We don’t cover a ton of anime here at DFTG, though it snakes its way in a time or two. The whole team has our favorite franchises and mine? Well, let’s just say that freakish banshee scream your heard when the announcement was made that Fruits Basket was coming back next year bigger than ever was probably me (and I’m sorry).

The Fruits Basket anime adaptation ran in 2001, but after that 26th episode aired – it was done. At least until now! “We’ve been hearing the question, ‘Will there ever be a new season of Fruits Basket, covering the entire manga?’ at conventions and on social media for years,” Funimation wrote in a blog post announcing the series, “and longtime North American fans will remember that over 13 years ago, you came together to fold over a thousand paper cranes to express your longing for a new series.”

Even though it’s been a whopping 18 years, it’s back with creature Natsuki Takaya overseeing the entire thing. For those that loved the tale of the open-hearted Tohru Honda and her journey with the Sohman family, the story is far from done! The Sohma family and their unique trait of turning into animals of the Zodiac are back … including the antics that acts as a trigger for the transformation: Hugging a member of the opposite sex.

The manga and the subsequent anime was the perfect blend of wholesome, humor, and a tragic narrative, making it an adorable-yet-beloved experience for those along for the ride. But what we saw when the anime first aired was just a tip of the iceberg and there was so much left to that story that went untold. Now we get to see where the manga continued on, though we don’t have a specific date just yet other than in 2019.

What are your thoughts about the surprising return of Fruits Basket, thanks to Funimation? Join in on the conversation in the comment section below and tell us what you’re most excited to see most! Don’t forget to also check out DFTG on Twitter for gaming and entertainment news live 24/7!