Gentlemen's Alliance +, Vol. 2 [Paperback]

Arina Tanemura (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 5, 2007

In return for a business loan of 50 million yen, the prestigious Kamiya family gave their daughter Haine away to the Otomiya family. Haine, now an Otomiya, is appointed to the student council of the exclusive Imperial Academy, a private school for the aristocracy. Even though Haine is of proper lineage to be on the council, she finds herself struggling to find her place among the many secrets of its elite members, especially those of the president who holds her heart--Shizumasa Togu, aka "the Emperor."

 

Haine has been introduced to the entire academy as "Platinum," the title granted to Shizumasa's (albeit fake) girlfriend. Haine must now adapt to her newfound popularity among the students, as well as get along with the jealous Maguri Tsujimiya--the boy Shizumasa jilted in favor of her!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Arina Tanemura began her manga career in 1996 at the early age of 18,

when her short stories debuted in Ribon magazine. Tanemura gained

notoriety with the 1997 publication of I-O-N, a high school romance with

a supernatural twist. From 1998 to 2000, she worked on the popular series

Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, about a young girl who is the reincarnation of

Joan of Arc, followed by Time Stranger Kyoko in 2000-2001 and Full

Moon o Sagashite in 2002. Despite Tanemura's intentions to draw in a style

that makes her stories difficult to animate, both Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne

and Full Moon o Sagashite have been adapted into TV series.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC (June 5, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1421511843
• ISBN-13: 978-1421511849
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #686,055 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Just a quick view..., May 29, 2007

By 

Kristin (Virginia, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gentlemen's Alliance +, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Haine Otomiya is a former juvenile delinquent who attends the prestigious Imperial Academy. She is in love with Shizumasa Togu, the richest and most powerful person in school. He is known to all as "the Emperor," and is therefore out of Haine's reach...until a series of events led her to be on the Student Council~

This second volume is very interesting. You will find out the secret of Maora (Mao-chan), and the secret of Shizumasa Togu. More of Haine's past is revealed, and why she loves Shizumasa so much. Since Haine is now Platinum, what other complications will come her way?

I really enjoyed this book, and recommend it for any fans of Arina Tanemura. The art is very well drawn, and plot is moving along. I highly recommend getting this book. Enjoy~! ^.^

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pure Shojo fun Part 2, February 23, 2008

By 

Karusichan "Karusichan" (Lansing, MI. USA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gentlemen's Alliance +, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Haine's status just keeps growing. She has recently become the Imperial Academy's sole Platinum student. This means that she, as a former Bronze, is now dating the Emperor, Shizumasa. However, the reality behind this is a mere façade. She has just assumed Maguri's former role of acting as a lover and not really being one just to ward off attention to the emperor. Still, things heat up when Haine's Father, a man who sold her into adoption to save his business, reenters her life.

This series continues to be fun. I was a little confused at bits in the first book but they have since figured themselves out so that they now make sense to me. I quite enjoy the storyline in this series, and the art is gorgeous. I will definitely keep reading this.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pretty Series Gets Interesting With a Great Plot Twist, January 10, 2008

By 

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

This review is from: Gentlemen's Alliance +, Vol. 2 (Paperback)

Haine has gained the title of "Platinum" as the girlfriend of the school's Emperor (the richest and most powerful student at the exclusive Imperial Academy). Of course, she's not his real girlfriend and is simply the Emperor's newest fake love interest. But Haine's alright with this arrangement, since she's head over heels for the Emperor and is just happy for an excuse to be close to him.

This volume is (like much of Arina Tanemura's work) full of drama and romantic entanglement, with a dash of humor. Maora's secret is revealed, which is not shocking at all for anyone who has read much shoujo manga. The big twist, which is what really got me intrigued by this series, has to do with the Emperor (Shizumasa Togu). His secret is NOT one I had seen coming. I had not been very impressed with the first volume of this series, but after the twist found in this volume, I want to see how this all ends up. I also really enjoyed the last chapter, which deals with Haine's childhood, including her father giving her up for adoption, meeting the little brother of her new family for the first time, turning into a gangster out of deep unhappiness and two early encounters with Shizumasa-sama.

My major problem with Gentlemen's Alliance (and Arina Tanemura's earlier work, Full Moon), is that the art--while very, very pretty--contains characters who look very, very alike. I cannot, for the life of me, differentiate between Haine and her best friend Ushio. Although I can figure out from context who is who, it is annoying to think that Haine is in a scene and then find out after reading a couple sentences that it is in fact Ushio. Different haricuts or hair colors would make so much of a difference (Maora with her short hair is thankfully easily to tell apart from the other two).