Ladies versus Butlers!

Ladies versus Butlers! (れでぃ×ばと!) is a Japanese light novel series written by Tsukasa Kōzuki, with accompanying illustrations by Munyū. The first novel was released in September 2006, and as of September 2009, nine volumes have been published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation by the illustrator group Nekoyashiki-Nekomaru started serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Moeoh seinen manga magazine in June 2008. A drama CD based on the novels was released in September 2009. A 12-episode anime adaptation produced by Xebec and directed by Atsushi Ōtsuki aired in Japan between January and March 2010.

Plot
Akiharu Hino lost his parents when he was young and was adopted into his uncle's family. He decides to enter a boarding school, Hakureiryō Academy, because he no longer wants to burden his relatives. He decides to take the exam for that school and succeeds in entering the House Management Department, where the school trains servants for high society. He wants to become a butler, but his delinquent appearance frightens the girls, who make up the majority of the students. Being unable to get along with his classmates, Akiharu meets his childhood girlfriend Tomomi Saikyō, a girl with a two-faced character who traumatized him many times when they were kids. Another girl named Selnia Iori Flameheart chases after him because of his looks and calls him suspicious. Still, Akiharu starts finding his feet at the school and his relationships with the girls also get better.

Servant-ed class

 * Akiharu Hino (日野 秋晴)
 * The main protagonist of the story, he is often seen as a delinquent because of his red eyes and rough exterior (accented by a scar on his left eyebrow). However, he has a caring personality, but is dense in regards of girls and love matters. Often times because of everyone's less than friendly perceptions he is often accused of performing perverted acts on the girls of the academy. His childhood friend Tomomi is often behind the schemes leading to these misunderstandings.
 * The main protagonist of the story, he is often seen as a delinquent because of his red eyes and rough exterior (accented by a scar on his left eyebrow). However, he has a caring personality, but is dense in regards of girls and love matters. Often times because of everyone's less than friendly perceptions he is often accused of performing perverted acts on the girls of the academy. His childhood friend Tomomi is often behind the schemes leading to these misunderstandings.


 * Kaoru Daichi (大地 薫)
 * Akiharu's roommate and also a servant-ed student. She has many fans in the upper-ed section, and is mistaken to be a guy, but is actually a cross-dressing girl (because of a strict father, who told her to graduate from Hakureiryō as a man). She is rather cold to Akiharu at first, but slowly opens up to him. She is always worried about her real gender getting exposed, especially with Akiharu's presence in the room. However, when Akiharu accidentally sees her naked from the waist up (with a towel held in front of her lower region), he showed no reaction and still is under the mistaken conception that she is a guy, and she was a little upset and embarrassed by this.
 * Akiharu's roommate and also a servant-ed student. She has many fans in the upper-ed section, and is mistaken to be a guy, but is actually a cross-dressing girl (because of a strict father, who told her to graduate from Hakureiryō as a man). She is rather cold to Akiharu at first, but slowly opens up to him. She is always worried about her real gender getting exposed, especially with Akiharu's presence in the room. However, when Akiharu accidentally sees her naked from the waist up (with a towel held in front of her lower region), he showed no reaction and still is under the mistaken conception that she is a guy, and she was a little upset and embarrassed by this.


 * Sanae Shikikagami (四季鏡 早苗)
 * A clumsy maid at the academy who always causes Akiharu much trouble. She also has an older sister, Saori Shikikagami. She used to be in the upper-ed, but because of her family falling on hard times, she was transferred over to the servant-ed. She shows much ineptitude for tasks required for a maid, and usually ends up making a mess.
 * A clumsy maid at the academy who always causes Akiharu much trouble. She also has an older sister, Saori Shikikagami. She used to be in the upper-ed, but because of her family falling on hard times, she was transferred over to the servant-ed. She shows much ineptitude for tasks required for a maid, and usually ends up making a mess.


 * Shingo Todoroki (轟 慎吾)
 * A member of the academy's servant-ed class and one of the few boys in the entire school. He is an outright pervert who admits that he only came to Hakureiryō because the girls who go to this school are either beautiful maids-in-training or high class ladies from prominent families. His pervertedness almost always causes him to sexually harass women and therefore invoke the wrath of Mikan.
 * A member of the academy's servant-ed class and one of the few boys in the entire school. He is an outright pervert who admits that he only came to Hakureiryō because the girls who go to this school are either beautiful maids-in-training or high class ladies from prominent families. His pervertedness almost always causes him to sexually harass women and therefore invoke the wrath of Mikan.


 * Mitsuru Sanke (三家 満)
 * A member of the academy's servant-ed class and one of the few boys in the entire school. He is rather a darling of the crowd, namely the ladies in the servant-ed class.
 * A member of the academy's servant-ed class and one of the few boys in the entire school. He is rather a darling of the crowd, namely the ladies in the servant-ed class.

Upper-ed class

 * Tomomi Saikyō (彩京 朋美)
 * Tomomi is an upper-ed student at the academy and is also Hino's childhood friend. Her polite and refined attitude serves as a front to hide her true self: a manipulating prankster. She plays pranks on other people (usually on Hino, Selnia or both) to keep herself from being bored (though it eventually turns into jealousy after seeing them kiss) and is willing to withhold information from everyone (as in the case of the Hino-Khadim scandal when she decided to keep silent despite having found out the Khadim family rules, only revealing what she knew when things were starting to get too complicated) whenever she sees fit. However, there may be some cases where she involves others in situations to achieve certain ends (as when she assigned Hino to stay with Mimina for a day in order to inspire her to draw). According to Hino, she is highly intelligent and also dislikes losing to other people.
 * Tomomi is an upper-ed student at the academy and is also Hino's childhood friend. Her polite and refined attitude serves as a front to hide her true self: a manipulating prankster. She plays pranks on other people (usually on Hino, Selnia or both) to keep herself from being bored (though it eventually turns into jealousy after seeing them kiss) and is willing to withhold information from everyone (as in the case of the Hino-Khadim scandal when she decided to keep silent despite having found out the Khadim family rules, only revealing what she knew when things were starting to get too complicated) whenever she sees fit. However, there may be some cases where she involves others in situations to achieve certain ends (as when she assigned Hino to stay with Mimina for a day in order to inspire her to draw). According to Hino, she is highly intelligent and also dislikes losing to other people.


 * Selnia Iori Flameheart (セルニア＝伊織＝フレイムハート)
 * As an upper-ed student at the academy, Selnia is extremely proud of her status as a part of the Flameheart family. She is often the unfortunate target in the various misunderstandings purposely caused by fellow student Tomomi Saikyo, which also normally involves Hino Akiharu.  While outwardly harsh and condescending towards Hino, she continually appears to express concern for him when he finds himself in less than desirable situations, though this is usually followed a blunt lecture or a small beating. Her hairstyle is the reason why she is referred to as "Drill" by Hino (which upsets her) and in the anime, it spins and make sounds similar to a drill bit whenever she is upset.
 * As an upper-ed student at the academy, Selnia is extremely proud of her status as a part of the Flameheart family. She is often the unfortunate target in the various misunderstandings purposely caused by fellow student Tomomi Saikyo, which also normally involves Hino Akiharu.  While outwardly harsh and condescending towards Hino, she continually appears to express concern for him when he finds himself in less than desirable situations, though this is usually followed a blunt lecture or a small beating. Her hairstyle is the reason why she is referred to as "Drill" by Hino (which upsets her) and in the anime, it spins and make sounds similar to a drill bit whenever she is upset.


 * Pina Sformklan Estoh (ピナ＝スフォルムクラン＝エストー)
 * She is the princess of a small country who transferred to Japan largely for her love of anime. She openly asserts her pride in being an anime otaku, and has contempt for the Japanese youths who can name any foreign opera or composer, yet do not even know the names of current anime in their own country; she is quite lonely since she has no one to talk to about anime, cosplay, or other otaku hobbies (other than their principal).
 * She is the princess of a small country who transferred to Japan largely for her love of anime. She openly asserts her pride in being an anime otaku, and has contempt for the Japanese youths who can name any foreign opera or composer, yet do not even know the names of current anime in their own country; she is quite lonely since she has no one to talk to about anime, cosplay, or other otaku hobbies (other than their principal).


 * Mimina Ōsawa (桜沢 みみな)
 * She is 19 years old despite looking 10 due to an illness, which has kept her in the hospital most of her life. She is a talented artist and hates having to draw for the sake of others, wanting to only draw what she likes. Although hating Akiharu at first, she starts to develop feelings for him when he stands up for her, telling other students that she only wants to draw for herself and not for others.
 * She is 19 years old despite looking 10 due to an illness, which has kept her in the hospital most of her life. She is a talented artist and hates having to draw for the sake of others, wanting to only draw what she likes. Although hating Akiharu at first, she starts to develop feelings for him when he stands up for her, telling other students that she only wants to draw for herself and not for others.


 * Suiran Fō (鳳 水蘭)
 * Suiran is one of Selnia's closest friends. At times she utters Chinese words and wears the qi pao on occasion.
 * Suiran is one of Selnia's closest friends. At times she utters Chinese words and wears the qi pao on occasion.


 * Saori Shikikagami (四季鏡 沙織)
 * She is the older sibling of the Shikikagami sisters but unlike her younger sister, she is an upper-ed student at the academy, having paid the required fees before their family fell on hard times. She has a habit of taking her clothes off without minding where she is, who sees her as she undresses or if it is appropriate or not. She also appears to be as ditzy as her younger sister although unlike her, she merely tends to strip her clothes off.
 * She is the older sibling of the Shikikagami sisters but unlike her younger sister, she is an upper-ed student at the academy, having paid the required fees before their family fell on hard times. She has a habit of taking her clothes off without minding where she is, who sees her as she undresses or if it is appropriate or not. She also appears to be as ditzy as her younger sister although unlike her, she merely tends to strip her clothes off.


 * Ayse Khadim (アイシェ＝ハディム)
 * She is very shy and hardly talks to anyone but her body guard. When Akiharu finds her changing in a classroom he is instantly engaged to her due to her family's customs about a man seeing a woman's skin unless it is her husband. Unknown to everyone else who tries to stop them from getting married, Ayse is in love with Akiharu and wants to marry him, and confesses to him. She has resolved to wait for him to love and choose her.
 * She is very shy and hardly talks to anyone but her body guard. When Akiharu finds her changing in a classroom he is instantly engaged to her due to her family's customs about a man seeing a woman's skin unless it is her husband. Unknown to everyone else who tries to stop them from getting married, Ayse is in love with Akiharu and wants to marry him, and confesses to him. She has resolved to wait for him to love and choose her.


 * Hedyeh (ヘディエ)
 * She is Ayse's ever-loyal bodyguard who would faithfully protect and defend her mistress with her lethal-looking scimitar. When Hino accidentally saw Ayse naked, Hedyeh hounded him to the gates of Hell until Ayse gave up on him.  She is always beside Ayse.
 * She is Ayse's ever-loyal bodyguard who would faithfully protect and defend her mistress with her lethal-looking scimitar. When Hino accidentally saw Ayse naked, Hedyeh hounded him to the gates of Hell until Ayse gave up on him.  She is always beside Ayse.


 * Tōichirō Kazamatsuri (風祭 灯一郎)
 * The only male member of the academy's upper-ed class. He considers himself as the most beautiful creature in existence and as such and proclaims that he should be admired by everybody. Ironically, students usually avoid him because of his extreme narcissism, which they find creepy.
 * The only male member of the academy's upper-ed class. He considers himself as the most beautiful creature in existence and as such and proclaims that he should be admired by everybody. Ironically, students usually avoid him because of his extreme narcissism, which they find creepy.

Others

 * Kaede Tenjōji (天壌慈 楓)
 * Hakureiryō Academy's principal whose hobbies include playing eroge even at work. Her otaku tendencies tend to get in the way of her work, and lets her react to situations similar to what she sees in her games with excitement, usually leading to more misunderstandings. To keep her focused at more serious matters, she is often reprimanded by Mikan, who she is afraid of. She also sponsors the anime "Magical Diva" and as such has a large collection of items related to the anime including the original manuscript. She would want to talk more to Pina about it, but she is unable to do so easily because of Mikan, who has a close eye on her.
 * Hakureiryō Academy's principal whose hobbies include playing eroge even at work. Her otaku tendencies tend to get in the way of her work, and lets her react to situations similar to what she sees in her games with excitement, usually leading to more misunderstandings. To keep her focused at more serious matters, she is often reprimanded by Mikan, who she is afraid of. She also sponsors the anime "Magical Diva" and as such has a large collection of items related to the anime including the original manuscript. She would want to talk more to Pina about it, but she is unable to do so easily because of Mikan, who has a close eye on her.


 * Mikan (深閑)
 * The academy's head instructor who oversees almost all things related to the school. She is known for her mastery of all things related to becoming a maid or butler and her strict, cold demeanor towards those who slack off in the middle of duty and anything unrelated to school matters and as such, students and even the principal herself avoid provoking her. She uses fountain pens in the same way a ninja uses throwing knives with deadly accuracy.
 * The academy's head instructor who oversees almost all things related to the school. She is known for her mastery of all things related to becoming a maid or butler and her strict, cold demeanor towards those who slack off in the middle of duty and anything unrelated to school matters and as such, students and even the principal herself avoid provoking her. She uses fountain pens in the same way a ninja uses throwing knives with deadly accuracy.


 * Natsume Hino (日野 棗)
 * Mikako Saikyō (彩京 美佳子)

Light novels
Ladies versus Butlers! began as a series of light novels written by Tsukasa Kōzuki, with accompanying illustrations by Munyū. The novels are published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunko imprint, starting with the first volume released on September 10, 2006, and as of January 10, 2010, ten volumes have been published.

Manga
A manga adaptation by the illustrator group Nekoyashiki-Nekomaru began serialization in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Moeoh seinen manga magazine in June 2008. The first bound volume will be released on December 18, 2009 under ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Comics imprint.

Drama CD
An hour long drama CD based on the novels was released by ASCII Media Works on September 8, 2009. The drama CD was bundled with a booklet featuring material written by Tsukasa Kōzuki and illustrated by Munyū, a leaflet describing the characters, a small collection of rough sketches, and a set of postcards. The CD features three episodes, the second of which is an original story for the drama CD. The voice cast of the drama CD is the same as with the anime adaptation.

Internet radio show
An Internet radio show to promote the anime series and other Ladies versus Butlers! media called Mai's and Mariya's Radio versus Butlers! (麻衣と茉莉也のらじ×ばと!) started airing on September 28, 2009 hosted on the anime's official website. The show is streamed online every other Monday, and is hosted by Mai Goto and Mariya Ise who voice Pina Sufolmuclan Estoh and Kaede Tenjōji in the anime, respectively. The show's theme song is "Arashi o Yobu Party Nau" (嵐を呼ぶパーティなう) sung by Goto and Ise.

Anime
A 12-episode anime television series produced by Xebec and directed by Atsushi Ōtsuki aired in Japan between January 5 and March 23, 2010 on AT-X. The first episode was given a special early broadcast on December 29, 2009 on AT-X. Four short bonus specials are included with the DVDs.