#dorian red earl of gloria

[lemongrablothbrok]

Babies!!!!

[kanhatomame]

For friends who follow me from twitter… here are some Mr. James/the Earl Gloria fics 🌹🌹and more I drew. Oh I want more fanfics of from Eroica with Love~~~<33

[geek-thegirl]

Dorian and a random guy

[devilsrains]

stage eroica:

yuki nakayama as earl dorian red gloria / mitsu murata as major klaus von dem eberbach / shin'ichi wago as the man in purple (x)

[masodemic]

[Eroica Musical Rant] Dorian Red Gloria, Earl of Gloria, Codename: Eroica

(Series masterlist)

Somehow I am the least mad at what they did to him ...

Dorian Red Gloria, the Earl of Gloria, otherwise known as Eroica the Phantom Thief, is one of the most vibrant characters ever written in manga, and my personal favorite. A respected English aristocrat, a revered art thief, Dorian’s aspiration is to live a life full of – capital R – Romantic splendor, defined by thrill, desires and adventures, bordering on hedonism.

Agile, dynamic and fun, Dorian steals not for money but for said vision, as he thinks stealing art is the most Romantic profession – to the displeasure of his long-suffering accountant and countless museum curators around the world. Extremely intelligent, spontaneous, and armed with complete fearlessness, he outsmarts and baffles even the most cold-blooded, hard-boiled, thoroughly-trained international superspies. Other than those attributes, Dorian’s power is derived from being a people person. He has a charisma and wit that can persuade, trick, or provoke anybody.

With my love for this character, I went into this musical expecting to be severely disappointed. I thought at best he would be a gay stereotype, and at worst, boring. But to my surprise, Dorian in this musical is actually fairly decently played. Most of his scenes and lines are kept, and the actor himself does bring some life into the role. He sings, he dances, he delivers the sass required. And I think the decision to have him sing enka in the tank scene is still in-character.

Direction

My only criticism would be that, compared to the original manga, Dorian is not depicted and portrayed with nearly enough power. First of all, the actor is frequently seen very relaxed, and unfortunately, it translates to slight slouches in his posture. But more importantly, due to various factors like staging, writing and productions, some scenes, while kept, were changed massively.

Let’s take this scene where Dorian supplies Klaus with a key piece of information. The chapter leading up to this scene in the manga starts out with Dorian throwing a gala for his fellow crime lords, and Klaus being tasked with maintaining security for a peace conference between the USA and the USSR taking place nearby. Upon hearing that there is a gathering of some of the most powerful underground figures in that proximity, Klaus intrudes on Dorian’s soiree to warn them not to do anything that might disrupt the conference. Dorian reassures his alerted guests, and informs Klaus that they have no such intention.

It is then that a KGB and a CIA agent rush in to tell Klaus that they received a lead that could hint at a neo-Nazi plot aiming to bomb the conference. An argument soon breaks out amongst the uninvited guests and Dorian promptly kicks them all out. Afterwards, Dorian’s close friend Volvonte offhandedly muses that he remembers something about a neo-Nazi of some sort having borrowed money from his organization some time not so long ago – a piece of information crucial to Klaus’s investigation is now, accidentally, in Dorian’s hands. But the party resumes, and it is only later, once everything is done and cleared, that Dorian thinks to call Klaus before going to bed. He is in bed, phoning Klaus like it was a booty-call. He flirts, Klaus tries to hang up, Dorian supplies the piece of information, then flirts some more and ends the call with a big, fat, sloppy kiss over the telephone. So what is significant about this set-up?

For one, Dorian has no obligation to tell Klaus this information that would not only save a peace conference, but many lives, including Klaus’s. The casual manner with which he treats this key piece of information is also important. He doesn’t urge Volvonte to tell him more, he doesn’t rush to tell Klaus, and he doesn’t communicate with Klaus in the manner of subordination, taking the time for pleasantry and flirtation. A casual bedtime conversation for Dorian, in this case, is a matter of life and death for Klaus. Dorian holds the power.

In the stage show, while the context is the same, details are removed, while other unnecessary ones are added. Due to the rushed pace that the show is written with, Dorian’s feelings for Klaus in this arc is intensified, giving him a motivation to tell Klaus the vital piece of information, as he is now deeply worried about Klaus. This level of care at this point in the story is not seen in the manga. Because of this newly-slotted motivation, his nonchalance is diminished, resulting in a serious exchange where it appears as though Dorian also has stakes in the matter, almost like he is working for Klaus. And because he is not in bed, his “advice” to Klaus comes off less as banter and more like sincere advice, and it presents him as naggy, as opposed to flirtatious and funny. That kiss is also waaaayyy too timid.

Costume

When it comes to costume, Dorian in this musical still exceeds everyone else by a mile. I was concerned when promotional materials only show him in one outfit, but thankfully, they had others made as well. Most of them look glamorous enough to look like they could maybe be part of Dorian’s wardrobe (and he might have worn a few of them while extremely intoxicated because this is the 70s).

However, that is not to say they were perfect. Knowing that this is a small production with limited budget, I will look past the fact that even Dorian’s costumes look pretty cheap in terms of material and tailoring. Especially if you compare them to the Takarazuka Revue’s adaptation of Eroica’s spin-off, El Halcon. But what will always be a sore thumb in my eyes is his rubber-looking rubber-sole jagged platform boots.

Why couldn’t we have given him well-fitted heel leather boots? Manga Dorian is on heels even while scaling walls. And heels would certainly look better when he dances. My problem with the ill-fitted rubber sole boots is that they throw the outfit’s proportion and silhouette totally off balance, shortening his legs, the opposite of what you want for a 1970s look. Considering the actor himself is tall enough to pull off a 1970s shōjo manga type look with loooong legs, these boots definitely did him quite dirty.

Speaking of which, Dorian’s inspiration is Robert Plant. Therefore, I definitely would have loved to see the outfits taking more inspiration from the decade, the rock scene, and Robert Plant himself. Manga Dorian’s fashion is a showcase of Aoike’s love for rock’n’roll, European classic arts, and fantastical shōjo manga aesthetics.

It expresses Dorian’s character as someone who romanticizes the fictionalized past and at the same time, poses as a contradiction to convention and norm.

The outfits given to Dorian in this production don’t exactly hold such punch, some of them seem repetitive, while others pale in comparison to his manga counterpart. And that is without mentioning that godawful wig that's somehow both too flat and too frizzy (in a nylon way).

Overall, Dorian in this production worked and I am not mad about him. I would say that most of the criticisms I have for Dorian is the result of staging, writing, and costuming, and none for the casting itself. I do think Nakayama Yuki did, honestly, a good job.

[thedevilsrain]

dorian red earl of gloria (aka eroica)

[isindismay]

Tag 9 people you want to get to know better. Or however many.

tagged by @hannibalcatharsis-zero thank you :)

Three ships:

Rimmer and Lister (Red Dwarf)

Howard and Vince (The Mighty Boosh)

Aziraphale and Crowley (Good Omens)

First ever ship: Oh man, I'm not sure.

Earl Dorian Red Gloria and Major Klaus von dem Eberbach from the cold war era manga From Eroica with Love, perhaps. Enemies to lovers friends enemies

Certainly before I knew what a "ship" was, but Ted and Ralph from The Fast Show. Oh, tumblr would have loved those two. Repressed homosexual longings across the class divide. Two people equally bad at communication, but in entirely different directions. The platonic ideal of a ship, if you will.

Last song: Freak Turbulence by The Tragically Hip (a criminally underrated band)

Last Movie: Whisper of the Heart

Currently Reading: Backwards by Grant and Naylor

And I'm probably part way through more fics than this but these are the ones I've made a note of (& totally recommend <3)

Try Honesty by @gothwizardmagic

Les Oiseaux dans la Charmille by @gallantrejoinder

We Should be on by Now by @temporal-infidelity

The Wild by @feline-ranger

Learning to Change by @celery505

Currently Watching: Red Dwarf (obviously)

Currently Consuming: Water (fascinating)

Currently craving: interesting conversation, understanding, a better life, a more just and equitable world. (Should we just pretend I said chocolate cake?)

tagging, if you want to: @gothwizardmagic @thekittyburger @harvestar @reticentral @deviltownresident @kacilier @miladdio @jam-the-hologram @folklorerimmer @littledangerouspie @small-cs-traffic-warden @celery505 @rose-lalonde-fangirl @mystrothedefender @feline-ranger @pheonixed @wizardcunt & anyone else who wants to play

[themightyarmsofatlas]

This reference in chapter Achilles last stand, chapter 3 of From Eroica with love.

Mr. James knows those lemons 🍋🍋

[jigengoemon]

I came up with a modern AU different than FEWL but with the same characters and huh, have married Dorian and Klaus with their daughter Erica.

[the-casio-mini]

Recently read and became desperately obsessed with @dkwilliams fic, The Scarlet Eroica. I made a vague attempt at the described historical fashion but that’s about it. You owe it to yourself to read that fic, so off with you to Ao3 post haste. 

[terrible-art-blog]

Don't draw a lot anymore but thought it would be cool to draw somethings From Eroica With Love as if they were adapted into a 70's shoujo anime

[lemongrablothbrok]

Headcanon that Dorian suckers talks James into buying him expensive Christmas gifts by sitting on his lap and singing "Santa Baby" to him.

[kanhatomame]

Dorian Red, the Earl of Gloria/Mr. James from eroica with love…. I really REALLY want to read the story which Mr. James becomes happy!?!? Of course I love him nowadays but also I miss him of series first

[idrawprettyboys]

I’ve been into From Eroica With Love lately, so for the #sailormoonredraw challenge, I decided to draw Sailor Eroica! Getting Aoike Yasuko’s art style right was a big challenge! I paid special attention to line widths and which parts were supposed to be more sketchy or solid. I’m fascinated with this mangaka right now!

[devilsrains]

stage eroica revival+ visuals

starring:

yuki nakayama as earl dorian red gloria / mitsu murata as major klaus von dem eberbach / taishi sugie as mr. james / yuki fujiwara as mr. bonham / washio shuto as agent A / reo yamazaki as agent B / yuusaku sato as agent G / shin'ichi wago as the man in purple

[masodemic]

From Eroica with Love Musical and why I don't trust adaptations of 1970s shoujo manga

Unlike some of its contemporaries which have reached famed accolades and mainstream commercial success, From Eroica with Love seems to have remained a beloved cult classic. It has evaded anime, live-action, or stage adaptation since its serialization began in 1976. That is until now.

When it was announced that From Eroica with Love will be receiving a musical adaptation, I – and several others – were immediately skeptical. Not only are the characters and comedy of Eroica extremely difficult to adapt with real humans, there is also a very specific aesthetic that the adaptation must abide to. This aesthetic combines the style of 1970s shōjo manga, and the contemporary rock scene, along with classic James Bond films. That alone should prove enough of a challenge, but characters are also extremely vibrant and vivid in personality, which usually demonstrates in subtle and/or comedic moments.

And this was actually not the first time that the thought of a musical of From Eroica with Love has crossed my mind. I had casually talked to a friend or two that if Eroica were to be adapted, I think it could work as a musical, if it could utilize the very theatrical and dramatic language of the stage to portray the characters, the style, and the energy of the original. So, did this production succeed in doing so? Well, I wrote a 10,000-word essay that attempts to dive into the topic, which will be split into parts, just so we could get to the bottom of this. Oh and also, it’s Dorian’s birthday.

Happy birthday Dorian Red Gloria - part-time menace, full-time FASHION ICON!!!

Link to each respective parts of this rant essay:

Part I: I want my chaotic characters back

Dorian Red Gloria, Earl of Gloria, Codename: Eroica

Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach, Major, Codename: Iron Klaus

The Case of the Missing Caesar Gabriel and the Character Assassination of Tyrian Persimmon

Part II: WTF is with this lack of energy bro?

Section 1: The tank scene was the only one they did right

Section 2: I should not be sleepy or bored watching Eroica

Part III: Wanna talk about media-mix?