The appeal and evaluation of "Hayate the Combat Butler!!": The perfect balance of laughter and emotion

Hayate the Combat Butler!! - The appeal of the second series and its full scope

"Hayate the Combat Butler!!" is the second TV anime series based on the popular manga by Kenjiro Hata, and was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 3rd to September 18th, 2009. The story revolves around Hayate Ayasaki, a young butler drowning in debt, and Nagi Sanzenin, the daughter of a wealthy man he serves, and depicts the humor and drama of various characters. Below, we will introduce the appeal and detailed information of this anime, and delve deeper into its appeal.

■ Story

Do you know? There is an unimaginably rich person in Japan. Do you know? There is a young butler who is drowning in debt who ends up serving the heir to that family by pure chance... The boy's name is Hayate Ayasaki. In order to repay the kindness of his master, Sanzenin Nagi, he works hard day and night to become a first-class butler!!

■Explanation

Love and butlers are a big deal!! The second TV series based on the popular comic. Hayate Ayasaki, a high school student, becomes a butler for Nagi Sanzenin, a daughter of a wealthy family who has paid off his parents' 150 million yen debt. In order to serve and protect Nagi, and to repay his debt to her, he works hard day and night to become a first-class butler.

■Cast

・Hayate Ayasaki/Ryoko Shiraishi・Nagi Sanzenin/Rie Kugimiya・Maria/Rie Tanaka・Hinagiku Katsura/Shizu Itou・Ayumu Nishizawa/Mikako Takahashi・Kazuki Nishizawa/Eri Nakao・Sakuya Aizawa/Kana Ueda・Izumi Saginomiya/Miyu Matsuki・Yukiji Katsura/Hitomi Nabatame・Wataru Tachibana/Marina Inoue・Saki Kijima/Saki Nakajima・Tama/Jurota Kosugi・Klaus/Kenta Miyake・Kotetsu Segawa/Go Shinomiya・Izumi Segawa/Sayuri Yahagi・Miki Hanabishi/ Eri Nakao, Risa Asakaze/Masumi Asano, Chiharu Harukaze/Ayumi Fujimura, Aika Kiri/Emiri Kato, Aya Hibino/Kana Asumi, Sharna Alamgir/Saori Goto, Sonia Shafrunaz/Yui Horie, Gingka Saginomiya/Tomoko Kaneda, Kokonoe Saginomiya/Mariko Mukai, Hatsuho Saginomiya/Akiko Hiramatsu, Himuro Saeki/Kosuke Toriumi, Shiori Makimura/Rina Sato, Kyonosuke Kaoru/Satoshi Hino, Rean Legiostar/Junichi Suwabe

■ Main staff

・Original Story/Kenjiro Hata・Planning/Nobumasa Sawabe, Toshihiro Nakazawa・Planning Cooperation/Shinichiro Tsuzuki, Akio Matsuda・Supervisors/Masato Hayashi, Makoto Omura・Original Concept Cooperation/Takashi Kumagai・Director/Yoshiaki Iwasaki・Series Composition/Yosuke Kuroda, Hideki Shirane・Character Design/Masahiro Fujii・Art/Big Studio・Color Design/Yukiko Ito・Director of Photography/Yutaka Kurosawa・Editor/Kentaro Tsubone・Chief Animation Directors/Masahiro Fujii, Ryoichi Oki・Editing Studio/REAL-T
・Assistant editor/Mizutsu Taisei・Post-production/Tokyo Development Laboratory, Kishi Ryoji, Nomoto Kenichi・3DCG director/Ihara Hidefumi・3DCG/Shiota Jun, Yoshimoto Kenichi・System management/Onojima Hiroshi, Nakade Mikio・Subtitles, CG design/Mukai Yoshihide・Sound effects/Morikawa Eiko・Sound mixer/Hoshino Kenji・Sound editor/Kojima Nobuhito・Sound producer/Minamisawa Michiyoshi, Nishina Takeshi・Sound production manager/Urakari Hiroki・Sound production/HALF H・P ​​STUDIO
・Program Promotion/Yosuke Aoki (TV Tokyo), Akira Koseki, Teruhiko Sato, Hideki Nakanishi, Mayumi Koga ・Literary Cooperation/Jin Nagai ・Title Logo Design/Bay Bridge Studio ・Production Manager/Jiro Nakagawa ・Setting Production/Yūsaku Shindo ・Sound Director/Jun Watanabe ・Sound Production/HALF H・P ​​STUDIO
Music: Kotaro Nakagawa Music Producer: Tsunehide Tanaka Music Cooperation: TV Tokyo Music, Geneon Universal Entertainment, Shogakukan Music & Digital Entertainment Animation Production Manager: Yuji Matsukura Animation Producer: Shinichiro Kashiwada Animation Production: JCSTAFF
Producers: Shinichi Iwata (TV Tokyo), Tomoya Negishi Production: Hakuo Academy Student Council (Yutaka Saito, Akihiro Kawamura, Rei Anami, Masaki Yasuda)
Produced by TV TOKYO, Shogakukan Shueisha Productions

■ Main Characters

・Hayate Ayasaki Although he is good at getting things done, he has a high chance of getting caught up in trouble. He has had some pretty horrible experiences, such as fighting wild animals and giant robots, and being forced to dress as a woman, but he gets through them with his indestructible body and indomitable spirit. He has a kind-hearted personality and cannot leave people in trouble alone, so he is very popular with the girls (and some boys) around him♪
・Sanzenin Nagi The only daughter of the Sanzenin family. As the heir to a huge fortune, it is common for her life to be threatened by those after her. Because of this, she has grown up to be a true indoor person, smart but terrible at sports. She is an innocent and highly opinionated person, and has continued to misunderstand Hayate's words when he kidnaps her as a confession, ever since.
Maria: The Sanzenin family's super housemaid. She entered Hakuou Academy at age 10 and graduated at age 13. She also served as student council president while at the school. To Nagi, she is like an older sister and a mother. To Hayate, she is a kind and pure person he admires.
Katsura Hinagiku The intelligent and beautiful student council president of Hakuo Academy. She seems like a reliable person to Nagi, Nishizawa, and her older sister Yukiji, but she actually has a younger sister attribute. If she doesn't act a little selfishly, isn't it more likely that Hinagiku will miss out on happiness?
・Katsura Yukiji Hinagiku's older sister. World history teacher at Hakuoh Academy. She's lazy and loves alcohol, but she's well-liked by her students. She's always getting scolded by Hinagiku for her spending habits.
・Izumi Saginomiya
The only daughter of the Saginomiya family, who have close ties with the Sanzenin family. She has been best friends with Nagi since childhood. She is a perfect young lady who lacks common sense. She is always nervous and dangerous, but she is also a witch who exorcises evil spirits... no, she is also a shrine maiden.
Sakuya Aizawa is the eldest daughter of the Aizawa family, who are relatives of the Sanzenin family. She is Nagi's cousin. She loves comedy and always demands a tsukkomi or boke reaction from the person she is talking to. She takes it too far and puts those around her in danger.
Nishizawa Ayumu is a classmate of Hayate's in high school, and has feelings for him. To describe him would be 20 words, but he is the ultimate ordinary person. He is an ordinary person whose defining characteristic is that he has no distinctive features. He confessed his feelings to Hayate, but he was evaded.
Wataru Tachibana: The grandson of the late Tachibana Group's head, Enkyo Tachibana, and Nagi's fiance. He has a pretty strong personality and actually likes Izumi. He runs a video store in Shinjuku and his hobby is collecting rare videos.
A maid who serves the Tachibana family through her grandmother's connections. She seems capable at first glance, but inside she is apparently quite naive. She watches over her master Wataru's growth every day as if he were an older sister.
Segawa Izumi is a first-year student at Hakuo Academy High School. She is in the same class as Hayate and is the class representative. Like Miki, she is an extremely rich girl, but she is also bright, energetic, and honest. She is one of the three members of the student council.
Hanabishi Miki is a first-year student at Byakuou Academy's high school division. She is in the same class as Hayate and serves as vice-chairman. Although she appears cool on the surface, she loves Hinagiku! And she loves to make trouble for her! She is one of the three members of the student council.
Risa Asakaze is a first-year student at Hakuou Academy's high school division. She's in the same class as Hayate and is a member of the discipline committee. Although she may harbor dark thoughts behind closed doors, she's not a bad girl. ...or so she thinks. She's one of the three members of the student council.
Sonia Shafrunaz Sometimes a butler and instructor at Toranoana, sometimes a jaded sister who is burning with revenge. Putting aside her grudge against the Sanzenin family, her current hobby is Wataru-kun. She has superhuman strength.

■Subtitle

・Episode 1: Forbidden Marathon Freestyle! (2009/04/03)
・Episode 2/Money Tiger (2009/04/10)
・Episode 3/And Not Becoming a Legend (2009/04/17)
・Episode 4/You are like me (2009/04/24)
・Episode 5/Heart to Heart (2009/05/01)
・Episode 6/Your House (2009/05/08)
・Episode 7/Jealousy and Freshly Baked Japan (2009/05/15)
Episode 8: Shiranui Has Arrived (2009/05/22)
・Episode 9: What a Girl's Heart Desires... (2009/05/29)
Episode 10: The Whereabouts of the Present (2009/06/05)
・Episode 11/Around the Time of the Hina Festival (2009/06/12)
Episode 12: The Cruel Idiot's Thesis (2009/06/19)
Episode 13: Feeling of Freedom (2009/06/26)
・Episode 14/The Saginomiya Family (2009/07/03)
・Episode 15/Shimoda Onsen Steam Journey (2009/07/10)
・Episode 16/Stardust Memory (2009/07/17)
・Episode 17/Under the Cherry Blossoms (2009/07/24)
Episode 18: Unrepentant People on White Day (2009/07/31)
・Episode 19: Aim for the Champion (2009/08/07)
・Episode 20/I can't do the maid turn (2009/08/14)
・Episode 21/My cat is the cutest after all (2009/08/21)
・Episode 22/Keep On Dreaming (2009/08/28)
・Episode 23/Where are we going (2009/09/04)
・Episode 24/Distance (2009/09/11)
・Episode 25/It's a story about a butler and a young lady (2009/09/18)

■ Related works

・Hayate the Combat Butler!
・Hayate the Combat Butler!! Hot Summer Swimsuit Edition!
・Hayate the Combat Butler: Heaven Is a Place on Earth
・Hayate the Combat Butler! CAN'T TAKE MY EYES OFF YOU
・Hayate the Combat Butler! Cuties
・Hayate the Combat Butler! OVA (Anisan version)

■ Theme songs and music

・OP1
・Period: 1-17
・Wonder Wind
Lyrics: Sumiyo Mutsumi; Composition: Tomokazu Tashiro; Arrangement: Wataru Maeguchi; Singer: ELISA

・OP2
・Period: 18-25
・daily-daily Dream
・Lyrics: KOTOKO
・Composition/CG mix
・Arrangement/CG mix
・Song: KOTOKO

・ED1
・Period: 1-17
・Today, my color is in full bloom!
Lyrics: Kumano Kiyomi; Composition: Isobe Atsuko; Arrangement: Masuda Takeshi; Singer: Katsura Hinagiku with the Three Girls from the Hakuoh Academy Student Council (Ito Shizuka with Yahagi Sayuri, Nakao Eri, and Asano Masumi)

・ED2
・Period: 18-24
・Karakoi: That's why girls fall in love
Lyrics: Kiyomi Kumano; Composition: Tomokazu Yamada; Arrangement: Wataru Maeguchi; Singer: Nagi Sanzenin & Hayate Ayazaki (Rie Kugimiya & Ryoko Shiraishi)

・ED3
・Period/25
・Wonder Wind
Lyrics: Sumiyo Mutsumi; Composition: Tomokazu Tashiro; Arrangement: Wataru Maeguchi; Singer: ELISA

・IN1
・Period/12
・Cruel Angel's Thesis・Lyrics: Nemiko Oikawa・Composition: Hidetoshi Sato・Arrangement: Toshiyuki Omori・Singer: Hinagiku Katsura (Shizuo Ito)

・IN2
・Period/12
・The Girl Who Leapt Through Time・Lyrics/Yumi Matsutoya・Composition/Yumi Matsutoya・Arrangement/Masataka Matsutoya・Singer/The Three Girls of the Hakuo Academy Student Council (Sayuri Yahagi, Eri Nakao, and Masumi Asano)

・IN3
・Period/19
・Aim for the Top! ~Fly High~ (humming version)
Lyrics: Kyoko Matsumiya; Composition: Kohei Tanaka; Arrangement: Kohei Tanaka; Singer: Maria (Rie Tanaka)

・IN4
・Period/24
・Dango 3 Brothers ・Lyrics: Masahiko Sato ・Music: Yoshiro Horie ・Arrangement: Yoshiro Horie ・Singer: Hinagiku Katsura (Shizu Ito)

■Detailed evaluation and appeal

Hayate the Combat Butler is a work filled with humor and charming characters, just like the first series. Below, we will evaluate each element in detail and explore its appeal.

Story and development

The story of this work unfolds in various episodes based on the basic premise that Ayasaki Hayate serves Sanzenin Nagi in order to repay his debt. Each episode depicts a different theme and event, so viewers will not get bored. In particular, the turmoil caused by Nagi's naive personality and Hayate's tendency to be unlucky provides both laughter and emotion. In addition, the relationships and growth between characters are carefully depicted, allowing long-time viewers to enjoy the changes.

character

The greatest appeal of this series is its diverse characters. The protagonist, Ayasaki Hayate, is a kind-hearted boy who helps people in trouble despite his tendency to be unlucky, and his struggles resonate with viewers. Sanzenin Nagi is known for her airheaded and highly opinionated personality, and her actions and comments are sure to make you laugh. Other characters such as Maria, Katsura Hinagiku, and Saginomiya Izumi are also charming in their own way, adding excitement to the story. In particular, Hinagiku's intelligent and beautiful appearance as the student council president and Izumi's exploits as a little witch leave a strong impression on viewers.

Animation and performance

The animation by JCSTAFF faithfully reproduces the atmosphere of the original work while adding its own unique touches. Character design is by Masahiro Fujii, who skillfully incorporates the illustrations from the original work into the animation. The direction of each episode is also well thought out, providing visual interest. In particular, the movements and changes in facial expressions in the comedy scenes have the power to draw the viewer in.

music

The music for this work was written by Nakagawa Kotaro, and the background music for each scene adds excitement to the story. The opening themes "Wonder Wind" and "daily-daily Dream" are impressive with the powerful singing voices of ELISA and KOTOKO, capturing the hearts of viewers. The ending themes "Today, I'm in Full Bloom! My Color!" and "Karakoi - That's Why Girls Fall in Love" also have appealing lyrics and melodies that reflect the emotions of the characters. Another point worth noting is that famous songs from other works, such as "Cruel Angel's Thesis" and "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time", are used as insert songs.

voice actor

The series' voice actors are a star-studded cast, including Shiraishi Ryoko, Kugimiya Rie, Tanaka Rie, and Itou Shizuka. Kugimiya Rie's performance as Nagi in particular leaves a strong impression on viewers, as she perfectly expresses her airheaded personality. Shiraishi Ryoko's performance as Hayate also conveys his kindness and determination to face difficulties, bringing out the charm of the character. The voice actors for each character add depth to the story by showing performances that make the most of their individual personalities.

Related works and entire series

"Hayate the Combat Butler!!" is a sequel to the first series "Hayate the Combat Butler!", and there are various related works such as "Hayate the Combat Butler!! Hot Summer Swimsuit Edition!" and "Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven Is a Place on Earth the Movie". Through these works, you can enjoy the growth of the characters and new episodes. You can also enjoy the world of "Hayate the Combat Butler!" more deeply by watching the entire series, including the OVA and special editions.

■ Recommendations and how to watch

"Hayate the Combat Butler!!" is a work that exquisitely combines comedy and drama, and is enjoyable for a wide range of viewers. It is especially recommended for those who enjoy the characters' personalities and humor, and those who like romance and stories of growth. Fans of the first series will also be able to enjoy the new episodes and character development.

You can watch it by purchasing the DVD or Blu-ray, or by streaming services. It is particularly easy to watch because it is distributed on Bandai Channel and Amazon Prime Video. You can also enjoy the world of "Hayate the Combat Butler!" more deeply by watching related works.

Above, we have introduced the appeal and detailed information of "Hayate the Combat Butler!!". This is a worthwhile anime series where you can enjoy humor and character growth. Please watch it and experience its charm.