Review: Gakuen Alice's Magical Twist on 'Gifted' Kids

More than most any other release in recent history, Gakuen Alice is getting the full-court press promotion from TokyoPop. With sales of over 3 million copies in Japan, Gakuen Alice comes to American shores with high hopes for similar success here.

While it's not due in bookstores until the day after Christmas, an online preview of Gakuen Alice Volume 1 is available at the TokyoPop Web site, complete with a countdown widget so you know exactly how many days, hours and seconds until you can get your hands on your copy.

So what's the deal with this new fantasy shojo manga title that has TokyoPop a-buzzin'? First the title: "Gakuen" means "school" in Japanese, and "Alice" refers to the school's 'gifted' students and the special powers that they have.

Next, the premise: hyper-active tween Mikan's best friend Hotaru is accepted into the Alice Academy in Tokyo. Heartbroken Mikan goes off to the big city to see her friend again. When she gets there, an instructor tells Mikan that she too has an "Alice" that earns her probationary entry into the school, and that's where the adventure begins. At the Academy, Mikan meets classmates who can do all kinds of magical (and sometimes frightening) things, and with these powers, they also have a sense of superiority to 'ordinary' people. So Mikan must discover her "Alice," get accepted by the other kids and manage to stay true to herself too.

While the 'misfit who tries to fit in at an exclusive school' is a familiar shojo theme (see Gentlemen's Alliance Cross, Boys Over Flowers), Gakuen Alice offers a mix of drama, fantasy and wacky comedy that offers new surprises on every page. See my review of Gakuen Alice Volume 1 and see if it truly is a contender for the next big shojo manga series.

Image credit: © Tachibana Higuchi / TokyoPop