Canon: Humans Aware of Nations

[roxyann2.livejournal.com]

So it's been pretty much established by the creator that normal citizens are aware that their countries exist to the point that they are known as "Those People" by news reporters. I think this adds something interesting to Hetalia and I can't help but wonder what their world must be like when everyone(?) knows that Anthropomorphic Nations exist. I think they'd be treated like celebrities with all the special treatment they get. I don't know. What do the rest of you think of this piece of canon information?

Comments

[emsiecat.livejournal.com]

To be honest I always preferred the headcanon that they're not known to exist at all except by a select few (bosses, heads of state etc).

Though seeing as it's pretty much canon now I'll go with this; In one defunct strip it shows a discussion amongst French troops over who France is. One man doesn't seem to know but another (a superior officer?) does. And tells him. I think probably in this case people like bosses etc know that the nation-tans exist AND who they are.

However I see regular citizens as knowing of their existence but not WHO they are eg. the news reporter did just refer them as 'those people'. I'd imagine the identity of the nations themselves are something of a secret, if not even a news reporter is fessing up on names and so on.

It's probably some kind of law(?) that they remain anonymous. After all, due to all the wars/political stuff etc how many times would a poor nation-tan be sujbected to abuse/harrasment and the like by frustrated citizens if everyone knew who they were? Then there would be the possibility of hostage taking/attacks by militant persons *thinking this over way too much*

I expect there is some slip-ups of course. For example a citizen noticing that the nice man/lady down the road has lived in the same house for a couple of decades now and has yet to age. Once the rumours start I expect said nation would then up and leave for privacy sake =P

So in conclusion I doubt they'd be treated any differently from a normal person since I really don't think they'd broadcast the fact they're nations; they might make friends with certain families (eg England's helper, his family has been around since WWII helping out), but overall I think they'd keep to themselves.

That's my two cents anyway.

TLDR; They know they exist but not who they are for various reasons.

[aguzsuicaedere.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I would like to point out o-one seem to care if they're taking prisoners in the middle of war: Germany, Italy and Japan all have being capture in different moments, interrogated and escape by their own means... (well Italy was twice send over directly by his enemies because he's useless).
England as well, though at least that time they send Howard to help him (but he still got out of the cell by his own) and in other occasion was America the one that rescue him.
Russia was capture once and he was jolly happy.
Apparently is not such a big deal to capture a nation even during war.

The other point is that many citizen have being show to know about the nation, such as Germany's librarian, the guy in a pharmacy and the waiter.

Also, nations also have day job works to help their economies (yeah... I don't get it either) such as Germany doing cuckoo clocks, Spain working in a Cafe and a super market, China in the Chinese amusement park, etc...

Just that...

[hazel-belle.livejournal.com]

I think that the most upper echelons of the nations respective governments know of the status of said humanized nation. [In Alfred's Case: President, Vice President, Chief of Staff, Heads of the Armed Forces, Speaker of the House, heads of CIA, NSA & FBI]

Although I think that the normal citizens know that it exists but just keep it in the back of their minds [like a perception filter] and only recognize it at certain points and moments. So they get to live normal lives but in the end the people know that they exist. Equal Balance almost.

[doitsujin-san.livejournal.com]

I think most people know who their countries are, others just don't care...
and I don't think they get any special treatment, they are representing their people and so they live like an average countryman.
My headcanon says they are just there and no one goes "OH MY GO A COUNTRY HOW COOL CAN I TAKE A PHOTO WITH YOU!!"

[yamikisara.livejournal.com]

exactly my thoughts ^^

[seatapp.livejournal.com]

I think people are aware of them and treat them as a completely normal phenomenon, which they would indeed be since they are normal beings in that world.

I do think they get special treatment, but only as countries. I mean, in our world most countries already get lots of tourists who visit them, we draw maps of them, we read news about their internal and external relations, etc... well, it's just the same in Hetalia, but the countries are sentient so they know about it. And so they may get excited if someone wants to make a Christmas special about them. :D

I don't see the normal people of Hetalia relating to a country like they would to a person. They're still countries, even if they talk and have personalities. So, somebody might want to take a photo of a country, but it's just like taking any other landscape photo.

[doitsujin-san.livejournal.com]

Now I imagine Francis posing naked while a lot of tourists are taking photos :D

[8bit-oj.livejournal.com]

THIS SO MUCH. I wonder why hardly anyone acknowledges this information when they write fic, etc. and act like nations are such a big secret? >_>

[dicloniuslilium.livejournal.com]

Simplicity, my dear OJ. Imagine how human history would change if we all knew there were people who could bear scars, get ill, and otherwise be affected by our larger scale catastrophes! Religion, conquests, and maybe human philosophy would be utterly changed! (This is my optomistic view, though.)

Plus, thinking of what kind of world they live in would give me SUCH a headache.

[awww-applesauce.livejournal.com]

Cause for the most part, its a recent thing that everyday people are in strips. Not saying that they haven't appeared before, but its something more recently involved in strips.

[aislingnr.livejournal.com]

Just think of our human nature. From my point of view, if it was common knowledge among the people that there are representations of countries, humans would be always turning them into scapegoats or nagging them about doing this or that. And if the identity of the nations wasn't known, imagine the secret organizations tracking them down and taking the weaker as hostages to blackmail the governments?
Which is why I won't roll with this canon, at least not in the modern day. I can maybe believe this idea a few centuries ago but otherwise, today it would be safer for the existence of the nations to remain forgotten in the dusty books. :/ (plus it offers a great source of fanfic ideas)

[dicloniuslilium.livejournal.com]

Yes. This does make it interesting.

The reason many fans, including myself, treat nations like they should be a huge secret is because, in reality, it would be. What powerful human being would want the personification of their country roaming free with everyone knowing who they are? You would have to think about their mechanics because what if someone, say, stabs or beheads them? Do they die and take all their citizens with them? Do they regenerate like the Immortals in Code Geass? What happens?

So it's simpler to kind of keep it as part of a Masquerade, for fanfiction purposes and not having our brain hurt. Although I would like to see an AU where all people know that their countries are personified and how that would change human history. And if someone wants to do that, I'll happily be a consultant! 8D

[roxyann2.livejournal.com]

Oh I can understand that. Some of the best fics work this way and it makes a lot of sense.

And is it AU when it's sort of canon already?

[taylorphantom.livejournal.com]

YES to this. In the real world (, our world, whatever), if you wanna use the SRS BSNS view of Hetalia, it would be even impossible for people to know that there are nation-tans, nevermind who those nation-tans are. They'de never be allowed to leave the underground bunker lolorz :'D

Dear God, if ever written, that fanfic would be the most depressing thing in the fandom. Might even beat out All He Ever Wanted...

(Also, plus one for CG, and imnotsureohgodwhy plus one for AHEW... ;__; )

[doitsujin-san.livejournal.com]

I think it would be imposible that the existence of nations would never be realized...

[haro.livejournal.com]

They refer to them as 'those people,' but there's no indication that humans know who the nations are. Just because they know they exist, does not mean they know their identity.

[roxyann2.livejournal.com]

So kind of like a superhero identity?

[aguzsuicaedere.livejournal.com]

To all the people above saying that "they must be secret because, OMG is like a super-serious matter" I'll wisely quote Finland in the matter of why they simply don't care:

Finland: Hey you’re right… Why is it just us…? I wonder if there’s a special reason that it has to be us?
There are super humans like America and Russia but the majority of us aren’t so different from normal people.
I don’t think there’s anything to gain by seeking out and capturing us…
Estonia: I personally think you and that person beside you can be classified as super humans…

So yeah, beside a couple exceptions (moi moi) most of the nation-tans are just kinda'... there... No one really cares about them.
Though their bosses sometimes do send them to do the weirdest jobs (Germany looking for the Holy Grail, Spain making roses, Russia building a canal, and America making friends with wales... but that depends mostly of the boss in turn).

[doitsujin-san.livejournal.com]

I agree with you 100% !

[seatapp.livejournal.com]

Indeed. And to all who think they would be restricted and under heavy security measures, I'll quote Germany:

In what world do bosses imprison their own countries, I ask?

OTL I need to stop talking...

[taylorphantom.livejournal.com]

My Hetalia Headcanon tends to deviate every once-in-a-while from what is official canon. As much as I love everything that Hima-papa makes, I love exploring the more serious side of APH, and the canon stuff can occasionally contradict the SRS BSNS view. So for example, there are no state/province tans, only sovereign nations and certain exceptions (micronations, minority regions...), no mochies (as lulzy as they are~), Paint it White and Bloodbath aren't part of my headcanon... Don't get me wrong, I don't rewrite over what exists, I just focus on the stuff that fits my headcanon. Thing with Hetalia is that we learn new things about the universe every so often, which means that inevitably, fanon gets jossed.

So basically, my headcanon existed as a sort of AU, and I don't see anyone besides those in power really knowing about the nations. Once upon a time, when the belief in magic and gods was stronger, the knowledge of nations was more widespread, so Germania or a Scandinavian-tan would have been known by their whole tribe. But as the world got smaller, fewer and fewer people cared about the tans, and it was also safer for them to stay hidden. Now, only the higher-ups in the government or organizations, royal families, and families that act as aides (Howard and Bartholomew for example) know about the nations. Nations may also tell humans what they are (neighbours, friends, soldiers, dying...), but nations still have this "perception field" (yes I am clearly from the Doctor Who fandom...) that doesn't allow for most people to realize what they are. Even if they live next to a tan for years, a human won't notice the non-ageing, they just simply can't focus on what makes a nation a nation. So the exact same tans as in Hetalia could exist in our world, but we'd never recognize Canada or America when watching international summits because we just can't focus on them. We'd see them on screen, and our eyes would just wander to something else and we’d forget about that blond guy we’ve always seen since forever. This is why I think it’s impossible for anyone to try and take out a nation-tan, cuz if not, they’d never be allowed out to do anything. For example, Germany wouldn’t even be able to leave his house to walk his dogs… I do like to think though, that there are two groups that automatically know about nations: children and animals. Kids will just know that that’s their nation and they’ll also know not to tell anyone, and we already see the relationship most tans have with animals, such as Spain and turtles, Greece and cats, and Prussia with birds.

TEAL DEER: DEAL WITH I- *shot*

[alannahpwnsyou.livejournal.com]

Personally my headcanon is that everyone knows about them, but no one particularly cares. I know there's not many fics like that, but I always find it refreshing when I find one that has regular people know about them.

I'm not too fond of the whole "secret identity" thing, and I like to think that they're not so different from us. It makes them easier to relate to.

Then again this all comes from the man who made the mochi comics, so maybe we're not supposed to think too much about it. ^^;

+1

[8bit-oj.livejournal.com]

IAWTC

[yaoi-queen.livejournal.com]

I've thought about this a bit extensively and I have some issues surrounding this fact.

My main one revolves around the human psyche. If mortals knew of the existence of nation-tans, there would be thousands upon thousands who'd wanna kill them to make a name for themselves. I know that by normal means, nations can't die, but what if their heads were chopped off? >.> Even if the nation were to survive, the offender might take the head to keep for their own nefarious deeds, leaving the body to fend for itself.

There would be chaos, is what I'm trying to point out. Most mortals would want the fame and fortune of... well, doing almost anything with/to the personified nations.

They'd all have to be under tight security 24/7, 365 days of the week. So I agree they'd be treated like national treasures, but to them, it would probably feel like prison. Since they seem to walk around freely in-canon, one can only assume that the mortals in Hidekaz's world are decent individuals who respect their nation-tans.

Like some other people have said, I like to keep the headcanon that mortals do not know that personified nations exist and, henceforth, see a normal mortal when they see one walking down the street. It makes life easier for the nation-tans and ensures they can live freely to a certain extent without risking their livelihoods. Only bosses and heads of state know of their existence. There's no getting around that since their bosses tell them what to do all the time in-canon.

This would also bring up the matter of a paycheck. The nations never do anything constructive or activities that one would assume are jobs that earn money. They do pretty mundane things, which mostly include annoying the hell out of their fellow nations and getting absolutely nothing done. ^^; Because of this, I would think their paychecks come from the government as a means to ensure the personified nations are treated like treasures. Heh, I can imagine the uproar from American citizens if they found out some of their tax dollars went to a person who does nothing to earn it. ^^;

I'm rambling here, so I'll end this with saying that it would be too chaotic in realistic terms for mortals to know of the nation-tans' existence. That's just my take on it.

[yaoi-queen.livejournal.com]

I meant 365 days of the year. orz