Yuki Sohma

The Rat of the Chinese zodiac who transforms when embracing someone of the opposite sex.

Yuki Sohma is a central character created by Natsuki Takaya, appearing in the manga serialized in Hana to Yume from July 1998 to November 2006. As one of the twelve members of the Soma family cursed to transform into an animal of the Chinese zodiac upon embracing someone of the opposite sex, he embodies the Rat. Takaya created him soon after Tohru Honda, together with Kyo, and had him dress in Chinese-style clothes because she likes them and believes they suit his androgynous nature. While distinct from Kyo in taste, Yuki serves as part of the main cast alongside Tohru, Kyo, and Shigure Soma, navigating a story where he meets the rest of the zodiac and the family head, Akito Soma.

Quick Facts

Zodiac sign: Rat
Family affiliation: Soma Clan (Cursed Branch)
Key relationship: Tohru Honda, Kyo Sohma

Lore & Background

Yuki's name does not follow the month-name convention used for most of the cursed Sohmas, because Takaya came up with it before deciding the other names. Within the family dynamic, Yuki is one of the twelve possessed members who transform into their zodiac forms when they embrace someone of the opposite sex—significant emotional stress can also trigger transformation. The author deliberately gave him different tastes from Kyo to distinguish the two characters, noting that she likes Chinese-style clothes and believes they fit his nature. As part of the main cast developed early in the conception phase, Yuki's character is defined by his relationship with Tohru Honda, who learns about these twelve members and resolves to break the curse affecting them.

Reader's Guide

For readers following the official English releases licensed by Tokyopop in North America or FUNimation Entertainment for the anime, names are presented in Western order with the family name last. Yuki Sohma's transformation is triggered specifically by embracing someone of the opposite sex or enduring great stress, a rule applied to all thirteen cursed members. His visual design includes Chinese-style clothing chosen by Takaya to highlight his androgynous traits, distinguishing him from Kyo Soma. The character appears in the 26-episode anime produced by Studio DEEN, which initially aired on TV Tokyo between July 5 and December 27, 2001, as well as in drama CDs distributed with Hana to Yume issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Tohru Honda impact Yuki Sohma?

Tohru’s kindness helps Yuki confront his loneliness and fear of abandonment, eventually allowing him to heal from his emotional scars. Yuki is touched when Tohru asks that he remain her friend even if her memory is erased, which no one had asked him before.