Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Manga/Graphic Novel/Video Game Novel Challenge 2012-April Round Up-Pt.3


This challenge is being hosted by Mother/Gamer/Writer.
 For more details on the challenge such as levels, guidelines, PRIZES!!!, just click here.

This post is to  link to all reviews of the books I've read for this challenge this month. To check out  books for this month read by other readers that are taking part in this challenge click here! 


So here are the rest of my reviews for Ouran High School Host Club by Bisco Hatori.  I only read up to volume 8, since that was the highest that was available at the time. Hopefully I will be able to get more soon!


 
Ouran High School Host Club Volume 5
By: Bisco Hatori

No real summery on this one either, just the same basic one from the first volume. So I'll just get on with the review, and let you know what happens in it as I go through.

Loving the cover art on this one!  Also the Ouran Corps Host Rangers!!! Sooo funny!  
The first chapter reveals a little more of Tamaki's background and how he meets Kyoya.  The story itself was kinda slim, Haruhi needs to place first in class testing or she will lose her scholarship.   But there were still some really funny parts, and the side story of Tamaki's missing things, plus the introduction of Ayame, a girl who is nicknamed Ms. Morse for her monotone way talking, kept my interest.  (kinda figured Haruhi isn't gonna fail her exams, otherwise how would she pay back the host club?) To read the rest of my review click here.


Ouran High School Host Club Volume 6
By: Bisco Hatori

All the episodes in this volume, except for the last, follow the host club as they prepare for the school festival and the actual festival itself. (the festival is basically an open house for the students parents to come to) This volume gets deep into some of the reasons for why Kyoya and Tamaki are they way they are. 
While we get to meet the twin's parents, and the father's of Tamaki and Kyoya.  Hunny and Mori's parents never do make an appearance.   And somehow Haruhi's father only has a one frame cameo at the end of the last chapter regarding this storyline. 
Was kinda disappointed by the last two facts.  I get a kick outta Haruhi's dad, and I really was interested to see if Bunny and Mori's parents act towards each other the way their sons do. 
 I found myself laughing at a lot of the one liners and the jokes through out the episodes (chapter's whatever)
However, The underlying stories of Kyoya and his place in his family, and of Tamaki and his missing mother and not so "great" grandmother...they were definitely revealing.  If kind of sad and definitely more serious than previous volumes.  Click here to read the rest of my review.

Ouran High School Host Club Volume 7
By: Bisco Hatori

Summery from Amazon:
Hunny's little brother, Chika, pays a visit to the Host Club--and immediately starts attacking Hunny, using all his martial-arts prowess against his older brother! Chika seems to be the absolute opposite of his sweets-loving, Bun-Bun-toting sibling, but why is he so angry with Hunny? The Host Club is determined to find out the cause...




My Review:

Though the summery says that Chika pays a visit to host club, that is not the only thing that happens in this volume.  The  volume starts off with the host club kidnapping Kyoya and dragging him along to a Regional Products Exhibition at a local (commoner) department store.  However he is still asleep when they get there so they just leave him propped up against a pillar and go exploring.  Fortunately he runs into Haruhi, who he uses to rescue himself.  
Then in the next few chapters we are introduced not only to Hunny's little brother Chika, but also to Mori's little brother
Satoshi.  It was really amusing seeing how Chika and Satoshi interact.  Especially considering how Mori treats Hunny.  Also I liked finding out how Tamaki recruited Hunny to the host club in the first place.   
In the final chapter Haruhi's father as well as the girls from the Roberia Women's institute make an appearance.  It's always fun seeing Haruhi dressed as a girl.  Every time she appears out of her male drag it gets harder and harder to see how they mistook her for a boy in the first place.  
Click here to read the rest of my review.

Ouran High School Host Club Volume 8
By: Bisco Hatori


Summery from the back of the book: 

The first years in class 1-A are taking part in a test of courage. Where the loser will receive the dubious honor of being dubbed "Best of Cowards". Kazukiyo Songa, the class president, and a fraidy-cat at heart, is happy to be on a team with the levelheaded Haruhi,  but will he be able to stomach the antic of his other teammates---the twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin?

My Review:

This one does start off with Class 1-A's test of courage.  Then the next  chapter shows how Tamaki became friends with Kyoya and ends up forming the host club with him.  (It also shows how Tamaki has influenced the overly straight laced Kyoya.)
The rest of the chapters focus on Ritsu Kasanoda and the host clubs efforts to make people like him instead of fear him.   Ritsu is a Class D first year, who is in line to head the most powerful Yakuza family, so while for business his scary appearance is a plus, for his personal life it makes him very lonely.  
There is also a bonus episode at the end, where we get to see life inside of Kyoya's home through the eyes of one of his body guards.  And there are a few extra strips at the very end of the book as well.  There's an especially cute update on the Nekozawa siblings.  (The head of the black arts club and his little sister) Sooo cute.  
Overall I liked this volume.  The first story however, the one that focused on the whole test of courage thing.  The story itself was fine, and there were some funny parts, but it seemed to skip around a bit.  I felt like some scenes were missing and I was kinda lost for a few parts.  It wasn't too bad, but it was unexpected considering how well the other stories have been put together in previous volumes. 
As for the rest of the stories, they didn't seem to have any issues, so that was good. 
Click here to read the rest of my review.

*sigh*  Here's hoping I can get my hands on more volumes soon! I've really enjoyed this series so far and can't wait to read more of it.  I also can't wait to see more of the covers.  My faves so far are the covers for 5 and 6.  Which ones do you like best so far?




No comments:

Post a Comment