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Ouran High School Host Club (or Ouran Koukou Host Club ) has GOT to be one of the funniest, if not THE funniest anime I have seen in a long time. It's a romantic comedy (so all you hardheaded bigots who hate any anime that doesn't have decapitation or blood flowing everywhere can leave now), the manga started last year and has been released in America by Viz and their Shoujo Beat line (the female equivalent to Shounen Jump, which is also by Viz). The anime started in April of this year, and airs on Nippon TV Network (the anime has yet to be licensed, but I think FUNimation would be the best bet for it). The manga was created by Bisco Hatori and the anime created by BONES, which is famous for other anime such as Eureka Seven and Fullmetal Alchemist, the latter of which the anime makes numerous references to.
Story
The following was Viz's own summary.
In this screwball romantic comedy, a poor girl at a rich kids' school ends up working for the school's swankiest club—and gets mistaken for a boy!
One day, Haruhi, a scholarship student at exclusive Ouran High School, breaks an $80,000 vase that belongs to the "Host Club," a mysterious campus group consisting of six super-rich (and gorgeous) guys. To pay back the damages, she is forced to work for the club, and it's there that she discovers just how wealthy the boys are and how different they are from everybody else.
What is the Host Club?
Basically, a Host Club caters to the females of the campus by giving them food, entertaining them with stories and the like. The girl chooses from a host, and it goes from there.
And no, there is no prostitution or anything like that involved. Get your mind out of the gutter.
Characters
SPOILERS ABOUND!
The character descriptions come from http://ouran.krysyuy.net/
Haruhi Fujioka
Haruhi Fujioka is an exceptional scholarship student at Ouran High School. She has a dream she wants to fulfill by going there. However, one day when she accidentally breaks an $80,000 dollar vase, she has to pay back the Host Club. At first, the members believe she's a boy, so she works as the host club's dog before actually becoming a host herself. When all the members figure out she's a girl, she continues to work in disguise to pay off her debt.
Haruhi doesn't appreciate the preceived differences between the sexes, so she is very casual about working as a host. She is naïve and oblivious about certain things. However, she is bluntly honest and usually says what's on her mind. If it can be taken as an insult, that usually isn't what she means because she commonly speaks without malice. She also doesn't care much about looks. When she first met the Host Club, she was a bit distracted by the six gorgeous guys. Now that she's used to them and their eccentricities, it doesn't seem to phase her anymore. She has learned to go with the flow of the club. Her natural charisma makes her a big hit with the clients with her innocent yet honest remarks.
Haruhi comes from a somewhat average lifestyle, which is considered poor compared to Ouran standards. She is very practical about spending and thinks of ways to save money. Being a single child, it is just her and her father in their small apartment. Her mother was a brilliant lawyer and died ten years prior. Her father doesn't handle money so well, but he works at a male bar and cross-dresses. She has had to grow up rather fast, often left alone at home, while taking care of household chores and such. She is good at cooking. She is also a very independent person.
Haruhi is very smart and works hard at her studies. The Ouran Scholarship has high standards - she has to get the top score in her year for mid-terms in order to keep from being expelled. She doesn't like artificial, fancy places, but enjoys natural settings. She is also afraid of thunder.
Tamaki Suoh
Tamaki Suoh is a second-year student at Ouran High School, who established the Host Club when he first entered the private school. He is the self-proclaimed "king" of the club aka president. He is also the school board chairman's son, and takes second-place for mid-terms in his year every time. He is an only child and part of a highly influential family that has plenty of money. Though he is wealthy, he is not careless with money. He is also half-French and half-Japanese.
Tamaki was originally raised in France by his mother before he moved alone to Japan in his teens. He can never see his mother again - a condition his grandmother made when she offered to give the financial support Tamaki's mother needed in order to recover from her illness. So Tamaki arrived in Japan when he was fourteen, making the decision of his own free will so his mother could stay healthy. He lives in Suoh Mansion #2 as his grandmother does not see him fit enough to stay at the main mansion. Though his situation is depressing, Tamaki overcomes everything. He holds no grudge against anyone. He doesn't curse his circumstances. He has an overwhelming power. He accepts everything that happens and transforms it with his own energy.
Tamaki is also very emotional and has an enormous, sensitive ego. He gets depressed "funks" when he or his ego is hurt. He also likes to experiment with new things - in other words, things of the commonfolk. He often means well, particularly with things concerning Haruhi, but sometimes his good intentions blow up in his face. He is very much a drama queen, or king in this matter, and likes things to be grand and extravagant, especially when it comes to the Host Club. He can tear up at will, though his tears are usually genuine, except he does overreact a lot. He is easily upset when it comes to certain things, though he does have a very optimistic mind.
Though he may appear to be overdoing it when flirting and complimenting the clients, Tamaki means what he says in the most sincerest of ways. All girls are pretty to him. He can be particularly sharp in certain situations, coming up with plans to help students in need, but he is also dense most of the time. He is the last one to realize Haruhi is a girl, and the only reason he found out was because he picked up her student ID. He especially stumbles over ways of the commonfolk, trying to understand Haruhi's world, but not that successfully.
However, Tamaki's popularity with the girls makes him the Number One draw for customers. He has a 70% request rate. He is the only one in the club that can play the piano very elegantly, and has a hyper and playful dog named Antoinette. He also has a cute stuffed bear from childhood named Beary. His closest friend is Kyoya, though sometimes the vice-president won't admit it.
Ever since Haruhi became a part of the club, Tamaki pays special attention to her. He is at first fascinated by the ways of commonfolk, but comes to genuinely care for Haruhi, though he still doesn't quite understand her or her world. He does, however, really try with her. He likes (loves?) Haruhi very much, and would love for her to be more feminine. Haruhi, however, really couldn't care less either way.
Kyoya Ohtori
Kyoya Ohtori is a second-year student at Ouran High School, who was recruited to the Host Club when Tamaki established it. He is the club's vice-president, in charge of data - things like the request list and finances. He can be seen as the club's "Shadow King" behind Tamaki, since he takes charge of things from the background. He seems to be aware of all the coming and goings of anything concerning the Host Club (customers, events, etc). He maintains order when things get too out of hand, which is particularly useful since things get rowdy a lot. He also knows how to gain a profit out of everything.
Kyoya comes from a highly influential and powerful family, whose reach is "long and wide". He is the youngest of three siblings - he has one older sister and two older brothers. He has a close relationship to his sister, Fuyumi, who is now married and lives away from the family. His father is extremely strict and expects only the very best from his youngest son. As the third son, it is unlikely that Kyoya will be named heir to the family business. However, from Kyoya's secret smile in V6E25, it seems that he is working towards that goal one step at a time. (After the Host Club's success in the race for the Central Salon, his father said that if he has the talent, he wouldn't mind naming his third son the heir.)
Kyoya has a distinct money sense with a "devil's" smile. He is always calm and cool, and doesn't upset easily (or at all, it seems). However, just don't wake him up early in the morning. Kyoya is not a person to be disturbed during sleep.
Despite what he says, he's good friends with Tamaki.
The Hitachiin Brothers (Hikaru and Kaoru)
Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin are first-year students at Ouran High School. They are twins who have a very close, personal brotherly relationship. They used to think the world was filled with idiots until only a few years ago. Their world is very small, and it is only recently, when Tamaki recruited them into the club, that their world has expanded even just a little bit.
The twins have a certain technique when it comes to their clients. They play off on their extremely deep relationship as the customers love the forbidden thought of incest between them. They are very calculating in whatever they do since they think women are easy, the exact opposite of Tamaki. They do love to tease and flirt with the girls though. If something's interesting to them, they will go along with it, but once they're bored, they discard it.
People usually couldn't tell them apart until Haruhi came into the picture. She can easily distinguish between the two of them, bypassing their usual tricks, which no one has ever done before. Thanks partly to her, their world of "us" and "them" has been invaded. They love to tease and touch Haruhi because it (sometimes) gets her flustered and it also breaks Tamaki out of his funks and gets him jealous. Somehow, they're always grabbing, hugging, or getting close to Haruhi. They also love to dress her up as a girl.
The twins are particularly mischievous and trouble-making since they love to be daring and have fun whenever possible. They have a type of cool and laid-back, but insolent attitude. But despite their joking manner, they can get serious. Seriousness, however, only usually happens when they're alone and they can talk things out. They also get genuinely upset when somethings happens to the other twin.
They are good at fashion, and cutting and styling hair. They're always changing their hair styles. One day, it's slicked, another day it can be spiky. They also part their hair differently, which is how you can tell them apart. From a reader's POV, Hikaru parts his hair to the right, while Kaoru parts his hair to the left. They take after their mother in both the looks and personality department. She is a fashion designer and president of her own brand. Their father is an executive for a software development company, and he married into the Hitachiin family. They have no siblings aside from each other, which is another explanation for their very small world.
Mitsukuni Haninozuka (Honey/Hunny)
Mitsukuni Haninozuka is a third-year student at Ouran High School, though you probably wouldn't know it at first glance. He is also the oldest member of the Host Club. He is extremely cute, but despite his size, don't be deceived. He is the National Middle School Champion in karate and judo. He is physically very strong, at least when angry. He knows how to defend himself and his friends.
Though "Mitsukuni" is his given name, everyone calls him "Hunny". He also loves to call others by nicknames (i.e. Haruhi=Haru, Tamaki=Tama, etc). In the manga, flowers surround whatever Hunny says. Hunny is usually never seen without his stuffed rabbit, Bun-Bun. Somewhat ironically, Hunny doesn't like carrots. He is, however, extremely partial to cake and any other types of sweets.
Hunny is easily upset when he loses things or gets scared. He also tears up pretty easily when upset. He also hates to be mean to others, but he likes to take naps and give hugs. It's rumored that if woken up during a nap, he gets put in a really foul mood. He's also in a bad mood if he goes without sweets for a long period of time.
When upset, he runs to Mori, who is actually his cousin. They share a very close relationship. Hunny is the only one to call Mori by his first name, "Takashi".
Hunny's cute appearance and ways attract many clients, so he is particularly aware of cutsy things. He knew Haruhi was a girl the moment he met her.
Hunny isn't an only child. He has a younger brother named Yasuchika in the junior high division of Ouran.
*Picture unavailable*
Takashi Morinozuka
Takashi Morinozuka is a third-year student at Ouran High School, who everyone calls "Mori". He is very quiet and sober, and rarely speaks or smiles. As the National Kendo Champion, he is physically very strong. He often picks Haruhi up like a bag of flour over his shoulder. He is almost like the tall, dark, and handsome type, though he doesn't speak often. He is in the Kendo Club, and only joined the Host Club because Hunny did.
Mori usually takes orders quite literally. He helps whenever anyone asks or needs it. Though he rarely talks, he is very kind and thoughtful of others. He especially worries and cares about Hunny a lot. He gets very depressed when Hunny is mad at him, and usually takes the blame on himself when Hunny is hurt. In times like those, he can be very pessimistic. They have a blood bond as cousins, and he has followed the tradition of the Morinozuka family serving the Haninozuka family, though marriage already blended the family two generations ago.
Mori, however, isn't an only child. He has a younger brother, Satoshi, who looks up to him.
And, remember how I spoke of FMA refernces earlier? Well, here's one of them...or at least, it seems to be. It's Haruhi and her Dad.
Although we can't see his face (yet), doesn't he already bear a striking resemblance to someone we know?
Anyway, discuss.
Don't let the thirty minutes spent typing this go to waste.
