Fruits Basket Analyzed: Hatori Sohma
a/n Not all the personal experiences shared are mine.
Hatori Sohma is one of my favorite characters. Not only is he the dragon in the Zodiac Curse [1], he is one of the oldest cousins (the others being Shigure and Ayame. [2]) I see him as the guardian, keeping watch over the family and keeping them safe from the worst of Akito’s rages. Unfortunately, he pays a heavy price for protecting the others, not just in what he’s lost, but in what he’s become [3].
We first meet Hatori at the cultural festival, and I found him intimidating [4]. We meet him first as the family doctor, come to check up on Yuki’s asthma. He has a very grave manner that is quickly offset when Momiji attaches to him [5]. Momiji continues in this role through the next two meetings, assuring Torhu there is nothing to be afraid of from Hatori despite evidence to the contrary [6]. After all, his words to her on the Sohma compound boil down to “get out or you’ll be sorry [7]” which certainly sounds like a threat [8].
Hatori is made all the more menacing by the fact that Yuki expresses fear of him [9] as the one who erases memories. Hatori defines himself as being “cold as the driven snow [10],” but immediately comes to see every scrape and illness cropping up at Shigure’s house. [11] This disconnect comes from what he suffers as the protector of the family. At the end of the story, his beloved Kana’s memory is still gone. The others were able to repair parts of the damage done, but Hatori’s first love will always be lost, as will his sight. We have record of Akito putting people in the hospital [12] and of Kisa being on bed rest [13], but Hatori is the only one to sustain a true disability from his dealing with Akito [14].
For one person to be picked on more than the others is a common pattern in abusive families, and I have three separate friends who can say “in my family, it was just me.” Usually the abuser will go for the person most willing to take it. Whether they do it to protect others or just out of fear, there is a breed of people that will suffer in silence because there are worse things. And who knows, maybe they deserve it, just like the abuser says.
I know because I was one of them. In a sick way, the beatings felt good. I felt like that was a way I could pay for what was wrong with me. My dad always told me what a piece of crap I was (quote censored, obviously) and I felt like I was serving my time. I wasn’t sure if I deserved what he did, but to be on the safe side I just accepted it-that way I wasn’t a victim. By protecting someone else I could feel like I was making up for whatever it was that was so wrong with me.
It seems like Hatori should want out of the curse more than anyone, having suffered so much at Akito’s hands, but that isn’t the way it plays out. In fact, Hatori seems at times tacitly opposed to breaking the curse and rebukes Shigure for his actions [15]. Why would he hesitate to have the curse broken? Well, think about it-right now Hatori is the protector, but if there’s no danger, what is he then? Without the protector role, Hatori has no identity [16]. Those of us who live in abusive situations for extended periods of time tend to give up on living so we can just focus on survival.
I think that’s what draws me to teach in such dangerous neighborhoods. I need to be a protector; I need to suffer to help others. That’s who I am, and if I don’t have that I’m no one. Teaching children who are safe and well cared for is unfulfilling to me and I feel guilty if I’m not in the worst possible situations.
Hatori’s other big weakness is projecting the past into the present. There is no situation where Hatori reflects on Torhu that Kana’s face doesn’t appear. Hatori is dedicated to the care of his loved ones, as we see with Ayame [17], Kisa [18], Momiji [19], and Yuki [20], but with Torhu there is an extra measure of tenderness because he equates her with his lost love [21].
I got into a similar situation years ago. I lost a friend to suicide and could not forgive myself. When I met another person who looked similar to my lost friend I made sure I was the best possible friend I could be to this second person. It was as though God had granted me the chance to fix the mistakes of the past. Suffice it to say, I regret everything about that situation and wish sometimes I’d never met that second person. You can’t fix the past in the present. Hatori claims to know that, but Kana’s face still floats in front of Torhu whenever he sees her [22].
He does this for the same reason he clings to the curse- it’s comfortable. Being gun shy after a breakup is pretty normal. In essence, Hatori wants his own story to be over so nothing will change. A frozen heart stays the same forever-numb [23]. A warm heart changes and grows, something that scares him. Torhu’s presence is a way for Hatori to redeem himself for Kana’s pain and prove his own value to himself [24].
[Hatori's Happy Ending]After spending nearly a thousand words innumerating Hatori’s weaknesses, I want to say I find him one of the strongest characters of the series. What sets him apart is that he knows his own weaknesses, and strives to do better. He may be afraid of getting into a relationship with Mayu, but he still does it. Leaving the Sohma family is frightening to him, but Hatori still makes it happen in the end [25]. Even his own comments about how Hatori will not support Shigure [26] if he tries to break the curse seem weak when compared to the amount of information he gives his cousin [27].
Some of my favorite people on earth are real life Hatoris- the people who will do anything to protect the people they love without thought to the consequences. These people need someone to love and care for them as they love and care for others. I challenge each of you (and myself) to look around you and see who is bearing burdens so you don’t have to and give them a hug, because trust me, they need it.
[1] Volume 2, Chapter 12
[2] Volume 3, Chapter 14
[3] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[4] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[5] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[6] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[7] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[8] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[9] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[10] Volume 2, Chapter 11
[11] Volume 8, Chapter 45
[12] Volume 8, Chapter 43
[13] Volume 7, Chapter 38
[14] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[15] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[16] Volume 11, Chapter 65
[17] Volume 4, Chapter 22
[18] Anime episode 19
[19] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[20] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[21] Volume 2, Chapter 12
[22] Volume 2, Chapter 9, 12
[23] Volume 2, Chapter 8
[24] Volume 5, Chapter 26
[25] Volume 23, Chapter 136
[26] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[27] Volume 7, Chapter 38
Hatori Sohma is one of my favorite characters. Not only is he the dragon in the Zodiac Curse [1], he is one of the oldest cousins (the others being Shigure and Ayame. [2]) I see him as the guardian, keeping watch over the family and keeping them safe from the worst of Akito’s rages. Unfortunately, he pays a heavy price for protecting the others, not just in what he’s lost, but in what he’s become [3].
We first meet Hatori at the cultural festival, and I found him intimidating [4]. We meet him first as the family doctor, come to check up on Yuki’s asthma. He has a very grave manner that is quickly offset when Momiji attaches to him [5]. Momiji continues in this role through the next two meetings, assuring Torhu there is nothing to be afraid of from Hatori despite evidence to the contrary [6]. After all, his words to her on the Sohma compound boil down to “get out or you’ll be sorry [7]” which certainly sounds like a threat [8].
Hatori is made all the more menacing by the fact that Yuki expresses fear of him [9] as the one who erases memories. Hatori defines himself as being “cold as the driven snow [10],” but immediately comes to see every scrape and illness cropping up at Shigure’s house. [11] This disconnect comes from what he suffers as the protector of the family. At the end of the story, his beloved Kana’s memory is still gone. The others were able to repair parts of the damage done, but Hatori’s first love will always be lost, as will his sight. We have record of Akito putting people in the hospital [12] and of Kisa being on bed rest [13], but Hatori is the only one to sustain a true disability from his dealing with Akito [14].
For one person to be picked on more than the others is a common pattern in abusive families, and I have three separate friends who can say “in my family, it was just me.” Usually the abuser will go for the person most willing to take it. Whether they do it to protect others or just out of fear, there is a breed of people that will suffer in silence because there are worse things. And who knows, maybe they deserve it, just like the abuser says.
I know because I was one of them. In a sick way, the beatings felt good. I felt like that was a way I could pay for what was wrong with me. My dad always told me what a piece of crap I was (quote censored, obviously) and I felt like I was serving my time. I wasn’t sure if I deserved what he did, but to be on the safe side I just accepted it-that way I wasn’t a victim. By protecting someone else I could feel like I was making up for whatever it was that was so wrong with me.
It seems like Hatori should want out of the curse more than anyone, having suffered so much at Akito’s hands, but that isn’t the way it plays out. In fact, Hatori seems at times tacitly opposed to breaking the curse and rebukes Shigure for his actions [15]. Why would he hesitate to have the curse broken? Well, think about it-right now Hatori is the protector, but if there’s no danger, what is he then? Without the protector role, Hatori has no identity [16]. Those of us who live in abusive situations for extended periods of time tend to give up on living so we can just focus on survival.
I think that’s what draws me to teach in such dangerous neighborhoods. I need to be a protector; I need to suffer to help others. That’s who I am, and if I don’t have that I’m no one. Teaching children who are safe and well cared for is unfulfilling to me and I feel guilty if I’m not in the worst possible situations.
Hatori’s other big weakness is projecting the past into the present. There is no situation where Hatori reflects on Torhu that Kana’s face doesn’t appear. Hatori is dedicated to the care of his loved ones, as we see with Ayame [17], Kisa [18], Momiji [19], and Yuki [20], but with Torhu there is an extra measure of tenderness because he equates her with his lost love [21].
I got into a similar situation years ago. I lost a friend to suicide and could not forgive myself. When I met another person who looked similar to my lost friend I made sure I was the best possible friend I could be to this second person. It was as though God had granted me the chance to fix the mistakes of the past. Suffice it to say, I regret everything about that situation and wish sometimes I’d never met that second person. You can’t fix the past in the present. Hatori claims to know that, but Kana’s face still floats in front of Torhu whenever he sees her [22].
He does this for the same reason he clings to the curse- it’s comfortable. Being gun shy after a breakup is pretty normal. In essence, Hatori wants his own story to be over so nothing will change. A frozen heart stays the same forever-numb [23]. A warm heart changes and grows, something that scares him. Torhu’s presence is a way for Hatori to redeem himself for Kana’s pain and prove his own value to himself [24].
[Hatori's Happy Ending]After spending nearly a thousand words innumerating Hatori’s weaknesses, I want to say I find him one of the strongest characters of the series. What sets him apart is that he knows his own weaknesses, and strives to do better. He may be afraid of getting into a relationship with Mayu, but he still does it. Leaving the Sohma family is frightening to him, but Hatori still makes it happen in the end [25]. Even his own comments about how Hatori will not support Shigure [26] if he tries to break the curse seem weak when compared to the amount of information he gives his cousin [27].
Some of my favorite people on earth are real life Hatoris- the people who will do anything to protect the people they love without thought to the consequences. These people need someone to love and care for them as they love and care for others. I challenge each of you (and myself) to look around you and see who is bearing burdens so you don’t have to and give them a hug, because trust me, they need it.
[1] Volume 2, Chapter 12
[2] Volume 3, Chapter 14
[3] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[4] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[5] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[6] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[7] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[8] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[9] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[10] Volume 2, Chapter 11
[11] Volume 8, Chapter 45
[12] Volume 8, Chapter 43
[13] Volume 7, Chapter 38
[14] Volume 2, Chapter 10
[15] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[16] Volume 11, Chapter 65
[17] Volume 4, Chapter 22
[18] Anime episode 19
[19] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[20] Volume 2, Chapter 9
[21] Volume 2, Chapter 12
[22] Volume 2, Chapter 9, 12
[23] Volume 2, Chapter 8
[24] Volume 5, Chapter 26
[25] Volume 23, Chapter 136
[26] Volume 3, Chapter 16
[27] Volume 7, Chapter 38