[Anime Ima] Hetalia: Axis Powers

This article is part of a segment on the site where I will introduce readers to the wonders of anime that may not be well-known in the States. I always attempt to find the odd, gross, and uncomfortable to watch along with the funny, clever, and dramatic series that anime geeks crave.

If all of the nations of the world were people, how would they act? Would America constantly eat, act with bravado, and claim others’ accomplishments as her own? Would Japan be stern, soft spoken, and devious? Would Italy be mentally handicapped? All of these questions attempt to be answered by this week’s Ima. A mix of stereotypes, comedic drama, and slapstick, Hetalia: Axis Powers re-imagines Earth’s world wars as subtle disagreements between very empathetic characters, all the while willfully ignoring the atrocities committed during the actual wars. For my full review, hit the jump.

What it’s about:

This anime is one that defies conventional explanation. That being said, every country represented in WWI and WWII is personified as a stereotypical character. While this may be great for the first ten episodes, some of the stereotypes and generalizations grow tiring. The anime follows these countries through the major events in both wars, changed to reflect their personifications.

Italy, the main protagonist (or is it antagonist?), is presented as a goofy and semi-retarded inept character, who always looks to Germany to rescue him. Italy loves pasta (obviously), and will surrender at a moment’s notice. The rest of the axis is rounded out by Germany, a very gruff and no-nonsense character who often feels insecure and misunderstood, and Japan, a very aloof and dire character who is extremely kind and polite, but constantly questions why he chose the side that he’s on.

The allies are led by America, a character that is arrogant, full of reckless gusto, and constantly is eating hamburgers. America’s catchphrase “I’m the hero!” is used for comedic effect throughout the series, and almost always works. The rest of the allies, Britain, France, and Russia (along with some minor countries) each have their own quirks and stereotypes. Britain is usually very serious, constantly quarrels with America but regularly sees imaginary creatures; Russia is a psychopath who erupts in fits of rage; France is a hedonist and romantic who regularly tries to bed the other nations.

Why you should(n’t) watch it:

This series has many things going for it: slapstick humor (that actually works), great drama pieces, and the often amazing interpretations of world events. There is a scene with the Great Roman Empire’s self-written opera, and it had me rolling. The series also does an amazing job of interpreting the American Revolution as a squabble between America and his caretaker, Britain. It’s dramatic moments like these that make the series deeper than just a clash of stereotypes.

However, it seems pretty irresponsible to not mention the major atrocities of the great wars. There is no mention of the Holocaust (although there are some jokes targeted at Jews), which seems pretty offensive given the context. The fact that they paint Germany as such a misunderstood character seems completely wrong to me. That being said, if Germany were a Jew-hating, psychotic Nazi bent on world domination, a good show this would not make.

Naturally, the bias with which they paint Japan isn’t surprising, but Japan committed some horrible deeds to China during WWII. No mention of the Rape of Nanking here, just China beating up the Axis powers with a wok and spoon, while aiding the allies with the proletariat (an extremely funny scene, granted). Japan wasn’t blameless in WWII, and even the creators of this show must know that.

I honestly don’t know how to view this series. If you view history as something static and remove yourself from the emotions of the major conflicts of the day, this series is pretty amazing. However, if you view history as something that we shouldn’t forget — lest we are doomed to repeat it — then this series’ willful ignorance of history will more than likely turn you off. Each 5 minute episode brings something new, though, and the way that the show handles history is often with a deft hand and sharp wit. However, I just couldn’t stop the niggling at the back of my mind that something was just…off…and I would like to know if anyone else feels the same.

I watched the English dub of this anime; I recommend doing the same, as each of the characters has the accent of his or her country, often used for comedic effect. You can catch the full series on Netflix. And as always, you can leave your comments below. You can also catch me @JamesMcCaulley on twitter or email me at jmccaulley@pixelatedgeek.com.