When Haine Kamiya was ten years old her father, Kazuhito Kamiya, sold her her for fifty million yen to the Otomiya family, ostensibly for financial reasons, although it was Haine's belief that the real reason was that her father did not think she was good enough to be his heir. She was adopted by Itsuki Otomiya, becoming his daughter, and life was pleasant until he met and married Ryouka, and he adopted her son, Kusame, who then became Itsuki's heir. A distressed Haine became a yanki – a juvenile delinquent – running wild with a gang of other yankis, fighting, getting into trouble, causing trouble. It was during this time that she met Ushio, a girl with a similar background, and the two girls became very close friends. But then Haine ran into Shizumasa Togu – whom she had previously met when a child, as the precocious boy had written a children's storybook which her father had given to her and which she dearly loved – and he gave her hope, said that he believed in her, so that she changed her dangerous ways, swearing to do better, because she had fallen in love with him. And she was determined to win him, setting her sights on entry into the prestigious Imperial Academy to try to win his love. As Arina Tanemura'sGentlemen's Alliance Cross begins, Haine is a bronze at the school – a sort of monetary caste system being in place, running from bronze to gold, lowest to highest. There is only one gold, and that is the Emperor of Imperial Academy, Shizumasa, who for the most part remains apart from the general student body. Haine is a very kind and loving girl, perhaps not the brightest, but she means well, and strives to please all those around her. The first time she sees the Emperor on his grand Entry, she feels that he has changed, that something is not right with him. Rumor has it that he has a lover! Through a fluke occurrence, Haine rescues the Emperor from a kidnapping, and in return is made the platinum – a rank higher than silver, but below gold, which was originally made for the Emperor's girlfriend some years before. Haine, however, is simply a beard, one intended to keep the girls away from him (the previous "lover" being a boy by the name of Maguri, whom she displaces). But she is determined to win Shizumasa's love for real!
Highlights
Being made the Platinum also puts Haine onto the five member student council, along with Maguri (the vice-president, who is jealous of her because he really has feelings for the Emperor and has been displaced by her), Maora (the treasurer, whom Haine discovers, to her amazement is actually a boy, even though he dresses like a girl, and is chagrined that she's let "her" see her in her underwear!), Ushio (the secretary, who is secretly in love with Haine), and of course Shizusama. The Emperor is a difficult boy to understand, running hot and cold at times, and thoroughly confusing Haine. However she discovers the reason for this – there are actually two Shizusamas, twins – the older twin, whose actual name is Takanari, has been acting as his brother's "shadow" because of Shizusama's health problems. He had treated Haine badly because he wanted to hurt his brother, but he hadn't calculated on falling in love with her! As Volume 10 of Gentlemen's Alliance Cross begins, Haine is spending more time with her little brother Tachibana, having been reunited with him and her younger sister Komaki, although her dearest wish is still to see the mother she yearns for, whom she has not been allowed to see ever since her father gave her up for adoption. Her adopted brother Kusame is jealous of these siblings (because he has an unrequired love for Haine himself!), but Komaki is quite smitten with him and he reluctantly agrees to date her when he realizes that Haine will never be his. Ushio requests that her lover Senri Narimiya (school physician, lover of young teen age girls and butler of the Togu family) take off his glasses for her, but finds out that a promise to a dead lover restrains him from doing so, which vexes her, only to learn the truth from Toya (Takanari's servant and one of his best friends). The real Shikamasu, realizing what damage has been done to his relationship with Haine by his older brother, determines to return to the school himself, despite his health, and warns Takanari that he will never see her again. Takanari flees with Haine, taking her to a family home by the sea, where he explains why he cannot marry her. She also discovers the truth of the storybook which has enchanted her for so long. The two are betrayed and discovered and Takanari is kidnapped and held hostage. An upset Haine explains the truth of the twins to the Student Council who vow to help her find Takanari. As the two brothers converse, we learn the means by which Shizumasa became the heir. His illness is getting worse, and he ends up in the hospital. Kazuhito Kamiya has agreed to the engagement of his daughter to Shizusama, and an engagement party is held at the home of the twins' grandfather, at which Haine meets their mother, Kyoka, who dumps a vase of water on her and her lovely gown! But she has ulterior motives – good ones! Haine races to save Takanari, but he rejects her and demands to be taken to the hospital instead!
Overall
Haine is a kind, caring and loving girl who goes out of her way to give of herself to the people in her life, even if it goes against her own best interests, but she has a darker side as well, a sorrowful side, and at one point in the series she goes back to her yanki ways, feeling that no one else understands her. She is a heroine you come to care about, and root for, even if at times you wonder why she does the things she does (not perhaps being the brightest bulb in the box). Gentlemen's Alliance Cross is filled with a wealth of interesting characters who help to populate Haine's world. Maora, her crossdressing friend, who has loved Maguri for a very long time – when they were boys together, he had declared his intention of marrying him, which ultimately led to his donning female garb. A group of dissidents at the school known as the Heretics who seek to undermine the Student Council's authority, who Haine learns a surprising secret about which she takes Shizusama to task for. Ushio, her best friend, who is a complex character, and in the course of the series she must come to grips with her feelings for Haine, and why she allows herself to be used by any boy who desires her – secretly, in the infirmary. The campus Mailman, who has an interesting secret of his own. Kusame – the adopted brother who is fiercely protective of Haine and whose love for her is certainly not filial. Strahl, the warden/guard of the Academy, a good friend of Haine and the Mailman. Toya, Takanari's loyal friend and servant. Senri – physician, butler and a bit of a lech. Itsuki and Ryouka Otomiya, her adoptive parents, who love her dearly. And more. During the course of the series, we learn the truth behind Haine's adoption, the truth behind her birth, answers which only lead to more questions. And complications, including setting fire to the Kamiya mansion! If I have any complains about the artwork – which I really don't – it is that the adults tend to look almost too much like teenagers themselves, but that is from the perspective of someone whose own childhood is far behind, and it's not that big a deal. Haine is a heroine to cheer for, and to wish well, the story flows well, and I never found it lagging. Ultimately it is the story of a girl seeking her true love, her fairy tale prince, her knight in shining armor. But will her dreams be fulfilled? There is only one volume left to go, let's hope it has all the answers!
Comicsonline gives Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Volume 10, 4 out of 5 unforgettable songs.
