By Bisco Hatori. Released in Japan as “Ouran Koukou Host Club” by Hakusensha, serialized in the magazine LaLa. Released in North America by Viz.

Yes, I can now change the information in the header from ‘serialization ongoing’ to ‘serialized’, as Ouran has finally finished in Japan. Admittedly, we have a ways to go – Viz has slowed down the release as it’s caught up with Japan, and seems content to release 2 volumes a year, so it may be 2012 before we get the final volume. In any case, last time Haruhi realized her feelings, sort of, and is busy grappling with them. Will Tamaki do the same here?

Yes, he will, and it’s easily the best part of the volume. We wrap up the problem of Kanoya-san, Haruhi’s doppelganger, with aplomb, as the cast participates in a giant scavenger hunt that depends both on Tamaki being as over the top stupid as he usually is (the curry ingredients in particular are hilarious) and also Tamaki’s amazing ability to read people. When he’s not being a hyperactive spaz, Tamaki really is the perfect shoujo boyfriend, and his tender understanding of just how long he’s been in love with Haruhi is a great emotional capper to this series.

Of course, Ouran is not just a romance – it’s also a comedy, and a lot of the comedic elements have been, if not missing lately, at least not as insane. That certainly changes in the middle of the book, as Hatori has apparently decided that now that she’s managed to have Haruhi and Tamaki work out their feelings (to themselves, at least), it’s time to ramp up the wacky hijinks. How much you appreciate this depends on how much you like Ouran’s ability to pile ridiculous situations on top of each other – I enjoy it in small doses, but was starting to feel as aggravated as Haruhi towards the end of things.

The final chapter of this volume deals with Hunny and Mori. They’re the two Host Club characters we’ve dealt with the least, so it makes sense that they’re getting a spotlight here as Hatori tries to start wrapping things up. I was very amused at a bit of fourth-wall leaning as Haruhi noted that the announcement Hunny and Mori are graduating soon took her by surprise, as ‘it felt like we’d spent several long years together already’. Yes, we’re no longer in manga time, and characters are actually allowed to graduate. As for the chapter, it seems to depend on Mori’s stoicness and Hunny’s supposed cake-eating childishness. Both are facades, of course, but Hunny’s seems like the greater one, as he shows a maturity here that’s impressive. And as always, it ends on a cliffhanger, so we won’t see things resolved till Vol. 16.

18 volumes is long for a shoujo manga, and to a certain extent it does feel as if Ouran is trying to crawl towards the finish line as slowly as possible. But then, in addition to Tamaki and Haruhi’s feelings, we have the outstanding plot of Tamaki’s family, and that is one that I’m sure will take more than a chapter or two to resolve. Ouran may be wearing out its welcome a bit, but it’s still fun, and fans of the series won’t mind a bit as they come back next time to see what happens.

By Bisco Hatori. Released in Japan as “Ouran Koukou Host Club” by Hakusensha, serialization ongoing in the magazine LaLa. Released in North America by Viz.

It’s always very difficult for me when a volume of Ouran comes out at the same time as a volume of Special A. The sheer denseness of the two heroines threatens to overwhelm my senses. Luckily they’re dense in completely different ways. And Haruhi, in this volume, finally seems to be wising up and at least starting to try to admit her feelings.

It is unfortunate that the best joke in the entire volume is on page 5. But it’s such a great joke. Yes, Hikaru, you really do have to be that explicit when confessing to Haruhi. Haruhi’s shock and terror when she finally gets it is also great (and a bit of a running gag, as we see her having similar expressions throughout, usually whenever she thinks about Tamaki and love).

The other best moment in the manga is Tamaki’s, and for once it’s not when he’s being an idiot. We’ve seen that when he’s not in complete denial Tamaki can be an incredibly sweet and sensitive person, always knowing exactly what to say. He knows exactly what’s going through her mind when she confesses her insecurities, and his advice to her is absolutely first-rate. And, in a more serious vein, he also gets (for once!) some good self-analysis in at the end, when he confesses his own self-doubts to Kyoya, and the whole ‘we’re a family!’ schtick that has been a mine of rich humor previously is inverted to show its sad roots.

Over the past couple of volumes we’ve begun to see Hatori-san starting to wrap things up. It’s taking forever (the manga is still running in Japan, and has only just announced it’s starting the ‘final arc’), but we are at least seeing some resolution, as Haruhi here answers the first of her suitors. That’s probably why the volume is so Tamaki-heavy. He has the longest way to go, having been a comedic character in denial for so long, and although he doesn’t say it out loud, we sense here that he finally really does get his true feelings for Haruhi.

This volume is not perfect, of course. Several of the plotlines here seem to be things that were meant to be longer and then aborted. The kidnapping barely lasts long enough for its victim to be rescued, and Haruhi’s lookey-likey reads as the hideous plot device that she is. I also hope, despite needing to wrap things up, that future volumes balance out the host club a little better, as this one is definitely overbalanced towards its main couple-in-denial. Oh yes, and the tora + uma pun is indeed one of the most wretched in the entire series.

Still, after many volumes of Tamaki being in lala happy playtime land in his own mind, it’s good to see him straighten up and realize what’s going on. Same with Haruhi. Unfortunately, this means that they’re both going through a bit of angst, but such is the way of love. Definitely looking forward to the next volume to see how it plays out.