Host Club

[MyrrhLynn]

Ah, I saw the third ep and the preview for ep 4 has me a little sad. Are they skipping the Twins argument ep? That was one of my favorites!

Did you see the twins fighting episode yet? They added in some new scenes so I had a bit of trouble following what was going on. It was definately a hilarious episode though.

Oh I want to ask everyone's opinion on this. For our Fandub I'm going to be Renge and I was thinking it would be appropriate to give her a French accent. But now after hearing the Japanese voice I'm thinking maybe that's not such a good idea. Any thoughts?

Ahh well the sub for episode 4 is finally out so I guess I should put up some screenshots. Personally I think this was the funniest episode so for! I love how Renge thinks that the club is Kyoya's store. XD The strange thing is that Mori was definatly my favorite character in the manga but now that I've seen the animated version I'm starting to like Kyoya almost as much. Well Kyoya definately shone in this epoisode, but he looked pretty suprised when Renge ran to him and hugged him.

[Kawaiikneko]

Kyouya has always been one of my favorites XD I was getting the new Honey and Clover OAV, but now that that's done I'll be getting the new Raw.

And I have Volume 6 ordered~ *dance dance* I can't wait~

As for Renge, she was originally Japanese (last name and all), so I dunno about a French accent

[MyrrhLynn]

As for Renge, she was originally Japanese (last name and all), so I dunno about a French accent

Yeah but she spent most of her life in France. I thought it would be a good way to establish her character a bit more. I wasn't thinking a thick French accent, more along the lines of what the characters in Beauty and the Beast have.

Anyone gotten Volume 6 yet? I haven't gotten around to ordering a copy yet, by I'm curious to know which guy is "featured" in this one. (Like how Hikaru was kind of featured in the last one, and Kyoya was featured in the beach chapter. )

Humm the episode this week is going to be the Indoor water park episode. Yay for the Mori scene, I can't wait to see it!

[starwarsboy90]

Wow, this series is looking better and better! I can't wait till all of it's fansubbed, then fandubbed, then officially dubbed,lol!

[Kawaiikneko]

I got the 6th volume awhile ago but didn't want to double post ^^; It's a good book! I'm not sure what you mean by which guy is featured, but we learn a little more about both Kyouya and Tamaki. I also LOVE the last chapter when they make all the food XDDD the part with they taste combinations of food that supposed to taste like giant tuna is hilarious. They all get really mad about it and their "avenging" for Haruhi is great.

All over a very very good volume ^^ I'm also looking forward to the Pool episode and then the beach episde after that. I wonder if they'll keep going with the manga or if they'll do some original episodes...

[MyrrhLynn]

[quote="Kawaiikneko"]I got the 6th volume awhile ago but didn't want to double post ^^]
Oh wow, now I really want to read Volume 6. I think it's time to go make an order!

The pool episode was great! It was so much fun seeing Mori interact more with Haruhi. And seeing Honey in action was awesome too. This is this hilarious scene where the twins are chanting as they make fun of Tamaki and Tamaki has steam coming out of his head, and Kyoya is talking to them like nothing is wrong. XD Strange though, they had Renge in this episode. I don't remember her being in the manga version...

But I seriously can't WAIT until next week when they will show the beach episode. I watched the preview and they are going to have the Kyoya and Haruhi night scene in there! *dies of happiness* I want to see what Kyoya looks like in anime form without his glasses (you couldn't see in the small clip they had in the preview)

[Kawaiikneko]

The beach episode remains my all-time favorite chapter in manga. I can't wait to see the Haruhi and Kyouya scene ^^/

And I think I'll be downloading the pool ep. raw soon... the fansubs are taking too long and I can basically understand what's going on. As for Renge... *checks* Nope, not in the manga

[MyrrhLynn]

Oh WOW! The Haruhi and Kyouya scene was fantastic! Ahh but they totally screwed up this episode, they cut out soooo many good parts. *sob* They should have made it into two episodes so that they could fit everything in. I was so mad about that!

I can't even remember what episode is coming out this week...they're on volume 3 now plot wise aren't they?

[Kawaiikneko]

They're going to do the girl's school one next... <.<;; *doesn't like that chapter much*

And I was sad about the episode too! They cut out some good stuff T_T it was bound to happen eventually, but I wish it would have been two episodes instead of one. I didn't like the Haruhi/Kyouya scene as much as the one in the book, but I thought they did Haruhi and Tamaki's scene very very well!

[MyrrhLynn]

Yeah I don't like that chapter all that much either. :\ (So I'm not bothering to watch the raw I'm just going to wait for the sub.) Renge was in this episode again though. It's kind of strange how they turned her into such a recurring character but I don't really mind since I like her a lot.

I watched the preview for the next episode though and it's the one where they go to Haruhi's house. Didn't they skip a ton of chapters? Well I suppose it makes sense that they wouldn't do some of those extra scenes like the ones where she fufills a bunch of requests and makes the characters do stuff, but they definately skipped the Halloween one (which I loved). What are they thinking?!?

[Kawaiikneko]

I think the manga and the anime toes the line of yaoi and yuri as a way of humor (the twincest act ect.) The first volume made me vaguely uncomfortable, but as more was revealed of the characters I felt more reassured.

[spoiler]Renge does develope a "love" for Haruhi, but its more like a crush I suppose. I would think that after Haruhi is revealed Renge would no longer like her, because Renge's infactuation is based off of an "otaku" mindset, and a female Haruhi would no longer fit the mold[/spoiler]

The thing that irks me the most about the story is when the twins act like they're gay (from the way they act when they're alone its obvious they're not). I can bear it in the manga, but when its in the anime I kinda have to look away and go "meh.."

[spoiler]Haruhi's dad (Ranka) is a crossdresser and works at a tranny bar. It is important to the development of Haruhi's character, but that also bothers me a little. I am able not to focus on it too much.[/spoiler]

Altogether, if yaoi/yuri is something you struggle with, this might not be the series for you. It's not flaunted per say, and I don't believe anyone besides Ranka is actually gay, but it is definitely alluded in there alot. It would be easy to start pairing the guys off, and if you have a struggle in that area it would be better not to make things hard on yourself.

EDIT: Ugh, I did NOT like episode 9 at all! It was much worse than the manga chapter >.<

[MyrrhLynn]

[spoiler]
I think Ranka is technically bi. I believe he says something about "not being able to love another women besides Haruhi's (deceased) mother" or something along those lines. He is definately a cross dresser, and seems to talk/act to some extent like he is gay, but I doubt we will ever see him act on it (aka he gets a boyfriend). Plus he acts an a lot like a protective Dad when it comes to Haruhi and boys more so then a mother would.
[/spoiler]

I also did not care for episode 9 of the anime. Jeez the manga is really better for the most part then the anime series so far. Well the most recent Honey episode might be an exception though. They did a great job on that one (although the 1/2 half would have confused me if I didn't see the manga version). And what is up with Renge appearing so much? I like her but it's kind of wierd how they do it...

I finally got to read volume 6 and loved it! LOL, it was hilarious to see the traditional "school festival" plotline used, but with such a different result! XD

[Kawaiikneko]

yes I love the school festival XD;; Personally I was annoyed by the Mori/Honey suggestiveness in ep. 9 =_=;; So many roses....

[Kumagoro]

Hm, contrary to what a lot of people here are saying, I liked the Ouran anime much more than the manga. There's just a certain energy it has that the manga lacks that only animation can give it. I started reading the manga after getting into the TV series, but the first volume was almost identicle to the first couple of episodes so I gave up. I like when the manga and anime a really different, it adds something new to the experience of watching/reading the series. The anime is a lot funnier, too. Hikaru and Kaoru are my favorite characters, since I'm a redhead too.

[Kawaiikneko]

Oh dear, you can't judge the manga by the first volume. The first volume is probably the worse one. Try going a little farther and it gets much better.

And since I read the manga first I probably would have been very disappointed if the anime had changed the story. And by disappointed I mean very angry...

[Kumagoro]

Oh dear, you can't judge the manga by the first volume. The first volume is probably the worse one. Try going a little farther and it gets much better.

And since I read the manga first I probably would have been very disappointed if the anime had changed the story. And by disappointed I mean very angry...

I don't know much of what was changed, but it seems like it stayed pretty close to the original content and just thre in some random Boy's Love refrences. I'm not bothered by that stuff at all so it didn't really affect my opinion of the anime.

[MyrrhLynn]

Oh dear, you can't judge the manga by the first volume. The first volume is probably the worse one. Try going a little farther and it gets much better.

And since I read the manga first I probably would have been very disappointed if the anime had changed the story. And by disappointed I mean very angry...

I totally agree. Part of the reason I love the manga is because I didn't realize Haruhi was a girl until Tamaki did (yeah I'm dense). I do agree that the first volume is very similar to the anime but as the episodes progress the anime varies a LOT. Mostly because they cut out lots of scenes in order to squeeze each story into a single episode. I almost cried when I saw that they cut out the "We're bad kids" scene in the episode where the Twins fight.

The cut so much out of the beach episode especially, almost ruining it in the process, that should have been a 2 episode story. The shopping/visit Haruhi episode was also a bad imitation of the original since they cut out so much. The only episode I have liked more then the manga counterpart has been the recent Alice in Wonderland episode since that chapter in the manga was kind of wierd... There are parts of the anime that I prefer to the manga. Seeing the characters actually move and hearing the voices is great. But the art Hatori does in the manga is just awesome to me and it's hard for an anime to reproduce that.

There's more then a few boy love references in the manga too so that is not what Kawaiikneko is referring to when she says the anime dissappoints her. The cut out a lot of good stuff and put in some silly/stupid stuff I guess in order to be funny, but if you liked the manga if kind of feels flat. The running gag with the banannas is like that for me.

Don't get me wrong as a rule I love anime more then manga, even if I like the manga series better, so I really do love the Ouran Host Club anime. But for this series I like the manga more. I suggest you try reading a few more volumes (they are through volume 3 now so they won't be spoilers) and see if your opinion of it changes.

[ShiroiHikari]

I've watched several episodes of this, and I think it's hilarious. It's hard for me to see how the manga could possibly be better, but if it is, that's great! When I get some extra money I'll probably buy the first couple of volumes just to see what's up.

Anyway, I can't wait to see more of this show. Really, the "twincest" doesn't bother me because it's so obvious that it's a joke, and it's never very explicit (so far).

So which character do you all like best? I have to say my favorite is Tamaki. He's just such a moron. XD

[MyrrhLynn]

Before I saw the anime, Mori was my favorite by far. But the anime is making me really start to like Kyouya for some reason.

Well I think the manga is better, but that doesn't mean I don't love the anime. I think the anime has some good points, and some parts they manage to improve, but there are many cases where they cut some absolutley hilarious scenes out just because they didn't have time. The fact that they are cramming every plotline into just one episode has really killed some of the stories. But it really is more fun hearing them talk.

I like Tamaki a lot too but he's a little too wierd for him to be my favorite character.

It seems like the anime is going to pull the same thing that happened with Fruits Basket. They basically skipped all of Volume 5 of the manga to go ahead to some chapters. This probably means we can kiss goodbye any chance of a sequal. But it's nice since they're picking out the best chapters to show!

[dragonnova]

Ah, Host fans! I've been wanting to talk to some fellow Host Club fans that were Christian... I haven't gotten a chance to read the manga yet, but I adore the anime... I was a little freaked out to watch it though...since I heard about the series from a yaoi fan -___- it scared me.. I downloaded the torrent twice and deleted it before I got the guts to actually watch it and see for myself. I'm glad I did, this is the first time I've laughed this hard in quite sometime ^_^

But I do want to ask... I know the twins are just putting on an act, I can tell especially after I had watched a few episodes that it was just an act (kinda like the jokes Shigure and Ayame do in Fruits Basket...) But I keep having this nagging at the back of my mind... even if it's just an act is it alright to watch this?

The only reason I ask is because I have the burning urge to draw fan art and... I can't until I see what others think...

[Aka-chan]

The general consensus on this thread (and I agree) seems to be that the twins' act is so completely over the top that there's no danger of it being real. I personally enjoy it as a parody of the ridiculousness of yaoi fangirls' obsessiveness and such. I mean, the whole cast plays on various stereotypes. Plus, it's pretty much just words (and some hugging at the most), so I don't have a problem with it.

A word on the "yuri" in episode 9: depending on the subs you got, you may have gotten a note that the Zuka-bu was a reference to the Takarazuka Theater, a famous all-female performing group in Japan. At Takarazuka, there are women who play the male roles, training their voices to a strong tenor range, keeping their hair short, etc. The stories are often love stories (with fabulous sets and costumes), but this is no more gratuitous fanservice than the all-male performing groups in Shakespeare's time. The audience for such a theater is actually almost completely female, and they do treat the main actresses of the group like major celebrities. Having studied Takarazuka a bit, I could see where those not familiar with that culture would get really weirded out, but it's really all drama and no yuri. I actually thought it was an excellent parody.

[Kawaiikneko]

hey dragonnova! nice to have another host club fan around CAA! First off I would HIGHLY suggest you pick up the manga as I think it has far less yaoi suggestiveness than the anime does. Yes, the twins still have their whole act, but it's not as focused on as the anime. Plus Honey/Mori isn't hinted at (a part of the anime that made me SO MAD!!). All-over I think the humor of the manga is more well done also.

COMPLETELY different issue here, but I would suggest against drawing any form of yaoi fanart (if that's what you're asking, though I assume you're just talking about general fanart), even if it is the twins doing their little act. Better to just not get sucked into that. Any other fanart though would be awesome and I'd love to see it! =]

[dragonnova]

Oh, no kawaiineko, I didn't mean I wanted to draw yaoi at all >.< quite the opposite... you see I wanted to draw all the characters, including the twins... and I just wanted to talk about the series a bit and see if this was ok for me to do, 'cause I just wasn't sure. My big problem is that I didn't want people to think I'm drawing that kind of thing (or that I'm into that sort of thing) just because I've drawn a pic of the twins. I really can't stand yaoi and I hate it when people think that just because I've drawn characters that are known for fan-yaoi they think I'm into that. I guess I'm paranoid... (but I can't draw Axel and Roxas anymore from Kingdom Hearts because people kept thinking I liked the yaoi pairing... and I don't... and there was nothing in my pics to even suggest yaoi at all. -__- so I didn't want that to happen again with this series...)

But if I did draw the twins it wouldn't be anything like their act... and Haruhi would definitely be in it cause I think their relationship is cute ^_^

I really got the strong feeling they were making fun of all the fads for shoujo romances, and I think it's just a hilarious series! I can't wait to get to the bookstore cause I'm definitely going to buy the manga! I'm happy to hear the twins aren't quite so bad in the manga... they kinda bugged me at first in the anime, but then as the show went on it seems like they tone it down quite a bit (and now I like them)

anyhoo, >.< I didn't notice yuri at all in this series, Aka-chan... but then I love Shakespear and like you said the Zuka-bu is basically the same thing with all girls instead of all men. but now that I look back on it I guess I can see that could be taken the wrong way, especially with the way Tamaki is freaking out over them ^_^ (I love him, he's such a nut!)

hee hee sorry I'm talking so much, but I'm really excited to find fans of this series ^___^ yay!

[Kawaiikneko]

Ahh I figured it was something along those lines. The Axel/Roxas thing bugs me alot too! Can't guys just be friends anymore? What happened to friendship love!?

Anyhow! Host Club is one of my favorite mangas right now, but it's a pain to find the earlier volumes, so I suggest you call ahead and make sure they have it in or order it or something.... Amazon.com is always a good bet.

I LOVE the twins in the manga. Yeah, the yaoi's still there, but you only have one frame instead of a scrolling picture and the annoying music. Their one-liners are hilarious too!

All this talk of Host Club is making me want to read it again =] *gets books down off the shelf*

[dragonnova]

I know!!! I was furious when I did this one pic of Roxas and Axel was in the background and everyone kept either saying "ooh I love that couple" or they yelled at me fro drawing yaoi... they're just friends!! let them be just friends -_-

sorry, ranting a bit...

I'm pretty sure that huge Boarders Books that I go to had it. I remember picking up the first issue just about a month ago and wondering what it was (for some reason I didn't connect the manga with the screen shots I'd seen on-line) and I put it back because I thought it was just another high school soap opera romance... I'm so kicking myself right now.... I'll have to start getting the manga, it always seems like I love the manga version of a good series so much more than the anime! ^_^

[ShiroiHikari]

I get a little frustrated reading the manga because I saw 16 eps of the anime, and the first volumes of the manga cover stuff that I've already seen. I actually like the anime a little better, but the manga is great too.

[dragonnova]

I'm usually pretty good with liking the manga anyway... as long as there's some little tiny bits that are different than the anime, or explained better than in the anime. Then I usually don't mind if the manga and the anime are really close... but if it turns out word for word >.< I'd get bored. But I think I'll go ahead and get them anyway, I love collecting manga (pride myself on having more titles than the local book store )

The only thing I think I might not like about the manga... and this is just because I've seen 20 episodes of the anime first... it's going to be hard if I can't see those wonderful visual and sound gags... The way Tamaki moves, he's such freak! looks like he's always dancing to me and it cracks me up. I also love how the twins talk and move in unison ^_^ I love it!

Hee hee, can't fight it, all this talking about it is making me want to draw fan art too much... the only problem is.. who should I draw first... hmmmm *wonders off thinking*

[Kawaiikneko]

Alot of people were worried when the anime first came out that it wouldn't relate closely enough... It's been PRETTTY good about following the manga, but once you get into the further volumes the episodes and the manga start varying quite a bit.

It is a real treat to see the host club in motion... I discovered the manga before the anime so I got lucky XD I LOVVEEE hearing the twins talk at the same time. I still think the manga does an excellent job with the little tiny text beside the heads (however you would describe that). Alot of the gags are better too (instead of this silly banana peel or arrows stuff that was funny for one episode but got old REAL quick). Another added bonus is that Renge isn't quite so annoying. She doesn't pop up everywhere~! YAY!

And is it just me, or had the animation dropped off a bit as the series went on? I loved the animation in the first few episodes and then it was like they got lazy about it...

[dragonnova]

Oh thank goodness for that. Renge annoyed me something awful. That constant 'motor running' and then she appears out of nowhere. It was funny like once or twice, but not 2-4 times in every episode. And the arrows kinda throw me. I never quite got those, I would just jump and be like what?!?! who killed who?!?!

I noticed that the animation wasn't quite so good later on. It's hard to explain but Tamaki didn't move as 'smoothly' as he did in the first few episodes. Which kind of irritates me cause I love it when characters move like that (just like ayame from fruits basket). The same with the twins, their movements weren't as smooth either, and they didn't do the moving as one as much as they had. (but I also have to say they didn't do the hanging on each other as much too... that was something I didn't mind them getting rid of )

~edit~
Oh, a thought just hit me... you mean those blinking arrows that point at things just before someone steps on them or breaks them, right? hee hee yes those annoyed me too. I didn't know what was going on and why they were pointing at seemingly random objects. I thought you meant those arrows that seem to stab people with insults (like when Renge insulted Tamaki... can't remember what episode that was though...)

[ducheval]

Bah, I like Renge! And it really wouldn't be the same without all the boy love references.