Ouran High School Host Club Volume 10 Review

Hunny unwittingly comes to the aid of a damsel in distress, only to find himself the victim of her curse! Kanazuki is a member of the school’s Black Magic Club. When the other members ask why she’s placing a curse on Hunny, she replies—because he stole her soul! She freaks Hunny out by the things that she does, and the boy is beside himself, wondering what he did to anger her so. It’s up to the other Host Club members to get to the bottom of things, and figure out what to do about Kanazuki’s apparent vendetta against Hunny!

It’s almost time for summer break, and Haruhi’s thoughts turn to helping Misuzu at the pensione again. Ranka says Misuzu is acting strange. It turns out that he has custody of his teenage daughter Mei for the summer, and she’s driving him crazy! She’s rebellious, loud and completely disrespectful of her drag queen father. He’s beside him with worry, and begs Ranka for help! When Haruhi begins disappearing from Host Club meetings early, the suspicious boys are determined to find out what’s up. They learn that she is going to Mei’s school to meet her and bring her to the Fujioka residence, watching her for her father.  The boys become determined to crack the hard nut that is Mei, and return her to her loving father’s… er… bosom. Mei finds herself taken with Tamaki, whom Haruhi has been avoiding ever since the kiss. Will Mei succeed in stealing Tamaki’s heart? Eyes are beginning to open.

Summer break begins, and Misuzu heads off to the pensione, sans Mei, who is staying with Haruhi and Ranka.  But why is Tamaki getting up extra early, now that he doesn’t have to go to school? Mei ends up spending time with the Host Club, and discourages Haruhi from coming, which works well with her avoidance of Tamaki. But Mei is quickly disillusioned. Instead of the chic lifestyle and fun she envisioned, the boys are obsessed with doing things and seeing things in the way of the poor people.  Tamaki enveigles Haruhi into a scheme, one she can’t disclose to Mei. To Mei’s dismay, when she’s with him, he mentions Haruhi—a lot!

When Kaoru and Hikaru learn what Tamaki is up to, they head straight to Karuizawa, and find they aren’t the only ones to do so. Although some are more helpful to Misuzu than others.  The boys come up with a scheme in which Mei will be “accosted” by a low-life hooligan, and her father will come to the rescue, earning her undying love and devotion! A splendid scheme, what could possibly go wrong? Well, consider the source…

Summer is drawing to a close, and Mei realizes she has neglected her homework! She tells Haruhi that she should do it for going behind her back with Tamaki, and the two exchange words, resulting in Ranka tossing them out of the house as he tries to sleep! A call from the twins concerning souvenirs from Okinawa leads to Mei dying to go there—not to see what the boys got, but because their mother is the famous fashion designer Yuzuha Hatachin! Oh. My. God.  Yuzuha has Haruhi dress up in her latest fashions, which she reluctantly does, to the boys’ delight. She gains some insight into the twins’ parents, and helps Kaoru answer an important question concerning his brother.

Back to school, and back to the Host Club. Tamaki is intrigued by something Mei told him, about a sports festival at her school. He’s always interested in knowing more about what the poor people do. When Takeshi Kuze, Football Club President, barges into the Host Club, a spirited rivalry ensues, which ends with Tamaki’s determination to hold a sports festival at Ouran.  With himself organizing it. He takes charge of one team, and sets Kyoya in charge of another. But Kyoya isn’t interested… until Takeshi pushes his buttons.

There is nothing boring about this volume of Host Club! I enjoyed seeing more of Hikaru and Kaoru’s parents. And Mei is an interesting character, even if I wanted to bitchslap her sometimes! I’m hoping that Haruhi and Tamaki are getting closer to realizing they have feelings for one another, and also I hope Tamaki gets over the idea that he’s her “father”. Can’t wait for Volume 11!

Ouran High School Host Club Volume 9 Review

Volume 9 of Bisco Hatori’s Ouran High School Host Club begins with an examination of the dichotomy that  is Hikaru and Kaoru. The twins are a perplexing pair—torn between wanting to be seen as individuals and being seen as a whole. They manage to confuse most of the people around them with their attitude and they go out of their way to make fools of everyone by childishly switching places whenever it pleases them. They are easily bored and prone to tossing aside their latest toy or pursuit when it no longer holds their joint attention, people included.  They believe that people only want to get close to them because of their family name. They haven’t reckoned on Tamaki Suoh.  When he asks them to join a club he wishes to start, they force him to play the “Which One is Hikaru” game for a month, sure he cannot succeed. They don’t count on Tamaki’s tenacity. Of course, the outcome is a foregone conclusion.

As the second story begins, the Host Club are playing pirates—buckling swashes and shivering timbers and slashing their way into their ladies’ hearts!  An unexpected visitor to the club, who is a newcomer to the school—a visiting princess from the kingdom of Monar—sets Tamaki into a tailspin that none can understand, although many try to psychoanalyze his reactions to the pampered, spoiled, selfish young woman. Does he know her? Does she remind him of someone? And why does he agree to her petulant demands?  Including wanting to have one of the little people taste her food in case of poison! The others are determined to get to the bottom of his bizarre behavior—the sooner the better!

After the princess’ departure, Tamaki takes to his bed with a cold, not appearing at school. Gadzooks! Tamaki sick? Unheard of! What’s going on? The Host Club goes to see!  They find him being spoiled by the staff at the manor, but there’s evidence that Tamaki has been acting strangely lately, including questioning Mori as to whether he ever wishes to kiss Hunny. Truth be told, Tamaki has had ideas of kissing Haruhi. But he’s her father! Wherein lies the conflict. This calls for some parental guidance, in the worst possible way. But will he receive it?

In the extra episode, Haruhi’s hosting a yami-nabe party at her house. Literally it means dark pot. Guests bring different foods that aren’t normally used in nabe and add them to the pot. Whatever you pick up with your chopsticks, you eat.  When the members of the Host Club run out of their expensive additions, they persuade Haruhi to run to the store for more—at their expense, of course. She grumbles, but she acquiesces. Once she’s out of the house, they are free to put their diabolically clever—and inherently ridiculous—scheme into effect, whereby they secretly replace every bit of the Fujioka’s poor, cheap home with expensive duplicates of high quality. Will they succeed? And if they do, will anybody notice?

A bonus story after the Host Club episodes is called The Love Egoist in which a college student is warned not to take a certain path, but he ends up taking it anyway. Has he found the love of his life? Or will he lose her by going down his already chosen road?

On the cover of this volume we see Haruhi and Hunny is grass skirts—completely adorable! I loved all the stories, but especially those with Tamaki. Although the spoiled princess trope is a familiar one, this one serves a different purpose, and I have hopes of seeing a furtherance in the relationship between Tamaki and Haruhi. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the members of the Host Club and look forward to a lot more of their adventures. The fun never stops, and the writing maintains a high quality in each story. I hope it continues for a long time to come!