Analogy Backfire: When Italy invents the Axis metaphor ("The world will revolve around a Rome-Berlin Axis"), Germany points out how (literally) astronomically impossible the idea is.
Blond Brunette Redhead: Germany, Japan, and Italy, although the personalities hardly match up.
Five-Man Band: (Along with Austria, Hungary and Prussia):
Nakama: The Axis Powers are somewhat shown as this. At one point, N. Italy has a bad dream that the others will get tired of him and leave him behind.
One Head Taller: Germany and Italy are often portrayed as this, even though Italy is not exactly one head shorter than Germany, but this usually happens to accentuate the fact that they're supposed to be a couple. In fact, the height difference is more obvious in Germany and Japan's case.
Only Sane Man: Germany. Japan is this occasionally to Germany and Italy, especially in anime artwork. And, in one strip, Italy plays the role of the sensible one to Japan and Germany's new dieting habits.
Pinky Swear: Used to symbolize Germany and Italy's Pact of Steel.
Power Trio: Germany is Superego (rational), Italy is Id (emotional), Japan is Ego (middle man).
Comic Trio: More often than they'd like. France at one point even compares them to the Three Stooges
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Germany and Italy. Germany and Prussia also count, having blue eyes and red eyes, respectively.
Savvy Guy, Energetic Other Guy: Germany and North Italy. Italy also has these dynamics with his brother South Italy, and Japan.
Ship Tease: Germany/Italy is one of the most heavily hinted at pairings in the series, second only to Hungary/Austria in implied official-ness. However, the series has no confirmed Official Couples yet.
Mmm... Let's see, let's see... I'll start with de-li-cious pasta.. and then, then I'd like olive oil, and wine, and then, and then, a real pretty girl, riiight here...
Adaptation Dye Job: His hair is often colored medium or light brown in manga illustrations, but the anime gives him auburn hair, though it tends to be brightened to a saturated sort of red shade in some episodes.
Casanova Wannabe: He's supposed to be a lothario, but he's still a virgin (which is where Italy supposedly gets virgin olive oil from). But his success rating in dating is 13%
Eyes Always Shut: He's usually drawn with eyes that resemble equals signs (though in the first episode, he had his eyes open before he closed them and in episode 15, his eyes flew open when he found out that Japan had pornographic pictures in one of his books).
Lampshaded in episode 41, where Italy opens his eyes as he wakes up.
I tried opening my eyes for a change. ~Italy Veneziano
Innocent Fanservice Guy: Italy is rather eager to take his clothes off when he gets ready to nap or sleep. This often gets him bitched out (by Japan) or kicked away, as Austria showed him once.
Idiot Hair: Italy has one single hair curl on his left side, known to be an erogenous zone when touched. A couple incidents of Germany doing such was an Accidental Pervert situation.
Italians Talk With Hands: In the manga, Germany's letter to Britain and America included the warning that Italy would die if someone tied down his hands and feet.
The Millstone: And how! Even the title wants you to know this. It's actually even Truth in Television to an extent - historians say that Germany might have actually been able to defeat Russia in WWII had they not been so busy bailing Italy out of Greece, pushing the Russian campaign dangerously close to winter.
"Hetalia" is actually a well-known Japanese nickname of Italy among WWII historians and enthusiasts.
Ocular Gushers: Italy's tears are pressurized like a water hose, sometimes getting all over other people.
Picky Eater: He doesn't hide his dislike of Germany's sausages (even though he once sang to Germany that sausages and cheese from Germany tasted good... or at least better than English food, anyway).
He's been one ever since he was Chibitalia: He was hungry, so Holy Roman Empire left his food for him, but he didn't eat it because it looked gross. He's a gourmet.
Slasher Smile: In one strip, Japan imagines Italy pulling one.
Supreme Chef / One Note Chef: Well, he's extraordinarily good at cooking pasta, although that's the only dish we've seen him cook so far.
What Could Have Been: He wasn't originally intended to have his Idiot Hair, but Himaruya drew it in at the last minute to make him appear cuter. His personality was also originally to be similar to a character from Himaruya's first series, Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club in being simply unlucky and cowardly, not being that much of a ditz.
All Germans Are Nazis: Averted. Germany himself doesn't really agree with his 'boss' 's decisions and he considers him quite crazy. Though there are some jokes, especially in the dub:
Germany: (to Italy) Are you vanting me to gas you?!
And also:
Romano: Hey there, Hasselhoff! I've got a little surprise for you!
Germany: Great. What is it? Another Jew? (it's even censored in a youtube video.)
There is a parody in which Germany acts like this. Many comments are about how 'Germany's nazi is showing'.
And he received a box of dirty books for Christmas by Finland dressed as Santa.
Drill Sergeant Nasty: Germany shouts almost constantly at anyone who is being difficult, unorganized or a layabout (usually Italy). It's implied that Austria is even stricter.
Training from Hell: As far as Italy is concerned, they put him through this.
Laser-Guided Amnesia: It has been hinted that he really is the missing Holy Roman Empire, only grown up and without any recollection of his childhood. That comes across in the Valentine's strip, which ends with Germany possibly starting to recover his memories.
Living Emotional Crutch: to Italy, who gets depressed at the very SUGGESTION that Germany dislikes him.
My Country, Right or Wrong: Well...yeah, but WWII Germany in particular fits this trope. He's seen reacting with open shock and disgust at some of the orders he's given (like taking Austria away by force in the "Anschluss", despite Hungary and Italy's pleas), yet he can't do anything but obey.
Neat Freak: One strip has Italy cooking and Germany cleaning up his mess right next to him.
Only One Name: Unlike the other characters, only his first name was ever given. According to Word of God, we allegedly will find out why...someday.
Fans generally give him the same last name as his brother Prussia if one is required.
Paper-Thin Disguise: Germany, reenacting a story about a spy, only wears glasses as a disguise. However, France only recognizes him after noticing Germany's table manners.
Perpetual Frowner: He has smiled maybe once, and that was when he was young.
Lies! He smiles at Italy just before invading Poland in WWII, and when he's making clocks during - ironically enough - The Great Depression.
He also gives a Psycho Smirk once in a while, when he obtains something he wants or when he tries to. This happens in the beginning, when he invades France (during the WWII) and when he wants to trick Italy and kick him out of his house. He also tries to give a genuine smile when he visits Italy, but he only ends up scaring people and giving a terrifying laugh.
Trademark Favorite Food: If you ask South Italy or France, he's a "potato freak", but he doesn't eat them often. When France spots him undercover, it's the way he's eating that gives him away. He also has wursts and beer.
Tsundere: Himaruya actually calls Germany one in the notes. It's hard to tell his exact type given his usually staid demeanour. He seems to be a Type A fond of a mix between Cold Shoulder and Smirk (less about merely throwing insults around or having mood swings, more about being grumpy and a Drill Sergeant Nasty to Italy); he's usually a 'take no guff' guy around everybody, but you can just tell he's making exceptions for Italy.
What Could Have Been: Early notes in a booklet included with the special edition of volume 3 revealed that Germany was to be more of a "scary" character and moodier, but became more of a sympathetic type as the story evolved.
Younger than They Look: He looks older than Japan, when in fact he is actually younger than Italy, making him the youngest of the Axis.
Japan - Kiku Honda
Commander! I, like a true Japanese man will say "I'll consider it" or "perhaps next time" or "we'll use discretion" and be as vague as possible! By all of which I mean "no", sir!
Asian and Nerdy: Like his Otaku side, this stereotype isn't brought up that much in regards to him but it clearly does apply to him to some extent, considering the couple of strips that show him to be a Teen Genius / Gadgeteer Genius.
Covert Pervert: ...Come on, this is Japan we're talking about, how can he not be one? It's shown a little in the strips as well-like praising 2D over 3D, and casually having confidence-stealing erotic woodblock prints in his art book collection.
In The Stinger at the end of one of the anime episodes, Italy is looking through Japan's architecture and art books and comments how Japanese art is very nice — until he happens upon a picture of erotic Japanese art and sighs, "It's porn."
Cloudcuckoolander: Not as obvious as the rest of the cast, but he definitely has his moments.
Cute Bruiser: Official art often shows him wielding or carrying around a katana, and during the Christmas 2010 event he puts up a hell of a fight against the mysterious kidnapping intruder with a rolled-up poster.
Fish out of Water: He feels a bit strange sometimes when interacting with the other Axis members.
Flower Motifs: His human first name, Kiku, means "chrysanthemum", a flower with great symbolic importance in his country. Cherry Blossoms are also often associated with him, especially after his introduction in the anime among a shower of them; Japanese fans have even adopted "Sakura" as a Fan Nickname for his Gender Flipped self.
Gag Penis: Subverted hard. It may seem like he's a lightweight in his pants, but the comic◊ and the sub heavily imply that he's not. The dub even outright says that he's a grower, not a show-er, and proceeds to "show" Italy (though the viewer is left wondering what happened as it cut to a Discretion Shot of the sky and all we can hear is clanging metal and a horrified Italy screaming.
Hikikomori: Japan spent 200 years as one before America arrived at his doorstep with Commodore Perry. More specifically, Japan identifies himself as a hikikomori when he sees the American boats and almost has a Freak Out, and also when he does a Sunako in response to Netherlands opening the door to his room ("Don't shed sunlight on me! I'm melting!").
Inscrutable Oriental: It isn't too often you see a Japanese character in a Japanese series characterized this way. Made even more noticeable by all of Japan's other Far Eastern siblings not fitting this trope in the slightest (with the possible exception of Hong Kong).
Germany: ...Italy is the only friend I've got... and I can never tell what Japan is thinking..."
China: You can call me China! (...) So, would you mind telling me your name?
Child!Japan: (bows) Konnichiwa. It's nice to meet you China, where the sun sets. My name is Japan, I am from where the sun rises.
China: Oh! Well, that wasn't very nice!
Truth in Television, as this is practically how Japan addressed itself in their first diplomatic document to China (The Emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun to the Emperor of the Land of the Setting Sun...). The Chinese Emperor was of course pissed off, saying "bring not those impolite states before me!"
Kick the Dog: His stabbing of China in the back, presumably meant to symbolize the first Sino-Japanese war, which leaves a permanent scar on China's back. Though some fans seem to like emphasizing this single action of Japan a little too much, conveniently forgetting that there's more to him than that.
YMMV, but by the standards of a Japanese work, this is actually astoundingly honest about some of the more regrettable actions of the Japanese Empire.
Kimono Is Traditional: Often wears a yukata or kimono when he's at home (although he does sometimes wear more Western clothing), and even more often gets turned into Kimono Fanservice in fanworks.
Kuudere: He might look like an indifferent Inscrutable Oriental on the outside, but his close friendships (and enduring patience) with several other nations and his Not So Stoic moments hint at a warmer personality underneath, and some fans posit that he has trouble being open about his feelings because he's secretly shy and/or believes that Love Is A Weakness - something that can be remedied by The Power of Friendship or Love, of course.
Me Love You Long Time: Okay, he isn't female (except in the occasional Gender Flip fanwork), but his personality is the one most closely tied to Asianstereotypes and the most common partner for him in fandom is Greece whose canon interest in his culture and language is often brought up in them, with England who stayed over at his house to learn more about his culture during their alliance running a very close second.
Not So Stoic: In spite of Japan easily being one of the most stoic members of the cast, he's proven capable of losing his cool on quite a few occasions. Especially over physical intimacy, food prices, 2D, and Russia.
Obake: They still exist, though Japan can't see them anymore.
Otaku: He said he prefers 2D over 3D. Given the context, that should tell you something.
Perpetual Frowner: So much that Italy tries to get him to smile in one strip... well, he does succeed in getting Japan to show an angry expression, at least.
Seppuku: He is shocked to discover this isn't Germany and Italy's first response to surrender.
Teen Genius: Japan learns to write and invents his own alphabet very quickly, much to China's shock.
Vocal Evolution: In the first drama CD, Hiroki Takahashi gives Japan a rather soft voice. Later dramas and the anime series have him using a deeper tone.
Yamato Nadeshiko: Never mind his gender, Japan by himself is actually the character in the series who's the closest to being a Yamato Nadeshiko, other than Liechtenstein (and maybe Lithuania), especially in the modern day strips. He's polite, soft-spoken, wears traditional Japanese clothing outside of meetings, and while he has his share of bizarrequirks like every other character in Hetalia does, they tend to be subtler.
... Which of course has led to some people accusing him of being a Flat Character, even though his Yamato Nadeshiko traits are frequently used for humor/parody (e.g. he's often too polite for his own good or doesn't let his politeness get in the way of him being a touch passive-aggressive).
