Honda Kyoko

Honda Kyoko is Tohru's mother, and Katsuya's wife. Through out her years in High school, she was call a Yankee. She was once a gang leader and was given the nickname "The Red Butterfly". The reason why she was call the Red Butterfly was because "Whenever Kyoko rode her bike, all you'd see were her tail lights fly right past you, like a red butterfly tearing *** into the night!" as Arisa stated.

Background
Kyoko was born into a cold household. Her father never thought about his family, and her mother only cared about her husband and her appearance. As a result, they barely paid Kyoko any attention, resulting in her feeling neglected. She joined a gang, even before she got into middle school, and she barely showed up at school. As she grew up, she saw the world as a bleak place, until she met Honda Katsuya. They spent a lot of time together and they both developed crushes on each other. She began going back to school and ditching her gang. After her gang beat her up, she was hospitalized. She couldn't take the high school entrance exams as a result. When she was discharged, she returned home to find her father dropping a bag of her belongings in front of her and declaring that he was disinheriting her and disowning her all together.

Katsuya then turned up and gave them a bit of a lecture for choosing to banish their daughter because she "didn't turn out the way they wanted". He then  asked Kyoko to marry him to her father's complete shock. He then asks if her father objects, which he doesn't since he no longer considers Kyoko his daughter. Kyoko and Katsuya then left and married shortly afterwards. then with Tohru being born many years later. She devastated when she found out that her husband die from a disease. She almost committed Suicide, but snapped out of it when she remember that she had to take care of Tohru.

After her husband's death, Kyoko had met a young Kyo when he was sitting in a place filled with unwanted pipes. She didn't care who he was or where he had come from but she knew that he was lonely, just like she was. Despite Kyo trying to distance himself from her (not liking the fact that they share almost similar names), Kyoko blatantly talks about Tohru, saying that her world revolves around Tohru. Despite their first meeting, Kyoko showed a picture of Tohru to Kyo without hesitation.

Eventually, they started warming up with each other and subsequently, Kyo learned of the Hondas address and would drop by secretly to spy on Tohru.

One day Tohru goes missing, causing Kyoko great distress. Kyo finds out what happened and promised to look for her, but Yuki found her first. Kyoko was holding the hat that Yuki left when Kyo returned from his search, and recognized it as his old hat that Yuki had found. He was angry that Kyoko had "sided with that guy". Kyoko tried explaining that it didn't matter if he was bad or not, but Kyo ran off, calling her a traitor.

Years later when her daughter enter middle school, Arisa was also a Yankee, and she idolized "The Red Butterfly". She bumped into Tohru and Tohru told Arisa about how her mom was Kyoko Honda. Arisa threatened to punch Tohru, but didn't, and went to Tohru's house after school to meet Kyoko. They were walking home when Kyoko jumped out and hugged Tohru. Arisa was introduced to the retired Yankee. Arisa was disgusted on the fact of Kyoko being cute, and motherly.

Angry, Arisa left Tohru's house. Then, Arisa realized she wanted a life like Tohru's, the more she hung out with her. Arisa, brave and scared, told her gang members that she was leaving the gang, and she would take whatever punishment. The gang started to beat up Arisa, then Kyoko, wearing her "Red Butterfly" jacket, came in, and saved Arisa, bringing her back to their house with Tohru waiting. Kyoko then gave her Red Butterfly jacket to Arisa. She then got to know Saki after the latter become friends with Tohru and Arisa.

Personality
Kyoko's personality changed overtime. As a teenager, before meeting Katsuya, she had personality traits that resembled both Tohru and Arisa. She was prone to violence and would easily jumped to conclusions and wild assumptions. On top of that, she could hold her own in a fist fight. However, deep in her heart, she did all this to get attention from her parents. All she wanted was for someone to start caring for her and to nurture her with love.

Appearance
When Kyoko was young she had very long dyed hair and would often wear her gang's usual garb of long coats and bandaged. She has purple eyes and it would appear that she dyed her hair to be rebellious. Her hair is depicted as strawberry blonde in illustrations and has no shading in the manga. As an adult she cut her hair short and is often seen in casual clothing in the Photographs that Tohru keeps of her.

Fruits Basket Manga
Every morning, when Kyoko left for work, Tohru would say "Come home safe!" The morning Tohru overslept from studying and didn't say that, Kyoko died in a car accident.

She was at a traffic junction, waiting to cross the road. Kyo had been standing behind her but out of guilt could not talk to her due to his rashness when he was younger. Apparently, as she crossed the road, a car sped at her (it was said that it seemed like speeding towards her only). Kyo could have dragged Kyoko away but he couldn't because it would reveal his curse in turn. Kyoko gets knocked down by the car and lies on the road, slowly bleeding to death as an ambulance was on the way.

As life replayed over her, Kyoko wished that she had loved Tohru even more. She wondered whether she had given enough love to Tohru that Katsuya couldn't. Kyoko knew she couldn't die just yet. Tohru had just entered high school, something she couldn't do. She wept as she could feel her life sweeping away, knowing that Tohru would be left all alone now.

In afterlife, she was shown crying in her middle school form. She, however, started to cry tears of joy when she finally 'reunites' with her late husband, telling her she has done a good job on raising Tohru with love that he could not.

Fruits Basket (Anime)
Tohru Honda, a high school girl, is introduced to Yuki Sohma and Shigure Sohma, as she passes by a house with little figurines of the Chinese zodiac laid out on the front porch. Since her mother, Kyoko Honda, recently died in a car accident and her father, Katsuya Honda, died when she was young,she subsequently moved in with her grandfather. However, due to her grandfather's house needing renovation, she takes to living in a tent on the Sohma lands. After Yuki and Shigure eventually become aware of this, they invite her to into their home, working as a housekeeper in return for room and board. Not long after, Kyo Sohma invades the dwelling to challenge Yuki. However, Tohru, in an attempt to stop the chaos,accidentally embracing each of them, finds out that Kyo, Yuki, and Shigure turn into a cat, a Rat, and Dog, respectively.

Tohru discovers the Sohma family secret; the thirteen members of the Sohma family are possessed by the vengeful spirits of the animals of the Chinese zodiac, and they transform into said animals if embraced by the opposite gender. Later, Yuki confronts Tohru concerning the family secret, and he warns that her memory of the family secret might be erased. Meanwhile, Shigure visits Akito Sohma, the head of the Sohma family, who decides to entrust Tohru with the Sohma secret. Shigure mentions that he has registered Kyo for high school, forcing Kyo to live with the others.

Yuki confronts Kyo about his anti-social behavior during his first day of school. Kyo reveals that while Yuki may want nothing more than to escape the Sohmas, he himself only wants to be accepted as a real member of the family. Tohru stops the two of them fighting by accidentally hugging Kyo, who yells at her in anger. Later on, Kyo meets Tohru in the forest on her way home to apologize for all the trouble he caused. Tohru forgives him, and the two reconcile. The next day, Yuki picks her up from work and she accidentally makes him transform into a Rat. Yuki reverts back to human form, and in an attempt to save them from the rain, takes Tohru to his secret garden where they try their best to cover the vegetables. Yuki confesses that he is only kind so others will like him, and admits that he is not as charming and polite as he appears. Tohru responds by saying that kindness comes and grows in all shapes and sizes.

Tohru finally goes back to living with her paternal grandfather, as his house renovations are complete. However, this turns out to be harder for Tohru than she thought, and leaves the Sohma family despondent. Joining Tohru in her grandfather's house is her paternal family, who view her more as a burden than a blessing. After a series of situations in which they are shown to be verbally abusive, Tohru's grandfather urges her to go where she would be happier. Yuki and Kyo arrive to retrieve her as she confesses that she is more satisfied living with the Sohma family. They all return to their house to meet up with Shigure. Tohru is happy to continue her new life living with the Sohma family.

Tohru invites her friends, Arisa Uotani and Saki Hanajima, to the Sohma household residence. Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure worry about what will happen if Arisa and Saki discover the Sohma family secret. The three struggle as they try to get acquainted with the girls while hiding their nervousness. Over the course of the visit, the boys have numerous encounters making contact with the girls, thereby transforming into their animal forms. Arisa and Saki, unaware of their transformations, become very suspicious, and Tohru gets increasingly nervous after each close call. Arisa and Saki soon realize that Tohru belongs in the Sohma household residence, after seeing how the Sohma family admires her, and depart none the wiser.

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.

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.

Yuki comes down with a fever. Although Tohru tries to convince him to stay home, he accepts a challenge from Kyo to a contest: he must win the endurance run at school the following day. Tohru meets Hatsuharu, the Ox of the Chinese zodiac, during the endurance run. It is shown that Hatsuharu also has dissociative identity disorder, and he intentionally trips Kyo during the challenge against Yuki. He has come to challenge Kyo, and the two engage in hand-to-hand combat. However, as Tohru and Yuki watch the two fight, Yuki feverishly collapses. Hatsuharu clasps Tohru, to which he transforms into a cow, instead of an Ox, and is to carry Yuki back to the household residence. Later on, Hatsuharu explains to Tohru why he used to hate the clever Rat for insulting the foolish Ox. However, he further explains how he later forgave himself for being envious of Yuki.

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.

Ayame Sohma, the Snake of the Chinese zodiac decides to pay a visit to the household residence, supposedly to see Yuki, being his older brother. Ayame turns out someone who is disliked by everyone except for Shigure and Hatori, as they were his childhood entourage. Ayame later tells Tohru that he has been separated from Yuki since he was born, making it difficult to bond with him. After hearing his story, Tohru devotes herself in assisting him. However, Ayame proves to be arduous for Yuki to cope with. Ayame begins to tells stories about how he was able to main his long hair as well as his active duty as the student council president when he was in high school. Hatsuharu soon contacts Hatori to take Ayame back to the Sohma main residence. It is revealed that Ayame only listens to Hatori because of his admiration for him.

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.

Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, and Hatori voyage to the Sohma summer house for a vacation. Yuki and Kyo decide to take a stroll with Tohru into the nearby forest. Tohru becomes worried when Kyo and Yuki are silent for unknown reasons. This causes her to lose balance and fall. Yuki and Kyo try to grab a hold of her, as they end up transforming into a Rat and a cat, respectively, to help break her fall. The two begin to bicker over nothing, and Tohru is relieved to see them act like their normal selves. They explain that they have started being comfortable around her as to not their guard down. Later on, Shigure contacts Ayame to join the rest of the group at the summer house, much to the despair of Yuki and Kyo. Yuki and Kyo then decide to walk toward the nearby lake. Meanwhile, Ayame tells Shigure and Hatori that Kana has been recently married to someone, reminding Hatori of his times with her. Ayame tries again to bond with Yuki once again, only to end up in failure. Tohru accidentally turns Ayame into a Snake, and Yuki throws Ayame into the lake.

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.

On her way to the household residence, Tohru bumps into Ritsu Sohma, the Monkey of the Chinese zodiac. Ritsu is known for being a cross-dresser, very apologetic, and deeply depressed. As the two appear at the household residence, Ritsu gives some presents to Shigure. Ritsu decides to leave before he causes any trouble for Tohru and the others. However, Tohru wanted to serve him some tea before his departure. Unfortunately, after Tohru accidentally breaks one of the tea glasses, this sends Ritsu into a panic attack, thinking it was his fault. Tohru tries to stop him from stepping in the broken glass, but she turns him into a Monkey, getting cut in the process. Ritsu goes to the roof of the house to commit suicide, but after Tohru convinces him not to, he nearly falls off the roof, twisting his ankle in the furtherance. Ritsu asks to stay at the household residence for three days, with Hatori looking over him. While walking back from school, Tohru runs into Ritsu again, who plans to bring a bag of jelly buns for Shigure. Tohru and Ritsu sit on a park bench to talk about his cross-dressing, his apologizing, and his depression. Tohru comforts him by saying that everyone has a reason to live, a reason that everyone must search for.

As his bead bracelet is removed from his wrist, Kyo evolves into a monstrous creature right in front of Tohru, causing him to evade her. Tohru follows after him, but she unknowing trips behind a tree and begins to vomit. Akito appears, as he taunts her about the knowledge of the Sohma family secret. Akito soon leaves when Shigure locates the two. He apologizes for her finding out the truth about Kyo, but regardless she continues to search for Kyo. Kagura talks with Yuki, saying that only Tohru can help Kyo, which, in turn, convinces Yuki to find Tohru, due to his affection for her. It is revealed that Kazuma took Kyo in as his adoptive son, because his grandfather suffered the same cursed during his time. Arisa and Saki head to Kyoko's tombstone once again, after Saki senses negative electric waves coming from Tohru. As they see Tohru there, Saki forbids Arisa from consoling her. She then orders Tohru to continue searching for Kyo.

Kyo is reminded of when his mother would check his bead bracelet often, due to her fear in his true form. Tohru finally ascertain Kyo by a lake, however he lashes out at her but is saved by Yuki, who restrains him. Tohru grasps his arm and tells him that she is frightened by his true form, but still wants to be together with him. Kyo calms down and changes back to his human form as the rain stops and the sun rises. He explains his mother always claimed to love him but was terrified of his true form. As they hug, Kyo changes into a cat. Tohru carries him home in her arms, with Yuki following, and are greeted by Shigure and Kazuma are relieved. Soon thereafter, Kazuma says his farewells to Kyo, as he takes his leave. Later on, after Tohru asks Shigure permission to speak with Akito, he talks to her privately, mentioning that Akito bears the core of the curse, not having very long to live. Yuki, Shigure, and Hatori accompany Tohru to the Sohma main residence to see Akito. Almost suddenly, Akito grabs her hair but has Yuki and Shigure restraining him, after Tohru is unable to say why she came. However, she begins to feel sympathetic, explaining that he still has a life to live. Releasing her hair from his hand, Akito eventually realizes that Tohru accepts the Sohma family curse.

Her Parents
Kyoko never really had a loving relationship with her parents, as her father never thought about his family and her mother only cared about her image and her husband. As a result, Kyoko was neglected by them. As Kyoko told Kyo Sohma, They never went out as a family and rarely even ate together. She couldn't even remember being held either.

Mr. Katsunuma shouted at Kyoko one time that are people that are needed and people who aren't, and that she was the latter. Mrs. Katsunuma then cried to Kyoko why she was like this, she said "Do you realize how angry your father will be at me, do you know what the neighbours are saying", only being concerned about herself.

After Kyoko was sent to hospital after being beaten up by her gang for leaving them, her parents refused to go to the hospital to visit her.

After Kyoko was discharged and returned to the household, her father dropped a bag full of her belongs and both her mother and father disowned her. at that time Katsuya Honda (Whom Kyoko had befriended and fallen in love with) turned up and proposed marriage to Kyoko. Both he and Kyoko left the Katsunuma household and never returned since.

After Katsuya's death from illness many years later, her father rang Kyoko to tell her not to bother coming back to the house, as he and her mother had no intention of taking her back.

Kyoko never reconciled with her parents as she was killed in a road accident later on in adulthood.

It is unknown if they know about their daughter's death, as Tohru doesn't know her maternal grandparents.

Honda Katsuya
Their relationship was very strong and in love with each other. One day after being sent to the principal's office for her street fashion and threatening the other teachers with a chair, Katsuya Honda went in the room and talked to her. He tells her that he thinks that she wants to love people and be loved herself. She breaks down in tears and confesses that she feels alone. As her time in middle school continued, she spent most of her time talking to Katsuya and eventually starts to fall in love with him.

Even though he had ended his job as a trainee teacher at Kyoko's school, Katsuya still helps her study for the high school entrance exams, however she is beaten up and hospitalized by her gang before she even gets the chance to take them. After her parents disown her, Katsuya turns up at her house suddenly and gives them a lecture for choosing to turn their backs on their daughter because she "didn't turn out the way they wanted" and then proposes marriage. He told her that he fell in love with her because she cried and confessed to being lonely, where he could not.

Kyoko and Katsuya then marry later on. although the other Honda family members were opposed to the marriage, Katsuya's father gave the two his blessing.

They shifted to a ocean viewing house as Kyoko loved the ocean deeply. Daily, they would lead their lives care-freely, with Katsuya always saying, "Welcome home." to Kyoko whenever he reaches home earlier than Kyoko.

Kyoko got a shock when she found out that she was pregnant. Afraid of giving birth to a child, she secretly went to a hospital to check without telling Katsuya. When he came home, Kyoko told him that she was pregnant and broke down. She feared that their child would hate her since she was a gangster in her past and worried if she would be bad on being a mother. She recalls the time when she had yelled at her mother on wishing the latter hadn't had her. Kyoko broke down with great grief. Katsuya told her that it would be fine and their child would accept her. Eventually, Kyoko and Katsuya had a daughter and named her Tohru.

On the last time they spoke to each other, Katsuya had suggested to Kyoko on wanting Tohru to have a sibling and Kyoko was delighted.

Kyoko was devastated by Katsuya's death from pneumonia (which wasn't found early) and nearly committed suicide.

Tohru's Grandfather
Although the other Honda family members were opposed to the marriage, Katsuya's father gave the two his blessing.

Honda Tohru
Kyoko and Tohru have a loving relationship. Kyoko is Tohru's loving mother and has raised her as a single mother. Kyoko holds a very special place in Tohru's heart. Tohru always desires to be attached to her mother and constantly thinks about her mother. In many episodes, we see flashbacks of Kyoko hugging and telling Tohru that she is so cute and that she loves her so much. They both share many memories. Wherever Tohru goes, she is always carrying a photograph in a frame of her mother smiling while holding a peace sign.

Sohma Kyo
She soon met Kyo Sohma, and became like a mother to him. When Tohru got lost, Kyo promised to look for her, but Yuki found her first. Kyoko was holding the hat that Yuki left, and Kyo recognized it as the hat Yuki found. He was angry that Kyoko had "sided with that guy". Kyoko tried explaining that it didn't matter if he was bad or not, but Kyo ran off, calling her a traitor. Before he could run, she called, "Don't forget your promise!" Kyo was present at the time Kyoko died, but he couldn't save her.

Kyo and Kyoko were standing on the street, waiting to cross the street and then Kyoko walked on and Kyo saw that a car was coming but afraid of changing into his animal form and didn't pull her back and ultimately it led to Kyoko getting into a car accident and Kyo has never been able to forgive himself for being selfish and not saving Kyoko who is the mother of the woman he loved, Tohru. When Kyoko noticed him, she said, "I won't forgive you..." Kyo ran away, but it turns out that what she meant to say was, "I won't forgive you unless you keep your promise to protect Tohru".

Uotani Arisa
Arisa idolized "The Red Butterfly". She bumped into Tohru and Tohru told Arisa about how her mom was Kyoko Honda. Arisa threatened to punch Tohru, but didn't, and went to Tohru's house after school to meet Kyoko. They were walking home when Kyoko jumped out and hugged Tohru. Arisa was introduced to the retired Yankee. Arisa was disgusted on the fact of Kyoko being cute, and motherly.

Angry, Arisa left Tohru's house. Then, Arisa realized she wanted a life like Tohru's the more she hung out with her. Arisa, being brave and scared at the same time, told her gang members that she was leaving the gang, and she would take whatever punishment. The gang started to beat up Arisa, then Kyoko, wearing her "Red Butterfly" jacket, came in, and saved Arisa, bringing her back to their house with Tohru waiting.

Hanajima Saki
Saki and Kyoko had a long lasting friendship. She gave Saki advice, whenever she was fillling sad.

Knownable Relatives

 * Honda Katsuya (Husband/dead)
 * Honda Tohru (Daughter)
 * Tohru's Grandfather (Father in law)
 * Sohma Kyo (Son in law)

Trivia

 * She has never appeared during the present time, but she only appears through mentions, visions and flashbacks.
 * She is known as the "Red Butterfly" by gangs.
 * She is Arisa's idol and mother figure.
 * Her English voice actress also does Omani Sohma's voice.

Voice Actresses
all information on Honda Kyoko came from http://fruitsbasket.wikia.com/wiki/Kyoko_Honda
 * Japanese : Reiko Yashara
 * English : Julie Mayfield