When your friend is new to the fandom and they’re still innocent

Q & A

I saw someone say that
Spain is an angry drunk in canon. Is there any truth to that?

It’s canon. He’s scary
enough to change Sweden’s facial expression. Although, he gets “sentimental”
when he drinks wine.

Source: Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Oct 6^th, 2011).

Have you done an in depth analysis of the
relationship between France and England? If so, would it be too much to ask you
to link it? ^^, If not, could you do one?

I have [x]. Next time, please go to my Post Directory. I don’t want asks like this to become a habit. All links are provided.

Um, this question might be kinda dumb but I’m
honestly not sure… Is Japan’s first name “Honda” or
“Kiku”? Because in fanworks I’ve seen it both ways and it’s a little
confusing.

His first name is Kiku. They address people by their last name first in Japan.

Do you happen to know why Turkey wears a mask?
At first I thought it was part of his Ottoman Empire outfit, but we still see
him wear it in modern day. Why is that?

I’ve already answered this [x]. It’s another Q & A, so I know it’s harder to find 🙂

@ddrwave1989

It’s canon for personifications to change titles. The Prussia = East Germany connection has not explicitly been made in canon, but it is heavily hinted at and is very obvious.

Source: World Stars Chapter 1.

Ex: Prussia began as a Catholic Order, evolved into the Teutonic Knights, and then into Prussia. Hungary began as an equestrian tribe. Liechtenstein was originally Austrian nobles.

America, days after Thanksgiving: Woo, I’m
stuffed!

England: That’s
great. When exactly are you going to get to that paperwork?

America: Yeah… imma
need 14 business days to recover from this food coma.

Disclaimer: This
post will strictly explore Germany’s character in canon. It does not explore
nor make the Holy Rome = Germany assumption.

Misconception: He’s
gruff, mean, stand-offish, and curt to the point of being rude.

Reality: He’s
sweet and considerate but is very poor at expressing himself. He lacks
socialization skills and can also come off as too formal.

Germany’s main complex is that he comes off as angry to
others when he actually isn’t.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 1.

Ex: He asks out
Italy for drinks after a training session, and Italy interprets him as being
angry.

Source: Hetarchive, Comic Diary 4.

Ex: He has trouble
smiling. The consequence of this is that others are afraid of his domineering appearance.

Source: Hetarchive, Christmas 2010 Event.

However, he’s able to smile when he’s drunk.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 1.

Ex: He’s so poor
at socializing that he needs to rely on manuals for things such as friendship,
romance, and even how to smile.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 7 + Hetarchive, Buon San Valentino Series (mentioned).

Ex: He absolutely
loves dogs.

Source: Volume 5.

Ex: He loves
baking, especially with his friends. He has an entire character song dedicated
to this, titled “Ich liebe…”

Source: Hetascanlatoins, World Stars Chapter 33.

Misconception: He
was a Nazi and rooted himself in the fascist cause.

Reality: It’s
complicated…

I know this sounds bad, but something I always want to
emphasize is the need for contextualization.

I’ll be upfront by saying that technically Germany was a
Nazi but superficially and through force. Addressing the second part, he did
not support the fascist regime at all.

Let’s unpack this.

For one thing, nations in the series are obligated to adhere
to their bosses’ orders.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 97.

Ex: Germany is
sent all over as Hitler’s lapdog and seems to be used to being screamed at.

Source: Hetarchive, Hetare 4: Pact of Steel.

The series doesn’t explicitly name Hitler,
instead describing his as strange in a euphemistic manner; he’s also said to be suffering from boss troubles—remember that the
series’ satirical and comedic genre constrains what historical material it can
cover.

Source: Hetarchive, Hetare 5: Lietuvis.

Ex: Although
Finland is joking in the strip, it’s hinted that Hitler would have been capable
of imprisoning Germany should he have disobeyed his orders.

Source: Ibid.

Things get complicated when Germany is asked to annex
Austria. He vehemently opposes but is threatened into doing so. We then see him
holding up propaganda at a booth with Nazi insignia that promotes the annexation.

Source: The Austrian Anschluus + Comic Diary 7 (mentioned).

This anti-fascist narrative is further elaborated on when
Germany describes his daily life as torture and equates torture in a POW camp
to a mere mosquito bite. In other words, Germany’s daily life in Nazi Germany
isn’t glorified; it’s instead equated to a living hell for him. He’s respectively said to be tolerating his days through pain.

Source: Volume 1, Hetarchive, Hetare 5: Lietuvis.

Not only that, but Hetalia is also anti-war.

Ex: Germany is
shown reflecting on how miserable he is at war. He then later agrees to a
temporary truce with England on Christmas Eve, where the two play soccer.

Source: Volume 3.

For longer posts with more extensive evidence on how Hetalia
as a series is anti-war and anti-imperialist, please go here [x] [x] [x].

Misconception: He’s
so straight-laced that he can’t take a break.

Reality: He’s so
straight-laced that he schedules his breaks.

Ex: Germany
actually loves vacations and is more than capable of taking breaks.

Source: Hetascanlations Chapter 7 & 216 + Vollume 6.

Bonus facts:

The greatest hint of the Holy Rome = Germany connection lies
in the Buon San Valentino strips. Germany blacks out and appears to recollect a
fuzzy image of Chibitalia, suggesting that it might, in fact, be a repressed memory
of his.

Source: Hetarchive, Buon San Valentino pt 3.

He’s a germaphobe and neat freak.

Source: Volume 1.

He first meets Italy during WW1.

Source: Volume 1.

He was originally based off a German acquaintance of
Himaruya.

Q & A

I was thinking over your arguement, and it
spurred this idea. It’s more of a what if theory, but I was thinking, and
forgive me if I’m bothering ya, what if HRE was still alive when Germany was
born? This being based on your point that a nation can live for sometime after
dissolution. So what if there was still enough for HR to still be present when
Germany was born in a separate body, and he died sometime after his birth.
Would that even be possible? lol As I said, crazy theory.

You’re not bothering me!
I account for this in my Holy Rome theory [x].

The fact that Germany is
born as a young child because he had an existing body can be taken literally.
The existing body was Holy Rome; he suffered from amnesia after switching
titles, having become Germany.

It explains why they’re
the same age, why they look exactly alike, and why they’re both wearing nightgowns (Holy
Rome was sick and didn’t die right after his dissolution; I propose that he’s
in a nightgown because he’s standing up from his bed for the first time + he’s
also coming out of hiding given that he was secretly being held in Prussia’s
house).

Yes, I’m aware that a nightgown is a device used to convey youth in the series. However, in this instance, Holy Rome being sick and wearing a nightgown could also be foreshadowing his rebirth.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 12 & 187.

Edited photo, Source Hetscanlations: Germany, World Stars Chapter 12 (left), Holy Rome, World Stars Chapter 187 (right).

Do you think a nation’s physical strength is
proportional to its military strength( It’s a headcanon of mine)….I want your
opinion

You’re on the right track, but you have to think about what causes the military strength.

It’s predicated on their economic and political strength overall. Longer post
on this with more proof here [x].

Hey, i have a question that’s been bugging me
for quite a while. It’s about America and Canada. As i’ve seen in your
theories, America grew up alone, but then i’ve seen other material that states
that America and Canada grew up together. There’s a kind of contradiction
between these two materials. Can you tell me which one of them is the true one?
Thanks!

It is a contradiction. You’re right. But, it can also be worked around. Canada and America were
introduced to each other by England, but they were also able to travel on foot for
their own visits.

Sources: Hetarchive, Fly Canada-San, Fly! & Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 180.

Canada’s statement of
them having been together since they were born could just be a messy way of
saying that they’ve known each other for so long.

Source: Hetascanlations, Chapter 178.

out of all the countries who do you think is
the most lonely?

Probably England. His
characterization is very much invested in his alienation from other nations,
both emotionally and geographically.

Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 194.

Okay I swear on my life,
I’ve read a comic strip where Taiwan takes Vietnam to this meeting among anime
fans for subs vs dubs and Vietnam is disappointed saying something like “Oh
it’s a bunch of anime fans.” Like did I dream that??

No lol. It’s from Volume
6.

Source: Hetarchive.

Sure! I’ll show both sides just to be fair, though.

1) Prussia and Fritz.

The two shared a very close relationship. Prussia viewed him
as a father figure and gets depressed at any mention of him in the present. He
also sleeps with a photo of Fritz on his night stand.

Source: Hetarchive, Notes & Etc + Hetarchive, April Fools Event 2009 + Hetarchive, Christmas Event 2011.

2) France and Napoleon.

France oversaw Napoleon’s rise to power, similar to a father
figure.

However, he later becomes terrified of him. The context is
that during Halloween, ghosts of past bosses are able to visit Earth. Napoleon
becomes furious because he thinks that France has become too soft.

Sources: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 358 + Hetarchive, Christmas Event 2014.

3) Spain and Queen Joanna

She angrily berates him for wasting too much resources on
Romano.

Sources: Hetarchive, Boss Spain Doesn’t Understand 1 & 2.

4) Russia and Peter the Great

The two both underwent a process of Westernization. Russia
was sent to France to study his culture. There was a lot of intermingling with
French nobility at the time.

Sources: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 298 & 299.

5) England and Queen Elizabeth II

She encourages him to give America a gift for his
bi-centennial. She also warns England not to ruin his health, as he becomes violently
ill every year on America’s Independence Day.

Source: Volume 4.

What do you think is the biggest cause of misconceptions in the
fandom?

There are many, but this is something I’ve recently been
looking at:

Aside from cultural misunderstandings—ex: when people from
the English side of the fandom take the word “onii-chan” literally. England and
America are not biological brothers, it’s a Japanese term of endearment and
affection—there are inconsistencies in the translations!

Let’s use an example from Volume 5. Remember that scene
where an American soldier asks if England and America are brothers and the two
get all flustered?

This is from the official official English translation and print version, licensed by
Tokyopop through Right Stuf inc.

England’s response:
“What the hell are you talking about? I’m more like a mentor maybe? Or an old
boss?”

Hetarchive’s third
party translation:

England’s response:
“You, what are you saying? So even if you’re saying I’m like his older brother,
it’s got nothing to do with that!”

Even though this example says “like” a brother means the
same thing, it’s not as definitive as the first version. It would be easier for
someone to make the conclusion that they are actually brothers when they’re
not.

Don’t get me wrong either. Words can’t describe how incredibly
grateful I am to those who run Hetarchive! This whole side of the fandom wouldn’t
exist without their amazing work!

All I’m saying is that anyone who really wants to know their
material need to their research.