out there playing your high-class games
Oct. 10th, 2007 11:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
reflectedeveWell, after reading ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
thefourthvine's excellent post, I got to thinking. Specifically, I got to thinking about the paragraph that starts "Do tell your writer about the canons and characters you requested."
And then I went a little overboard.
See, I can talk forever. I have vast herds of teal deer in my possession. And I really don't need much encouragement to write about things I love, and why, and even analyze them a bit. (In a fairly unacademic fashion--I could write an actual essay with citations and everything, but I have not, just now.) So I sat down and started writing about the fandoms and characters I requested, and it went . . . five pages or so.
I don't want my herds to trample my poor unsuspecting Santa, so I thought that I would post my rambles individually over the next couple of days, rather than in the same post with my Santa letter. I'll include links instead . . . it will perhaps make it easier for her to decide not to click them, if she doesn't really want to. I fear that, if I include them with the letter, she will feel obligated.
And really, I just like the sight of my own text. :p So yeah. I'm going to post my Eroica ramble first. I've been thinking about this fandom, and the pairing, a lot in recent months . . . so it was fun to get it all down, even in such a disorganized fashion.
Fandom: From Eroica With Love
Pairing: Dorian Red, Earl of Gloria/Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach
I’ve been reading this manga since the CMX translations began, but I’ve really only become fully fannish this year. Obsessive, even. ;) It’s the only manga title I’ve followed in at least three or four years . . . I like it because it’s so different from the cliches I grew tired of. (More power to you if you enjoy them; I'm just in a different place now, as a reader.) There’s no clear seme/uke, it’s not at all mushy, and there’s definitely a sense of masculinity about both men (even the fantastically swishy Dorian). The UST is brilliant and the stories are just generally hilarious. Plus, it involves Japanese interpretations of European stereotypes! Um. This has been my recent mad obsession, and I’ve been kind of dying to talk about it, so I have a LOT to say . . . including musings on the Klaus/Dorian pairing. (Remember, I’m not asking my writer or anyone else to follow my interpretation! It’s a bit specific because I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently, but it’s still just my own thoughts and speculation.)
I particularly adore Klaus. He’s a repressed jerk who enjoys violence, but what can I say? In fiction, I’m all for it. He’s such a bundle of contradictions, also. Raised by his duty-obsessed father, he was more “tank” than child, making no real friends. In his position with NATO, he’s the best at what he does, and he shows a single-minded devotion to his missions. However, his sense of duty does vary . . . he has no respect for his superiors, little respect for his father, and open contempt for most of his nation’s allies (almost equal to his contempt for the Soviets). On the other hand, as Dorian notices, his appreciation for the machinery of war verges on the aesthetic. He loves fried potatoes, has automatic respect (and even fondness) for nuns, and in spite of his insults, he seems also to have some respect for his Alphabets (especially Z, and maybe A). Though he’s often serious, he’s not humorless, either (I recall one scene where he thought that the Alphabets knew he was going to yell at them, and escaped: “that’s no fun”), and he enjoys his effect on others.
He hasn't exactly absorbed his father's morality in the intended way. His father wanted him to become "an upright man of principles," but something got skewed in interpretation. Klaus does not get promoted because he enjoys his position as Major, and performs too well; and also because he rarely bothers with social niceties, particularly in the office. He is an atheist but treats religious conventions with a measure of respect . . . just in case? Perhaps he fears the repercussions from crazed worshipers, if he does not. He goes to church . . . and naps. He does not wish to marry or produce an heir, thus becoming a dignified and dutiful family man (the very idea sends him into hysterics). His understanding of sexual morality is bizarre: he seems extremely bothered by any suggestion of romance or sexuality whatsoever, as though it is indecent (be it heterosexual or homosexual in nature), and I would not be surprised if he were a virgin. Klaus is hopelessly bent, in other words. ;)
His reactions to Dorian are hysterically overexaggerated, like the romance novel heroine who protests too much. He is almost more afraid of than angered by Dorian’s advances, which suggests vulnerability. He also seems to be warming up to the thief, just a little, by the point I’m at in the series (the translations currently go up through volume 10; by Christmas, there will be one more). At the end of Seven Days In September, he idly decides to admire The Man In Purple “for” the disappointed Dorian, who has lost his chance at it once again. I believe that he is struggling with an attraction to Dorian, and that he might eventually give in to it . . . protesting all the way, of course.
Dorian is in some ways a less complex character, though a no less engaging one. He was clearly intended to embody an almost Wildean aesthete, though as generally happens with manga presentations of Western concepts, he’s a bit odd and exaggerated. He is a spoiled, hedonistic, affected mansion-dwelling aristocrat (though apparently not rolling in money), beautiful, and surrounded by adoring androgynous followers. He is flamboyantly, stereotypically gay, and enjoys making homophobic people uncomfortable. He loves art and beauty, and always gets what he wants (well, except for Klaus). He can be a bit foolishly clumsy, and he can’t shoot, but he’s an extremely competent and successful thief, and can also be a very useful ally to Klaus, when it’s really necessary. He’s not ashamed to flee when it seems prudent, but he’s not cowardly, not when it counts. He also seems to care a great deal about his men. There is one slightly dark episode in his past: he had a sexual encounter with a much older man at the age of thirteen, for the sake of a painting he was later cheated out of. (The comic, however, does not infer that this is the source of his sexuality—something I very much appreciate!)
Previous to meeting Klaus, as other fen have noted, Dorian seems to have had a preference for younger, submissive, androgynous men, like Caesar Gabriel, who he can dominate and seduce. However, he seems to have met his match in Klaus, who is absolutely none of these things. Klaus is a challenge, and Dorian seems to revel in his endless resistance. He loves the Major, and appreciates him for who he is . . . but in spite of his romantic, melodramatic affectations, he’s hardly overly sentimental about his attachment, and does not seem given to pining or hopeless longing in the least (just a bit of daydreaming and complaining, now and then). Rather, he revels in the whole situation. “To look upon the sweet Major . . . then give him a good jab in the back and taunt him mercilessly as I flee. The thrill! The suspense! How the days are dreary and meaningless without him.”
I think that this is the essence of the Klaus/Dorian relationship: it’s a struggle for dominance, each of them constantly trying to get one up on the other. (I’d imagine they’d switch in bed. *cough*) If they were eventually to become an actual couple, I’m pretty sure this dynamic would continue; it would have to, for the relationship to survive for long. Klaus would continue to growl and insult Dorian, and Dorian would continue to mock Klaus; neither would modify their behavior for the other’s sake. I particularly cannot see Klaus becoming fluffy or sentimental. If Klaus were to give in too easily, Dorian would undoubtedly become bored and move on. They are well-matched because they will continually challenge each other. After all . . . “A rose vine and a wire rope” is a “sadistically wonderful combination” (I've heard both "combination" and "entanglement") . . . not at all a harmonious one.
I’m also quite fond of most of the secondary characters in the manga . . . the Alphabets, particularly A and G (I find Z slightly boring); Bonham; Eroica’s underworld contacts; Saleem. I do find that a little bit of James goes a long way, though, and I really can’t stand the psychic trio. I really enjoy the light, wacky tone of the manga . . . though I’ve read some beautifully bittersweet, complex fic.
Resource links:
EroicaFans.Org - An excellent resource. Manga summaries, archived fanfiction, and the forum.
mosellegreen's Guide For Serious Eroicafen - A collection of useful links and articles.
shaenon's Overlooked Manga Festival post for From Eroica With Love - a fun, short review/introduction to the series
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
schlosseberbach - The Eroica community on LJ.
I swear I'm not crazy. Well, okay, I'm a little crazy, but I'm harmless. ^^;
thefourthvine's excellent post, I got to thinking. Specifically, I got to thinking about the paragraph that starts "Do tell your writer about the canons and characters you requested."And then I went a little overboard.
See, I can talk forever. I have vast herds of teal deer in my possession. And I really don't need much encouragement to write about things I love, and why, and even analyze them a bit. (In a fairly unacademic fashion--I could write an actual essay with citations and everything, but I have not, just now.) So I sat down and started writing about the fandoms and characters I requested, and it went . . . five pages or so.
I don't want my herds to trample my poor unsuspecting Santa, so I thought that I would post my rambles individually over the next couple of days, rather than in the same post with my Santa letter. I'll include links instead . . . it will perhaps make it easier for her to decide not to click them, if she doesn't really want to. I fear that, if I include them with the letter, she will feel obligated.
And really, I just like the sight of my own text. :p So yeah. I'm going to post my Eroica ramble first. I've been thinking about this fandom, and the pairing, a lot in recent months . . . so it was fun to get it all down, even in such a disorganized fashion.
Fandom: From Eroica With Love
Pairing: Dorian Red, Earl of Gloria/Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach
I’ve been reading this manga since the CMX translations began, but I’ve really only become fully fannish this year. Obsessive, even. ;) It’s the only manga title I’ve followed in at least three or four years . . . I like it because it’s so different from the cliches I grew tired of. (More power to you if you enjoy them; I'm just in a different place now, as a reader.) There’s no clear seme/uke, it’s not at all mushy, and there’s definitely a sense of masculinity about both men (even the fantastically swishy Dorian). The UST is brilliant and the stories are just generally hilarious. Plus, it involves Japanese interpretations of European stereotypes! Um. This has been my recent mad obsession, and I’ve been kind of dying to talk about it, so I have a LOT to say . . . including musings on the Klaus/Dorian pairing. (Remember, I’m not asking my writer or anyone else to follow my interpretation! It’s a bit specific because I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently, but it’s still just my own thoughts and speculation.)
I particularly adore Klaus. He’s a repressed jerk who enjoys violence, but what can I say? In fiction, I’m all for it. He’s such a bundle of contradictions, also. Raised by his duty-obsessed father, he was more “tank” than child, making no real friends. In his position with NATO, he’s the best at what he does, and he shows a single-minded devotion to his missions. However, his sense of duty does vary . . . he has no respect for his superiors, little respect for his father, and open contempt for most of his nation’s allies (almost equal to his contempt for the Soviets). On the other hand, as Dorian notices, his appreciation for the machinery of war verges on the aesthetic. He loves fried potatoes, has automatic respect (and even fondness) for nuns, and in spite of his insults, he seems also to have some respect for his Alphabets (especially Z, and maybe A). Though he’s often serious, he’s not humorless, either (I recall one scene where he thought that the Alphabets knew he was going to yell at them, and escaped: “that’s no fun”), and he enjoys his effect on others.
He hasn't exactly absorbed his father's morality in the intended way. His father wanted him to become "an upright man of principles," but something got skewed in interpretation. Klaus does not get promoted because he enjoys his position as Major, and performs too well; and also because he rarely bothers with social niceties, particularly in the office. He is an atheist but treats religious conventions with a measure of respect . . . just in case? Perhaps he fears the repercussions from crazed worshipers, if he does not. He goes to church . . . and naps. He does not wish to marry or produce an heir, thus becoming a dignified and dutiful family man (the very idea sends him into hysterics). His understanding of sexual morality is bizarre: he seems extremely bothered by any suggestion of romance or sexuality whatsoever, as though it is indecent (be it heterosexual or homosexual in nature), and I would not be surprised if he were a virgin. Klaus is hopelessly bent, in other words. ;)
His reactions to Dorian are hysterically overexaggerated, like the romance novel heroine who protests too much. He is almost more afraid of than angered by Dorian’s advances, which suggests vulnerability. He also seems to be warming up to the thief, just a little, by the point I’m at in the series (the translations currently go up through volume 10; by Christmas, there will be one more). At the end of Seven Days In September, he idly decides to admire The Man In Purple “for” the disappointed Dorian, who has lost his chance at it once again. I believe that he is struggling with an attraction to Dorian, and that he might eventually give in to it . . . protesting all the way, of course.
Dorian is in some ways a less complex character, though a no less engaging one. He was clearly intended to embody an almost Wildean aesthete, though as generally happens with manga presentations of Western concepts, he’s a bit odd and exaggerated. He is a spoiled, hedonistic, affected mansion-dwelling aristocrat (though apparently not rolling in money), beautiful, and surrounded by adoring androgynous followers. He is flamboyantly, stereotypically gay, and enjoys making homophobic people uncomfortable. He loves art and beauty, and always gets what he wants (well, except for Klaus). He can be a bit foolishly clumsy, and he can’t shoot, but he’s an extremely competent and successful thief, and can also be a very useful ally to Klaus, when it’s really necessary. He’s not ashamed to flee when it seems prudent, but he’s not cowardly, not when it counts. He also seems to care a great deal about his men. There is one slightly dark episode in his past: he had a sexual encounter with a much older man at the age of thirteen, for the sake of a painting he was later cheated out of. (The comic, however, does not infer that this is the source of his sexuality—something I very much appreciate!)
Previous to meeting Klaus, as other fen have noted, Dorian seems to have had a preference for younger, submissive, androgynous men, like Caesar Gabriel, who he can dominate and seduce. However, he seems to have met his match in Klaus, who is absolutely none of these things. Klaus is a challenge, and Dorian seems to revel in his endless resistance. He loves the Major, and appreciates him for who he is . . . but in spite of his romantic, melodramatic affectations, he’s hardly overly sentimental about his attachment, and does not seem given to pining or hopeless longing in the least (just a bit of daydreaming and complaining, now and then). Rather, he revels in the whole situation. “To look upon the sweet Major . . . then give him a good jab in the back and taunt him mercilessly as I flee. The thrill! The suspense! How the days are dreary and meaningless without him.”
I think that this is the essence of the Klaus/Dorian relationship: it’s a struggle for dominance, each of them constantly trying to get one up on the other. (I’d imagine they’d switch in bed. *cough*) If they were eventually to become an actual couple, I’m pretty sure this dynamic would continue; it would have to, for the relationship to survive for long. Klaus would continue to growl and insult Dorian, and Dorian would continue to mock Klaus; neither would modify their behavior for the other’s sake. I particularly cannot see Klaus becoming fluffy or sentimental. If Klaus were to give in too easily, Dorian would undoubtedly become bored and move on. They are well-matched because they will continually challenge each other. After all . . . “A rose vine and a wire rope” is a “sadistically wonderful combination” (I've heard both "combination" and "entanglement") . . . not at all a harmonious one.
I’m also quite fond of most of the secondary characters in the manga . . . the Alphabets, particularly A and G (I find Z slightly boring); Bonham; Eroica’s underworld contacts; Saleem. I do find that a little bit of James goes a long way, though, and I really can’t stand the psychic trio. I really enjoy the light, wacky tone of the manga . . . though I’ve read some beautifully bittersweet, complex fic.
Resource links:
EroicaFans.Org - An excellent resource. Manga summaries, archived fanfiction, and the forum.
mosellegreen's Guide For Serious Eroicafen - A collection of useful links and articles.shaenon's Overlooked Manga Festival post for From Eroica With Love - a fun, short review/introduction to the seriesschlosseberbach - The Eroica community on LJ.I swear I'm not crazy. Well, okay, I'm a little crazy, but I'm harmless. ^^;
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-14 09:45 pm (UTC)I enjoyed your thoughts on Klaus and Dorian and tend to agree with most of them - from fanon I expected Dorian to be more weepy and pining, and Klaus to punch him every other chapter or so. ;) I never expected the sheer amount of crack, but I'm enjoying the heck out of it. :D
So, Hi! This is my introduction so you won't wonder who's this suspicious person from the ex-Eastern block who friends you out of the blue. :)
(no subject)
Date: 2008-03-17 04:33 pm (UTC)this suspicious person from the ex-Eastern block
*snerk* Ah, no worries. S'fine as long as you don't wear enormous mirrored sunglasses 24/7 . . . and probably even if you did. :p