In
Vietnamese Zodiac, the
cat replaces the
rabbit (while all other 11 animals are the same)-- so the
cat can go to the banquet! XD ..... I heard that it's because the
cat is a contrast to the
rat (I'm ignorant of the
real reason behind it though)
I bet
Ranma 1/2 (by Rumiko Takahashi) was quite an influence for
Fruits Basket! You can see clear parallels between the two series. While
Ranma 1/2 is humor-driven,
Fruits Basket delves deeper into the drama. Another plus point is the way events and occurrences are organized in
FB: revealing a little at a time while holding back the essentials. If the characters' personal stories were organized differently or told immediately, the story would be less appealing.