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Crunchyroll Adds New Fruits Basket Anime

Crunchyroll announced onTuesday that it will stream the new television anime of Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket manga. The series will debut on Friday in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Crunchyroll also began streaming an English-subtitled cast interview video.

Crunchyroll describes the anime's story:

Tohru Honda thought her life was headed for misfortune when a family tragedy left her living in a tent. When her small home is discovered by the mysterious Soma clan, she suddenly finds herself living with Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Soma. But she quickly learns their family has a bizarre secret of their own: when hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into the animals of the Zodiac!

The previously announced new cast includes:

• Manaka Iwami as Tohru Honda
• Nobunaga Shimazaki as Yuki Sohma
• Yūma Uchida as Kyo Sohma
• Yūichi Nakamura as Shigure Sohma
• Atsumi Tanezaki as Arisa Uotani
• Satomi Satou as Saki Hanajima
• Rie Kugimiya as Kagura Sohma
• Megumi Han as Momiji Sohma
• Makoto Furukawa as Hatsuharu Sohma
• Kazuyuki Okitsu as Hatori Sohma
• Takahiro Sakurai as Ayame Sohma
• Maaya Sakamoto as Akito Sohma
• Miyuki Sawashiro as Kyōko Honda
• M.A.O as Motoko Minagawa

The anime's English dub cast includes: (* denotes a returning cast member)

• Laura Bailey* as Tohru Honda
• Eric Vale* as Yuki Sohma
• Jerry Jewell* as Kyo Sohma
• John Burgmeier* as Shigure Sohma
• Tia Ballard as Kagura Sohma
• Mikaela Krantz as Momiji Sohma
• Justin Cook* as Hatsuharu Sohma
• Elizabeth Maxwell as Arisa Uotani
• Jad Saxton as Saki Hanajima
• Kent Williams* as Hatori Sohma
• Christopher R. Sabat* as Ayame Sohma
• Colleen Clinkenbeard as Akito Sohma
• Lydia Mackay as Kyōko Honda

The new anime will have an entirely new Japanese cast and staff, as per Takaya's request. The new anime will cover the entire manga's story.

The anime will premiere in Japan on TV Tokyo on April 5 late at night at 1:23 a.m. (effectively April 6), before airing less than an hour later on both TV Osaka and TV Aichi. Funimation will stream the anime on FunimationNow. Funimation has also licensed the home video rights. The company screened the first two episodes of the anime in theaters in the United States on March 26 (English-dubbed) and March 27 (English-subtitled). The screenings featured an "exclusive gift pack" and Japanese and English voice actor commentary.

Yoshihide Ibata (Pikaia!!, FLCL Progressive) is directing the anime at TMS Entertainment. Taku Kishimoto (Silver Spoon, Haikyu!!, 91 Days, Hanebad!) is in charge of series composition. Masaru Shindou (Macross Delta, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU) is drawing the character designs. Takaya herself is serving as executive supervisor.

Beverly is performing the opening theme song "Again," and Vickeblanka is performing the ending theme song "Lucky Ending."

Takaya serialized the original Fruits Basket manga in Hakusensha's Hana to Yume magazine from 1998-2006. Tokyopop released the manga in English from 2004 to 2009, and Yen Press re-released the manga in 12 updated omnibus volumes beginning in June 2016. The original manga inspired a television anime adaptation in 2001.

Source: Crunchyroll