Hiro Sohma

Hiro Sohma
Fruits Basket character
Created by	Natsuki Takaya
Voiced by	Yuriko Fuchizaki (Japanese) Aaron Dismuke (English)
Profile
Age	11-12
Occupation	Junior High student
Zodiac spirit	Sheep

Hiro Sohma (草摩 燈路, Sōma Hiro^?) is a fictional character in the manga and anime series entitled Fruits Basket, transforming into the ram of the Chinese Zodiac whenever he is hugged by the opposite gender or when his body comes under a great deal of stress. Hiro Sohma is the youngest of the cursed Sohmas. He is most commonly associated with Kisa Sohma as a companion. He also appears to be close to his older cousin, Isuzu Sohma. His mother became pregnant and had a baby girl named Hinata, so Hiro is now an older brother. Hiro seems to be the only Sohma who is fully loved and accepted by both of his parents.

Personality

Hiro is probably the most confrontational and aggressive of all the cursed Sohmas on the outside. Often, he acts rude and sarcastic around others and hides many of his true feelings. He often uses a twisted logic to talk down to adults who act in ways he does not like. Tohru is often the victim, such as when he is willing to pick up a shoe he dropped, at which time he also asks her if she would jump off a bridge if someone asked her to. He is also somewhat like Kyo Sohma. Though seemingly very brash and stubborn for his age, on the inside, Hiro is still just a young boy learning how to cope with complicated issues along with bearing the weight of the Sohma family curse. However, as the series progresses, Hiro is seen growing tall and becoming much more mature.

Role in the story

Relationship with Kisa

Hiro and Kisa have been together for most of their lives. Partially because of this, Hiro developed a love for Kisa. This was not a problem until, not knowing the consequences, Hiro told Akito Sohma that he really loved Kisa. Akito then physically beat Kisa one day (he slammed her against a wall in the anime), inflicting damage so severe it took nearly two full weeks for her to heal completely. After that moment, Hiro, blaming himself, tried as hard as possible to distance himself from Kisa. He still blames himself for the incident. Unfortunately, just as Hiro was distancing himself, Kisa's classmates turned on her, beginning to tease her mercilessly. Through at the end of the manga there are signs of a romantic relationship. Soon Hiro admits that he really cares about Kisa in episode 21.

Relationship with Tohru

Luckily for Tohru Honda, she did for Kisa what Hiro wanted to do; help Kisa recover. Kisa became so enthralled with her that Hiro became jealous of Tohru. Without knowing any other option, Hiro decided that he would be the terror in Tohru's life. After greeting her on her way to work, he made off with a notebook containing her mother's picture. With Momiji's help, Tohru was able to get the notebook back. The incident also revealed to everyone Hiro's true feelings. As Momiji Sohma explains (to Kyo, who had asked why Hiro was acting the way he was), "Hiro was jealous of Tohru, and for a 6th grader that sort of thing can be hard to handle. He needed to vent." As "punishment" for taking the notebook, Tohru hugs Hiro and we finally find out which zodiac animal Hiro is: the sheep/ram. Despite Hiro's aversion to Tohru, she was not able to help him. Hiro, even after telling Kisa his feelings, still felt guilty about Kisa getting hurt because of him. Then Hiro finally confronts Tohru while they are at the park buying crepes for themselves. He tells her that she's ordinary and then asks her if the rumors are true. Can she really solve anyone's problem and heal his or her pain? Hiro unknowingly voices some of his thoughts near Tohru. He thinks he is a coward because he couldn't help Kisa. He hates that he is a powerless child, and he wants to be grown-up. Tohru tells him that he is actually amazing for even being able to admit that he is still a child; it takes a significant amount of courage. Tohru tells him that with his bravery, he will someday be a prince that can always protect Kisa.

In the manga

Several events profoundly affecting Hiro's character occur only in the manga. In volume 10, Hiro gets a call from his mother, who tells him she's pregnant. Because his mother, Satsuki, tends to be absentminded and rather ditzy (like Tohru), he demands to know if it happens to be one of her "famous misunderstandings". However, what she is saying is true and when all Tohru, Kisa, and the other Jyūnishi present find out, they decide to congratulate him because he will be an older brother soon. They celebrate by getting lots and lots of watermelons. (Haru admits his fear of watermelons to Yuki, because he thought they grew in the stomach.) As they celebrate, it is also revealed that Hiro's sister or brother will not be cursed because all thirteen possible Jyūnishi are still alive and another member will not be born until another member of the zodiac dies. Hiro's sibling turns out to be a girl, whom they name Hinata. His mother jokingly remarks to Kagura's mother that Hiro is so helpful with Hinata that she fears Hiro will develop a "sister complex" with her, (which is obviously the author's way of extracting "revenge" on Hiro, as he often teased Tohru Honda about having a "mother complex"). When Isuzu Sohma is pushed out the window by Akito, Hiro is the only witness and the only one other than Akito and Isuzu who know the truth behind the incident. Isuzu forces him to keep it a secret from everyone else because she does not want Hatsuharu Sohma, whom she loves, to remain close to her and get hurt as well. When Isuzu disappears for several months, Hiro confesses before Hatsuharu and Kisa the truth in hopes that Hatsuharu can save Isuzu from her own self-destruction. The confession leads to an admission to Kisa that he had angered Akito when he had admitted that he loved Kisa, which resulted in Kisa's own injuries. Both of these incidents illustrate how much development has occurred in Hiro's character, since he now has the courage to admit his feelings out loud rather than venting them through other means. In chapter 118, he is also seen being freed from the curse, proven as he hugs his baby sister for the first time and receives a hug from his tearful mother without transforming. Reasons as to how or why this happened are as of yet unknown. He eventually reveals this to Kisa, though he is somewhat afraid that she will distance herself now that he is free. Kisa, in return, is quite happy that he told her first, and wonders if he does not want to be with her now because she is still cursed. After reassuring her he wants the opposite (and then finding Kyo Sohma throwing up on the sidewalk after his confrontation with his father), Hiro makes the admission to Akito, who accepts it and dismisses him without another thought.