Haruhi Fujioka is a special scholarship student at Ouran High School
(part of the Ouran Private Academy), a wealthy and prestigious high
school in Japan. After venturing into the Third Music Room, she stumbles upon
the Host Club, a group made up of six male students who entertain the girls of
the high school in return for a nice profit.
After accidentally breaking a vase worth 8 million yen, Haruhi is forced into
service by the club, told that she will be a “dog” for the club in
order to pay off that large debt. Initially thought to be a boy by much of the
Host Club, the members soon discover her true identity and from there on
hilarity and satire ensues.
Review: Ouran Koukou Host Club
Ouran Koukou Host Club (Ouran High School Host Club) is a romantic comedy / reverse harem that satires
many of the stereotypes and clichés often found in shoujo anime. Filled with
sometimes nonstop and often laugh-out loud comedy, a large portion of which is
slapstick, Ouran is an amusing and yet heart-felt look into the lives of the
rich and powerful. Consistently funny, charming, and often over-the-top, the
show is highly entertaining and will certainly bring a smile to almost
anyone’s face.
The story is centered on the day-to-day activities of the Host Club
(which has evolved to seven members with the inclusion of Haruhi) while
focusing on the relationships between the members within the club as well as
their relationships with people outside the club. Indeed, Ouran is a very
character-driven anime, and even includes several
“character-specific” episodes in the latter portion of the series.
The Host Club itself consists of some varied and unique characters, each
playing a specific “role” in the Club’s many activities. At the helm,
and considered the “King” of the Club is Tamaki Sou, a narcissistic,
naïve but sympathetic sophomore who immediately takes a liking to Haruhi,
though strangely not as a love-interest but as a obsessed father-figure.
Then there is Kyoya Ootori, also a sophomore, the cunning and calculating
“Shadow King” who takes care of most of the Club’s finances, and the
mischievous Hitachiin Twins (Kaoru and Hikaru), freshmen who seem to
enjoy toying around with others, including Haruhi.
Finally there is the cute and childish but freakishly-strong senior Mitsukuni
(Hunny) Haninozuka and his quiet, mysterious and always-by-his-side
companion (and relative) Takashi Morinozuka (Mori). And of
course, there’s Haruhi, the girl dressed as a boy whose academic brilliance is
matched only by her absolute indifference and ignorance toward romance.
Haruhi’s peculiar situation
(a “commoner” at a school for the nobility, and a girl who everyone outside
the Host Club thinks is a boy)
offers many comedic opportunities, from pure slapstick, to clever parodies.
In fact, I can honestly say that this is one of the funniest shows I’ve
watched in a long time. And while the show is predominantly episodic in
nature, it does show the development of these characters and the impact that
Haruhi has on each of their lives.
The mood isn’t always silly either. There are genuinely touching and sad
moments in the series, which are done in a way that does not distract from the
comedy, but serves to make the show more dynamic.
On the surface, the entire show can be seen as a parody of shoujo and harem
anime in general. But yet there is more to the show than meets the eye.
Beyond the obvious references, and beyond the unambiguous satire, the more
than obvious stabs at typical stereotypes, there is heart and soul to this
anime. Perhaps the nature of the show is a metaphor for the nature of humanity
as, at its heart, Ouran shows us that money can’t buy happiness and that the
smallest joys in life can be the most satisfying.
We see that while there is a major difference between nobility and commoners
on the surface, deep down each is human, and each has emotions, desires, and
dreams.
This is one of the really impressive aspects of the show; the fact that it is
able to tackle serious, real-life issues and yet do it in such a way that will
leave a big smile on your face. The comedy never leaves a bad taste in your
mouth, and the drama never feels cheesy
(unless of course it was intended to be).
Another impressive aspect of Ouran is its overall presentation. BONES, the
studio responsible for shows such as Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven, and
Rahexphon has done a great job with the art and animation. While not as
technically impressive as some of their previous outings, the animation is
crisp and colorful.
The bright colors in particular help this anime stand out, making it pleasant
to look at and also helping to set the correct mood and / or atmosphere in a
particular scene. The character designs, which are clearly
“Shoujo” inspired, are also surprisingly charming and appealing.
The voice talent is quite impressive: each voice is well-suited for their
characters with Maaya Sakamoto (who voices Haruhi) and newcomer Mamoru
Miyano (who voices Tamaki) delivering some particularly dynamic and
enjoyable performances. The music is excellent as well, with a great
soundtrack and recurring theme which remains one of my favorites to date.
There aren’t many things to dislike about Ouran Koukou Host Club. Almost
everything about this series is well executed and well designed.
However, there is some minor inconsistency in terms of overall episode
quality, especially in some of the episodes during the last two thirds of the
season. While the show never dragged or became boring, there were a few parts
that seemed a little out of place and unnecessary.
For instance, the “Alice in Wonderland” inspired episode
“Haruhi in Wonderland”, while clever in concept, doesn’t turn out quite
as well as you would think. Also, there are a few places where some of the
gags were reused a few times too many. But even then I’m grasping at straws.
Whether or not Ouran Koukou Host Club is seen as one of the best anime of
all time is yet to be seen, but it definitely is one of the best and most
impressive series of 2006
(even though much of the hype may have been stolen by another Haruhi).
While it may not be necessarily entirely original and while it may not have an
amazing storyline, Ouran’s amazing cast, brilliant hilarity, heart-felt social
commentary, and undeniable charm elevates it far above mediocrity. It may be
too soon to call this a truly great anime, but for anyone out there with even
a passing interest in romantic comedies or enjoyable shows in general, Ouran
is a must see.
Miscellanies: Ouran Koukou Host Club
The anime TV series is based upon the manga, of the same title, created by
Bisco Hatori, which has currently past 10 volumes, 9 of which have already
been released in North America by VIZ Media.
While the anime follows the manga in some aspects, there are significant
differences between the anime and manga versions, including several anime-only
episodes. This makes the manga an interesting read even for those who have
already seen the anime.
This series has also been licensed by FUNimation Entertainment and is set to
be released on DVD in North America in 2008.
Fans may remember that Maaya Sakamoto, who voices Haruhi, was also the voice
for Hitomi Kanzaki in The Vision of Escaflowne, which was also her debut role
as a voice actor.
Ouran High School Host Club (Ouran Koukou Host Club) | |
| Genre | Comedy, Romance |
|---|---|
| Episodes | 26 |
| Status | Finished Airing |
| Aired | Apr 5, 2006 to Sep 27, 2006 |
| Producers | VAP, Hakusensha, Nippon Television Network |
| Studio | Bones |
| Rating | PG-13 - Teens 13 or older |
| Themes | Crossdressing, Reverse Harem, School |
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