Ritsu Sohma

The Monkey of the zodiac, who apologizes for everything.

Ritsu Sohma is the Monkey of the Chinese zodiac in Fruits Basket. He is depicted as a beautiful but unstable young man with very low self-esteem who apologizes frantically for everything, even things that are not his fault.

Quick Facts

Affiliation: Sohma Family
Status: Alive and free from the curse by series end

Lore & Background

In this he takes after his mother, the hostess of the Sohma family's onsen, whose position he is in training to take over. He dresses in women's clothing because he says he then feels less pressure from society, and Tohru first mistakes him for a woman. As the Monkey he has fast reflexes and an extremely agile body.

Reader's Guide

Shigure likes to play on Ritsu's insecurities and gullibility, much as he does with his editor, Mitsuru; when Ritsu and Mitsuru meet, they realize they have this in common. Ritsu is one of the cursed Sohmas Tohru is able to help through her kindness and sympathy. In the final chapter of the manga he has cut his hair short, is not dressed like a girl, and is giving Kagura one of his women's kimono.

Did You Know?

In an author's note, Takaya said she regretted how small a role Ritsu played in the main story: he appears five times in all.
Takaya derived his name from odakaritsuki, "rice harvest month", the eighth month of the traditional Japanese calendar and the month of the Monkey.