(L) Hetalia Axis Powers (all seasons)

[Radittz]

The dumbest character... You know, I would say it's my country - Poland XD;
about relations with other countries - in Hetalia Poland can do nothing without Lithuania's help - it's kinda not true historical view but I think it's sweet....
actually Hetalia characters presents worst stereotypes about all countries and magically change them into cute stuff - for example "Polish Jokes".
In few weeks Hetalia manga will be published in my country - I think it's great and I'm trying to not worry about some "sensitive people"...anyway - if there will be no problems in Poland it can be published everywhere

[Avisch]

Originally Posted by Radittz

The dumbest character... You know, I would say it's my country - Poland XD;
about relations with other countries - in Hetalia Poland can do nothing without Lithuania's help - it's kinda not true historical view but I think it's sweet....
actually Hetalia characters presents worst stereotypes about all countries and magically change them into cute stuff - for example "Polish Jokes".
In few weeks Hetalia manga will be published in my country - I think it's great and I'm trying to not worry about some "sensitive people"...anyway - if there will be no problems in Poland it can be published everywhere

LOl. I just read that one on the Polish joke. I had first seen that joke in the Black Lagoon manga of all places.

Heh. I'm half-polish but I don't know no any polski. But I still identify my self with Poland.

I think Poland is one of the cutest characters in Hetalia, refusing to back down (It'll always be my turn!). I'm annoyed they didn't keep the really nice moment where he says "I won't let you bully Liet" in the first episode (which depicted the world conference strip)

[domino]

Originally Posted by Radittz

The dumbest character... You know, I would say it's my country - Poland XD;
about relations with other countries - in Hetalia Poland can do nothing without Lithuania's help - it's kinda not true historical view but I think it's sweet....
actually Hetalia characters presents worst stereotypes about all countries and magically change them into cute stuff - for example "Polish Jokes".
In few weeks Hetalia manga will be published in my country - I think it's great and I'm trying to not worry about some "sensitive people"...anyway - if there will be no problems in Poland it can be published everywhere

I feel like in Hetalia Poland is always protecting Lithuania and being a nice friend... I like those two characters' friendship a lot. And the "it's always my turn!" and "Polish rule" lines are hilarious
The "Polish jokes" comic is adorable, too~ .. I wonder, is it based on a real joke?

And you say Hetalia manga will be published in Poland?! By what publisher? I didn't think Hetalia was being published anywhere outside of Japan..! Are any other countries currently planning to publish it? It will be interesting to one day see Hetalia published around the world~ ♪

[ipernorris]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

You do realize i was making a joke?

Yeah, but a joke of a joke is even better! Do you realize?

[Zaresh]

Poland is the BEST.

I said it !!! Oh shi--

He's one... no, he's my favorite character :3.

[kira-sama]

I'm really happy Hetalia made into anime
my favorite character is Austria!!!

[Hourai]

Has anybody seen episode 2 yet, and is it good?

[cyth]

Can't comment just yet. Apparently their DRM servers have crashed.

[KJlost]

Originally Posted by wandering-dreamer

... After seeing all of the arguments for and against hetalia I just want to say one thing. You guys DO know that it's not the nation of Japan or the Japanese government making this show, right? It's someone's little idea that hit it big, not the Japanese in general trying to make fun of a nation or the Japanese government trying to cover up history again. I think part of the Korean problem is that the people in Korea (who are annoyed with this, obviously not all the Koreans) don't seem to understand that this isn't a true or possibly even a (Japanese) largely held view of what Koreans are like.
Although it does greatly amuse me that a gag manga about international politics is now being involved in real world international politics.

We happen to be relatively sensitive about potential views of the Japanese public because you know, Japan is supposed to be a democratic nation, and their views are supposed to mean something.

Now, I fully realize that this is just a silly idea, and it probably does not deserve the attention it received from the Korean public. However, it is still part of popular media, the key word here being [popular]. It's a method of spreading and influencing one's views--whether intentional or unintentional--to a larger audience. Would we have cared if this was a private thing? No probably not. It wasn't when it was still just a comic right? Few people exposed, few people knew about it. Koreans, including myself, who knew of the comic, were mildly annoyed with it, but hey, what are you going to do about it? But translating the material to another media, where it becomes more readily accessible....that's irritating.

I do admit that a good portion of the reaction was irrational and immaterial. Internet views are like that. BUT, I still didn't like that fact that a Japanese person had decided to make light of a situation and a period of time that is very sensitive to us and--in many ways--remains UNRESOLVED. It might be okay to make satire of a situation that has been settled and dealt with. However, in majority of Korean's views, the issue with Japan regarding the colonization of Korea, remains a raw and sensitive issue. You're going to get a severe reaction if you mess with an open wound.

You have to understand that this is not an issue with the animation itself, not entirely anyway. This is something that just happened to touch the nerve of a much deeper issue, and most of people probably don't and can't appreciate that. So let's just leave it at that. You'll watch the shows, and we'll try our best to bring it down, simple enough for me.

[Skyfall]

Originally Posted by KJlost

You'll watch the shows, and we'll try our best to bring it down, simple enough for me.

And with that, let us end this vain of the discussion. As you already admitted, this has little to with the anime itself, thus has little to do with AnimeSuki. This thread is for discussing the Hetalia Axis anime, not for extensive discussions revolving around real life issues considering some ruffled feathers regarding concepts the anime is not even touching. This has been sidetracking the intended scope of this thread for long enough, and i think it is about time it stopped. You are free to "do your best to bring the show down", but please do it someplace else. Further discussions on said subject will be treated as off-topic and dealt with accordingly. Thank you for understanding.

[domino]

Originally Posted by KJlost

We happen to be relatively sensitive about potential views of the Japanese public because you know, Japan is supposed to be a democratic nation, and their views are supposed to mean something.

Now, I fully realize that this is just a silly idea, and it probably does not deserve the attention it received from the Korean public. However, it is still part of popular media, the key word here being [popular]. It's a method of spreading and influencing one's views--whether intentional or unintentional--to a larger audience. Would we have cared if this was a private thing? No probably not. It wasn't when it was still just a comic right? Few people exposed, few people knew about it. Koreans, including myself, who knew of the comic, were mildly annoyed with it, but hey, what are you going to do about it? But translating the material to another media, where it becomes more readily accessible....that's irritating.

I do admit that a good portion of the reaction was irrational and immaterial. Internet views are like that. BUT, I still didn't like that fact that a Japanese person had decided to make light of a situation and a period of time that is very sensitive to us and--in many ways--remains UNRESOLVED. It might be okay to make satire of a situation that has been settled and dealt with. However, in majority of Korean's views, the issue with Japan regarding the colonization of Korea, remains a raw and sensitive issue. You're going to get a severe reaction if you mess with an open wound.

You have to understand that this is not an issue with the animation itself, not entirely anyway. This is something that just happened to touch the nerve of a much deeper issue, and most of people probably don't and can't appreciate that. So let's just leave it at that. You'll watch the shows, and we'll try our best to bring it down, simple enough for me.

I wonder if the people who are offended because Hetalia comes from Japan are aware of the fact that Hetalia is made by a young college student who is currently living in New York...? Not some old Japanese anti-country nationalist or anything.

I have a lot of Korean friends and understand how sensitive some Japan-related issues are with them, but if for some reason you are relating these issues to Hetalia, it's probably better to just quietly ignore Hetalia's existence instead of trying to cancel the show and ruin it for everyone. Let's just all have fun~

In any case, episode 2 is out. But it seems animate blocks foreign IPs from its web broadcast...

[Anh_Minh]

At last a positive portrayal of France! Well, OK, he seems vain, petty, and selfish, but compared to other portrayals I've come across in my time on the internet, it's relatively positive.

Also, not entirely undeserved.

[musouka]

The second episode was much improved. The game of "Italy kickball" especially struck me as amusing.

[Sian]

loved the part where they (holy rome, spain, vatican and france?) played ball with chibitalia and his brother :P

[kira-sama]

for me
i like the part where Germany told Italy "here the door is open, you don't want to escape???" hahahahaha

[Anh_Minh]

I liked the part where just out the door he started hitting on women...

[Guardian Enzo]

Dude, this is some batshit weird stuff here. But I'm strangely fascinated and can't stop watching.

[LeoXiao]

It's not not as good as i though it would be but then again the episodes are only five min each, so not much has really happened yet.

[Sense]

that this comic euphemizes and beautifies the horrors of world war two. It is a total degradation to those hurt by the war, and a ridicule of history. This 'hetalia' simply proves the lack of "PROPER" educationon WW2 in Japan (seeing that..at least one author fantasizes it as some glorious adventure of Japan and their dignified fall by horrendous nuclear bomb, and how he is willing to relive this war because he thinks it was Japan's best era).

The problem is not that it is stereotyping and ridiculing other countries in some occasions...but..

How bottomless can the value of history fall?
It scares me.


PS

There are countless animes that are cuter and funnier w/o touchy subject like WW2. Go watch those ones.

[Dagger]

My friend, there are popular video games where the players fight & kill as WWII soldiers. There are WWII board games. Precisely because Hetalia is not serious, I think it's far more benign than a lot of the other material out there...