Hayate the Combat Butler Ep. 40
ハヤテのごとく！Episode 40

SPOILER Summary: Its New Years and Nagi’s going to celebrate it the new Japanese way by reading manga and watching anime. However, when she reads in a manga about a couple watching the first sunrise on the beach together, she decides that this is what she and Hayate should do. He’s not convinced that they should do this alone, but Nagi soon “convinces” him to not only do this, but to take her there on a bicycle, even though the beach is 100KM away. As they travel, Nagi’s legs get cold, so she buys a wooden wagon-cart from a department store that would normally be closed at this late hour. Now attached to Nagi’s bicycle, she can ride in comfort.

As they travel down the highway, the car KITT with Michael Knight inside decide to race the speeding Hayate. Michael has KITT do all the driving and in the end, KITT ends up going off an overpass while Hayate pulls off some racing move from a racing anime title. They arrive at the beach and Nagi is all excited but Hayate is pooped. However, he goes to buy them something warm to drink from the vending machine, only to discover he has no money. Maria is there with money, thanking Hayate for taking care of Nagi and making both of them happy. With that, Maria leaves in a helicopter and Hayate returns to find Nagi asleep. The sun rises on the two of them as Nagi continues to sleep and Hayate wishes her a happy new year.

The next night it is snowing heavily as Maria, dressed in a kimono, reports that Sakuya is planning to come over. The power goes out and Nagi is frightened, with only the light from her PSP and Maria for comfort. Hayate goes out to trip the emergency breaker, which is pretty far from the house considering the blizzard. Since Nagi’s battery only lasts a few hours, that’s how long he has to get the power back on. As he fights through the blizzard, he comes upon Sakuya with a giant snow blowing machine and a small fire. Apparently, her plugging in said machine caused the blackout. But, when snow starts falling heavily on its own without the blower, its time to get to where the breaker is. However, they get lost but fortunately, a yeti is kind enough to give them directions.

They struggle and finally make it, soaked to the bone, as time keeps ticking. Hayate discovers that there’s an onsen in this place as the power plant is geothermal. He suggest a dip in the onsen to warm up, which embarrasses Sakuya. Hayate doesn’t understand, so a frustrated Sakuya whacks him good with her harisen, then forces him to the onsen and tosses him in, then dives in herself, still fully clothed. They are close together in the onsen and she, all flushed, doesn’t want to be treaded like a kid. After a while talking, Hayate leaves her there as he goes to find the breaker in the cold building. He makes it and with his last strength gets the power on to Nagi’s excitement. He’s soon found by Sakuya and two of her bodyguards, who get him on a stretcher to carry him out. She’s changed her opinion of him because of this adventure, but when he says something to annoy her, she and the guards just leave him behind while Nagi wonders where Hayate is.

Thoughts: Ha!Ha! Who would have thought the Japanese would parody Knight Rider of all shows? Granted, when I lived in Japan 19-years ago, it was on TV, and had a dual-audio transmission late at night (English and Japanese, I had to use the SAP element of my VCR to get the English though). I understand that the voice of KITT in this episode was the same one from the Japanese audio of Knight Rider.

So, Sakuya has a little crush on Hayate now, eh?

Anyway, there was a lot of fun here.

References! (Note: the site doesn’t get 100% of the references, but they do get a very high percentage.)