From Eroica with Love, Vol. 6 by Yasuko Aoike

From Eroica with Love, Vol. 6 Reviews

• 
  S.E. Martens

  This volume feels somewhat lighter than the others. Or maybe I'm just disappointed that I'm not enjoying revisiting this series.
  
  In the first story, the NATO Director decides Major Klaus Eberbach needs to be "family man" and attempts to set him up with a woman. He orders Klaus to take 10 days off in the countryside, while the NATO directors have a woman waiting in the wings to seduce him. KGB agents see Klaus traveling across the country alone and assume he must be on a top-secret mission. It's all just kind of cringey and misogynistic. Oh, and homophobic, of course, because a lot of the "humor" comes from various people in Klaus's orbit assuming he's not interested in women because of whatever is going on between him and Eroica. But when the KGB send an Eroica look-alike to distract him, he punches the guy's lights out, so . . . (beleaguered sigh.)
  
  The main plot kicks in with West Germany hosting the EC Expo and British Intelligence requesting NATO's help in guarding the British crown, which will be on display. Unbeknownst to the English agents, the glass case is actually more valuable than the crown, due to it being manufactured out of an experimental new form of fiberglass being developed for the military. Concerned that Eroica will attempt to steal the crown, NATO and SIS create a rumor about a lost treasure in Iraq to distract him. Eventually, Dorian catches on and decides to get revenge by disguising himself as the Major and ruining his reputation. Apparently, a dark wig is all it takes and they are basically twins? I can't decide if that's the mangaka making fun of her own art (she does like to break the fourth wall sometimes) or just typical cartoon shenanigans.
  
  I am getting tired of this series. I acknowledge that the stories are forty years old at this point, and it definitely has its moments (I thought Volume 5 was particularly strong with an exciting Cold War spy plot), but the characters don't grow or change at all. Klaus is still as over-the-top in his reactions and it makes it difficult to like or connect with him. He's apparently forgotten that he and Dorian/Eroica have teamed up successfully to take on the KGB. Dorian is more likeable, and it's cool that he's an out gay character who gets to be this cool globe-trotting master thief in the 1970s/80s, but his characterization often falls back on stereotypes and his supporting cast (like James) are pretty annoying.
• 
  mxd

  This was ridiculously hilarious. A list of why:
  
  - Klaus gets sent to a student reunion where he's to be fixed up with a woman so he can become a family man and mellow out because he's just so damn dangerous. He gets angreeeee.
  
  - Klaus losing the will to kill people because his butler gets all emotional about bringing up baby Klaus (not to mention that even Dorian feels bad and embarrassed for Klaus because of the butler's weepy nostalgia).
  
  - Dorian turning up for breakfast at the Iron Major's house and Klaus getting angreeee.
  
  - Dorian dressing up as Klaus for revenge and pretty much just to wind Klaus up.
  
  - Klaus getting angreeeeee.
  
  There was also some backstory about Klaus as a child and how in the absence of his mother, his father raised less of a boy and more of a tank, which is as funny as it is sad.
  
  Oh and there's also a nun who loves chips. And a British agent who gets googly-eyed over mythical romance.
  
  These books are dumber than a box of hair.