Tohru Honda

Lore & Background

Tohru was raised by her mother, Kyoko Honda, until a car accident killed Kyoko shortly before Tohru entered high school. Orphaned and living with her grandfather, she moved into a tent on Sohma property when his house required remodeling. A landslide buried the tent, leading Shigure to invite her in as a housekeeper for room and board. During this time, Tohru accidentally embraced Kyo, revealing his cat transformation, followed by transformations of Yuki (Rat) and Shigure (Dog). The family explained their curse: they possess zodiac spirits plus the Cat spirit, which was excluded from the original feast. Akito Sohma, the mysterious head, threatened to erase Tohru's memories unless she kept their secret. Tohru instead vowed to break the curse, meeting other cursed members like Hatori, Ayame, Kisa, Hiro, and Ritsu. She treasures her mother's photograph and feels distressed when she believes she is being unfaithful to Kyoko's memory, such as when falling in love with Kyo or receiving failing grades.

In Their Own Story

When Tohru first met the Sohmas, she was living in a tent that a landslide destroyed. Shigure convinced her to move in, where Kyo arrived to fight Yuki. In the confusion, Tohru hugged Kyo, causing him to transform into a cat; stumbling upon Yuki and Shigure caused them to turn into a Rat and Dog respectively. As she settled in, Tohru befriended the three Sohmas, particularly Yuki and Kyo. She promised to keep their secret but resolved to break the curse after learning of Momiji's separation from his sister Momo and Arisa's longing for the bound Kureno. When Akito revealed a bet that could confine the Cat forever, Tohru sought help from Kazuma, Rin, and Kureno. Her feelings for Kyo grew, leading her to admit she wanted him freed because she loved him, though this distressed her due to her vow to her mother. After confessing, Kyo revealed he knew Kyoko and could have saved her but feared revealing his curse; Tohru realized her mother's final words meant she should take care of Kyo. When Akito claimed Tohru's kindness weakened the bond, causing Momiji and Hiro's freedom, Tohru confronted Akito, realizing they were both trapped by the past. She offered friendship before falling down a cliff during a rainstorm, an event that helped Akito break away from her role as the 'god' of the zodiac.

Reader's Guide

The Sohma family is bound by a curse where thirteen members transform into zodiac animals upon being embraced by the opposite sex or under great stress. The hierarchy centers on Akito, who acts as the 'god' and controls the clan. Tohru navigates this by acting as a housekeeper and friend rather than a subordinate. She uses super-polite language incorrectly, a habit picked up from her dead father Katsuya to replace him in her mother's eyes. Her approach involves listening and validating individuals like Hatori, Ayame, Kisa, Hiro, and Ritsu, helping them overcome trauma. Tohru challenges the curse by refusing to fear the transformed members and encouraging connections between them, such as helping Yuki accept his role as student council president after recognizing her as the lost girl he once led home. She also supports Kyo through his 'true form' revelation, staying with him even when he tries to push her away. Her journey involves overcoming her own grief, realizing that clinging to her mother's memory prevents her from moving forward and falling in love.

Did You Know?

• Tohru's name is normally used only for men because creator Natsuki Takaya likes giving masculine names to female characters to balance them out.
• Other characters address Tohru as 'Tohru-kun' using a typically male honorific, which Takaya considered a more dignified form of address.
• Tohru's father named her Tohru because it 'brought out her hidden flavor, like adding salt to sweet things.'
• English voice actor Laura Bailey found Tohru's formality the most difficult aspect to portray, as English lacks Japanese speech formality.
• Tohru picked up her habit of speaking formally from her dead father Katsuya after he died when she was three.