Maid Sama!

Maid Sama! (Japanese: 会長はメイド様!, Hepburn: Kaichō wa Meido-sama!, "The Class President Is a Maid!") is a Japanese manga series by Hiro Fujiwara. It was serialized in Hakusensha's monthly shōjo magazine LaLa from December 2005 to September 2013, with its chapters collected in 18 tankōbon volumes.

Maid Sama!
Cover of first manga volume featuring Takumi Usui (left) and Misaki Ayuzawa (right).
会長はメイド様!
(Kaichō wa Maid-sama!)
GenreRomantic comedy[1]
Manga
Written byHiro Fujiwara
Published byHakusensha
English publisher
ImprintHana to Yume Comics
MagazineLaLa
DemographicShōjo
Original runDecember 24, 2005 – September 24, 2013
Volumes18
Anime television series
Directed byHiroaki Sakurai
Produced byAkio Matsuda
Written byMamiko Ikeda
Music byWataru Maeguchi
StudioJ.C.Staff
Licensed by
Original networkTBS, BS-TBS, Animax Asia
English network
Original run April 1, 2010 – September 23, 2010
Episodes26 + 1 OVA

A 26-episode anime adaptation produced by J.C.Staff aired between April and September 2010.[2]

Plot
Main article: List of Maid Sama! characters

Once an all-boys high school, Seika High, infamous for its rowdy students, has recently become a co-ed school. However, with the female population remaining a minority even after the change over the recent years, Misaki Ayuzawa works hard to make the school a better place for girls. She puts a lot of effort into academics and athletics and earns the trust of the teachers. Eventually, she becomes the first female student council president. Misaki has gained a reputation among the male student body as a strict boy-hating demon dictator and as a shining hope for the teachers and fellow female students. However, despite her reputation, she secretly works part-time at a maid café to support her mother and younger sister by returning the huge debt their father had left them.

Unfortunately, Misaki's secret is soon discovered by Takumi Usui, a popular boy at Seika High. Instead of exposing it to the school, though, Usui keeps it for himself and even becomes a regular customer at the café, much to Misaki's chagrin. Known for being a genius in pretty much everything from academics to athletics and for having rejected numerous confessions of his female peers, Usui takes a liking to Misaki because he finds her 'interesting'. After going through various awkward situations, including being confronted by a forgotten childhood friend of hers, Misaki falls in love with Usui, who reciprocates, and the two soon become a couple.

However, their relationship is troubled by Usui's difficult familial past coming back to haunt him. Being an illegitimate child of a wealthy English noble family, Usui technically cannot form a relationship with anyone not in his social standing, Misaki included. Misaki has to see Usui being forced to transfer to a prestigious rival school Miabigaoka, and then away from Japan completely when his family takes him back to England.

However, they graduate and Usui and Misaki eventually marry ten years later.

Media

Manga

Maid Sama! is written and illustrated by Hiro Fujiwara. This series was serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazine LaLa, from December 24, 2005 to September 24, 2013. The 85 individual chapters were collected into eighteen tankōbon volumes, released between September 5, 2006 and February 5, 2014.

At their Anime Expo 2008 panel, North American publisher Tokyopop announced its various newly licensed series and that Kaichō wa Maid-sama! would be titled Maid-sama!.[3] The series has been relicensed by Viz Media in North America,[4] JPF in Poland,[5] Pika Édition in France,[6] Carlsen Verlag in Germany,[7] Panini Comics in Italy, Mexico and Brazil,[8][9] Everglory Publishing Co in Taiwan,[10] M&C Comic in Indonesia and Rosman in Russia.[11]

Volume list
No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1 September 5, 2006[12]4-592-18431-9April 7, 2009 (Tokyopop)
August 4, 2015 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1403-6
978-1-4215-8130-9
  • 1. "The Student Council President is a Maid!"
  • 2. "A Maid Even At The School Festival"
  • 3. "Misaki M and two S's"
  • 4. "Misaki shishou"
2 February 5, 2007978-4-592-18432-4August 11, 2009 (Tokyopop)
August 4, 2015 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1404-3
978-1-4215-8130-9
  • 5. "Miyabigaoka chess match"
  • 6. "Misa-chan as a boy"
  • 7. "Igarashi Tora"
  • 8. "Misa Chan and Igarashi Tora"
  • 9. "Sports Festival part 1"
3 August 4, 2007978-4-592-18433-1January 12, 2010 (Tokyopop)
November 3, 2015 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1405-0
978-1-4215-8131-6
  • 10. "Sports Festival part 2"
  • 11. "What colour is Misaki? Natural colour?"
  • 12. "Little Sister Day?!!!"
  • 13. "Net idol Aoi"
  • 14. "Side Story"
  • 15. "Class 1-7 Soutaru Kanou"
4 December 5, 2007978-4-592-18434-8April 13, 2010 (Tokyopop)
November 3, 2015 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1406-7
978-1-4215-8131-6
  • 16. "Maid Latte Even At The Beach House"
  • 17. "School Visitation Association and a Glasses Rabbit"
  • 18. "Maid Latte in the beach Party!"
  • 19. "Usui becomes an enemy!"
  • 19.1. "Side Story - And so, Momotarou became Maid-sama too!"
  • 19.2. "Side Story - The 3 idiots become Maid-samas, too!"
5 May 2, 2008978-4-592-18435-5July 13, 2010 (Tokyopop)
February 2, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1689-4
978-1-4215-8132-3
  • 20. "Sakura's Love is the Indies"
  • 21. ^name not yet uploaded^
  • 22. ^name not yet uploaded^
  • 23. ^name not yet uploaded^
  • 24. "First Time Visit to Usui's... House?"
6 September 5, 2008978-4-592-18686-1September 28, 2010 (Tokyopop)
February 2, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1690-0
978-1-4215-8132-3
  • 25. ^name not yet uploaded^ ("President makes onigiri")
  • 26. "The Transfer Student, Shintani Hinata, Appear"
  • 27. "Outdoor School Camp Part 1"
  • 28. "Outdoor School Camp Part 2"
  • 28.1. "Special Chapter - "Blue Spring"
  • 28.2. "Side Story - Vice-President is a Prince!?"
7 April 3, 2009978-4-592-18687-8November 30, 2010 (Tokyopop)
May 3, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1819-5
978-1-4215-8133-0
  • 29. "The Eating Contest"
  • 30. "Sensei, Misaki-chan Is in Deep Trouble!!"
  • 31. "The Secret Girls Talk"
  • 32. "Do You Want To Devote Yourself To Me?"
  • 32.1. "Side Story - Aoi and His Happy Friends"
8 September 4, 2009978-4-592-18688-5March 1, 2011 (Tokyopop)
May 3, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-1820-1
978-1-4215-8133-0
  • 33. "Enter the World of the Witch Maid"
  • 34. "The Things that He Wishes for, Is Always, Always Just that One Thing"
  • 35. "The Message between His Eyes"
  • 36. "Seika High's student council is in a big pinch...!?"
  • 36.1. "Side Story - Idiot and Delinquent and Hero"
  • 36.2. "Side Story - A Certain Morning in the Student Council Room"
9 April 5, 2010978-4-592-18689-2May 31, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled)
August 2, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-0519-5
978-1-4215-8134-7
  • 37. "Gather Up!! All the Shining Stars of Seika High!!"
  • 38. "The Battle Of The Election Is In Its Climax!!"
  • 39. "Usui's Resolve.....?"
  • 40. "Charge Towards The Bursting Affection Of Love And The Dazling Color of Summer"
  • 41. "Master's Big News!!!"
10 June 4, 2010978-4-592-19180-3September 20, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled)
August 2, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-3163-7
978-1-4215-8134-7
  • 42. "The Guy Who Holds The Keys To All Secrets....!?"
  • 43. "Teacher...!!"
  • 44. "A Confession to Misaki?!"
  • 45. "Lightning Speed!! First Maria-Sensei, and Next Her Fiance!?"
  • 46. "The Master, Reveals His Secret, To The Maid"
11 August 5, 2010978-4-592-19181-0December 27, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled)
November 1, 2016 (Viz)		978-1-4278-3258-0
978-1-4215-8135-4
  • 47. "A One-Day Trip To The Hot Spring part 1"
  • 48. "Maid-sama Spring"
  • 49. "Phantasmagoric"
  • 50. "An Invitation from President Igarashi"
  • 50.1. "Side Story - Our Student Council President is a Butler!"
  • 50.2. "Good Morning, I am the Younger Sister"
12 February 4, 2011978-4-592-19182-7November 1, 2016978-1-4215-8135-4
  • 51. "Two Usui's"
  • 52. "Under The Ominous Watch Of an English Spy"
  • 53. "A Secret Battle Plan With Master...?!"
  • 54. "A Meeting Between Ninja and Maid"
  • 55. "You Can't Deceive My Eyes!"
  • 55.1. "Side Story: Sentimental Ikkun"
13 August 5, 2011978-4-592-19183-4February 7, 2017978-1-4215-8136-1
  • 56. "A Maid Christmas! + A Date at a Theme Park!"
  • 57. "The Confession"
  • 58. "Maid Latte loves the Reborned Couple!"
  • 59. "Demon --> Lover!? (Tsundere)"
  • 60. "Day One:School trip !!"
  • 060.1. "Maid Latte's Backyard"
14 February 3, 2012978-4-592-19184-1February 7, 2017978-1-4215-8136-1
  • 61. "Boys Forbidden, Girls Talk"
  • 62. "Compatible"
  • 63. "This Maid is Deeply Engrossed in Love, Master!"
  • 64. "Goodbye....Usui"
  • 65. "Confronting the new student!? The strongest president in top form!"
15 July 6, 2012978-4-592-19185-8May 2, 2017978-1-4215-8137-8
  • 66. "Formidable!? Usui's peer"
  • 67. "Usui's Grand Birthday"
  • 68. "The Ayuzawa sisters"
  • 69. "Very Popular Secret Campus Battle"
  • 70. "Secret Campus Battle: The Best Popularity"
  • 070.5 "The Idiot, the Delinquent and the Madonna"
16 February 5, 2013978-4-592-19186-5May 2, 2017978-1-4215-8137-8
  • 71. "Welcome Back to the Bustling Maid Latte!"
  • 72. "The Cinderella Before Midnight"
  • 73. "The Master is heading to Britain ?"
  • 74. "I will go to Britain"
  • 75. "The Master and the Maid, Overcoming the Distance, their Thoughts Meet..."
17 August 5, 2013978-4-592-19187-2August 1, 2017978-1-4215-8138-5
  • 76. "Master, Do You Wish To Be Stepped on by Me So Much?"
  • 77. "The School's Super Popular Secret Battle is going smoothly"
  • 78. "To Britain!"
  • 79. "Finally, the Two of Us Can Meet In Person"
  • 80. "Two Masters and a Maid"
18 February 5, 2014978-4-592-19188-9August 1, 2017978-1-4215-8138-5
  • 81. "Closer, Farther So Close That We Can't Get Any Closer Than This Closer!?"
  • 82. "A Secret Between The Close Sisters!?"
  • 83. "There are Times when Men must Fight... and so Do the Women"
  • 84. "The Calculations of the Feelings of Love!"
  • 85. "The Strongest Maid on Campus!" (Last Chapter)

Anime
See also: List of Maid Sama! episodes

The October 2009 issue of LaLa announced that a 26 episode anime television adaptation of the series would be produced.[2] It was broadcast in TBS and BS-TBS during Spring 2010.[13] The April 2010 issue of LaLa revealed the broadcast date to be on April 1, 2010 at 1:55 midnight. The adaptation was also present at the Tokyo International Anime Fair with Ayumi Fujimura, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Kana Hanazawa and Yū Kobayashi's attendance.[14] The anime series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, with The Anime Network streaming the series on their video portal until Section23 Films announced the discontinuation of Anime Network Online the 29th of August, 2017.[15][16] Anime distributor Section23 Films released the first subtitled-only set on DVD, June 7, 2011.[17] The second subtitled-DVD set was released on August 2, 2011.[18] A complete collection on DVD was released on October 9, 2012.[19] Sentai Filmworks & Section23 re-released the series on DVD and Blu-ray, with an English dub on January 27, 2015.

The staff list was announced and Hiroaki Sakurai directed the series with series composition done by Mamiko Ikeda who previously worked on the series composition for Emma: A Victorian Romance series and most recently the Rental Magica series and Hanasakeru Seishōnen, while the animation character designs by Yuki Imoto and music composed by Tōru Motoyama. The series was animated by J.C.Staff who previously worked on Honey and Clover, Toradora! and Nodame Cantabile.[20] Ayumi Fujimura and Nobuhiko Okamoto took on the role of Misaki Ayuzawa and Takumi Usui respectively.

Drama CDs

A drama CD for Kaichō wa Maid-sama was released in Japan.[21]

Reception

Connie C. described the manga as being "pretty entertaining, if shallow", feeling that it was sexist towards both genders, but lighthearted enough in this that offense could not be taken, saying that she would continue to read the series as a "guilty pleasure".[22] Deb Aoki feels that the maid café setting provides both fanservice and a vehicle to critique gender roles.[23] In contrast, Johanna Draper Carlson feels that the story is "a male fantasy, where the scary, strong, smart, self-possessed girl turns out to secretly be subservient to men. It’s sort of funny to read, until you think about what its real messages are."[24] Robert Harris notes the formulaic beginnings, but feels that the characters make the manga enjoyable.[25] Leroy Douresseaux found the character of Takumi unconvincing, describing him as a "cheap plot trick" to rescue Misaki when needed.[26] Carlo Santos felt the premise was "otaku-tastic", but appreciated the lack of fanservice and panty shots in the maid cafe scenes, feeling that these marked the series as being shōjo. He also appreciated the chemistry between the leads, and the humour, but noted the stereotypical plot, and criticises the layouts and overly-talky characters.[27] Connie C. described the second volume as reminding her that plot devices are plot devices because "they work wonderfully if used right", feeling that the sense of humour and character interactions lifted the stereotypical plots of the school sports day and rich new classmates.[28]

In a 2019 Forbes article about the best anime of the 2010s decade, Lauren Orsini considered it to be one of the five best anime of 2010; she wrote, "Clever comedy with snappy delivery keeps this show sharp even ten years later".[29]

References
  1. "The Official Website for Maid-sama!". Viz Media. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  2. "Kaichou wa Maid-sama! Shōjo Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. August 21, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  3. "Tokyopop Announces New Manga Titles (Update 2)". Anime News Network. July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
  4. "Maid Sama! Volume 1". Tokyopop. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  5. Salva (January 2, 2014). "Służąca Przewodnicząca tom 1". Tanuki.pl (in Polish). Warsaw: Małgorzata Kaczarowska. 2 (2986). ISSN 1898-8296. Retrieved January 2, 2014.
  6. "Maid sama / Shôjo" (in French). pika.fr. Archived from the original on February 20, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
  7. "Maid-sama | CARLSEN Verlag" (in German). Carlsen.de. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  8. "Dettaglio del prodotto". paninicomics.it. March 24, 2011. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  9. "Títulos Detalhe". paninicomics.com.br. Archived from the original on July 31, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  10. "博客來-學生會長是女僕！ 1". Books.com.tw. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  11. "«Росманга» объявляет свои новые лицензии! « Мангавест" (in Russian). Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  12. "S-book.net Library Service" 会長はメイド様！ 1 (in Japanese). Hakusensha. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  13. "LaLa11月号 | いきヌッキ". Fujihiron.jugem.jp. September 24, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  14. "TBSアニメーション・「会長はメイド様！」公式ホームページ ／ 最新情報 - 10年2月記事" (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  15. "Anime Network To Begin Streamin Maid Sama On June 15". Anime News Network. June 8, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  16. "Blog / Important Notice for Anime Network Online Users - Anime Network". www.theanimenetwork.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  17. "Section23 Films Announces June Slate". Anime News Network. March 16, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  18. "Section23 Films Announces August Slate". May 10, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  19. "Section23 Films Announces October Slate". July 11, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  20. "TBSアニメーション・「会長はメイド様！」公式ホームページ ／ スタッフ&キャスト" (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System. Retrieved March 2, 2010.
  21. "「会長はメイド様！」LaLaにドラマCD付録＆原画展を開催".
  22. Connie C. (May 9, 2009). "Maid Sama!, Vol 1". Pop Culture Shock. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  23. "Maid Sama! Volume 1 Manga Review - TokyoPop - Maid Sama! Volume 1 by Hiro Fujiwara". Manga.about.com. July 16, 2013. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  24. "Maid Sama! Book 1 » Manga Worth Reading". Comicsworthreading.com. April 4, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  25. "Maid Sama Vol. #01". Mania.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  26. "Maid Sama: Volume 1". Comicbookbin.com. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  27. "Samurai Dunk - RIGHT TURN ONLY!!". Anime News Network. October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
  28. Michelle Smith; Connie C.; Isaac Hale; Sam Kusek (September 7, 2009). "Manga Minis, 9/7/09". Pop Culture Shock. Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  29. Orsini, Lauren (December 2, 2019). "The Best Anime Of The Decade - 2010 And 2011". Forbes. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
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