ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku Manga
Hayate the Combat Butler Chapter 533 Review

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Hayate reads the message left by Nagi’s mother Yukariko. He remembers something Nagi’s grandfather Mikado told him. He’s also remembers something Nagi and Athena told him. Thusly, Hayate concludes that Yukariko hid the key in the Royal Garden. Hayate wonders how they’ll get to the Royal Garden.

Hayate has three King’s Jewels and remembers Isumi’s words that negative emotions open the path to the Royal Garden. He then remembers that when he opened the path, it was due to his father’s theft. Hayate cannot think of what would as shocking as that for him to open the path.  Despite that, he decides he needs something massively bad to happen to cause the explosion of negative emotions.

Sometime later, Hayate is in front of a bookstore.  He sees a magazine that declares Ruka is having an affair with a middle age man. Hayate is massive shocked by this, but it is not enough to open the path. Someone in a panda suit grabs him and drags him to Yukari-chan House. There, Hayate discovers the identity of the person in the panda costume — Ruka.

Ruka denies having an affair, declaring that the middle age man is her grandfather. Even though she had not planned on seeing Hayate for a while, this article caused her to want to make sure he understood.

Chiharu bursts into the room, having read the article and declaring Ruka is in trouble. Ruka explains to the shocked Chiharu.

Thoughts/Review:

Har! I didn’t think we’d see Ruka again, at least not for a long while. So I’m glad that she returned here.

The funniest moment of the chapter came from the shock Hayate got from seeing the news about Ruka. There’s something just funny about having something so shocking happen, it nearly causes something bad to happen.

The next funniest moment came from Hayate considering Yukariko’s actions. I really do hope that somehow, Hayate is able to meet Yukariko. She has visited him in a dream state, so it is possible she could do it again.

With all of the flashbacks shown in this chapter, I am again reminded of how incredible it is for Hata-sensei to keep track of all these plot points. I still believe that the person to open the pathway to the Royal Garden is Nagi. Considering how strong Nagi’s feelings for Hayate are, it makes her the perfect candidate. Plus, the original conditions Mikado set for inheriting the Sanzenin legacy declared Nagi had to be in tears. We know Hata-sensei is always dropping hints in chapters going back to the beginning of the manga.

However, it is possible that Ruka could be the one to open the path. The only reason for Ruka to appear here is because she’s still in love with Hayate. As such, it is possible that she is getting set up for a crushing fall.

That reminds me, the gossip story about Ruka and a middle age man made me laugh, but not for a reason in the manga. It has been reported that Fujishima-sensei (51) of Ah! My Goddess fame recently married a 20 year old cosplay girl. A part of me wonders if Hata-sensei is making a nod to that.

The next chapter is already out in Japan. I took a sneak peek at it. I am looking forward to reading that.

In the meantime, Hayate the Combat Butler chapter 533 is an entertaining and humorous chapter. It not only continues pushing the plot forward, but it also brings back Ruka to the mix.