10 best maid anime that you should watch in 2024

Maid anime has been popular for a long time. The maid trope allows for fun character dynamics, interesting plots, and lighthearted humor. Some of the most entertaining and binge-worthy maid anime feature protagonists who work as maids, or have maid cafes as central settings.

If you enjoy slice-of-life, romantic comedies, or even supernatural elements mixed with energetic characters in frilly maid outfits, these 10 best maid anime are must-watches. From classics to recent hits, this list has a captivating maid anime series with memorable maid characters.

Note: The opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

10 must-watch maid anime you shouldn’t miss

1. He Is My Master

He Is My Master (Image via Gainax and Shaft)

A teenage millionaire, Yoshitaka Nakabayashi, and his newly hired maid Izumi Sawatari, who lives with her younger sister Mitsuki, take center stage in this comedic maid anime.

After inheriting his fortune from his deceased parents, Yoshitaka hires Izumi, who left home after a dispute with her guardian, to be his servant. Much of the show's humor comes from Izumi struggling to adapt to her position, as Yoshitaka puts her through absurd training and nonsensical demands.

Despite the questionable premise, the anime is an entertaining sitcom-style comedy with over-the-top reactions and some fan service. The maid outfits and Yoshitaka's mansion also add to the visual appeal.

2. Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! (Image via J.C. Staff)

One of the most acclaimed romantic comedies, Kaichou wa Maid-sama! follows Misaki Ayuzawa, the first female student council president at a formerly all-boys high school.

This beloved maid anime showcases how Misaki works in secret at a maid cafe to help support her family and pay off her father's debts after he abandoned them, which the popular heartthrob Takumi Usui eventually discovers.

However, rather than reveal her secret, Takumi becomes a regular customer, using this knowledge to grow closer to the disapproving Misaki. The evolving relationship combines situational humor with authentic sentimentality. And seeing Misaki balance her no-nonsense public persona with her private maid job is half the fun.

3. Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden

Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden (Image via Gainax and Shaft)

Blending sci-fi and comedy, Mahoromatic: Automatic Maiden focuses on an android maid named Mahoro. After devoting her life to an alien-fighting organization called Vesper, her remaining operational lifespan is only 398 days.

The unique premise of this maid anime follows Mahoro as she chooses to spend her final days serving the son of her former commander as a maid. The series largely focuses on Mahoro's growing relationship with her new "master" through her reliable housekeeping.

Although, threats from outer space give the story action-packed sci-fi elements as well. With its mix of genres plus offbeat characters, this short but sweet anime offers an unexpectedly impactful take on what it means to be human.

4. Hayate no Gotoku!

Hayate no Gotoku! (Image via SynergySP, J.C. Staff, and Manglobe)

After his parents sell him to the yakuza to pay off their enormous gambling debt, 16-year-old Hayate Ayasaki escapes and eventually starts working as a butler for a wealthy young girl named Sanzenin Nagi.

Grateful for his help, Nagi hires Hayate to work as her butler and protector within her elegant mansion in this compelling maid anime. But despite the eccentric characters and wacky premise, Hayate no Gotoku! tells a rags-to-riches story of Hayate's loyalty and determination to overcome misfortune.

Moreover, the anime stands out for combining hilarious slapstick and exaggerated reactions with feel-good themes about not giving up hope.

5. Black Butler

In this supernatural series set in Victorian England, the 13-year-old Earl Ciel Phantomhive runs a large toy and candy company. After his parents' murders, Ciel forges a Faustian contract with an elegant demon named Sebastian Michaelis to serve as his butler until Ciel has his revenge.

The dark atmosphere makes this maid anime stand apart from its contemporaries. With its Gothic atmosphere and occult elements, Black Butler stands out as a unique tale exploring the line between human and demonic nature.

The intrigue only heightens as characters question whether Sebastian serves Ciel out of duty or hunger. The striking art style and musical score further elevate this anime to a masterpiece.

6. Shomin Sample

When Kimito Kagurazaka's secret hobby of reading girls' romance comics gets exposed, his overprotective father sends him to a mysterious all-girls boarding school to remedy his son's issues interacting with women.

The school mistakenly believes Kimito prefers men, making him a "safe" male to study, developing a "commoner's daughter" into an ideal high-class wife. The resulting chaos creates an unconventional maid anime experience.

A reverse harem parody anime, Shomin Sample uses its ridiculous premise to showcase absurd high school hijinks and over-the-top trope subversions. Kimito's fake relationship with the airheaded maid Aika Tenkuubashi drives much of the wackiness. Essentially, the anime embodies the best kind of stupid fun.

7. Blend S

When Maika Sakuranomiya struggles to find a part-time job, a Japanese café owner looking for waitresses with specific personality types hires her to play a sadistic version of herself.

This launches Maika's exciting employment at Café Stile, where the entire wait staff provides customers with various "moe" personalities in this refreshing take on the maid anime genre.

Aside from nailing the "arrogant sadist" archetype perfectly, Maika also stands out for having a genuinely kind soul underneath her harsh words and glares. it delivers nonstop more energy and cosplay appeal with its cast of eccentric female servers fulfilling various anime trope fantasies in an otaku's dream come true setting.

8. Emma: A Victorian Romance

Emma: A Victorian Romance (Image via Studio Pierrot)

Set in Victorian London, this series focuses on Emma, an honest and hardworking maid for a retired governess. Though raised in an orphanage herself, Emma lives modestly while striving to maintain her dignity and work ethic. This historical maid anime brings depth to the genre through its period setting.

However, Emma's simple life gets disrupted when she falls into a forbidden love affair with William Jones, the eldest son of a wealthy family and her previous employer. Emma: A Victorian Romance stands out for its historical setting and nuanced social hierarchies adding high romantic stakes.

Overall, it captures the tragedy of rigid 19th-century class differences preventing soulmates from being together.

9. Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (Image via Kyoto Animation)

Hardworking office lady Miss Kobayashi helps the injured dragon Tohru and offers her a place to stay as thanks. As a result, Tohru transforms into a busty maid and begins working for Miss Kobayashi full-time. The supernatural elements create an entertaining twist on traditional maid anime conventions.

More dragons end up coming to stay with Miss Kobayashi as well, each taking on colorful human forms. As the mythological beings try adapting to mundane human life, the juxtapositions between their true frightening natures and their kawaii maid alter egos create constant laughs.

Witty and full of heart, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid offers the ultimate dose of feel-good fun.

10. Hanaukyo Maid Team

After his grandfather passes away, teenager Taro learns that he inherited a vast family estate served by an army of highly trained maids. Each maid holds incredible power, and some reveal unique tragic backstories explaining their devotion to serving the Hanaukyo household.

The extensive cast of characters makes this maid anime particularly memorable. While mostly fluffy, wacky fun on the surface, Hanaukyo Maid Team surprises with emotional gut punches when diving into the maids' inner turmoil spurring their selfless dedication.

The overpowered action scenes as the maids battle threats trying to harm Taro make for visual splendor. For a moving story hidden among pleasing aesthetics and maid moe overload, this underrated gem delivers.

Conclusion

If the premise of energetic characters in frilly dresses elevating otherwise ordinary situations appeals to you, maid anime offers some of the most entertaining options.

Beyond the obvious appeal of adorable maid outfits and captivating female leads though, the series highlighted here range widely in tone and genre. So whether you want laugh-out-loud comedy, heart-racing action, or weep-worthy drama, the best maid anime has something satisfying to serve every audience.