#hetalia analysis

A friend asked me this. Her brother insists it’s a comedy because the concept is inherently funny, but she doesn’t agree.

I think it’s satire/parody, with comedy,fantasyand slice of lifeelements.

Parody/satire - of history, ofc, making fun of geopolitical relationships and stereotypes of peoples all over the world (except South America/Africa/Middle East… smh). The basis of each strip is usually a fun fact or anecdote, like the average walking speed of germans vs austrians or the unusual food coloring of american pastries.

Comedy -  Most of Himaruya’s strips are done in 4 panels, the format of gag manga, to setup a punchline. Comedic timing is woven in the pacing of the show. Hence anime episodes are only 5 min. The humor is all over the place, shifting between absurd (Germany kicking Italy out in a box labeled ‘F**K’), crude (Ukraine’s boobs announcing her presence), dark (Russia’s heart literally falling out), slapstick (Hungary & her frying pan), and savage (Canada being forgotten)

Fantasy - While not in-your-face, there’s a philosophical side that touches on themes of love, family, death, and identity. Violence and war are alluded to (See: Lithuania in bloody sunday, China’s scar), but we mostly see characters’ mundane routine, complaining, drinking, just…living. Makes you wonder: How do nations get born or die (Rome, Prussia)? What is life like for these characters – awfully lonely, as we see in that France episode. Can they form bonds with humans? What happens if a land is in civil war; what does ‘illness’, ‘marriage’, or ‘family’ mean for them? Yes, magic exists (see: the magic trio), as do aliens (tony), and talking animals (kumajiro), but the real “fantasy” is the melancholic sense of mystery about the world. I think that’s neat.

Slice of life - here’s where the deeper characterizations and angst comes from. There’s usually no ‘plot’ in slice of life - no beginning, end, or climax. Hetalia can jump from modern day to ww2 to ancient era, to alternate universes (see: nekotalia) in the same episode. With its vignette-style storytelling, it can cover any combination of characters in any timeline. Sure, the first seasons followed Italy, Germany, and Japan but has since expanded to other regions - east europe, asia, oceania, etc. You go into it thinking it’s rainbows and pasta. But like slice of life implies, it shows the highs andlowsof life. Loneliness, insecurities, bonds falling apart – this is the stuff that fleshes characters out and fuels angsty fanworks. You’ll definitely find at least one character or situation that you relate to. Again, isn’t that NEAT?