Ouran High School Host Club (Anime)

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Name: Ouran High School Host Club
Type: Anime

Official Rating: TV-14

Director: Takuya Igarashi

Seasons: 1
Genre: Romantic comedy, drama, harem, gender bender
Age Rating: 15+

Review:
When Haruhi stumbles upon Ouran's High School Host Club and breaks a vase, the boys agree to let her join the club in order to pay off her debt, not realizing that she is actually a girl.

This anime is better when you watch it with a good friend, like I did. All the characters were wacky and their personalities were intriguing. I appreciated how each episode focused on one or two of the members, digging deeper into their past, personal ambitions, and the ultimate reason they joined the club. I do think that this anime appeals more to girls than boys; my dad saw one episode and thought it was awful, to the disbelief of my friend and I. It can be a bit wacky at times, and a lot of random things happen throughout the show, but it added humor instead of irritation.

The twins were harder to understand, and incest--or "twincest" as they called it--was implied, though never truly confirmed. Despite this, the implications were uncomfortable and disconcerting at times, which is one of the reasons why I gave a 15+ age rating. There was also cross-dressing of the main character, Haruhi, and her father, who turns out to be a transvestite. There was also a lot of "dating" between the characters and the girls who were obsessed with them, but there was no kissing(other than an accident between Haruhi and another girl), which in a way made the show less of a romance and more of a comedy.

On surface level, Ouran High School Host Club is a lighthearted show about a girl who finds herself surrounded by beautiful men and thrown into many wildly hysterical adventures. The more I watched the show, the more I realized it is more a psychological anime about acceptance, inner pain, and the dramatized life of outcasts who found their place with each other.It was easy to become engrossed in this show; many heart-wrenching backstories and almost pitiable circumstances hidden behind sugar-tainted humor leave the viewer sympathetic and protective of the characters. 

Mature Content:

• Sexual References- Tamaki calls himself Haruhi's father, and calls her his "daughter", and "little girl"
• The twins exhibit a "brotherly love" that seems more incestuous than familial 
• Homosexuality- Haruhi doesn't care if she looks like a girl or a boy
• Haruhi's father is a transvestite and cross-dresses accordingly
• Haruhi accidentally has her first kiss with another girl in the first episode
• Profanity- Use of the word "damn"

Personal Note: 
Honey would be my best friend!!

Fruits Basket (Anime)

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Name: Fruits Basket       
Type: Anime

Director: Natsuki Takaya

Official Rating: TV-PG

Seasons: 1 
Genre: Romantic comedy, drama, harem
Age Rating: 12+

Review: 
A beautiful story with wonderful characters and an engrossing story. Appeals to all audiences, but probably more particularly to girls. This series follows the story of the lovable Tohru Honda during high school. The Sohma family--Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo--finds her living in a tent after the death of her mother, and offers to shelter her in their home. But is there more to this family than meets the eye?

Filled with themes of friendship, humor, tragedy, and hauntingly real characters this series is absolutely breathtaking. A lot of what gives this story depth are the important messages and thought-provoking such as "My happiness comes from the kindness of others." This is a great rendition of the manga series. It follows the plot well; the only difference being in the dialogue. For example, Shigure is referred to as a "weirdo" instead of a "pervert." This makes it more family friendly.

Other than mild sexual references and fleeting nudity, I'd say it's appropriate from ages middle-school and up. Another thing I appreciated was the clothes and the way the girls were drawn. There were no unrealistically large breasts, and there weren't very many swear words. There were times when two or more characters were physically fighting with one another, but it was always exaggerated in a way that usually made it funny. Sometimes the music would get louder than the talking, but the episodes are a nice length.

My only disappointment is that there is only one season! It doesn't even cover half the series, and the ending was different than what I was expecting. It ended well, but because it had to end in a different spot, it did change things, like the lack of romance. I didn't give it 4 stars for these reasons. Still, the voices went well with the characters, and I enjoyed watching it with my younger brother. While both boys and girls can find enjoyment in this anime, it is more aimed towards girls.

For more on Fruits Basket, click here.

Mature Content: 

• Mild Profanity- "Damn" is used sporadically, especially by Kyo in reference to Yuki 
• Violence- Akito is abusive to the other characters
• Nudity- The Sohma's are naked after transforming back into human form from their zodiac animal form, but nothing is ever shown
• Homosexuality- Momiji cross-dresses, but isn't homosexual
• Magic- The Sohma family is under a magical zodiac curse

Personal Note: 

Not gonna lie: Momiji's song is super catchy.

Fruits Basket (Manga)

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Name: Fruits Basket       
Type: Manga

Author: Natsuki Takaya

Books: 23 
Genre: Romantic comedy, drama, harem
Age Rating: 12+

Review: 
A beautiful story with wonderful characters and an engrossing story. Appeals to all audiences, but probably more particularly to girls. This series follows the story of the lovable Tohru Honda during high school. The Sohma family--Shigure, Yuki, and Kyo--finds her living in a tent after the death of her mother, and offers to shelter her in their home. But is there more to this family than meets the eye?

Filled with themes of friendship, humor, tragedy, a smidgen of romance, and hauntingly real characters this series is absolutely breathtaking. A lot of what gives this story depth are the important messages and thought-provoking such as "It's okay to feel weak sometimes. It's okay to be afraid. The important thing is that we face our fears. That's what makes us strong." The art wasn't as good as some manga, but the plot made up for what was lacking in artistic style. 

Other than mild sexual references and fleeting nudity, I'd say it's appropriate from ages middle-school and up. The romance is a big part of the story, but it is clean and sweet. Another thing I appreciated was the clothes and the way the girls were drawn. There were no unrealistically large breasts, and there weren't very many swear words. There were times when two or more characters were physically fighting with one another, but it was always exaggerated in a way that usually made it funny.

Fruits Basket is fluffy (meaning it's harmless and there are a lot of cutesy scenes), but it does start getting more intense and there are a lot of emotionally draining moments. I felt everything. Sadness. Fear. Surprise. Compassion. Love. Hurt. Anger. I can say with confidence that while I read this, and after (especially after) I felt every emotion humanly possible, and that's a sign of an amazing story. It's as if you are a part of the characters' world, and it is beautiful. 

This is the manga that changed my life. I can honestly say that they are my favorite book(s), and I've never been able to say that before because I'm an avid reader. I fell in love with all the characters, and I felt deeply connected with the main character, Tohru. Above all, I recommend Fruits Basket.

For more on Fruits Basket, click here.

Mature Content: 

• Mild Profanity- "Damn" is used sporadically, especially by Kyo in reference to Yuki 
• Violence- Akito is abusive to the other characters; she hits, locks them up, and uses hateful words
• Sexual References- Words like"pervert" and allusions to sex
• Nudity- The Sohma's are naked after transforming back into human form from their zodiac animal form, but nothing is ever shown
• Homosexuality- Momiji cross-dresses, but isn't homosexual
• Magic- The Sohma family is under a magical zodiac curse
• Intense Scenes- This manga is very emotional

Personal Note: 

 Momiji is the literal best!