The theme like a comedy and love story. The protagonist was picked up by rich person who is a girl for repaying a debt. The story is like short story continued. It is easy to read for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Pretty much my favorite comedy manga ever. It's got everything, and any time I try to write up a synopsis, it gets too long because I want to include it all. I guess it has to be read to be believed.
I ordered this first volume, after remembering it existed while watching compilations of Devil Artemis on the YouTubes. I ordered it, as a bit of light reading
While waiting for it to come it, I started worrying "wait... what if it has a bunch of weird fanservice that I did not remember due to the SNL-effect?". As we all know, the SNL-Effect is the name of the psychological notion that allows people to never come to the realisation that SNL was never actually funny. Where you ignore the parts that just weren't that funny, and focus on the things you expect to be there (not seeing the stuff you don't want, and don't expect)
Luckily, this series appears to have been made well before it was normalised to attempt to do cheesecake involving children. Though, close enough to that period where the characters keep calling out this being done. Though, in a way where they frame it as a bad thing. Which... is oddly refreshing to see in a Manga or Anime
It was a fun and decent light read. Definitely got a couple of smiles out of me for various ways it is silly. With the notion that it might have hinted it is possible for me to still feel hope
Manga of its time, doesn't stand for a read in 2020
Honestly picked this up on a whim since it was available in my state's digital library and I didn't really understand this series at all. I don't think I'm the target audience but I've enjoyed other shonen series before from different magazines so I'm wondering if the humor isn't as good now. It was originally published in 2005 and I didn't really like the art or story.
I'm sure that fans of the series will enjoy it but as a random read, it's probably not worth picking up in 2020. I struggled reading through the first few chapters and just glanced at the rest of the book. ⭐️⭐️
The various storylines do not make much sense, just like the classic Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello shorts do not, and I think that was the goal of Kenjirō Hata. Instead each chapter has a running gag that it is built around and then Hata goes wherever his imagination or whims take him. This makes for a funny and chaotic read where some chapters work better than others. I think this manga would have been a better read for me if I had paced myself and read a chapter or two every couple days rather than read it in two big reading sessions as I did. This is what I am planning to doing with the second volume.
The main theme--more-or-less, the theme of money--is the backdrop of this narrative. Hayate, poor to the point of comedy, and mistreated all his life because of it, is put into a rich family as their butler. He is sold off, first, into what amounts to slavery--but is saved by this family. A huge misunderstanding occurs, which implicates him (Hayate) and the female heiress of the family (Nagi). Namely, he confesses to her his love and she believes him--only, he doesn't love her and never confessed.
This book was just eh. It was mildly amusing in it's meta moments. But the concept that the parents were neglectful gambling addicts who sold their son's organs to the yakuza? Just did not appeal.
Hayate, The Combat Butler is a manga series with a crime/romance/comedy theme, with snippets of science fiction. The main character is a teenager whose parents are among the world's worst. After running up a huge debt to the Yakuza, his parents have left Hayate a unique Christmas present...an IOU indicating that they have sold him to the Yakuza to be cut up for organ donations, to pay off their debts. Very reasonably, he does not wish to go along with their plan. While trying to stay alive, and literally in one piece, he briefly considers a life of crime, and tries to non-violently kidnap a younger teenage girl, in order to raise money to pay the Yakuza. His politeness, combined with his willingness to defend her against two other kidnapping attempts, convinces the girl that Hayate is interested in her romantically, rather than as a kidnap victim. Hijinks ensue, as she ends up offering him a job as butler and bodyguard. The ongoing themes of the story are goofy comedy, "romance" and adventure, set within a world that's the Japanese equivalent of the American Richie Rich or Uncle Scrooge comics. The story is filled with cultural in-jokes and bleeped-out brand names. Much of the comedy is broad slapstick, and well done, although sometimes over the top in odd ways. The only flaw is that the author was occasionally oblivious to the way a scene would be interpreted by the audience, in ways not intended. It's worth reading the notes at the end of each volume, as some of these discuss that issue, based on letters to the original Japanese publisher.
Read up to volume five. It was entertaining and cute, but I almost wish that the parody aspect had been even stronger, like Yakitate!! Japan, Volume 1. Although, it could be that I missed a lot of the puns / references. The drawing style was hit-or-miss with me. Adorable and yet fluctuating between simple and detailed depending on the page. With that fluctuation, sometimes it looked too simple and cartoon-y. And Hayate must secretly get his hair permed, as that's quite a lot of hair... Think my favorite character was Maria and wish she had been highlighted more, rather than constantly introducing more new characters. The romance was all right but not entirely gripping and again, the harem theme, even if done mockingly, got old.
So a light and fun series, but not so much so that I'd finish the entire set.
I really enjoy reading the weekly updates for this manga. Some people think it starts slow, but the start has some of the funniest parts. (Not that the rest isn't just as funny, silly and generally out-there). I wouldn't recommend it for younger kids (probably 15+) because they won't get the two sides of the story: the humorous stuff Hayate gets stuck in, and the much sadder stories of Hayate's backstory (there are several parts to this, the biggest part in chapters 178 or so) that aren't silly but actually borderline tragic. There are also several (supposedly) funny parts where Hayate walks in on someone changing/bathing/doing something embarrassing, which is censored by steam/furniture/arms/whatever that would bump the rating up to the OT rating.
i think that this manga is amazing. actually i watched the season 1 and 2 first and read the manga later. hayate is the first ever anime i watched and this series is the reason i'm so crazy about animes! i found that the series is awesome and i found maria and nagi supercute. of course hayate's life is way different from a normal butler's life. he's got a selfish and stubborn who because of some misunderstanding thinks that hayate loves her and a wise and cute but a little weird maid, maria. i think that sakuya-san was superfunny the way she is just so crazy about comedy makes me laugh my head off!!
Kenjiro Hata, Hayate the Combat Butler vol. 1 (ViZ, 2005)
A new series begins on a very dark note. A family's massive gambling debts lead them to sell their son Hayate to the yakuza. In order to get the money to pay off the debt, Hayate decides to try kidnapping someone and holding them for ransom-- except he can't seem to make his intended victim realize he's trying to kidnap her. She believes he's trying to save her, and ends up offering him a job in a very odd mansion. An amusing, if somewhat disturbing, beginning. ***
The artwork was ok for a manga, the story arc improved as the book went along. When I first started the book, I found it confusing to what was happening, but it improved later in the book. Please see my comments for updates as I was reading the books.
I would recommend this book to anyone above the age of 12, but it is still enjoyable for Adults not just teenagers. Some of the topics of what goes on in the early stages is too mature for our younger readers to understand.
The first couple of mangas I read, I didn't like them because they were crazy and out-there. Now I love mangas because they're so crazy and out-there!
Hayate's parents have a huge debt to the Yakuza so they sell him for organs, he runs away and tries to kidnap a girl for ransom but she thinks he's declaring his love for her. She hires him as her butler, but he has to defeat the evil robot butler and her pet (talking) tiger first.
This made me giggle- lots of silliness and then topped with more silliness.
Parts were a bit annoying, but overall, I'm intrigued to read another volume. Hayate's parents were despicable and I'm hoping we don't come across them in future volumes, though I suspect we will. I don't necessarily want any love triangles between Hayate, Maria, and Nagi. Also, when the girls dressed him up as a girl, I was uninterested- until Tama showed up!! Couldn't stop laughing. Basically, Tama stole the manga.
Actually 3.5 it wasn't too bad ! i suggest this to fans of kamichama karin , zero no tsukaima and shakugan no shana. I watched the anime episode and rie who plays louise plays nagi another tsundere character??????? lol ! Hayate kun is under a budget he lost his money because his careless parents now he became butler to the rich girl Nagi ! Spoiler free
Oh man! This was my first manga. It has a special place in my heart. I'm so glad this was my first manga too, because nothing says manga like a crime fighting, occasionally cross-dressing butler who got his job because his family owes the Japanese mafia money or some shit. This manga made me laugh so hard and opened the door to many more mangas. 10/10
This story-line is fairly amusing. I really want to know if they ever clear up the misunderstanding, but there are about 400+ chapters, so the answer is probably no. Still look forward to some of their adventures.