Line #7 Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers


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9	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/aph_3.png]]
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12	Once upon a time, [[NationsAsPeople there was a man called]] UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire who ruled over all the Mediterranean. Then he [[VestigialEmpire died]], leaving his grandson Italy in his place. Despite the riches and talents he inherited, Italy was weak, and was a target for all his neighbors.
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14	Cut to UsefulNotes/WorldWarI. Germany waits at the Italian front, ready to face the heir to the mighty Roman Empire...
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16	He finds Italy hiding in a tomato crate. Poor Italy is scared [[TheDitz and has no idea what the hell is going on]], so Germany takes him under his wing, where he remains until UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. At the same time, the "Allied Forces" are getting ready to counter attack... if they can reach an agreement, that is.
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18	A popular Japanese series by Creator/HidekazHimaruya that is an allegorical tale of the history of the world, especially during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, with anthropomorphizations of different countries and the various stereotypes associated with them. ''Hetalia Axis Powers'' is at once educational, irreverently silly, occasionally touching, and [[RefugeInAudacity quite probably very offensive to certain people]]. Surprisingly, it gets many of the more subtle and less well-known relationships between European countries rather well-represented, which you usually [[ShownTheirWork wouldn't expect of foreign writers]].
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20	The word ''Hetalia'' is a portmanteau of hetare and Italia (Italy), which means [[TheMillstone hopeless Italy]], as Germany soon discovers. Hopeless in a cute way. You know, with the Axis powers, [[IneffectualSympatheticVillain it's not bad to be bad at being bad.]]
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22	Starting off as a webcomic in 2006, Hetalia garnered a strong fan following, and was eventually published in print form two years later. The original webcomic can still be read [[http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/hetaria/index.html here,]] with scanlations located [[http://www.hetarchive.net here.]][[note]]Following a Cease and Desist notice from Gentosha, the published manga volume material is no longer available, although scans from Comic Birz and Himaruya's blogs are unaffected.[[/note]] Himaruya also has two blogs - one [[http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/ here]] and the other [[https://kitayumeblog.wordpress.com/ here]]. Ten manga volumes have been printed in Japan, the latest in June 2017. Monthly episodes also ran in Birz magazine for about a year starting in 2011, and those stories were reprinted in volumes five and six of the published manga. As of September 21, 2014, the series began a new bi-weekly manga serialization in the [[Magazine/ShonenJump Shonen Jump Plus]] online magazine called ''World☆Stars'', and manga volumes after volume 6 were released under this name. The manga went into a hiatus on April 2018 until it was announced on October 24, 2020 that Himaruya will resume the series. On the same day, ''World Stars'' will have a new anime adaptation that will be released on Spring 2021.
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24	The English manga adaptation was originally licensed by {{Creator/Tokyopop}} and two volumes were released, but they went bankrupt before the third volume could be published. Right Stuf picked up the series and has [[http://www.rightstuf.com/rssite/facetedSearch/?search=hetalia#/?s=hetalia&o=0&r=STORE_CATEGORIES:GN volumes 1 - 6 for sale.]]
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26	A series of drama [=CDs=] were also made, followed by an {{anime}} adaptation, although broadcast on television was [[ScrewedByTheNetwork canceled]] in favor of alternate means. Produced by Creator/StudioDEEN, the anime began airing in January of 2009, and currently has completed six seasons, along with several additional "special episodes." The third and fourth season were released under the name ''Hetalia World Series'', season five was titled ''Hetalia the Beautiful World'', and season six titled ''Hetalia: The World Twinkle''. A movie, ''Paint It, White'', has been released in Japan and became available in North America in November 2011.
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28	Both the anime series and the movie have been licensed by Creator/{{Funimation}}. The extra episodes included on the Japanese fan discs are included on the fourth season [=DVDs=], but are not available online.
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30	Most of the anime can be viewed for free at [[http://funimation.com/hetalia/ Funimation's website.]][[note]]Although you need to have an account on their site and be in the US or Canada as they are region blocked.[[/note]] The full series, including both the subbed and dubbed anime, the movie, and extras such as commentary and bloopers, are available to people who have a paid subscription. [[http://www.hulu.com/hetalia-axis-powers Hulu]] also has both subtitled and dubbed versions of the Axis Powers, as does Funimation's [[https://www.youtube.com/show/hetalia YouTube]] Channel. Likewise, a sub of ''World Series'' is also officially available on [[https://www.youtube.com/show/hetaliaworldseries YouTube]] and [[http://www.hulu.com/hetalia-world-series Hulu.]] The show is TV-MA, so an account on either is required.
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32	The franchise also acquired a stage adaptation, beginning in 2015 and running for three years (with plays ''Singin' in the World'', ''The Great World'', and ''in the new world'') until the final installment, ''A World in the Universe'', came in 2018.
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34	Please note that the dub takes a great number of liberties with the script.
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36	Compare [[FandomRivalry their enemies]] ''Webcomic/ScandinaviaAndTheWorld'', another webcomic that was inspired when a Danish artist felt that the Scandinavian nations didn't match up with the stereotypes that she was familiar with. Also compare the much more simplistic {{Webcomic/Polandball}} comics, which also features anthropomorphizing nations.
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38	By the way, there are two Italies (Veneziano and Romano), but assume we mean Veneziano (North Italy). Similarly, "Korea" refers to South Korea, as in the original comics he is called by the Japanese name for South Korea (''Kankoku'') and the North (''Chousen'') is never shown.
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40	----
41	!!''Hetalia Axis Powers'' contains examples of:
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43	[[index]]
44	* HetaliaAxisPowers/AToH
45	* HetaliaAxisPowers/IToP
46	* HetaliaAxisPowers/QToZ
47	[[/index]]

Context Webcomic / HetaliaAxisPowers