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Trope was cut/disambiguated due to cleanup
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* Taiwan and Hong Kong themselves are subjected to this too. Is HK a real [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Boy]] whose psychological development was stunted while growing up with England, a SugarAndIcePersonality who cares deeply for China and the others and just CannotSpitItOut due to his mixed raising, or just a ComicallySerious [[ThePrankster prankster]] who deals with said baggage by playing tricks on everyone and just doing what he wants now that he can do it? Taiwan: was she married/engaged to Japan in the past (more exactly, during the time she was his colony), is her liking of Japan mostly based on [[BrattyTeenageDaughter rebelliousness towards China]] than real feelings for him, is she a victim of StockholmSyndrome after her times with Japan, or is she {{Yandere}} [[BrotherSisterIncest towards him]] - like Belarus is towards Russia (only more subtly)?
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* Taiwan and Hong Kong themselves are subjected to this too. Is HK a real [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Boy]] whose psychological development was stunted while growing up with England, a SugarAndIcePersonality who cares deeply for China and the others and just CannotSpitItOut due to his mixed raising, or just a ComicallySerious [[ThePrankster prankster]] who deals with said baggage by playing tricks on everyone and just doing what he wants now that he can do it? Taiwan: was she married/engaged to Japan in the past (more exactly, during the time she was his colony), is her liking of Japan mostly based on [[BrattyTeenageDaughter rebelliousness towards China]] than real feelings for him, is she a victim of StockholmSyndrome UsefulNotes/StockholmSyndrome after her times with Japan, or is she {{Yandere}} [[BrotherSisterIncest towards him]] - like Belarus is towards Russia (only more subtly)?
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* Is Finland still "living" with Sweden because he genuinely cares for him? Is he next to Su-san's side just because of StockholmSyndrome? Or hell, [[TakeAThirdOption can it be]] ''[[TakeAThirdOption both]]'' in the end? Sweden himself seems to be quite enamoured with Finland, but Finland's side of the story is not ''that'' clear if you think about it.
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* Is Finland still "living" with Sweden because he genuinely cares for him? Is he next to Su-san's side just because of StockholmSyndrome? UsefulNotes/StockholmSyndrome? Or hell, [[TakeAThirdOption can it be]] ''[[TakeAThirdOption both]]'' in the end? Sweden himself seems to be quite enamoured with Finland, but Finland's side of the story is not ''that'' clear if you think about it.
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Anything That Moves has been disambiguated
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* Is France a LovableSexManiac that goes for AnythingThatMoves with no motive whatsoever, or is he a [[BrokenAce broken man]] that lost [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc the only person he ever loved]] and is ObfuscatingStupidity (or, rather, incompetence) and perversion to [[StepfordSmiler hide the fact that he's hurting inside?]] France has also been depicted as every shade on the "perversion" spectrum: from DepravedBisexual to EthicalSlut, CasanovaWannabe to SexGod, or AnythingThatMoves to LadykillerInLove. Lately, the canon strips seem to go for making France a mix of these things, thus making a CasanovaWannabe who ''does'' hit on everyone and snarks at some, but is quite capable of showing HiddenDepths ([[TheHeart and a surprisingly good understanding of human nature]]) when the chance calls for it. When he meets with [[spoiler: Lisa, the girl who might be Joan's reincarnation]] he only flirts with her a little, but acts much more like a BigBrotherMentor; similarly, he's rather kind to the French military man who [[spoiler: recognizes him as a supernatural entity.]] In fact his BigBrotherMentor personality also fits since he lost the colonies of the First Empire to England only began acquiring new ones in the mid 19th century, not too long before decolonization began.
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* Is France a LovableSexManiac that goes for AnythingThatMoves anyone with no motive whatsoever, or is he a [[BrokenAce broken man]] that lost [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc the only person he ever loved]] and is ObfuscatingStupidity (or, rather, incompetence) and perversion to [[StepfordSmiler hide the fact that he's hurting inside?]] France has also been depicted as every shade on the "perversion" spectrum: from DepravedBisexual to EthicalSlut, CasanovaWannabe to SexGod, or AnythingThatMoves to LadykillerInLove. Lately, the canon strips seem to go for making France a mix of these things, thus making a CasanovaWannabe who ''does'' hit on everyone and snarks at some, but is quite capable of showing HiddenDepths ([[TheHeart and a surprisingly good understanding of human nature]]) when the chance calls for it. When he meets with [[spoiler: Lisa, the girl who might be Joan's reincarnation]] he only flirts with her a little, but acts much more like a BigBrotherMentor; similarly, he's rather kind to the French military man who [[spoiler: recognizes him as a supernatural entity.]] In fact his BigBrotherMentor personality also fits since he lost the colonies of the First Empire to England only began acquiring new ones in the mid 19th century, not too long before decolonization began.
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Removing Flame Bait.
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** Any fanfic that creates an OC that represents Ireland tend to potray England negatively, due to [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishQuestion Britain's historical oppression of Ireland]], sometimes even shamelessly turning England into a RonTheDeathEater and conveniently forgetting other countries that had conflicts with Ireland, and turning Ireland into a total PuritySue [[SarcasmMode who never did anything wrong]].
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** Any fanfic that creates an OC that represents Ireland tend to potray England negatively, due to [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishQuestion Britain's historical oppression of Ireland]], sometimes even shamelessly turning England into a RonTheDeathEater and conveniently forgetting other countries that had conflicts with Ireland, and turning Ireland into a total PuritySue [[SarcasmMode who never did anything wrong]].Ireland.
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Might HAVE, not might OF.
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* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to show BritishStuffiness, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
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* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to show BritishStuffiness, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of have had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
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None
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Since the cast of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' are nations and the series itself is mostly light comedy, this is to be expected. A few strips hint at much darker humor or hidden angst; fandom often takes the idea of history-as-canon and carries it to the logical conclusion. This makes for potentially VERY [[DarkFic dark]] characterizations for most countries, especially those with imperialist or colonialist eras.
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Since the cast of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' are nations and the series itself is mostly light comedy, [[AlternativeCharacterInterpretation this is to be expected. expected.]] A few strips hint at much darker humor or hidden angst; fandom often takes the idea of history-as-canon and carries it to the logical conclusion. This makes for potentially VERY [[DarkFic dark]] characterizations for most countries, especially those with imperialist or colonialist eras.
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An Axe To Grind is no longer a trope
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* Is Denmark a [[BoisterousBruiser boisterous but good-hearted guy]], a LovableSexManiac who [[SkinshipGrope can't keep his hands off anybody]], a JerkAss, or a [[AnAxeToGrind literally]] AxCrazy {{Yandere}} who makes life hell for Sweden and/or Norway? The first interpretation seems to have become the most popular one (sometimes mixed up with the second), but the others are still kicking around.
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* Is Denmark a [[BoisterousBruiser boisterous but good-hearted guy]], a LovableSexManiac who [[SkinshipGrope can't keep his hands off anybody]], a JerkAss, or a [[AnAxeToGrind literally]] literally AxCrazy {{Yandere}} who makes life hell for Sweden and/or Norway? The first interpretation seems to have become the most popular one (sometimes mixed up with the second), but the others are still kicking around.
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Disambiguated
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* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to play TheMeanBrit, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
to:
* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to play TheMeanBrit, show BritishStuffiness, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
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Removing Flame Bait.
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* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyIsCool ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
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* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyIsCool ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu {{Jerkass}} or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
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Crazy Awesome is a disambig
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* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyAwesome ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
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* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyAwesome CrazyIsCool ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
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Moving to official English title
Added DiffLines:
Since the cast of ''Webcomic/HetaliaAxisPowers'' are nations and the series itself is mostly light comedy, this is to be expected. A few strips hint at much darker humor or hidden angst; fandom often takes the idea of history-as-canon and carries it to the logical conclusion. This makes for potentially VERY [[DarkFic dark]] characterizations for most countries, especially those with imperialist or colonialist eras.
* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to play TheMeanBrit, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
** Any fanfic that creates an OC that represents Ireland tend to potray England negatively, due to [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishQuestion Britain's historical oppression of Ireland]], sometimes even shamelessly turning England into a RonTheDeathEater and conveniently forgetting other countries that had conflicts with Ireland, and turning Ireland into a total PuritySue [[SarcasmMode who never did anything wrong]].
* There's at least one fanfic in which N.Italy is portrayed as [[StepfordSmiler a person who pretends to be always happy (and dumb) but who has inner angst for being considered dumb by the other countries and by the possibility that Germany doesn't love him]]. Who even tried to commit suicide. It's probably because Italy's [[TheDitz canon personality]] doesn't mesh well with drama/angst which [[TrueArtIsAngsty many people favor]].
** There's also a surprising amount of fics in which Italy is not as innocent as people like to think and that he lied about being a virgin to Germany. Saying that he is like his Grandpa in that he has a way with women and that he can be a real tease if he wants to be.
* There are two general lines of interpretation for Canada in the fandom: "{{moe}}" Canada that emphasizes his sweet, timid, and unassertive demeanor (sometimes to [[TheWoobie Woobie]] levels); and "manly" Canada, mostly by people who [[UsefulNotes/MisplacedNationalism don't like the way he's portrayed in canon]], that plays up his assumed passive-aggressive tendencies (sometimes to the point of making him an unabashed DeadpanSnarker) and gives him an overall DarkerAndEdgier characterization. This is sometimes [[{{Flanderization}} flanderized]] up to the point where he's an AxCrazy psycho who goes around [[RapeAsDrama raping everybody]].
** A lot of fan authors and fanartists depict a very close, loving, brotherly relationship between Canada and America, even though the manga describes America as "the root of Canada's unhappiness" and it's shown that Canada, while not outright ''hating'' him, resents his brother a lot. He almost [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech talked America to death]]. On the other hand, some fans posit that all this is just typical sibling behavior and that just because Canada likes cutting America down to size occasionally, it doesn't mean that he doesn't genuinely love and care for his brother when the chips are down (as evidenced by him consulting America for advice at least once in canon).
*** This makes sense since in Real Life, Canada and the United States are currently the world's largest trading partners, share the world's longest border, and have significant interoperability within the defence sphere (NORAD, for example, covers both countries). While Canadians will always make fun of the US and vice versa, it's also well-known that each would be sunk without the other.
* Aside from the UsefulNotes/MisplacedNationalism that frequently raises its head among his fans, America is either an IdiotHero and a gigantic LoveFreak, a WideEyedIdealist who's more naive than stupid, or a StepfordSmiler who isn't as happy and idealistic as he makes himself out to be. Then, there's the [[MasterOfTheMixedMessage way he acts towards]] [[HoYay England]]: Truly well-meaning yet [[TheDitz blundering oaf]] [[ObliviousToLove blind towards his affection]], [[JerkAss despicable reprobate]] who enjoys [[AllLoveIsUnrequited shooting down and mocking]] [[LoveHurts deredere England]] for the kicks, or a [[HoYay genuine reciprocator to England's crush]], but with the same [[{{Tsundere}} personality]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold problems]] on top of a desire to be seen as England's equal instead of as a little brother? In {{Dark Fic}}s, he gets made over into a PsychopathicManchild. He also comes off as quite a jerk to [[ShrinkingViolet Canada]] at times in Fanon.
* Russia is the one who gets the most varying interpretations. Does he only want to torment others, or is he a [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who's become so emotionally damaged that he can't think rationally anymore? Could he be accurately called a ManipulativeBastard who [[MindGameShip knows how to press his victims' buttons]], or is he too [[PsychopathicManchild childish]] to be capable of such conscious manipulation or even be fully aware of the morality of his actions? Does he want to [[MemeticMutation become one with everybody]] so that he can [[OmnicidalManiac destroy them]], or ensure that he can never be hurt anymore, or simply to cure his loneliness or [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds pain]] in the only way his warped mind can comprehend? And does he truly love Lithuania (probably a [[MadLove little too much]]), or is Lithuania [[LoveMartyr just a convenient target for him]] to vent his anger and frustrations upon?
* Many fans portray China as being secretly wise, with the reasoning that he's the oldest of the nations (although ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and ImmortalImmaturity are in full effect in this series), and general depictions of his character seem to be split between "long-suffering nation who's been kicked around for a long time and thus doesn't have much in the way of aggressiveness" and "nation who won't let others kick him around anymore and thus acts jerkish toward them." If his real-life history is brought in, he becomes either a BrokenBird who's been [[TraumaCongaLine hurt over and over again]] by the betrayals of his siblings or a BrokenHero who's [[MiseryBuildsCharacter gone through a lot of grief and hurt but nonetheless has overcome them]] and can still smile and be happy.
** And then there's his (admittedly complex) relationship with Japan. Is China's obvious affection for Japan purely familial or more than that, and in either case, does Japan simply [[UnrequitedLove not return China's affections]] or does he actually reciprocate them ([[LikeBrotherAndSister familial]] or [[{{Shipping}} otherwise]]) and is just reluctant to admit it? And while we're on the subject of relationships, just what ''does'' China think of Russia, especially after the Cold War/Sino-Soviet split?
** Also, we cannot forget his relationship with Hong Kong and Taiwan. A well-meaning TeamMom who nags his younger siblings and inadvertently pushes them away while trying to help them, or a dangerous {{Yandere}} who would rape them into submission if he could?
* Taiwan and Hong Kong themselves are subjected to this too. Is HK a real [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Boy]] whose psychological development was stunted while growing up with England, a SugarAndIcePersonality who cares deeply for China and the others and just CannotSpitItOut due to his mixed raising, or just a ComicallySerious [[ThePrankster prankster]] who deals with said baggage by playing tricks on everyone and just doing what he wants now that he can do it? Taiwan: was she married/engaged to Japan in the past (more exactly, during the time she was his colony), is her liking of Japan mostly based on [[BrattyTeenageDaughter rebelliousness towards China]] than real feelings for him, is she a victim of StockholmSyndrome after her times with Japan, or is she {{Yandere}} [[BrotherSisterIncest towards him]] - like Belarus is towards Russia (only more subtly)?
* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyAwesome ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
** About him and [[NinjaMaid Hungary]]: is he ''really'' her UnluckyChildhoodFriend and is jealous of Austria because they're still close despite their divorce, is he more romantically focused on ''[[HoYay Austria]]'' than Hungary now, or [[AttentionWhore just enjoys getting any kind of reactions]] out of the girl who beat ''both'' him and Austria up?
** There's also the characterization of him as a StepfordSmiler who puts on a facade to hide his loneliness and fears about disappearing/being forgotten in dramatic works.
* Is Denmark a [[BoisterousBruiser boisterous but good-hearted guy]], a LovableSexManiac who [[SkinshipGrope can't keep his hands off anybody]], a JerkAss, or a [[AnAxeToGrind literally]] AxCrazy {{Yandere}} who makes life hell for Sweden and/or Norway? The first interpretation seems to have become the most popular one (sometimes mixed up with the second), but the others are still kicking around.
* Let's not forget Norway! Are his feelings for Iceland [[BigBrotherInstinct purely]] [[KnightTemplarBigBrother brotherly]] or [[BrotherSisterIncest beyond that]]? Does he hate Denmark after the end of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Kalmar_Union.2C_union_with_Denmark the Kalmar Union]], which {{fanon}} seems to see as them being "married"? Is he a {{Tsundere}} towards Denmark (and just ''how'' much of a {{Tsundere}} is he?), or is he a potential {{Yandere}} who covers his obsession with his DeadpanSnarker tendencies? And what does he think of Sweden after ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Union_with_Sweden_.2819th_century.29 their]]'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Union_with_Sweden_.2819th_century.29 union]] in the 19th century?
* W-wait, we've gotten this far without even mentioning ''[[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany Germany]]''? Or is that just way too obvious? PunchClockVillain {{Woobie}} who has to follow monstrous orders from [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler his WWII boss]] [[MyCountryRightOrWrong no matter what he thinks]]? WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds who [[FreakOut either snapped or will snap]] at some point and follows said orders willingly [[DespairEventHorizon because he's powerless]], to the point he'd even ''rape'' Italy if he's ordered to? And let's not forget all the speculations about him [[spoiler: ''really'' being a grown-up yet amnesiac UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire]] or not...
* There's the recent trend of making Spain a {{Yandere}} or CuteAndPsycho, due to ''extremely'' complex real world history. In the character descriptions in the books, it's mentioned that Spain is "scary when angry", and that he's "dangerous when drunk". It's not clear if the latter means he's dangerous in the France way or the aforementioned Yandere way, but these notes are good enough for the fanartists and authors to build up on. There used to be notes on the site indicating that Spain's treatment of Romano was in direct contrast to the rest of his colonies.
* Belarus has two main alternate interpretations, both very different. The first is more of a [[BrokenBird Broken Bird]] type character, emotionally unstable from [[LoveHurts constantly being rejected by Russia]], and not [[{{Tsundere}} willing to risk becoming attached to anybody else]] - with some [[TheSnarkKnight Snark Kight]] and DontYouDarePityMe thrown in. The latter [[MurderTheHypotenuse would kill -insert character the writer ships Russia with here- ]] [[{{yandere}} without a second thought so that she could have him all to herself]], because LoveMakesYouCrazy. Expect a BrokenSmile and some CreepyMonotone.
* Is Japan merely TheStoic with [[FlatCharacter no other noteworthy traits]], or is he [[HiddenDepths more complex]] [[NotSoStoic than that]]? If the latter, then does his stoic exterior [[SugarAndIcePersonality conceal]] a [[NiceGuy genuinely sweet]] but [[ShrinkingViolet socially awkward]] person or [[StepfordSmiler mask]] a [[TheSociopath much]] [[CuteAndPsycho darker]] [[ManipulativeBastard personality]]? You can actually predict which interpretation fans support by looking at who they ship him with: if they ship him with Greece, he'll almost always be the former, whereas if they ship him with China, he'll almost always be the latter. Other pairings for him tend to be more evenly split into these same two categories, depending on whether the fic is history-heavy or not.
** Well, when shipped with China his character interpretation heavily depends on who's topping, as ridiculous as it sounds.
** Add in the fact that [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan imperial!Japan]] is often portrayed in a different light from modern!Japan, and character interpretations can get pretty complex. Was imperial!Japan a WellIntentionedExtremist who thought that [[MyCountryRightOrWrong his empire was more important than his family]] and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ended up regretting it]] and [[CharacterDevelopment becoming a better person]]; a monster who [[LackOfEmpathy only cared about furthering his empire]] [[MoralEventHorizon by any means necessary]] and is ''still'' like that even today, just [[BitchInSheepsClothing more covertly]]; a JerkassWoobie who became [[BrokenAce emotionally messed up]] after he was led to believe that allowing himself to [[EmotionsVsStoicism show emotions]] or [[LoveIsAWeakness fall in love]] would make him "weak", and nowadays still has problems with [[CannotSpitItOut opening up to others]] or [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove dealing with love]]; or even a SuperpoweredEvilSide that [[SplitPersonalityTakeover overtook the "real", kinder Japan]] during that period?
** Most fanartists depict Japan's personality by the clothes he wears - if he wears his usual white uniform as shown in canon, he is (mostly) normal, but if he wears a black uniform, he is one of the above. Sometimes, the two are warring with each other.
** If they're not fighting each other, they're having sex. There's no way around it.
* Even Greece is subject to this. Is he a [[NiceGuy sweet and patient guy]] at heart who's [[BirdsOfAFeather quietly in love with Japan]] and just happens to have a huge BerserkButton in the form of Turkey (possibly coupled with [[LoveTriangle shades of]] GreenEyedMonster)? Or is he actually a sassy, smart-mouthed {{Tsundere}} deep down who shows his true colors only when with Turkey and [[BelligerentSexualTension refuses to admit that he's secretly attracted to his foe]]? It tends to fall along {{shipping}} lines, obviously, but it's almost as if he's an entirely different character on both sides. The balance between his [[ThePhilosopher Philosopher]] and {{Cloudcuckoolander}} traits also fluctuates from work to work, with the former tending to be emphasized more in serious works and the latter emphasized more in humorous works.
** About his rival Turkey: JerkWithAHeartOfGold who has a soft spot for Japan and actually cares for Greece deep down? LovableSexManiac who hits on anyone he thinks would make a good [[HaremSeeker harem member]]? JerkAss who gets his kicks out of provoking any kind of reaction from his longtime rival/[[BelligerentSexualTension BST]] partner? ManipulativeBastard who'd rape Greece just to put him in his place and make him kowtow to him? And did he rape Hungary or not right before/after the fight that was followed by her and Prussia more or less realizing her real gender?
* Italy Romano: A [[JerkassWoobie misunderstood grouch]] with simply a huge inferiority complex stemming from his grandfather ignoring him and feeling that Spain and others want to use him for his inheritance, a useless whiny [[PsychopathicManchild manchild]] who was too spoiled of a brat that still deserves to be spanked, or a grade-A JerkAss that simply likes being an annoyance to everyone? Then there's the matter of if he [[{{Tsundere}} has "deeper" feelings for Spain but acts like a jerk to throw him off]], or if he actually hates Spain and is just stringing him along in hopes to manipulate him as payback.
** His portrayal as a DeadpanSnarker is also rather popular
* Let's add Korea to the list of APH characters who get DarkerAndEdgier characterizations in DarkFic, shall we? It's especially noticeable with him as his normal characterization is as an [[GenkiGuy unfailingly cheerful]] if [[KnowNothingKnowItAll somewhat]] [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling overbearing]] guy with a hilariously overzealous affection for China, and the typical "serious" characterization of him essentially filters these qualities through a dark looking glass, reinterpreting his intense devotion to China as a [[MadLove hint]] to how his cheerful and childlike demeanor [[StepfordSmiler conceals]] an [[BreakTheCutie emotionally disturbed]] [[PsychopathicManchild or stunted]] individual. There's even a semi-popular fanon theory that Korea actually represents ''both'' Koreas and suffers from [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]] with "North Korea" arising from his [[EnemyWithin bottled-up negative emotions]], even though it's been confirmed that South Korea and North Korea are separate characters.
* Then there's Poland. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Ditzy airhead]] with an affinity for wearing skirts and playing with pink ponies? Or ThePhoenix-like character who always stands his ground and refuses to give up no matter who tries to beat him down? [[TakeAThirdOption Or both?]] There's no rule that says he can't be a [[PluckyGirl Plucky]] {{Determinator}} who just happens to really like wearing skirts and playing with pink ponies, after all.
* Is France a LovableSexManiac that goes for AnythingThatMoves with no motive whatsoever, or is he a [[BrokenAce broken man]] that lost [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc the only person he ever loved]] and is ObfuscatingStupidity (or, rather, incompetence) and perversion to [[StepfordSmiler hide the fact that he's hurting inside?]] France has also been depicted as every shade on the "perversion" spectrum: from DepravedBisexual to EthicalSlut, CasanovaWannabe to SexGod, or AnythingThatMoves to LadykillerInLove. Lately, the canon strips seem to go for making France a mix of these things, thus making a CasanovaWannabe who ''does'' hit on everyone and snarks at some, but is quite capable of showing HiddenDepths ([[TheHeart and a surprisingly good understanding of human nature]]) when the chance calls for it. When he meets with [[spoiler: Lisa, the girl who might be Joan's reincarnation]] he only flirts with her a little, but acts much more like a BigBrotherMentor; similarly, he's rather kind to the French military man who [[spoiler: recognizes him as a supernatural entity.]] In fact his BigBrotherMentor personality also fits since he lost the colonies of the First Empire to England only began acquiring new ones in the mid 19th century, not too long before decolonization began.
** He does sometimes come off as a bit of a bully in some fanon depictions, particularly towards America and England.
* There's also Sweden. Is he totally as the comics seem to (and fandom loves to) portray him as? A [[HugeSchoolgirl misunderstood]] and much [[ShrinkingViolet kinder on the inside]] guy than what [[FaceOfAThug his thug-like face]] says? On the other hand, if he exudes such a constantly threatening aura that's likely worse than even [[PsychopathicManchild Russia's]], where does that come from? Was he really a doting 'husband' to Finland or was he controlling and possessive? He does get rather grouchy at the implication that Finland might have been happier with Russia. Is he uncomfortable with how scary he looks, or [[http://hetalia.livejournal.com/8830669.html does he willingly intimidate others]]? And who let this terrifying man buy a child off the internet, anyway?
* Is Finland still "living" with Sweden because he genuinely cares for him? Is he next to Su-san's side just because of StockholmSyndrome? Or hell, [[TakeAThirdOption can it be]] ''[[TakeAThirdOption both]]'' in the end? Sweden himself seems to be quite enamoured with Finland, but Finland's side of the story is not ''that'' clear if you think about it.
** 'Stockholm' Syndrome?
** Generally, is Finland ThePollyanna or a deeply scarred StepfordSmiler?
* Thailand is usually portrayed as a [[PerpetualSmiler perpetually-smiling]] NiceGuy, but there are some fans who depict him as CuteAndPsycho [[StepfordSmiler underneath that smile]]. There are also at least a few fics who take advantage of the Kathoey/Ladyboy culture in Thailand to make him into a sassy WholesomeCrossdresser or DragQueen in his spare time.
* How about Romania? Is he an actual [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] ''and'' a nation? And what about his relationship with [[TheRival Hungary]]: Is the BelligerentSexualTension between them really about Transylvania (TruthInTelevision, Transylvania was exchanged between Hungary and Romania A LOT through the years), or is he just a Type B {{Tsundere}} towards her, hiding that Romantic side he is said to have in favour of annoying her? In several artworks, people depict him more as CuteAndPsycho or TheFakeCutie, complete with FangsAreEvil and a SlasherSmile.
** He could also be a StepfordSmiler, being [[TheTrickster mischievous]], merry and eccentric while having quite a [[TheChewToy troubling past]], [[YankTheDogsChain resisting his more powerful neighbours]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption until they eventually took over.]] Of course, that could also make him a BrokenHero depending on how he's written.
** Some people have characterised him as being almost at ADHD levels or having the mind of a young child, even though he seems rather tame in his canon appearances, with a few strange moments (wanna history lesson on Vlad the Impaler, anyone?).
* Vietnam's personality in fanworks comes in three general flavors: 1) A serious and mature LadyOfWar and TeamMom with a SugarAndIcePersonality, 2) a BrokenBird with a possible SplitPersonality from her civil wars, and 3) a {{Tsundere}} who's fond of using her rice paddle as a weapon against people who annoy her (mainly America, China or Thailand).
* "[[FanNickname Snapped!(character)]]" fics, which take that character's traits to the illogical CuteAndPsycho extreme are fairly popular.
* [[CoolBigSis Belgium]] can vary widely in fanfics, most often being portrayed as either TheOjou who is rather girly in her dress and attitude, affectionate towards her older brother, Spain, and Romano, and is relatively easy-going, sometimes to the point of being an ExtremeDoormat, or TheLadette ActionGirl who often is TheTease towards the men around her.
* This is especially true for England. While normally depicted as a {{Tsundere}} who's more bark than bite, he's shown in canon as having been quite a prick in his conquering days when he rode roughshod over Spain, and even now he has a tendency to play TheMeanBrit, usually to America and France; but it's still debatable if, based on canon, he'd ever be as much of a [[DarkerAndEdgier domineering,]] [[{{Yandere}} creepily possessive]] [[ManipulativeBastard bastard]] as some people like to portray him. This unfortunately overlaps with his status as a victim of DieForOurShip, especially for [[FanPreferredCouple America/Russia shippers]]. There's also debate on whether England still thinks of America [[BigBrotherInstinct as a brother or someone he needs to look out for]] and [[WellDoneSonGuy just can't admit it]], or has grudgingly come to think of him [[WorthyOpponent as an equal]] [[VitriolicBestBuds or even a friend]] and [[IShallTauntYou just can't admit it]], or has [[PromotedToLoveInterest fallen in love with]] [[SheIsAllGrownUp him]] and [[HeIsNotMyBoyfriend just can't admit it]] - though everyone agrees on at least [[CannotSpitItOut one trait]]. But then there's also the question of just what kind of impact his turbulent childhood might of had on him and if his acerbic personality stems from being bullied.
** Any fanfic that creates an OC that represents Ireland tend to potray England negatively, due to [[UsefulNotes/TheIrishQuestion Britain's historical oppression of Ireland]], sometimes even shamelessly turning England into a RonTheDeathEater and conveniently forgetting other countries that had conflicts with Ireland, and turning Ireland into a total PuritySue [[SarcasmMode who never did anything wrong]].
* There's at least one fanfic in which N.Italy is portrayed as [[StepfordSmiler a person who pretends to be always happy (and dumb) but who has inner angst for being considered dumb by the other countries and by the possibility that Germany doesn't love him]]. Who even tried to commit suicide. It's probably because Italy's [[TheDitz canon personality]] doesn't mesh well with drama/angst which [[TrueArtIsAngsty many people favor]].
** There's also a surprising amount of fics in which Italy is not as innocent as people like to think and that he lied about being a virgin to Germany. Saying that he is like his Grandpa in that he has a way with women and that he can be a real tease if he wants to be.
* There are two general lines of interpretation for Canada in the fandom: "{{moe}}" Canada that emphasizes his sweet, timid, and unassertive demeanor (sometimes to [[TheWoobie Woobie]] levels); and "manly" Canada, mostly by people who [[UsefulNotes/MisplacedNationalism don't like the way he's portrayed in canon]], that plays up his assumed passive-aggressive tendencies (sometimes to the point of making him an unabashed DeadpanSnarker) and gives him an overall DarkerAndEdgier characterization. This is sometimes [[{{Flanderization}} flanderized]] up to the point where he's an AxCrazy psycho who goes around [[RapeAsDrama raping everybody]].
** A lot of fan authors and fanartists depict a very close, loving, brotherly relationship between Canada and America, even though the manga describes America as "the root of Canada's unhappiness" and it's shown that Canada, while not outright ''hating'' him, resents his brother a lot. He almost [[TheReasonYouSuckSpeech talked America to death]]. On the other hand, some fans posit that all this is just typical sibling behavior and that just because Canada likes cutting America down to size occasionally, it doesn't mean that he doesn't genuinely love and care for his brother when the chips are down (as evidenced by him consulting America for advice at least once in canon).
*** This makes sense since in Real Life, Canada and the United States are currently the world's largest trading partners, share the world's longest border, and have significant interoperability within the defence sphere (NORAD, for example, covers both countries). While Canadians will always make fun of the US and vice versa, it's also well-known that each would be sunk without the other.
* Aside from the UsefulNotes/MisplacedNationalism that frequently raises its head among his fans, America is either an IdiotHero and a gigantic LoveFreak, a WideEyedIdealist who's more naive than stupid, or a StepfordSmiler who isn't as happy and idealistic as he makes himself out to be. Then, there's the [[MasterOfTheMixedMessage way he acts towards]] [[HoYay England]]: Truly well-meaning yet [[TheDitz blundering oaf]] [[ObliviousToLove blind towards his affection]], [[JerkAss despicable reprobate]] who enjoys [[AllLoveIsUnrequited shooting down and mocking]] [[LoveHurts deredere England]] for the kicks, or a [[HoYay genuine reciprocator to England's crush]], but with the same [[{{Tsundere}} personality]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold problems]] on top of a desire to be seen as England's equal instead of as a little brother? In {{Dark Fic}}s, he gets made over into a PsychopathicManchild. He also comes off as quite a jerk to [[ShrinkingViolet Canada]] at times in Fanon.
* Russia is the one who gets the most varying interpretations. Does he only want to torment others, or is he a [[TheWoobie Woobie]] who's become so emotionally damaged that he can't think rationally anymore? Could he be accurately called a ManipulativeBastard who [[MindGameShip knows how to press his victims' buttons]], or is he too [[PsychopathicManchild childish]] to be capable of such conscious manipulation or even be fully aware of the morality of his actions? Does he want to [[MemeticMutation become one with everybody]] so that he can [[OmnicidalManiac destroy them]], or ensure that he can never be hurt anymore, or simply to cure his loneliness or [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds pain]] in the only way his warped mind can comprehend? And does he truly love Lithuania (probably a [[MadLove little too much]]), or is Lithuania [[LoveMartyr just a convenient target for him]] to vent his anger and frustrations upon?
* Many fans portray China as being secretly wise, with the reasoning that he's the oldest of the nations (although ReallySevenHundredYearsOld and ImmortalImmaturity are in full effect in this series), and general depictions of his character seem to be split between "long-suffering nation who's been kicked around for a long time and thus doesn't have much in the way of aggressiveness" and "nation who won't let others kick him around anymore and thus acts jerkish toward them." If his real-life history is brought in, he becomes either a BrokenBird who's been [[TraumaCongaLine hurt over and over again]] by the betrayals of his siblings or a BrokenHero who's [[MiseryBuildsCharacter gone through a lot of grief and hurt but nonetheless has overcome them]] and can still smile and be happy.
** And then there's his (admittedly complex) relationship with Japan. Is China's obvious affection for Japan purely familial or more than that, and in either case, does Japan simply [[UnrequitedLove not return China's affections]] or does he actually reciprocate them ([[LikeBrotherAndSister familial]] or [[{{Shipping}} otherwise]]) and is just reluctant to admit it? And while we're on the subject of relationships, just what ''does'' China think of Russia, especially after the Cold War/Sino-Soviet split?
** Also, we cannot forget his relationship with Hong Kong and Taiwan. A well-meaning TeamMom who nags his younger siblings and inadvertently pushes them away while trying to help them, or a dangerous {{Yandere}} who would rape them into submission if he could?
* Taiwan and Hong Kong themselves are subjected to this too. Is HK a real [[EmotionlessGirl Emotionless Boy]] whose psychological development was stunted while growing up with England, a SugarAndIcePersonality who cares deeply for China and the others and just CannotSpitItOut due to his mixed raising, or just a ComicallySerious [[ThePrankster prankster]] who deals with said baggage by playing tricks on everyone and just doing what he wants now that he can do it? Taiwan: was she married/engaged to Japan in the past (more exactly, during the time she was his colony), is her liking of Japan mostly based on [[BrattyTeenageDaughter rebelliousness towards China]] than real feelings for him, is she a victim of StockholmSyndrome after her times with Japan, or is she {{Yandere}} [[BrotherSisterIncest towards him]] - like Belarus is towards Russia (only more subtly)?
* What about Prussia? The local MemeticBadass ''and'' MemeticMolester is pretty much the incarnation of CrazyAwesome ''and'' SmallNameBigEgo at the same time, but some fans either make him a JerkAssStu or empathize on [[TheChewToy his failures]] far more than canon already does.
** About him and [[NinjaMaid Hungary]]: is he ''really'' her UnluckyChildhoodFriend and is jealous of Austria because they're still close despite their divorce, is he more romantically focused on ''[[HoYay Austria]]'' than Hungary now, or [[AttentionWhore just enjoys getting any kind of reactions]] out of the girl who beat ''both'' him and Austria up?
** There's also the characterization of him as a StepfordSmiler who puts on a facade to hide his loneliness and fears about disappearing/being forgotten in dramatic works.
* Is Denmark a [[BoisterousBruiser boisterous but good-hearted guy]], a LovableSexManiac who [[SkinshipGrope can't keep his hands off anybody]], a JerkAss, or a [[AnAxeToGrind literally]] AxCrazy {{Yandere}} who makes life hell for Sweden and/or Norway? The first interpretation seems to have become the most popular one (sometimes mixed up with the second), but the others are still kicking around.
* Let's not forget Norway! Are his feelings for Iceland [[BigBrotherInstinct purely]] [[KnightTemplarBigBrother brotherly]] or [[BrotherSisterIncest beyond that]]? Does he hate Denmark after the end of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Kalmar_Union.2C_union_with_Denmark the Kalmar Union]], which {{fanon}} seems to see as them being "married"? Is he a {{Tsundere}} towards Denmark (and just ''how'' much of a {{Tsundere}} is he?), or is he a potential {{Yandere}} who covers his obsession with his DeadpanSnarker tendencies? And what does he think of Sweden after ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Union_with_Sweden_.2819th_century.29 their]]'' [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway#Union_with_Sweden_.2819th_century.29 union]] in the 19th century?
* W-wait, we've gotten this far without even mentioning ''[[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany Germany]]''? Or is that just way too obvious? PunchClockVillain {{Woobie}} who has to follow monstrous orders from [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler his WWII boss]] [[MyCountryRightOrWrong no matter what he thinks]]? WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds who [[FreakOut either snapped or will snap]] at some point and follows said orders willingly [[DespairEventHorizon because he's powerless]], to the point he'd even ''rape'' Italy if he's ordered to? And let's not forget all the speculations about him [[spoiler: ''really'' being a grown-up yet amnesiac UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire]] or not...
* There's the recent trend of making Spain a {{Yandere}} or CuteAndPsycho, due to ''extremely'' complex real world history. In the character descriptions in the books, it's mentioned that Spain is "scary when angry", and that he's "dangerous when drunk". It's not clear if the latter means he's dangerous in the France way or the aforementioned Yandere way, but these notes are good enough for the fanartists and authors to build up on. There used to be notes on the site indicating that Spain's treatment of Romano was in direct contrast to the rest of his colonies.
* Belarus has two main alternate interpretations, both very different. The first is more of a [[BrokenBird Broken Bird]] type character, emotionally unstable from [[LoveHurts constantly being rejected by Russia]], and not [[{{Tsundere}} willing to risk becoming attached to anybody else]] - with some [[TheSnarkKnight Snark Kight]] and DontYouDarePityMe thrown in. The latter [[MurderTheHypotenuse would kill -insert character the writer ships Russia with here- ]] [[{{yandere}} without a second thought so that she could have him all to herself]], because LoveMakesYouCrazy. Expect a BrokenSmile and some CreepyMonotone.
* Is Japan merely TheStoic with [[FlatCharacter no other noteworthy traits]], or is he [[HiddenDepths more complex]] [[NotSoStoic than that]]? If the latter, then does his stoic exterior [[SugarAndIcePersonality conceal]] a [[NiceGuy genuinely sweet]] but [[ShrinkingViolet socially awkward]] person or [[StepfordSmiler mask]] a [[TheSociopath much]] [[CuteAndPsycho darker]] [[ManipulativeBastard personality]]? You can actually predict which interpretation fans support by looking at who they ship him with: if they ship him with Greece, he'll almost always be the former, whereas if they ship him with China, he'll almost always be the latter. Other pairings for him tend to be more evenly split into these same two categories, depending on whether the fic is history-heavy or not.
** Well, when shipped with China his character interpretation heavily depends on who's topping, as ridiculous as it sounds.
** Add in the fact that [[UsefulNotes/ImperialJapan imperial!Japan]] is often portrayed in a different light from modern!Japan, and character interpretations can get pretty complex. Was imperial!Japan a WellIntentionedExtremist who thought that [[MyCountryRightOrWrong his empire was more important than his family]] and [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone ended up regretting it]] and [[CharacterDevelopment becoming a better person]]; a monster who [[LackOfEmpathy only cared about furthering his empire]] [[MoralEventHorizon by any means necessary]] and is ''still'' like that even today, just [[BitchInSheepsClothing more covertly]]; a JerkassWoobie who became [[BrokenAce emotionally messed up]] after he was led to believe that allowing himself to [[EmotionsVsStoicism show emotions]] or [[LoveIsAWeakness fall in love]] would make him "weak", and nowadays still has problems with [[CannotSpitItOut opening up to others]] or [[WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove dealing with love]]; or even a SuperpoweredEvilSide that [[SplitPersonalityTakeover overtook the "real", kinder Japan]] during that period?
** Most fanartists depict Japan's personality by the clothes he wears - if he wears his usual white uniform as shown in canon, he is (mostly) normal, but if he wears a black uniform, he is one of the above. Sometimes, the two are warring with each other.
** If they're not fighting each other, they're having sex. There's no way around it.
* Even Greece is subject to this. Is he a [[NiceGuy sweet and patient guy]] at heart who's [[BirdsOfAFeather quietly in love with Japan]] and just happens to have a huge BerserkButton in the form of Turkey (possibly coupled with [[LoveTriangle shades of]] GreenEyedMonster)? Or is he actually a sassy, smart-mouthed {{Tsundere}} deep down who shows his true colors only when with Turkey and [[BelligerentSexualTension refuses to admit that he's secretly attracted to his foe]]? It tends to fall along {{shipping}} lines, obviously, but it's almost as if he's an entirely different character on both sides. The balance between his [[ThePhilosopher Philosopher]] and {{Cloudcuckoolander}} traits also fluctuates from work to work, with the former tending to be emphasized more in serious works and the latter emphasized more in humorous works.
** About his rival Turkey: JerkWithAHeartOfGold who has a soft spot for Japan and actually cares for Greece deep down? LovableSexManiac who hits on anyone he thinks would make a good [[HaremSeeker harem member]]? JerkAss who gets his kicks out of provoking any kind of reaction from his longtime rival/[[BelligerentSexualTension BST]] partner? ManipulativeBastard who'd rape Greece just to put him in his place and make him kowtow to him? And did he rape Hungary or not right before/after the fight that was followed by her and Prussia more or less realizing her real gender?
* Italy Romano: A [[JerkassWoobie misunderstood grouch]] with simply a huge inferiority complex stemming from his grandfather ignoring him and feeling that Spain and others want to use him for his inheritance, a useless whiny [[PsychopathicManchild manchild]] who was too spoiled of a brat that still deserves to be spanked, or a grade-A JerkAss that simply likes being an annoyance to everyone? Then there's the matter of if he [[{{Tsundere}} has "deeper" feelings for Spain but acts like a jerk to throw him off]], or if he actually hates Spain and is just stringing him along in hopes to manipulate him as payback.
** His portrayal as a DeadpanSnarker is also rather popular
* Let's add Korea to the list of APH characters who get DarkerAndEdgier characterizations in DarkFic, shall we? It's especially noticeable with him as his normal characterization is as an [[GenkiGuy unfailingly cheerful]] if [[KnowNothingKnowItAll somewhat]] [[AnnoyingYoungerSibling overbearing]] guy with a hilariously overzealous affection for China, and the typical "serious" characterization of him essentially filters these qualities through a dark looking glass, reinterpreting his intense devotion to China as a [[MadLove hint]] to how his cheerful and childlike demeanor [[StepfordSmiler conceals]] an [[BreakTheCutie emotionally disturbed]] [[PsychopathicManchild or stunted]] individual. There's even a semi-popular fanon theory that Korea actually represents ''both'' Koreas and suffers from [[SplitPersonality multiple personality disorder]] with "North Korea" arising from his [[EnemyWithin bottled-up negative emotions]], even though it's been confirmed that South Korea and North Korea are separate characters.
* Then there's Poland. [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Ditzy airhead]] with an affinity for wearing skirts and playing with pink ponies? Or ThePhoenix-like character who always stands his ground and refuses to give up no matter who tries to beat him down? [[TakeAThirdOption Or both?]] There's no rule that says he can't be a [[PluckyGirl Plucky]] {{Determinator}} who just happens to really like wearing skirts and playing with pink ponies, after all.
* Is France a LovableSexManiac that goes for AnythingThatMoves with no motive whatsoever, or is he a [[BrokenAce broken man]] that lost [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_of_Arc the only person he ever loved]] and is ObfuscatingStupidity (or, rather, incompetence) and perversion to [[StepfordSmiler hide the fact that he's hurting inside?]] France has also been depicted as every shade on the "perversion" spectrum: from DepravedBisexual to EthicalSlut, CasanovaWannabe to SexGod, or AnythingThatMoves to LadykillerInLove. Lately, the canon strips seem to go for making France a mix of these things, thus making a CasanovaWannabe who ''does'' hit on everyone and snarks at some, but is quite capable of showing HiddenDepths ([[TheHeart and a surprisingly good understanding of human nature]]) when the chance calls for it. When he meets with [[spoiler: Lisa, the girl who might be Joan's reincarnation]] he only flirts with her a little, but acts much more like a BigBrotherMentor; similarly, he's rather kind to the French military man who [[spoiler: recognizes him as a supernatural entity.]] In fact his BigBrotherMentor personality also fits since he lost the colonies of the First Empire to England only began acquiring new ones in the mid 19th century, not too long before decolonization began.
** He does sometimes come off as a bit of a bully in some fanon depictions, particularly towards America and England.
* There's also Sweden. Is he totally as the comics seem to (and fandom loves to) portray him as? A [[HugeSchoolgirl misunderstood]] and much [[ShrinkingViolet kinder on the inside]] guy than what [[FaceOfAThug his thug-like face]] says? On the other hand, if he exudes such a constantly threatening aura that's likely worse than even [[PsychopathicManchild Russia's]], where does that come from? Was he really a doting 'husband' to Finland or was he controlling and possessive? He does get rather grouchy at the implication that Finland might have been happier with Russia. Is he uncomfortable with how scary he looks, or [[http://hetalia.livejournal.com/8830669.html does he willingly intimidate others]]? And who let this terrifying man buy a child off the internet, anyway?
* Is Finland still "living" with Sweden because he genuinely cares for him? Is he next to Su-san's side just because of StockholmSyndrome? Or hell, [[TakeAThirdOption can it be]] ''[[TakeAThirdOption both]]'' in the end? Sweden himself seems to be quite enamoured with Finland, but Finland's side of the story is not ''that'' clear if you think about it.
** 'Stockholm' Syndrome?
** Generally, is Finland ThePollyanna or a deeply scarred StepfordSmiler?
* Thailand is usually portrayed as a [[PerpetualSmiler perpetually-smiling]] NiceGuy, but there are some fans who depict him as CuteAndPsycho [[StepfordSmiler underneath that smile]]. There are also at least a few fics who take advantage of the Kathoey/Ladyboy culture in Thailand to make him into a sassy WholesomeCrossdresser or DragQueen in his spare time.
* How about Romania? Is he an actual [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] ''and'' a nation? And what about his relationship with [[TheRival Hungary]]: Is the BelligerentSexualTension between them really about Transylvania (TruthInTelevision, Transylvania was exchanged between Hungary and Romania A LOT through the years), or is he just a Type B {{Tsundere}} towards her, hiding that Romantic side he is said to have in favour of annoying her? In several artworks, people depict him more as CuteAndPsycho or TheFakeCutie, complete with FangsAreEvil and a SlasherSmile.
** He could also be a StepfordSmiler, being [[TheTrickster mischievous]], merry and eccentric while having quite a [[TheChewToy troubling past]], [[YankTheDogsChain resisting his more powerful neighbours]] [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption until they eventually took over.]] Of course, that could also make him a BrokenHero depending on how he's written.
** Some people have characterised him as being almost at ADHD levels or having the mind of a young child, even though he seems rather tame in his canon appearances, with a few strange moments (wanna history lesson on Vlad the Impaler, anyone?).
* Vietnam's personality in fanworks comes in three general flavors: 1) A serious and mature LadyOfWar and TeamMom with a SugarAndIcePersonality, 2) a BrokenBird with a possible SplitPersonality from her civil wars, and 3) a {{Tsundere}} who's fond of using her rice paddle as a weapon against people who annoy her (mainly America, China or Thailand).
* "[[FanNickname Snapped!(character)]]" fics, which take that character's traits to the illogical CuteAndPsycho extreme are fairly popular.
* [[CoolBigSis Belgium]] can vary widely in fanfics, most often being portrayed as either TheOjou who is rather girly in her dress and attitude, affectionate towards her older brother, Spain, and Romano, and is relatively easy-going, sometimes to the point of being an ExtremeDoormat, or TheLadette ActionGirl who often is TheTease towards the men around her.
