Maid Sama!: Volume 1    by Hiro Fujiwara Order:  USA  Can TOKYOPOP, 2009 (2009) Paperback     Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto Maid cafés are traditionally thought of as catering to male otaku, so when I first picked up Maid Sama! by Hiro Fujiwara, I was expecting a fun story full of fan-service. Boy was I happy to be wrong. Maid Sama! is a fun story, but instead of being full of fan-service, it is full of romance featuring a strong-willed, gutsy, kick-ass-and-take-names heroine. Misaki Ayuzawa is the student council president of Seika High School, a former boys' school that just recently went co-ed. She spends her days trying to keep the male students in line, and has earned herself a reputation for being one tough cookie. Her evenings are spent in a much different manner. When her deadbeat father ran off, Misaki had no choice but to get an after school job to help support her family. Unfortunately, the only job Misaki could find that did not interfere with her school work was at Maid Latte, a maid café. Every afternoon, man-hating Misaki is forced to dress as a maid and act like a servant to the male clientele. Misaki is determined to keep her job private, but popular Takami Usui throws a wrench in the works when he discovers her secret. Now, Misaki must do everything he asks if he is to keep quiet. Maid Sama! is simple, goofy, manga fun. Hiro Fujiwara knows how to bring out her characters' personalities, and that is what really drives the story more than the actual plot. Misaki's determination is admirable, but some of the lengths she goes to are laughable - and that is what makes Maid Sama! such a enjoyable read. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews