Correcting the Villainess of the Academy

I wouldn't say it detoriates,infact I'd say it got better after he got stronger

Why not add another review on this manga? A more recent one!

You are about to read my personal review, hoping to help you appreciate this manga more and generally to share my opinion.

First of all, I have a weird habit of starting some mangas or animes, watching 2-3 episodes/reading 4-5 chapters, and then putting them on hold, thinking that "some other time I'll be more in the mood for it," which is pretty true. Not all animes are for any time. The same goes for Eroica. I started reading it about a year ago, and after chapter 4, I put it on hold. It wasn't that I didn't like it; it's just that it wasn't for that occasion. Now, after a year, I decided to read something light-hearted and funny and thought that maybe I should continue with Eroica for some weird reason.

Now that I have finally gotten back here, I am writing this (and thinking that the introduction is a little bit too big, but who cares, for such a manga one must make a grand entrance, and I know the Earl gets me, hehe).

Now, getting down to the juicy part of the review...

Starting with the Story...
I've decided to give it an 8 out of 10.
It's a little bit slow to start, talking about volume 1, where you have a group of youngsters who never appear again after their first meeting, which is also their last one. I don't really wanna go into how volume 1 starts; all I am gonna say is that the Earl, Dorian, is an art thief and obviously gay, and nothing stops him from getting what he wants. On the other side, we have Major Eberbach, aka Iron Klaus, a military man who can't even appreciate art or anything else in life except for the succession of his mission under any circumstances. So what happens when these two totally opposite people meet and clash? Find out in the story! All I can say is that there are many enjoyable adventures. It's mostly a comedic manga, although it has a few dramatic scenes here and there, but don't worry, you won't get too depressed since the comic relief is always there and fitted well. I keep mentioning "comedy," but that's because it has a heavy dose of it, but don't be mistaken; it's not pointless and boring. It has some of the most unpredictable funny scenes, at least they crack ME up, so I don't know about you; you just might not have a sense of humor after all... Aside from joking, I think that's its biggest potential. Also, regarding the story, always expect a somewhat "bold" scene between the Earl and the Major; it's totally worth it even if you are not handed any raw scenes like in other Yaoi/shounen ai manga.

Now, it's the Art!!! I give it a 10 out of 10.
I shall explain why down below; I am imagining you don't understand why at first, but hey, don't judge a book by its cover or age.
Eroica has a 70s art style. It may not be your cup of tea with all those different styles today, and I am not blaming you. I too at first found it a bit... old-fashioned and lacking in proportions, but actually, that does not matter at all. Its art style makes it stand out from the rest, and the faces are very interesting. Plus, if you see some colored covers/pages/whatever you find, you'll be amazed. The colors are amazing, so are the details; they're like modern pieces of art. Just do a search on Google to see what I mean. Very very impressive, even if it lacks realism and is better off without it.

Moving on to the Characters, it is awarded with 10 out of 10.
The story centers around Earl and Major (as if you didn't already know that).
So it's to be expected that they get most of the screen time. Supporting characters are there to support and offer help, but who cares. I enjoy watching Major in action and the Earl chasing his butt around (although he claims not to). You may not notice much character development, but hey, who cares when you are having fun, haha. Nah, actually, I think that isn't the case. I pretty much believe that it does have character development, although it progresses pretty slowly, but you know, you get to know a few more new things about each character in every volume. As I have mentioned before, this story relies a lot on comedy, and the characters too are comic, although the Major not so much, but the lines are, so don't expect a lot of dwelling in the past, traumas, psychological problems, abused during childhood, etc., etc. None of this makes an appearance. It centers more around the relationship of Major and Earl and their interaction.

The Enjoyment Section.
9/10
I don't think that there is much to say here; I've already made it obvious that I enjoy this throughout my whole review, so if you're smart enough (or even if you are not), you can tell by now. I am a big fan of comedy and paired up with some shounen ai is superb. Now the final touch is that it's an old manga that has been running for long. I find old mangas very appealing for some reason, maybe because of the differences between today's mangas.
What I enjoy most about this though is the Earl's and Major's meetings, that happen by chance. I really enjoy those boy x boy times even if they don't show much, but that's the best part, giving you little to taste so you want more.

Overall
It gets a happy 9!
I have a lot of reading to do, so maybe it is too early to write this, but I'll fix it if I have to. I hope it doesn't let me down in the long run.
The only minus I could give to this manga is the absence of the chapters in the right order. Some chapters/volumes are missing, like you are at volume 10 and then you jump directly to 15 or something like that, which is discouraging to keep you going. Add the fact that you can only find online up to volume 20 while currently, it has reached 36-37 volumes.

I hope you find this helpful, considering my enthusiasm for this review that may be a bit too objective. I might edit it sometime in the future; feel free to add comments to my profile concerning this, I'd appreciate some feedback to help me improve on my review.

Story:  

It begins... strangely. However, do NOT judge this manga solely by its first volume. The initial story arc can be deceiving, almost like a pilot episode—a test run. Characters such as Caesar Gabriel and his friends never reappear after their introduction (a relief for most fans, including myself), and Dorian takes on a role that is neither the antagonist nor the sole main character. Klaus steps in, taking over both as Dorian's love interest and perhaps even as the main protagonist. Starting from the fifth or sixth volume, you'll notice many story arcs featuring Klaus prominently, though it’s fair to say Dorian and Klaus often trade places.  

As I mentioned, read at least up to volume 3 before forming any quick opinions. If you adored the first story, too bad—it essentially disappears by volume two, with Klaus making a bold entrance and establishing himself as one of the primary protagonists. If you disliked or found the beginning mediocre, you'll likely enjoy the rest much more.  

If you appreciate story arcs and episodic structures in your manga, I can almost guarantee you will adore this series. Each tale is fairly self-contained, yet the plots remain consistently entertaining. Eroica and Klaus travel the world, which is either dazzling or hilarious—often the latter due to how they disrupt every place they visit. Most of Eroica's plots involve chaos, filled with twists and turns as Klaus and Dorian try to thwart each other's plans. Occasionally, there are stories focusing mainly on Dorian or Klaus, and sometimes they're forced to collaborate (though this happens more in earlier volumes). However, much of the series revolves around them working against each other.  

Notably, Klaus's work for NATO plays a significant role in the plots. As a fierce Cold Warrior, he frequently confronts the KGB in various story arcs. For history buffs or fans of spy stories, these elements are sure to amuse. The Soviets are portrayed as caricatures (donning trench coats and dark glasses as "disguises"), and there's plenty of cross-cultural humor involving Klaus and the world. The espionage aspects add mystery or excitement, allowing Klaus to take center stage more than Eroica in later volumes. But fear not, because what you’ll truly look forward to is Eroica showing up to rile Klaus up.  

Overall, Eroica's plots are amusing and enjoyable. While they may not be overly complex, they're definitely entertaining—a big reason why I cherish this series so much.  

Art:  

Once again, the early volumes aren't representative of the entire series. Although I don’t mind the art style in volumes 1-3, Aoike’s true potential doesn’t fully emerge until around volume 4 or 5. Initially, Dorian and Klaus are very thin and tall, with pretty faces and feminine features—typical poster boys for shoujo manga from the 70s. Everyone has slightly odd noses, making their side profiles peculiar due to their prominent chins. This is part of the style, though, and Aoike executes it well. You get used to it quickly.  

But trust me, the art evolves, and for the better. By the Alaskan story arc (I’d estimate), Aoike’s talent truly shines. The backgrounds become far more detailed as she depicts the barren Alaskan landscape, and both Klaus and Dorian become much more masculine. Klaus gains muscle, his eyes shrink, and his nose (and everyone else's!) becomes stronger and more masculine. Dorian's eyes remain somewhat wide, given his generally cheerful demeanor, but he develops similarly to Klaus, albeit with slightly less bulk. This improvement is something you'll genuinely appreciate.  

True, many of Aoike’s characters share similar facial features. She has standard templates for beautiful men, pretty boys, and pretty women (seen less frequently)—in fact, the "uglier" characters tend to have the most variation, like the Chief compared to Mischa (though perhaps the biggest difference lies in facial hair and dark glasses?). Nevertheless, it’s worth noting that this trait exists in many manga, and Aoike deserves credit for making her characters’ personalities stand out despite this limitation.  

Character:  

Probably my favorite aspect of Eroica! The characters are utterly lovable. Klaus is everyone’s favorite—sexy, masculine, and strong—but also hilariously straight-laced and temperamental. One of the great things about Eroica is that every character has flaws. While Eroica and Klaus possess exaggerated strengths—Klaus firing a magnum with one hand, for instance, or Dorian’s incredible stealth skills and knack for spotting forged art instantly—they also have shortcomings. Klaus's temper makes it hard for him to get along with others, and it’s implied that his impulsiveness and excessive use of force during missions hinder his promotion beyond the rank of "Major." Meanwhile, Dorian can’t fire a gun, which is inconvenient considering how often he encounters gun-toting Klaus and the KGB. He’s also impulsive, leading to frequent mistakes, especially when the Major is involved. Nonetheless, Dorian and Klaus balance each other out, usually by mocking each other’s quirks or exploiting weaknesses to cause major blunders.  

In fact, the chemistry between Dorian and Klaus forms the heart of From Eroica with Love. Shounen-ai enthusiasts, pay attention here! Dorian is openly gay, while Klaus’s sexuality remains completely ambiguous. Many fans interpret Dorian as pursuing Klaus, who stubbornly stays closeted. Of course, there seems to be no resolution after 30 long volumes—there’s been no indication of Klaus ever coming out, or even if he identifies as anything specific. That said, romantic undertones are easy to spot if you’re looking for them. Dorian clearly cares for Klaus and finds him attractive, making all sorts of suggestive comments. This dynamic grows as the series progresses—you see him pursuing other men less and becoming increasingly jealous when anyone shows interest in Klaus (or vice versa). And Klaus… well, Klaus despises Dorian intensely, yet there’s an undeniable grudging camaraderie between them that even Klaus can’t deny. Klaus’s sexuality remains an enigma open to interpretation.  

Beyond the two leads, the supporting cast is equally hilarious. My personal favorites are Lawrence and Klaus’s butler—the bumbling, bird-brained SIS agent, and Klaus’s overly sentimental old butler, who bursts into tears whenever Klaus or the Eberbach estate is mentioned. There’s also Agent G, the cross-dressing Alphabet agent with crushes on both Klaus and Dorian, and Mischa the Bear Cub, the former champion boxer and Klaus’s KGB rival. The ensemble is vibrant and funny, just as endearing in their own ways as the main characters.  

Enjoyment:  

If you enjoy humor, vintage manga, Cold War narratives, gay undertones, and fun, you’ll enjoy this series.  

Overall:  

I absolutely love it! Highly recommended. Please go out and purchase the first few volumes. Give it a try—it will most likely be worth it.

"I will skin you alive, you annoying white fur!"