Hayate no Gotoku! - Review

Art (7/10)
Decent artwork for the most part. The backgrounds were also nicely drawn. Characters moved smoothly and the visual censoring mascot was interesting. However, I feel that the drawings of the characters were sometimes oversimplified. There are some scenes where more detail could have been added to the characters to make the scene look better.

Characters (10/10)
A great cast of characters is what made this anime successful. Many of the supporting characters constantly made appearances which was nice to see. With 52 episodes, there was lots of room for character development. Hayate has the reputation of a hard worker who would do anything for Nagi even at the cost of his life. He has shown great characteristics of loyalty and humility - putting his master's needs above his own. Even though he may not be the smartest of people, the effort he puts into everything is commendable. Then there's Nagi, the spoiled rich girl who thinks Hayate is in love with her. The whole anime is essentially about the misunderstandings between the two. They make up a good portion of the comedic moments shown in this anime. All the different characters are also memorable because they each have their own personality (Isumi - directionally challenged, Sakuya - comedian, Maria - mature, Hina - AWESOME <3). I believe the characters are the reason why this anime is so successful. Even with the lack of story in many episodes, these characters never make watching Hayate no Gotoku! a chore.

tl;dr - The characters in Hayate no Gotoku! are unique in their own way. They do a great job of making sure this anime is entertaining. Hina <333.

Sound (9/10)
I was surprised that I actually found the two OPs and four EDs enjoyable to listen to. I think both OPs fit the comedy genre well because they are, more or less, upbeat. The BGM, though not spectacular, always fit the mood of the scenes. After listening to many of the BGM tracks over the course of 52 episodes, it is now easy for me to recognize music that is played in Hayate no Gotoku!. The sounds effects used in Hayate no Gotoku! constantly enhanced the viewing experience, especially during the comedic parts.

Story (7/10)
Due to the fact that Hayate no Gotoku! is a comedy anime, each episode does not necessarily focus on developing the story. Even though this is the case, the lack of story is certainly not detrimental to the overall enjoyment of this series. Anyone who watched Hayate no Gotoku! expecting a deep story will be greatly disappointed. The story of Hayate's life as a butler and his relationship with the other characters is slowly being developed during the 52 episodes. While some may argue that even after 52 episodes it is still not complete, there is no particular reason why it needs to be. Even if the ending is left open-ended after Hayate no Gotoku!!, fans will most likely not be disappointed because they knew what to expect out of this anime. Hayate no Gotoku! is watched for the comedy; not the story.

Overall (8/10)
It has been a long and entertaining ride for me. As my first 52 episode anime series, Hayate no Gotoku! did not disappoint. Most of the episodes met my expectations and left me craving for more. It is good to know that there is a second season and I am really looking forward to it. Hope to see more Hina as she has become one of the reasons I want to watch Hayate no Gotoku!!