Manga Review: Ouran High School Host Club

Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori 18 volumes-complete

Haruhi is a commoner who entered the elite Ouran High School. But then she got herself into pretending to be a boy with the Host Club to pay off an eight million yen debt.

This is the only reverse harem anime that I have watched twice. It has been etched in my brain that they will forever stay like this. I was already contented inside the bubble with the fun-loving, oblivious bunch. But when the story progressed in the manga as naturally it would, it feels scary. I was not ready for them to grow. For them to face the consequences and to destroy the family they created. But then I realized that there is nowhere to go but to move forward. And my doubts were cleared.

It is only fitting to finally finish Ouran manga after Reverse Harem Garden turned ten and after reading Fushigi Yugi mangas. After all, this is the story that introduced me to the term, reverse harem. Yes, I read this from chapter 1. I got caught up in their world again while reliving what happened in the anime and moving into the uncharted half of the manga. It was a fun ride while the anime soundtrack is playing in your mind.  Aside from the anime, I have also watched the jdrama and the live action film.

There are slight differences with the anime and the manga. The lightbulb moment for each character did not happen in the anime. There was also a chapter dedicated to a character named, Ayame. My nickname in Japanese! They even had an Iris Festival just for her. I wished they added that too just because. LOL. And no jumping from the carriage like in the anime's ending but in the manga the story climaxed in the usual grand Ouran style. The conflict with the grandmother was very reminiscent too of Domyijou's mom in Hana Yori Dango.

In the manga, two of the characters realized how the other four host club members are in love with Haruhi. But in the end, they sacrificed their feelings or of the possibilities as they value more their friendships. I prefer the animation of the characters but I love all the little interactions between the characters that make your heart go ba-thump. Most especially's Tamaki and Haruhi's kiss. The KISS! They literally fit for each other. 

I also liked how the story neatly tied up loose ends. With all the frivolous things that happened one may easily dismiss it as a silly anime but there's a reason for their actions or personalities which makes perfect sense. And it made the manga timeless and priceless. Also no favorite bishies. The manga made me also equally love all of them.

I don't think it was that emphasized much in the anime but I love that in the manga, they are all about gender fluidity which speaks with the times we're living in now.

There's also a special chapter where they are now in the University. I can finally close Ouran in my heart in contentment and not to constantly wonder what happened in the story in the manga.