Date of Award
Spring 5-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
English
First Advisor
Justine Van Meter
Second Advisor
Stephanie Takaragawa
Third Advisor
Anna Leahy
Abstract
This thesis examines the various traumas within Takaya Natsuki’s anime series Fruits Basket and how the act of transformation triggers the beginnings of recovery for numerous characters. Fruits Basket bears striking similarities to the French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast (as well as later adaptations) originated by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve. Throughout, I draw parallels between the “Beauty and the Beast”-genre with Fruits Basket and how the anime expands upon shared themes, specifically trauma. Additionally, I analyse the birth of and recovery from traumas (caused by bullying, loss, abuse, and feelings of otherness) for “Beauty and the Beast” archetypes within Fruits Basket, along with others. Takaya’s anime demonstrates an understanding of trauma: the journeys various characters undertake stress the importance of a having strong, supportive social system to initiate the steps for recovery.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
North, Vesper. Traumas and Recovery in Takaya Natsuki's Fruits Basket. 2022. Chapman University, MA Thesis. Chapman University Digital Commons, https://doi.org/10.36837/chapman.000352
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