Setting

Haruhi Fujioka just entered the prestigious Ouran High School - a school just for extremely rich people. Far from being rich, Haruhi managed to get into Ouran because of her excellent student record thus enabling her to get a scholarship. However, everything at Ouran is expensive, including the uniform, so she even has to wear conventional commoner clothing.

Searching for a peaceful place to study, Haruhi ends up at the Music Room 3. What she did not expect, however, is that this is the base of operations of the "Host Club", where 6 eccentric but gorgeous boys "entertain" the equally idle girl from the school as hosts to the most insane fantasies - all in the name of fulfilling every single imagination, or in the case, "client" fetishes.

Little does Haruhi knows that, taken as a boy, and some aggravating circumstances, she ends up being part of such group, and to pay a big dept, she will end up to be a host while pretending to be a boy.

Pacing

Although Haruhi is a girl, the Host Club accept her since, while dresses as a boy, she ends up looking as a cute and irresistible shounen for the "Host club" customers - the school girls. The title explores this weird situation (where everyone hides Haruhi's true gender) bringing several complex and funny events. Another humor focus is how the title shows how the rich and spoiled teenagers of Ouran get amazed by Haruhi's commoners’ life (for instance, they are shocked with the sight of a "instant coffee", which ends up being the talk, and trend, of the day)

As the plot (if you can call it that way) advances, a light romance emerges as some club members develop (unknown to them) feelings for Haruhi - but don't get your hopes high, this is a much as the romance goes and it never really hit off. The character development is pleasant and subtle, but also well within humor boundaries. The fact that each "Host Club" member were chosen for being a given stereotype actually makes them really BE such stereotype: Honey is the "Lolita shounen" who attracts with his ludicrous cutesy, Mori is the "wild" type, the Hitachiin brothers add the spiced "forbidden love" between man AND brothers (though this is not really homosexual nor incestuous as it's just an act for their "clients"), Kyoya is the "Cool" and smart type, and Tamaki is the womanizer king. Although this brings on one character for every fan, it also ends up making them inevitably bi-dimensional and rooted to their "stereotyped origins". Another problem is that one or other character, though starting in par with the others, end up being pretty much neglected and forgotten along the series - if you get to like one of them, you will be disappointed.

Conclusion

"Ouran High School Host Club" is almost a slapstick comedy, which also explores the subtleness of the ridiculous situations in which the characters almost self-impose on themselves in their attempts to please their female customers, or in the cute yet dragged jealousy the "Host Club" members have about Haruhi. Beyond that, nothing happens. The episodes are loose and episodic and little to no development happens. In fact, it would be even fair to say that to watch the first and than the last 2 episodes (which are probably the only joint episodes) is pretty much to watch the whole series: A problem? not quite, as Ouran was designed to be that way. Pleasant, funny, sometimes cute and romantic, but strongly humoristic and with captivating characters - it never tries to pretend to have a plot, and that is actually a plus for this show, since you can watch it at your own pace.

A definite call for any comedy fans, or for girls looking for a "reverse harem" title (as one of the characters eventually describes the "Host Club"), Ouran is guaranteed entertainment. Don't watch expecting too much of a plot nor a closure and you are safe against disappointments.