Hayate X Blade 5
Posted: December 28, 2010 Filed under: Hayate X Blade Leave a comment »Shizuru Hayashiya – Seven Seas – 2009 – 12+ volumes
I forgot to talk about this book! I read it a year ago or so, but I noticed it was absent from my review list when I was flipping back through my old thoughts on the series.
Interestingly, the first half of the book deals with Shizuku, her relationship with Hitsugi, and a challenge that the two accept for the Hoshitori. The challengers are the usual brand of silly and potentially dangerous that colors all the characters in this series… there are way too many characters, and it’s background characters like this pair that tend to slip through the cracks, but to the credit of the series, they really shouldn’t, because they are always horribly funny.
The challenging pair uses tricks to get ahead in the fight, and their strategy for Shizuku and Hitsugi is to target Hitsugi’s leg. It doesn’t work, and Hitsugi manages to humiliate them in grand style, as she does everything. The humiliation is extreme, and involves an amazing musical sequence, made even better by flashbacks and humor and wonderful swordfighting… just everything.
Again, this really isn’t my type of series, but the more of it I read, the more I really, REALLY like it.
The second half of the volume is just exposition for the big fight in volume six, setting up the school festival and maid cafe business. I don’t know how it did it, but this book even made me laugh at maid cafes again. Possibly because Jun just seems to genuinely enjoy it so much, and she is truly one of the greatest characters ever.
Highly recommended. I would strenuously suggest you buy it, since Seven Seas seems to… not have made enough on these six volume to continue. Pick them up and support the series so that I can read more! It’s funny stuff, you won’t be sorry.
