Sohma Momiji

Sohma Momiji (草摩 紅葉) is the rabbit of the Chinese Zodiac. When he first appears in Fruits Basket, he is about to enter 10th grade, and towards the end of the series he is entering his third and final year of his time at Kaibara High.

Momiji appears to be the most child-like in the series, easily mistaken as a middle school student when he was really about to enter high school. Tohru also compares Momiji and Hatsuharu in her mind when she realizes that Momiji is actually the same age as Hatsuharu and that they are both one year younger than Yuki and Kyo. Tohru compares their height and maturity level and is convinced that they are completely different from what she thought. In the spring, Momiji and Hatsuharu are expected to attending the same high school as Tohru, Kyo and Yuki.

Background
Momiji is half German-Japanese (Japanese on his father's side, German on his mother's). She and Momiji's father met in college. Their entire relationship went well until Momiji's birth. Those possessed by the Sohma curse are born two months early. This alone put a great amount of pressure on Momiji's mother, and to make things worse, when she tried to hold him he transformed.

At this, Momiji's mother broke. She was unable to smile, and she would snap when ever she saw him. It became so bad that they had to erase her memory. Momiji believed that, no matter how awful a memory is, it shouldn't be erased, but in order to help his mother recover, he agreed to have Hatori erase her memories.

Personality
Momiji is fifteen years old and almost always bubbly, cheerful, and fun. In the anime, he is seen playing "Cops and Robbers" with three older boys in the school hall. He came from a rich family, as his father is a business man. Momiji is also considered as one of the most successful among the boys of Sohma clan. He is very cute, but there is a somber side of him that not many people see. That is almost certainly because his own mother doesn't know that he is her son.

When people cursed by the Zodiac are born, they are born two months prematurely. When Momiji was born two months early, his mother was very worried, and as soon as she held him, he turned into a rabbit. She was so confused and was frightened by the transformation. She tried to love and care for Momiji, but it was too much for her to handle. Sometimes she would snap, and hit or scream at him. Soon, Momiji's father convinced Hatori to erase his wife's memories and ultimately forget Momiji, her only son.

After, Momiji's mother just thought he was someone else's son from the Sohma family (she asks Momiji if he should be going home soon in his father's office building and was concerned about his mother worrying about him). Momiji practices the violin, but was pulled out of class by his father when the latter found out that Momo would be attending classes taught by the same teacher. Momo is curious about Momiji, once remarking to her mother that she looks just like him. Her mother brushed it off, but Momo remains suspicious of Momiji. Momiji is often seen as cheerful but when it comes to his mother, he is often mature and calm and often quite sad, knowing that he cannot call her by who she is to him, his mom.

He cares a lot for Tohru, and is quite taken by her, such as when he hugged her before being formally introduced and promptly created a large ruckus at the Onigiri festival. Momiji often teases Kyo that if he doesn't get to Tohru soon, he will take her for himself, causing Kyo to get very mad and hit him or call him a name.

Appearance
Momiji has blonde hair, which was inherited from his mother, and brown eyes; most of his physical features were from his mother. For a large part of the series, Momiji is seen wearing childish, lacy, ruffly clothing. He wore the girls' uniform at school with shorts instead of a skirt (though was seen near the end of the series wearing the boys' uniform, looking more mature), which prompts Kyo to hit and yell at him. He has been seen with painted fingernails, and studs in his ears.

Fruits Basket Manga
When going camping at Sohma's summer house, he and Tohru scavenge for beetles, along with Hiro and Kisa. Akito visited the house before he left, to visit Tohru. Momiji tries to protect Tohru from her, and when Momiji is struck by Akito, Tohru, who was out for some fresh air, stepped between the two. She is then also injured by Akito. He then apologizes, after he runs to get the adults' assistance.

In Volume 13, Chapter 74, his younger sister, Momo, grows suspicious of his resemblance to her mother ever since they first met at their father's office building. His father immediately pulls him out of violin lessons, because Momo is going to the same teacher and she is asking about him. On Tohru's way to find out whether Kureno Sohma is the same Kureno that Arisa kept mentioning, she catches Momo sneaking into the Sohma grounds to watch Momiji play his violin.

Tohru talks to her, and Momo reveals that she has been stalking him from afar for a long time. She wants Momiji to act as her "big brother" and asks Tohru to tell Momiji. Tohru promises she will. When she tells Momiji, this causes him to cry because he is so happy that Momo would want such a thing.

In Volume 19 (Chapter 111), Momiji has grown very much, looks very mature and wears the boy's school uniform. However, he still wears his rabbit backpack and acts childish (i.e. being excited over ice cream). In fact, he walks with Tohru and holds her hand. In this volume, Haru noted that Momiji and Tohru looked like a couple from any angle as they are still very close, and hold hands while walking.

In Volume 20, Chapter 115, Momiji's curse is broken. He is the second one (after Kureno) to have it broken.

Akito realizes that his curse was broken and begs Momiji to stay. However, Momiji tells Akito that he will come back to him next time. At school, Haru, Yuki and Kyo realize that Momiji feels 'different', even late for school, though he was his usual self. He stands alone across a school corridor and watches Tohru talking to Yuki and Haru. Kyo arrives and informs him that the other two were worried about him as well as himself. Momiji then informs Kyo that his curse was broken (hence the strange feeling between the four of them) and tells Kyo with a sad smile on his face that Tohru would be happier if Kyo's curse was broken.

After school, Momiji came back to Akito and he told her that he cannot live by her side any longer as he was no longer bound to Akito by any means. Akito slaps him on his left cheek out of anger and scolds him, saying that if he leaves, he will have nowhere else to go and call home.

It is unknown as to what specifically happens to Momiji at the end of the series. In the last chapter, he had told Haru (with Rin nearby) that he wants to find a girlfriend as cute as Tohru and show her off to Kyo. He has matured in both appearance and attitude, though this is sort of sudden (though it might be attributed to the fact that his curse is broken).

Fruits Basket (Anime)
The high school is planning cultural festival, blueprinting a creative idea regarding rice balls. The class picks Yuki's hit-or-miss method over Kyo's all-or-nothing plan. Tohru realizes that Yuki and Kyo admire each other, comparing them to rice balls with pickled plums on their backs. During the cultural festival, Yuki is asked to wear a dress, much to his humiliation. Soon thereafter, Momiji Sohma and Hatori Sohma, the Rabbit and Dragon of the Chinese zodiac respectively, pay a visit. Tohru learns from Hatori that Yuki has asthma, though it is steadily becoming less severe. Momiji insists on hugging Tohru just to transform into a Rabbit, causing complications for everyone. Yuki warns Tohru to not be alone with Hatori. Hatori privately enjoins her to visit the Sohma main residence, after which Tohru becomes worried that her memories may be erased.

Tohru is amazed at the grandeur of the Sohma main residence. Hatori calls for her in his room, where she is told more about the Sohma family secret. Later, Momiji tells Tohru of the history of Hatori. It is revealed that he was involved with Kana Sohma, and that his left eye was injured by Akito. However, due to the fact that Kana knew so much about the Sohma family secret, he was forced to erase her memories. As it begins to snow, Hatori notices how strongly Tohru resembles Kana. Tohru accidentally slips off the front porch of the room, Hatori embraces her to break her fall, and turns into a Seahorse, rather than a Dragon. Once he reverts back, after drying off, Shigure turns up with Momiji and hot drinks. On the way home, Tohru catches a glimpse of Akito but does not officially meet him.

While Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo, along with Arisa and Saki, help spruce up the Sohma household residence for New Year's Day, Shigure is harassed by his editor, Mitsuru, finish his manuscript. After Mitsuru is given the manuscript and after Arisa and Saki help clean the house, Tohru is told that the boys will be spending their New Year's Day at a banquet held in the main residence. However, Yuki and Kyo have their own excuses not to go to. Shigure convinces the two to attend the banquet, but the three are stopped by Saki, who subtly convinces Yuki and Kyo to stay with Tohru, who would otherwise be spending the day alone, while Shigure goes on to the main residence alone. Shigure informs Akito of Yuki and Kyo's absence, and Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo watch the sunrise together, making wishes for the New Year.

On Valentine's Day, Tohru decides to buy chocolates for Sohma relatives that she had recently met to thank them for everything they've done for her. Meanwhile, Kyo has to deal with Kagura and refuses to eat her chocolate. After a month, the high school was the midterm exams. Shortly thereafter, Tohru decides to work overtime, but to unknown reasons. Later in the evening, Momiji comes by the household residence to invite Tohru to a trip to a hot springs resort for White Day, to which Yuki and Kyo would eventually tag along. Shigure gets a phone call from Tohru's grandfather saying that the fees for her class trip haven't been paid, and Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure then realized that she used her money earned in order to buy chocolates for everyone. Kyo becomes aggravated, knowing that she could have spent all the money for herself rather than for everyone else. Momiji tells a story of a foolish traveler who seemed too generous and was always tricked. He compares the traveler to Tohru, commenting on how she gives so that everyone can be happy even if she is not.

Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and Momiji go to the Sohma hot springs resort. The group is startled by the hostess of the host springs resort, and she later apologizes repeatedly for her actions. Tohru eventually learns that she becomes lightheaded when in the hot springs bath, especially when Momiji helps her sing with him. The hostess later reveals to Tohru that her son is a member of the Chinese zodiac. Later on Tohru plays ping-pong with Kyo, but she misses the ball served by him. As Yuki leaves the room, Tohru follows him, discovering that he admits he would have been ashamed to laugh in front of Kyo and Momiji. He then surprises her with a gift for White Day, two gold hair ribbons fit for a real princess. Afterwards, Tohru finds out that Momiji and Hatsuharu will be enrolled for high school the following semester, much to the surprise of Tohru.

Momiji and Hatsuharu begin their first year in high school. Kyo saves Tohro from two high school boys while they were looking for both of them. Kyo sees Momiji wearing a female uniform, much to his chagrin, and sees Hatsuharu wearing a male uniform, much to his relief. The student council president, Takei Makoto, arrives to rant on about Momiji's outfit as well as Hatsuharu's natural black and white hair, however Hatsuharu defends against Takei. Akito comes to the high school and introduces himself to Tohru. Yuki is terrified when he sees Akito with Tohru, assuming he threatened her, or did something else. Akito then confronts him about skipping the banquet held on New Year's Day. He threatens Yuki about his past, to when he was whipped constantly in an isolated room, which physically and mentally traumatizes Yuki. Tohru interrupts to push Akito away, however feeling awful for doing it, in order to excuse Yuki to go back to class with her. Akito takes his leave soon thereafter. Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, Momiji, Hatsuharu, Arisa, and Saki all plan an afternoon playing badminton, in an attempt to cheer Yuki up. Meanwhile, Hatori philosophically mentions to Shigure that if Yuki could be hurt by Akito, then he could also be healed by Tohru.

Yuki, Kyo, Arisa, and Saki all come along with Tohru to visit the tombstone of Kyoko, Tohru's mother. Yuki wonders how Tohru can be content with her life after the deaths of both her mother and father. They soon have a picnic in front of the tombstone to commemorate the memories of Kyoko. Saki begins to worry about Tohru's life among the Sohma family. Later on, during work, Tohru meets with Momiji, who explain his parents' roles within the building she works at. She soon finds out that his mother is amnesic. Momiji explains to her that his mother rejected him for being a member of the Chinese zodiac, and, as a result, requested for her memories of him to be eradicated. Tohru and Momiji then vow to keep their memories to be strong enough in the future to look back to what been remembered in the past.

During a downpour, Hatsuharu introduces Tohru and Yuki to Kisa Sohma, the Tiger of the Chinese zodiac. Kisa is mute due to being bullied as a child. Yuki begins to have sympathy over her after he learns that Kisa ran away from her home and stopped attending middle school. Kisa's mother later arrives, worried as to why she ran away from her home. Tohru responds by saying that Kisa might feel rejected by her mother if she knew about Kisa being bullied at her school. Kisa is agreed to stay at the household residence until further notice. During that time, Kisa seems to be clinging to Tohru, following her wherever Tohru went. Tohru and Yuki meet with Momiji and Hatsuhara after school, figuring out that Kisa was bullied at her school for her hair and eye color. After Hatsuharu receives a letter from Kisa's middle school, Yuki reads it to her. Yuki and Hatsuharu encourages her to speak and later to attend school again, after they explain that one must be accepted by others before one can be accepted by oneself.

Due to depression and stress because of failing one test on the midterm exams, Tohru comes down with fever and bedridden. Even though Tohru is worried about making dinner or going to work, Kyo and Shigure tells her to get some rest until the fever lets up. Shigure calls Momiji to cover for Tohru at work, while Kyo decides to make leek soup to care for her. Shigure ridicules Kyo after he notices Kyo wearing a gas mask and goggles while cooking the leek soup, as. When Kyo gives the leek soup to Tohru, she later starts to cry, explaining to him that the failed test and the fever were the sources of her depression and stress. After Tohru goes to sleep, Yuki arrives, only to find out that Kyo used the leeks in Yuki's garden to make the leek soup. Momiji, Hatori, and Kisa visit the household residence to check up on Tohru. Yuki comes by to give her a study guide he constructed for her in preparation for the retest of the midterm exam, which she later takes and passes.

While on her way to work, Tohru encounters Hiro Sohma, the Goat of the Chinese zodiac. He is shown as a person who practices sophism, constantly hurling verbal insults. Hiro steals Tohru's notebook from her handbag, causing her to panic. Tohru, Kyo, Momiji, and Kisa all find him to confront his attitude. Returning her notebook, Hiro then admits his jealousy toward Tohru, because of how affectionate he is for Kisa. While Tohru and Kisa spend time with Hiro, Kyo becomes upset of the way Hiro is treating Tohru. It is later discovered that Hiro is fond of Kisa and wants to protect her, that after blaming himself for not defending her when she was bullied at school. Tohru takes them to a playground and they stop by a nearby vendor for ice cream. She cheers Hiro up by saying that he is courageous for always caring for Kisa.

Knownable Relatives

 * His father (father)
 * His mother 9mother/rejected)
 * Sohma Momo (little sister)
 * Honda Tohru (best friend)
 * Sohma Kyo (cousin0
 * Sohma Yuki (cousin)
 * Sohma Shigure (cousin)

Trivia

 * Momiji's rabbit form has red eyes, but is not completely white, because his fur color is influenced by his German descent. This means his rabbit form may be partially albino.
 * He seems to take after his mother a lot more than his father in personality and looks. Momo has noticed this, telling her mother that he looks just like her.
 * Momiji was intended to be named Kureno, but due to a mix-up, was dubbed Momiji. The author says that she feels good about this, because the name Momiji fits him better.
 * The vision the girls in student council have of a more mature Momiji turns to out to be similar, if not identical, to the real grown-up Momiji.
 * He seems to be very similar in appearance and behavior with Ouran High School Host Club's Mitsukuni Haninozuka also know as "Honey". Both are childish, cute, blond and somehow associated with rabbits. Momiji turns into one while Honey loves his stuffed bunny named "Usa-chan".

Voice Actresses
Japanese : Akaya Saito

English : Kimberly Grant