If you’re an anime fan of a certain generation, then you’re likely very acquainted with shows featuring maids. There was a period of time in the early 2000s where maids were a big trend, so you’d see multiple shows with maids in some form. The biggest stand outs in this regard were also very wish fulfillment heavy as a maid suddenly enters the protagonist’s life and begins changing it in incredible ways. But like many anime trends, maids eventually fell out of style. While there are still notable maid releases such as the most recent big entry, Akiba Maid War in 2022, it’s far from their heyday.
But also like most trends and styles, maids are coming back to the spotlight. Trends often repeat themselves in a cycle every decade or so, and the 2020s have begun to really tap into the 2000s for their nostalgia. It’s led to shows getting revived with new episodes, new reboots of classic hits and more, and now we’ve finally gotten a brand new show that capitalizes on that nostalgia while still offering something new. If you want a new maid anime that feels like you’re watching a classic show, then You Are Ms. Servant is going to be perfect for you.
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2000s Anime Were Just Built Different
Before even digging into You Are Ms. Servant, we have to talk a little about being an anime fan in the 2000s. It was kind of the wild west really as the Internet was just really blowing up, and that meant that there was a greater ease of access to more shows. While anime is in a boom right now (with some reports even claiming that there will soon be one billion anime fans worldwide), it seemed even bigger back then. There might have been fewer options to enjoy, but there was a spirit of experimentation that allowed for all kinds of original anime releases.
This period wasn’t dominated by light novel adaptations, or all seemed to stem off the same kind of core genre, but instead there were just a ton of wild releases that you might be a fan of that no one else heard of. It was both an isolated, yet connected time where you’d basically just watch anything you could get your hands on. That means watching a lot of these maid shows, and now those shows have a spirit that has been carried on by You Are Ms. Servant in that crossroads between wish fulfillment, great action, and fluid animation production.
What Is You Are Ms. Servant?
Originally created by Shotan, You Are Ms. Servant first made its debut in the pages of Shogakukan’s Sunday Webry in 2020. The series stars Hitoyoshi Yokoya, a boy who’s currently living on his own until one day a maid suddenly appears at his door. Claiming she’s been sent by a (very) distant relative, this mysterious maid reveals that she actually is an assassin and has been working as one until very recently. Although he doesn’t need one, Hitoyoshi reluctantly decides to hire her as a live-in maid despite the fact that she doesn’t really have any real household skills.
The premise along should feel familiar to many fans as it’s set up exactly like some of the most classic maid anime releases. It’s a maid with a secret skill, and it’s a young boy living alone who’s about to have his life changed with this sudden new introduction. As seen through the first four episodes of the new anime series this Fall, this new maid named Yuki (as Hitoyoshi named her due to the fact that she didn’t really have a name of her own during her assassin life) has already warmed her way into fans’ and Hitoyoshi’s heart.
Why You Should Watch You Are Ms. Servant
You Are Ms. Servant is serving a particular need. In the 2000s (and still to this day to be honest), a big part of anime was wish fulfillment. There was a lackluster main character that fans could superimpose themselves onto and imagine the kind of life they could lead with these wacky characters. It’s the idea that you wouldn’t be lonely, and that you’d suddenly have your life dramatically changed when someone special comes into your life for the first time.
It was an idea built for the young adult audience in mind, and with the maid trend of the time it resulted in these kids of shows. It ranged from the rather raunchy with the likes of He Is My Master, the more action focused like Mahoromatic, and eventually went on to the point of parody with the likes of Kamen no Maid Guy at the tail end of the trend. But You Are Ms. Servant seems to be a more elevated take on the idea. Honing in on the more grounded, sweet qualities of the idea as Yuki and Hitoyoshi form a makeshift family.
It’s just hard to describe, but You Are Ms. Servant just perfectly taps into that vibe. There’s even a hint that it’s going to be even more 2000s as it continues as a new assassin has made themselves known with the latest episode, and now it’s the perfect time to watch. If you wanted to check out the new anime as it airs this Fall, you can check out the latest episodes as they’re available to stream exclusively with Crunchyroll.
