50 Fun Facts About Hetalia: Axis Powers

The title Hetalia blends the name of Italy with the Japanese word hetare, which roughly means what?

Useless, or pathetic in an endearing way, is the sense of hetare, a jab at a hero who surrenders without a fight. The title joins that word to Italia.

In Hetalia, the glasses worn by America are said to represent which US state?

Texas is what America's glasses stand for, one of several map jokes built into his design. He is also drawn with starry blue eyes and a vintage leather flight jacket.

What is Hetalia's America, the self-styled hero who lives with an alien named Tony, terrified of?

Ghosts send America into hysterics, especially after he watches horror movies. The fear sits oddly beside his superhuman strength, which lets him lift objects several times his size.

Which everyday skill is Hetalia's England notoriously terrible at, in contrast to his rival France?

Cooking is England's great weakness, while France boasts of his own supreme talent in the kitchen. England also cannot hold his liquor and has a foul mouth.

Hetalia's Russia dreams of living in a warm place surrounded by which flowers?

Sunflowers fill Russia's dream of a warm home, a gentle wish from a character who terrifies other countries without even trying. Vodka is described as his fuel.

Which pair of kitchen tools does Hetalia's China use as weapons when fighting Germany and Japan?

A wok and ladle became China's weapons of choice in the battles between the Axis and the Allies. He is the oldest of the Allies, said to be more than four thousand years old.

Which small nation did Hetalia's Switzerland adopt as a sister after World War I left her poor?

Liechtenstein admires Switzerland so much that she cut her hair to match his, and the two share the same army. She calls him big brother.

What is the name of the pet polar bear that can never remember who its owner Canada is in Hetalia?

Kumajirou politely asks who Canada is every time they meet, and Canada in turn keeps getting the bear's name wrong. Other countries tend to forget that Canada exists too.

What was Hetalia's England in his wilder past, long before he became a sharp-tongued gentleman?

A pirate is what England used to be, roaming the seas as a zealous privateer before he settled into cynical good manners. He raised America from a small child.

Which Hetalia nation, human name Natalia Arlovskaya, is set on marrying her older brother Russia?

Belarus frightens Russia so badly with her marriage demands that she seems to be the only country he fears. She also scares away anyone who gets close to him.

Which manga artist created Hetalia after a spell studying at the Parsons School of Design?

Hidekaz Himaruya went to the United States for design school but dropped out and returned to Japan. Hetalia remains the work he is best known for.

In what form did Hetalia: Axis Powers first appear, before the print manga and the anime adaptation?

A webcomic is how Hetalia began, before the strips were reworked and expanded for print. The first two volumes sold over a million copies by late 2009.

Which facial feature is the trademark of Hetalia's irritable England?

Bushy eyebrows mark England out at a glance, and New Zealand, who gets on well with him, is drawn with a matching pair.

Which recurring Hetalia segment shows Italy's childhood as a servant in Austria's house?

Chibitalia follows the tiny Italy after Austria took control of him in the Italian Wars. In the English dub, this younger Italy is voiced by Brina Palencia.

Which animals are constantly seen around Hetalia's Greece, a sleepy lover of philosophy?

Cats crowd around Greece because his country has so many strays, and he has picked up their habit of sleeping for long stretches. His long coastline also makes him a good sailor.

Which animal costume does Hetalia's Russia sometimes wear in order to stalk China?

A panda suit is Russia's disguise for creeping up on China, who keeps a pet of the same kind. China is, unsurprisingly, a little distrustful of him.

Which Hetalia micronation, an abandoned British fort, is an annoying little brother to England?

Sealand keeps trying to get other countries to recognize him as independent, and once sneaked into a meeting disguised as Canada.

Which item worn by Hetalia's Russia was a gift from his older sister Ukraine?

His scarf came from Ukraine, who looked after Russia and their younger sister when they were little. Russia describes her as warm-hearted and motherly.

Which Hetalia nation joins France and Prussia in the group known as the Bad Touch Trio?

Spain rounds out the trio, a cheerful, siesta-loving character who is comically unable to read the atmosphere. Romano grew up working under him.

Which cheerful Hetalia nation adores Christmas and often turns up dressed as Santa Claus?

Finland loves the holiday because Santa is believed to live in Lapland, a region in his north. He is also a close, tech-minded friend of Estonia.

What human first name does Hetalia's Germany use, as the only main character with no surname?

Ludwig is all Germany officially gets, so fans tend to lend him the surname of his older brother Prussia. The name was handed out in 2007.

What human name does Hetalia give America, the self-proclaimed leader of the Allied Forces?

Alfred F. Jones is the name America received in 2007, when most of the main cast were given human identities. His brother Canada had to wait until 2008 for his.

Which human name belongs to Hetalia's Italy Veneziano, the younger of the two Italy brothers?

Feliciano Vargas is the cheerful, pasta-loving title character. In Japanese both Italy brothers share one voice actor, while the English dub casts them separately.

What is the human name of Prussia, the boastful older brother of Germany in Hetalia?

Gilbert Beilschmidt once represented the Teutonic Knights and today stands for the former East Germany. He still loves to needle Austria.

Which Hetalia nation, human name Elizabeta Héderváry, grew up as a nomad believing she was a boy?

Hungary later settled down and moved in with Austria, staying with him until they were forced apart at the end of World War I. The flower in her hair represents Lake Balaton.

Which American company licensed Hetalia in 2010 and produced its accent-filled English dub?

Funimation announced the license in January 2010 and said the characters would have accents in the dub. Its first DVD followed that September.

Hetalia's China, an immortal over four thousand years old, is a big fan of which Japanese character?

Hello Kitty has a devoted fan in China, who also insists that he is the big brother of Japan. His own boss was introduced as an intimidating green dragon.

Which metal object is Hetalia's Russia, the tallest of the nations, often seen carrying?

A faucet pipe is Russia's trademark, carried by a character whose kindly manner hides the innocence and cruelty of a child.

Which Hetalia character had a childhood crush on young Italy, believing him to be a girl?

Holy Roman Empire left to fight in a war and then vanished from the story. The author has said that he and Italy will have a happy ending.

A DNA test in Hetalia revealed which reclusive nation to be the older brother of Iceland?

Norway has pestered Iceland to call him big brother ever since the result came back. He is also a magician who can see spirits.

Which bird keeps Hetalia's Iceland company and is said to talk like a Mafia boss?

A puffin named Mr. Puffin follows Iceland around, a nod to how common the birds are on the island. Iceland himself hates being treated as the baby of the Nordics.

Which eccentric Hetalia nation nicknames his friend Lithuania Liet and calls himself a phoenix?

Poland calls himself a phoenix because he kept rising again after being oppressed. His bond with Lithuania reflects the commonwealth the two once shared.

Which instrument is most associated with Hetalia's Austria, the elegant man with a love of the arts?

The piano is Austria's great passion. He wears glasses not because of poor eyesight but because he thinks he looks plain without them.

Which ruler is the favorite boss of Hetalia's Prussia, who fought the Silesian Wars for him?

Frederick the Great is the boss Prussia fondly calls Old Fritz. Under him Prussia seized Silesia from Austria, and he has mocked his neighbour about it ever since.

Which English voice actor plays both America and his often-overlooked brother Canada in Hetalia?

Eric Vale voices both brothers, mirroring the Japanese cast, where Katsuyuki Konishi does the same. Canada is played barely above a whisper.

Which cold-weather figure attacks Hetalia's Russia every year, despite helping him in wartime?

General Winter is Russia's chief object of resentment: the cold gives him an edge against invaders, yet it turns on him every single year.

Which animation company produced the Hetalia: Axis Powers anime under director Bob Shirohata?

Studio Deen animated the show, which was announced in July 2008. A new staff and a new illustrative style arrived with the fifth season.

What title did the Hetalia anime adopt in 2010 for its third and fourth seasons?

World Series became the banner in March 2010. Later seasons were renamed again, first as The Beautiful World and then as The World Twinkle.

Which song was the Hetalia anime's first ending theme, later re-recorded by nation after nation?

Marukaite Chikyuu was sung first in Italy's voice, then recorded again for Germany, Japan, Russia, England, France and America.

In Hetalia, the noticeable cowlick in America's hair is said to represent which island?

Nantucket is the place behind the cowlick. His brother Canada has a curl of his own and looks so similar that he is often mistaken for America.

Which 2010 Hetalia feature film shows invaders turning most nations into faceless aliens?

Paint it, White! pits the cast against the Pictonians, who leave nearly everyone grey and featureless. Each US DVD came with a green bandana as a bonus.

Which Japanese voice actor plays both Italy Veneziano and his older brother Romano in Hetalia?

Daisuke Namikawa performs both brothers in Japanese, whereas the English dub splits them between Todd Haberkorn and Ian Sinclair.

Hetalia Day, a yearly fan meetup that began in 2009, is timed to match which October observance?

United Nations Day falls on October 24, so fans gather on that date or the nearest weekend to celebrate a cast made up of the world's countries.

Which Japanese channel dropped its 2009 Hetalia broadcast after protests over the Korea character?

Kids Station dropped the show, citing only various circumstances, so the anime reached viewers through mobile phones and internet streaming instead.

Which art-obsessed Hetalia micronation wears a red beret and long braids?

Kugelmugel believes almost everything is art, including his own declaration of independence. Austria describes him as eccentric.

The stray strand of hair on Hetalia's Austria is said to represent which Austrian town?

Mariazell is the town behind the strand. Austria's old friendship with Switzerland ended when the latter broke away and became independent.

Which Latin American nation was first to appear in the Hetalia anime, in a scene after the credits?

Cuba first showed up after the credits of episode 35. Mexico, by contrast, is often mentioned by America but has never been given a design.

Which ballet-loving Hetalia nation is the younger sister of France and speaks like an old man?

Monaco is a bit of a gambler, known for her casinos, and she worries constantly about world affairs and her economy.

Which Hetalia nation joined the anime in The Beautiful World and shares a Magic Club with England?

Romania believes strongly in black magic, and reads tarot cards to prove he is a grandson of Rome. The cards say otherwise.

Which part of his country does Hetalia's Romano, the older brother of Italy Veneziano, represent?

The south is Romano's half of Italy. He shares his brother's love of pasta but is the tougher and more hardworking of the two, having historically had to work more.