Times are tough, and these days, children seem to be growing up faster than ever (or not at all, depending on your perspective). Some parents try to shield their kids from the pervasive influence of today’s media, while others simply give up and let their children do as they please, leaving the rest to fate.

Unfortunately for Hayate Ayasaki, his parents don’t care enough to take responsibility for his upbringing, or too little not to recognize and exploit his honest, hard-working personality. Since he was a young child, Hayate has been forced into menial jobs to support the gambling habits of his irresponsible parents.

Guided by visions of Santa Claus, of all people, Hayate trudges on with his hard work, until one Christmas Eve his boss informs him that his employment is terminated because he is underage, and his parents have been given his final pay check. Realizing the danger of the money being wasted instead of going to pay the bills, Hayate rushes home in a panic to find his family’s home vacant, save for a single Christmas card taped to a window. Initially excited by the prospect of a gift, Hayate’s happiness is quickly dispelled when it turns out the card is a note from his parents, explaining they have sold him to the mafia in exchange for a large sum of money.

The situation immediately goes from bad to worse, as said members of the mafia arrive to take possession of their latest acquisition. It turns out Hayate’s financial value to them might be maximized by harvesting his organs to sell on the black market, and at this realization, Hayate runs for his life.

Left destitute with no one to turn to on a cold December night, Hayate wanders the streets until he encounters a young rich girl named Nagi, who seems perplexed by the fact that a vending machine in the park will not accept her credit card. In desperation, Hayate develops a half-hearted plan to kidnap Nagi for a ransom to buy his freedom from the mafia. Instead of feeling threatened by Hayate, Nagi misunderstands and believes him to be declaring his love for her.

Feeling utterly defeated by the encounter and disgusted with his own selfish impulse, Hayate leaves, only to witness someone else succeed in abducting Nagi. Wanting nothing more than to save the same girl he had only minutes before considered kidnapping, Hayate chases down the captors and rescues Nagi, only intensifying her belief in his adoration of her. Having passed out from injuries sustained in the rescue attempt, Nagi orders Hayate taken home to her mansion, and declares him to be her new butler.

When he awakens in Nagi’s lavish home, Hayate initially believes that he has died and gone to heaven. Upon learning the truth of the situation and being offered employment, Hayate immediately accepts without realizing exactly what being a butler in Nagi’s family entails. In addition to the usual servile duties, Hayate must be proficient at fighting to protect Nagi from those that wish her harm. And while Nagi has no doubts about his abilities, other members of her staff aren’t so sure, and Hayate is subjected to one test after another to prove his worth.

Having learned of his debt to the mafia, Nagi quickly pays it off and exchanges it with one owed to herself. And though that may sound like a good trade, Hayate soon learns his situation is not that simple. While the mansion’s talking lions and the malfunctioning robots out to kill him might sound like a lot to deal with, these things soon pale in comparison to the trouble Nagi’s classmates and betrothed present for Hayate, as he must quickly adapt and survive in a new, crazy world. It would appear that Hayate’s new life is destined to be full of strife as his old one.

Kidnapping and harvesting organs to sell on the black market isn’t your run-of-the-mill humor, but Combat Butler Hayate manages to make it hilarious nonetheless. Hayate’s endearing personality and droll acquiescence to the craziness around him makes for a winning foundation to a very promising series.

The one major complaint I have is that Bandai’s release is available only in a subtitled version. Having been an avid consumer of anime for over a decade, this was a first for me. While I realize subtitled formats have their own following, being accustomed to English dubs has left me a bit spoiled, and ultimately dissatisfied with an otherwise appealing release. But Combat Butler Hayate is a strong recommendation if the lack of a dub isn’t a big deal for you, and you're looking for a good dose of comedy with a little action mixed in.