Ouran High School Host Club volume 1

Title: Ouran High School Host Club volume 1

Author: Hatori Bisco

Genre: Romantic comedy, drama

Summary: Haruhi Fujioka is a female student who lands a scholarship to a prestigious rich school named Ouran High School. However, a few days before she is due to attend the school, a naughty neighbourhood kid sticks chewing gum in her hair. Being the ever practical person she is (her mother passed away at an early age and her father isn't very helpful seeing as he crossdresses), she hacks off her hair and sticks on thick glasses because she's lost her contacts.

Dressed as thus, Haruhi Fujioka was (understandably) mistaken for a male.

She stumbles upon the school's host club in the 3rd music room, and while trying to escape from the undeniably eccentric host club president, Tamaki Suoh, she breaks a valuable vase worth 8 million yen.

(Did you remember that I said that Ouran was a rich school? And that Haruhi had gotten a scholarship? Can you put the two together?)

Haruhi, being unable to repay the debt of the vase straight away, is assigned to being the club's 'dog', doing menial chores and tasks until she is able to pay off the debt in full. The host club, being unaware of her gender, assigns her to be a host after discovering that she had 'potential'.

Tamaki Suoh - the president of the host club and self-proclaimed 'King'. Tamaki is the son of the school's chairman but he generally acts...foolishly. ^^' In a good way, I suppose.

Kyouya Otori - vice-president of the host club and is nicknamed the 'Shadow King' because he is more of the quiet, sadistic type.

Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin - the famous twin brothers in the host club. No one can tell them apart...except, predictably, Haruhi, the protagonist. They invoke an element of incest in the host club's attraction package, by the way. ^_^

Mitsukuni Haninozuka - is called either 'Hunny' or 'Honey'. He is the typical lolita shota character and dotes on sweets, cakes and his bunny, Usa-chan. Despite his miniature size and cuteness, he is lethal in karate (which looks...odd. At times.)

Takashi Morinozuka - Honey's constant companion. Apparently, his family has vowed to serve Honey's family throughout the generations. The stolid, silent type.

Opinion: Ouran High School Host Club is insanely hilarious with some 'manga-ish' moments - things that can never happen in real life, but is a good fun read nevertheless. Haruhi as a guy is very convincing, despite his/her large eyes. ^_^ I personally like Kyouya myself, because I love his devillish moments as he manipulates and uses the host club to his benefits. Tamaki is especially prone to trickery as he's the gullible type. He takes a shine to Haruhi on her first day of becoming a host club member, and even when the plot reveals that she is actually female. He affectionately takes on the role of Haruhi's 'father' (and appoints Kyouya as the 'mother') but Haruhi generally ignores him on such occasions.

OHSHC is a roller-coaster manga with plenty of ups and downs and little twists in them. As you read more and more into OHSHC, you'll find plenty of other supporting characters who have their own charm and wit. OHSHC can be rather random at times (see Haruhi's crossdressing father! A very convincing female!) and serious at other times, but I guarantee you will love this manga...provided you are a girl, after all. I can't see males getting into this. ^^' It's a host club after all! ~rage-chan

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. I took half a mark off for the art, which can be rather forced at times, but as you get used to it, it's all right. Go and read!

Possible links:
Wikipedia's OHSHC
AnimeNewsNetwork's OHSHC
AnimeNfo's OHSHC