hetalia | Hetalia Haters

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Hetalia Haters

Sorry if this post isn't allowed. But recently I was talking to some people who were pretty well rounded when it came to anime. When I asked them what they thought about Hetalia,however, they seemed disgusted and completely turned off. They said that it wasn't a 'new' idea, that the nations should be more masculine, that its filled with rabid fan-girls/yaoi lovers, and full of historical inaccuracies. Now, I know that Hetalia has gotten a lot of flack recently, but what are some reasons you've heard people mention for not liking Hetalia?

I don't hold many of the opinions below, mainly because I am a rabid yaoi fan, and I don't think Hidekazu's art is bad at all (I really like it, actually.) Although, I do agree that its not historically accurate and it makes light of the circumstances...I believe that's part of the appeal of Hetalia. Its a comedy that's not meant to be taken seriously, right?

Here's some that I've heard:
1.Not an original Concept
2.Art is bad
3.Men are too womanly/Need to be more manly
4.Too much slashing/BL pairing )
5.Historically innacurate
6.It bashes countries and makes Japan look 'normal'
7.Makes light of WWII and its atrocities

**JUST A REMINDER** NONE OF THESE ARE MY OPINIONS. D: This is just a post to discuss reasons why someone may dislike Hetalia****

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I hear a lot of 4 and 7 a lot usually, 7 usually around people that don't really watch anime but know of hetalia xD But I think...Hetalia is supposed to be funny, therefore, technically, historical inaccuracies would make sense in this case. Yeah, it's meant to be a comedy goddamnit, of course it's gonna have womanly men and slash. xDDD

I think people are taking it WAYYY too seriously (as you said) even though it's not meant to offend anyone/etc., probably due to the fact it's based on an event in history such as WWII xD

(Ahaha, honestly, I don't really like the art that much, but I still love the anime itself :'DDD OTL)

THIS.

Most of the people that I know who don't like Hetalia just don't like history or don't really "get" the idea. It's personal preference.

And PUH-LEASE...every fandom is full of yaoi and rabid fangirling. Any series where the majority of the characters are MALE is going to have yaoi. That's how it is.

As for the nations being manly? Screw that. Are nations full of nothing but MEN? Sexist nonsense.

I wouldn't pay much attention to people who don't like it. No one is going to like everything.

Thanks for making me spit out my soda. You owe me a new wireless mouse. *raspberry*

HEE!

I always laugh when people complain it's "Not historically accurate"

I mean, I think it should be obvious given that it's supposed to be a comedy and not to mention the countries are portrayed as mainly bishounen characters.

..And what anime these days are original anyways?

I've heard that being into a series doesn't necessarily mean having anything to do with the fandom.

In fact, this is probably the first fandom I've ever been involved in at all. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE SAME THINGS AS YOU. IT'S NOT AN OBLIGATION. Christ, what the hell is with people and this idea that you have to be friends with the fans.

idk, if people don't like something because of reasons like "men have to be manly", then I'm glad Hetalia isn't like that, because I wouldn't want those people sharing a fandom with me =|

Mmm..what I've only heard is just how the fans can get ridiculous (like extreme) where some do attack and get into stupid fights over pairings and who don't agree with them or disagree with them (similar to the Twilight fandom, sorry that's the only thing I can think of..) ... which is true... to me I agree...some fans are too immature...and take things way too out of hand...or don't know when they can joke about certain things...OVERALL crazy immature fans (in any fandom) are the turn off to any series... [NO offense is intended, I apologize if I offended anyone...]

I hear number seven an awful lot, and while I can understand that... How do these people handle any sort of political satire ever if they're that bothered by Hetalia?

I guess this is to be expected. Any popular series has a fair share of haters.

The concept may not be original, since anthropomorphism has been around for a while, but looking at many of the shows I've seen, it's hard to call them original either. It doesn't need to be "original" if it's done right.

The men are not at all too womanly. Some may be effeminate, but with all of the traps and Square Enix characters around, they make Poland look downright manly.

Hetalia is not trying to be historically accurate, and it doesn't try to get into the serious and touchy subjects in history, because it's not supposed to be serious. It's supposed to be light-hearted and funny. And Japan doesn't go unscathed. They just don't really show anything too offensive in the anime, since it already has a bunch of controversy.

The whole BL and art thing is just a matter of taste, so I won't go into that.

(This took too long to write. >.>)

My friend's ~~douchbag~~ boyfriend once threatened to shoot me and one of my other friends with a BB gun if we mentioned Hetalia...and he tightened my lanyard around my neck once because he thought the flags were related to Hetalia (it says "Epcot" on the side). Oh, and my friend hates it now even though she was one of the first one of my friends to watch it because God Forbid she likes something her boyfriend hates.

I don't care if people hate Hetalia, just don't hate the people who like it.

Quick Counters...

1) Well, what isn't original, these days? It's pretty hard to be unique, and Hetalia the first of its kind I've seen.

2) Okay, so it looks like chook-straw. I've seen a lot worse, though. It's an acquired taste. So what? It's still funny.

3) Yes. I see you haven't met my friend Germany and the seiyuu who does his voice. I'd also like to introduce you to Ancient Rome right after. The art kind of tones it down, but, oh well?

4) That's what makes it as close to original as it can. Slashing countries, whut? Mind-boggling at first, a guilty pleasure the next, and... well.

5) Actually, although it has it few slip-ups, it hasn't made any major blunders at all. Besides, half the time, these characters are running around playing on stereotypes while firing fanservice here and there.

6) Dude, Japan is short, acts like an old man, is totally lost in western culture, has a fetish for 2D porn, and is implied to have a small dick. I see Japan being poked fun at there.

7) And the WWII are few and far inbetween compared to the extra comic strips. But of course, it's a comedy series, and a few things are going to be left out and untouched... I don't see Himaruya making fun of the persecution of the Jews during the Holocaust and the Rape of Nanking.

...

Of course, don't let anyone stop you from hating the series. Just an FYI.

Edited 2009-12-22 01:52 (UTC)

Well my friend is pretty reluctant to check out hetalia because of all the slash in the fandom, pfft. And also, since the main topic is about history and all. I have to admit though that the 'making Japan look normal' thing sort of gets to me a bit too but I don't really mind. A lot of the hate I heard for hetalia is mostly the inaccuracies, slash and WWII.

I haven't heard any of them, but I can understand where people come from in 5 and 7.

It's not 100% historically accurate. I think it can be useful for some sort of guideline. Just don't quote Hetalia when you're doing a history project.

And with 7 - now, I'm only watching the anime, but I think I'm correct in saying that even Himaruya-san hasn't touched on the really sensitive issues regarding WWII. There are some aspects that shouldn't be made light of, and I believe he's respected that.

4 - with so many male characters, it's pretty hard not to get the BL and slash-pairings. And then there's the whole historically-canon aspect too.

3 - I don't think all the men are womanly - like Germany, Prussia, Russia, Denmark and Sweden - they're definitely not.

But still, each to their own opinion. I like the series, but I'm not going to force others to do the same.

I can't believe I'm reading this.

Seriously, the things you picked are NOT even the biggest potential problems with the series. There are a number of more significant issues with it. 7 is a valid reason to dislike something, and probably the only thing that has any universal merit on that list.

"3.Men are too womanly/Need to be more manly"

THAT one I have a genuine problem with. Whoever said this needs to reconsider their views on gender. To me, 'manly' encompasses a wide variety of people with a collection of interests and personalities. Just because they aren't 'macho' doesn't equate feminine.

I understand if it's not someone's cuppa, but it seems pointless to invent perspective-reliant reasons as to why it's bad.

Oh, and a quick note on historical inaccuracy: it's a CARTOON. 'Nuff said.

XD WORD TO THIS!!!

I think the art is what's turning most of the haters I know off. Whenever I show an episode they either love it or complain about the quality/art style. It sorta annoys me that they can't see past that.

I've heard all of them, except for 1 and 3. Personally, I've had a fair amount of problems with 4, but overall, perhaps the strongest of all of them are 5 and 7.

I don't agree with ANY of them, though =/

I've heard a lot of 3 and 4, but that's quite obvious... Every series in which there are a lot of bishounen has lots of BL pairings, and that's obvious.
And, about 5 and 7, I think that Hetalia is an Anime that's made to be funny, so the historical innacurancies are "normal". That's what I think.
And then, if they don't like it, it's not an obligation to watch it. =D!

My opinion is, those are people who take things too seriously. Please, Hetalia is a comedy anime and it's normal there are some things that inaccurate with the real hostory. Anyway, who really do know the truth, what really happenned in every places? History is HISstory, full of subjective views. And, personally I watch Hetalia seeking for fun, not to think hardly. And anime is creativity, so no wrongs and rights in the matter of creativity. Furthermore, in the anime and manga of Hetalia I've never seen states like 'BASED ON TRUE STORY' so the author of hetalia has no obligation of making the story to be as exact as the reality.

For the haters, go hate it I don't care...

So, um, people have told Marianne, Britannia and Lady Liberty that they need to bind their breasts, start packin' something down there, shoot up some testosterone and basically be as MANRY as they can, right? ...Right?!

Yes. This. Epic freakin' word.

Out of all the mentioned reasons, that one bothered me the most. Just the idea that 'macho' equates masculine bothers me. There are a wider variety of men than the lugs you see in most sitcoms.

For example: a lot of people have said David Tennant (he plays the 10th Doctor) is gay based entirely on the fact he can dress himself and pronounce big words. That kind of gender prejudice always bothers me.

For those of us who are in the fandom for the fanworks, it encourages us to go out there, do our damn research, and get things right.

THIIIIIS.

Pretty much all of this. Especially number four, three, and one. <3

All I gotta say is:

8|b

I don't know why people try to treat it as anything more than what it is - a comedy. If you're a big fan and you want to make fan works that are more serious, that's lovely and often comes out beautifully. However, if you're not that into the series - don't act like we treat it like a history book, am I right? It doesn't have to be totally spot on. It's just a joke. A really big joke.

I hear 7 all the time, but you know what? I have heard more terrible, racist, insensitive jokes in my college classes than I have watching/reading Hetalia. Most of the jokes are totally harmless.

Also, Japan so gets picked on all the time. A lot of instances have already been mentioned but there's also the whole "All my answers mean no" thing, the fact that he's so quiet that not even Greece can tell if he's mad, and turning China's Kanji into Hiragana, which I thought was a pretty daring joke, personally.

But I don't think they really get portrayed as having a lot of "flaws", anyway. They're all lovable characters - even Russia has a sort of innocent charm to everything he does.

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