Let The Begin

Let the 🎂🎂🎂 begin 🥳🥳🥳

it's the first day of near's birthday party! today's prompts are:

toy | strategy | the star

please tag your gifts with #nearsbday or mention @nearsbday in your post! if you are posting to archiveofourown, you can add your gift to the collection.

as a reminder, there are a few rules for party guests which can be found right here. for more information on how to participate, you can visit this page or read through the submission guide.

alt text: graphic in shades of blue. a banner at the top reads "august 17: day 1." there are three boxes on the left side of the image, which read in order: toy, strategy, the star. at the bottom lefthand corner, there is a piece of text that reads: tag gifts with #nearsbday or mention @/nearsbday in your post! on the righthand side of the image is a blue-toned manga cap of near from death note. he is laying on his stomach and playing with an action figure.

I will put him in my pocket and carry him around

Tiny!Near.

[Eroica Musical Rant] The tank scene was the only one they did right

(Series masterlist)

Firstly, to discuss the energy and pacing, I have to talk about the story and how it was written.

The entirety of the musical covers 2 arcs in the manga. The first being Iron Klaus, combining character intro, minus the Caesar fiasco, up to Klaus and Dorian’s vow of eternal hostility to each other in form of Morse code. The second arc they adapted is Dramatic Spring, which follows Klaus’s efforts to foil a Neo-Nazi plot and Dorian, through a series of strange coincidence, becomes entangled in it.

Out of the 2 parts, I would say that the first arc was a little better-adapted, not that it had no flaw. In general, what was disappointing has been touched upon in the previous sections about characters and characterization. But to summarize, a lot of plot points were pulled apart and stitched together (clumsily), resulting in inconsistency and inefficient pacing. There's no sense of competition, tension, or bargain between Klaus and Dorian. Even the Autobahn chase becomes quite boring. In essence, it feels like a Wikipedia listing out the plot in bullet-points .

However, I do have to say that if this production did ANYTHING right, it would have to be the tank scene. This scene immediately follows the Autobahn chase and the 2 main characters find themselves stranded on a cliff near the North Sea. Cold, they go inside the tank and huddle for warmth, which forces them to begin conversing and sharing viewpoints and opinions, eventually both of them harbor a budding respect for each other.

Now, what is it that makes this scene better than all the other scenes in this musical?

While it doesn’t follow the manga exactly, in spirit and in energy, that was the first time (and turns out the only time) it felt like From Eroica with Love. And I think the reason is because this is the first scene that the actors are allowed to basically carry the scene without any “crucial plot point” chasing them from behind or tasteless directions dictating their performance. The actors were allowed to BE their interpretation of their characters, and both show that they understand the assignment. They've got energy, they exchange chemistry, they're dry and snarky which is amazing.

Like Dorian sings ENKA in this! I highly doubt manga Dorian has any remote interest in contemporary Japanese popular culture, but if he did – or say if he was played by a Japanese actor – in a strange way, it makes sense because that’s the kind of energy he evokes. Or say when Klaus sings the tank song, he appears very calm and serene in the manga. But in this scene, he is proud and passionate. And that also makes sense. It’s different, BUT IT’S GOOD. IT’S GOOD WHY CAN’T THE WHOLE 2 HOURS JUST BE LIKE THIS?

(As a side note, Nakayama Yuki needs to drop an enka album right now, I will religiously listen to it, his low range is SO GOOD MY RIBCAGE TREMBLED)

And THAT is the core appeal of From Eroica with Love: the characters. They are so full of personality that the story is driven by them, not the other way around. Things don’t HAPPEN TO them. They cause it, they make it happen. They make each other’s lives chaotic. And that’s why it was crucial for this production to not feel like somebody is backstage holding a script following each line and blocking. I know that’s what’s happening behind the scenes BUT IT SHOULDN’T LOOK LIKE IT. Because when characters feel directed and forced, they lack energy. And when the characters of a character-driven story lack energy, the story lacks energy.

If they had just cut the musical right there at the tank scene, curtain, bow, I would have been like “ok it wasn’t perfect but I was wrong, that was a good attempt at adapting From Eroica with Love." Because if it had ended there, the boring hour that preceded could have been setting up for one crucial climatic emotional scene.

Uhm, but then they went and did the second half.

[Eroica Musical Rant] Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach, Major, Codename: Iron Klaus

(Series masterlist)

Onto the deuteragonist and the most popular character in this series, Major Klaus Heinz von dem Eberbach. I have a slightly more complicated relationship with this character than I do with Dorian which can only be described as “problematic fave.” A complete opposite to his pursuer on the surface, he is stoic, strict and severe. A man who finds purpose in work, and beauty in technology.

Klaus is NOT charming. He is crude, and prone to throwing insults. He is quick to anger and instills fear in his subordinates, which, while makes him look dominant and powerful, results in cases where his agents are too afraid of him to actually do the right thing. Klaus is FLAWED. Yet despite all of his shortcomings, he is also extremely capable, highly dedicated, and honestly, pretty fucking cool. And sometimes, his humanity bleeds through the cracks and it makes him all the more endearing.

Klaus considers Dorian to be the very antithesis of his life philosophy, but he can’t refute they share similar values and characteristics. Both are “professionals” who uphold their own kind of self-respect and pursuit of excellence, even if their goals differ. And slowly but surely, Klaus harbors begrudging respect for Dorian.

Aoike Yasuko describes their relationship in an interview as “having faith in each other, but can’t trust each other.” Their interactions are tense and potentially explosive, with each taking turn poking the bear, each word spoken is ammunition. Whether it’s flirtation or argument, they have a matched energy that just keeps them at each other’s throats. Yet, when they get to actually talking, everyone can see that they’re very intellectually compatible. It’s not really enemies-to-lovers, but rather enemies-AND-lovers, and I’m living for it.

Compared to Dorian, Klaus in this stage show was not translated to a … satisfying degree.

Casting

I am usually not one to notice the age of actors who portray adapted characters. But without sounding mean, I think the decision to cast a 45-year-old actor to play Klaus is a bit off. Murata Mitsu is a good fit. He has very sharp, striking features and there is an air of intimidation about him.

However, Klaus in the first run of the series is young. The official data describes him as being in his late twenties to, at most, 30 years old. In one of the final arcs of the original run, it is remarked that he appears around 30, contrary to what James says. Do I think makeup and costume succeeded in making him look late-20s, at most 30? Not at all. The direction he’s given too, makes him much more suited to post-hiatus Klaus, rather than volume 1 to 3, young Klaus.

What is the impact of this? As mentioned, Klaus at this point in the story is supposed to be a young man. He’s dynamic and energetic, like Dorian, but also much more openly expressive than later on. He doesn’t hide his emotions, his stoicism tends to be a result of things not fazing him, rather than suppressed and controlled feelings. So having someone who’s both notably older and directed to act older is jarring in a story written with a younger character in mind.

Even more than that, it has detrimental effects on the relationship between stage!Dorian and stage!Klaus. Manga!Dorian is in his mid-20s, and Nakayama Yuki (32) looks young, and is made up well enough to look like he’s in his 20s. So we have one side of the duo appearing and acting 20s, and another side appearing and acting 30s or 40s. Making the relationship between Dorian and Klaus restrained and almost like a tired parent-rebellious child dynamic. One of the things people have noted about Eroica’s long run is that it feels like Klaus and Dorian are growing up together. So having this disconnect where you have Dorian from the beginning of the original series and Klaus from the post-hiatus series is just WRONG.

Direction

The direction given to Murata Mitsu makes the character very, very, very stiff. Like they were trying to CARICATURE the character. Most of Klaus’s feelings and reactions are removed, and we never get to see the humanity under the tough guy. Which is a shame because without that, Klaus is just a boring shell of an archetype.

The first example is right in his introduction. Klaus has a habit of yelling whenever something annoys him, even if it’s minuscule, even if his agents aren't responsible for it. While it inspires fear , it’s actually quite humorous because it’s about the only time that he gets very emotional and this sassy side comes out. So while Klaus does have authority, the point of those yelling monologues, in my opinion, is to humanize him and use him as comedy. Like don’t you know someone who always takes things so seriously, they’re so exacerbated at minor inconveniences, it’s hilarious? Schadenfreude.

Unfortunately, it’s not done that way in the musical. Instead, his “BAKAMONO” is echoed across the theatre, as he steps forward, like it was some kind of superpower, some magical command, some hypnotizing trick. And not an outburst of frustration. Of course, just by giving him a superpower doesn’t mean taking away his humanity, and manga Klaus himself often does the unthinkable, like firing a magnum with only one hand.

However, like I’ve said before, when Klaus yells, it is a hint of emotions. By altering the scream into some kind of cool magical command, it removes whatever humanity he’s depicted with. In the manga, at times, that kind of anger-first reaction is actually what makes the situation harder for him, literally and emotionally. Because sometimes Klaus’s worst enemy is himself. The point is, Klaus is already capable of so many super-human feats. To be able to keep his emotions completely neutral in the face of adversity would make him perfect. And perfection has no place in Eroica. He is also nowhere as sassy, which sucks because he is probably one of the funniest characters, unintentionally so. It’s a shame that none of that quips were really delivered with that signature sadistic snark.

But it’s not just the direction given to Murata Mitsu that makes Klaus boring, it’s how characters react to Klaus that also paints this picture of a “perfect man” who can do no wrong and just takes a special someone to soften his heart. Which I don’t think Dorian is, they were made to provoke each other and that’s funny. And the best example of this is the most iconic automobile chase in history.

The set-up of this scene is simple. Dorian successfully rescues Caesar Gabriel – the second time that he has outdone Klaus – and is speeding off on his red Lamborghini with his boy-toy for 2 chapters. Whether he anticipates Klaus’s pursuit or not, he seems to be confident that Klaus won’t be able to catch up to him. Bang! There goes an explosion just missing the car by an inch. Scared absolutely shitless, Dorian and Caesar look behind to find Klaus who has whipped out a fucking TANK to chase after them on the Autobahn.

This is the scene where the audience – and Dorian – get to see a side of Klaus that is wholly unrestrained and completely driven by the frustration upon realizing he’s been bested the second time in a matter of days by the man he claims to despise. It’s significant because Dorian has been pretty open and freely expressive since his introduction. While Klaus is the opposite, reserved and closed off. But this is the first time that Klaus expresses himself in his own logic that does not, in any way, obey common sense (or even military protocol). And he is just as batshit insane as Dorian. Sure, the Lamborghini is gaudy and you can say Dorian is unusually flamboyant, but what does a tank racing down the Autobahn say about Klaus?

In the musical, this scene doesn’t hold as much impact because it tries to present Klaus as “cool” for bringing a tank into a personal chase, instead of the absolute absurdity that it is. You have his 3 agents singing about how cool he is, his military might and cheering for him. It's a huge missed opportunity because musical Klaus has been trying so hard to stay so stiff for the first part of the show.

This is when the hinge is supposed to come off. This is when the crazy starts to come out. With the screws already coming loose, it makes more sense that when he ends up trapped on a cliff with Dorian – [because running a tank over a raggedy bridge is a bad idea who knew] – he’s able to let himself go a little further and open up.

Dorian already provoked his crazy to a point where he's already exposed so much of himself, now sharing his own sense of beauty and value isn't such a big leap. Making him “just cool” during the Autobahn race skips a step in the leading up to the revelation that Klaus has a soul, and is unproductive in terms of characterization. The actual conversation in the tank though, was surprisingly well-done, but we will talk more about that in a later section.

Costume

Klaus’s style is not nearly as elaborate and niche as Dorian’s. In essence, he dresses professionally in suits and military jackets, but still with hints of the decade’s influence. In the early volumes – which both arcs are taken from – he is often seen in cuffed, slightly flared trousers; sometimes, he might don a waistcoat; and on occasions, a trench-coat. Because Klaus’s wardrobe is sartorial, the tailoring is absolutely crucial. These fits have to fit right. They must be able to give the actor the silhouette of the character. And for Klaus, that means emphasis on his height and his build.

Klaus is the tallest character in the series, and – like all characters in the 1970s – are drawn with mile-long legs. While not disproportional, his legs definitely should appear as though they’re longer than his torso, as it was the look du jour, and the look Aoike Yasuko gave him.

You would think that tailoring a pair of slightly flared cuffed trousers that would make someone who already stands at 186cm look tall wouldn’t be such a high ordeal. But alas, they didn’t even try. Instead, they gave him ugly, untailored, slightly baggy pants. Where are the flare pants? Where are they? It wasn’t considered too gaudy for your hems to flap just a little when you walk, so why couldn’t Klaus have gotten the flare pants that would’ve made his legs a mile long?

Then there’s build. Unlike Dorian who’s toned but slender with a slight dip around the waistline, Klaus is rectangular, and Aoike Yasuko often puts emphasis on his shoulders, chest and arms, as those are features that perform masculine energy. So how does one emphasize those features? GOOD. TAILORING. Which, by the way, is also a crucial point in any military-esque, military-inspired design. What is disappointing about this military and suit jackets is that they seem way oversized for Murata Mitsu. Who, again, is 186cm tall. And thus, it swallows him up instead of adorning his physiques.

Overall, it's honestly quite a shame ...

Well I only have 1 deck of tarots and it's Greek myth inspired

But I also have a tiny tiny deck of poker fit for a tiny tiny fluffy marshmallow 🥹

Near had to switch safe houses in a hurry and leave behind all of his toys! Will you help gather some new ones for him?

(Reblog with a picture of a toy to put it into the box, and if it's cute, I might just draw chibi Near playing with it! ♥)

Near okay boomered him to defeat

I love Near and Light's dynamic because like why does the most notorious serial killer in the world have beef with an iPad kid.