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But, was it funny and entertaining?
Sure it was shallow and chock full of one dimensional characters, but were they really trying for something more?
I thought they hit the mark they were aiming for, and expecting anything greater or deeper from this story is asking for a slight reinterpretation of a drama/comedy that has probably been done before (I assume).

I am relatively new to anime, so I missed most of the hype of this series, and took a chance on the cheap set based on the fan hype that I had come across so far.

I thought it met and exceeded expectations (I take fan hype lightly, though I do consider it).

While this did not make me laugh out loud like Dokuro-chan or Punie-chan, it did leave me amused and onboard for a rewatch at a later time.

*Wonders how this thread will turn out?*

I am surprised after reading this review. I thought the host club characters struck a good balance between parody and profundity. As the story arc progresses we learn how and why these boys put up their host club pretenses, revealing some necessary depth to their characters. I really thought it was fun to see Haruhi not get pulled into the stereotypical cross-gendered role, but instead help pull the Host Club members out of the parts they had chosen to play.
I thought this show was a true love-letter to anime fans, giving us what we want, while winking at us the whole time.

Ouch. I'm surprised to see somebody disagree so fervently with me on this series -- nearly everyone I know who's watched Ouran ranks it as one of their favorite anime of all time, and I'd say I'm no exception.

I think dismissing it as totally devoid of plot/character/substance at episode 13, the halfway point of the series, is missing the point a little. Ouran is a show that is eminently self-aware of the tropes, cliches, and stereotypes that it plays up at all times, and part of the show is in fact about subverting those stereotypes -- a fact that becomes more obvious as the plot develops further in the second half of the series.

I think I agree with Casey on this one. Sure, Ouran has alot of fans, but it's not the best anime. There are better out there.

Oooh the creepiness of reviews coming just after I finish a series is still haunting me o__O

Anyway, I just marathoned the series a few days ago, and I liked it, it was funny, Tamaki is adorable, but it still isn't on my top 10 list, I would have to stand middle ground. Also, Dark Elf Warrior makes a good point. Either way, it's still worth watching at least once Smile

And it seems to me the manga (or whatever predecessor) was even better, so you can just read that I guess.

HA! I won 5 bucks guessing it was a Casey review by the snippet! Thanks, Casey!

So the problem Casey dug for this time around was how unbelievably shallow Ouran is... well, you know, after a paragraph of commenting on how wonderful Ouran parodies everything, did it occur to her that maybe *gasp* Ouran is a parody of shoujo? What a concept![/i]

Ouran is good for the laughs, but it isnt the greatest thing ever. I bought the first set cause I enjoyed the series a fair bit. I think it was cleverly done, and the performances of the seiyuu (esp. Miyano Mamoru) were quite good. The story is meant to be good times and it delivers on that IMO.

I'm an anime snob in many ways, so I understand the need for critical judgment in reviews, but COME ON. Rolling Eyes

This reminds me a little too much of the "review" for DVD 3 of Death Note, spending too much time on a very subjective taste problem with the show and not enough time on the quality of the show itself. I mean, I saw it mentioned that the characters frequently break the fourth wall and say "What, did we fall into an ero-game all of a sudden?" or something to that extent. The reviewer wasn't really happy about that, but that's just it! The show was made to make fun of itself a little, character development be screwed. Besides, even if the characters are self-pronounced cliches and not terribly human, I find all of them incredibly lovable, almost like Disney characters, and I think most people who have seen the show agree with me.

Is Ouran just a fantastic, profound anime? No. "I'm afraid it's all got a bit silly." But I think the reviewer is missing the point. Ouran cannot be compared to Utena or other classically melodramatic and soulful shoujo. (Apart from the art style and setting similarities, I'm shocked that the reviewer even put Ouran in the same boat with Utena, of all things.) It's almost closer to School Rumble or even Excel Saga. It's meant to be slightly self-deprecating and screwy, and once you realize that, any character depth (of which there is a significant amount in Ouran) is actually a pleasant surprise. It's meant to be happy comfort food, and as happy comfort food, it's an A, not a C+. Rolling Eyes

So, I guess if you insist on having your anime be dramatically grounded in some way no matter what, Ouran would be a misstep, but I think it was meant to be a really broad comedy. (Later episodes of the series even fall to complete, although self-acknowledged, logic errors just to further the banana peel gag) Of course, if it is a really broad comedy, it's profoundly to its credit that there's so many adorable heartfelt moments in it, and tiny forays into "real drama" like in episode 8. The real nail in the coffin that Ouran was meant to be taken goofily is in the last two episodes. Usually, this is the moment where a comedic anime series will go into the dark depths of drama, but Ouran just kinda does what it did in episode 8: equal parts tongue-in-cheek melodrama and extremely woobie-licious goo. Yeah, the end is more dramatic than the rest of the show, but it's still ridiculous...I don't mind that the review pointed out the flaws of the show, but I do mind that it seemed categorized wrong. It's definitely more of a hijinky-comedy than a "sentimental" shoujo romance.

Splitter wrote:

HA! I won 5 bucks guessing it was a Casey review by the snippet! Thanks, Casey!

I know, right? Laughing

You can always tell that it's a Casey review by the little blurb. Heck, I win 5 bucks all the time when it comes to guessing the reviewer. They all have their own distinct writing style, and as such the little excerpts always make it obvious straight away who the reviewer is.

The problem with Casey is that she often tends to lose focus on something she considers to be a glaring negative and ends up missing the point of the show/book entirely. Ouran High School Host Club (OHSHC) is no exception here. Casey goes on about how "shallow" OHSHC is, yet she still somehow manages to overlook that its "shallowness" is one of OHSHC's most important aspects. How Casey could have missed something so obvious baffles me to no end.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that OHSHC is the greatest anime ever. While I do love the series myself, I'll be the among first to tell you that it's not. I'm simply saying this: Yes, the show is rather shallow, but that is exactly what it aspired to be: a no-holds-barred parody of shojo. And it succeeds beautifully in that respect.

Casey, I'm going to have to go with the others and say that you overlooked the fact that Ouran knows that it's not a serious anime. The entire point of Ouran is to have fun and laugh at the idiocy and ridiculousness.

I have to say that I haven't laughed so hard watching ANYTHING recently as I did while watching this first part. It isn't going to be in my Top Ten list of Greatest Anime of All Time but it's certainly up there for the laughs and the enjoyment.

I'm certainly looking forward to the second part of the series.

While I don't agree with the review, I don't really care about that. That's fine. Not like I would want it taken down either. With the amazing amount of praise it garners from people, myself included, I'd hate to see someone think of this a some stereotypical comedy/romance with 1 dimensional characters and toss it from the review.

On the one hand I agree with being able to review however you want, obviously or it wouldn't be a review. On the other...I think the show is too funny with amazing characters(and next to no story line, I agree) to be passed up after looking at it's "average grades".

Last edited by dtm42 on Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:16 am; edited 1 time in total

Wow, am I getting good or what? Just by reading the blurb on the the front page, I knew exactly who the reviewer was.

That takes skills. Serious skills.

I mean, if the word "postmodern" didn't give it away, I don't know what will.

Yeah, this seems to be just a smidgen hypercritical of OHSCH, it's not supposed to be eva-with-magical-girls-athon Utena. It's a silly situational comedy with the occasional D'aww moment and that's it.

You wouldn't, for example, bash Friends for not being Lost (though, not being Lost is an asset to any show, just run with me here).

dtm42 wrote:

Wow, am I getting good or what? Just by reading the blurb on the the front page, I knew exactly who the reviewer was.

I think at this point most of us can tell that, at least when it's a negative review. Though I do click the link to confirm, before generally skipping reading the review (unless it's on a title I want to know more about).

Anyway, I basically agree with most of the comments here. Ouran isn't supposed to be deep. It's supposed to be entertaining and it does that wonderfully and I cannot wait to own it for myself.

Yep, well I also disagree with Casey, but that doesn't mean I think that it's a bad review. The review is a transcription of opinion; if Casey went in with certain expectations and found them to be unsatisfied, then the fact warrants mentioning.
It's not really missing the point when you rank things low for achieving their goals, in the case that you don't agree that their goals are worthwhile to begin with.

No one's brought 'objectivity' into it yet. What gives? Razz

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REVIEW: Ouran High School Host Club DVD Part 01