TV-Series
Description
Ayame Soma, the older brother of Yuki Soma by ten years, carries the Sohma family curse of the Snake. He possesses light grey/silver hair, gold eyes (yellowish-green in the 2001 adaptation), and stands 175 cm tall. His signature style features flamboyant, self-designed Chinese-inspired outfits. When the curse activates, he transforms into a long, thin white snake with gold eyes.
Vivacious, flamboyant, and self-centered, Ayame often boasts about himself. Beneath his confident social persona lie deep insecurities about loneliness and family bonds, fueling an obsessive drive to repair his fractured relationship with Yuki. This stems from childhood neglect, including forgetting Yuki's name, and a pivotal moment where he coldly dismissed Yuki's plea for rescue from Akito Sohma—an act he deeply regrets. His persistent, often overly dramatic attempts to connect overwhelm Yuki initially. Ayame shares Yuki's enjoyment of provoking their cousin Kyo, using nicknames like "Lucky Kyou" and "Kyon-Kichi".
He belongs to the "Mabudachi Trio" with Shigure Sohma and Hatori Sohma, his closest friends since high school where he served as student council president, leveraging charisma and wordplay. Shigure indulges his eccentricities, while Hatori acts as a restraining influence, commanding Ayame's respect and obedience. Ayame and Shigure frequently engage in exaggerated "bromance" performances, confusing others like Tohru Honda and irritating Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori.
Ayame owns and operates the custom clothing shop "Ayame," specializing in "romantic costumes" like frilly dresses and maid outfits. He founded it to create something that "wouldn't exist without him." His seamstress and eventual wife, Mine Kuramae, assists him. Ayame designs the garments, models them occasionally, and takes great pride in his work. The shop's sometimes risqué themes provoke comedic reactions, like Yuki declaring one suggestion a "crime," while Tohru Honda admires his designs.
His Snake curse brings extreme sensitivity to temperature changes, triggering involuntary transformations. Cold weather or wind can cause him to transform, requiring warmth to revert. He uses umbrellas for sun protection and relies on cars for transportation. This sensitivity also makes him prone to illnesses like colds and flu. He becomes the fifth zodiac member freed midway through the series. Upon breaking the curse, he immediately embraces Mine, declaring his love, and later wears snakeskin shoes symbolizing liberation.
Unlike most zodiac members, Akito never physically or mentally abused Ayame, as he is one of the two zodiac members she dislikes. In the sequel *Fruits Basket Another*, Ayame marries Mine and fathers two children: a daughter named Hibika and a son named Chizuru. His son finds him obnoxious, while his nephew Mutsuki (Yuki's son) adores him. His relationship with Yuki improves significantly, with Yuki gradually accepting him as a brother and making efforts to understand him. Ayame demonstrates his commitment to their reconciled bond by assisting Yuki in finding an apartment for college.
Vivacious, flamboyant, and self-centered, Ayame often boasts about himself. Beneath his confident social persona lie deep insecurities about loneliness and family bonds, fueling an obsessive drive to repair his fractured relationship with Yuki. This stems from childhood neglect, including forgetting Yuki's name, and a pivotal moment where he coldly dismissed Yuki's plea for rescue from Akito Sohma—an act he deeply regrets. His persistent, often overly dramatic attempts to connect overwhelm Yuki initially. Ayame shares Yuki's enjoyment of provoking their cousin Kyo, using nicknames like "Lucky Kyou" and "Kyon-Kichi".
He belongs to the "Mabudachi Trio" with Shigure Sohma and Hatori Sohma, his closest friends since high school where he served as student council president, leveraging charisma and wordplay. Shigure indulges his eccentricities, while Hatori acts as a restraining influence, commanding Ayame's respect and obedience. Ayame and Shigure frequently engage in exaggerated "bromance" performances, confusing others like Tohru Honda and irritating Yuki, Kyo, and Hatori.
Ayame owns and operates the custom clothing shop "Ayame," specializing in "romantic costumes" like frilly dresses and maid outfits. He founded it to create something that "wouldn't exist without him." His seamstress and eventual wife, Mine Kuramae, assists him. Ayame designs the garments, models them occasionally, and takes great pride in his work. The shop's sometimes risqué themes provoke comedic reactions, like Yuki declaring one suggestion a "crime," while Tohru Honda admires his designs.
His Snake curse brings extreme sensitivity to temperature changes, triggering involuntary transformations. Cold weather or wind can cause him to transform, requiring warmth to revert. He uses umbrellas for sun protection and relies on cars for transportation. This sensitivity also makes him prone to illnesses like colds and flu. He becomes the fifth zodiac member freed midway through the series. Upon breaking the curse, he immediately embraces Mine, declaring his love, and later wears snakeskin shoes symbolizing liberation.
Unlike most zodiac members, Akito never physically or mentally abused Ayame, as he is one of the two zodiac members she dislikes. In the sequel *Fruits Basket Another*, Ayame marries Mine and fathers two children: a daughter named Hibika and a son named Chizuru. His son finds him obnoxious, while his nephew Mutsuki (Yuki's son) adores him. His relationship with Yuki improves significantly, with Yuki gradually accepting him as a brother and making efforts to understand him. Ayame demonstrates his commitment to their reconciled bond by assisting Yuki in finding an apartment for college.