Ouran High School Host Club (OHSHC) was one of the first few anime that got me sucked into the otaku world. As a starter for shoujo anime, OHSHC is definitely recommended and something not to be missed. This is a shoujo reverse harem anime. But like all reverse harem, we kind of know who the main female character will go with in the end. Spoiler or not, the main male character.
Introducing our main heroine, Fujioka Haruhi, a poor scholar, was accepted to the prestigious Ouran High School that only students of high pedigree attend. As Haruhi was finding a quiet place to study, she opens the door to Music Room #3 and unexpectedly found herself in front of the Host Club. Ouran Private Academy is defined by one, prestigious families and two, wealth. And prosperous people have much time on their hands. Therefore, Ouran Host Club and these handsome guys that have time giving hospitality to these lovely ladies who also have time and profit off of them. It’s an elegant game unique to this super rich school. Each of the host club members are ikemen and they have a role.
The Host Club comprises Suoh Tamaki, a second year high school student, founder and president of the host club also the son of the school chairman is a ‘Prince type’ host who shamelessly flatters the girls with his sweet, charming and elegance. He is also the most popular and #1 host of the host club. Ootori Kyouya, second year high school student, co-founder and vice president of the host club, also the third son of the Ootori group specializing in hospital management, is a ‘Cool type’. He manages the host club’s accounting and budget. Basically, he is the one running the host club behind the scenes by influencing Tamaki and the guests. Hitachiin Kaoru and Hikaru are the mischievous identical twins known as the ‘Little Devil type’. They are in their first year of high school and are in the same class as Haruhi. These brothers display their forbidden brother love as a main draw in the host club. They have the typical identical twins complex where they hope to find someone who can differentiate them as individuals. Haninozuka Mitsukuni is a third year high school student most commonly known as “Honey Senpai”. With a childlike build and his love for sweets, he is the ‘Loli-Shota type’. Despite his size, a running gag in accordance to his leap years birthday, he is a strong fighter coming from a line of martial arts family. Morinozuka Takashi or “Mori Senpai” is the stoic protector of Honey senpai and cousin by marriage. He is the ‘Wild type’ with his tall build and quiet demeanor in the host club.
After meeting the host club members and trying to run away from the persistent Tamaki, Haruhi accidentally knocks down a 8 million yen vase and is forced to work in the host club as an errand boy to work off her debt. After teaching Haruhi the ropes of being a host, the host club members realize that Haruhi looks decent to be a host club. They gave her the school uniform and repackaged her to look like an ikemen and proves to be a natural and is promoted to a host. It was after a series of events in the first episode that one by one they found out that Haruhi is actually a girl. The last person to find out that Haruhi is a girl is Tamaki. By then, it was too late for them to expose her as a girl and to keep her as a male host. Tamaki also developed a father complex to Haruhi and as the series goes on, every member protects Haruhi from having her identity disclosed and values her as a member of the host club but also, to keep the host club running.
Throughout the series, we see the host club and their gimmicks, with different themes, settings and costumes at the start of each episode. We also see them helping students (female, male, children etc) who step in the host club reconcile with their issues. We also learn more about the backstory of each host club member and their reasons to join the host club. As this is reverse harem, we also see how each member’s interaction with Haruhi. Not all of them have romantic feelings for Haruhi, but we do see some who have obvious affections and others who have hidden affections for her. The series is filled with laughter and lots of ‘aww’ moments that satisfies the shoujo heart. The anime has voice actors that really fit the roles and it was pleasant to hear them and watch the series. Like most anime adaptations, this was adapted before the manga completed and the anime ended on a nice note. However, it is good to note that the manga is completed and that if you are interested in how the story progresses, you can continue by reading the manga.
For those who have watched OHSHC anime, I think it’s time to rewatch this series. OHSHC never gets old and it is still one of the best reverse harem shoujo anime out there. Since remaking anime seems to be a trend these days, I hope anime studios will pick this up and remake the series and cover the whole manga.
Monochronos 