Series: Ouran High School Host Club, Volume 1
Author: Bisco Hatori
Published by: VIZ Media LLC; Shojo Beat Manga Ed.
ISBN: 978-1591169154
Genre: Manga, Comedy, Romance
Reading Level / Interest Age: Ages 14 and up
Author Profile:
“From in Saitama, Japan, her pseudonym is Bisco Hatori. She has worked for such magazines as LaLa. Her manga debut was A Moment of Romance in LaLa DX. Her first series was Millennium Snow, which was put on hiatus because of her other manga, the comedy Ouran High School Host Club, which became her breakout hit. It placed in the 50 top-selling manga in Japan for both 2008 and 2009. Hatori's work is influenced by classic manga such as Please Save My Earth, a shōjo science fiction series, and the basketball manga Slam Dunk. She finished Ouran High School Host Club in 2010. In January 2012, Hatori wrote a science-fiction comedy one-shot manga titled Detarame Mōsōryoku Opera published in LaLa. The second chapter was published in May 2012.” From – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisco_Hatori
Reader's Annotation:
After an unfortunate incident involving a very expensive vase, Haruhi Fujioka is forced to join the exclusive, all-male, Ouran High School Host Club as an errand boy in order to pay off the debt. When Haruhi is promoted to full member status, the Host Club gets a shocking surprise when they discover that Haruhi is actually a girl.
Plot Summary:
Haruhi Fujioka is a scholarship student at the prestigious Ouran High School. Looking for a quiet place to study, Haruhi stumbles across the music room where a group of six male students who are all exceedingly handsome and rich gather to entertain female “clients.” This small group is notorious throughout the school and known as the Ouran High School Host Club. When Haruhi spills into their meeting, she accidentally breaks an $80,000 vase. In order to pay back the damages, the boys force her to work for the club as an errand boy. Due to Haruhi’s short hair, baggy clothes, and gender-ambiguous face, the boys automatically assumed that she was a he. As Haruhi begins her service to the club, the boys discover that Haruhi has a knack for entertaining the girls and promote her to full-host status, something that she agrees to in an effort to find the quickest way to pay off her debt. Although the boys soon discover Haruhi’s true gender, they decide to keep her in the club and the truth of her identity a secret. For Haruhi, the more immersed she becomes in the Ouran High School Host Club the more she sees just how wealthy and different this group of boys really is.
Critical Evaluation:
It is sometimes difficult to evaluate the first volume of a series because much of the focus is spent on introducing the major characters and setting up how the rest of the series will proceed. In the instance of Ouran High School Host Club, readers get a welcomed introduction to a plot that is not only interesting but also hilarious and readers will enjoy the lighthearted tone that is set from the very first panel. A parody of the typical high school romance genre as well as a spoof on otaku culture, this title pokes fun at a number of other genres and character types typical in manga allowing readers to easily be pulled in by the concept of this series as well as the fact that it is able to not take itself too seriously.
Although the plot may veer on the side of ridiculous and it is hard to ignore the cheerful tone, this is nicely balanced with the strong character development and internal conflicts that each character struggles with. While internal conflict such as Tamaki reconciling being disowned by his grandmother and forced to leave his mother and Kyoya’s pressure from his father to surpass his older brother are evident, they are also subtle in the grander context of the story. Rather than being depressing and dragging down the carefree atmosphere that Hatori has carefully constructed, these small personal battles actually adds more depth to the characters and often explains why the boys are the way they are. It also reinforces the host club as an environment where the boys can create their own type of family built on camaraderie and friendship rather than the broken or disapproving homes most of them come from. In addition to the boys, Haruhi is also an interesting and well- developed character. While she may not be as overtly interesting compared to the boys, she does serve as the epicenter of the story’s plot as readers see everything through her eyes. Additionally, what makes her unique and a wonderful narrator is that she is not the typical female lead who cares about appearances nor does she spend time fawning over all the boys. Rather she is often the one who puts them in their place and is not afraid to speak her mind making her an excellent contrast to the outwardly flighty and flirty boys and giving female readers a strong lead they can admire.
Curriculum Ties:
- Japanese Culture
- Preparatory high school politics
Challenges / Issues:
- LGBTQ themes
- Suggestive images
- Suggestive sexual themes
Defense of Challenges / Issues:
- Have a clear understanding of the library’s selection policy as well as copies available in order to identify specific points of the policy to challengers in order to strengthen defense.
- Express the library’s dedication to intellectual freedom and open access as outlined in the ALA Library Bill of Rights. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill
- Know the material being challenged in order to show that you understand the content and how the challenged material works in context with the rest of the text.
- Have access to both supportive and critical reviews from reliable sources, such as School Library Journal or VOYA. Provide challenger’s with these reviews through either hard copies or by including reviews in the catalog records of library materials.
- Have the ability to explain the rationale behind the inclusion of materials in the library’s collection by discussing an item’s literary merits, intended audience, and offering a brief summary.
- One of the most important lines of defense is to be an active listener and to stay calm. Pay attention to the patron’s concerns, do not interrupt, and do not take his/her challenge personally. Additionally, even if you do not agree with the challenge, still speak to the patron with understanding and compassion. Make sure to respectfully outline the library’s selection policies as well as the principles outlined in the Library Bill of Rights. If the patron is still adamant about the removal of the text, offer a “Request for Reconsideration” form, outlining the patron’s concerns that can be presented to senior library staff.
Book Talk Ideas:
- Discuss why the boys decided to keep Haruhi in the club even after they discovered her true identity.
- Talk about what exactly it is, besides good looks and wealth that make the boys of the club so different from everyone else. Do they change with the arrival of Haruhi within their ranks? Why or why not.
Why this Book?
There are several manga titles available that seem to have very heavy and/or serious undertones and themes. This comedic and slightly romantic storyline creates a nice balance to any manga collection, allowing teens to follow the madcap behavior of the boys and the thoughtful contemplations of Haruhi’s experiences.