The Gentlemen's Alliance +, Vol. 1

arina tanemura is one of my fav manga authors! ofc i was swayed to get my hands on the next series of hers i could read. reminds me of shugo chara in the romance bits! really cute read!

Arina Tanemura has been one of my favorite mangaka ever since Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne. So, if you have ever read her work before, or are a following fan of her work then getting into this series is a no brainer. However, if you aren't one of those people... then what are you waiting for! The art for this manga is top notch, and the story is full of surprises even in the first volume. After reading the first chapter I was already wanting to know what was going to happen next. I guess the only thing I could mention against this manga is sometimes the dialogue seems hard to follow; I would have to reread sections to make sure I understood them, but the translators are pretty good about keeping you from getting completely lost, go Viz! Btw, I'm a 20 something dude, and I love this manga.

My friend and I have purchased this book, and we absolutley love it! It has very nice looking art, the scenes are busy, and the story line is pretty good. I was unsure if I would like this or not, but all the strange aspects tie together in the end. I found it to be very unique and the characters are pretty lovable. Word of warning: Hiane and Ushio and a few other characters can be difficult to tell apart when you first start reading, so pay close attention to the character's details. I wish we didn't have to wait untill June 28th for volume 2!

Even though I haven't recieved my copy yet (it's in the mail, on it's way to me right now!), I understand the story very well. One of my Japanese friends, Sayuri, buys the mangabon it's serialized in, Ribon, every month. Even though I don't understand Japanese very well, I have a general idea of what was going on in the chapter. I hope that SHOJO BEAT includes some Cross themed Furoku with their magazine sometime!

The main character in this shoujo, Haine, comes across as a bit airheaded, but also incredibly determined and strong. Although the first thing I noticed about the manga was the cuteness and the love story, Haine has a deeper side to her personality - a dark side that I hope will be explored in future volumes (I would love to see her cuteness and toughness co-exist...). Haine harbors endless resentment for the business deal her father made, trading her for 50 million yen. Although her adoptive family is loving, she can not get over her anger, even after many years. But she hides it well... Haine is bold, which is what makes her appealing to me. She understands Japanese societal conventions, and does her best to fight them. She is in love with the student council president, Shizumasa, aka "The Emperor". Unfortunately, he doesn't deign to notice her and comes across as a real jerk (hopefully his story will come out too in future volumes!). Haine has a beautiful friend, Ushio, who loves her dearly and tries to look out for her interests. The assortment of characters also includes the "Postman", who I think is crushing on Haine; token gay guy Maguri, who is in love with "The Emperor"; and my favorite character - eccentric Maora, who walks around with her constantly-growling mini-sheep, Okorimakuri (meaning "always angry"). There is a pervy school doc to add some spice to the story, and I think I detected a bit of romantic tension with Haine's slightly younger adoptive brother. The art is busy, which I personally find appealing. Backgrounds and effects are details. While this manga may come across as sweet at first, don't let it fool you. There are sad and dark pasts to be explored, sexual situations, and unexpectedly violent outbursts from cute Haine. I am looking forward to volume 2.

The Gentlemen Alliance aka Shinshi Doumei Cross is a wonderful manga!! As always, the artwork is extraordinary and beautiful. The plot is very good and original. If you read CLAMP, this manga does not use the same thing that CLAMP does in CCS (you will understand what i mean when you get to the end of the first volume). The story gets better and better later on! So, try it and continue reading the volumes if this first one interests you! Arina Tanemura fans WONT be disappointed. ^^