One of the biggest differences between the 2001 adaptation and the 2019 adaptation is the storyline. Well, the plot is basically the same in both in which both anime revolves around Honda Tohru and her new life with the Sohma family, a family with members cursed by the spirit of the Chinese Zodiac. However, one glaring difference in the storyline is that the 2019 adaptation follows the manga to a T, with the exception of a few scenes. The 2019 adaptation feels a lot like reading the manga with the same dialogue, scenes, and the order of the storyline, unlike the 2001 anime that more or less picked and chose which scenes to include and cut out some of the other characters’ storylines. Whether or not you started with the 2001 anime or the manga first, you will be sure to appreciate how faithful the 2019 adaptation is to the source material. This has the 2019 feeling a lot less like a reverse harem than its 2001 counterpart, but that makes it all the more genuine as many of us fans know how the story is supposed to go! We only wonder how many episodes will be devoted to this adaptation as there is a lot of material to cover if we do one episode per chapter!

The animation style for Fruits Basket’s 2019 adaptation is vastly different from the 2001 version. The 2001 version is dated with faded looking colors and rather simplistic designs, while the 2019 version has a fresher look with great animation befitting a more modern shoujo anime. While we did enjoy the 2001 adaptation’s animation style at the time, we think TMS Entertainment did a great job with the animation for the 2019 adaptation.

Lastly, we just cannot forget about the music involved in Fruits Basket. The 2001 adaptation had such peaceful songs like Chiisana Inori and Serenade, which had a sort of healing or soothing effect, much like what Tohru does for each of the Sohmas. The opening For Fruits Basket was also quite enjoyable, but we have to say, we really love the music for 2019’s adaptation. While the music in the anime itself is nothing to note, you can tell a good amount of consideration was taken for Again and Lucky Ending, the songs that open and close the anime. They really suit Fruits Basket so well, and even this writer has to stop and listen to the music once in a while.