Ouran High School Host Club is considered a classic anime of the 2000s, being positively received even by non shoujo fans. High expectations aside, it's indeed a very funny show.

The plot, though not a full fledged parody of the reverse harem genre, follows the misadventures of the slightly cynical girl Haruhi and her interactions with her fellow members of the Ouran Host Club. The six boys, all with personalities based on the frequent archetypes present in shoujo media, have pre established dynamics prior to meeting Haruhi, making their interactions with each other feel natural yet amusing.

The first introductory episodes are some of the best, showcasing the ensemble cast and the crashing of each other's egos and personalities alongside their newfound interest on the newcomer Haruhi. Each character get focus episodes during the series, while being fairly entertaining, being some of the overall weaker episodes of the anime due to the slightly slower pace of these episodes and lack of constant banter between the Host Club members. These episodes serve to mostly showcase a club member's past and add slight background to their current situation. Though most episodes are fairly self contained, there are fair hints of a plot here and there and the final episodes end the series with a fantastical finale, a rarity for an adaptation of an incomplete at the time manga.

Humor is the host club's strongest feat: a mix between clever banter, puns and visual gags is present in almost each episode. Haruhi is usually the voice of reason during the lavish club activities, mostly planned by the club's kind hearted eccentric president Tamaki. You can't feel but cheer for Tamaki, whom naively falls in love with Haruhi basically at first sight and constantly tries to both impress her and protect her from the seductive advances of both club members and outsiders. Side characters are frequently introduced with funny personalities also based upon the archetypes present in anime, making them memorable even with their scarce screentime. One of the funniest side characters is Renge, an otaku girl obsessed with otome games who breaks the fourth wall frequently with explanations about the tropes presented in this anime.

The English dub is a wonderful experience, most jokes are cleverly adapted for the English-speaking audience and the voice actors portray the campiness of the setting correctly.

As for the animation, the original manga character designs were adapted beautifully, the appeal of the Host Club members is definitely evident for the audience. The physical comedy is fluidly animated, giving the jokes the proper comedic timing they deserve.

This series is a surprisingly endearing comedy with a side of heartwarming romance and friendship. Full to the brim with charming characters and affectionate parody of the shoujo genre. Give this series a try, you may fall in love too!