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Hetalia: Axis Powers
Anime DVD Review
If you are of Italian heritage and are proud of it (like Brooklyn and Staten Island), then perhaps it would be best if you steered clear of Hetalia: Axis Powers, as Italy tends of be the butt of the gags, often coming off as a bumbling fool.
Yes, Hetalia, where the opening and closing titles together really *are* longer than the actual episode, although I'm intrigued by the drinking beer out of boots shots in the closing (or is that the opening?)... Whatever. Let's clear up what could be confusing.
Hetalia uses characters to represent countries and historical events during World War One into World War Two. Each character's personality traits are kinda' sorta' *like* how the countries actually conducted themselves during this period in history. Therefore, Italy doesn't really do so well without Germany to back him up, while Germany is overbearing, but efficient, but perhaps takes himself too seriously.
Imagine if you had to represent all of WWII as a stage-play in elementary school, and you've got the gestalt of Hetalia. The episodes are like three-panel newspaper comic strips in that they are short, get to the punch-line really quickly, and then end suddenly, just as you're getting into it, but fortunately there's another episode right after although it will be a new gag with the same characters. Historical comments appear and you need to be quick with that pause button, as there's barely enough time to read them!
And just remember; even while wearing a dress, Switzerland will kick your ass.
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, November 2010
Below: Scenes from Hetalia.
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