Gentlemen’s Alliance † 5
Posted: May 1, 2010 Filed under: Gentlemen's Alliance † Leave a comment »Arina Tanemura – Viz – 2008 – 11 volumes
The chapters started to dip a little into “too many characters with not enough to do” territory when Haine needed rescuing and the entire student council showed up, then stuck around to bum around Ushio’s house. I do like them all, and it’s not like having five people (plus two) around is a real problem since they all serve their purpose, but why did Maora and Maguri come, aside from the fact they were worried about Haine? Why did Shizumasa’s sidekick come along? The teacher/nurse character? He seems to only show up to send Ushio into a cryptic shower of tears.
I wish Ushio was a little less creepy. I was hoping she’d come back into the story, since her love for Haine is an interesting relationship dynamic for a series like this, but she’s got all this… other stuff with her. It’s implied that she’s kind of… well, loose, or as loose as characters in Ribon series can be. And the whole thing with the teacher is a little… weird. It doesn’t quite make sense, since she only loves Haine. She’s clearly got a dark backstory, and I’m waiting for that to be revealed, but I hope she doesn’t… find love elsewhere, as Haine implies she will eventually, because I really do like the fact she’s a love interest of sorts.
But most everything I was expecting to happen transpired in this volume. Of course we would get an update on Haine’s Platinum status, of course there would be some business with her family, and of course stuff surrounding the two Shizumasa boys would be revealed. It looks like the story will continue with the Shizumasa story next volume, since the main storyline leaves off on a great cliffhanger, and the book finishes out with a cute story about Haine’s sister and step-brother.
I’m still enjoying it. It’s a cute romance, though it has yet to do anything incredible. Again, though, Tanemura’s series usually have a pretty consistent quality, and her art is so good and so classically shoujo that it’s really hard not to enjoy them.
