Ouran High School Host Club: Story could be better but overall a hilarious work

Written by Little_Wolf-18 on February 15, 2012 at 11:53 AM

It needed five minutes in and I was thinking “What the heck, rich boys…” But actually, this anime turned out to be more than simply rich boys.

“Ouran High School Host Club” is a romantic comedy focusing on the comedy aspect, with friendship and a touch of drama. A shoujo anime worth watching for its comedy aspect.

I admit I’m not quite sure what to make of the story. Something in the sense of a consistent storyline is more or less nonexistent. Character development and dynamics tie this show together more or less, but generally, each episode is very different from the one before and could be standing on its own, so the overall storyline gets rather random, bizarre, and at points vague. Episodes and characters sometimes are referenced later but some just get lost. The end fits a comedy anime, but still is open and does not present a definite conclusion.

However, on the good side, the characters represent a wide range of unique personalities and qualities, and the host club members with their whole environment are just deliciously over the top. Colourful, crazy, and quite unpredictable, they make for a high number of good laughs with their individual small hilarities. Character interaction and development overall are well-done. Story deserves 3.5 overall.

The dialogue is quite funny and overall witty, though sometimes it can seem a bit corny or childish. The host club members’ exaggeratedly hilarious antics combined with Haruhi’s sardonic responses make for a great number of jokes. The voice acting is nicely done.

The animation is good, and though the artwork sure isn’t the prettiest out there, it’s unique, alternating between quite complex scenes and somehow simplistic images. Still, it manages to make facial expressions so exaggeratedly dramatic at times that you can’t help but laugh. Settings and humour can seem juvenile but overall are presented well. The OST could need greater diversity, but it fits.

“Ouran High School Host Club” overall is a light and refreshing romance-comedy geared towards young women, though I think it can be enjoyed by anyone a little more mature who’s into over-the-top comedy but doesn’t care too much about plots. With light comedy and original, hilarious adventures, you won’t get bored with this anime, especially if you watch it with a friend. Personally, I wouldn’t state this as a must-watch, but it’s delightful and good for comic relief. A refreshing and entertaining watch with comedy, friendship, a touch of romance and drama, this is great for anyone who needs a good laugh, though I wouldn’t exactly recommend it for those who usually love shounen-type animes.