Impressions

I’ve heard about Ouran High School Host Club back in the day (only about two years ago) when it was all the rage being fansubbed. Being swapped with dozens of series, I didn’t get a chance to check it out completely: one episode was enough for me. Back to it’s online popularity: of course, the series would eventually get picked up for an English dub.

After time of contemplating, I got the chance to check out more than just one episode. Ouran High School Host Club is a “reverse harem” Anime series-and in a good way! While there are a lot of series that involves 5+ girls, there’s a handful of Anime series that has 5+ boys: Gundam Wing, Neo Angelique Abyss… Dragonball Z?!.

The character roster is as follows: Tamaki Suou, Kyoya Ootori, Kaoru and Hikaru Hitachiin (The Twins), Mitsukini Haninozuka (Hani-chan), Takashi Morinozuka (Mori), and the hero of the story, Haruhi Fujioka…. or shall I say, “heroine”?

When Haruhi is introduced, she is mistaken for a male due to the way she dresses. It is explained towards the end of the first episode of how she became to be. The Ouran boys play along (sans Tamaki) as she is forced to join the Host Club* after she breaks an expensive vase… being in an exclusive school.

(*A custom in Japan involving male “hosts” treating the female guests, ala a Maid Cafe for women-w00t!)

The first episode introduces all of the Host Club boys in their usual routine: “hosting” the female students in the academy. The boys have their unique charm: the Twins care for each other- in the way that is normally seen as taboo (…twin-cest, anyone?). Kyoya is the smooth, smart, calculating (the host club’s expenses) type. Mori: the quiet type, and Hani-chan and introducing Usa-chan, the cute Shota boy-who is actually the same age as everyone else in the academy despite his “kawaii” appearance. Finally, there’s Tamaki, the “King” of the Host Club…who usually overreacts when someone gets in the way of him and Haruhi.

The boys characteristics match perfectly, but I think they could have done better: I don’t know, like… they could have added another [male] character with otherworldly features (Hmmm… a Bara type?). Either way, I’m happy with the Ouran’s cast of characters! Plus, the art is beautiful. At first, it did look a bit crude looking, but that’s what modern Shoujo (from Bisco Hatori) looks like. (Come to think of it… this is the first time I’ve taken anything Shoujo-related seriously).

I am officially in love with Ouran High School Host Club! If you’re unsure about it, you can watch it right now on YouTube (subbed only) via the official FUNimation YT channel.