Hatori, B. (2003). Ouran High School Host Club #1. Tokyo, Japan: Hakusesha. United States: VizMedia.
ISBN-13: 9781591169154
•Plot Summary
In this first volume of a fifteen volume set, Haruhi has arrived at the Ouran High School, an elite academy only accessible to him due to his full scholarship. As a scholarship student he is ranked Class A, and when he accidentally wanders into the Host Club's meeting room, breaks an $80,000 vase. Rather than have Haruhi try to pay back the money, the club puts Haru to work as one of its hosts-young men of good family and wealth, with too much leisure time, that formed the club to amuse girls of similar backgrounds. While he at first believes that all the rich are the same, he soon comes to realize that some are leaders (like his chief antagonist, Tamaki), some do everything for show (like a set of deeply connected, nearly incestuous twins), and others are almost childlike (like Hunny Mori-who carries around a stuffed bunny). Everything is done for the amusement of the young women, but when Haruhi cleans up into a gorgeous young man, the club has more on its hands that it bargained for. Suddenly, Tamaki is having feelings for another boy, and Tamaki's primary patron is jealous, thrown out of the club patronage when she tries to undermine Haruhi's efforts. Picking up the possessions the Princess tried to destroy, Tamaki discovers that Haruhi is actually a girl, and all the boys want to know why she's been posing as a guy. Haruhi explains a neighbor put gum in her hair, so she cut it out, she'd lost her contact lenses, and she didn't see a difference between looking like a boy or a girl. The guys are fascinated, and throw her into the thick of things, Haruhi already having become quite popular with the girls. Tamaki constantly changes the rules of the debt, still very much interested in Haruhi, and tries to have her identity remain that of a girl through a series of cooking, dancing, and tricking her into meeting one of the male students so his girlfriend catches them together. Each of the plans fails, and when one of the female students asks Haruhi for a kiss, Tamaki rushes in with the intention of stopping them. He accidentally hits Haruhi the wrong way, and the result is a kiss after all.
•Critical Evaluation
A nice take on the fluid nature of gender, especially as portrayed in Japanese culture. The characters are amusing, but each in an individual way.
•Reader’s Annotation
The manga formulation of being read from right to left, and therefore what is by American standards back to front, may confuse some readers.
•Information about the author
Bisco Hatori was born in Sataima, Japan in August of 1975, and is a frequent contributor to LaLa Magazine. Ouran Host Club is her first multivolume set.
She received an Outstanding Debut in the 26th Hakusensha Newcomers’ Awards for her work on Millenium Snow, a two volume set about a sick girl, and the vampire that might be able to save her life.
•Genre
Manga
•Curriculum Ties
Social Science
•Booktalking Ideas
Japanese culture, manga, gender bending in pop culture
•Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 7-12-Ages 12-18
•Challenge Issues
N/A
•Why did you include this book in you’re the titles you selected?
I had not selected anything in the genre yet, and liked the setting for this series. I also enjoyed the concept of Haruhi's continuing to work as a Host Club host, despite the group knowing she is a girl.
