Ladies versus Butlers! is a Japanese light novel series written by Tsukasa Kōzuki, with accompanying illustrations by Munyū. The series includes 13 novels released between September 2006 and March 2012, published by ASCII Media Works under their Dengeki Bunkoimprint. A manga adaptation by the illustrator group Nekoyashiki-Nekomaru was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Moeoh magazine between the June 2008 and December 2008 issues. 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. The anime has been licensed by Media Blasters for release in North America.
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 friend 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.
Ladies versus Butlers! began as a series of light novels written by Tsukasa Kōzuki, with accompanying illustrations by Munyū. ASCII Media Works published 13 novels under their Dengeki Bunko imprint between September 10, 2006 and March 10, 2012.
Manga
A manga adaptation by the illustrator group Nekoyashiki-Nekomaru was serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Moeohseinen manga magazine between the June 2008 and December 2008 issues. A single tankōbon volume was 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.
An Internetradio show to promote the anime series and other Ladies versus Butlers! media called Mai's and Mariya's Radio versus Butlers! aired 31 episodes between September 28, 2009 and May 31, 2010 hosted on the anime's official website. The show was streamed online every other Monday, and was 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" 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. Six short bonus specials are included with the Blu-ray Discs. The anime was licensed by Media Blasters in North America, who released it on Blu-ray and DVD on November 3, 2015. The series premiered on Toku in the United States in January 2016.
