Fujioka, Haruhi

Haruhi Fujioka is a uniquely grounded and pragmatic protagonist in the flamboyant world of Ouran High School Host Club. A brilliant "commoner" student attending the ultra-elite Ouran Academy on a scholarship, Haruhi's life takes a sharp turn when she accidentally breaks an 8-million-yen vase belonging to the infamous Host Club. To repay the staggering debt, she is forced to work as a "dog" for the club, which eventually evolves into her becoming a full-fledged host after the members realize her natural charm. Haruhi is distinct for her gender-apathetic worldview; she views gender as an irrelevant social construct, famously stating that "it's more important for a person to be recognized for who they are rather than what sex they are." Because she cut her hair short after a messy incident with gum and wears baggy clothes, she is initially mistaken for a boy—a misunderstanding she doesn't bother to correct because she simply doesn't care. In the club, she serves as the "straight man" to the eccentricities of the other members: the dramatic Tamaki Suoh, the calculating Kyoya Ootari, the mischievous Hitachiin twins, and the adorable yet strong Honey-senpai. While she often finds their wealthy antics exhausting or nonsensical, she develops a deep, genuine bond with them. Her upbringing by her loving, bisexual, cross-dressing father, Ranka, has given her a broad perspective on life. Haruhi is studious, aspiring to be a lawyer like her late mother, and has a legendary weakness for "fancy tuna," which is often used by the Host Club as a bribe to get her to participate in their more ridiculous schemes. Despite her blunt honesty and often stoic demeanor, she is incredibly empathetic, often seeing through the facades of others and offering the exact words of comfort or reality they need to hear.