Ouran High School Host Club 13
February 1, 2010
Bisco Hatori – Viz – 2009 – 15+ volumes
Sigh. I just want the story to get to the point. I can tell it’ll get there eventually, but it’s going at an agonizingly slow pace. There are a few major things that happen in this volume. Big things for both Haruhi at the beginning and Hikaru at the end of the volume, and we also learn something important about Tamaki in between. The chapters that go along with Haruhi’s revelations are adorable and play the plot point up just enough. They are incredibly enjoyable, and are funny, sweet, romantic, and completely in-character for all involved. There’s also an adorable scene between she and Tamaki that was worth the price of admission for the volume by itself.
I guess I can’t complain too much about those aspects of the story, but still… there are a lot of side stories that go along with these things, and new plot points are emerging that make it seem like the plot still has a ways to go before I’ll get to see what I want. And in the end, it’s kind of silly to criticize a shoujo manga for not getting the main couple together. I mean… that’s what they do. They get the main couple together, and then end. That’s why I read them.
Even so, ski trips aren’t always on the agenda, but that’s what happens here. Granted, the ski trip is where the important plot point concerning Hikaru happens, but even so… though lots of character development happens, it’s still part of Haruhi’s new agenda to “experience more.” If all that stuff has to happen, I guess it’s okay that it’s at a ski trip, and it’s really not filler at all… but it kind of feels like it anyway. But only because it is a ski trip.
There’s also a bit of an explanation as to why Tamaki is such a late bloomer, but it’s a silly one, and I was disappointed that it was the reason even though it makes sense in the context of the story. To make up for it, we get a chapter about young Tamaki’s move to Japan. It was hilarious and made me love Tamaki even more, if that’s even possible. The other thing about this volume is that we are right on the edge of Tamaki character development, and to see him looking serious, or sad, is uncharacteristic and quite striking. He’s a good happy character, so to see him sad is doubly effective story-wise, I think.
But… yeah, I’m still ridiculously addicted to this series. It’s funny and romantic and I’ve even grown attached to the huge cast of characters, something I generally hate. And it looks like there’ll only be plot and character development from here on out, and… I’m sure the slow and thorough development this series takes will be good for me in the end, and put it way above the average shoujo series. When Tamaki and Haruhi get together, it should be very sweet indeed.
February 2, 2010 at 7:27 am
[...] Comic Book Bin) Sean Gaffney on vol. 34 of Oh My Goddess! (A Case Suitable for Treatment) Connie on vol. 13 of Ouran High School Host Club (Slightly Biased Manga) Julie on vol. 8 of Shaman Warrior (Manga Maniac Cafe) Katherine Farmar on [...]