Hayate the Combat Butler Manga Volume 9
ハヤテのごとく！Manga Volume 9
Hayate no Gotoku Manga Volume 9

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

The manga starts with Katsura-sensei getting a “high society” party to try to nab a boyfriend.

After that, Hayate begins working on scoring a gift for Hina’s birthday. His search causes encounters with Ayumu, Risa, Miki, Izumi, and even Hina. In the end, Ayumu and Hayate go on a pseudo-date where Ayumu learns that Hayate does not dislike her as she feared. Hina learns how Risa, Miki, and Izumi talk about her, scaring them. Hayate does score small gifts for Nagi and Maria, though Nagi is not happy about Hayate looking for a gift for Hina.

The gift search is put on hold for a while when Nagi tells Hayate that he’ll need to pass the finals at school or else. However, he and Wataru are stunned to learn that as an example, their complicated math test won’t be given in Japanese but rather in another language like German or English. So Maria agrees to tutor Hayate while Nagi tutors Wataru. After Hayate and Maria discover things a bit too cozy between them, they decide to check on Nagi and Wataru, where it looks like Nagi and Wataru are getting cozy too.

After Hina tutors Ayumu, Hina has a romantic dream about Hayate. She inquires of Miki to learn more about Hayate and is amazed and the sheer amount of information Miki has, including knowing what kind of panties Hina is wearing that day. When Hina walks home, she encounters Hayate and Nagi and gets frustrated because of how Hayate has been affecting her. Her anger is enough to frighten both Nagi and Hayate. Hayate tells Nagi he has to apologize to Hina, so he goes after Hina. Their discussion ends up being about Hayate’s parents abandoning him.

Nagi purchases an expensive (but chump change to her) watch for Hina’s birthday and she’s not amused that Hayate’s gift quest has caused her this expense. Suddenly, Nagi and Maria see that Hayate is now in a maid’s costume, which they agree suits him. However, Maria is tasked with approaching Hayate about this and he’s stunned to discover the dress on him. Turns out, he’s been accidentally cursed, thanks to a careless act by Sakuya, who arrives with Isumi at Nagi’s house to see the results of the curse.

Hayate only has a few days to remove the curse and this will require him to defeat the master who dwells atop the highest place. That can only mean Hina, who’s the president of the Student Council and who’s office is atop the clock tower. Meanwhile, Hina is struggling with her own feelings about Hayate and Father Radiostar (Regiostar) isn’t helping. When Isumi arrives with a letter to have Hina meet Hayate on a specific date-time and to allow him to defeat her, she interprets this as an official challenge and there’s no way she’ll be involved in a fight and lose.

The evening of the Hina (doll) Matsuri (festival) arrives, which is the day Hayate has to defeat Hina. He’s wearing a hooded cloak to hide the fact that he’s wearing a maid’s costume. He wants to get through unnoticed, but naturally, Izumi discovers him and she wants to know what’s under that cloak. He flees and is discovered by another butler, who turns out to be Izumi’s butler and her brother Kotetsu. He declares his love for Hayate until Izumi arrives to reveal that Hayate is a dude. So in anger, Kotetsu kidnaps Nagi.

Hina is roped into a huge birthday party where she’s forced to sing while Nagi verbally abuses Kotestu for being a crappy butler. Hayate arrives to rescue Nagi but when Kotetsu wants to marry Hayate, Nagi gives Kotestu a beating. The spirit that had cursed Hayate ends up being dispelled by an angry threat from Nagi, causing Hayate’s clothing to return to normal. After returning home, Hayate remembers he was supposed to meet Hina, so he returns to the school where all the festival and pary activities are over and Hina is in the tower fast asleep.

Thoughts/Review:

Another great manga volume. In terms of the comedy manga titles, Hayate the Combat Butler is my favorite and my 2nd favorite manga overall (behind Negima!). Some of my favorite comedic moments are when Miki tells Ayumu in a serious way that Miki, Risa, and Izumi are all Hayte’s lovers. Miki scores again with her massive amount of information on Hayate, which she presents to Hina. Nagi and Maria’s reaction to Hayate’s suddenly having a maid costume on caused another laugh. Izumi scored a big laugh with me when she discovers Hayate in the cloak and again when she rats him out to her brother-butler. Finally, Nagi’s belittling of Kotetsu, her beating of him, and her sheer wrath causing the evil spirit to be exorcised were some good laughs too.

Again, the flow of things here are so much superior to the anime. The anime did have the chapter on Hayate having to pass his exams and they did their own version of Hina’s present, but the manga taking the time to make Hayate’s desire to get Hina a gift be a plot thread throughout the entire volume worked well. Too bad things end just as Hina and Hayate get together in the tower. Should be fun to see where that goes.

Speaking of fun, Miki, Risa, and Izumi are a great trio, though Hata-sensei doesn’t use Risa that much. Miki and Izumi though are both hoots for different reasons.

As for Izumi, I wonder why Izumi’s brother Kotestu is also her butler. That’s a bizarre thing to me but maybe there will be an explanation.

Hina appears to have some kind of serious story as well, which may well be covered next volume (I hope at least). In addition to all the hilarity and fun, Hata-sensei still manages to tell some character-developing stories at times and that’s cool too.

Basically, I can’t say enough good things about this manga and for the most part, Viz has done a great job. I still lament the lack of translator notes though because there are a TON of references in this volume, some not easily identified.