This post will probably be drenched in tomatoes.

[razzberridust.livejournal.com]

I was talking with a friend recently about the Hetalia fandom, and it got me to thinking...is the majority of the Hetalia fandom there mostly to ship the characters? Because me and my friend feel like such the minority in the fact we're in Hetalia not for pairing at all. Not that pairing Hetalia characters are bad, it's just I've seen so much of it I've grown a bit uneasy of it.

Sorry if this post causes any offense or shouldn't be here, but it could be relevant because of the opinions here.

EDIT: Could the mod take the unecessary tags off? I'm trying to delete most of them but they won't come off. ;;

EDIT 2: WHOAH WTF. ARE THE TAGS GOING HAYWIRE. EXPLANATIONS ARE NEEDED. ;;

EDIT 3: Okay the tags are finally fixed...either way, I want to thank everyone that commented. I never expected to get so many positive replies. I'm no longer so afraid of the fandom. Thank you all. ♥

Comments

[ex-thelastf.livejournal.com]

I love shipping but it wasn't the reason why I got into Hetalia and the only reason why I like it. The characters are all so different and the stereotypes are so hilarious and it really makes you look at your country in a whole and sometimes these stereotypes are true (I'm not meaning that in a bad or offensive way, more of the little quirks of each character).

And it makes history so much more easy to handle and understand.

[metallic-sweet.livejournal.com]

Personally, I'm here to look at different interpretations of historical events and for the loveable characters. ^^;

[rissa-ichigo.livejournal.com]

I like it not only for the pairings but cuz I'm learning History! History was already my fave subject, but now Hetalia got me to learn so many new things and now my major is Russian History! <3

Go Hetalia!

[metallic-sweet.livejournal.com]

Aaah~ Your university has a Russian History major? We only have a Russian minor in language. I'm super jealous of you. ;3

[your-loveyou.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, you raise a very interesting point that I wish I had the time to broach further.

Personally, I don't have a problem with people being here just for pairings. We're at least cool and accepting (on the most part) of people who AREN'T for our pairings. IE. we don't have any completely stupid ship wars that I see in other fandoms.

[razzberridust.livejournal.com]

That's reassuring to hear. The reason why I've developed the paradigm was because with my experience of seeing other Hetalia fans, they have been the pushy shipper types that seriously insist pairings are canon. ;;

[oriharas.livejournal.com]

I'm in this fandom because I'm a history nerd and laugh at the interactions between the characters. I only ship sometimes.

[qichi.livejournal.com]

shipping is a main component of pretty much every fandom, bro

and we're a fandom where multishipping isn't just widely accepted, but pretty much makes sense given the canon we have to work with

[gcbillyownzme.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean! I got into Hetalia because of the history and that's still the main reason I like it. I like most of the pairings, but what basis do any of the pairings have without history? The history is what makes the series in my opinion.

(Not to mention Hetalia is hilarious.)

[nutburger.livejournal.com]

Well when I first got into this fandom back in late 2008, I didn't know anything about the pairings at all. I just heard about countries portrayed as people and thought "What a neat idea and HISTORY YAY" so I hopped on in.

nothin wrong with the pairings though. durrdedurp

[vivi314.livejournal.com]

dude don't feel ashamed for not shipping anything lol
sure i bet a lot of people are in it for the ships but to a lot of other people the main element of hetalia is OMG COUNTRIES rather than OMG COUNTRIES BANGING EACH OTHER so yeahh

the canon material pretty prone to get shipping from it though ngl

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

I got into Hetalia for the history but the shipping made me even more hooked :)

[gothatheartholo.livejournal.com]

Dude, to be totally honest, the reason why I got into this fandom?

1. All the crack ideas that this fandom inspires me to write.
2. The fact that the anime/manga is fucking hilarious.
3. And THEN the ships. :3

[mrbluesky.livejournal.com]

i got into hetalia to make fun of canada.

[your-loveyou.livejournal.com]

You must be having a field day with the hockey game tonight then XD

[Mod]

[wiccat.livejournal.com]

You forgot to tag your post.

Re: [Mod]

[razzberridust.livejournal.com]

Ah, thanks for reminding me. Hopefully it's tagged enough.

[austere-flare.livejournal.com]

I didn't drop into the fandom just to 'ship (for me, the 'shipping usually comes later, when I'm more acquainted with the characters and their relationships with each other). It was the whole history and countries-turning-into-people thing that lured me in, since I'm interested in history and the differences among countries.

In fact, I hardly have any 'ships I support. Austria/Hungary would be the one 'ship I'm absolutely, positively sure I wave flags for.

[your-loveyou.livejournal.com]

I agree, I don't think any of us showed up just to ship, that is an acquired taste.

[efronzarabbit.livejournal.com]

Dragonsflame makes a very solid point. In other fandoms there are anti shipping clubs because whts-his-face shud be with whats-her-face instead.
for me, Im pretty all for the pairings but the fandom as a whole you can learn history from, like the fanfics and fanarts usually have historical references to them, other times its crack but we like that too :)

[razzberridust.livejournal.com]

Putting it that way that does make it a relief. I'm not too worried about ship wars, I'm just worried about the fans that I've met who want to force the pairing onto you. ;;

[ex-defaced.livejournal.com]

I'm in this fandom because the anime interested me and made me laugh a bit, ngl

[metatronis.livejournal.com]

I got into the fandom cause I think the story is genuinely funny and nerdy and great, but shipping keeps me emotionally invested in the fandom. I read all the available scanlations long ago, and new canon material comes out pretty inconsistently (at least, during the short time I've been in the fandom), so I turn to fan works to stay interested. Fan works that explore history and platonic relationships are great, but the sexy romance stuff is better at holding my long term interest. That's my excuse, anyway.

[violathornhaven.livejournal.com]

I only got into Hetalia initially because my friend was cosplaying. So I was all, "Okay let's give it a...wat?" I didn't know what to make of it at first. However, as I got more into it, I came to like the characters very much, and I was learning stuff (this totally made things thirty times better than high school classes. I might have done better if I was into it back then). Shipping didn't even really come to mind (Although I totally found HRExChibitalia precious, but not shippable yet). It was only something I kinda started doing around the time I tried to do more with the fandom (some rather failtastic stories for self and art scribbles...please don't ask for them...).

I find it cool that you and your friend are going against the grain and not shipping. I honestly wonder now how many of the members are like you. (Sadly, I'm not. I have my favorite pairings.worldorgyplz??)

[razzberridust.livejournal.com]

Well to be honest I do have two pairings, one I love absolutely and one I love just for the lolz, but like my whole opinion on shipping overall those pairings aren't with the majority and have been shot down by other fans before...;;

[coraltum.livejournal.com]

Well, for me, shipping two characters came later, but even then, I only stick with only a handful of pairings which makes the most historical/political/cultural/diplomatic sense... because I'm very picky.

But I think a lot of fans on my end of the interwebs I cruise around in are, at this point, trying to steer away from all the shipping and focusing more general humour and satirising points in history, which is, in my opinion, quite a refreshing break from all "this goes with that" and "that goes with this". Because, even if I do ship few and ship quite hard... it can get a bit excessive.

I want my general/humour back.

But, reasons why I first got into the fandom.

- Crack take on history.
- Sovereign states as the cutest, little characters you've ever seen.
- More historical crack and funnies.
- That it is the brain-child of a Japanese man two years my senior.
- England, America, Japan, Sweden, Finland, and Greece. Maybe Korea, China, and Spain.
- A more mature fanbase than most.
- Oh shit! Is that political and or cultural crack on another nation?
- It was constantly being shoved into my face and I gave in.

[sarepthegreat.livejournal.com]

I think that this fandom is more friendly than other ones I've been involved in and in one those ways is that they are more accepting of shippers and non shippers alike.

I am personally not a shipper. Sure, I may say that I prefer one over the other, but in general, I really don't care who is with who. In other fandoms, I would make up crack pairings just because I felt embarrassed about not shipping and wanted to make people laugh.

I got into the fandom because I'm a huge history buff and fell totally in love with the anime and manga. One of my friends was surprised by my being involved in what she saw as a 'yaoi obsessed, but in a good way' fandom. I'm just in it for the history and the comedy.

Sorry for long post DX

[spaekle.livejournal.com]

lol, sometimes I feel left out in fandom because I really don't ship at all. I just... don't see the point. Not into romance. I can go along with it if it's for the lulz or the porn, but otherwise just... eh. I like Hetalia because it's funny and often very clever.

I don't really see how not shipping would make you less of a fan or anything though. Shipping just happens to be a big part of most fandoms, and I guess if people have fun with it then it's all cool.

[snowcoatedblade.livejournal.com]

Actually, in the context of the actual show, I don't ship anything. It's just a silly bunch of shorts that make me laugh, and I enjoy the historical references.

I'm poking around the fandom to see things I can't see in the actual series - which includes pairings, drama, angst, and fluff. Because of that, I might seem more focused on those things when I post here. But as for the actual reason I like the show itself, pairings are the furthest thing from my mind.

[miss-aztec57.livejournal.com]

Shipping wasn't the reason I did get into it, but, I do ship an awful lot in the fandom now. but ultimately no, its not the original reason I got into hetalia. I got into it because I find Hetalia hilarious! xDD

[fiercepotato.livejournal.com]

Um... your tags seem a little bit odd..... xD

[violathornhaven.livejournal.com]

Those are some interesting tags, aren't they... xD

[wakalakaosaka.livejournal.com]

I didn't come for the shipping. I came for the historical inaccuracy, stayed for the lulz, then eventually shipped.

I'm pretty happy that this fandom is way more friendly in terms of shipping than some other fandoms coughnarutocough