Yes, but it’s in a comical manner. Although, the fact that
Italy’s not opposed to it is always something to ponder over.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 40.
Teacher: I can’t wait to read your assignment!!
Me:
Parent: Call them yourself. You’re old enough.
Me:
What this post aims to do is chart out Italy and Romano’s
rather…rocky relationship. It’s not something that has warranted a lot of discussion
in the community, so I thought it would be an interesting topic to touch on.
It’s well-known that Rome devoted more time raising
Veneziano than he did with Romano. As such, Romano has a long and
well-developed hostility towards Veneziano, all of which stems from his own
feelings of inferiority and insecurities.
Sources: Hetarchive, Chibitalia & Volume 6.
What really cemented this inferiority complex is that after Romano is conquered by Spain, Spain constantly compares Romano to Veneziano and even asks
Austria to trade brothers with him. Romano feels even poorly about himself as a result.
Sources: Boss Spain’s Control of Southern Italy pt. 1 & 2
Thankfully, Spain does learn to value Romano for his own
unique qualities rather than using Veneziano as a measuring rod. This occurs at
the end of the Boss Spain Doesn’t Understand strip.
Another notable characteristic of their relationship is that
they’ve always remained separated from one another. First with Rome and again when they were conquered in the post-Rome era. One point I want to emphasize is
that even though Romano had (and still
has) a lot of hostility and unresolved feelings towards Veneziano and will
be unequivocally rude and mean to the latter, the two do care about each other.
Ex: They share a heartfelt moment when Spain and Austria
reunite them during a brief visit.
Source: Hetarchive, Comic Diary 6.
As mentioned, while the two do care for each other, a
combination of jealous hostility on Romano’s part and a lack of deep rapport
due to long periods of separation prevented them from truly reconciling during
Italian unification.
Rather than a heartfelt scene, they’re suddenly
forced into living with each other. They’re brothers, but what’s awkward is
that they’re very much strangers to one another.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 20.
Not only that, but Romano
refuses to co-operate with and rely on Veneziano during the Second Industrial
Revolution, choosing instead to go overseas to seek employment in America. Notice
again how this emotional rift in their relationship is simultaneously played
out with another physical separation.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 58.
Not only that, but we learn that because of this rigid
unification in tandem to Romano having lived and developed a strong bond with
Spain, he’s closer with Spain than he is with Veneziano.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 73.
We don’t get much insight as to what happens to them during
WW1, but WW2 is another story.
In a character note, it’s revealed that Romano detests
Germany because he stands as an obstacle to his relationship with Veneziano.
Source: Volume 2.
What’s interesting is that Romano will tell Italy to his face that he doesn’t
want much to do with him and that he doesn’t like him and yet will covertly look
after Veneziano’s well-being without his knowing. And I think that speaks to
their relationship in whole. Romano hasn’t confronted nor addressed his
hostility for Veneziano but secretly cares for him and desires a stronger
relationship.
Source: Hetarchive, Hetare 4: Pact of Steel + Volume 1.
Ex: A potential instance of his jealousy towards Germany occurs
when he throws away the pendant that Veneziano had received from the latter.
Source: ibid.
Of course, I shouldn’t neglect to mention that Veneziano isn’t
exactly buddy-buddy with Romano either and even refuses at one point to say
something nice about Romano. Although to be fair, it’s understandable
considering how much Romano berates him.
Source: Volume 1.
What makes things complicated is that Romano is still also
very much self-interested and will look after himself above all else. The scene
where he flees and abandons Italy on the battlefield only for them both to be
captured by England particularly comes to mind.
Source: Hetarchive, the Story of Italy’s Big Brother.
Yet, when America occupies Rome and requests that the two
make him a meal, it’s Romano who steps up for the both of them. Veneziano
panics, but Romano remains level-headed, albeit
being verbally hostile.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 121.
Now, I’ve seen a lot of people state that Romano and
Veneziano’s relationship has improved recently, but if I’m to give my honest
opinion, I don’t see it. Nothing significant about their dynamic has dramatically changed. Romano’s
still hostile with Veneziano, refuses to co-operate with him, and insults him.
At the same time, it appears that he doesn’t want Veneziano to leave him
either.
Sources: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapters 54 & 353 + Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Jan 16th, 2015).
Other instances of this still present fragmentation are
revealed in panels depicting their differences.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 20.
Although,
there are two panels that offer a lot more hope than previous.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 19-20.
That said, this doesn’t mean to say that their relationship can’t
improve and that it won’t ever in the series. All I mean to show is that the
two aren’t super close despite the fact that they’re brothers. There’s a
historical rift in their relationship that has yet to be rectified.
*has work*
*opens laptop*
Me:
They really did.
Source: Hetarchive, Hetare 4: Pact of Steel
I’ve sort of touched on this, but I think it’s time I cover
this more in depth. He doesn’t tell Veneziano that he hates him all the time, but he does often insult and tell Veneziano
how stupid/ annoying he is.
Post coming up tonight!
Guysssss you know what I want more of? Nations doing celebrity things? I mean, it’s canon that Alfred is in Amazon commercials so what else can nations do??
They could be in commercials or make cameos in music videos and movies? How fun is that?
Alfred 100% will be in an Alexa commercial like ‘Alexa, reorder my American flag tank top’ and he’ll get it just in time for a barbecue only to have mustard spilled on it so he has to order a new one, using Alexa too?
Or Arthur making a background appearance in one of the Harry Potter movies and living his dreams? He gets to have his own fuckin wand oh my lord
And Laura(Belg) advertising Belgian chocolate over seas and recording the commercial in different languages cause she speaks so many????
What about Kiku voicing a background character in an anime or a cartoon? And getting to go behind the scenes to meet the animators and just kinda be a kid for a day?
Francis getting to be in a magazine for high end brands cause he’s not only a huge fan and wears that kind of stuff all the time but he also is just…Magazine material? You can BET that he’ll mail all of his friends a copy too oh jeez
Nations are people too and get excited over this kind of stuff!!! They’re used to being beheaded by their people and now? They get to do fun things!! 🙂 🙂
Romano didn’t make the cut for the movie, so he and Prussia decided
to make one together (It didn’t work out, but it’s the thought that counts.)
Source:
Hetarchive (Bamboo Thicket, eng trans., Feb 14th, 2015).
America makes films all the time but is too afraid to show
them to England, his greatest critic.
Source: Volume 2.
America and Estonia make a film together. It’s a collaboration with several others nations!
Source:
Hetarchive, Estonia and Russia’s Gentle Argument.
America has a cooking show on ‘Hetatube’.
Source: Hetascanlations, World Stars Chapter 272.
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.
Ellawritesficssometimes 