FUNimation announced that it has acquired rights to the Fruits Basket anime series for the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Reflecting the increasing trend toward a shorter window between a new series' release in Japan and its release in the US, this series was aired in Japan beginning in 2001; there are only 26 episodes to date. The manga on which the anime is based is by Natsuki Takaya and appears in Hana to Yume magazine. According to FUNimation, it's the #1 selling manga in Japan for females and #3 overall. The anime series is also popular in Japan among both males and females. According to Anime Encyclopedia, Fruits Basket is about '...fluffy animals, magic, and schoolgirl crushes.' FUNImation plans to release Fruits Basket in the US later this year.