Comedy Anime – Sapphire Anime

Aired: Spring 2006
Episodes: 26
Genres: Comedy, Harem, Romance, School, Shoujo
Studio: Bones
Source: Manga

Ah yes, going back in time with this review. This is a beloved shoujo anime that naturally stood out and continued to stand out for over a decade. I have personally watched this over and over again; it’s just one of those shows that you can rewatch so many times. It’s old, yes, but could be considered a gem with how many people loved it then and now. The outcry for a second season was particularly strong with this one but you’ll see why if you watch it!

Story: 8/10

The story follows Haruhi Fujioka, a smart student who’s attending an expensive, rich kids school on a scholarship. She naturally looks masculine and wears more masculine clothes, which accidently tricks other students into thinking she’s a guy. When she accidentally stumbles into the Host Club- where handsome boys with too much time on their hands entertain girls- they also think she’s a guy. After accidentally knocking over a very expensive vase, she’s forced to work at the Host Club as a male host. Luckily, she works well with other females and she’s off on her way to repaying her debt! The rest of the story follows Haruhi’s antics with the other Host Club members and how she realizes how whacky the academy and it’s students really is.

The story is pretty straight forward, not a lot of plot twists and curveballs here. The story follows it’s premise well and focuses a lot on character development and the everyday lives of the Host Club. Each episode is something new, but manages to still tie the whole story together. I will say that the ending isn’t complete (no spoilers guys in the comments!) but the manga is finished and has a conclusive ending. So if you want more content, try giving the manga a read!

Characters: 8/10

This is another one of those anime where the characters make the story shine. Haruhi comes from a different background than the rest of the Host Club members and that becomes a sort of running gag and common theme. She’s not used to being in a rich school with rich kids and their eccentric personalities. Haruhi acts as a strong heroine, not particularly caring that people call her a boy and is willing to stand up for herself and the others around her. The other Host Club members start with a basic portrayed personality- which is important to how they entertain their guests by having their own distinct “type.” But from there, each one expands their personality and backgrounds as the anime continues. You learn that their personalities aren’t just surface-level deep and have their own sets of problems and common fears like everyone else.

I don’t find the side characters particularly interesting, and kinda think they waste episode time, but they do give a sort of variety and do widen the cast of characters a bit more. Their parts aren’t that big, but add to the experience of making the academy feel more real and alive. Doesn’t like ruin the show or anything, but they weren’t characters I can’t that much about.

Sound: 7/10

The opening is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about Ouran’s music. Even if you haven’t watched Ouran, you might have heard the opening. It’s pretty iconic. I loved it a lot when I first watched it years ago. The OST is very beautiful, especially when listening to it on its own; I’ll link a few of my favorite OST songs below. It’s very distant, and the orchestra fits that prim and proper aesthetic and tone really well. The ending is quite different from the mood of the rest of the music. It’s a bit of a rock song, with an obvious guitar and drums in the background and sweet lyrics. I like how much it contrast with the rest of the music. Makes it unique and more memorable.

Art: 7/10

The art style is admittedly a little outdated, but has that classic, old anime art style with the giant eyes and simple designs. The art is actually pretty vivid, and the purple uniforms really stand out against the rest of the art. Nobody has crazy hair designs and colors, which could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preference. I tend to hesitant towards older anime, a lot which has to do with art styles, but the art and character designs of this one in particular aren’t too bad. May take some time to get used to, but not that old and sore on the eyes.

Enjoyment: 9/10

I will admit, the first time I watched Ouran I didn’t really like it. It was one of the first anime I’ve ever watched and didn’t get the chance to appreciate it as much as I should have. If 12 year old me was writing this review, I would have said my enjoyment was a 4 out of 10. Since then, I’ve rewatched it a few times and even finished the story in the manga, so I can safely say a 9 out of 10 fits much better. The comedy stands out and it usually really funny while the story progresses nicely. The anime itself is silly, but has some more serious moments which surprised me at the time. There’s even hints of darker themes and lightly the idea of gender expression. Overall, very enjoyable and funny, with good lessons to be learned in between!

Should I Watch It?

Yes. If you have even the slightest bit of interest and you haven’t watch it yet, watch it. At least give it the first few episodes to set things up, but I bet you it’ll be worth your time. I figure most people have already watched this, but there might be some younger/newer anime watchers who never have. Give it a shot and you might have found a new favorite shoujo anime! Also, if you like this, give some of Studio Bones other works a try. They have one of the best variety of popular and quality anime. Honestly, they’re one of my favorite studios.