This article lists the characters from the Japanese manga and anime series Hayate the Combat Butler.
Ayasaki household
Hayate is the title protagonist 16-year-old butler of the Sanzenin family. Hayate Ayasaki has had to work to support his parents' bad habits since the age of nine, always moving from job to job, before he was found out to be underaged. The experience gained in those days does mean, however, that of all the characters, he possesses the most extensive practical knowledge of how the world operates. Hayate's dad refused to get employed, while his mother is a compulsive gambler, and the whereabouts of his older brother, Ikusa, were unknown. These events led to their bankruptcy—they abandoned Hayate and made an attempt to sell him to the Yakuza to ease their financial burdens on Christmas Eve, a debt of 156,804,000 yen. With not many choices left to him, Hayate conspired to kidnap someone to get ransom money. He found a girl, Nagi Sanzenin, and told her that he would kidnap her. However, Nagi mistook his words for confession of love, so he was later employed as Nagi's new butler. As a butler, Hayate is capable of all aspects of housework, but it is his ability to repelling attacks from almost anything (despite his bad luck) that makes him a "combat butler". He once demonstrated a skilled use of firearms (being able to wield an MG3 single-handedly) and is practically invincible with physical powers far surpassing that of any normal human being. At the beginning of the story, Hayate often mentioned Nello and Patrasche from the novel A Dog of Flanders, and compared his miserable situation to the characters' life.
In addition to looking poor and needy, Hayate can also appear to be extremely feminine. This has led to him being forced to wear girls' clothing or cosplay in feminine outfits such as nekomimi, a maid, and so on. Later on, this female alter-ego is given a name: Hermione Ayasaki (綾崎 ハーマイオニー Ayasaki Hamaioni). He has been forced to cross-dress at other times.
Hayate had a girlfriend named Athena, who was responsible for teaching him cleaning and swordsmanship, as well as for building his strong body. Athena taught him that he must be economically strong if he wants to date a girl. They had a falling out after his parents pawned an "engagement" ring she gave him. In chapter 239, after being asked by Hinagiku how he feels about Athena, Hayate describes Athena as "Not like the others," and ultimately tells Hinagiku that he is in love with Athena. Athena would soon be possessed by King Midas and attack Hayate. Isumi and Sakuya explained to Hayate about Athena's possession and the importance of the King's Jewel. However, Hayate was unable to choose whether to keep the stone for Nagi's inheritance or to destroy it to save Athena. In the end, it was Nagi who made the choice, noticing Hayate's troubles. She destroyed the King's Jewel and Hayate was able to beat King Midas and rescue Athena. Both of them quickly embraced each other, after a long time since 10 years ago. Athena told Hayate of what happened after he left, about how a man came to save and free her from The Royal Garden. Hayate immediately recognized the man as his brother Ikusa. After these events, he tells him that she is the one he loved (in the past tense), and he comes to deciding he wants to protect Nagi. Hayate would go back to Mykonos for one more day of vacation before returning to Japan.
Back in Japan, Hayate had to deal with the problem of Nagi losing the inheritance of the mansion. In the end, Hayate met Klaus who showed him an old house, "Violet Mansion" where they will settle in. After that, Athena appeared again in chapter 300, to ask Hayate where his brother was. She told him that she would appear again and that he should act as they had never met before. She also stated that Hayate was the one she trusted most. When Hayate saves Ruka from a moving truck and apologizes to her for lying to her thinking that he was a girl from their first meeting, and soon Ruka falls in love with him. Recently Hayate, Linn, Tama discovered a mystery room (in chapter 368) partitioned in the storage room. After Isumi disables the barrier, Hayate discovers that the room holds the same coffin he saw in the Royal Garden 10 years ago. Shortly after that, Yozora shows up and burns the coffin whilst battling Isumi briefly. He later hosts a welcome party for the Violet Mansion tenants. Ruka offers to help pay off his debt along with hers before proclaiming her love for him, though Hayate declares he will continue to be Nagi's butler until she is a happily grown mistress. After the school excursion competition in America, Hayate wins the prize to pay off his debt though chooses otherwise to remain as Nagi's butler. When the anniversary of their first meeting comes, the truth of the relationship is exposed due to Hayate's parents' intervention, leading Hayate to painfully regret and wishes they never met and arrives in a world where Ayumu rescued him instead of Nagi while caught in the King's Jewel'''s dream world. Ayumu gives Hayate a newfound resolve then went to Nagi and reassures her that the fun things and his desire to protect her were real. After the battle for the Sanzenin inheritance ends, Nagi bravely fires him, which prompts Hayate to find what he wants to do with his new life, after two years he encounters a self-sufficient Nagi in the same place he met her and tells her that even when he's not her butler anymore the desire of protecting her and wanting to be by her side hasn't changed.
Currently there are a total of 12 people in love with Hayate, many of which he has no clue to their true feelings due to his dense nature. They are: Hinagiku, Ayumu, Ruka, Izumi, Isumi, Maria, Nagi, Sakuya, Athena, Konoha, Yomi, and Kotetsu (Homosexual). However, Hayate has only shown interest in Hinagiku, Ayumu, Maria, Athena, Ruka, and Nagi at the very end of the manga.
Shun Ayasaki Mrs. Ayasaki Hayate's parents, who appear only in flashbacks as faceless shadows with the characters "Mother" and "Father" scrawled on their faces. Shun has refused to get employed (on the ground that he is undergoing soul-searching and deserves no less than jobs "most suited to him") and his mother has been a compulsive gambler, which led to their bankruptcy. They abandon Hayate after selling him to the Yakuza to ease their financial burdens (a debt of 156,804,000 yen, or approximately US $1.9 million). Later on, Wataru and Hayate find out that Shun was a former member of Wataru's video store which owed Wataru 1,580,000 yen in unpaid late fees. When asked by Sakuya Aizawa if Hayate still has any desire to live with his parents if they had a change of heart and wanted to redeem themselves, Hayate states that no matter what he does, that would never happen; there are no second chances. In chapter 561, Shun suddenly reappears in front of Chiharu and Hayate, who, after a dispute, realizes that his mother disguised as a patient (with a wig like Yukariko's) and has been gathering information from Nagi in order to deceive her, and then tricks Hayate into confessing his romantic love for Nagi is false, leading to a final showdown. Following their failure, they try to flee but are ambushed and attacked by Hisui, with Shun abandoning his wife only to be beaten up by his eldest son Ikusa.
Ikusa is the older brother of Hayate. He has a very kind personality which Hayate likes about him. In a flashback, Ikusa is shown giving a friendly farewell and advice to a lady in a shawl that resembles Yukariko Sanzenin's. Hayate lends him a King's Jewel that Santa Claus gave him. Ikusa, in a desperate attitude, to save a person, who turns out to be Athena after she and Hayate had a fight with Ikusa, meeting Athena for the first time. He made a promise to Athena that he will let her see Hayate again. It is shown that he is incredibly strong, with very good athletic capabilities; it is hinted that his strength may be at the same level as Himegami. Ikusa helps all those that need help and wishes to be reunited with his brother Hayate.
Hayate didn't remember that he lent a King's Jewel to Ikusa until in chapter 437, having an encounter with Eight, Hayate finally meets Ikusa (cross-dressing) at a beach who calls himself "lifesaver". He beats up Eight for taking an octopus as of harming sea life, though Shiori reassures him. However, Ikusa doesn't recognize Hayate. As a result, Hayate displays unusual behavior that scares others. It is soon discovered that Ikusa is actually now a rich owner of the 'Asuki Hotel Resort'. But he refuses to hand over the King's Jewel. After going through such methods to earn the pendant, Hayate realized he had lost sight of himself (desperate to regain Nagi's inheritance, and feeling the downfall of Ruka's departure) and reconciles with his brother.
Ikusa reappears in the final chapter where he confronts his hated father Shun, and while promising not to kill him, does not spare him from a severe beating.
Suzune is a mysterious girl who appears in the movie, Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven Is a Place on Earth.
It is later revealed that Suzune is actually Hayate's grandmother. Suzune returns to Hayate as a spirit that Hayate sees while on vacation with his friends in Ayumu's countryside. Suzune recreates an amusement park that Hayate once visited as a child with her. Suzune believed that Nagi was causing Hayate to suffer because of her spoiled attitude and that he only stayed with her because of the debt. Suzune gives Hayate a diamond that would pay off the debt so he could live his own life. Despite this Hayate returns the diamond to her and says that he wants to pay off the debt on his own beside Nagi. Suzune then departs to the afterlife with a smile.
Despite Suzune's slightly violent demeanor, she cares greatly for Hayate. She is very disappointed in her son Shun, for loading such a large debt on Hayate's shoulders. She only wishes for Hayate to be happy and goes to great lengths for him to be so.
Sanzenin household
The main female protagonist Nagi Sanzenin, 13-year-old, biracial, is the only heir to the Sanzenin fortune. She is hot-headed/short-tempered, spoiled, immature, but kind and cute. She has an otaku-level hobby with manga, anime, and video games, and draws her own manga. Nagi has a large crush on Hayate, and she thinks that Hayate loves her since they first met. She sometimes tries to make him take an interest in her in many ways. She gets really jealous when Hayate makes some good statements about other girls. However, Hayate never understands why Nagi is mad at him until finally, Chiharu spoke about Nagi's feelings (in chapter 553) to him.
Nagi's only surviving family is her grandfather, whom she greatly dislikes. She regards Maria as an older sister figure. Nagi's mother, Yukariko, is shown in volume 12 of the manga. She cares for her family and friends, but she doesn't want to show her concern directly, she usually shows her concern with "formal words". Because of her pampered existence, she lacks any worldly knowledge and is even incapable of looking after herself. Nagi is mortally afraid of the dark (due to an incident with Isumi), and so shares her bed with Maria at night. Since going outside is very dangerous because of her status, Nagi favors staying at home, not liking company in general. Hayate managed to convince Nagi that sports is good for her body, and she is able to get into 2nd place on the Hakuō freestyle marathon thanks to Hayate's absorbing training and her huge amount of love for him.