Haruhi Fujioka - Def’n: mind-numbing, boring

Alex Papillon August 19, 2007

In case you’re a bit sluggish or just haven’t come in contact with it, Haruhi Fujioka is the heroine (used loosely) of Ouran Highschool Host Club. I’m referring to the anime version here, because I haven’t read the manga. I’m not patient enough anymore to read most manga, alas. Ouran, is by no means a bad show, per se but…if you take away all the perfectly set-up gags, pretty boys dancing around and some semi-memorable characters, it pretty much has a sewing needle standing up for its foundation. It doesn’t really have any point to it, NOT that everything has to have a point, but in cases like…watching a whole show worth time (and time is money), then something that has no point is basically of very little worth, which you could say, sucks.

Of course, lots of things are pointless in themselves, but are able to affect people or impart some impression. In fact, that’s what characters and stories are supposed to do. No matter how stupid something is, at least you can say “Wow, that was really stupid”. As for Haruhi Fujioka of Ouran, I can sit here for hours and I just can’t find anything noteworthy to say about her as a character. She may as well have been replaced in the storyline as a dysfunctional robot built by someone with issues on how to present a winning main character. In fact, as the show went on, I couldn’t find any reason all the guys liked her so much and she was winning over everyone and doing things that no other girl could. WTF? It would have been better if Paris Hilton was the main character, at least she HAS some kind of character, even if it’s annoying.

Haruhi Fujioka is like a personality black hole. She sucks all the joy out of things. She’s a hardass prude to the extreme, has no expression most of the time and talks almost always in the same way. She never gets excited, she has no humour (nothing is funny to her nor does she every make a joke). Nothing scares her, not bugs, not a guy trying to get it on with you, nor most things. She’s there to berate people or tell them their flaws, but that’s because she’s linear, she’s a line and she’s missing all the mounds and drops of the wasteland of life. Mostly, she just acts very mildly bewildered if one of the other characters pull a joke or start forcing her to wear a dress. But it’s always that blank, almost I-belong-to-an-asylum-for-people-who-can’t-connect-to-emotions look…it’s like, she doesn’t know how to function with humans. You blame her lack of a mom, and her crazy dad but at least, someone like that should be angry, or have flaws - be filled with pain and longing. But no, Haruhi is just blank, a void - filled with nothingness. Warranting not admiration for her, not affection but more a distaste for something that has no semblance of humanity.

She never acts as if she really enjoys her time with the harem, she’s just there to pay her dues…or whatever boring mind-numbing non-reason there is. I don’t understand why the story is written so that all the guys are obsessed with her, they think she’s wonderful - pure and sweet. Um…sure, for just being there. In that case, they must all love walls too. At least walls provide shelter, Haruhi is just…a waste of space.

Oh, and I also don’t understand why they all think she’s so cute…that guys and girls alike seem to fall in love with her. The character design isn’t anything unique, she’s thin, short and has … short hair. Which is brown, with blank looking not atypical anime looking brown eyes as well…that’s pretty much it. Maybe that’s to contrast the extravagant snobs of Ouran, but just because something is a contrast or the opposite, doesn’t mean it’s good. Even with longer hair and a dress, she still looks boring and plain…radiating her inner boringness and insipid blahness to the extreme. Maybe that was so the writers could bounce the more playful characters of Tamaki and twins, but in my opinion, it just makes her seem more like a sink hole. She’s like the anti-character of characters, she could cancel anyone with an ounce of personality in a second!

Oh, right…she studies, goes to buy groceries and cooks. Yes, those are wonderful, fascinating admirable traits of someone that deserves legions of fans. And watching someone who has NO reaction to anything is also terribly wonderful. Granted, she’s a subtle do-gooder - doesn’t intend to, but helps out everyone in the harem in some way. She doesn’t even do it in the normal good cheer 99% of other do-gooders have. I looked forward to the 30 seconds of Renge, gladly.

A story doesn’t make the character, but a character who’s nothing and brings nothing to the story, ruins it.

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Category: Rants & Raves

A. Papillon is not amused.

14 Responses to “Haruhi Fujioka - Def’n: mind-numbing, boring”

Kida
August 19th, 2007 at 1:31 pm

She did laugh at the Host Club crossdressing when the girls’ school trio showed up, and she’s afraid of thunder. Not entirely a void, at least.
Karry
August 19th, 2007 at 2:03 pm

Well, at the very least she’s more enjoyable companion than some retarded Suzumiya Haruhi.
ii
August 19th, 2007 at 3:59 pm

I agree with you. She may be a non-typical shoujo heroine (not being interested in guys), but she should have SOME personality at least.
psgels http://psgels.blogsome.com
August 19th, 2007 at 4:55 pm

Actually, one episode clearly states that she’s afraid of lightning. I also disagree that she doesn’t have a personality: she’s often timid and rational, and likes to use sarcasm. It’s better than (like Karry mentioned) Haruhi Suzumiya, for example. I do agree, however, that she doesn’t really grow. Ouran was a nice show, but it kept on milking its jokes, over and over.
kristalyamaki http://yamaki-anime.livejournal.com/
August 19th, 2007 at 8:16 pm

It is like you’re saying that it is better not to have Haruhi in Ouran High School Host Club. But just imagine if she weren’t there, how boring could the host club be, even more?

Actually this anime is somewhat ‘from Haruhi’s point of view’ and so, it is something like Haruhi watching the other members of the host clubs instead of making big changes.

Why don’t you think like this: the anime becomes a visual novel and you won’t see how Haruhi looks like, imagining that you’re Haruhi herself. You can always imagine that you have big, shiny, attractive eyes with long hair to secude boys and girls. You would feel the happiness when all of them gets attracted to you.
Son Gohan
August 19th, 2007 at 9:50 pm

I always thought of F. Haruhi as a female version of Kyon. I like her no-nonsese attitude, her sarcasm and cynicism. The guys in the Host Club are attracted to her because she doesn’t treat them like gods, as all the other female students do.
Alex Papillon http://
August 20th, 2007 at 11:47 am

re: kristalyamaki
Actually, the only reason I mentioned her appearance is because for like fifty million times in one episode, they go on and on about how cute she is. They fantasize about her in a dress, swimsuit, etc. IT got extremely annoying after a while, because it seems like they like her because she’s cute…since to me, she’s boring as hell. They’re the ones who bring it up, not me. I couldn’t care less how a character looked like, as long as they’re discernable. Haruhi’s design looks like someone who would appear in a background frame of some lame shoujo manga, like the random school girl in the traffic light, etc. If you have half the characters rant about what a looker someone is, back it up. I don’t need to imagine myself as Haruhi because it’s one of the LAST stories I’d ever want to put myself in, thank you very much. Going to highschool and being in a male harem isn’t one of my top priorities, it may be for some people, but not I. I’d rather pick something that has a point to it…and is more exciting, maybe you think Ouran is exciting but it really isn’t. Don’t mean to disappoint…

I didn’t say there should be NO female character. There could be a different one, or even Haruhi herself developed better, or with a slightly more distinct personality.

re: Son Gohan
To me, she doesn’t treat them like gods because she doesn’t like anyone, period. She has no ability to like or dislike, she’s just there.

re:psgels
I forgot about the lightning thing, but that could just be a plot device for all the guys to save her over something trivial. Plus, I totally forgot about it because after watching 20 minutes of her interacting, my mind goes blank and I forget pretty much what happened, except the fact that she was annoying…

In general, I didn’t catch on the sarcasm/cynicism. And seriously, they made it out like every single girl in the world were freaks except her. Even if that were the case, staring at a wall is probably a lot more fun since she doesn’t really do anything…in particular…
Amanda Liu http://
August 20th, 2007 at 3:33 pm

I dropped Ouran after episode 1 and volume 1 so I don’t really remember Haruhi. I like the other Haruhi though LOL.
Asuka http://naturelle.ikimashou.net
August 21st, 2007 at 1:35 am

I would say that Haruhi was purposely made into such a bland character to serve as a foil for the other “flamboyant” characters. She’s the grounded one of the bunch, the one of reason. I’m sure more viewers can identify with her personality compared to a super-entertaining-Paris-Hilton-diva-type of heroine.

I agree that her character development could have been fleshed out a little more, but she’s by no means “without any personality” like you say. She’s semi-gender-insensitive but perceptive (ref. ep. 1), reasonable (ref. ep. 4), observant and frank (ref. ep. 5), caring (ref. ep. 7), independent (ref. ep. 8), somewhat hard-to-get (ref. all the friggin’ episodes the hosts flirted with her), and finally, determined (ref. the finale). I definitely identified with her more often than with the other Haruhi.
Alex Papillon http://
August 21st, 2007 at 5:22 am

re: Asuka
I appreciate your insight into her character, and I’ve still not seen the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya so I will have to ignore all comparisons and references.

The character traits you list are all positive things about someone, but in general, even if she has those traits — she has no character flaw, to make a memorable character. Think about one of the greatest character studies in english literature, Hamlet. Hamlet is riddled with doubt and inaction. Even in say…Sailormoon, Usagi is kind of a coward at times and is self-indulgent. Another character I think that’s almost perfect is Sakura Kinomoto, although I guess for any bright cheery mahou shoujo - naivety could be a “flaw”. I don’t think Haruhi is all that cheery…

I agree that she’s there as a foil and I mentioned that in my article, as a way to enhance the other guys’ personalities. But still, if she’s holier-than-thou and can change other people’s perceptions, make something great about her. I also don’t recollect any hobbies, interests or anything she has. Maybe she’s too busy studying and cooking, granted but still. Oh wait, she has aspirations of going to a good university, right? Personally, I’m not a fan of hardcore studious character types in a story. It’s just…so…expected.
Asuka http://naturelle.ikimashou.net
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:26 pm

Alex,

I find it interesting that you mention Haruhi has no character flaw. There’s one instance I can think of - in episode 8, Haruhi tackled a bunch of guys without asking anyone else for help. Her independence in this situation can be seen both as a strength and a flaw, which is the basis of the argument she had with Tamaki. We can also argue that the fact that Haruhi is so unsuitable as a heroine is a flaw in itself. Nonetheless, the show worked for me and made me a big fan, which I don’t think would have happened to the same degree if Haruhi possessed the characteristics of, say, Usagi.

Aww, you did /not/ just diss nerdy heroines at the end of your comment.
Alex Papillon http://
August 23rd, 2007 at 3:44 am

re: Asuka
Lol, I would restate Haruhi’s flaw as having no personality in general which…kind of cancels out the phrase “character flaw”. But hey, it’s all a matter of impression right? I got a bad impression, you got a good one - either one likes it or doesn’t.

Well, I’m not saying Haruhi should have been like Usagi but I’m just comparing them and how Usagi’s personality is pretty blatant. It’s true that Independence may be her flaw, but my problem is that nothing in this series is psychologically gripping, that fascinating or … even sympathetic. By that, none of the guys’ “problems” are that big of a deal…I mean, there have been lots of problems in many stories where someone’s situation could draw sympathy. Granted, I have a bias against school anime in that I find them kind of dull…(so this example has nothing to do with Ouran or its genre) but one of the greatest plights I can think of right now is Prometheus getting his liver ripped out every day as a punishment. I mean, that’s extreme but still…

I don’t think I was dissing nerdy heroines per se. I like Ami from Sailormoon and she’s nerdy. I also like many nerdy heroes…it goes back on the fact that Haruhi doesn’t seem to have any other interests at all and the only one I can pull out IS STUDYING. And since that’s the only thing I can think of, I find it kind of dull. I mean, going to university isn’t something to take lightly but…with a bit of humour and extremeness (obvious example: Love Hina) - it can work. Although, Ouran’s set-up isn’t about going to university but I digressed. In fact, to dumb it down - Ouran is probably about Haruhi changing and affecting the lives of a few guys that she never expected and them changing her in ways she never expected either. Throw something in about trusting and making friends… I don’t know, it just doesn’t click with me. That tag line has been done a billion times, more and less profoundly and with better characters.
aves76
November 22nd, 2007 at 4:58 am

I’m afraid I think you have completely misinterpreted her character. The show itself is a mock comedy of the anime stereotypes out there. Haruhi is meant to represent the normal - ie ourselves - in order to contrast with the flamboyancy of the bishounen stereotypes. Her personality is not meant to be in your face, and thank god - it’s so refreshing to see a character like Haruhi who is NOT constantly fainting or weeping and whose tits aren’t bouncing all over the place. Those are the female leads who lack personality and realism. Haruhi is intelligent, sarcastic, very perceptive of the characters around her, and completely oblivious to romance. She needs protected, but, unlike most spineless heroines, isn’t aware of her need because she has spent so long taking care of herself. I think there are many aspects of her personality that viewers, especially female viewers, are attracted to and can sympathise with. The reason the male characters fall for her (and I’d like to point out that it’s not all of the male leads) is due to her blunt ‘take me as I am’ personality and naturally perceptive nature. Haruhi’s very cool, but she doesn’t realise it or flaunt it, or even moan and complain about her status. So I think I would take a second look at her personality before blatantly stating that all she does is study, buy groceries and cook. Sorry, but I just couldn’t disagree with you more.
carosene
November 22nd, 2007 at 8:34 am

better a hardass prude than a mary sue…