Video Game / Send to Siberia!

"Did you think the state of the world has nothing to do with you, just because your land can still grow crops and your people can be fed while others suffer? It only matters if you get to keep living on your own land, never mind anyone else, right? Pollution is the product of all humanity, but it's become so that there are people who have to leave their homeland, and people who don't, depending on the level of pollution. Isn't that really unfair?"

—Ivan Braginski, vs Lovino Vargas.

"'Protect us'??? Do you call forcing our people to become their slaves 'protecting us'???"

—-Antonio Fernandez Carriedo

"A Game in Which Ivan and Arthur Send Everyone to Siberia" when directly translated, actually. It is a fanmade Hetalia: Axis Powers RPG game/animation which focuses on Ivan Braginski and Arthur Kirkland ("The Devil Lord" and "The Gentleman" respectively, as they are called affectionately by Japanese-speaking fans) and their quest to, well, send everybody to Siberia.

Sometime in the future of our world, large areas of Earth has been heavily affected by pollution and many countries are riddled with food shortage, as little to no crops can be grown. The game starts with Ivan and Arthur discussing their options, and the players/viewers learn that they had proposed a plan to save the world to the other nations - a plan that involves transporting the remaining population to the wide, desolate expanse of Siberia, as even simply living on a land damages it. Naturally, many of the nations oppose to this plan, reluctant to leave their homeland and become submissive to Ivan. However, time is running out, and the two decide to go "convince" the opposing countries, even if it means using brute force.

To make a long story short, the story and the characters stances in it make it virtually impossible for the player to decide who is wrong and who is right. While they understand that in the game's universe the countries must make the harder decision in order to prevent the relentless spoiling of the world, that also means they must give up their pride, land, and eventually their nationality itself. Which choice would be the best for their countrymen is also a prevalent question for the whole series. The fact that the game makes characters fight amongst themselves doesn't help with the heart-wrenching, either.

This game is completed, but its much longer sequel set 100 years after this game, "Escape From Siberia" ("A Game In Which The Pasta Brothers And Everyone Escapes From Siberia"...phew) is still on-going on Nico Nico Douga. In it, we learn more about Ivan, Arthur, and Matthew's true motives for suggesting the relocation plan in the first place, as well as the situation of the other characters. Judging from the title, we all know how this first game turned out.

Just a warning: This game and its sequel contains, unlike most Hetalia Role Playing Games, a rather accurate portrayal of the society of a country and the people in it, especially under strong dictatorship in the second game. That is never a good sign if you're searching for a warm, fluffy story or even a simple adventure one, although it does make you think quite a bit. Coupled with adored character vs equally adored character gameplay, and the questioning of ethics under a multitude of circumstances, the "Siberia" series takes its sadistic time in exploring the many different aspects of each character, and it better have a true happy ending once completed. This is not a horror game, but the sequel has scenes of blood, off-screen torture, Mind Rape, murder (in one case, mass) of civilians, and brainwashing.

Original videos can be found here. Subbers and a possibly better translation of the game title are needed!

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Send to Siberia! contains examples of:

• Above Good and Evil:
  • Played with. While Feliciano refuses to comply with Ivan and Arthur's plan, it's not because he truly believes that they are wrong and his belief is right - he just wasn't listening at the initial meeting in which the nations opposed to the plan. Therefore, he decides to go with what Ludwig wants to do, and innocently asks (then doubts) if Ludwig had agreed. Ludwig had already been "disposed" of because he had disagreed. Cue the TearJerker.
  • Also with Kiku. Although he had hardly any screen time, he expressed neutrality to the end, due to the split opinions of his people, and chose not to come to Alfred and Yao's aid when they invaded Siberia. At the end, though, Ivan forces him to agree with the relocation plan. These actions ensured him a place as Ivan's right-hand man and special privileges to his people in the sequel, but also the resentment of other less favoured people of the defeated countries.
• Ambition Is Evil: Averted. Ivan and Arthur never waver from their goal, sincerely believing (or at least Ivan does) that it is for the better of the world.
• And Your Little Dog, Too!:
  • Basically the tactic Ivan and Arthur used to "persuade" Gilbert.
  • As well as to Kiku by Ivan.
• Anti-Climax:
  • One word. Kiku.
  • The outcome of the game itself when successful, really. It's on the title.
• Anvilicious: The two "protagonists" make it pretty clear that the only way to save the world from any more harm is to go with the Plan.
• Apologetic Attacker: Gilbert, understandably.
• Back for the Finale: Matthew, who appears whenever you go back to the headquarters but actually comes out to fight Alfred.
• Benched Hero:
  • Lampshaded by Kiku in the last part.
  • Matthew gets this for the most part, for until the last fight with Alfred he stays in the headquarters to monitor the situation. To make up for it, he has a veeeery small off-screen Prodigal Hero part, which is nonetheless important. He attacks Washington D.C to draw Alfred away from Siberia, and split the allied troops of his and Yao's up.
• Break the Cutie: Especially with Arthur & Ivan & Gilbert vs Feliciano. This is the point where many Nico Douga viewers started arguing with their LCD to let them into the world to save Feli.
  Viewers: Get out of the way, LCD! We have to stop those jerks!
  LCD: Don't be stupid! There's nothing you can do anymore!
  Viewers: B-but...! NOOOOOO!! RUN, FELI!!!!
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: Kiku does this at the end during the extra bit.
• By the Power of Grayskull! / Magical Incantation: Arthur, whenever he transforms into the Britannia Angel.
  Arthur: "Hoata!"
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Alfred, as usual. Exaggerated in the sequel...
• Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Feliciano during the EU meeting.
  Arthur: "You...don't you remember the meeting? It hasn't been a week since we had it."
  Feliciano: "Ohhh, of course I remember! We talked a lot, but in the end I couldn't have pasta, but Ludwig'd made me hotdogs!"
  Arthur: "Who asked anything about your lunch?!"
• Creepy Doll: Ivan's avatar if the player chooses him as the opponent in an extra battle when they finish the whole game. The extra part has no relation or effect on the game itself, and is solely for entertainment only. Since you can't fight Ivan, Arthur, Matthew or Gilbert when you're playing AS them in the game (and Kiku because he doesn't appear at all), you're free to choose one opponent and four characters to play as out of them. See Curb Stomp Battle below.
• Curb-Stomp Battle:
  • After a few battle sequences (both against characters and monsters) it starts to seem this way. Come on, it's IVAN and ARTHUR (and later GILBERT) versus X. Although since the characters get harder to beat as the game advances, it's still possible that you could lose with the wrong move.
  • Played straight against the extra battle versus Ivan's avatar. OH MY GOD IVAN'S AVATAR.
• Eldritch Abomination: Each nation's avatar could be called this (or at the very least, Ivan's can). Although some of them are rather adorable...
• Evil Will Fail: Subverted. Although the gamers play as Ivan and Arthur, it's clear that with their tactics they are not the good guys, at the very least. They're basically Visionary Villains with a touch of Well-Intentioned Extremist.
• Functional Magic: Lovino's force field and Arthur's general abracadabra. The Magic is not given a specific term, but from the way Arthur explains that a medium outside of the force field itself is needed to keep it up for a long period, the Magic they're talking about is the same kind that exists in the universe. (The medium also comes up as a vital key to the sequel).
• The Fundamentalist: Ivan, Arthur, Matthew.
• A God Am I: Ivan is steadily moving to this point.
• Hidden Depths: Arthur and Matthew's true reason to joining Ivan is never clear in this first game, but is absolutely heartbreaking when revealed in the sequel.
• Humongous Mecha / Real Robot: Alfred's avatar, especially. As well as Ludwig's, which looks like a black machine T-Rex.
• Monster Clown: The faces of Feliciano and Lovino's avatars look like they're based off clowns. "Monster" because they're, well, avatars (transformed will of a country, in the game) but cute ones nonetheless. It's just too bad we have to kick the shit out of them...
• One-Winged Angel: The Hetalia characters Ivan, Arthur and Gilbert fight appear as avatars - very artistic avatars. An offhand warning from Matthew can have us assume that the nations are tapping into their raw power out of desperation, and thus transforms.
  Matthew (to Ivan and Arthur, before they depart): "Oh, and please be careful. We have no idea in what form a cornered country will take."
• Tragic Villain: Gilbert. Oh, Gilbert. He joins Arthur and Ivan after he has to watch his little brother defeated before his eyes, so that at the very least, he can protect Ludwig's people under Ivan's rule.
• Refusal of the Call: Kiku doesn't respond to Alfred and Yao's call.
• Villain Protagonist: Darn you, morals! Why do you get in the way of our worshiping of our favourite Yandere and Eyebrows???
• Violence is the Only Option: Most characters (excluding Feliciano and Kiku (for different reasons)) are rather trigger happy, if only for the purpose of there being a fight sequence. Nevertheless, Ivan and Arthur make it a point to propose the plan to each individual, leave them be once they agree, and attack if they don't. Ivan even admits that they were planning to beat them all into submission in the first place anyway.

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