ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku Chapter 377
Hayate the Combat Butler Manga Chapter 377

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Chiharu prods Nagi to get off the Internet boards and get to work on her manga. Nagi complains about how she can’t focus in the house since there are too many temptations, so Chiharu suggests they go to a family restaurant. Nagi loves the idea since she’s seen a manga-ka (Ashibashi-sensei) use the cafe to do his work. Entering the restaurant, Nagi feels motivated, but when Chiharu goes to get their beverages, she comes back to find Nagi scanning the menu for omuraisu (omurice). Chiharu isn’t happy, but they order and eat. However, instead of working on her manga, Nagi pulls out her phone and starts surfing 2CH, leading Chiharu to scold Nagi for this and for bringing a PSP.

Chiharu goes to get them refills on their drinks, but returns to find Nagi sleeping. She again angrily scolds Nagi, saying that a real manga-ka would not be so distracted. However, they see Ashibashi-sensei in a nearby booth asleep and apparently having a nightmare about making his deadline.

Nagi then notices that Klaus and Sister Sonia are in a booth together, where Klaus is being conned by Sister Sonia to buy a stone on the promise that it might provide a great deal of benefits.

Chiharu then spots Aika at another booth with a guy.  She’s acting quite different than normal in that she’s smiling and laughing happily. Nagi and Chiharu are shocked when Aika kisses the guys finger in an erotic way. When Aika gets up, Nagi and Chiharu hide behind menus until she is gone. They wonder if this was Aika’s fiance.  The event causes both girls to be quite stirred up, so Nagi suggests they play a video game on the PSP, when Chiharu agrees to.

Thoughts/Review:

Heh!heh! This wasn’t a “funny” episode in that I didn’t laugh, but it was a very humorous chapter.

Having recently watched the Hayate the Combat Butler movie, where a family restaurant plays the role in launching the group to the country, I love that it now makes its appearance in the manga. My hope is that the movie will be made canon down the road when Hata-sensei gets Nagi through her next manga challenge.

I got a kick out of seeing Ashibashi-sensei return. It was nice seeing Klaus and Sister Sonia as well. I loved the nod to Excel Saga with a name drop to the Great Will of the Universe (or macrocosm as ADV translated it).  If Sister Sonia referred to other series, I didn’t know them. ^_^;

As to Aika, it is delicious that Chiharu now has something on her after Aika learned of Chiharu’s part time job working as Sakuya’s maid.  Somehow, I suspect that her intimate moment with this guy, whomever it is, will come back to play again, whether through Chiharu holding it over Aika’s head, or as part of the plot.

So, a rather fun chapter even though it doesn’t push any of the story threads forward.