<p>It is never explained what makes some Sohma born with the curse and some not and what animal they represent. The only rules seem to be that only one person can have an animal's the curse at a time and they must be part of the Sohma clan. The current condition where all animals are represented at the same time is rare.</p>

<p>Although some of the years do potentially match up (Ex. Shigure can be year of the dog 1982 and Tohru can be year of the dog as well in 1994, Ox is a year younger than the Rat, the Snake and the Dragon are close together), the year of birth isn't the single determining factor, since the ages don't match for all the zodiac members. (Ex. Momiji is the same age as Hatsuharu and slightly older than Kisa.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-04-01T23:33:29.080Z
2013-05-03T14:29:52.480Z
2013-05-03T14:29:52.480Z
Kinro
<p>Considering the shock and revulsion Sohma parents are often met with upon finding their child to be of the Zodiac, it is highly probable that it is completely random, or at the very least, nobody has determined a reliable method for predicting it. What we do know from some characters' dialogue is that it is rare for all of the Zodiac to be around at the same time.</p>
<p>From <a href="https://fruitsbasket.fandom.com/wiki/Sohma_Curse" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://fruitsbasket.fandom.com/wiki/Sohma_Curse</a> :</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> Shigure has many theories about the weakening state of the curse and has stated throughout the series that he hears the sound of “something breaking”. He also had a feeling that since the current generation is the first time all twelve members of the Zodiac (including the Cat and God) are alive at the same time, the God and the animals are all gathered for the final banquet.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>And the year definitely does not determine which Zodiac spirit will be born, because most of the casts' birth years don't match up with their curse.</p>
<p>We also know from the origin story of the curse that the animals are bonded to the god, and they are all bound to reincarnate together. Hence, I don't think this question makes as much sense as it seems. Rather than saying a person determines what Zodiac they get, I think it makes more sense to say that the Zodiac determines (partly) what kind of person they will be, since the Zodiac soul existed first.</p>
<blockquote class="spoiler">
<p> Though since the curse broke and the Zodiac spirits moved on, it can be definitively said that those possessed have independent souls of their own. Still, the point remains: the Zodiac spirits came first, not the Sohmas. They're Zodiac from birth, but the criteria can't be related to the qualities of a person who has not been born.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So, what determines which animal? There is just one qualification, and that is being born in the Sohma family. Everything else is up to chance.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-01-16T21:18:20.467Z
2023-01-16T21:18:20.467Z
Shaymin Gratitude
<p>In Fruits Basket, different characters represent different zodiac symbols that they then turn into when they are hugged by someone of the opposite gender. What determines what zodiac a person represents? Is it the year they are born in? If so, what determines who becomes the cat? Additionally, does that mean that every cursed Sohma is born in a different year (discounting Akito)?</p>

<fruits-basket>
What determines what zodiac a person represents?
# What determines what zodiac a person represents?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-03-29
In Fruits Basket, different characters represent different zodiac symbols that they then turn into when they are hugged by someone of the opposite gender. What determines what zodiac a person represents? Is it the year they are born in? If so, what determines who becomes the cat? Additionally, does that mean that every cursed Sohma is born in a different year (discounting Akito)?
**Tags:** fruits-basket
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## 2 answers
### Answer by username_1 on 2013-04-01. Score: 1
It is never explained what makes some Sohma born with the curse and some not and what animal they represent. The only rules seem to be that only one person can have an animal's the curse at a time and they must be part of the Sohma clan. The current condition where all animals are represented at the same time is rare.

Although some of the years do potentially match up (Ex. Shigure can be year of the dog 1982 and Tohru can be year of the dog as well in 1994, Ox is a year younger than the Rat, the Snake and the Dragon are close together), the year of birth isn't the single determining factor, since the ages don't match for all the zodiac members. (Ex. Momiji is the same age as Hatsuharu and slightly older than Kisa.)
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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-01-16. Score: 1
Considering the shock and revulsion Sohma parents are often met with upon finding their child to be of the Zodiac, it is highly probable that it is completely random, or at the very least, nobody has determined a reliable method for predicting it. What we do know from some characters' dialogue is that it is rare for all of the Zodiac to be around at the same time.

From <https://fruitsbasket.fandom.com/wiki/Sohma_Curse> :

> Shigure has many theories about the weakening state of the curse and has stated throughout the series that he hears the sound of “something breaking”. He also had a feeling that since the current generation is the first time all twelve members of the Zodiac (including the Cat and God) are alive at the same time, the God and the animals are all gathered for the final banquet.

And the year definitely does not determine which Zodiac spirit will be born, because most of the casts' birth years don't match up with their curse.

We also know from the origin story of the curse that the animals are bonded to the god, and they are all bound to reincarnate together. Hence, I don't think this question makes as much sense as it seems. Rather than saying a person determines what Zodiac they get, I think it makes more sense to say that the Zodiac determines (partly) what kind of person they will be, since the Zodiac soul existed first.

> Though since the curse broke and the Zodiac spirits moved on, it can be definitively said that those possessed have independent souls of their own. Still, the point remains: the Zodiac spirits came first, not the Sohmas. They're Zodiac from birth, but the criteria can't be related to the qualities of a person who has not been born.

So, what determines which animal? There is just one qualification, and that is being born in the Sohma family. Everything else is up to chance.
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