The Gentlemen's Alliance

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Gentlemen Alliance †
紳士同盟†
(Shinshi Dōmei Cross)
Genre Drama, Romance
Manga
Author Arina Tanemura
Publisher Flag of Japan Shueisha
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Flag of Japan Ribon
Original run September 2004 – June 2008
Volumes 10 with 47 chapters

The Gentlemen Alliance † (紳士同盟† Shinshi Dōmei Kurosu?), known in Japan as Shinshi Doumei Cross, is a shōjo manga by Arina Tanemura, and is currently running in Ribon. The name was taken from a Japanese song of the same title.

The atmosphere of the series is very different from Tanemura's previous manga series, as it is a school comedy rather than a fantasy series. Tanemura has said that it is that kind of manga that she has most wanted to write. There are 47 chapters total, and 10 volumes out in Japan.

The manga is licenced in North America by Viz Media.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Haine Otomiya, a 15-year-old high school girl student at the elite private Imperial Academy (帝国学園 Teikoku Gakuen), was apparently sold to foster parents for fifty million yen. A one-time gang member, Haine reformed when she met Shizumasa Tōgū, who told her to live life how she wanted to. She fell in love with Shizumasa and entered the Imperial Academy to try and win his love.

Now, Shizumasa is the Koutei (皇帝, Kōtei, lit. emperor) of the school. Being the president of the student council and the only member of the gold class, he is the one who everyone looks up to. Through various circumstances Haine is tricked by Maora, a student council member, into becoming his bodyguard and joining the student council. However, Shizumasa claims not to know her and is unexpectedly cold towards her.

[edit] Characters

[edit] Student council

Haine Otomiya (乙宮 灰音 Otomiya Haine?)
  • Rank: Platinum (previously a Bronze)
The main character of the story, Haine is the fifteen year-old bodyguard of the student council president. She is known for not being very bright, but she has a good heart.
Haine was born to the Kamiya family but was adopted into the Otomiya family when she was 10 for 50 million yen. At that time Haine believed it was because her father Kazuhito despised her for not being a good enough heir. It is later on revealed in Chapter 34 that her real father was Itsuki all along and that instead of selling her, all Kazuhito intended to do was to "return her to her real father."
Haine had a happy life with Itsuki until he married Ryouka and realized that now Kusame would become the heir to the Otomiya company. A ninth grader at that time, Haine turned into a yankī (やんきい yankī?), juvenile delinquent. It was at that time that she met Ushio and bonded with her because of their similar situations. But, after meeting with Shizumasa, Haine changed her ways. When she told the leader of her yankī group (Kasuga) that she was going to leave, Kasuga went into a rage and broke Haine's front two teeth, causing Haine to now wear false teeth. Once those false teeth comes off, it is said that Haine becomes a 'beast'.
Once she discovered that Takanari is posing as Shizumasa, she wrestles with her feelings for the both of them, she eventually chooses Takanari once she found out that he was the one who wrote her favorite book. She stated that when the time comes, she will choose one of them. In the last chapter she decides to marry both of them due to the fact that Takanari does not have a family register and is the only way she could marry him.
Shizumasa Togu (東宮 閑雅 Tōgū Shizumasa?)
  • Rank: Gold
The real Emperor, he is revered by mostly everyone at Imperial Academy, helped by the fact that his family is very rich and famous. Shizumasa developed a love for Haine. He is very cruel, but acts like a real gentleman to Haine, because of his love for her. Due to his illness, which can be activated by running, however, his twin brother, Takanari, is currently posing as him.
A slight difference between Takanari and Shizumasa is that Shizumasa's hair is parted on his right. Tanemura made it easier for the readers to tell the differences between them by shading Takanari's hair and not Shizumasa's. Because of his illness he is MIA for a large portion of the series but returns at the end of Chapter 36. In Chapter 44, it is revealed that he has leukemia and needs Takanari's bone marrow to live but ordered Senri to never speak of it. This reveals that he was planning to die all along.
In chapter 47, Shizumasa decides to leave Haine and Takanari, to go study abroad, after he has cured from his illness.. Although he comes back, near the end, saying that he could not forget about Haine, and that he will become a "married woman's killer".
Shizumasa studied abroad because he wanted to be a better heir.
Takanari Togu (東宮 高成 Tōgū Takanari?)
  • Rank: Gold
Takanari is the Emperor of the student council and Shizumasa's older twin brother. Because of Shizumasa's health problems, Takanari is posing as Shizumasa Koutei, though no one knows this except for the Tougu family and Touya (and, later, Haine and in chapter 42 rest of the student council).
In the beginning of the story, he is cold and distant but, once influenced by Haine, he becomes more kind and soft. He hated Haine at first and thought she was annoying. Takanari also accused Haine of having a false love for him, saying that she loves him simply because of his uncanny resemblance to Kazuhito. Later he genuinely falls in love with her and wants her to become his. Even though Haine chose him over his brother in chapter 41 (after learning that Takanari is the real author of the picture book she loved as a child), in chapter 42 Haine is told by Shizumasa that he officially "died" when he was seven, after failing the test given to all twins of the Tougu family. Because of this he technically no longer exists and therefore is unable to marry Haine, shattering her dreams of becoming his bride. Also Shizumasa is still angry with Haine for chosing Takanari over him so he kidnaps him. At the end of Chapter 44, he asks Senri to take him to the hospital so he can give Shizumasa the bone marrow he needs to save his life. Though this is only after he refuses Haine's aid because he doesn't want to take away Shizumasa's last wanted happiness. In order to allow both brothers to decide for themselves what lives they wish to live, Haine confronts their grandfather, who agrees to abolish the kagemusha system if Haine manages to clear the trial that originally determined that Takanari would become kagemusha to Shizumasa.
A slight difference between Takanari and Shizumasa is that Takanari parts his hair on his left.
In chapter 47, he eventually marries Haine, although he is still wary due to Shizumasa's early return, and the fact that all three of them will be living together in the Toguu's house.
Takanari cannot be the heir for the Togu family due to the commotion of him being alive. Instead he will be the heir for the Kamiya family when he gets married to Haine. In the last words of the story, Takanari stated that he was glad that he fell in love with Haine.
Ushio Amamiya (天宮 潮 Amamiya Ushio?)
  • Rank: Silver
The secretary of the student council and Haine's best friend, who is very protective of her. She constantly tells Haine that Haine is all she needs in life to be happy and regards Haine as being more than just a friend, although Haine herself doesn't realize it at first. In volume 8 however, Haine discovers Ushio's feelings but tells Ushio that she is lying to herself. Angered, Ushio threatens Haine that if she is not willing to be hers, she would not regard Haine as even a friend anymore. Haine obeys her and breaks up with Takanari to devote herself to Ushio, and as she expected, Ushio realizes that in the end she was wrong. That all along the only reason why she was so attached to Haine was because she didn't think anyone else would accept and forgive her. When Senri-sensei does so, however, she apologizes to Haine for being so selfish. Later in Chapter 34, she confesses that she loves Senri.
She is known as "Lady Hydrangea" (紫陽花の君) by the boys at school. Unfortunately, she absolutely despises boys, but uses them both for her own gain and, more so, to get Haine's attention. She dislikes social climbers, especially students in the higher ranks. She joined the Student Council to be with Haine, by donating money to the school. She is also very knowledgeable of Japanese quotes and proverbs.
Her father is in the real estate business and her mother is an ikebana master; Ushio had been adopted by her parents because they were unable to conceive an heir. However, they do not love her so she does not speak with her father for the most part and lives in her own apartment. It is because of their similar circumstances that Ushio and Haine first became friends.
In chapter 47, Senri finally confesses his feelings for Ushio, and they become a couple.
Yoshitaka "Maora" Ichinomiya (一ノ宮 真央羅 Ichinomiya "Maora" Yoshitaka?)
  • Rank: Silver
The treasurer and brains of the Student Council. Maora is a male, his real name being Yoshitaka Ichinomiya, and is childhood friends with Maguri. His parents are fashion designers. He has a pet, a "mini-sheep" named Okori-makuri, who is the mascot of the series. Maora is also the Mailman. As the mailman, he bonds with Haine and falls in love with her. When his identity was revealed, he told Haine he loved her and challenged "Shizumasa" (Takanari) for the Koutei title, just so he could make Haine his love. As expected, Haine gets upset, but not because he is trying to take her away from Takanari. Instead, it is because she realizes that Maora really is in love with Maguri but is upset that he is too "weak." He only sees Haine as a substitute for Maguri for they are both cheerful and can be rather stupid. After being confronted by Haine, Maora reliazes he loves Maguri and confesses to him. Maora also dresses up as a girl.
Maguri Tsujimiya (辻宮 真栗 Tsujimiya Maguri?)
  • Rank: Silver
The vice president of the Student Council. Maguri is Takanari's best friend, even giving him the nickname of Shi-zun (initially he didnt't know that Takanari wasn't Shizumasa). His family are yakuza members, but even then he has a soft side. His brother is Yūkimitsu, who was the former Emperor before Shizumasa. He is part of a yakuza or a japanese mafia. He is also the only one of the student counsel members to not kiss Haine.
In the beginning of the series he is the secret "lover" of Takanari, but Haine discovers it is just a rumor purposely spread so that girls would stay away from Takanari. When Haine becomes Takanari's girlfriend, however, Haine realizes that Maguri's feelings for Takanari were real. Maguri graciously gives up and pursues the mailman, only to find out that he is really Maora. Maora gets angry at him for being so weak, for when they were younger they were laughed at by their parents for saying they wanted to marry one another. Maguri realizes that he too loves Maora and promises that he will become stronger for Maora's sake.
Arina Tanemura imagines J-Drama actor, Mokomichi Hayami as an ideal, cool, and tall Maguri. Their hair texture is about the same.

[edit] Otomiyas

Itsuki Otomiya (乙宮 樹 Otomiya Itsuki?)
  • Rank: Formerly Gold
The former Emperor of the student council and secret boyfriend of the Bronze, Maika. Later, Haine finds out that he is and always has been her real father, and that Kazuhito Kamiya was not. Haine is the result of Maika and Itsuki, but was born after Maika and Kazuhito were married. Though it is given that because Itsuki was incapable of having children and as a result, Kazuhito offered to adopt away Haine to become the Otomiya heir, Kazuhito discloses to Maika that the his actual reason behind adoption was that he was returning Haine to her "real" father. Itsuki remains unaware that Haine is his biological daughter. After he adopting Haine, he later falls in love with and marries Ryouka and adopts Ryouka's son Kusame.
Ryouka Otomiya (乙宮 緑香 Otomiya Ryōka?)
  • Rank: Bronze
Ryouka is Itsuki's wife, and claims she fell in love with him at first sight (when actually, she liked him when they were still in school). She had observed Maika and Itsuki and knew they were close 'friends'. She also said that she loved Maika when Haine asked her if a girl ever liked her. Before her marriage to Itsuki, Ryouka had already been married and had a son, Kusame, though her first husband is now deceased. She cares for Haine like her own daughter.
Kusame Otomiya (乙宮 草芽 Otomiya Kusame?)
  • Rank: Silver

Birthday; May 1 Blood Type : AB

Haine's stepbrother and Itsuki's stepson, Kusame is the heir to the Otomiya family. Secretly, he fell in love with her at first sight when Haine was introduced, and refuses to call her onee-chan ("big sister") for that reason. Kusame is a silver, honor student and vice president of Imperial Academy Junior section's Student Council. He became vice president by earning points, not with money. He works in the Junior Student Council with Komaki and is forced to become her boyfriend because of a public confession. However, in a special not seen in the regular chapters of the manga, Kusame realizes that he likes Komaki and they become a real couple.

[edit] Kamiyas

Kazuhito Kamiya (香宮 和仁 Kamiya Kazuhito?)
  • Rank: Gold (although he was Silver before)
Kazuhito is married to Maika, Haine's mother. Kazuhito was originally the Vice Chairman of the student council when he was at the Imperial Academy while Itsuki was the Emperor. When Kazuhito first saw Maika, she was practicing ballet under a cherry blossom tree when she kicked out her leg and accidentally landed on him. He fell in love with her and believed that she loved him as well, but after seeing her together with Itsuki, he lost control and stole Itsuki's position through having a new election. He won the election by the students' "lack of confidence" in Itsuki and became the new Emperor. Immediately, he formed the rank of "Platinum" and granted the title to Maika, who became the first Platinum ever, announcing her as his girlfriend and almost forcefully binding her to him. Although he seems cold, he genuinely loves Maika and it is very evident in the later chapters that he cares deeply for her.
He was believed to be Haine's father until it was revealed in the end of Chapter 35 that Itsuki is Haine's biological father. As a result, it is believed that Kazuhito does not care for Haine and has known for some time that she was not his biological daughter; his reasoning for "selling" Haine to Itsuki Otomiya had not only been for the money he needed, but also to return her to her "real father". In Chapter 37, however, it was revealed through a letter Kazuhito wrote to the Principal of the Imperial Academy that he does very much care about Haine and her well being, despite how coldly he acts toward her. It is also revealed that he gave her to Itsuki because she reminded him too much of Maika and he did not want Haine to be unhappy like Maika; therefore he thought selling her to Itsuki would make her free of the rules in the Kamiya family.
Maika Kamiya (香宮 舞加 Kamiya Maika?)
  • Rank: Platinum (was a Bronze before)
Maika is married to Kazuhito and mother to Haine, Komaki, and Tachibana. Originally Maika Rikyuu (離宮 舞加, Rikyū Maika), a Bronze and the secret girlfriend of Itsuki Otomiya, she became friends with Kazuhito, who fell in love with her. After Kazuhito won the Emperor election, she was forced to become his girlfriend. Her family pushed her to marry Kazuhito as her father was ill and their company would suffer without the money they would receive from her marriage. Itsuki encouraged her to marry Kazuhito because it would benefit her family, though he went through pain in order to do so. She pledges that though Kazuhito may have her through marriage, he would never have her heart. However, she finds herself unable to leave Kazuhito after learning how lonely he has always been and that she is an extremely important person to him.
When Haine is adopted away to Itsuki, Kazuhito reveals that he had been aware that Haine was actually Itsuki's daughter, a fact that Maika believed she had successfully concealed from everyone since Haine's birth. Something inside Maika breaks and she mentally loses herself, eventually becoming ill and hidden from the world. In Chapter 38, she regains her memories and reunites with Haine at the hospital in Chapter 39. She also confesses her love to Kazuhito after reconciling her own feelings for Itsuki and realizing that she had fallen in love with Kazuhito. In chapter 47, it is revealed that she is expecting her fourth child (Another girl).
Komaki Kamiya (香宮 小牧 Kamiya Komaki?)
  • Rank: Gold (was Silver before)
Komaki is Haine's biological little sister from the Kamiya family. She posed as Takanari ("Shizumasa") Tōgū's fiancée to protect Haine from being sent back to their father. Though proper and lady-like, she tends to have her moments of outburst, proving that she is indeed Haine's sister. She harbors a love for Kusame and she loves her sister, Haine, whom she refers to as onee-sama ("big sister"), although she knows that Haine is only her half-sister. Komaki is the President of the Imperial Academy's middle school Student Council.
Tachibana Kamiya (香宮 橘 Kamiya Tachibana?)
  • Rank: Silver
Tachibana is Haine's biological little brother. Upon seeing Haine, he mistakes her as their mother because they are alike in appearance. He was rude to her until he finds out Haine is his older sister. Later, he is very kind to Haine and has that "little boy" nature around her. Kusame was jealous of him because he spent much time and clung on to Haine. He was to be "head" of the Kamiya family as the only male heir; however, Takanari will be succeeding the family once he marries Haine.

[edit] Togu household

Shouka Togu (東宮 抄花 Tōgū Shōka?)
Shouka is the biological mother of Shizumasa and Takanari. She had Senri as her assistant, but as they got older, they fell for each other. They eloped, but she eventually passed away due to the frail body she had. Their current mother is Shouka's identical sister, Kyouka (莢果 Kyōka?), for whom Shouka had been the "shadow" of.
Kasuga Togu (東宮 春日 Tōgū Kasuga?)
Kasuga is, surprisingly, Takanari and Shizumasa's cousin. She is a member of Haine's old gang (Dark Mermaid), and she admitted that she was the most disappointed when Haine left. Called 'Top 2', they had fought well together. When Haine announced that she was quitting, Kasuga knocked out her teeth. She had kept them with her, and later handed them over to Takanari and Shizumasa.
Touya (十夜 Tōya?)
"Shizumasa"'s servant and one of his best friends. "Shizumasa" (Takanari) once said that Touya is "the only person who understands me". He has a calm nature, and cares much about Takanari's happiness. He is very polite, gets nervous easily, and is friends with Riiko. He was adopted by the Togu family, therefore he serves them. He wants Haine and Takanari to be together. Touya gave Shizumasa Takanari's location in order to receive information about his parents whereabouts. His parents abandoned him as a child, and it has been revealed that one of his intentions is to get revenge on them.
Touya later on "betrays" Takanari so he can have his revenge on his parents, and also out of fear that Takanari might "replace" him with Haine in his heart. However, in chapter 44, it is revealed that Takanari sent him to spy on Shizumasa. When Haine decides to take upon Takanari and Shizumasa's grandfather's challenge, Touya interrupts her quest by threatening to kill her; while the twins have reconciled, Touya believes that as long as Haine exists, the twins will always fight. Haine simply understands that Touya is only afraid of happiness because it might betray him, so she promises him a happy ending; she even forgives him for accidentally shooting her.
At the end of the series, Touya accidentally catches Haine's wedding bouquet and gives it to Riiko. He reveals that he does love her back and apologizes for hurting her.
Kiriaki (桐彬 Kiriaki?)
Caretaker of the real Shizumasa. Kasuga has a crush on him, although this feeling is unrequited.
Senri Narimiya (成宮 千里 Narimiya Senri?)
The school physician, who loves cute high school girls. Apparently, he is a master of the martial arts as he was able to make Haine faint when she came to visit Shizumasa. He is a butler of the Tōgū family and is especially interested in Ushio which in latter chapters he says is because she looks exactly like Shouka. Senri had once eloped with Shouka, Takanari and Shizumasa's mother, but when Shouka died, he came back to the Togu family pledging his loyalty, and to repent for the elopement. In recent chapters, when Ushio demands Senri to take off his glasses, he strongly refuses.
But in chapter 47, he finally takes off his glasses in front of Ushio, and proclaiming his love for her. It is also revealed, that as part of a dying wish from, Shouka, she told Senri, that if he ever falls in love with another, to come back to the place where she died, and take them off in front of her.

[edit] School staff

Strahl Tachimiya III (シュトラール＝立宮３世 Shutorāru Tachimiya Sensei?)
The guard at Imperial Academy, and a friend of Haine and the mailman. Surprisingly, he is also the principal of the high school.
Postman (郵便屋さん Yūbinya-san?)
  • Rank: Silver (being Maora)
The mailman of hope and love at Imperial Academy, who is actually Maora. He works hard at his job, and portrays that he is interested in Haine. He has a cat with him in some parts of the manga.

[edit] Kagemusha

There is a reason why Takanari is Shizumasa's "shadow". In the Togu family, siblings were often forced to marry each other in the past in order to keep their bloodline clean, thus having weak and fragile children. According to family tradition, if identical twins are ever born, the current head of the family chooses who will be in the light and who will act as the shadow. If the one in the light becomes ill, his/her shadow will pose as him/her, until a "trial" is performed to determine who will stay in the light.

Takanari and Shizumasa's mother Shouka was also a "shadow" for her sister Kyouka.

[edit] Drama CD

In 2004, Shueisha made a drama CD adaptation of the first chapter of Shinshi Doumei Cross as a Ribon zen-in. The cast is below.

[edit] Crossovers

  • In Chapter 15, Mitsuki is mentioned and Jonathan is glimpsed in chapter 28 as an allusion. Both are characters from the manga series Full Moon o Sagashite, one of the author's previous works.
  • It was also once stated by Arina Tanemura that Touya is a relative of Kagura from Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne.

[edit] External links

 This article contains Japanese text.
Without proper rendering support,
you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of kanji or kana.