Haine, a cute fifteen year old student, has not had a very good start in life. For a loan of 50 million yen her family have given her over to the Otomiya family to be raised as one of their own. Haine, however, has bigger problems. She loves Shizumasa Togu, and in the stratified society of her school - where he is Gold and she a Bronze - it would seem that her love will remain unrequited, but much has happened to Haine, raised to the School Council she becomes embroiled in its secrets and politics...

So we get to Volume 2 of The Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, written and drawn by Arina Tanemura, and much has happened since we last spent time with Haine. Her past as a member of a delinquent gang, the Yankis still has the power to affect her life. Her shock discovery that Togu is hiding behind the pretence of being gay has further emboldened her plans to capture his heart.

This works in part when he agrees to promote her to Platinum Grade, please don’t ask I found the stratified society of the school the most complex and unnecessary aspect of the book, but then knowing little about Japanese high schools it may be that this is how they are arranged. With her new rank she also takes on the role of fake girlfriend to Togu, so Haine gets what she wanted, kind of.

The second volume contains some more complex character work; indeed much of the book is given over to character development, with more of Haines back story being filled in. The quality of the artwork continues Tanemura’s rich and detailed style, in both art and story she continues to provide a very high level of bangs for your buck.

As in Volume 1 there are some extras, a page of linguistic explanations a couple of pages of funnies and a lot of side panel text from the author.

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Charles Packer