January 30th, 2014 
AstroNerdBoy ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku Manga
Hayate the Combat Butler Chapter 438 Review
SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:
Hina is at Narita Airport, thinking back to how she was tricked by Miki to give a speech at a sister school of Hakuou Gakuin, Ashiya Southern High School in Hyogo prefecture. Unfortunately, this was the Australian branch of the school. Hina desperately does not want to fly to Australia, even though she was given a business class seat.
Hina heads to the business class lounge, wondering if the coffee she’s drinking will be her last. She can’t believe how relaxed everyone seems, nor can she believe how excited a little kid is about flying. She imagines telling the kid that they all could die today if that 0.01% chance of crash happens.
After boarding the plane, Hina debates on whether to close the shade on her window or not. When the announcement is made to fasten seat belts, she panics and vows to tell Hayate her true feelings if she makes it back alive. The plane takes off without incident, so Hina decides to sleep the entire 9 hour and 45 minute flight. However, when the inflight meal is provided to her, Hina feels obligated to get up and eat it. She tries to go back to sleep, but turbulence keeps her awake.
Aika shows up, asking if Hina wants her hand held. Hina demands to know when she got there, so Aika says it was when she glared at the kid in the lounge. She also reveals that she heard Hina say a boy’s name during takeoff. Hina denies this as she realizes she’ll have to fly home.
Thoughts/Review:
Har! So, just when we were thinking it was time to go to the beach, Hata-sensei slaps us in the face with a cute girl with acropobia being forced to fly. *lol*
Seriously, Hata-sensei is so unpredictable. I think most of us were surprised as heck when the plot actually started being pushed forward. Then when the beach trip was announced last chapter, most of us figured we’d get fanservice, gags, but some plot advancement as well. No one thought, “I bet we have a chapter where Hina is forced to take a flight, and we’ll laugh at her fear of heights and flying.” ^_~
As to the chapter, well, it is what it is. Hina is cute, but being one of those powerful babes, I guess the notion of giving her a weakness like fear of heights makes her more endearing.
As for Aika, she’s always a hoot for showing up unexpectedly, catching people in unguarded moments. Unfortunately, her humorous appearance caused me to think, “So why wouldn’t Hina have known that Aika was coming? Why wouldn’t they have been seated together in business class? How did Hina not see Aika at all until Aika showed up at Hina’s seat?” But that’s just me.
This looks like a one shot chapter, but Hata-sensei could always have a chapter or two of Aika’s and Hina’s adventures down under. That might be fun.
Of course, with Aika here, I can’t help but think that this little adventure, even if a one shot chapter, will connect into the beach story. For starters, it gives Hina motivation to confess to Hayate. Secondly, with Aika’s connection to the King’s Jewel, she may end up linking in with beach trip on that end.
In the end, it is a fun chapter, but pure filler for now.
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but what if the sister school is a lie and was actually Mikado or Hisui who gave her the ticket as part of some grand king’s jewel-relevant plan?
That would make things much more interesting. ^_^
For me, Hina not seeing Aika until that moment didn’t seem odd. I mean this is Hina on full on freak out mode trying her best not to think about what’s happening and trying not to look out any windows so she can be in denial that she’s so high up. I doubt she’s paying even 1% to her surroundings or the people nearby.
Oops, typo, I meant “I doubt she’s paying even 1% of her attention to her surroundings…”
OK, let’s assume all that to be true. How did Hina not know Aika was coming along, especially since Hina’s a sharp cookie? Why weren’t Hina and Aika seated together since their tickets were presumably purchased by the same pary?
Well, that’s just how my brain works. ^_~
CFT1…testing…1…2…3…
Got it. If you don’t mind, do another test in the morning.
This is a elephant to “Hayate,” but I found a terrific mystery novel set in 16th century Kyoto — “Claws of the Cat” — by Susan Spann. Her hero is Hiro, a mysterios shinobi (the real Japanese word for ninja) who is tasked to protect a Jesuit priest with his life. The “claws” in question are the curved iron hooks sewn in leather gloves that allow a shinobi to scale rock walls and trees easily. And used as very effective weapons! This book contains tons of great shinobi techno lore and lots of authentic cultural life-scenes. It also comes with an excellent glossary of Japanese words and phrases. Finally, It has the ring of veracity like nothing this English-only reader has ever experienced
Thanks for the info. ^_^
And now I suddenly want Hinagiku to meet B.A. Baraccus and they can talk out their little phobias.
*lol* That’s a good one. ^_^