Watching 'Ouran High School Host Club'

Ouran High School Host Club is a 2006 anime that was produced by studio Bones. The same studio behind Mob Psycho 100, My Hero Acadamia, and Zetsuen No Tempest. The show is based on the manga that ran from 2002 till 2010, created by Bisco Hatori, consisting of eighty-seven chapters, collected over eighteen volumes. The show was directed by Takuyo Igarashi, who also directed Bungou Stray Dogs, Soul Eater, and was one of the episode directors of Mushishi. The anime adaptation consists of twenty-six episodes.

Ouran High School Host Club has an episodic structure, where each storyline, or rather problem, being created and being resolved within the space of the same episode. It very rarely has a story that lasts at least two episodes. However, the threats of relationships, character development, and character progression does not take a back seat. In fact these are the aspects that are most fascinating in the show. The overall feel for the show is light, easy to consume, and easy to binge. There are some interesting thing being explored in the narrative, some things which are actually quite heavy in nature, however with the tone that is established early on, the show is able to explore these aspects in a palatable manner.

The set up is quite simple, Haruhi stumbles upon the host club by mistake when she is looking for a quiet place to study. A misunderstanding commences where the group mistakes her for a boy as a result of the way she looks. An expensive vase is broken by her hand and she is made to work in the host club till the debt is paid off. Ouran Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the world where the richest of the rich attend school, and so the value of the vase is quite high. Once indoctrinated into the host club, the club finds out that Haruhi is actually girl, yet decides to stay regardless, making it imperative for the club to hide the fact that she is in fact a girl.

It is quite nostalgic watching an anime from this time period, as there is no 3D being used in the animation at all, what they show was hand drawn. There is a feel to the look that differentiates it from newer series. It is quite simple in a lot of ways. That being said there are ways in which the animation remains interesting throughout the entire show. The primary way is through the way Tamaki decides to cosplay and dress up the room in various outlandish ways that always makes the setting interesting and new with each episode.

The humor in the show is incredibly repetitive, getting too old by the time the third episode roles around. There is an odd fascination in the show to use the classic sliding on a banana peel joke over and over in each episode, to the point that they show a monkey throwing the peel every time the joke is coming towards the tail end of the series. The fourth wall breaks in addressing aspects of the show is competent for the most part, however after the first few episodes, much like the banana peel, it gets old fast. In fact most, if not all of the humor gets old and repetitive by the time the show reaches the mid way point.

The characters are all different, if a little stereotypical, which is also something that the cast of characters address. However, despite being stereotypical, I still enjoyed all of the characters. Each of them has a depth to them that I was not expecting them to have when I was a few episodes deep. While their lifestyles are completely non-relatable, and with Haruhi being the liaison between us and the rest of the characters, the personalities of each of the characters are completely relatable. Often it even hits home with the emotions that the characters are experiencing, the stress of expectation, public image, status, and competing for positions. These are universal trials and they are portrayed somewhat realistically, despite the outlandish tone of the show.

While I enjoyed the characters, the development they had, and the fantastic interactions between them, what the show also does well is the fact that it is incredibly earnest and cliched to the point that it is actually heartwarming, as the characters all genuinely care for each other. While this was classed as a romance, and was quite underwhelming in that regard, the show as a whole is incredibly wholesome, and positive in its outlook. I would be content watching these characters sit around and interact with each other for another twenty six episodes.

Finally, this is a show I recommend under certain conditions, as it is not for everyone. If you are into the romance genre and are looking to switch off you mind and enjoy yourself in wholesome entertainment, then this is one I recommend. It is simple feel good entertainment for an anime fan. The show is available on FUNimation in the UK.