The brilliance of Hetalia is in the way it lampoons international relations. Okay, technically that’s eight, but I suppose titular character Italy (“Hetalia” is a portmanteau of “Italia” and the Japanese word for “good-for-nothing”) can be our demented Snow White. While the assortment of characters within the Hetalia universe is immense, given the ease of throwing another country into the mix whenever warranted, the main cast is comprised of the major Axis and Allied players of WWII, and the wacky personalities of this bunch come off like a politically incorrect rendition of the seven dwarves: ditzy (Italy), flinty (Germany), stilly (Japan), cocky (America), dopey (Russia), stately (China), prissy (England), and vain (France). Now, in this second look, let us examine if Hetalia is truly deserving of a suspicious eye or if one can carelessly enjoy it as innocent, albeit unashamedly taboo, satire.įor the uninitiated, the central concept of this no-holds-barred comedy is that of World War II era nations personified as attractive young men (and a few gals), complete with ethnic stereotypes defining their traits. This is an argument that few would disagree with, and it’s this concern over the potential impact of Hetaliathat Daryl Surat raises in his feature coverage of the theatrical film Paint It, White! in the February 2012 issue of Otaku USA. Propaganda is a powerful and dangerous tool.
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