Gentlemen’s Alliance † 4

Arina Tanemura – Viz – 2007 – 11 volumes

So, I think all the cards are on the table, and what we have to look forward to is an interesting tug-of-war between Shizumasa and his shadow.  Well, not all the cards are on the table, because we still have to know Shizumasa’s opinions on everything, but his feelings towards Haine seem to be relatively straightforward.  Maybe.  Not much is as it seems.

If I’m lucky, Ushio will also figure into the tug-of-war, but she’s been pretty quiet the past couple volumes.  I liked her position as Haine’s friend and her secret real crush on Haine, and I’d love to see that come into the story a little more.  Then there’s the fact that Maguri loves Shizumasa and Mao loves Maguri.  I think Maguri is backing off of Shizumasa a little bit, but Mao still has a long way to go.

Me?  I’m rooting for the postman, who also has a big crush on Haine for no real reason.  He’s a sweet guy, though.

If it wasn’t already apparent, this series has entered full romantic drama mode.  Most of this volume is the school festival, but amid all the confusion, there is a Love Confession event, the grand ball, the fact that Shizumasa showed up for one day to throw a wrench in the works, and… something else that knocks Haine back down to private at the end of the book.  I was a little surprised that happened at all, but I’m sure that’s not a real threat and she’ll be back in her position after one more chapter.

I loved the little bonus comics in the back of the book.  Mao’s was my favorite, and among other things, explained why Maguri dyes his hair blonde and wears a headband.  Mao as a little boy is just adorable, too.  I also liked the Toya story, since he doesn’t get a lot of story time otherwise.  There are also a couple pages of 4-panel bonus comics about the characters going to an amusement park that are all pretty funny.

It was good, but I was still a little lukewarm on the story before this point since it really was… you know, relationships at a rich kid school among a bunch of characters I wasn’t sure I liked.  But it was pretty, and I do like Tanemura.  By this volume, the characters are developed enough that I can care about them, and I’m pretty well caught up in all the drama.

On to the next volume!  I am enjoying the marathon.