Comments on: Hetalia: Axis Power

By: Hi

Hi — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:27:09 +0000

Hi
Just dropping by… I think this is the most sanest post I’ve read regarding this comic book given the recent issues this comic book engendered. I personally think the book should’ve been keep as a webcomic, not be created into an animated series as well.

By: Alice

Alice — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:45:08 +0000

I have similar issues with the politics of Hetalia myself, even though I admit I do enjoy it. I suppose that, as opposed to the kind of oversimplification inherent in political cartoons contemporary to any era, this kind of moe anthropomorphism applied to history does make the political agendas of the author more opaque. It’s a dangerous kind of subtlety when the effects of these events still hold so much relevance to the political context of today. I enjoy it for the same reasons I’d enjoy any webcomic, and appreciate why it has the kind of fan-base it does, but it often just strikes me as being in rather poor taste.

By: Sayaka

Sayaka — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:08:42 +0000

嫌韓流 and 小林やすのり’s 台湾の歴史 have very strong political opinions. But Hetalia does not have such a strong message but focuses on a more entertaining aspect. Because of its ‘innocent’ look, the reader of Hetalia is less careful in absorbing the information, I’m afraid.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:23:36 +0000

I’d be surprised if there was a “history manga” that didn’t offend in terms of national stereotypes or one-sided ideological leanings. The two I’ve seen (Kankanryuu and A History of Taiwan in Comics) were pretty bad.

By: KML

KML — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:00:58 +0000

I totally agree with your concerns. The idea of personified nations as characters can of course be fun, but these national-level stereotypes, especially when applied to a period of history like this merely reifies the idea of a “national spirit” that was one of the reasons behind the horrors of mid-20th to start with.