From Eroica with Love: Volume 1

by Yasuko Aoike

Book Overview

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1401205194
• ISBN13: 9781401205195
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: DC Comics
• Length: 229 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.0" x 7.4"

Customer Reviews

Don't let the art fool you, this one's a keeper!

Perhaps one of the best manga series out there overall. The artwork may put a few off, but once you get past that, it's such a witty and intelligent read. You find yourself laughing with the characters and wondering what they'll do next. Mind you, the worse volume out of the series is vol. 1, but once you get past it, it's ALL goldmine after that.

wonderfully loopy and self-aware micky-take of its own genre

I first encountered "From Eroica With Love" in a fan-produced English translation published in fanzine format some years back. I was bowled over by the series, which I can only describe as a wonderfully loopy and self-aware micky-take of its own genre. I was delighted to hear that CMX have taken on the job of providing an official English translation for the series. They've done a very nice job of it, with excellent reproduction of the original artwork, and what I'm told is a faithful translation from the original Japanese text. This first volume serves mainly to introduce the various characters, but it contains some very entertaining stories. It isn't quite typical of the series as a whole, as it initially appears that three superpowered teenagers are amongst the main characters. In fact, they exist mostly to introduce Dorian Red Gloria, Earl of Gloria. He's a very, very wealthy aristocrat who collects beautiful things, and his hobby is stealing art treasures. He's also very beautiful himself, very, very queer, very, very flamboyant, and has an entourage of equally beautiful and gay young men. The three teenagers disappear by the end of volume 1 and never return, which is good because they're a lot less interesting than the other primary ongoing character, who doesn't appear until part way through the book. Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach is also a wealthy aristocrat. However, if he's queer, he's so far back in the closet he's in danger of running into a lamppost, he's a top Nato agent, he has no sense of humour, and he has no time for degenerates. Pity his path keeps crossing with Dorian, who is all the things he despises. Unfortunately for Klaus, Dorian is also brave, clever, resourceful, and a number of other things he admires and didn't expect to find in a degenerate. The feeling's mutual - Klaus is a good many things that Dorian despises, but he's brave, clever, resourceful... and decidedly pretty... However loopy the plots may get, they're believable while you're reading them, and there's some fine and very funny story-telling. The characters are flawed but always sympathetic. The art is utterly gorgeous. The first story in this book is a bit tedious in places, but it's the setup story and worth going through so that you have the background. Even if you're not really into the "pretty young men" genre of manga, this one's worth a look.

Funny without being stupid, exciting, irrevrant, priceless..

FROM EROICA WITH LOVE is a wonderful series. It manages to be witty and exciting, intriguing, with an intelligent storyline that doesn't take itself too seriously but is never quite idiotic--more like irrevrant and carefree..rather like the main character! The series chronicles the wild adventures of gay British aristocrat Dorian Red, Earl of Gloria aka the daring art theif Eroica (after Beethoven's symphony) and his frequent clashes with NATO intelligence officer Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach, a strict (but handsome) German man, who is Lord Gloria's exact opposite. Their encounters are fraught with sexual tension and terribly entertaining. This is a lengthy series still continuing in Japan (now at issue 31, with several other works by the same author tying into the EROICA universe..)but the stories always seem so fresh and vibrant. CMX's translation, thank goodness, is superbly done. Old fans of EROICA who have been reading the Japanese editions for decades, or new fans, will have nothing to complain about, so far at least...now let us all hope CMX continues to translate all 31 books and maybe some of the related series by Aoike Yasuko as well... BUY THIS BOOK. It has come to the point where I can no longer afford to buy manga and anime like I used to. The one series I will continue to save my pennies for is THIS one. It's a classic and it's a pure delight from start to finish. This is the perspective of a young woman, so perhaps not every one will agree, but for me FROM EROICA WITH LOVE is the best Japanese manga of all time, and one that will ALWAYS have a special place in my bookshelf. I adore the Earl's lively personality, that seems to shine off every page with a life of its own, the illustrations of famous European buildings, the references to Western art and the historical aspect (the Cold War is the backdrop to the series). Unlike a lot of manga, the story is dense and verbose and it takes a while to read through it, unlike the usual 15 minutes it takes to skim quite a few modern titles, this one leaves you feeling satisified! You get your money's worth.

A Look Into the Future.

Without really giving anything away, here's what you can expect from this series..... There will be at LEAST 32 books, I'm waiting for 33 to come out in Japan this year. The art style, if you have a sharp eye, will keep changing a bit here & there & be significantly different by book 20. They gradually get away from the tall skinny femme look of the early 80s & grow shorter, buffer, & the clothes become more boring or hillarious, the backgrounds become beautifully/excrutiatingly detailed. Yasuko-sensei has a really unique & destinguishable character design that hold partially onto the original 70's design but can't be mistaken for anyone elses. Character wise, James gives up on Dorian in persuit of money & becomes cheaper than ever before, Dorian's hopes of romance become a long sad joke that can lead to some really funny let's-embarass-Klaus moments, more bad crossdressing, & a hillarious American Maxwell-Smart-ish agent will really make things get funny. It still has lots of flirting every other-other book, but it's more of an adventure that bounces back & forth between serious & hillarious. Personally, I miss her 70's shoujo style, really HATE the CMX covers, & there have been some blatant translation errors; for instance on page 10, "He's one for us older gals" should have been "I hope he's into older men."

Delightful and irreverent!!!

I can't tell you just how much I truly adore this series. I bought it for the first time in Japanese nearly 20 years ago, and worried incessantly about the translation this might get when I heard it was being brought to the USA. Let's face it, some of the English adaptation of manga are so bad that I would rather not read them at all. I have actually tossed some of my English versions and kept the Japanese editions instead. Thankfully, you will not need to do that with this terrific book. And I say that knowing that of all the volumes of Eroica, the first is the weakest in the entire series. Eroica is a gem. Funny, smart, with a sly wit. Much better writing than you will find in most manga, as it was created at a time when manga were more story-oriented and less about flashy visuals. Eroica is a flamboyant and out-of-the-closet-like-a-rocket gay thief and nobleman. In this volume, he runs across a group of young teens who have been gifted with supernatural powers. But who cares about them? They don't last long in this series and good riddance. The real tale gets told with the introducion of the handsome and uptight Major Klaus, Eroic's nemesis and true love...only Klaus is not a willing participant in the romantic tableu. The sharp wit, clever plotting and good characterization make this series one of the best manga of all time. It has enjoyed a cult following in the USA for years. After a volume or two, you will be forever addicted. Forget about these modern manga with their limpid writing, overdone graphics and carbon copy characters! Eroica is the real deal, funny, sharp, and utterly delightful. Don't miss it!