Very important announcement regarding Hetalia here folks. This is the last episode of Hetalia that airs in its normal weekly fashion. The next three episodes air on these dates:
50: Streams on January 8th.
51: Streams on February 26th.
52: Streams on March 5th.
I was tipped off by Kiseki on this news and later had the news confirmed by our good old fansubbers gg. This slows the pace down before the third season kicks off in Spring, where I assume the normal airing schedule will resume. Actually now that I look at the dates, basically all that’s happening is a hiatus between 8th Jan and 26th Feb as the next episode airs a week later anyway. A month and a half break from Hetalia would probably do us all good anyway.
For now though, lets get back to normallity, which in Hetalish means ‘the continued bastardisation of international history’.
This episode was a bit of a shock and do you know why? It was an episode about Japan that was actually funny! This was classic Hetalia episode. I knew enough about Japanese history to understand the jokes but the episode threw me enough morsels to go on my usual post-Hetalia wikipedia trawl. This episode left me spending the most amount of time trawling the internet after the episode since the Sealand episode because I’d never done any sort of proper reading about Japanese history before. Oh sure, watch enough anime and some parts of their history gradually seep in but only in a vague sort of way. It certainly showed that Japan had quite a bit of history of xenophobic-behaviour, refusing to let traders into their country and restricting them to little islands off the shore of the mainland. That was before this guy came along…
It’s one of those things you start to notice as you learn about history of different nations. At some time or another in their history some sort of change in the country will be inspired by the French. The English were constantly trying to mimic the french style of dress and etiquette, as shown by Hetalia, something they certainly still do today. The American Revolution was totally inspired by the French (which I must admit I was hoping would be worked into Hetalia somehow). Heck, if your country has a tricolour as its flag then you’ve been inspired by the French. There’s just something about the French that leaves you in awe, even if most countries don’t want to admit it. England in particular is definatley tsundere for France. I’ve been to France…3 times, twice to Paris and once down south. Paris is pretty cool and every third shop was a sex shop (I was 12 at the time and found this fact the funniest thing in the world…still do actually) but down south was quite possibly the most boring place on earth, and I’ve been to Iowa.
Since the end of the Cold War, the new country to follow has been America. I’m sure History students in the next century will look back and think ‘wow, people sure seemed to like America’. Which, as we all know, just isn’t true. I’m sure you Americans out there know that as well. An awful lot of countries, in particular Europeans, hate America. Except are totally fascinated by what goes on there. A bit like Big Brother, nobody actually likes the show but for some reason everybody watched the thing. I dare say that was the same with France. Nobody liked them and their posh, poncy ways and yet everybody still ended up emulating thing. America is the new France.
Except for Canada. Canada, who goes out of his way to prove that he’s not America. Canada, who throws a maple leaf on everything and everything just to prove that he is not America. Canada, who…who is he again?
25 Comments
That thing about France is so true. Hell, even Russia was heavily influenced by France!
Finally! They show some of Japan’s funny side
For the first time, the anime version of these strips is funnier than the webcomic
…I didn’t knew the tricolour thing…
Btw Scamp, I like your simple layout.
Thats so mean to poor Canada XDD
Hopefully this is the start of a new era of funny!Japan. I know it’s possible. I READ FANFICTION. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
Ah…poor Canada. I watched this episode in the good ole US, a la my grandmother’s house, and after watching this ep, I had the urge to race outside, draw giant maple leaves over anything i could find, and scream stuff along the lines of ‘CANADA HAS INVADED THIS VITAL REGION!!!’
…I totally missed my chance; being now in Canada again, it would have no effect whatsoever.
@Siri
I’m pretty sure even Malawi was influenced in some form or another by France
@heyheyho
Yay for liking the site design. Old Gagron (actually he’s young but hey) really did a nice job with the site. Boy did I put him through some stress to get it done on time…
@ksfwolfe
Yeah, putting maple leaves on anything in Canada is obsolete because they’ve done that already
I thought this episode was okay…it wasn’t my favorite, but I guess it will sustain my through a month…*sigh*
Speaking of website design, I wish it had a ‘recent posts’ think like Bokutachi…haha, I guess I’m too used to seeing that there.…but I still like it.
That Japan’s side makes me laugh till I fell from my seats (I mean the smooch part) > <
*two thumbs up*
Aw, ep 51 and 52 is so long…
heh, i agree, japan’s interaction with france is pretty funny.
i’m also baffled by the states being the “new france”. many americans do know that the rest of the world doesn’t exactly approve of them…while the other half of americans are like america’s character and don’t know that other countries exist and think americans and the country is the greatest thing to ever occur in human history o_o; so i guess i can understand the hatred?
as for people following us despite the hate…i guess maybe because one of the states’ largest exports is movies ;o hollywood movies are terribly overrated…but viral D: just look at avatar, and it wasn’t even all that great ;( *facepalms*
@Humanity_Cat
Ooh, I totally forgot to reply on this post. Well, your request has been granted already
@Faye_Zhoa
It was one of those really odd out of character moments that left you wondering how long was he going to sustain that level of fabulousness
@gw_kimmy
That’s very true actually. Not only the movies but also tv shows. Fashion for an entire decade was set by Sex in the City and lifestyle was set by Friends. Especially the humble coffee cafe took off thanks to Friends. Ah Friends, I loved that show…
I love your reviews.
I really loved this episode. Of course, anything with France in it ends up being funny is some way.
Canadian History, on another note, is basically exactly like you said, “Hey, we’re CANADA, these are all the reasons why we’re not America!”
Wow, from the way its going, the “Canada rants to America that made latter cry” scene wouldn’t be too far off. I love that scene.
I wonder if Studio Deen would animate Japan’s preference for 2D girls over 3D ones and hinting the otaku culture the Japanese were kind of not happy with?
@Apollo Pompano
And I love your comments!
Yeah, even Canadians themselves admit their slight inferiority complex with America
@randomanon
I don’t know why but any time an anime makes references to prefering 2D girls I end up laughing. I’m just simple like that…
The smooching distubed me
) When I saw Japan posing for that… thing… I looked away and thought, “Oh no,. what are you doing?”
And yes, Japan can be funny… or evil. You just don’t see it >:) He just hides alot of things
)
~Namewithheld
Of course he does! He’s Japan. XD
I’m hoping that I’ll see some of my favorite strips they haven’t animated yet squeezed in either at the end of this season or next season. ^ ^ (Maybe even Russia getting his waterpipe?! :O )
When France did his smooch, I think I swooned~ And then Japan tried it and ruined it, bad Japan! AND YES, WATERPIPE PLZ
@Namewithheld
He ‘can’ be funny, it’s just he has a higher fail percentage then the other main characters.
@Humanity_Cat and Luffyluffy
I take it you two might have noticed the ‘top commenters’ thing on the sidebar?
Yes Scamp, Why yes, yes I have. I take it you have seen this?
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010–01-08/funimation-gets-hetalia-the-sacred-blacksmith-anime
CRISPIN FUCKING FREEMAN FOR GERMANYYYY
I have heard. About bloody time too
So, possible dub cast for you? What do you think would be best?
As I’ve said, Crispin Freeman for Germany. Or I will damn Funimation into hell. D:<
WHAT THE PROFANITY IS WITH THIS POLL ASDASF
http://www.tokyopop.com/Robofish/poll/2956204.html
Stay classy, TokyoPop.
~Scamp
Haha, yes, indeed I did! It’s cracked me up, really. Ah yes…
And to think that this might have been solved by an edit for comments…I’ll have to read your article later, Luffy, I’m too tired at the moment.…*sigh*
*sigh, TokyoPop, you fail history forever*
Okay woah. No. That’s EXACTLY the thing that’ll start racist crap with Hetalia and get it banned. Like really TP? Really? You’re asking for trouble here. If you put “Which Axis Power HETALIA character is your fav” then we’d be fine, because then everyone knows what you’re talking about and it’s just a cartoon character, but this is.… it’s THIS kind of stupidity that’s going to raise all kinds of negativity for Hetalia. Oh man that pisses me off.
As for the epiosde (and your summary) I totally agree. America is hated, but at the same time our influence has spread everywhere, and don’t deny it because if you’ve ever drank a coca-cola you’ve been influcened by us! I just hope it’s a good influence and not a bad one. :/ And yeah, we did take after France. Everyone did really. So I also agree there. .….….…I wish we weren’t so hated OTL;;
^That first paragraph was about this link btw, the one posted earlier by heyheyho.….. sorry part of my post had been deleted x(
I think you’re mistaken, the American Revolution inspired the French revolution. The American Revolution inspired itself