Hayate the Combat Butler, Vol. 1
Published by: Viz Media
Writer & Artist: Kenjiro Hata

194 (180) pages.
Original Language: Japanese
Orientation: Right to left
Vintage: 2005. US edition November 2006.
English Adaptation: Mark Giambruno
Translation: Yuki Yoshioka & Cindy H. Yamauchi
Touch-up Art & Lettering: Freeman Wong
Design: Yukiko Whitley
Editor: Kit Fox
Publisher’s Rating: T+, for older teens

Rating: 1 out of 5

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Premise: Hayate, the Combat Butler. Through a series of misunderstandings, a young man down on his luck gets a break (we won’t call it a lucky break, yet) and goes to work as a Butler-slash-bodyguard.

Synopsis:

Hayate Ayasaki is 16. He works hard as a bike messenger. He has to; his parents are incurable gamblers and the only income is what Hayate can bring in. It gets worse.

In relatively short order, Hayate finds himself broke, unemployed, and holding the bag for his parents gambling debts. The yakuza are nice guys, though; in lieu of money, they’re willing take his organs to sell on the black market.

After a botched kidnapping, a real kidnapping, and a heroic rescue attempt that could be called successful–if you don’t mind being run over by a car–Hayate ends up in the employ of the Sanzenin family, which is apparently just one very rich little girl. And her maid. And a 300lb. tiger. Things get kind of messed up from here on in.

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Review:

I bought this one for the title.

The title, at least, did not disappoint. By the end of chapter four, Hayate has been in several fights, and is also hired as a butler.

It quickly devolves from that somewhat promising opening. Now it could be that later volumes will attempt a plot of some sort, but in this book the plot is pretty much abandoned as soon as Hayate becomes a butler, in favor of some sight gags and wacky comedy. I expected sight gags and wacky comedy, but I thought that might be leavened with a little action, maybe some (I don’t know) “Combat”. Though I’ve described Hayate as a butler and bodyguard, so far he isn’t called upon to do much of either.

The art is decent enough. You know what you’re in for, though, from the bug-eyed ‘cute’ kid on the cover (she’s Hayate’s new employer, by the way). It’s manga-generic, in that nothing about the art really sticks out that would make this title any better than dozens of others on the shelf.

I get the feeling this is Kenjiro Hata’s first book as a professional. It is technically well done, but the book lacks polish and the story falls apart after a few chapters. The first few chapters were pretty good, though, which only made the last half of the book seem even worse in comparison. Some manga artists learn a lot about pacing and storytelling over the course of their first series, so I’ll be thumbing through later volumes in this series, just to see if the Combat Butler can ever find the right balance between action, comedy, and um… housework.