The story is a 9. Because there are so many main characters, all introduced at around the same time, the beginning takes a bit of time to get into. It is full of filler chapters that set the stage for what's to come. You see, in these introductory chapters, you learn a little bit about every single character - what they say, how the act, their relationships with one another... It is perfectly laid out with a great balance of the 7 main characters. The story starts to pick up the pace at around chapter 40 - At this point, you know everyone well, do not get confused with the names, and maybe even have your favorites. Complicated stories begin to spread out before the host club, and while some try to solve their problems, others are devoted to ignoring them. Each character is different from the last, meaning that they all need each other's help. The story will most definitely make you cry around these chapters... After the twins fight, the trip to France, the Ski Trip, when Haruhi gets sick, when foreign exchange students walze in... It gets to be an emotional roller coaster, perfect for any story. Do not let the shoujo category alarm you. This isn't your regular romantic comedy. It is much, MUCH more than the usual girl meets boy, girl loves boy, boy has dark past, girl fixes everything, the end. You will be kicking yourself if you miss out on this.
The art is outstanding. While some pictures are so cute you find yourself giggling, others are so touching you find yourself tearing. Also, this manga has one thing that MANY lack: Clarity. You can ALWAYS tell who's talking, and you're never left with "...What?" being the only thought in your head. The usage of space in here is outstanding, and I have never found myself less confused after reading an manga.
Ouran has seven main characters - ALL with incredible development. They are wonderfully huggable from the very beginning, and no matter what kind of character you prefer, you'll find him/her in here. Do you like the strong silent type? You've got Mori. The cute, childlike type? Hunny. The dangerous type? Kyouya. The excessivly silly/stupid character? Tamaki. The pranksters that make a joke out of everything? Hikaru and Kaoru. Maybe you're into the characters with dark pasts? All seven cover this. The ones with bad attitudes? The twins, again. Delightfully dense characters? All of them, except for Hunny and Mori. See what i mean? And if you're missing something in there, you've always got the supporting cast to back you up. The families of the host club, the obsessive Renge, the slightly mean Mei, the Lobelia group, Casanova, the class rep... there's someone for everyone! Also, Haruhi, the heroine, has a really REALLY different attitude compared to the girls in other shoujo mangas. She doesn't have a "change the world" attitude, or "I wish I had a boyfriend" attitude, or "little miss sunshine" attitude... she has the more original "what the f*ck" attitude. She doesn't CARE. Which makes her adorable. Now, all characters have their own personalities, but the amazing part is, they all develop. Not for the worse, either. They keep their original charm while still becoming better people. They're wonderful.
Certain chapters will have you laughing out loud, others will have you crying your eyes out. All of them will have you begging for more, because there is no manga like THIS manga. The comedy, the romance, the drama, the development, the twists, the art, the plot, the beauty, he simplicity, the clarity, the EVERYTHING! It will all have you wanting more more goddamn MORE Ouran High School Host Club. This is the ONLY manga I have ever stalked, constantly checking MangaFox for updates, forums for cool topics, LiveJournal for icons, deviantART for fanart, YouTube for mmv's...
You can't go wrong with this manga. Read it, read it, read it. It will have you contemplating issues that you will need in your life.Stuff like...
How much are you willing to give to a brother? To a friend? To a lover?
What sacrifices are worth making?
and of course...
Can anything really last forever?
