I think Hayate the Combat Butler is probably the pre-season favorite for the Spring 2007 anime season. It has lolis, butlers, and an OP by KOTOKO! What else could you want in an anime?
Hayate is a super hard working high school student who works as an accident prone bike messenger. He had a conversation with Santa Claus a long time ago (could’ve been imaginary) where Santa told him he couldn’t have any presents because he was poor. So he’d have to work hard to earn money. What a jerk! Santa gets what was coming to him later on anyway.
After finding out that his parents have left him with a 156,804,000 yen debt (that’s $1,330,852.35 according to today’s conversion rate!) he’s confronted by some sketchy dudes for the money. Hayate uses his daredevil skills effectively and escapes by jumping out the window! Don’t try this at home, kids.
At the park, Hayate sees a girl who he thinks would be good kidnapping material. Before he can put his plan into action, some other dudes try to hit on her first! He saves her, and then goes about trying to kidnap her again. He can’t really go through with it, though. When the yakuza money collectors try kidnapping the girl, Hayate comes to her rescue yet again!
The girl happens to be really rich, and decides to offer Hayate a job as a butler at her mansion. Thus begins their relationship as butler/loli bodyguard and loli.
So this anime seems alright, I guess. The animation was good at times, and cheap at others (like the character who’s talking happens to be behind another character, so no lip animation!). Since there’s a lot of action, hopefully the animation will stay at a good quality.
The plot is somewhat absurd, but if it works for that pilot episode within an episode of Seinfeld, it could work here too. Rie Kugimiya reprises her role as a tsundere of sorts, though she seems more dere than tsun in this one. Also, Hayate punching Santa Claus in the face makes this anime a must watch, at least for the first episode.
This is my first anime of the new season, so it’s kind of hard to decide if I’ll watch it or not. Given the existing popularity of the manga, and my impressions of the first episode, I’ll at least give Hayate the Combat Butler a “should watch.” That is, if I have time to watch any anime this season.
Also, at times Hayate looked like Laharl from Disgaea. That’s gotta be worth something.
8 replies on “Hayate the Combat Butler (Hayate no Gotoku!) – Anime First Impressions”
I could want an OP by Yoko Ishida. But KOTOKO works too.
Punching Santa in the face….maybe you should have added a “Don’t try this at home, kids” to that one too!
If I find a Santa Claus in my house, I _will_ punch him. In the face.
I am shocked that you didn’t point out that Evangelion reference of Gendou in there.
I haven’t seen EVA, therefore I have no idea what you’re talking about.
I remember shouting, “IT’S GENDOU!” when the guy with glasses appeared too. 🙂
This was so much better than I initially expected, and as a big fan of “Zero no Tsukaima” I’m very pleased that the main girl is voiced by Rie Kugimiya. No wonder she gave off that Louise vibe when I was watching the show.
Hayate no gotoku anime and manga contain many puns and parodies (in the title, the appearance of characters, the conversations between them …) from other mangas and anime and even games (mostly Tsukihime). And there also many “beep” in the conversations (****am, ***y).
This manga and anime is worth reading and watching.
Ep ??? Plz