Subculture Anime Blog

Hayate is outside sweeping the mansion grounds when Tama starts talking to him. He tells him not to start talking all of a sudden because it would confuse the viewers. As Tama is discussing the importance of his mascot character image, Hayate notices Nagi go by in a car. Nagi wants Hayate to wait for her, because she doesn’t really want to go ‘there’ either.

Hayate goes to ask a slightly troubled Maria where Nagi is going, and is shocked when she tells him that Nagi was headed to school. Maria tells him not to be so surprised because it is only natural. Hayate realizes this, but is shocked again when he finds out that the school Nagi is attending is Hakuou Academy, a prestigious school that all the rich people go to. Maria tells Hayate that Nagi forgot her bentou, so he offers to take it to her because it is a butler’s duty.

Once Hayate reaches the school, he is amazed at the sight. He tells himself that he would have to do his best to find Nagi, when one of the school’s teachers stops him. Hayate starts to explain why he is there, but she punches him in the face because she won’t let any suspicious people into the school. She tells him that it is her duty to protect the school so she won’t let him in, but Hayate replies that he also has a duty to deliver Nagi’s lunch. The teacher asks for Hayate’s name and he tells it to her, but when he asks for hers she won’t tell him because it is private information. Hayate starts to argue that doing that isn’t fair, as three students arrive, refering to the teacher as Katsura. Hayate and Katsura start to face off in a very shounen anime like manner, but after circling around each other, Hayate realizes that he already managed to get past her. Katsura tries to stop him, but Hayate has already started running fast into the school grounds. She then notices that her friends have been watching, and they introduce themselves as Hanabishi Miki, Sagumi Izumi, and Asaki Zeriha.

Hayate is sneaking around the school, metal gear solid style, until he realizes he is lost. He looks up at the school’s clock tower, and says to himself that he would like to go there. However, a girl’s voice tells him that only student council members are allowed there. Hayate wonders where the voice is coming from, when she reveals that she is in the tree above him. She asks him what he is doing in such a place, and he wonders the same about her. She tries to find a good answer, but Hayate comes up with his own reasons comparing her to a kitten that climbed up a tree and couldn’t go back down. As she argues with him, she constantly refers to Hayate as the Sanzenin butler, and Hayate wonders how she knows this. The girl asks for Hayate to catch her, but since it was so sudden, she ends up stepping on his face instead. Hayate thinks that a girl shouldn’t do things like that so suddenly in a skirt, but she says it is ok, showing him that she is wearing tights underneath. Hayate becomes flustered at this, and the girl teases him a bit for being so embarrassed about it. Hayate tells her that if she had just told him to save her, he would have.

He then asks why she was up there in the first place, and she tells him that she was helping a baby bird that had fallen from its nest. Hayate realizes that she is a good person, when a crow arrives threatening the bird. The girl picks up a rock to throw at it, but Hayate stops her because she might hit the bird. At that moment, the bird’s parents arrive to save their child, but they are easily scared off by the crow. Hayate throws a rock inbetween the two birds, asking the crow if he would leave, because if he threw a second one it may hit him. The crow flies away in fear, relieving the girl. However, she asks why he went ahead a threw a rock when he told her not to. Hayate replies that it is because he has good control. She is a bit annoyed because he is implying that she doesn’t. As she is talking, Hayate formally introduces himself to her.

Nagi is on the phone with Maria, expressing her excitement for Hayate bringing her lunch. We find out that the girl from earlier is named Katsura Hinagiku, and she offers to take Hayate to the clock tower. Hayate remembers that Hinagiku told him that only student council members were allowed up there, but is surprised when she tells him that it is ok because she is the student council president. Hayate tells her that he is satisfied enough with just seeing it, but Hinagiku suggests that he would be more satisfied after going there. As she is expressing her displease with the council room being in such a high place, Hayate thinks to himself that she resembles Nagi in a way.

On the school grounds, a teacher is wondering if Hayate is really an intruder, suggesting that he is probably the Sanzenin butler. However, Katsura won’t accept it, and tells everyone to continue searching for him. She tells them that she will start with the clock tower.

Hayate is currently there, amazed by the view of the city which can be seen from the tower. Hinagiku is sitting on a couch in the council room, asking if Hayate is pleased with the view. Hayate mentions that she won’t be able to see the view from there, but she replies that it is ok because she can see it through her heart. Hayate expresses his though that school looks fun, then asks if it is ok for Hinagiku to be up there when classes have started. She replies that it couldn’t be helped since they started while she was saving the bird. Hayate thanks Hinagiku, then tells her that he has to deliver Nagi’s lunch since he knows where the cafeteria is now. Hayate has been refering to Hinagiku as Katsura, so she tells him to call her Hinagiku. She tells Hayate that there is another person in the school who is always known as Katsura, so everyone refers to her as Hinagiku.

Right after that, the teacher from before comes in, who we finally find out is Hinagiku’s older sister, Katsura Yukiji. She picks up a sword from a nearby suit of armor and starts to charge at Hayate as an intruder, but Hinagiku stops her with a sword of her own. As they are fighting, Hayate tells them that he has to deliver Nagi’s lunch. Yukiji takes the chance to steal the lunch and run to the balcony, where Hinagiku is unable to go because of her fear of heights. Yukiji tells her to hand over Hayate, but Hinagiku replies that as the student council president, she would not tolerate such treatment of guests. Yukiji finally accepts defeat after hearing this from her sister, but at that moment a gust of wind pushes her off the balcony railing. Hayate quickly runs and jumps off to catch Yukiji, using his feet to catch himself. With this, both of the sisters are very relieved, and Yukiji finally accepts that Hayate is the Sanzenin butler. Hinagiku thanks him, while he says he must deliver Nagi’s lunch. However, the bentou is now ruined, because Yukiji had dropped it on the ground when she fell.

Hayate is very depressed as they all walk along the school grounds. Hinagiku and Yukiji try to encourage him, telling Hayate that they would do their best to apologize to Nagi. As they say that, they pass by Nagi who correctly guesses exactly what happened. She is still happy that Hayate came all the way to deliver the lunch, but suggests that they go home since she is hungry. Hayate tries to convince Nagi that studying is important too, as Hinagiku observes how well they get along.

Preview: Hayate meets more of Nagi’s aquaintences, Sakuya and Isumi!

Impression:

“Hikkamori desu ka?” Hahaha!! Well this episode was really fun as usual. They had jokes planted all over, and I really like that they skipped ahead to the school. Like I’ve said many times before, they are really changing the atmosphere of the series with the anime. I think a lot of people will enjoy the animation a lot more with this type of sequencing, since from what I’ve heard, a lot of people that read the manga find the first two volumes very boring. It is also interesting that they introduced Yukiji’s friends so early. It looks like they are going to use their minor roles as a running joke, since they already did today with them waving at the audience lol. Isumi is being introduced in the next episode!!! I am very excited, since she is definitely my favorite character. I hope her seiyu, Miyu Maatsuki, can do a good job making her sound as moe as she is in the manga.