Release Date: 15/04/2009
Languages: ENGLISH, JAPANESE
Genre: Anime, Comedy, Romance
Subtitles: ENGLISH subtitles
Number of Discs: 2
Runtime: 325.0 mins

“Kiss, kiss, fall in love!” says the opening line of the theme song. You might fall in love with Ouran High School Host Club, and if you do, blame Bisco Hatori. The manga series is her brainchild, and while she hasn’t won any awards for it yet, it is one of her most successful works thus far. And of course a manga series’ success is measured by whether someone is willing to develop an anime version – so here it is.

I had high hopes for the anime as I had found the original Japanese version online a couple of years ago, and I fell in love with it. At first I can’t say I was impressed with the English dub, but you know what they say about first impressions!

In this story, Haruhi Fujioka is your normal teenager on a scholarship to a prestigious private school. Apart from the fact that she isn’t as wealthy as her schoolmates, she goes about her school life studying to keep her grades up in order to retain her scholarship. And by dressing in a way that has many schoolmates mistake her as a boy.

Being that she is a bookworm and has no money to buy decent school clothing, Haruhi doesn’t actively go out of her way to make friends with anyone. One day she goes looking for a quiet place to study since the library is occupied. She comes across a music room and thinks she has found a good place to continue studying her little heart out. Wrong!

When she walks in Haruhi finds she has stumbled upon the schools Host Club – a club consisting of 7 male students who entertain young ladies with tea and sweets, as well as their charms. Realising she has interrupted them, Haruhi tries to exit the room, but the clubs “King” Tamaki has other ideas.

Tamaki more-or-less chases Haruhi around a little bit, asking questions while at the same time insinuating she is a boy who could be gay. Shocked, Haruhi backs away from him and right into a vase, knocking it to the ground. The vase was worth 8 Million Yen, and so begins Haruhi’s “employment” by the Host Club to work off her debt. The Host Club members treat her as though she were a boy until one-by-one they eventually click. The clubs patrons do not know and, so far as this volume goes, they don’t find out.

Haruhi manages to jump a few hurdles (e.g. learning to dance – let alone as a boy, school physical exams, a visit at home from the entire Host Club), and she gains supportive friends and a little more self-confidence along the way. She grows fond of them, even if they do act like a bunch of spoiled rich kids sometimes.

The first thing I was disappointed in was the opening and closing credits. For whatever reason the team that worked on the English dub decided it was necessary to do English versions of the songs. While they are alright, they still weren’t as good as the Japanese versions. I think it was only soured for me because the Japanese artist for the opening song is my favourite Jpop star. But you can’t please everybody right?

The second thing that I was unhappy with was the the actors chosen to voice Haruhi and Tamaki. I felt the voice for Haruhi was a little too flat and monotone, and it bordered on boring at times. Tamaki I liked, but had something else in mind when I was about to watch this version. However, as I progressed through the episodes the characters English voices grew on me, and now I love them!

As always, the extras included with this volume:

Disc 1:

• Episode Commentaries for Episodes 1, 4 & 5 with Caitlin Glass (voice of Haruhi) and her guests Vic Mignogna (Tamaki), J Michael Tatum (Kyoya), Monica Rial (Renge), Greg Ayres & Todd Haberkorn (Kaoru and Hikaru, The Hitachin Twins).

Disc 2:

• Outtakes
• Textless versions of the English opening and closing songs
• Trailers for other Madman releases

Fun and laughs are in abundance throughout this series, and it appeals to those who like their anime with high school icing and a mature themed filling. Sometimes the ‘filling’ is questionable, but it makes it taste better.

As for the manga, I have only gotten a look at the very first edition so my comparison to the anime is somewhat brief.

The anime has kept very closely to the manga in the way of storylines. I don’t know why but I was surprised at how exact most of the characters were in appearance when drawn for the anime.

The only thing I would have left out would have been Bisco Hatori’s need to thank you for reading the manga – at the end of each chapter. It was annoying, especially when she made herself out to be incompetent for one reason or another. However, I also believe this is the Japanese way but you may correct me if I’m wrong.

This series is now one of my favourites and I have the need to not only collect the anime, but also all of the manga as well. You won’t regret it, so give it a chance!

(c) Based on the comic ?OURAN High School Host Club? by Bisco Hatori originally serialized in ?LaLa? published by HAKUSENSHA Inc. / Bisco Hatori / Hakusensha ?  NTV/ VAP/ Bones/Hakusensha