny side up」 (Aishiteruze Baby OP)
Vocals, lyrics: 一青窈
Composition, arrangement: 富田素弘

Interestingly, it seems both singers were born outside of Japan.

Sometimes when a famous singer is involved with the composition
(typically as a lyricist) their influence is clearly noticeable
on the final recording. Often this is due to the more famous
artist recording the guide vocal tracks used as a reference by
the performer. However, that does not appear to be the case here.

Some very stark examples of this influence I can think of in
recent memory are the endings of "Just Because!" (behind)
and "RerideD: Derrida, Who Leaps Through Time" (トキノツバサ);
with composition by やなぎなぎ and 黒石ひとみ, respectively.

[Brian Christiansen]

Post by Nick Bowler
There is no obvious artists in common between these two songs, so it is
likely just a coincidence (of course, maybe Beverly loves listening to
the OP from Aishiteruze Baby!)

...

That is all very interesting, but it does not change the fact that, to
me, the voice and the "style of singing" sound EXACTLY the same. You
might say that I do not listen to enough J-POP to hear the difference
between singers, and that would be true. Nonetheless, they sound the
same to me because the only time I listen to J-POP is in anime openings,
and I FF through those whenever possible.