The following is an excerpt from Makoto Fukuda’s “Through Otaku Eyes” column on the Daily Yomiuri in regards to the cancellation of the animatione “Hetalia – Axis Powers”
Kids Station satellite TV channel announced Jan. 16 that it had cancelled its plans to run the animation Hetalia–Axis Powers, which would have premiered on Jan. 24.
The Hetalia production committee said the sudden cancellation was decided at the “convenience of the broadcaster,” and the animation channel said the decision was made “due to various circumstances,” giving no detailed explanation. But according to prevailing views on the Internet, the decision was made in consideration of protests against the content of Hetalia.
Hetalia is based on a comedic manga by Hidekazu Himaruya, a Japanese student in New York. In the manga, countries are represented by anthropomorphic characters and their international relations are depicted as their human relations.
Main characters include Italy, depicted as a nation that is weak in war but is bright and adorable and loves food and women. Germany is a serious man who loves rules, while Japan is infatuated with European nations. The United States is a country who likes to always be No. 1 and Britain is a snobbish man.
“Hetalia” is a made-up word combining the Japanese word hetare, meaning a sense of helplessness or uselessness, and Italia.
The gag manga portrays the characters’ relations with the historical events of the Middle Ages, early modern age, early 20th century and other eras as the background.
As soon as the adaptation of the manga into an animation was announced, a number of South Korean Internet users strongly called for the cancellation of the broadcast, as they felt the manga offers an insulting portrayal of the South Korean character. In the manga, South Korea is depicted as a man who “is weak before the United States, calls China his elder brother and hates Japan.”