I’ve been seeing this anime all over my feed for a long time, and I finally gave in and started watching it. Tbh, I’m not a fan of this kind of animation style—it looks a bit outdated to me. But I understand that this is an old, maybe even classic anime, so I tried to keep an open mind.
Watching it felt like riding a roller coaster. At the beginning, I was enjoying it a lot, but there were also moments where my interest dropped. Sometimes it felt a bit repetitive or too dramatic, but somehow, I would still find myself enjoying it again. It’s that kind of show that brings mixed emotions, but in a good way.
One of the characters I really liked was Tamaki. He’s dramatic, emotional, and a little over-the-top, but that’s what makes him lovable. He may have a hard time processing his feelings, esp when it comes to Haruhi—but I still found their interactions charming and sweet.
However, there were also things that made me uncomfortable, which is why I didn’t give it a perfect 10:
⤿ Some of the humor felt off – There were jokes and scenes that crossed the line for me. I know the show is meant to be silly and exaggerated, but sometimes it felt like they took it too far.
⤿ Flirty club scenes – Since the story revolves around a host club, the flirting is expected. But there were moments when it felt a little too much or even disrespectful toward women. As someone who appreciates anime that treats female characters well, that bothered me.
⤿ Sexist ideas – There was a part where Haruhi stood up for another girl, and the others reacted like she was wrong for doing so. I get that they were concerned for her safety, but the way the show handled it gave off the wrong message—like girls should always depend on boys instead of being strong on their own.
⤿ Kyoya’s scene with Haruhi – This was one of the most uncomfortable moments for me. There’s a scene where Kyoya tries to “teach Haruhi a lesson,” but the way it was portrayed came off as threatening. As a viewer, it felt like it was hinting at something much darker, even giving off a non-consensual/r4pe implication, which is disturbing. I know the writers probably didn’t intend it that way, but it could definitely be interpreted like that—and that’s not okay.
⤿ The twins’ act – I also found the “brotherly love” scenes between the twins very awkward. I know it was part of their act for the club, but since they’re actual brothers, it felt uncomfortable to watch. I’m not against BL (boys’ love), but the inc3st-like scenes just didn’t sit right with me.
Despite these, I still gave this anime an 8 out of 10. Why? Because in the end, I genuinely enjoyed it. The characters, while flawed, have charm and heart. The show made me laugh, feel emotionally invested, and stay curious about the story. My rating is based on how much fun I had watching it—not because it was perfect, but because it made me feel something.
