Hayate no Gotoku 1: Destiny is called "unmei" in Japanese

When Hayate is a kid, Santa Claus told him he is not getting any present because his family is poor :b. In order to get the things that he wishes for, Santa told Hayate to work hard to earn it himself.



Years after, Hayate now in high school and works as a bike delivery boy. Observing his super-fitness level and fast speed, his customers is impressed with his work.
On his way back to the delivery office, Hayate meet his friends who then invites him to a Christmas party. However, Hayate has to turned them down because he has part-time work. His friends think he ranks money too high, which doesn't buy friendship. Hayate says that he doesn't have a choice because his parents are unemployed.



However, when Hayate reached the office, he is fired because his boss found out he is still in high school. Worse, his boss has given his outstanding salary to his parents. Hayate freaks out to hear this and rushes home. He is too late, as his parents has lost all but 12 yen of his money.
Even worse than this, his parents have ran away because they have a debt of more than 150 million yen (more than US$1 million) to the yakuza. This debt is their christmas present for Hayate.

The yakuza soon arrive at Hayate's home, and they have several schemes utilizing Hayate to pay the debt back, such as making Hayate extort people & selling his body organs to pay the debt. Thankfully, Hayate managed to flee after breaking through the window.
He is now fed up of working hard with no result to show for it, and decided to do something else. After some funny conversation between angel Hayate and devil Hayate, he decided to follow angel Hayate's suggestion to kidnap a girl and demand ransom :b.



His plan does not goes well, because Nagi, the girl he wanted to kidnap, thinks he is making a love confession :O. After giving his jacket to Nagi, Hayate also does not have the heart to proceed with the random demand, and he even ended up losing his 12 yen in his frustration. Crying on a winter night without a jacket, he is touched when a woman passed by and give him her scarf. Hayate decides that the world still has such a nice person, so he should stop thinking about evil schemes like kidnapping.

However, while this is happening, Nagi is kidnapped by a couple of guys for real, who then run away with a car. Hayate decides to do the correct thing and chased the guys with his elite biking skills :).
In short, Nagi is saved, and before she can reward him properly, Hayate collapsed after such a long, tiring day.



Hayate no gotoku Official Site
Opening theme: Hayate no Gotoku! by KOTOKO
Ending theme: Proof by MELL
While I like the ending songs better, the opening is pretty good too.


Impression:
Considering this is one of the most anticipated series of this spring, I think the first episode does not disappoint, and this looks to be an entertaining series, even if the plot remains simple. However, I haven't read the manga, so I am not sure if Hayate-fans would like this first episode.

Some of the jokes are quite funny, but I am sure to have missed some of the anime references. I especially like the various schemes proposed by the debt collector to Hayate so that he can pay back his parent's debt.:D

While I like the fact that Hayate is not a whiny kid with no spine, I find the narrator's voice a bit annoying. Regardless, I will definitely continue watching this series.

Note: the original episode title is actually "Unmei is called destiny in English" :b