ハヤテのごとく！/Hayate no Gotoku manga volume 32 review
Hayate the Combat Butler Volume 32

 –> PURCHASE FROM AMAZON!

Since I’ve already reviewed this volume based on the Japanese tankoubon, this review will focus on the Viz release as well as additional thoughts regarding the content of Hayate the Combat Butler Volume 32.

Quick Highlights

Most of the contents for Hayate the Combat Butler Volume 32 are stand-alone gag chapters. Some touch on smaller plot threads. Hina wanting to get a shoulder massage from Hayate touches on the Hayate x Hina story element. Wataru forgetting Saki’s birthday touches on the story thread regarding his relationship with his maid. Ayame meeting Ruka touches both girl’s shipping threads, though Ayumu’s more than Ruka’s.

The main plot is advanced a bit with the proper introduction of Kayura as the latest resident of Yukari-chan House. And that’s to provide Nagi an additional support character for her attempts to create a doujinshi.

Gag character Fumi-chan gets a gag chapter. For the record, this is where I really noticed the heavily localization rewriting mess that plagues this volume.

Viz’s Heavy Localization

I suppose at some point, I could go back and see just when it was that Viz’s adaptations became “to hip to be square on the down-front, localization tip, y’all!” And of course, the purpose of localization is to not worry about accuracy, but rather to be the embodiment of awesomeness in your (supposed) flowing mastery of English that vaguely resembles what the source Japanese text said.

As such, Hayate the Combat Butler Volume 32 quotes from a Pointer Sisters song ’cause it is vaguely similar to what the actual Japanese text was. And then an English aphorism is used ’cause it has somewhat of a similar meaning to the actual Japanese text. “Otaku” becomes “geek” (’cause NO ONE knows what a bloody otaku is). “Doujinshi” becomes “manga” ’cause “reasons.” And that’s just scratching the surface. I hate this form of adaptation with a passion. The translator/adapter may as well have just rewritten the thing without bothering with a translation at all.

It’s one thing if the source Japanese material is such that making an accurate but readable translation wouldn’t make sense. I get when those kinds of changes are made (the term “urusai” being an example, where it literally means “loud” or “noisy”, but contextually, it equates to the English statement “shut up”). But when these localized changes are made because someone in the adaptation process thinks they can tell things better than the original author (’cause what does that smeg head know?), it angers me.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

In the end, Hayate the Combat Butler Volume 32 doesn’t advance the main plot in any significant fashion, opting to spend its time in gag chapters and fun character moments. However, it is fine for what it is. The truly horrible part is Viz’s attempts to rewrite things in the name of hip localization.