Ouran High School Host Club: A timeless anime or just hype?

Ouran High School Host Club is one of the classic shoujo anime that refuses to fade with time. I adore this show because of how it managed to balance a chaotic, sparkly, hilariously melodramatic mess all in one season. Although it never got renewed, fans of this show just end up rewatching it. That is when the question arises: Is Ouran truly timeless, or are we just still riding the nostalgia high?

I believe it is a mix of both. When I started watching Ouran High School Host Club for the first time, I was expecting it to be a shallow rom-com as it was set in a luxurious private school.

Haruhi Fujioka, the show's female lead, represented the common folks, and she was given an opportunity to study in this school because of the scholarship program.

For someone from a humble background to be surrounded by rich kids who treat school as a pastime sounded like a recipe for a mediocre storyline. But it took a turn when she accidentally walked into the Host Club's room, and was mistaken to be a boy. To make things worse, she also ended up breaking an expensive vase and had to work for them to pay for it.

What starts as a goofy setup soon becomes a strangely moving story about identity, class, love, and self-discovery. One of the biggest reasons I feel Ouran High School Host Club is still relevant is because of Haruhi. As a character, she is an inspiration for being smart, independent, and never caring about what society thinks of her.

Her character is different from the usual female protagonist seen in shoujo anime. I believe, in many ways, Haruhi represents a kind of modern woman that anime at the time rarely explored.

Let us also take a moment to discuss the other members of the Host club in the anime, as they have been so well-written that they deserve their own spin-off. For instance, the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru, are an emotional rollercoaster.

On the surface, they are mischievous pranksters with a flair for dramatic “forbidden brotherly love” moments, which are obviously satire, but let’s be real. But dig deeper, and their arc about identity and individuality is incredibly compelling.

Watching them become their unique self while also becoming more mature is endearing and surprisingly heartfelt. And it is not just them. Every character brings something unique, adding both entertainment and emotional depth.

Disclaimer: This article contains the writer's opinion. Readers’ discretion is advised.

The themes of the Ouran High School Host Club are still relevant

Beyond being a narrative focusing on Tamaki and Haruhi, Ouran High School Host Club offers some meaningful themes relevant to the current times. For beginners, it discusses the social differences in class. Everyone in the school treats Haruhi as a commoner and either looks down or feels sorry for her. Even the members of the host club took time to realize just how insulated and privileged they are.

Then there is the exploration of gender identity and roles. Haruhi’s gender presentation is fluid, and the show rarely makes it a big deal. Even though in the story, her classmates referred to her as male, she did not care.

And of course, there is the constant examination of emotional openness. Tamaki’s journey of learning to be less performative and Kyoya’s struggle to express vulnerability. Ouran High School Host Club will make you laugh and will also ask viewers to think.

Trending

In conclusion, this anime may have started as romance, but ended up evolving to be a truly special show. The only issue that I have is that the story was not completed, and most likely, we would never get season 2.

If viewers want to know what happened at the end of the story, they will have to read the manga. Ultimately, I believe Ouran High School Host Club is truly timeless.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback