FUNimation Licenses Fruit Basket

In a surprising announcement, Anime on DVD has confirmed that FUNimation has licensed the recently concluded shoujo comedy Fruit Basket. Directed by Akitaro (Kodomo no Omocha, Jubei-chan) Daichi with character designs by Akemi (Utena) Hayashi, Fruit Basket is a total opposite style of anime from other FUNimation licenses including Dragonball, Yu Yu Hakusho and Blue Gender. Fruit Basket is a romantic domestic comedy with a slight supernatural twist, heavily steeped in Japanese tradition, culture and myth. The story revolves around an orphened teen girl coming to live in a household of men cursed to transform into animals of the Chinese zodiac when hugged by a female. The official Japanese homepage for the manga is available here, and the official Japanese homepage for the TV animation is available here.