Hetalia: Axis Powers

Hetalia: Axis Powers
Cover of the first manga volume featuring (from foreground to background): (North) Italy, Germany, and Japan.
ヘタリア Axis Powers
(Hetaria Akushisu Pawāzu)
GenreComedy, historical[1]
Manga
Written byHidekazu Himaruya
Published byGentosha
English publisher
ImprintBirz Extra
MagazineComic Birz
DemographicSeinen
Original run2006 – 2013
Volumes6
Manga
Hetalia: World Stars
Written byHidekaz Himaruya
Published byShueisha
ImprintJump Comics+
MagazineShōnen Jump+
DemographicShōnen
Original runSeptember 22, 2014 – present
Volumes8
Original net animation
Directed byBob Shirohata
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released January 24, 2009 – March 5, 2010
Runtime5 minutes
Episodes52 (List of episodes)
Original net animation
Hetalia: World Series
Directed byBob Shirohata
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released March 26, 2010 – February 21, 2011
Runtime5 minutes
Episodes48 (plus 4 OVAs) (List of episodes)
Anime film
Hetalia: Axis Powers - Paint it, White!
Directed byBob Shirohata
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
ReleasedJune 5, 2010
Runtime77 minutes
Video game
Gakuen Hetalia Portable
DeveloperOtomate
PublisherIdea Factory
GenreAdventure game, Slice-of-life
PlatformPlayStation Portable
ReleasedMarch 24, 2011
Original net animation
Hetalia: The Beautiful World
Directed byHiroshi Watanabe
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released January 25, 2013 – June 21, 2013
Runtime5 minutes
Episodes20 (List of episodes)
Original net animation
Hetalia: The World Twinkle
Directed byHiroshi Watanabe
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed by
Released July 3, 2015 – October 2, 2015
Runtime5 minutes
Episodes15
Original net animation
Hetalia: World Stars
Directed byHiroshi Watanabe
Written byKazuyuki Fudeyasu
StudioStudio Deen
Licensed byFunimation
Released April 1, 2021 – June 17, 2021
Episodes12

Hetalia: Axis Powers (Japanese: ヘタリア Axis Powers, Hepburn: Hetaria Akushisu Pawāzu) is a Japanese webcomic, later adapted as a manga and an anime series, by Hidekaz Himaruya. The series' main presentation is as a comedic allegory of political and historic events as well as more general cultural comparisons. Characters are personifications of countries, regions such as Hong Kong, and micronations. Both positive and negative cultural stereotypes form part of each character's personality. Hetalia (ヘタリア) is a portmanteau combining hetare (ヘタレ, Japanese for "useless" or "pathetic" in a cute or endearing way) and "Italia" (イタリア, Italia, Japanese for "Italy").[2]

The series started with a focus on World War II, although presently it has broadened beyond that. Most of the comics take place during other historical events, modern holidays, or at no specific time whatsoever. The manga and most recent season of the anime run on the title "Hetalia: World Stars."[3] The character roster is large, but the main cast is still primarily the countries which made up the Axis powers and Allies of World War II—namely Italy (North Italy in particular), Germany, Japan, United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Canada.

The series often uses satire and light-hearted comedy to reinterpret well-known events as well as less common historical and cultural trivia. Historical, political, economic, and military interaction between countries is generally represented in Hetalia as social interactions and misunderstandings between the characters.

Himaruya originally created Hetalia as a webcomic, and so far six tankōbon have been published by Gentosha Comics, the first on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, the third on May 20, 2010, the fourth on June 30, 2011, and the fifth on July 31, 2012. English translations of the first two volumes have been published by Tokyopop in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Both printed volumes published so far have topped The New York Times manga best seller list.[4][5] As of May 2012 the English-language version of the manga was published by Tokyopop via Right Stuf Inc.[6] The series was later adapted into drama CDs, and an anime series created by Studio Deen has also begun streaming online. As of January 8, 2010, the anime series' international distribution is being handled by Funimation. Hetalia is very popular and has a cult following.

  1. ^ "Funimation Gets Hetalia, The Sacred Blacksmith Anime". Anime News Network. January 8, 2010. Archived from the original on January 14, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  2. ^ "Cute But Dangerous?". The Malaysia Star. February 1, 2009. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved February 1, 2009.
  3. ^ "Hetalia World Stars Manga Gets Anime in Spring 2021". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  4. ^ "Best Sellers - Manga: October 10, 2010". The New York Times. October 10, 2010. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  5. ^ "Best Sellers - Manga: January 16, 2011". The New York Times. January 16, 2011. Archived from the original on February 24, 2011. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  6. ^ "Right Stuf, Inc. Announces Exclusive Deal With Gentosha Comics and Tokyopop to Publish Hetalia Axis Powers Manga, Vols. 1-3". Right Stuf. 1 May 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2012.