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NEWS: Korean Protests Call for Hetalia Anime's Cancellation

Of course both this news article and Yomiuri Shinbun fails to mention their sources. From other sources it seems like that yes, some people in Korea are protesting about the show but apparently they're mostly right-wing nationalist netizens, and some people are blowing this way out of proportion.

malik_chan wrote:

Maryohki wrote: Dear Korea, please get over yourselves. Hetalia is potentially insulting to EVERYONE. It's supposed to be fun, and if you're capable of taking a joke, then it IS fun. America in Hetalia is portrayed as a hamburger-obsessed, idealistic dork that hardly anyone genuinely likes. And I laugh at Alfred F. Jones plenty. He's hilarious, and frequently accurate. And I am American. If this Korean protest works, I will be furious. I really hope it's ignored...but after that stuff with JoJo's from the Muslims, I must admit I'm worried. This may be so, but for some of us who don't like it, it's hard to turn WWII events into something fun and cutesy when, I dunno, there was a lot of serious crap going down then. It's hard to separate the real the historical events leading up to and that were during WWII to take it lightly. Of course, this must be because myself and others can't take a joke.

...Have you even read Hetalia? It's not like WWII is the only historical topic discussed in the series. Also, Hetalia may poke fun at things, but it doesn't poke fun at ANY of the war atrocities as far as I've seen, but rather stupid decisions made by the different countries. Not to mention, it's not like all Hetalia does is joke around. It makes the events associated with APH just that much more meaningful, because you can really get attached to the characters.

Also, what I really admire about Hetalia is that it doesn't completely glorify OR villainize any one side for any of the wars that take place. It doesn't try to say that Germany is some kind of monster due to what happened (which the country isn't. Hitler, yes, but Germany? No. And Hetalia Germany is not the same thing as Hitler), and it doesn't try to make America out to be cruel and evil to Japanese people, either (actually, APH Japan and America get along pretty well in later events). Even from things looked at entirely from one country's POV, like the Polish-Swedish wars, Poland was not treated as a bad person; just someone Sweden was currently at odds with.

Ugh, I say this enough on Fandom Secrets.

For those of you who don't understand the hostility and resentment that Korea feels towards Japan, consider yourselves lucky. Imagine if an invading country kidnapped your sisters to become sex slaves, viciously tortured and/or killed anyone who tried to resist the invasion, and then attempted to erase the existence of your culture and force your children to assimilate into theirs as 2nd class citizens. Do you really think it be that easy to "just get over it?"

If any ANN staff are still watching this thread, could you potentially provide any sources on this? Where did this 10,000 number come from? No other reports I've seen on the protests say anything like that.

Oh, please. 'Cancel the anime because there are no Koreans." Give me a break. I doubt, very much, that the anime will stop. What about Americans? There are no Americans in the anime so yeah, they should end the series because there are no Americans ... maybe if they stopped pirating anime and God knows whatever else then they would have a right to complain.

Maryohki wrote:

malik_chan wrote: Maryohki wrote: Dear Korea, please get over yourselves. Hetalia is potentially insulting to EVERYONE. It's supposed to be fun, and if you're capable of taking a joke, then it IS fun. America in Hetalia is portrayed as a hamburger-obsessed, idealistic dork that hardly anyone genuinely likes. And I laugh at Alfred F. Jones plenty. He's hilarious, and frequently accurate. And I am American. If this Korean protest works, I will be furious. I really hope it's ignored...but after that stuff with JoJo's from the Muslims, I must admit I'm worried. This may be so, but for some of us who don't like it, it's hard to turn WWII events into something fun and cutesy when, I dunno, there was a lot of serious crap going down then. It's hard to separate the real the historical events leading up to and that were during WWII to take it lightly. Of course, this must be because myself and others can't take a joke. ...Have you even read Hetalia? It's not like WWII is the only historical topic discussed in the series. Also, Hetalia may poke fun at things, but it doesn't poke fun at ANY of the war atrocities as far as I've seen, but rather stupid decisions made by the different countries. Not to mention, it's not like all Hetalia does is joke around. It makes the events associated with APH just that much more meaningful, because you can really get attached to the characters. Also, what I really admire about Hetalia is that it doesn't completely glorify OR villainize any one side for any of the wars that take place. It doesn't try to say that Germany is some kind of monster due to what happened (which the country isn't. Hitler, yes, but Germany? No. And Hetalia Germany is not the same thing as Hitler), and it doesn't try to make America out to be cruel and evil to Japanese people, either (actually, APH Japan and America get along pretty well in later events). Even from things looked at entirely from one country's POV, like the Polish-Swedish wars, Poland was not treated as a bad person; just someone Sweden was currently at odds with. Ugh, I say this enough on Fandom Secrets.

I know you would attack me for not liking it. I'm sorry, but when I think WWII, I don't think cutesy bishounen and I just don't like it. I know Hetalia does not make fun of any of the crap that went down, but I don't take anything pertaining to WWII lightly. Don't even bother convincing me to like it. You like it, I don't. No reason to get worked up about me explaining my side.

yojimboray wrote:

For those of you who don't understand the hostility and resentment that Korea feels towards Japan, consider yourselves lucky. Imagine if an invading country kidnapped your sisters to become sex slaves, viciously tortured and/or killed anyone who tried to resist the invasion, and then attempted to erase the existence of your culture and force your children to assimilate into theirs as 2nd class citizens. Do you really think it be that easy to "just get over it?"

And you do?
Unless you were alive at that time, you really don't have a right to claim any deeper level of understanding something so far beyond your lifetime. Even if you want to pretend you do, the fact of the matter is that the anime doesn't even have a Korean depicting character. The protests are over some imaginary point of controversy, the anime doesn't even delve into. Unless the protesters want the return of the Korean stereotype; I'm mildly curious to see how/why some Koreans are demanding special treatment for this.

And honestly, what right does (should) one country have over the casting choices of another country's domestic television broadcasts?