005 | Ouran High School Host Club
100 TV Shows (I've Seen At Least A Season Of)
For the longest time, I shied away from the anime community. It was for multiple reasons (beginning with, “WHERE DO I EVEN START” and ending with, “IT’S NOT LIKE I NEED MORE OBSESSIONS ANYWAYS”) and while I knew of friends who talked about it and loved it, I just hid away in my corner of hour-long TV dramas. That is, until one day when my roommates, Courtney and Nina, were randomly showing me AMVs that they really liked, and kept telling me the plots of the shows. I was sort of ridiculously hooked from the premise, and the promise of ALL THE GAY IN THE WORLD and we quickly hopped onto Netflix and watched the first episode. And then the second. And then the third. In the end, I think it took us about a month (combined with terrible internet connections, and a dozen other TV shows to watch) to watch all 26 episodes. And I’m still completely smitten.
Since I don’t know a lot of people who have seen the show, I’ll give you a brief synopsis on what it is. Ouran was originally a manga that ran for like, 10 years or something ridiculous like that. The anime only ran for a season, and there’s also a live action version that I will eventually check out. BUT ANYWAYS THE STORY: Haruhi transfers into the elite Ouran High School because of her ridiculously high test scores. Ouran is a super private school that only really really rich kids go to. Like, their parents own entire industries, not just companies. Haruhi stumbles into Music Room #3 for a quiet place to study, but is greeted by the Ouran High School Host Club, a group of young men who wine and dine and are companions to the rich young ladies of the school. They mistake her for a man and welcome her into the room, showing her around and telling her about what they do. She accidentally knocks over a ridiculously expensive vase, and in order to pay them back, ends up joining the Host Club. AND THEN THEY ALL HAVE ADVENTURES AND FALL IN LOVE AND STUFF AND IT'S WONDERFUL.
I think the thing that I love the most is the complex relationships between the members of the Host Club. Because on the surface, they’re all friends. They’re happy together in their odd little bubble at school. But when you go and look at their home lives, it’s fucking HEARTBREAKING. Like, I can’t even talk about Honey’s family and the drama there because it makes me too ridiculously sad. And Kyoya’s feelings of rejection from his family, and that need to compete with his older siblings? And the constant feelings of loneliness and abandonment that the twins have! UGH. RIP MY HEART OUT. I really quite adored the episode with the backstory between Kyoya and Tamaki. I think it’s arguable that the show works mainly on their relationship, because they are the “Mother” and “Father” of the group. They’re the ones who created the club in the first place, and seeing their connection from the beginning is something special.
The obvious draw of the show from a fangirl perspective is how gay the Host Club is for each other. Like, especially between the twins. My roommates and I are firmly on Team Kyoya/Tamaki. THEY’RE SO MARRIED AND THEY COMPLETE EACH OTHER END OF STORY GOODBYE. But I also am ridiculously in love with with Honey/Mori. MORIIIIII. GOD MORI IS MY FUCKING FAVORITE AND THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE THAT. And Honey just climbs all over him and Mori just stands there and is adorable. But Mori watches out for Honey! And Honey will fuck shit up! AND THEY CANON LOVE EACH OTHER. OTP 5EVER OKAY.
I definitely feel like I haven’t talked about Haruhi enough. I love how strong and stubborn she is. And I really love how she defies normal gender stereotypes. Most of the characters in the show do, but Haruhi just does not give a fuck if she acts or looks like a girl, and really doesn’t give a fuck what you think about it. She doesn’t take shit from anybody in the club, but ultimately still really cares about them and their feelings. You see most of the show sort of in her perspective, because she’s entering their world at the same time as you are, but then the tables are turned later on in the show when we go through her backstory and meet HER FATHER. OH MY GOD HARUHI’S DAD IS PERFECTION. SPOILER ALERT HE’S A DRAG QUEEN AND COMPLETELY DELIGHTFUL.
I could really go on forever with this show and how wonderful it is, but you should really just go watch it and flail with me forever. But beware because ALL OF THE FEELINGS. LITERALLY EVERY SINGLE FEELING EVER. (No seriously, I never realized I could have that many feelings about a goddamn anime.) And then come back and talk to me about it. :3