Maid Sama!

Maid Sama! (Japanese: 会長はメイド様!, Hepburn: Kaichō wa Meido-sama!, lit. "The Class President Is a Maid!") is a shōjo manga series by Hiro Fujiwara. It was serialized in Hakusensha's monthly shōjo manga magazine, LaLa. There are 18 published volumes under the Hana to Yume Comics imprint in Japan. 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! The series is out on Netflix subbed and dubbed.[2] A 26-episode anime adaptation produced by J.C.Staff aired between April and September 2010.[3]

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!)
Genre	Romantic comedy[1]
Manga
Written by	Hiro Fujiwara
Published by	Hakusensha
English publisher	^NA Tokyopop (former) Viz Media
Magazine	LaLa
Demographic	Shōjo
Original run	December 24, 2005 – September 24, 2013
Volumes	18
Anime television series
Directed by	Hiroaki Sakurai
Produced by	Akio Matsuda
Written by	Mamiko Ikeda
Music by	Wataru Maeguchi
Studio	J.C.Staff
Licensed by	^NA Sentai Filmworks ^UK MVM Entertainment
Original network	TBS, BS-TBS, Animax Asia
English network	^NA Anime Network ^SEA Animax Asia
Original run	April 1, 2010 – September 23, 2010
Episodes	26 + 1

Plot

Main article: List of Maid Sama! characters

Once an all-boys school, Seika High, infamous for its rowdy students, has recently become a co-ed school. However, with the female population still 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 students 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 in order to support her ill mom and 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.

Media

Manga

Maid Sama! is written and illustrated by Hiro Fujiwara. This series was serialized in Hakusensha's shōjo manga magazine LaLa, and the serial chapters collected into volumes. The first volume was released on September 5, 2006.

Outside Japan, the series was once licensed by Tokyopop, and it's 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] and Everglory Publishing Co in Taiwan.[10] In Indonesia, the series was published by M&C Comic.

The series ended on September 24, 2013.

Volume list

No.	Japanese release date	Japanese ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
01	September 5, 2006[11]	4592184319	April 7, 2009 (Tokyopop) August 4, 2015 (Viz)	978-1-427814036 ISBN 978-1421581309
001. "The Student Council President is a Maid!" 002. "A Maid Even At The School Festival" 003. "Misaki M and two S's" 004. "Misaki shishou"
02	February 5, 2007	9784592184324	August 11, 2009 (Tokyopop) August 4, 2015 (Viz)	978-1-427814043 ISBN 978-1421581309
005. "Miyabigaoka chess match" 006. "Misa-chan as a boy" 007. "Igarashi Tora" 008. "Misa Chan and Igarashi Tora" 009. "Sports Festival part 1"
03	August 4, 2007	9784592184331	January 12, 2010 (Tokyopop) November 3, 2015 (Viz)	978-1427814050 ISBN 978-1421581316
010. "Sports Festival part 2" 011. "What colour is Misaki? Natural colour?" 012. "Little Sister Day?!!!" 013. "Net idol Aoi" 014. "Side Story" 015. "Class 1-7 Soutaru Kanou"
04	December 5, 2007	9784592184348	April 13, 2010 (Tokyopop) November 3, 2015 (Viz)	978-1427814067 ISBN 978-1421581316
016. "Maid Latte Even At The Beach House" 017. "School Visitation Association and a Glasses Rabbit" 018. "Maid Latte in the beach Party!" 019. "Usui becomes an enemy!" 019.1. "Side Story - And so, Momotarou became Maid-sama too!" 019.2. "Side Story - The 3 idiots become Maid-samas, too!"
05	May 2, 2008	9784592184355	July 13, 2010 (Tokyopop) February 2, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427816894 ISBN 978-1421581323
020. "Sakura's Love is the Indies" 021. ^name not yet uploaded^ 022. ^name not yet uploaded^ 023. ^name not yet uploaded^ 024. "First Time Visit to Usui's... House?"
06	September 5, 2008	9784592186861	September 28, 2010 (Tokyopop) February 2, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427816900 ISBN 978-1421581323
025. ^name not yet uploaded^ 026. "The Transfer Student, Shintani Hinata, Appear" 027. "Outdoor School Camp Part 1" 028. "Outdoor School Camp Part 2" 028.1. "Special Chapter - "Blue Spring" 028.2. "Side Story - Vice-President is a Prince!?"
07	April 3, 2009	9784592186878	November 30, 2010 (Tokyopop) May 3, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427818195 ISBN 978-1421581330
029. "The Eating Contest" 030. "Sensei, Misaki-chan Is in Deep Trouble!!" 031. "The Secret Girls Talk" 032. "Do You Want To Devote Yourself To Me?" 032.1. "Side Story - Aoi and His Happy Friends"
08	September 4, 2009	9784592186885	March 1, 2011 (Tokyopop) May 3, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427818201 ISBN 978-1421581330
033. "Enter the World of the Witch Maid" 034. "The Things that He Wishes for, Is Always, Always Just that One Thing" 035. "The Message between His Eyes" 036. "Seika High's student council is in a big pinch...!?" 036.1. "Side Story - Idiot and Delinquent and Hero" 036.2. "Side Story - A Certain Morning in the Student Council Room"
09	April 5, 2010	9784592186892	May 31, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled) August 2, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427805195 ISBN 978-1421581347
037. "Gather Up!! All the Shining Stars of Seika High!!" 038. "The Battle Of The Election Is In It's Climax!!" 039. "Usui's Resolve.....?" 040. "Charge Towards The Bursting Affection Of Love And The Dazling Color of Summer" 041. "Master's Big News!!!"
10	June 4, 2010	9784592191803	September 20, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled) August 2, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427831637 ISBN 978-1421581347
042. "The Guy Who Holds The Keys To All Secrets....!?" 043. "Teacher...!!" 044. "A Confession to Misaki?!" 045. "Lightning Speed!! First Maria-Sensei, and Next Her Fiance!?" 046. "The Master, Reveals His Secret, To The Maid"
11	August 5, 2010	9784592191810	December 27, 2011 (Tokyopop, cancelled) November 1, 2016 (Viz)	978-1427832580 ISBN 978-1421581354
047. "A One-Day Trip To The Hot Spring part 1" 048. "Maid-sama Spring" 049. "Phantasmagoric" 050. "An Invitation from President Igarashi" 050.1. "Side Story - Our Student Council President is a Butler!" 050.2. "Good Morning, I am the Younger Sister"
12	February 4, 2011	9784592191827	November 1, 2016	978-1421581354
051. "Two Usui's" 052. "Under The Ominous Watch Of an English Spy" 053. "A Secret Battle Plan With Master...?!" 054. "A Meeting Between Ninja and Maid" 055. "You Can't Deceive My Eyes!" 055.1. "Side Story: Sentimental Ikkun"
13	August 5, 2011	9784592191834	February 7, 2017	978-1421581361
056. "A Maid Christmas! + A Date at a Theme Park!" 057. "The Confession" 058. "Maid Latte loves the Reborned Couple!" 059. "Demon --> Lover!? (Tsundere)" 060. "Day One:School trip !!" 060.1. "Maid Latte's Backyard"
14	February 3, 2012	9784592191841	February 7, 2017	978-1421581361
061. "Boys Forbidden, Girls Talk" 062. "Compatible" 063. "This Maid is Deeply Engrossed in Love, Master!" 064. "Goodbye....Usui" 065. "Confronting the new student!? The strongest president in top form!"
15	July 6, 2012	9784592191858	May 2, 2017	978-1421581378
066. "Formidable!? Usui's peer" 067. "Usui's Grand Birthday" 068. "The Ayuzawa sisters" 069. "Very Popular Secret Campus Battle" 070. "Secret Campus Battle: The Best Popularity" 070.5 "The Idiot, the Delinquent and the Madonna"
16	February 5, 2013	9784592191865	May 2, 2017	978-1421581378
071. "Welcome Back to the Bustling Maid Latte!" 072. "The Cinderella Before Midnight" 073. "The Master is heading to Britain ?" 074. "I will go to Britain" 075. "The Master and the Maid, Overcoming the Distance, their Thoughts Meet..."
17	August 5, 2013	9784592191872	August 1, 2017	978-1421581385
076. "Master, Do You Wish To Be Stepped on by Me So Much?" 077. "The School's Super Popular Secret Battle is going smoothly" 078. "To Britain!" 079. "Finally, the Two of Us Can Meet In Person" 080. "Two Masters and a Maid"
18	February 5, 2014	9784592191889	August 1, 2017	978-1421581385
081. "Closer, Farther So Close That We Can't Get Any Closer Than This Closer!?" 082. "A Secret Between The Close Sisters!?" 083. "There are Times when Men must Fight... and so Do the Women" 084. "The Calculations of the Feelings of Love!" 085. "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.[3] It was broadcast in TBS and BS-TBS during Spring 2010.[12] 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.[13] The anime series is licensed by Sentai Filmworks, with The Anime Network currently streaming the series on their video portal.[14] Anime distributor Section23 Films released the first subtitled-only set on DVD, June 7, 2011.[15] The second subtitled-DVD set was released on August 2, 2011[16] A complete collection on DVD was released on October 9, 2012.[17] Sentai Filmworks & Section23 will re-release 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.[18] 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.[19]

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".[20] Deb Aoki feels that the maid café setting provides both fanservice and a vehicle to critique gender roles.[21] 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."[22] Robert Harris notes the formulaic beginnings, but feels that the characters make the manga enjoyable.[23] Leroy Douresseaux found the character of Takumi unconvincing, describing him as a "cheap plot trick" to rescue Misaki when needed.[24] 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.[25] 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.[26]

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".[27]

References

1. "The Official Website for Maid-sama!". Viz Media. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
2. "Tokyopop Announces New Manga Titles (Update 2)". Anime News Network. July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
3. "Kaichou wa Maid-sama! Shōjo Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. August 21, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 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. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
9. "Títulos Detalhe". paninicomics.com.br. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
10. "博客來-學生會長是女僕！ 1". Books.com.tw. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
11. 会長はメイド様！ 1 (in Japanese). Hakusensha. Retrieved August 3, 2010.
12. "LaLa11月号 | いきヌッキ". Fujihiron.jugem.jp. September 24, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
13. "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.
14. "Anime Network To Begin Streamin Maid Sama On June 15". Anime News Network. June 8, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
15. "Section23 Films Announces June Slate". Anime News Network. March 16, 2011. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
16. "Section23 Films Announces August Slate". May 10, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
17. "Section23 Films Announces October Slate". July 11, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
18. "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.
19. http://natalie.mu/comic/news/29487
20. https://www.webcitation.org/5qwPX28Fx?url=http://www.popcultureshock.com/manga/index.php/reviews/manga-reviews/maid-sama-vol-1/
21. "Maid Sama! Volume 1 Manga Review - TokyoPop - Maid Sama! Volume 1 by Hiro Fujiwara". Manga.about.com. July 16, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
22. "Maid Sama! Book 1 » Manga Worth Reading". Comicsworthreading.com. April 4, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
23. "Maid Sama Vol. #01". Mania.com. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
24. "Maid Sama: Volume 1". Comicbookbin.com. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
25. "Samurai Dunk - RIGHT TURN ONLY!!". Anime News Network. October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 20, 2013.
26. https://www.webcitation.org/5qwITv9IF?url=http://www.popcultureshock.com/manga/index.php/reviews/manga-reviews/manga-minis-9709/
27. Orsini, Lauren (December 2, 2019). "The Best Anime Of The Decade - 2010 And 2011". Forbes. Retrieved December 3, 2019.

External links

• Maid Sama! at Hakusensha (in Japanese)
• Maid Sama! at TBS (in Japanese)
• Maid Sama! (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia