History Main / HostClub

* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' features a PG version run as a student club at a school for the super-wealthy, where the club's members provide refreshments, light flirting and entertainment to the school's female students. Thanks to [[WorkOffTheDebt an eight-million yen debt]] and [[{{Bifauxnen}} a case of mistaken (gender) identity]], the protagonist Haruhi Fujioka (a poor scholarship student) ends up working at the club as a host.
* ''Anime/WelcomeToTheNHK'' - In the manga [[spoiler: Yamazaki]] ends up working at one.

* Keith Goodman from ''Anime/TigerAndBunny'' regularly visits one, because he [[VirginityMakesYouStupid thinks it's a normal cafe]].

* ''Manga/SweetGuiltyLoveBites'' has at least one partner of three pairs working in same one.

* In ''Manga/{{Bokurano}}'', Miko Nakarai is an ex-prostitute who works now in a hostess club. [[SonOfAWhore Her daughter]] Mako alias Nakama is bullied because of this.

* Masamune Matsuoka of ''Manga/AoharuXMachinegun'' works at one.

* One of the main locations in the ''VideoGame/LikeADragon'' series is the host club Stardust, the owner and manager being good friends of Kiryu. Kiryu himself even becomes a host in [[VideoGame/Yakuza2 the second game]].

* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' features a PG version run as a student club at a school for the super-wealthy, where the club's members provide conversations, light flirting and entertainment to the school's female students. Thanks to [[WorkOffTheDebt an eight-million yen debt]] and [[{{Bifauxnen}} a case of mistaken (gender) identity]], the protagonist Haruhi Fujioka (a poor scholarship student) ends up working at the club as a host.

* One of the main locations in the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series is the host club Stardust, the owner and manager being good friends of Kiryu. Kiryu himself even becomes a host in [[VideoGame/Yakuza2 the second game]].
** Most of the games in the series have some form of minigame which involves one or more of the protagonists managing a hostess club, as well as dating sidequests for various hostesses.
** In ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'', the Host job is available for male party members and functions as a thief class, using skills to steal from enemies or inflict debuffs on them. The Hostess job is available to female party members but functions more as a spellcaster class that focuses on damaging and debuffing enemies with magic and elemental abilities.

* One of the main locations in the ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza}}'' series is the host club Stardust, the owner and manager being good friends of Kiryu. Kiryu himself even becomes a host in one of the games.

* Ryuuji's mother in ''LightNovel/{{Toradora}}'' works at a hostess club.

A host club is an establishment with a roster of all types of attractive men who will offer flirting, flattery, pampering, and companionship in a congenial environment and at an exorbitant rate. A typical host will wear a suit and pointed toe boots, along with heavy eye make-up, circle lenses, and [[AnimeHair wild, improbable]] ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' [[AnimeHair hairstyles]] that are usually dyed. Besides service, most of the commission a host gets comes from expensive alcohol ordered by their customers, so expect hosts to try to get you to throw down thousands of yen for a bottle of champagne. [[PlatonicProstitution Hosts do not offer actual sex]], though it's pretty common for them to sleep with their clients after hours. Customers at host clubs are eventually expected to pick a favorite, known as a "tantou", who will eventually become their main entertainer.

* Several of the supporting characters from ''Manga/{{Gintama}}'' work at host/hostess clubs. A few of the mini-arcs take place in the host clubs as well.

* ''WebAnimation/MoniRobo'': Atsumu's mother worked at a hostess bar to provide for her sob.

[[folder:Light Novels]]

** Most of the games in the series have some form of minigame which involves one or more of the protagonists managing a hostess club.

* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' features a PG version run as a student club at a school for the super-wealthy. Thanks to [[WorkOffTheDebt an eight-million yen debt]] and [[{{Bifauxnen}} a case of mistaken (gender) identity]], the protagonist Haruhi Fujioka (a poor scholarship student) ends up working at the club as a host.

Standard host clubs discourage male customers, and there are separate "host bars" aimed at gay men. Many host clubs also bar foreigners from entering due to language, cultural, and economic issues. They don't welcome customers who only want to enter for the experience and don't intend to become regular paying clients.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

[[folder: Film ]]

[[folder: Light Novels ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

[[folder: Music ]]

[[folder: Video Games / Visual Novels ]]

* Ryusei Mitarashi in ''VisualNovel/SweetFuseAtYourSide'' introduces himself as the number one host at the Ulysses host club in the Ginza district. It's a source of constant humor on his route, particularly since he initially just comes across as a dumb meathead.

[[folder: Web Video ]]

* In the third ''WebVideo/WhereTheHellIsMatt'' video, Matt dances with the waitresses at a {{Meido}}-themed hostess club when he goes to Tokyo.

* ''Manga/OuranHighSchoolHostClub'' - A PG version.