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紳士同盟 クロス [Shinshi Doumei Cross] #6
The Gentlemen's Alliance †, Vol. 6
From the creator of
Full Moon o Sagashite
Please note: Reads Right to Left (Japanese Style)
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 learns Shizumasa's secret and must continue to act as if nothing has changed amidst her conflicting emotions. As the members of the student council plan a school play, will Haine be able to maintain Shizumasa's deception in front of the others?
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 learns Shizumasa's secret and must continue to act as if nothing has changed amidst her conflicting emotions. As the members of the student council plan a school play, will Haine be able to maintain Shizumasa's deception in front of the others?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 15, 2007
8 people are currently reading
560 people want to read
About the author
Arina Tanemura
182 books1,018 followersName in Japanese: 種村有菜 (Tanemura Arina)
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
Western Zodiac: Pisces
Arina Tanemura was born on March 12, 1978. She's the author of Full Moon O Sagashite, Time Stranger Kyoko, Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Sakura Hime Kaden, and more.
Her favorite hobby is Karaoke. One song that she sings is Smile, originally by Myco. She has two cats, named Riku and Kai. She has one elder and one younger sister and one brother. She's the type who hates to lose in anything. She also likes Ribon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 3, 2021
As I read through these manga that I started around the time they were first published in English, and fell away from, sometimes I can tell exactly where I lost patience and "decided to come back to it." (Twelve years later--or more, in some cases--that's actually been happening...)
The plotting in these last couple volumes has been just painful. Tanemura herself says that some number of revelations were planned, but she is largely making it up as she goes, and, well, it shows. I didn't care for any of the story setups in the last couple of volumes: the kidnapping in v. 5, including Haine's mom having amnesia, and the cheesy "rescue"; the fallout of the Cinderella play with the ... I'm getting a little irritated just typing it out.
I like Haine, and the whole student council including Takanari (we don't see enough of Shizumasa for me to have much of an opinion of him), and it'd be nice if the storytelling surrounding them was better. Since this isn't a magical story, their interactions could be the plot, so to speak: arguments and breakups and make-ups and family drama and sleepovers and school festivals or whatever. For example, there's plenty of interesting tension between Haine and her biological father--her desperately wanting to be accepted by him, and his motivations being a mystery to her--and the kidnapping plot was 100% irrelevant to that.
Oh well. It is what it is, and it isn't what it isn't. I'm past the halfway mark on this one, so I may as well finish it off.
The plotting in these last couple volumes has been just painful. Tanemura herself says that some number of revelations were planned, but she is largely making it up as she goes, and, well, it shows. I didn't care for any of the story setups in the last couple of volumes: the kidnapping in v. 5, including Haine's mom having amnesia, and the cheesy "rescue"; the fallout of the Cinderella play with the ... I'm getting a little irritated just typing it out.
I like Haine, and the whole student council including Takanari (we don't see enough of Shizumasa for me to have much of an opinion of him), and it'd be nice if the storytelling surrounding them was better. Since this isn't a magical story, their interactions could be the plot, so to speak: arguments and breakups and make-ups and family drama and sleepovers and school festivals or whatever. For example, there's plenty of interesting tension between Haine and her biological father--her desperately wanting to be accepted by him, and his motivations being a mystery to her--and the kidnapping plot was 100% irrelevant to that.
Oh well. It is what it is, and it isn't what it isn't. I'm past the halfway mark on this one, so I may as well finish it off.
April 5, 2018
Haine finally knows the truth and with that comes a lot of inner questions. Who she really loves in the end? A part from that we have a Mao-chan and Maguri centered chapters and that was so cute and lovable. I really love their relationship (beginning of one?) and I want to see more of them later on. Hopefully Maguri will become stronger to finally admit hsi true feelings. Can't wait for that!
February 25, 2013
Eeeeeeeeeek!!!!!! Mao-chan!!! So far, the best volume!!
October 30, 2025
Students attending the Imperial Academy are placed in a hierarchical order based on their parents' income and social standing. Haine is in the bronze class and is not even allowed to interact with the highest gold class - yet the gold class is reserved for the head of the school council, also known as the Emperor, who happens to be the one Haine has set her heart on. When chance allows for her to join the school council, she finds that now that she can finally speak to the Emperor, he does not seem very willing to do so.
I wish I could cover The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross with praise - yet if I try to describe it in a few words I'd come up with chaotic, illogical and terrible humour. From the time of its release, it has been my least favourite series (one-shots not included) by Arina Tanemura and has yet held that position. It's a bit of a modern take on Cinderella with a school for a backdrop that could have taken many routes - but it seems to have gone all over the place.
Let's start with my biggest peeve - where does this all take place? Judging by the names and clothing, it can only be Japan - or a pseudo-Japan? Because although it reflects our contemporary time in many ways, many of the social norms make no sense. Haine is given up for adoption in exchange for 50 million yen, the school's hierarchy seems absolute - you can't talk with people in higher classes and you can rise up in class if your parents pay enough money. Teachers barely seem present, it's like the students run the school in which gang fights are a thing. There's a lot of family abuse going on and people can be proclaimed dead without any investigation, there are forced marriages and just so many extremes. If this were a fantasy setting I wouldn't have minded - fictional worlds can have any rules. But in the setting in which it's presented, it just caused too much disbelief in me.
With that off my chest, let's go back to the beginning. Although the school's concept could have proven an interesting story, it's barely relevant. The plot consists of the characters' dilemmas - and boy are there many. There is not a single character with a normal life that isn't frightfully melodramatic. Let's look at Haine; she's cute but also an ex-yankee/gangster who can easily beat someone silly (why are there knife and snake fights at school again?). She became a yankee because she wanted to prove that she's not worth anything - because, you know, her dad sold her and all. In her mind, her new adoptive family doesn't really want or need her, she's just a burden - so what better solution than to roam the streets at night looking for trouble.
Of course, her whole adoption thing proves to have much more to it, her father's just another tortured soul trying to do the right thing. Her mum goes half insane over it which, once again, didn't make any sense! She's had her teeth knocked out during her yankee-time and whenever her now fake-teeth come out, she goes all strangely berserk - hello humour, you almost made me smile.
Anyway, Haine goes into depression-phase multiple times throughout the story. There are many would-be-climaxes that are either resolved too fast or just interrupted so it could be resolved in a later volume. And because Haine's problems aren't enough, the author made sure that every.single.character. has at least as many to whine over.
If this story would have been much shorter, less wanna-be-depressing and either in a fictional setting or one that makes sense in our world, this could have been a decent story. The council was quite a nice set of characters. I like how they were all pretty different and became great friends.
Shizumasa, the Emperor, starts off as your standard stand-offish main guy but he turns out to be pretty interesting. I feel as though he actually had a legitimate reason to be a jerk to everyone and you know, he's the first to get over himself. His backstory is by far the most interesting and it led to interesting conflicts - it was pretty easy to root for him and hope for a happy ending.
So, while I could try to look past the many, many flaws and read on for the good aspects and hope for a happy end - I can say the ending was a happy one for the characters, if not for me. It was utterly unsatisfactory and pretty much cheats its way past the main obstacle that stands between Haine and Shizumasa. Why resolve the story's main conflict if you can simply ignore it and they all lived happily ever after!
Despite all, I still find myself reading this from time to time. Although most of it is spent shaking my head, there must be enough good in it to make me reread it.
December 6, 2021
First read: 2008ish
Second read: December 2021
Drop in rating from the last few volumes because this one is just frustrating. Haine finally knows the truth, but she's an idiot, so...
"Shizumasa-sama has my heart!" You literally spent 22 seconds with him one night years ago and all of the other time was with Takanari. Can you at least stop being so stupid in this one situation? Also Shizumasa sucks.
The Maora situation is also frustrating because I really love his character, but using Haine to get Maguri to finally own up to his feelings was shitty. Even if he maybe is into Haine a little. Honestly, that's worse.
Second read: December 2021
Drop in rating from the last few volumes because this one is just frustrating. Haine finally knows the truth, but she's an idiot, so...
"Shizumasa-sama has my heart!" You literally spent 22 seconds with him one night years ago and all of the other time was with Takanari. Can you at least stop being so stupid in this one situation? Also Shizumasa sucks.
The Maora situation is also frustrating because I really love his character, but using Haine to get Maguri to finally own up to his feelings was shitty. Even if he maybe is into Haine a little. Honestly, that's worse.
January 2, 2023
This was another insane volume! I really liked a majority of it, mainly Maora and Maguri.
There's a lot to be said about the sexist undertones and blatant property-like treatment of Haine that I cannot get behind though. I'm taking off 2 stars for the outdated and plain wrong sentiments present in this volume, even more so than the previous ones.
There's a lot to be said about the sexist undertones and blatant property-like treatment of Haine that I cannot get behind though. I'm taking off 2 stars for the outdated and plain wrong sentiments present in this volume, even more so than the previous ones.
January 31, 2021
This volume is admittedly the most over the top of all the ones preceding-bordering cringey for some of it. It has a quite a few revelations though, and advances a handful of relationships which was fun to see
April 18, 2024
Everyone’s so neurotic in this series… lol. I was so thrown off by the Maora/postman situation…It just seems like everyone thinks of Haine as an object to have… GIRL, YOU DECIDE WHO YOU TRULY LOVE. Otherwise, it’s not love, right?
July 6, 2017
Pending.
October 18, 2018
4.5
This one made me realize that I do like thus series, it's getting good!!
This one made me realize that I do like thus series, it's getting good!!
May 31, 2020
The filler episode of the series, it made me just feel bad for them really.
February 15, 2021
Encore un volume super mignon. On voit beaucoup Maora, ce que j’adore. De plus, les sentiments amoureux des différents personnages se développe et devienne plus fort dans ce volume je trouve.
January 2, 2023
maora en tenue de garçon, omg ilétrobo
November 21, 2023
Ja, auch hier wieder Consent Probleme - aber die Story ist deutlich stärker als den anderen Bändern
December 5, 2024
(Actual: 3.75⭐, rounded up) // Full review to come.
August 18, 2025
Enjoyed only chapter 1.5.
March 20, 2017
This one was pretty cute. I liked a lot of it. I hated the section where they went back to the "Cinderella" plot though.
July 29, 2019
Zum Inhalt:
Der Schock sitzt tief: Als Haine erkennt, dass es zwei Shizumasas gibt, bricht ihre Welt mit einem Schlag zusammen. Haine muss sich fragen, wen von beiden sie wirklich liebt, doch bevor sie eine Antwort auf diese schwierige Frage gefunden hat, macht ihr Takanari eine Liebeserklärung. Wie wird Haine auf das Geständnis des unechten Shizumasa reagieren?
Haine kann es nicht glauben. Shizumasa hat einen Doppelgänger und sie war die ganze Zeit mit diesem unterwegs. Als der echte Shizumasa ihr rät auf ihn zu warten, ist Haine sichtlich verwirrt. Kann man jemanden lieben, den man eigentlich nicht kennt? War ihre Liebe für Shizumasa vielleicht gar nicht echt und was empfindet sie für dessen Doppelgänger Takanari? Als Haine wieder in der Schule ist und alles so laufen soll, als wäre nie etwas gewesen, bekommt sie einen Zettel, auf dem sie gebeten wird auf's Dach zum Schulpool zu kommen, wenn sie nicht möchte, dass das Geheimnis um den Kaiser Shizumasa preis gegeben wird. Natürlich macht sich Haine auf den Weg, um sich dem Erpresser zu stellen, tappt dabei aber in eine Falle und wird von Takanari gerettet. Unerwartet gesteht dieser ihr schließlich seine Liebe und dass er sie für sich allein will, doch Haine flüchtet sich vor dieser Aussage. Als es wenig später zu einem Zusammenstoß mit dem Postboten kommt, erkennen die Schüler, dass der Postbote niemand anderes als Maora ist, welcher von nun an als Mann in die Schule kommt. Maguri ist hin und weg und interessiert sich nun plötzlich für Maora, doch der lässt ihn eiskalt abblitzen, denn Maora hat seine ganz eigenen Ziele. Er will Haine für sich haben. Da sie aber die Platina ist, fordert Maora eine Neuwahl der Kaiser und scheinbar ist ihm bei dieser Wahl auch jedes Mittel recht, um Shizumasa von seinem Thron zu stoßen.
Auch dieser Teil um die Schüler der kaiserlichen Akademie war nicht besonders gut, ich bin wirklich besseres von Arina Tanemura gewöhnt. Die Zeichnungen sind gewohnt sauber, jedoch gibt es noch immer Probleme, um die Charaktere unterscheiden zu können, da sie sich einfach viel zu ähnlich sind. Auch das Beziehungs-Hin-und-Her ist noch immer nicht besser, sondern verkompliziert sich, indem Maora nun der Postbote ist und dieser ja etwas von Haine will, während Maguri den Postboten liebt und Maora eigentlich Maguri - ja, Arina Tanemura hat schlicht und einfach megamäßig übertrieben. Hinzu kommt dann noch Haines beste Freundin Uahio, die scheinbar mit dem Schularzt anbandelt, aber auch etwas von Haine will. Kompliziert, übertrieben, für mich einfach nicht nachvollziehbar. Und dem ganzen wird dann noch die Krone aufgesetzt, indem ja Shizumasa eigentlich Haine für sich möchte, Takanari - sein Doppelgänger - sie aber auch liebt und scheinbar Takanari gar nicht viel zu sagen hat, da er in Shizumasas Schatten zu leben hat. Was für ein ausgemachter Schwachsinn. Schade.
3 von 5 Sterne
Taschenbuch: 176 Seiten
Verlag: TOKYOPOP; Auflage: 1 (2. Juli 2007)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3865806767
ISBN-13: 978-3865806765
Vom Hersteller empfohlenes Alter: 13 - 16 Jahre
Größe und/oder Gewicht: 12,6 x 1,4 x 18,9 cm
Der Schock sitzt tief: Als Haine erkennt, dass es zwei Shizumasas gibt, bricht ihre Welt mit einem Schlag zusammen. Haine muss sich fragen, wen von beiden sie wirklich liebt, doch bevor sie eine Antwort auf diese schwierige Frage gefunden hat, macht ihr Takanari eine Liebeserklärung. Wie wird Haine auf das Geständnis des unechten Shizumasa reagieren?
Haine kann es nicht glauben. Shizumasa hat einen Doppelgänger und sie war die ganze Zeit mit diesem unterwegs. Als der echte Shizumasa ihr rät auf ihn zu warten, ist Haine sichtlich verwirrt. Kann man jemanden lieben, den man eigentlich nicht kennt? War ihre Liebe für Shizumasa vielleicht gar nicht echt und was empfindet sie für dessen Doppelgänger Takanari? Als Haine wieder in der Schule ist und alles so laufen soll, als wäre nie etwas gewesen, bekommt sie einen Zettel, auf dem sie gebeten wird auf's Dach zum Schulpool zu kommen, wenn sie nicht möchte, dass das Geheimnis um den Kaiser Shizumasa preis gegeben wird. Natürlich macht sich Haine auf den Weg, um sich dem Erpresser zu stellen, tappt dabei aber in eine Falle und wird von Takanari gerettet. Unerwartet gesteht dieser ihr schließlich seine Liebe und dass er sie für sich allein will, doch Haine flüchtet sich vor dieser Aussage. Als es wenig später zu einem Zusammenstoß mit dem Postboten kommt, erkennen die Schüler, dass der Postbote niemand anderes als Maora ist, welcher von nun an als Mann in die Schule kommt. Maguri ist hin und weg und interessiert sich nun plötzlich für Maora, doch der lässt ihn eiskalt abblitzen, denn Maora hat seine ganz eigenen Ziele. Er will Haine für sich haben. Da sie aber die Platina ist, fordert Maora eine Neuwahl der Kaiser und scheinbar ist ihm bei dieser Wahl auch jedes Mittel recht, um Shizumasa von seinem Thron zu stoßen.
Auch dieser Teil um die Schüler der kaiserlichen Akademie war nicht besonders gut, ich bin wirklich besseres von Arina Tanemura gewöhnt. Die Zeichnungen sind gewohnt sauber, jedoch gibt es noch immer Probleme, um die Charaktere unterscheiden zu können, da sie sich einfach viel zu ähnlich sind. Auch das Beziehungs-Hin-und-Her ist noch immer nicht besser, sondern verkompliziert sich, indem Maora nun der Postbote ist und dieser ja etwas von Haine will, während Maguri den Postboten liebt und Maora eigentlich Maguri - ja, Arina Tanemura hat schlicht und einfach megamäßig übertrieben. Hinzu kommt dann noch Haines beste Freundin Uahio, die scheinbar mit dem Schularzt anbandelt, aber auch etwas von Haine will. Kompliziert, übertrieben, für mich einfach nicht nachvollziehbar. Und dem ganzen wird dann noch die Krone aufgesetzt, indem ja Shizumasa eigentlich Haine für sich möchte, Takanari - sein Doppelgänger - sie aber auch liebt und scheinbar Takanari gar nicht viel zu sagen hat, da er in Shizumasas Schatten zu leben hat. Was für ein ausgemachter Schwachsinn. Schade.
3 von 5 Sterne
Taschenbuch: 176 Seiten
Verlag: TOKYOPOP; Auflage: 1 (2. Juli 2007)
Sprache: Deutsch
ISBN-10: 3865806767
ISBN-13: 978-3865806765
Vom Hersteller empfohlenes Alter: 13 - 16 Jahre
Größe und/oder Gewicht: 12,6 x 1,4 x 18,9 cm
February 2, 2015
This was, by far, the best volume of the series so far. The twist with the postman was pretty good, and Tanemura-san was right about the surprise. I adore the postman and the warden! I also really enjoyed Haine being so vocal and strong - but it's annoying because it's one of those things where I think "Either you're a strong character or your not. Pick one." And that is the biggest problem I have with her. As I've mentioned before, the fact that she is a former yanki is already super unbelievable, so it's also annoying to have her be whiny and teary and in need of saving all of the time and then suddenly she'll show a burst of strength and courage. If she's a former yanki, I'd believe that she is ALWAYS strong willed. Ugh! It'll always piss me off.
Best volume to date. We'll see how the last 5 hold up to this one.
Best volume to date. We'll see how the last 5 hold up to this one.
April 19, 2014
THE ANSWER WE'VE ALL WAITING FOR!! WHO SHIZUMASA IS FOR REAL! And what a chock and how tragic it was. Now we get serious fangirl problems; Who to ship?
Hahaha!^^ I'm just kidding around. But I changed my mind about who to ship so many times after this. And it really was a huge moment. Filled with all kinds (and I mean it) of feelings.
And then, BOOOM! It hit me, this is no good.
And as if it wasn't enough, Maora still has more secrets! And reveling them results in a kind of chaos. A great kind of chaos, involving almost everybody. But how it ends, my heart melted.
I think this was the one volume I lived with the most.Does that make sense? I think I actually made faces at the characters while reading. Loved it.
Hahaha!^^ I'm just kidding around. But I changed my mind about who to ship so many times after this. And it really was a huge moment. Filled with all kinds (and I mean it) of feelings.
And then, BOOOM! It hit me, this is no good.
And as if it wasn't enough, Maora still has more secrets! And reveling them results in a kind of chaos. A great kind of chaos, involving almost everybody. But how it ends, my heart melted.
I think this was the one volume I lived with the most.
July 9, 2015
I wonder when the whole Shizumasa/Takanari background story will be solved.
I always thought Shizumasa was the older one... Now it kinda makes scence that he wants to hurt Takanari because of the elder brother jealousy problem I think. But it is still not ok that he used Haine, because he loves her he shouldn't sink so low. But why is the elder brother not the heir of the family and why is Takanari threated so badly?
Team Takanari btw.
Mao was the postman.... Didn't see that coming.. When did he wear contacts? When he was the postman or Mao-chan?
I didn't like him in this volume too much. He was strange but I totally ship him and Maguri :D
I always thought Shizumasa was the older one... Now it kinda makes scence that he wants to hurt Takanari because of the elder brother jealousy problem I think. But it is still not ok that he used Haine, because he loves her he shouldn't sink so low. But why is the elder brother not the heir of the family and why is Takanari threated so badly?
Team Takanari btw.
Mao was the postman.... Didn't see that coming.. When did he wear contacts? When he was the postman or Mao-chan?
I didn't like him in this volume too much. He was strange but I totally ship him and Maguri :D
November 5, 2016
Haine is stepping up in some ways and running away in others. She needs to come to terms with things with the twins, but it is good to see her standing up for Takanari and trying to help her friends grow. It would appear she managed to impress her father in the process, which would be saying something from the little (and not so great) things said about him. One thing is for sure, everything and anything seems to be set on making this relationship difficult for Haine and forcing her out of her comfortable little shell trying to hide who she was.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 26, 2011
Ah, Maora FINALLY reveals he is cross-dressing as a girl, AND he's the postman! Not only that, he chalenges Takanari for the Gold Rank in front of the entire school just to make Haine fall in love with him if he wins. Maora... everyone has to love you.
August 28, 2012
This was probably my favorite of the series so far. I love the dynamic between Haine and Takanari now that Haine knows about him and Shizumasa being twins. It'll sure be interesting to see how everything pans out! (Though it IS Shojo Beat...which means we all know how it'll turn out ;P).
June 15, 2008
Go Maora!
March 21, 2009
I love the art. Arina Tanemura is one of the greatest artist of mangas in my opinion. The story line still confuses me, but I'm starting to understand it and I love all the plot twists.
April 20, 2009
OKay Mao-chan, why do you like Haine now! I'm mad at him. She belongs to Takanari.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2013
Ah, this series puts me in such acute agony.
And then lifts me up again with its hilarity and all-around silliness.
And then back to agony.
5/5
And then lifts me up again with its hilarity and all-around silliness.
And then back to agony.
5/5
October 20, 2020
Haine meets the real Shizumasa, it turns out Takanari, his twin has been taking her out. Maora confesses his love to Maguri.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews