ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku Chapter 401

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Nagi awakens on a bus next to Kayura, having had a dream about the 400th manga celebration, where she finds they still have a long way to go before arriving in Kyoto. Nagi wonders aloud if Kayura should have given her bus fare, but Kayura says it was payment for Nagi’s translation efforts, even though Nagi telling Kayura’s father the truth about the AI development meant his game company would go into major debt. However, Kayura says that since one never knows what will happen tomorrow, Nagi shouldn’t worry about the debt.

At Yukari-chan House, Hayate worries about Nagi reaching Kyoto safely. Maria tells him that there’s no way Nagi will be OK, referring to Nagi as an indoor house cat that now finds itself outdoors, knowing nothing about the world. Ruka notes Hayate’s worrying, and Hayate knows he can’t leave Ruka to go after Nagi. Maria says she’s heading out to rescue Nagi, but this makes Hayate even more worried since Maria is just as much an indoor cat as Nagi.

Ah-tan says she’ll look after Maria and Nagi, but that causes Hayate even more worry. With that, Maria and Ah-tan leave as Hayate wonders where Hina and Chiharu are.

In Kyoto, Hina and Chiharu are enjoying dango and tea, wondering how Nagi could have ended up in Hokkaido when she was on the same train as them. Not having any answers, the two decide to go sightseeing.

Meanwhile, Ah-tan asks how they’ll get to Kyoto. Maria says they’ll get a taxi. Ah-tan’s problem with this is that she gets sick on long car rides.  So, Maria says they can just charter an airplane.

Elsewhere, the bus Kayura and Nagi are on makes a pit stop, so the two get off the bus to get something to drink. They discuss Nagi’s manga plans before Kayura says they need to get back on the bus. The bus driver makes a proper head count and they are off. Kayura continues her conversation, only to find that Nagi is not seated next to her, but Isumi is out of the blue. Nagi is still at the rest area.

Thoughts/Review:

This was a fun little chapter that may not have been overly funny, but I find I’m still chuckling over its contents.

The dream excuse of Nagi’s is one that Hata-sensei has used before.  Last time, it was to explain the sudden Detective Conan celebration chapter and crossover (of sorts).  This time, it explains Hayate the Combat Butler‘s 400th chapter. I liked that moment.

Hata-sensei didn’t stop there with the recycling of older material.  Maria stating that she’d go after Nagi and Hayate’s sudden worry reminded me of their trip to Shimoda where Hayate truly learned of how naive Maria could be as well as Nagi.

The power of Isumi to show up at unexpected times and places. That element has always been amusing, no less so in this chapter. After all, we learned that Nagi was on the same train as Hina and Chiharu, but ended up in Hokkaido. Then Isumi gets lost, isn’t on the bus heading south, but somehow is on the bus in Nagi’s seat. Not that it matters, but I wonder if Isumi actually replaced Nagi on the bus, or if somehow Nagi just never got on the bus.  Of course, that would mean that Kayura wasn’t paying attention.

Still, these are all opportunities to experience things that might turn into good material for Nagi’s manga.

Now that Hayate and Ruka should be alone, barring any sudden arrivals by Isumi, I wonder if Ruka will broach the subject of Hayate’s devotion to Nagi. Clearly, this is weighing heavily on her mind.

Finally, I really wonder what’s going on with the artwork. There’s this whole back and forth on the character designs, where sometimes they don’t look good at all (complete with shaggy hair in desperate need of a cut) to looking OK, which was the case this chapter.  This roller coaster shifts in character designs has been going on for some time now.

Regardless, a fun chapter here.