When high school student Tohru Honda's mother dies in a car crash, Tohru remains optimistic and begins living in a tent and supporting herself, until she finds lodging and friends in the least likely of places: the home of the school "prince," Yuki Souma, along with Yuki's cousins Kyo and Shigure. The Souma clan holds a dark secret, however: the family is cursed, so when certain members of the family are hugged by someone of the opposite gender, they turn into a Zodiac animal! It is unheard of for an outsider to learn the clan's secret, but when Tohru discovers she promises not to tell, and continues living with Yuki, Kyo and Shigure. The Souma's curse, however, is much deeper and darker than it may seem, but Tohru's presence soon becomes a positive influence on the lives of those possessed by the Zodiac, and certain events are put in motion that will change the Souma clan forever.