Gakuen Alice Volume 1 (v. 1) [Paperback]

Tachibana Higuchi (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gakuen Alice | Publication Date: December 26, 2007

Ten-year-old Mikan is devastated when her best friend, Hotaru, transfers to a special school for genius kids in Tokyo. When she runs away from home to seek out her friend, Mikan discovers that the Alice Academy is a magical estate for children with special powers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: TokyoPop (December 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1427803196
• ISBN-13: 978-1427803191
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #968,191 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, Funny and Fun New Manga Series, January 10, 2008

By 

B. Calhoun (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gakuen Alice Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

After elementary school student Mikan's best friend leaves for an academy for "geniuses" Mikan decides to try and join the school herself. She learns that the school is really a home for those with an "Alice" (a magic power, like talking to animals or controlling fire). Mikan is accepted on a temporary one-week stay. By the end of the week, she has to successfully get along with her classmates and prove her Alice. Of course, the academy is filled with arrogant troublemakers--none more dangerous than bad-boy Natsume--and Mikan has no idea what her Alice is, or even if she really has one.

Gakuen Alice reminds me of nothing so much as a magical KODOCHA: Sana's Stage, Volume 1 (one of my all-time favorite manga series), which is the reason I picked it up in the first place. There are lots of similarities: the heroine is hyperactive but good-natured and the classroom seems to be run by a dangerous boy who forms a special dislike of the heroine (although, like in Kodocha, he will likely develop a crush on her in a few volumes). Although the manga can be semi-serious, and there are hints of dark secrets to come, there are also lots of silly bits, such as a cute but violent teddy bear and Nastume's equally bad-boy best pal going all happy and sparkly whenever he's near animals. The art is also equally pretty and cute and, thankfully, the characters look different enough that they can be told apart (sadly, this doesn't always happen in manga).

I'm really glad that Gakuen Alice has finally come to be in print in America, as it was in licensing purgatory for several years. This seems to be the start of a really good series, and I can't wait until the next volume comes out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended, December 26, 2007

By 

Kelly Erickson (Federal Way, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gakuen Alice Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

I absolutely loved Gakuen Alice. It seems like a very cheerful and childish manga, but the story also has a darker side, revealed later. I highly recommend it to anyone who likes shoujo manga.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Magic and Mayhem, June 4, 2009

By 

Hakajin "Ecclectic Student" (GA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Gakuen Alice Volume 1 (v. 1) (Paperback)

"Gakuen Alice" begins when 11 year old Mikan Sakura learns her best friend, Hotaru, is leaving town to attend a school called Alice Academy in the city. Apparently, it's a school for geniuses, so Mikan doesn't stand a chance of getting in. But when Hotaru doesn't write or visit like she promised, Mikan travels to the Academy alone to visit her. When she gets there, she finds out that no visitors are allowed.

But one of the teachers, Narumi, sees potential in Mikan. He takes her onto the grounds and explains that Alice Academy isn't a school for genius but one for children with special powers called "Alices." Narumi senses that Mikan has an Alice, though he can't tell what it is. He tells her that she can join the school if she can befriend her classmates. This sounds easy to Mikan, but her class is chaotic. She quickly gets on the bad side of Natsume, a high profile student with an attitude, and even Hotaru doesn't seem thrilled to see her. Can Mikan turn things around, and will she figure out what her Alice is?

The story in the first volume seemed a little slow to me, but it gets better after that. It's interesting and goes at a good pace, and hints about mysteries from the past keep you reading. The tone is light and silly for the most part, but there is a darker side. Even though it seems innocent, the Academy doesn't always have the best interest of the students in mind. This theme isn't so present in the first volume, but it becomes more apparent as the series progresses. The magic system is also explained later in the series, and I like the creativity it shows.

I like the characters in "Gakuen Alice." Mikan is a pretty typical heroine. She's spunky, kind, and brave, but also kind of clueless. She frequently overreacts. Hotaru is less stereotypical. A brilliant inventor, she's aloof and usually ignores Mikan's adoration. She really does care about her friends, though, and is quick-thinking in a tough situation. Natsume is cold and kind of violent, but there's more to him than meets the eye. He cares a lot about his friends, and he can actually be very mature in his actions. Luca, Natsume's friend, is a quiet but kind boy who loves animals, and the class president a.k.a "Prez" is a sweet, feminine boy who helps Mikan from the beginning. Later characters like Mikan's senpai, Tsubasa are also good and add to the story.

The romance in this series takes a while to develop. Natsume starts to like Mikan pretty early on, but she's oblivious, and he has reasons he can't show it. There's also a love/hate element. It's a lot like the relationship between Sana and Akikto in the manga KODOCHA: Sana's Stage, Volume 1.

Actually, this manga has a lot in common with "Kodocha." The art isn't as detailed, but the character designs are similar. Mikan is a lot like Sana, and Natsume is like Akito (though he's somewhat more mature than him). The overall tone is the same, too, with a good mix of silliness and serious moments.

I'm not quite sure what the age rating should be. The characters are 10 and 11 to begin with and the silly tone is appropriate for that age group, but there are some things that parents might be wary of. In the first volume, Natsume steals Mikan's panties while she's wearing them. This is referenced frequently as a joke. Mikan also shares a bed with her male teacher later. It's supposed to be innocent, but even the author noted that people were shocked by this. I think the darker parts of the manga should be fine for pre-teens, but some parents might disagree.

Overall, this is a fun, cute manga with a good mix of silly and serious moments. It has good characters and romance, and the story and magical elements are interesting. Anyone can enjoy it, but I think it would be most appreciated by girls around 11 and 12 (though parents might want to check it out first). There are few manga for girls of that age group, so this is a good choice for them. It will especially appeal to fans of "Kodocha," (and vice versa). A tight, solid read.