Customer Reviews

Ouran High School Host Club, Vol. 10

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This volume begins with a Hunny-centric episode, as Black Magic Club member Kanzuki is convinced that Hunny "stole her soul" since she can't stop thinking about him. Since she can only relate to people in terms of curses, she decides to steal his soul back (even though her curses turn out to really just be elementary school love charms).

Most of the rest of the volume involves a new character, Mei, the daughter of Misuzu (the transvestite pension owner from volume 5). Mei wears too much make-up, has a very fake tan and is a bit rough around the edges, but also brings a nice new dynamic to the manga. Misuzu enlists Haruhi to be Mei's friend and the other Host Club members of course decide to get involved as well, especially Tamaki, who decides to secretly help heal the estranged relationship between Mei and her father.

The last episode sets up the Sports Festival arc that is going to play a large part in Volume 11. After a confrontation between Kyoya and Takeshi Kuze (the football club president), Tamaki decides that a sports festival is needed to resolve the issue and the host club members get divided up between the red and white teams (Kyoya, Hunni & Kaoru on white, and Mori, Hikaru, Tamaki and Haruhi on red).

Every time that I think Ouran can't get any better, it does. Not only is this volume hilariously funny, but the romantic entanglements and character development continues, with Haruhi and Tamaki getting closer to figuring out they like each other (although they're still both very dense) and another host club member realizing he also has feelings for Haruhi. In terms of character development, Kaoru in particular has some nice moments, both with Haruhi and with Hikaru. There are also appearances by Nekozawa and Kasanoda (who is now my favorite minor character) and greater insight into the relationship between the twins and their parents.

Also, check out Mori's love of baby chicks. It's never really mentioned, but you can see him looking (and apparently purchasing) a baby chick at the summer festival and the baby chick is sitting on Mori's head when they are eating cake at the twins' house. In the last episode, he's reading a book on how to raise a chicken. Since Mori doesn't really talk much, I think it's cute that he's getting a silent subplot.

Ouran is always guaranteed to make me laugh out loud. I literally find myself counting the days until the next installment is released. And now finally it's getting to the good stuff...how will this love triangle play itself out? Well, maybe it's more like a love square...maybe more polygonal than that... Overall, awesome as always!

I just love all the characters in this series and Hatori is so skilled at adding a tiny quirk to someone's expression to make me laugh out loud. Kanazuki is explaining about her curse on Hunny, and the sketch of Nekozawa has those O O eyes like Tamaki's "upset lord" expression usually has...it's just so funny to see the imperturbable Nekozawa (whose eyes are rarely even seen) reacting like the crazy and emotional Tamaki. There's more, but these tiny details just reinforce for me what's the most amusing manga out there. I'd still like to see more Nekozawa and Bossa Nova and less of the obnoxious twins, but...we can't have everything, can we? I'm eagerly looking forward to volume 11 so I can find out how Kasanoda and Nekozawa do in a sports tournament!!

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 <lj-cut text="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!

I loved this volume because this is the volume that introduces the delightfully over-the-top Mei, the daughter of Ranka's transvestite friend, and the twin's equally over-the-top mother. The entire summer break is covered in one volume, so as you can imagine, there's never a dull moment. They go to a fair, sing karaoke, ride the subway... my only complaint is that Mei's fashion show didn't become part of the story- Kyoya would want to make money selling the pictures, Haruhi would be trying to hide so she wouldn't have to participate, and Tamaki would be chasing Haruhi around trying to get her to wear something incredibly girly. (Translation: Business as usual for the Host Club.) Oh well, volume 10 is still really good.

Another great volume from Bisco Hatori! Fans of this series will love reading this volume over and over again.

First, we get another more indepth look at the Black Magic Club! Plenty of fun scenes for Nekozawa fans. We meet another Black Magic Club member, Kanazuki, who is in love with Hunny. You'll enjoy every scene of 'black magic' she does in her quest for Hunny's soul.

In the next episode, we meet Mei Yasumura, Misuzu's daughter. For the next few episodes, we get to see more of Haruhi outside of the Host Club as she interacts with Mei and helps Mei in her crush on Tamaki. In episode 44, we get to travel back to Misuzu's pension and meet Dark Lord #3 (#1 being Kyoya and #2 Bossa Nova). Episode 45 brings us to the Twin's mansion and we get to see a bit more into the world of them and us. Somebody also finally admits out loud that they also like Haruhi.

All in all, it's a very good volume, any and every Host Club fan should jump on the chance to buy it! Contains Episode 41 through 46 and ends with a great cliffhanger. I'm already awaiting volume 11 in november!