"If you or your family were very seriously affected by the Holocaust, the same probably goes."
Mine has, and I still enjoy it.
-begins slow applause- Thank you. Just... Thank you.
As for what you've said about the fandom... That's really the reason this review made me happy, because it seems like a lot of people only see the potential bad side of the Hetalia fandom. Sure, there's some disturbing and offensive stuff out there, but the fandom has also created some truly amazing works of fanart/fanfiction, and the fandom (or at least, the corner of the fandom that I lurk in) is generally light-hearted, friendly and in general just a really great thing to be a part of.
As above tropers have said, yes, Hetalia does have the potential to be offensive and it's not for everyone, but I still believe that it's OK to like it and be an active member of the fandom without being a Complete Monster by default.
Also, there's something to be said for a premise that can make you single-handedly burst into laughter at the sight of a world map. :P
Anyway here's BlackwallLeave a Comment:
Well, I like it.
Okay, before we begin, if you're easily offended or overly patriotic then don't even bother remembering the title of this series, because you will hate it. If you or your family were very seriously affected by the Holocaust, the same probably goes. For others, then you will probably enjoy it, especially if you keep in mind that Hetalia is in no way serious business, and your country will certainly be the butt of numerous jokes- if not now, then in the future.
Although this began as a gag history series which chronicled the First World War, Hetalia tends to stick with interesting cultural notes and gags involving the relations between countries (England and France constantly fight) and the formations of some countries (Sealand, Italy and others). The initial focus on the most terrible times in all human history in such a light-hearted manner is what puts people off Hetalia, however, it is important to remember that the focus shifts to less offensive subjects later, like Anglo-Japanese relations. In fact, Hidekaz has basically given up retelling WW 2- not that he got very far in retelling it, anyway.
The artwork does start off as rather ugly at first, Hidekaz Himaruya has improved greatly, and new comics are of an obviously far better quality than the beginning of the series. Also, the personification of countries begins as a rather 2-D stereotypical view which is either annoying and offensive or brilliant and hilarious. Yet, Hidekaz does manage to add in some fantastic character building even though the countries are so obviously jokes in themselves.
For many, Hetalia has helped them discover a previously-unknown love of history- myself included. Also, the fandom might seem weird and crazy at first, there is a place for everyone- there are numerous cosplay and RP groups, as well as fanart battlers and fanfiction, challenge and kink meme writers. Not to mention, there appears to be a slightly higher percentage of good-quality fanfiction/fanart than in many other fandoms, despite its controversiality and slightly limited appeal- probably because although the series is a comedy, it contains some surprisingly accurate history.
Basically, Hetalia can be very offensive, but it can also be fun and interesting. It's far better than it initially sounds, especially if you don't take it seriously.