Hetalia: Axis Powers
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese webcomic
, later adapted as a manga
and an anime
series, by . The series presents an allegorical
trivialisation of political and historic events, particularly of the World War II
era, in which the various countries are represented by stereotyped
anthropomorphic characters
. The main characters are the countries which made up the Axis powers
and Allies of World War II
, namely Italy
(North Italy in particular), Germany
, Japan
, United States
, England
(representing the United Kingdom), France
, Russia
and China
. is a portmanteau combining and . This is to make light of Italy's domination by neighboring states since the Italian War of 1521–1526.
Himaruya originally created Hetalia as an online webcomic
, and so far four tankōbon
have been published by Gentosha Comics
, the first on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, the third on May 20, 2010 and the fourth on June 30, 2011. English translations of the first two volumes have been published by Tokyopop
in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Both printed volumes published so far have topped The New York Times
manga best seller list. The series was later adapted into drama CDs, and an anime series created by Studio Deen
has also begun streaming online. As of January 8, 2010, the anime series' international distribution is being handled by Funimation Entertainment
.
The main historical events portrayed in this work occur between World War I
and World War II
. The series often uses satire
and comedy to reinterpret well-known historical events as well as historical and cultural trivia. Historical, political, and military interaction between countries is allegorically misrepresented in Hetalia as social and romantic interaction between the characters; the webcomic version in particular depicts military and economic incursions using various innuendo.
and micronations such as Sealand
have also been personified.
s of the series. The representations of countries also part of the historical Axis powers, such as Hungary, make additional appearances.
and published by Gentosha Comics
. The first volume was released on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, and the third on May 20, 2010. The second and third tankōbon were released as a standard edition and a special edition that included an extra small booklet.
In January 2009 Anime News Network
reported that the series would also begin serialization in Gentosha's seinen
manga magazine Comic Birz
starting in the April issue, but this was later announced to be a publishing error. The Gentosha press release on which ANN had based their article actually referred a new series by Himaruya, Chibisan Date
. Amazon.com
has listed Hetalia: Axis Powers as being licensed by Tokyopop for a North American release, with the first volume released on September 21, 2010. It is not known yet who will publish the third and fourth volumes in North America following Tokyopop's move to close publishing in the region.
, Diamond Daydreams
) and is animated by Studio Deen
. It was originally scheduled for broadcast on Kids Station
on January 24, 2009 but was later canceled. The cancellation only affected the Kids Stations broadcasts; plans to make the series available through mobile phone and Internet streaming were not affected. The controversies arose when numerous Korean protesters called for the cancellation of the series, claiming that the personified character of Korea was an insulting representation of Koreans. Kids Station
claimed that the Korea character does not appear in the anime and that it was "unaware of the criticism in Korea," and cited "various circumstances" as being behind the decision to cancel its airing of the anime, but they did not provide further information as to the nature of these circumstances. A second 26-episode season of Hetalia: Axis Powers was announced on April 16, 2009, and a third was announced on December 10, 2009. As of March 7, 2010, the title of the anime has been changed to Hetalia: World Series. A fourth season has been announced for Hetalia and will premiere on September 10. This season will feature the new characters Denmark
and Norway
.
On January 8, 2010, Funimation announced it had acquired the rights to release the first and second seasons of Hetalia in the United States
and Canada
. Funimation later began streaming Hetalia on their website, Hulu
, and YouTube
with Japanese audio and English subtitles and announced that characters would have accents in the English dub. Via Twitter
, Funimation clarified that the series was rated TV-MA due to "some instances of profanity, crude humor and adult situations", and that they base ratings on entire series rather than individual episodes. The first DVD was released on September 14, 2010. Funimation have announced at Otakon
2010, that they have the license the Hetalia World Series and will simulcast the episodes and release them on DVD in 2011. In the UK, the series will be distributed by Manga Entertainment
.
Certain Animate
stores will carry Hetalia-themed Purikura booths for a limited time, with a total of 10 anime sticker options.
The series has made its North American television debut on December 23, 2010 on the Funimation Channel
.
2010, Funimation Entertainment
announced the license of the film. The English dubbed version made its premiere at the Anime Weekend Atlanta convention, taking place from September 30 to October 2, 2011. To be released on November 22, 2011, each DVD will come with a green bandana as a bonus.
in Japan. It was developed by Otomate and published by Idea Factory
.
manga best seller list. Volume 1 topped the list on October 10, 2010, and Volume 2 topped the list on January 16, 2011. Volume 1 has been in the top ten for twenty-one weeks and Volume 2 for fourteen weeks.
Readers reviews of the British magazine NEO
gave positive to mixed reviews for the anime version. One reviewer, Ellis Wylam, said that: "The animation is very colourful and cheery, and makes you astonished how they managed to create something so hilarious, fun, light-hearted and enjoyable out of a World War." However, Wylam also said that: "Unfortunately, some jokes (particularly in the first episodes) didn't make me laugh hysterically 'laugh out loud', as much as was expecting when I bought the DVD. However, the humour seemed to develop in later episodes, making you give out giggles that translate as "did he actually just say that?!"
The second reviewer, Lara Garnermann, said that: "Hetalia is an extremely intelligently written anime, suited to anyone with an interest in world history or international politics, and of course anyone who wants to laugh for 26 episodes straight." However, the third reviewer, Rohan 'Amuro' Hine, was more critical saying: "It is a very funny series, but a lot of jokes will go over your head, due to Japan having different stereotypes than us. For example, while we think the French are white flag waving cowards, in this, it's Italy who is the coward, and hides behind Germany for protection. And some jokes can go over your head if you don't have a PHD in history as well."
A review for the second season of Hetalia, also in NEO by Matt Kamen gave the DVD of the season four stars, each for the program and the DVD extras. Kamen wrote that: "Despite its risqué jokes and abundance of national stereotypes, Hetalia thankfully manages to stay on just the right side of casual comedy racism - maybe that's why we don't feel too bad laughing uproariously at the dub, particularly Japan's heavy "Engrish" accent! It's best not to ask too many questions of this show - instead, just sit back and enjoy while Hetalia conquers your world."
Hetalia won the 2011 NEO Award for "Best Manga" in a public vote.
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
, later adapted as a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and an anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series, by . The series presents an allegorical
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
trivialisation of political and historic events, particularly of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era, in which the various countries are represented by stereotyped
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
anthropomorphic characters
Moé anthropomorphism
is a form of anthropomorphism where moe qualities are given to non-human beings, objects, concepts, or phenomena. In addition to moe features, moe anthropomorphisms are also characterized by their accessories, which serve to emphasize their original forms before anthropomorphosis...
. The main characters are the countries which made up the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
and Allies of World War II
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
, namely Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(North Italy in particular), Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, England
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(representing the United Kingdom), France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. is a portmanteau combining and . This is to make light of Italy's domination by neighboring states since the Italian War of 1521–1526.
Himaruya originally created Hetalia as an online webcomic
Webcomic
Webcomics, online comics, or Internet comics are comics published on a website. While many are published exclusively on the web, others are also published in magazines, newspapers or often in self-published books....
, and so far four tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
have been published by Gentosha Comics
Gentosha
is a Japanese publisher, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Gentosha publishes manga magazine Comic Birz, Web comic magazines GENZO, SPICA, Comic MAGNA, literary magazines Lynx, papyrus, as well as business magazine GOETHE.- Publications :...
, the first on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, the third on May 20, 2010 and the fourth on June 30, 2011. English translations of the first two volumes have been published by Tokyopop
Tokyopop
Tokyopop, styled TOKYOPOP, and formerly known as Mixx, is a distributor, licensor, and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa, and Western manga-style works. The existing German publishing division produces German translations of licensed Japanese properties and original English-language manga, as well...
in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Both printed volumes published so far have topped The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
manga best seller list. The series was later adapted into drama CDs, and an anime series created by Studio Deen
Studio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
has also begun streaming online. As of January 8, 2010, the anime series' international distribution is being handled by Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
.
The main historical events portrayed in this work occur between World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The series often uses satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
and comedy to reinterpret well-known historical events as well as historical and cultural trivia. Historical, political, and military interaction between countries is allegorically misrepresented in Hetalia as social and romantic interaction between the characters; the webcomic version in particular depicts military and economic incursions using various innuendo.
Main characters
So far, over 40 countries have been personified as human characters. Ancient empires such as the Roman EmpireRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and micronations such as Sealand
Principality of Sealand
The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognized entity, located on HM Fort Roughs, a former World War II Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea 10 km off the coast of Suffolk, England, United Kingdom ....
have also been personified.
Axis Powers
The Axis Powers group of characters consists primarily of Germany, Italy, and Japan, who are also the protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
s of the series. The representations of countries also part of the historical Axis powers, such as Hungary, make additional appearances.
- Italy, the primary protagonist and the title character, is a bright, energetic and sweet young man. In the series, he is depicted at various points as the infant grandson of the Roman Empire (known as Grandpa Rome), and is recognized as the weakest character in the series, and as a carefree and cowardly soldier who often depends on Germany to resolve issues. He has good contacts with Poland. His artistry and extreme love of pasta and pizza are references to Italian culture. He uses his adorable ways and cute face to charm any girl he meets. He is portrayed as a "lovable loser". Italy represents the northern half of the country of Italy, while his older brother represents the southern half. Hence, their full character names are Italy VenezianoVeniceVenice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Italy RomanoRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In the anime series, both Italies are voiced by Daisuke NamikawaDaisuke Namikawais a Japanese voice actor who is affiliated with Across Entertainment.He started acting in 1984. He is sometimes mistaken for fellow voice actor Daisuke Hirakawa, as their names only differ by one character when written in kanji. Despite his wide range of voice casting, he is usually cast as young,...
in Japanese. In English, Veneziano is voiced by Todd HaberkornTodd HaberkornTodd Michael Haberkorn is an American actor, voice actor, ADR Director and Script writer at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000...
and Romano is voiced by Ian SinclairIan Sinclair (voice actor)Ian Sinclair is an American ADR director and voice actor for Funimation Entertainment. He is known for playing Dallas Genoard in Baccano!, Dr...
. Young Italy, known as Chibitalia is voiced by Aki Kanada in Japanese and Brina PalenciaBrina PalenciaBrina Michelle Palencia is an American voice actress, singer, and ADR director who works for Funimation Entertainment. She has provided voices for a number of English language versions of Japanese anime films and television series.Apart from her adult female voices, she has been cast in younger...
in English.
- Germany is a hard-working, efficient, bureaucratic, and serious character. In the series, Germany is primus inter paresPrimus inter paresPrimus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
among the Axis Powers, and takes responsibility for the training of Italy and Japan. Another aspect of his character is his relative inexperience with relationships, leading him to be very by-the-book as a result of the belief that things will go wrong if he does not follow instructions to the letter. His extreme devotion to the military lifestyle would make him an effective leader, if not for the fact of constantly baby-sitting Italy. Despite this, as the series progresses, he forms a close relationship with Italy. He notes at one point that he has a "crazy boss", a reference to the historical figure of HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
. In the anime series, he is voiced by Hiroki YasumotoHiroki Yasumotois a Japanese voice actor.-Television Animation:*Black Blood Brothers *Bleach , *Coyote Ragtime Show *Dōjin Work *Durarara!!...
in Japanese and Patrick SeitzPatrick SeitzPatrick Seitz is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script Writer primarily known for his work for Geneon Entertainment, Bang Zoom! Entertainment, Bandai Entertainment, Media Blasters, NYAV Post, New Generation Pictures, Funimation Entertainment, and Viz Media...
in English.
- Japan is a reclusive, polite and hard-working character. When he introduces himself to Italy, he says that his hobby, "is to read the atmosphere of a conversation and answer in the least offensive way possible." He seems to have a problem with others being in his personal space, for he gets uncomfortable if anyone touches him or gets too close. In the series, he is shown to be inexperienced with the Western world, and prone to culture shockCulture shockCulture shock is the anxiety, feelings of frustration, alienation and anger that may occur when a person is emplaced in a new culture.One of the most common causes of culture shock involves individuals in a foreign country. Culture shock can be described as consisting of one or more distinct phases...
. He looks young, but claims he is very old, his character design features dark brown eyes and black hair, common physical traits among Japanese people. He often tries to adopt the cultures of other countries he meets such as France. Generally quiet, he is often depicted with the attitude of a businesslike old man. In the anime series, he is voiced by Hiroki TakahashiHiroki Takahashiis a Japanese voice actor best known for the role of Eiji Kikumaru in The Prince of Tennis, Kenji Harima in School Rumble and Katsuya Jonouchi in Yu-Gi-Oh. He works at Big Shot/Interchannel. He also has voice acted in some yaoi Drama CD's such as Love Neco, and Koi cha no Osahou...
in Japanese and Christopher BevinsChristopher BevinsChristopher Bevins is an American voice actor and ADR director who is also known as Chris Bevins...
in English.
Allied Forces
The Allied Forces group consists primarily of the characters America, Britain (also known as England), France, China and Russia. These characters are often depicted as comically failing to reach consensus in their war meetings. The representations of countries also part of the historical Allies of World War II, such as Canada, make additional appearances.
- America is an energetic and headstrong character. In the series, he is raised by England and later fights for his independence. America is very similar in appearance to Canada, who is often forgotten and was seen "invisible" by other nations. The self-proclaimed leader of the Allied Forces, his catchphrase is "I'm the hero!" His ideas for solving international problems are often absurd, but he is usually oblivious to the opinions of others. America's ideas and inventions are grand, but rarely go anywhere. His crippling fear of ghosts is at odds with his friendly acquaintance with a grey alien named Tony, who lives in his house. America is frequently seen clutching a hamburger, or eating while speaking. He is often portrayed as a rude fellow and one who has disregard for whom his actions affect or just what they might be. Despite his faults, he cares about his friends and always helps others. He has a mixed colored blond and brown hair, has blue eyes, and wears glasses. In the anime series, he is voiced by Katsuyuki KonishiKatsuyuki Konishiis a Japanese voice actor from Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture. He is currently affiliated with Ken Production. His debut role was Volfogg/Big Volfogg in GaoGaiGar....
in Japanese and Eric ValeEric ValeChristopher Eric Johnson better known by his stage name Eric Vale, is an American voice actor, ADR Director, Script, and Head Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment...
in English, both of whom also voice Canada. As a child, America is voiced by Ai IwamuraAi Iwamura, also known as is a Japanese actress.Iwamura is best known for her role as Mai in Battle Royale. Iwamura also fulfills some "stand-in" roles as Izumi Kanai, Noriko Nakagawa, Hirono Shimizu, and Haruka Tanizawa . Iwamura also stars as Mai in Battle Royale II: Requiem. She also voiced MarineAngemon...
in Japanese and Luci ChristianLuci ChristianLouisa Michelle Christian is an American voice actress and ADR Script Writer who is affiliated with Funimation Entertainment, ADV Films, Seraphim Digital, and OkraTron 5000...
in English.
- England, also known as the United Kingdom, Britain, or Arthur Kirkland, is depicted as an irritable young man. A former pirate, he is now a cynical and sharp-tongued gentleman.In Japanese terms you could also call him a "tsundere". Some of his notable character traits include his terrible cooking skills, foul mouth, ability to see supernatural creatures ("imaginary friends"), and ability to perform magic curses on his enemies. Britain is most antagonistic towards France, with whom he shares a long rivalry, and America, his former chargeCharge (youth)During the European Middle Ages, a charge often meant an underage person placed under the supervision of a nobleman. Charges were the responsibility of the nobleman they were charged to, and they were usually expected to be treated as guests or a member of the household...
. He's usually recognized for his large eyebrows, spiky blond hair and green eyes. In the English release of the anime, when asked why they opted to choose the name "Britain" over "England", Funimation explained that it was a request from the Japanese studio. Tokyopop, the English publisher of the manga, refers to him as "England."
- In one strip he notes that he has an older brother named Scotland. Himaruya has confirmed that England represents the UK and England, while Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales are his siblings. England's other relation is Sealand, a micronation whom England considers to be an annoyance due to his continued attempts to get other countries to recognise him as his own state. In the anime series, England's voice actor is Noriaki SugiyamaNoriaki Sugiyamais a Japanese voice actor and television actor best known for his roles as Sasuke Uchiha in Naruto, Uryū Ishida in Bleach, Shirō Emiya in Fate/Stay Night, and England in Axis Powers Hetalia....
, and his English voice actor is Scott FreemanScott Freeman (voice actor)Scott Freeman is an American voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment. He is known for providing voices for Japanese anime.He is best known for playing England in Hetalia: Axis Powers and Yuji Sakamoto in Baka and Test.-Anime roles:...
.
- France is a romantic, carefree character. In the series, he is shown to have a long-held rivalry with Britain. However, he frequently makes sexual passes at many characters, including England. France explains away his long history of military defeats by attributing them to a joke from God. He regards himself as the eldest brother among the European nations and is referred to as such by some of them, though he calls Spain his elder brother in turn. However, he gets very upset when another nation refers to him as an 'old man', as he claims he's still young. When he is happy, his laugh (hohonhohon) is intended to be a stereotype of him being French. He is often depicted wearing flashy blue and red clothes with a rose, holding it in his hand. In the anime series, he is voiced by Masaya OnosakaMasaya OnosakaMasaya Onosaka , born October 13, 1964 in Osaka) is a seiyū who works for Aoni Production. In 2010 he won the "Best Personality" Seiyu Award.-TV Anime:*Agent Aika *Angelic Layer '...
in Japanese and J. Michael TatumJ. Michael TatumJohn Michael Tatum is an American voice actor, ADR Director, and Script writer who works for anime series at Funimation Entertainment and OkraTron 5000...
in English.
- Russia is the tallest of all the nations, but has the innocence and cruelty of a child. He adores vodka and sunflowers. His primary target of resentment is General WinterRussian WinterThe Russian Winter is a common explanation for military failures of invaders in Russia. Common nicknames are General Frost, General Winter and General Snow. Another was "General Mud"....
, because despite using the cold to his advantage in war, he is also attacked by him every year. Russia has a kind face, but has mentally cracked from the strain of his bloody history. Despite his brutalities towards others, he truly means well. The other nations are terrified of him, especially the Baltic Trio (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia), whom he loves to abuse physically and emotionally. Occasionally, he stalks China, while in a panda costume. Russia also has two sisters: his older sister, Ukraine and his younger sister, Belarus. He becomes gloomy and depressed when either of them is on his mind because Ukraine left him to try and make friends in the European UnionEuropean UnionThe European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and Belarus is obsessed with the idea of forcing him to marry her. She seems to be the only other country which Russia fears. Russia happily promises that eventually "all will become one with Russia". Another favorite phrase is "kolkolkolkolImpalementImpalement is the traumatic penetration of an organism by an elongated foreign object such as a stake, pole, or spear, and this usually implies complete perforation of the central mass of the impaled body...
", used when he is angered. Russia is often seen carrying a water faucet pipe. For unknown reasons Poland is not afraid of him (probably because Poland is the only country that won a war with him and General Winter). In the anime series, he is voiced by Yasuhiro TakatoYasuhiro Takatois a Japanese voice actor who works for Aoni Production.-Film and television:*Saruo in Dōbutsu no Mori , the film adaptation of the Animal Crossing video game series.*Mesopotamion Guy and Haou in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo*Jean in Captain Tsubasa...
in Japanese and Jerry JewellJerry JewellJerry Dean Jewell is an American actor, Singer, and voice actor who works for Funimation Entertainment...
in English.
- China is one of the oldest nations, being depicted as immortal as well as being four thousand years old, and is regarded as the eldest brother among the East Asian nations. He is disturbed and distrustful of Russia, reflecting the Sino-Soviet SplitSino-Soviet splitIn political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
that actually occurred after the war. China's favorite food is variety, and as such has certain tastes for things and gets irritated if a food has a certain pattern of tastes. He is a big fan of Hello KittyHello Kittyis a fictional character produced by the Japanese company Sanrio, first designed by Yuko Shimizu. She is portrayed as a female white Japanese bobtail cat with a red bow. The character's first appearance on an item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in Japan in 1974 and brought to the United States...
and tends to end his sentences with the suffix -aru, a Japanese stereotype of how Chinese people speak. However, he replaces the customary -aru with the suffix -ahen, which means opiumOpiumOpium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
, when speaking to England, as a reference to the Opium WarsOpium WarsThe Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire...
. After China's defeat in the Opium War, he became the cook for England and France. During the fight between the Axis and Allies, China fights Germany and Japan with a WokWokA wok is a versatile round-bottomed cooking vessel originating in China. It is used especially in East and Southeast Asia.Woks are most often used for stir frying, but can also be used in other Chinese cooking techniques, such as in steaming, deep frying, braising, stewing, smoking, or making soup...
(round cooking pan) and ladleLadleLadle may refer to:* Ladle , a serving device, typically for soup* Ladle , a foundry ladle used to carry and pour molten metal...
, which became his weapon of choice that also serves as a stereotype that China serves good food. China's boss was introduced as a green Chinese dragon with an intimidating appearance, but in reality, he is quite relaxed and moderate as well as shown to be bullied by China in a comedic way. China is often depicted with pandasGiant PandaThe giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
. In the anime series, he is voiced by Yuki KaidaYuki Kaidais a voice actress and radio personality from Tokyo, Japan. Although she has an extensive vocal range, voicing a large variety of characters throughout her career, she is commonly typecasted as young males, achieving mainstream success as her roles in Hunter × Hunter as Kurapika, The Prince of...
in Japanese and Clarine HarpClarine HarpClarine Harp is an American voice actress, Blu-ray and DVD Producer, and production assistant who works for FUNimation Entertainment....
in English.
Manga
The original Hetalia: Axis Powers web comic was adapted into three tankōbonTankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
and published by Gentosha Comics
Gentosha
is a Japanese publisher, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo. Gentosha publishes manga magazine Comic Birz, Web comic magazines GENZO, SPICA, Comic MAGNA, literary magazines Lynx, papyrus, as well as business magazine GOETHE.- Publications :...
. The first volume was released on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, and the third on May 20, 2010. The second and third tankōbon were released as a standard edition and a special edition that included an extra small booklet.
In January 2009 Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
reported that the series would also begin serialization in Gentosha's seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
manga magazine Comic Birz
Comic Birz
is a Japanese seinen manga magazine published on a monthly basis by Gentosha.-Manga titles published in Birz:*888*Akaten Hero!*Arm of Kannon*Beast of East*Blood Sucker*Bushidō*Butterfly*Category: Freaks*Chalk...
starting in the April issue, but this was later announced to be a publishing error. The Gentosha press release on which ANN had based their article actually referred a new series by Himaruya, Chibisan Date
Chibisan Date
is a manga series by . The series chronicles the story of Seiji Chiga, a young man from Japan studying to become an artist on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and his interactions with his new friends, during the 1960s ....
. Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
has listed Hetalia: Axis Powers as being licensed by Tokyopop for a North American release, with the first volume released on September 21, 2010. It is not known yet who will publish the third and fourth volumes in North America following Tokyopop's move to close publishing in the region.
Drama CDs
Hetalia: Axis Powers has been adapted into a series of drama CDs, and so far nine have been released. An independently produced CD that was recorded prior to voice casting of the anime (Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD) was released on September 14, 2008. The first official CD (Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue) was released on August 29, 2008, the second (Hetalia Drama CD: Volume 1) on October 24, 2008, the third (Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2) on December 29, 2008, the fourth (Hetalia Drama CD: Volume 2) on June 3, 2009, the fifth (Hetalia Drama CD Interval Vol.1: The CD Of The Awesome Me) on August 15, 2009, the sixth (Hetalia Fantasia) on August 27, 2009, the seventh (Hetalia Drama CD Interval Vol.2: Boss CD) on December 8, 2010, and the eighth (Hetalia Fantasia 2) on December 10, 2010. An ninth official Drama CD based on the Gakuen Hetalia PSP game will be released in 2011.Anime
An anime adaptation of Hetalia: Axis Powers was announced on July 24, 2008. It is directed by Bob Shirohata (GravitationGravitation (manga)
is a shōnen-ai manga series written by Maki Murakami.The story follows the attempts of Shuichi Shindo and his band, Bad Luck, to become Japan's next musical sensation and his struggles to capture Yuki's heart...
, Diamond Daydreams
Diamond Daydreams
is a Japanese visual novel game series, set in Hokkaidō. It was developed by Red Entertainment and published by Hudson Soft.-History:The series began with , which was released on March 18, 1999 for the Dreamcast. A fandisc, , was later released on August 5, the same year. On October 30, 2003, the...
) and is animated by Studio Deen
Studio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
. It was originally scheduled for broadcast on Kids Station
Kids Station
Kids Station is a Japanese children's television channel showing animation and other cartoon material. Kids Station also airs some anime aimed at adults during the night, such as Narutaru, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Genshiken, Kujibiki Unbalance and "Rosario + Vampire". It is broadcast on...
on January 24, 2009 but was later canceled. The cancellation only affected the Kids Stations broadcasts; plans to make the series available through mobile phone and Internet streaming were not affected. The controversies arose when numerous Korean protesters called for the cancellation of the series, claiming that the personified character of Korea was an insulting representation of Koreans. Kids Station
Kids Station
Kids Station is a Japanese children's television channel showing animation and other cartoon material. Kids Station also airs some anime aimed at adults during the night, such as Narutaru, Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Genshiken, Kujibiki Unbalance and "Rosario + Vampire". It is broadcast on...
claimed that the Korea character does not appear in the anime and that it was "unaware of the criticism in Korea," and cited "various circumstances" as being behind the decision to cancel its airing of the anime, but they did not provide further information as to the nature of these circumstances. A second 26-episode season of Hetalia: Axis Powers was announced on April 16, 2009, and a third was announced on December 10, 2009. As of March 7, 2010, the title of the anime has been changed to Hetalia: World Series. A fourth season has been announced for Hetalia and will premiere on September 10. This season will feature the new characters Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
On January 8, 2010, Funimation announced it had acquired the rights to release the first and second seasons of Hetalia in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Funimation later began streaming Hetalia on their website, Hulu
Hulu
Hulu is a website and over-the-top subscription service offering ad-supported on-demand streaming video of TV shows, movies, webisodes and other new media, trailers, clips, and behind-the-scenes footage from NBC, Fox, ABC, and Obstacle on October 20th 2011 Nickelodeon and CBS and many other...
, and YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
with Japanese audio and English subtitles and announced that characters would have accents in the English dub. Via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, Funimation clarified that the series was rated TV-MA due to "some instances of profanity, crude humor and adult situations", and that they base ratings on entire series rather than individual episodes. The first DVD was released on September 14, 2010. Funimation have announced at Otakon
Otakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
2010, that they have the license the Hetalia World Series and will simulcast the episodes and release them on DVD in 2011. In the UK, the series will be distributed by Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
.
Certain Animate
Animate
is the retailing arm of MOVIC and is the largest retailer of anime, games, and manga in Japan. The first and headquarters store of Animate opened in 1983 and is located in Ikebukuro, a district in Tokyo, Japan. Currently, there are 38 Animate stores in Japan, and two in Taipei, Taiwan...
stores will carry Hetalia-themed Purikura booths for a limited time, with a total of 10 anime sticker options.
The series has made its North American television debut on December 23, 2010 on the Funimation Channel
FUNimation Channel
The FUNimation Channel is a 24-hour cable network which broadcasts anime series in the United States. OlympuSAT was chosen as the exclusive distributor of the network....
.
Movie
A feature-length animated film adaptation was announced on September 23, 2009, and was released on June 5, 2010. The film is entitled Paint it, White! and the eight main characters as well as supporting characters such as Liechtenstein, Sealand, Prussia, Finland, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Romano, Belarus, Ukraine, Greece, Poland, Canada and Iceland are set to appear in the film - the main plot of the movie involves a vast majority of characters being transformed into grey-white faceless aliens called Pict. At OtakonOtakon
Otakon is a fan convention in the United States focusing on East Asian popular culture and its fandom. The name is a portmanteau derived from convention and the Japanese word otaku...
2010, Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
announced the license of the film. The English dubbed version made its premiere at the Anime Weekend Atlanta convention, taking place from September 30 to October 2, 2011. To be released on November 22, 2011, each DVD will come with a green bandana as a bonus.
Video game
A single-player video game based on the anime titled of the action/adventure-comic genre was released on March 24, 2011 on the PlayStation PortablePlayStation Portable
The is a handheld game console manufactured and marketed by Sony Corporation Development of the console was announced during E3 2003, and it was unveiled on , 2004, at a Sony press conference before E3 2004...
in Japan. It was developed by Otomate and published by Idea Factory
Idea Factory
is a Japanese video game developer and publisher founded on October 26, 1994 headed by company president Koichi Ota and vice president Shingo Kuwana.-Games published:-Games developed:-External links:* * * * from IGN* from GameSpot...
.
Reception
Both volumes of the printed manga version of Hetalia: Axis Powers have topped The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
manga best seller list. Volume 1 topped the list on October 10, 2010, and Volume 2 topped the list on January 16, 2011. Volume 1 has been in the top ten for twenty-one weeks and Volume 2 for fourteen weeks.
Readers reviews of the British magazine NEO
Neo (magazine)
NEO is a 100-page monthly magazine published in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Uncooked Media that focuses on various aspects of East Asian entertainment such as Japanese anime and manga ; Hong Kong, Korean and Japanese films; and Japanese pop, rock and visual kei music, etc.The magazine...
gave positive to mixed reviews for the anime version. One reviewer, Ellis Wylam, said that: "The animation is very colourful and cheery, and makes you astonished how they managed to create something so hilarious, fun, light-hearted and enjoyable out of a World War." However, Wylam also said that: "Unfortunately, some jokes (particularly in the first episodes) didn't make me laugh hysterically 'laugh out loud', as much as was expecting when I bought the DVD. However, the humour seemed to develop in later episodes, making you give out giggles that translate as "did he actually just say that?!"
The second reviewer, Lara Garnermann, said that: "Hetalia is an extremely intelligently written anime, suited to anyone with an interest in world history or international politics, and of course anyone who wants to laugh for 26 episodes straight." However, the third reviewer, Rohan 'Amuro' Hine, was more critical saying: "It is a very funny series, but a lot of jokes will go over your head, due to Japan having different stereotypes than us. For example, while we think the French are white flag waving cowards, in this, it's Italy who is the coward, and hides behind Germany for protection. And some jokes can go over your head if you don't have a PHD in history as well."
A review for the second season of Hetalia, also in NEO by Matt Kamen gave the DVD of the season four stars, each for the program and the DVD extras. Kamen wrote that: "Despite its risqué jokes and abundance of national stereotypes, Hetalia thankfully manages to stay on just the right side of casual comedy racism - maybe that's why we don't feel too bad laughing uproariously at the dub, particularly Japan's heavy "Engrish" accent! It's best not to ask too many questions of this show - instead, just sit back and enjoy while Hetalia conquers your world."
Hetalia won the 2011 NEO Award for "Best Manga" in a public vote.
See also
- National personificationNational personificationA national personification is an anthropomorphization of a nation or its people; it can appear in both editorial cartoons and propaganda.Some early personifications in the Western world tended to be national manifestations of the majestic wisdom and war goddess Minerva/Athena, and often took the...
- Afghanis-tanAfghanis-tanor Afghanistan is a Japanese yonkoma manga, originally published as a webcomic, by Timaking . It is also the name of the heroine of the manga. The manga is nicknamed -Background:...
- a manga with a similar premise, but with girls personification instead of men, it focuses on Afghanistan and its neighboring countries. - Chibisan DateChibisan Dateis a manga series by . The series chronicles the story of Seiji Chiga, a young man from Japan studying to become an artist on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and his interactions with his new friends, during the 1960s ....
- the second published manga by Hidekaz Himaruya often advertised alongside Hetalia in Comic Birz. - Strike WitchesStrike Witchesis a mixed-media project originally created by Humikane Shimada via a series of magazine illustration columns. It was later adapted into two light novel series, three manga series, an anime OVA, a televised anime series and various video games. The story revolves around teenage girls who are...
, a manga and anime series also set during World War II and featuring moe anthropomorphism, with characters being personifications of military aircraft.
External links
- Hidekaz Himaruya's official manga Kitayume website
- Official Gentosha Comics Hetalia: Axis Powers website
- Official Hetalia anime website
- Official Funimation Hetalia website
- Official Digital Edition of Hetalia on TOKYOPOP's profile through Zinio
- Hetalia Day, a day devoted to the series coninciding with United Nations DayUnited Nations DayIn 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared 24 October, the anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, as which "shall be devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gaining their support for" its work.In 1971 the...
.