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Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
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===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
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'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a yaoi (genre that focuses on male same-sex relationships) manga.<br />
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'''Fact''': While Hetalia has male homoeroticism, the main focus of the comic is on humor and history.<br />
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===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
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The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
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While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
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===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
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The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
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However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
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It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
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The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
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===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
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In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
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However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
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A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
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===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
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'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
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In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
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Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
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An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
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===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
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'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
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Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
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===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
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The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
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The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
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When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
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===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
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But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
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Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
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It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
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===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
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The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
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Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
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In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
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===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
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In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
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While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
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In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
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Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
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A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
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Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
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One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
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Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
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*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
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But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
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===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
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'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
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===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
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'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
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In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
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But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
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Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
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But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
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In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
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Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
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===New Zealand===<br />
'''Rumor''': New Zealand is a boy/girl.<br />
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'''Fact''': Himaruya has not confirmed New Zealand's sex or gender in any way. <br />
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===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
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'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia''.<br />
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Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
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A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
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But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
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===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
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It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
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The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
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A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
====Baltic Prussia====<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
<br />
====Post-WWII Status====<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
<br />
====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
<br />
'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
<br />
====An Albino?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
<br />
*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
<br />
*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
<br />
*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
<br />
*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
<br />
*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
<br />
Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
<br />
It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
<br />
====Older Brother?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
<br />
===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
<br />
In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed, and Himaruya now only offers suggestions for them, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters. <br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. In 2010, Himaruya suggested potential human names for nations who had not received them during 2007-2008, but ultimately gave fans the final say in what these names were.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions About Himaruya==<br />
<br />
===Man Whose Face is Obscured by Ice Cream===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya posted a photo of himself on his blog, but placed a cup of ice cream so it would obscure most of his face.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This person was confirmed to be a friend of Himaruya's. <br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Beautiful World's Ending Theme===<br />
'''Rumor''': The fifth season's ending theme is called ''Kira Kira''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This was a translation misunderstanding. The fifth season's ending theme is called [[Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo]].<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=32015Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-27T22:48:31Z<p>167.206.228.210: Cleaned up some of the human name debates where the spelling is no longer in doubt.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
<br />
However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
<br />
It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
<br />
The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
<br />
===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
<br />
In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
<br />
A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
<br />
===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
<br />
In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
<br />
Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
<br />
An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
<br />
===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
<br />
Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
<br />
The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
<br />
The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
<br />
When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
<br />
===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
<br />
But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
<br />
It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
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===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
<br />
The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
<br />
Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
<br />
In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
<br />
In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
<br />
While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
<br />
In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
<br />
A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
<br />
Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
<br />
One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
<br />
Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
<br />
===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
<br />
In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
<br />
In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
<br />
===New Zealand===<br />
'''Rumor''': New Zealand is a boy/girl.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Himaruya has not confirmed New Zealand's sex or gender in any way. <br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia''.<br />
<br />
Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
<br />
A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
<br />
But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
<br />
===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
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The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
<br />
A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
====Baltic Prussia====<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
<br />
====Post-WWII Status====<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
<br />
====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
<br />
'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
<br />
====An Albino?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
<br />
*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
<br />
*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
<br />
*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
<br />
*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
<br />
*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
<br />
Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
<br />
It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
<br />
====Older Brother?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
<br />
===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
<br />
In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed, and Himaruya now only offers suggestions for them, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters. <br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. In 2010, Himaruya suggested potential human names for nations who had not received them during 2007-2008, but ultimately gave fans the final say in what these names were.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions About Himaruya==<br />
<br />
===Man Whose Face is Obscured by Ice Cream===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya posted a photo of himself on his blog, but placed a cup of ice cream so it would obscure most of his face.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This person was confirmed to be a friend of Himaruya's. <br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Beautiful World's Ending Theme===<br />
'''Rumor''': The fifth season's ending theme is called ''Kira Kira''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This was a translation misunderstanding. The fifth season's ending theme is called [[Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo]].<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31930Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-25T14:22:27Z<p>167.206.228.210: a bit of rearranging and updating</p>
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<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
<br />
However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
<br />
It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
<br />
The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
<br />
===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
<br />
In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
<br />
A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
<br />
===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
<br />
In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
<br />
Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
<br />
An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
<br />
===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
<br />
Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
<br />
The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
<br />
The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
<br />
When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
<br />
===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
<br />
But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
<br />
It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
<br />
===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
<br />
The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
<br />
Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
<br />
In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
<br />
In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
<br />
While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
<br />
In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
<br />
A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
<br />
Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
<br />
One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
<br />
Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
<br />
===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
<br />
In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
<br />
In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
<br />
===New Zealand===<br />
'''Rumor''': New Zealand is a boy/girl.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Himaruya has not confirmed New Zealand's sex or gender in any way. <br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
<br />
Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
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A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
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But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
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===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
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The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
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A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
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But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
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===Prussia===<br />
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====Baltic Prussia====<br />
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'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
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'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
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In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
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It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
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As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
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The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
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====Post-WWII Status====<br />
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*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
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*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
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*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
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'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
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In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
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Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
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The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
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====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
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'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
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'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
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'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
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====An Albino?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
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'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
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*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
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*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
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*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
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*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
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*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
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Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
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It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
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====Older Brother?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
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'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
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In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
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But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
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Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
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Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
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===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
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'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
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A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
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Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
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Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
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A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
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===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
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In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
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As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
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===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
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'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
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Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed, and Himaruya now only offers suggestions for them, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters. <br />
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This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. In 2010, Himaruya suggested potential human names for nations who had not received them during 2007-2008, but ultimately gave fans the final say in what these names were.<br />
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'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
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*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
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*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
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===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
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*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
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*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
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*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
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*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
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*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
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*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
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*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
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*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
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*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconceptions About Himaruya==<br />
<br />
===Man Whose Face is Obscured by Ice Cream===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya posted a photo of himself on his blog, but placed a cup of ice cream so it would obscure most of his face.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. This person was confirmed to be a friend of Himaruya's. <br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Beautiful World's Ending Theme===<br />
'''Rumor''': The fifth season's ending theme is called ''Kira Kira''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This was a translation misunderstanding. The fifth season's ending theme is called [[Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo]].<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=User_talk:FH14&diff=31847User talk:FH142013-02-22T02:11:52Z<p>167.206.228.210: asking a question</p>
<hr />
<div>==Welcome==<br />
Hi, welcome to Hetalia Archives! Thanks for your edit to the '''User:FH14''' page.<br />
<br />
Please leave a message on [[User talk:Icelilly|my talk page]] if I can help with anything! -- [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] ([[User_talk:Icelilly|Talk]]) 07:40, July 9, 2010<br />
<br />
== Chibi ==<br />
<br />
Alright, let me clean it up and I'll upload it soon as I can. =) --[[User:Butterfly|Butterfly]] 02:34, 7 May 2011 (UTC)<br />
:Thank you so much! :D --[[User:FH14|FH14]] 02:36, 7 May 2011 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Skins and Portal==<br />
I've added the codes you posted and they seem to be working just fine! Though for some reason the America image won't show up on the portal. The BG doesn't seem to work very will with the Vector skin so I think I'll remove it. I just tried it with the Monaco skin and ended up with the same results. Monobook works perfectly fine. <br />
<br />
Also, I found a way to change the default skin so if you want to me to change the default from Vector to Monobook, just let me know and I'll do that! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 15:08, 2 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
==TRNC appearance==<br />
Hey! TRNC recently appeared in his first strip during the Halloween event. Should his infobox be changed to reflect that? I know he appeared in the sorta-omake, but this seems to be his definitive debut. Also, I began a rough mockup of a names page at [[User:Watermint/Names]]. Currently, the character pages include them--but the paragraphs are almost entirely fanon and speculation. I rather have the simple sentence in the lede, with the name linking to a name page. Whaddya think? [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 10:36, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:The names page looks good so far! Is there information on the circumstances surrounding the decision to assign names? Because that would be a good thing to add. And I think that the sketch is actually Egypt because the headdress looks more like his. :/ -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 11:01, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Ah, true. I keep forgetting Egypt XD I was judging from that small image in the prolude, but their Halloween arrival definitely has Egypt. I think Himaruya assigned names due to fan requests, but I don't know much about the circumstances. Bella, on the other hand, seems much more knowledgeable, so she might be able to help the page. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 11:54, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
== Book template ==<br />
<br />
For the template, I'm still trying to figure out how to organize it. I'm still keen I'm changing the "extra stories" page to unpublished strips, as the list would be incredibly long if we take no discretion. For published strips on the template, are those the ones in Comic Birz? I figure we might as well make a page just for Birz strips, and remove them as they are put in volumes. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 13:12, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:Yeah it's for the Birz Strips (and I was thinking the same thing about moving them to Volume pages when they're collected). The Extra Stories/Unpublished is a bit strange... Maybe have the link on the Template be called "Other Unpublished Strips" and we could un-italicize the "Other Published Strips" Link Above, to have them match? -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 13:14, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::How many Birz strips are there? I know there's the Africa series of strips, and then that sales commemoration. Is that all? I'd be down with that. I have my ShoutWiki list, too. It's in alphabetical order, though. [[User:Watermint/Unpublished]]. Also, do you know if the completed Isolationist!Japan strips were released in volume 4? I need to go through and remove published strips. Also, should the holiday specials get a separate page? We don't have the room to go in-depth on the listing, and there's not a huge chance they'll ever be published. Do you have the translated strip of [http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-1284.html this]?[[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 13:29, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:There's also another one that hasn't made its way online yet that was released at the end of October. All of the Isolationist!Japan strips were reprinted except for this omake - [http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/momomo.jpg http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/momomo.jpg]. The Event Holiday Specials could probably merit their own pages, but other like April Fools 2010 are basically normal strips and probably don't warrant the attention. :/ -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 14:40, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Alright. I guess we'll just have keep our eyes peeled? Ah, so the omake is missing...Well, I could either throw the series under "partially published" or stick the omake under the 2010-2011 section. As for the Holiday specials (fun fact: I just typed Hawllowday), I meant they could go in a cumulative list. But separating the major events is fine, too. The rest could just go under the main listing. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 14:48, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:::Major Events might make more sense. Oh and that Korea strip has been translated somewhere on the Hetalia maincomm under the "official: scanlation" tag I believe. -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 14:51, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::I found where it should be, but the images have been deleted. Aw. I suppose I'll incorporate the minor events into the main sections. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 14:53, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Also, do you have any idea what [http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%83%98%E3%82%BF%E3%83%AA%E3%82%A2-%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8B%E3%83%A1%E7%B5%B5%E6%9C%AC-%E3%81%A1%E3%81%84%E3%81%95%E3%81%AA%E3%81%A1%E3%81%B3%E3%81%9F%E3%82%8A%E3%81%82-%E4%B8%80%E8%88%AC%E6%9B%B8%E7%B1%8D-%E3%81%B2%E3%81%BE%E3%82%8B%E3%82%84-%E3%81%B2%E3%81%A7%E3%81%8B%E3%81%9A/dp/4344823389/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320378929&sr=8-1 this] is? It's also [http://hetalia.com/news/index11.htm#111021 here]. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 14:57, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::One more thing! I took the [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers CDs]] from Shout. It needs some filling out, but it's here. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 14:58, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:::Some book? I've seen it before but honestly have no idea what it is. The Korea comic is about Korea running into China whose wearing copyright-infringing Disney merchandise hence the pixelation. Korea wears the ears to see if when he blurs out he'll be able to see China. It works and Korea swoons while Hong Kong looks on all "This is stupid." Also, I think the Media Template might be a bit too confusing since there are other templates that index those pages already. (saw that you imported that page I completely forgot about it orz) -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 15:01, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Thanks! Yeah, the media template was looking sketchy, so I moved it away. Which reminds me! I'd like to eventually set up Season pages with the covers of various Japanese releases and the US counterpart. Still a rough idea, but it could work. I just randomly remembered it and decided to upload. I'll try and find more about the book. Just so I can stick it on the template. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 15:12, 4 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
== How to use strips? ==<br />
<br />
/awkwardly written subject headline. I've been pondering this thing for awhile...How do you think we should refer to strips in articles? For example, the strip "Walking Together". Our options are:<br />
*Walking Together<br />
*"Walking Together"<br />
*''Walking Together''<br />
Now, I personally think we need one of the latter two. But, regardless, I mostly just want consistency. Waddyathink? (Also, everyone else, please chime in!) [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 16:20, 15 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:I suppose Italics may be the best? IDK :/ (Everyone else please chime in too) -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 16:23, 15 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::That would work. (Also, awesome for changing the minor to supporting! Thanks!) I finished the kanji/letters for the prefectures. Don't mind my quoting of ''Don't Stop Believin''' in the edit summaries...It's exam week. XD [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 16:30, 15 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:::Just popping in before I head to bed (I think I'm starting my job training tomorrow). I'm up for italics as well. We already do it for the infoboxes so we might as well show some consistency! Good luck with your exams Mint! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 16:38, 15 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::So that's 3 (counting me) for italics? Sounds good. Thanks Lilly! I just have one more exam. It's on Friday. Then I can return home :) [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 04:21, 16 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
== Drama CD VA ==<br />
<br />
Mind if I add a new VA category for drama CDs? The Japanese VA listing can get pretty clogged because of them. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 08:37, 16 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:Do you mean the Flower of Iris VA's? -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 08:41, 16 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Pretty much. Though America actually has two VAs for the CD. Other characters may have more Japanese VAs once they are introduced to other media, such as Cyprus and TRNC. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 08:43, 16 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:::Let me play around with that a bit. :/ -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 09:02, 16 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:Another random question: can we switch to using the current canon hair and eye colors for templates, and just explain the discrepancies in the attributes section? This might make it look cleaner and easier to read at a glance. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 15:03, 17 November 2011 (EST)<br />
::Maybe. And maybe have a note link in Italics i.e. - Blue <small>(''[[#Appearance|see Appearance]]'')</small> - If it requires it. -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 15:15, 17 November 2011 (EST)<br />
:::Sounds like a good idea. [[User:Watermint|Watermint]] 15:40, 17 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
==Pronouns==<br />
You're quick! I was just fixing that! But they are real words, just not English ones. It's German. Regardless, they don't belong so thanks for being speedy! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 10:46, 23 November 2011 (EST)<br />
<br />
==Template Help==<br />
Hey! I hope you don't mind me bugging you here but you don't that transfer some of your newly created templates to Parkipedia do you? [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 05:53, 10 January 2012 (EST)<br />
:Which ones would you like? -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 07:06, 10 January 2012 (EST)<br />
::The media and pairing templates (though I doubt I'll need the Pixiv template since there's no pairing tags for SP) as well as the infoboxes that we include at the bottom of the page. Probably the stub template too since I don't think we have one. [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 08:31, 10 January 2012 (EST)<br />
:::Okay, I'll transfer those over later tonight. -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 08:57, 10 January 2012 (EST)<br />
::::Sound good! I'll try to get that portal image done tonight. I ran into some trouble over the weekend so I'll take another stab at it. [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 09:04, 10 January 2012 (EST)<br />
<br />
== Appearances List ==<br />
<br />
Hey! I remember us chatting with Watermint a few weeks back about doing a list of appearances for each character and we all seemed to like the idea. I was on the fence but I really want to put the idea into action since I'm warming up to the idea. We were unsure about adding the strips since it could get long for some characters (ex. Germany) but I'm slowly changing my position on it as I feel it can be useful (despite the length). I was thinking the title could be like "Iceland/List of Appearances (randomly chose him for the hell of it) and we could leave a link in the template or in the Appearances section of the page. I can start doing a beta page in my sandbox right away. Thoughts? [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 14:27, 18 January 2012 (EST)<br />
:Let's do the setup in beta on your sandbox and see how we like it (Iceland would be a good character to use for a mockup) -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 14:29, 18 January 2012 (EST)<br />
::Holy crap, you are fast. I was just about to notify you on Tumblr. I'll start on it right it away! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 14:35, 18 January 2012 (EST)<br />
:::[[User:Icelilly/Sandbox|Here's a rough design.]] On top is what Iceland's page could look like and below is what a full page could look like. Not the greatest. We can fix up the wording later. I also wrote what I could remember from the top of my head so I apologize if I left anything out. Let me know what you think! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 15:57, 18 January 2012 (EST)<br />
::::Honestly I'm not entirely sure what my opinion is at the present moment. :/ I'll weigh in again a little later after I've had more time to look it over. -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 05:13, 19 January 2012 (EST)<br />
:::::Not a problem! I'm probably going to do some more work on it later on in the day. I hope Mint is doing okay. I'd love to get an opinion from her but I don't want to bug her if she's busy. D: If you want to work around with the sandbox feel free to! You and Mint always have better ideas than I do. XD [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 05:33, 19 January 2012 (EST)<br />
<br />
== Hehehe, You're the beautiful one, ==<br />
<br />
For helping me on the details and adding it to the template XD ;),I'll try to improve it more.<br />
<br />
~by extorchic<br />
<br />
<br />
haha, hey, wassup?!?! XD see you around, buddy, come on the other wikis chat now and then, haha lol see ya!<br />
- Cora [[User:IWantToHugALandmass:D|IWantToHugALandmass:D]] 03:57, 15 July 2012 (EST)<br />
<br />
==hello==<br />
<br />
:Hello,<br />
<br />
I saw your answer but I prefer to wait for the Admin answer. Besides that, I'm half japanese and I know every secret hide place of Himaruya Hidekaz website's, since I went through all of it there wasn't something about that expect for the Latvia - Sealand part. Anyway, since my japanese friends knows everything about hetalia they told me that it didn't happened nor it will happen. Hima-sensei is someone that doesn't finish things at all or that let parts aside. But it's nice you guys try to help. Anyway I hope the admin will answer soon even though I'm a very patient person. <nowiki>~~~~</nowiki><br />
<br />
==Yo==<br />
It looks like I've stumbled back on here on the Hetalia Wikinet. I hope I can help, as well as being more involved in translations. I don't know how much help I'll be though regarding editing pages as I'm so "out of it", but I do hope to help with translations. <br />
<br />
[[User:Wonderfulasia|Wonderfulasia]] 22:29, 2 October 2012 (EST)<br />
<br />
Thanks for the welcome back~ It's nice being back here. I'm not very sure I'll actually be editing anything and I'll just be translating, as well as making snazzy comebacks to those who troll around here. I read one about the fan knowledge...and...well, urgk. I would've come back - though it looks like I'll probably further light the fire. Anyways, I hope I can be of some help...is there anything you'd like me to help with? XD<br />
[[User:Wonderfulasia|Wonderfulasia]] 10:11, 3 October 2012 (EST)<br />
<br />
==Anti-Spam extensions==<br />
Do you think you could install some anti-spam extensions on here? Because these spam bots are getting out of control. MediaWiki has a small list of them [http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Anti-spam_features#See_also here]. Abuse Filter appears to be the most popular but I have no clue how to use it, let alone install it. D:<br />
<br />
Also, while I'm still here, I'm working on fixing up a bunch of the pages that have "Hetalia Archives" in them and I was wondering if you could help out with creating some templates? I'd like to fix up and re-create the page [[Hetalia Archives:Administrators]] and Bulbapedia has [http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Template:AdminCell this cool and nifty template] that I think would be a nice addition here ([http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Bulbapedia:Staff_member there's this one too that is also similar]). It doesn't have to look exactly like that but something similar would be great. [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] ([[User talk:Icelilly|talk]]) 19:26, 29 November 2012 (CST)<br />
<br />
==Can't make pages?== <br />
Hi! ^_^ This is probably a stupid question, but I was wondering... When ever I try to upload a picture it says that I don't have permission to do so. Like I was trying to upload a picture for episode 4 of The Beautiful World. Are there certain requirements that I haven't fulfilled, or something? <br />
<br />
It also won't let me create a user page. -_-<br />
<br />
Sorry for bothering you, and thanks for reading~ --[[User:Mai Is Me|Mai Is Me]] ([[User talk:Mai Is Me|talk]]) 12:53, 15 February 2013 (CST)<br />
:Hey I hope you don't mind me butting in but I think I can help!<br />
:The user page issue was due to the abuse filter we had installed since you needed to have more than 24 edits to be able to create one. I've gone and disabled it so there shouldn't be any problems. The upload issue is a bit troubling because I don't know what would be causing that unless he did something to the upload settings. If that's the case, I'll try and see if I can get in contact with him but since he's gone for the weekend I can't make any promises (he has access to the MediaWiki settings and I don't). <br />
::I've gone and disabled the abuse filter in its entirely so please me let me know if this fixes the any of the problems you've been having! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] ([[User talk:Icelilly|talk]]) 14:35, 15 February 2013 (CST)<br />
<br />
==Apology and Question==<br />
<br />
Hi FH14, I would like to apologize for bringing up the whole Eriko Chiba thing. I should've realized that mentioning it (if only for the sake of completeness) was a poor decision. I have a question, though: would you object to me setting up another section debunking different rumors about Himaruya (like the picture of that composer that's still floating around tumblr, and the picture of the friend on whom he based Thailand's design)? Do you think it would be a good idea, or is it potentially more trouble than it's worth? Again, I'm sorry for including that rumor, and I'm sorry for bothering you with a stupid question. --167.206.228.210</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31822Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-21T01:29:43Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
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===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
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Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
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===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
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The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
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However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
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It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
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The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
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===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
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In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
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However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
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A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
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===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
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'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
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In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
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Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
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An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
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===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
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'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
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Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
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===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
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The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
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The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
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When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
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===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
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But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
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Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
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It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
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===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
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The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
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Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
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In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
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===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
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In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
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While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
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In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
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Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
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A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
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Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
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One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
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Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
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*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
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But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
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===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
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'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
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===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
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'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
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In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
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But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
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Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
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But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
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In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
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Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
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===New Zealand===<br />
'''Rumor''': New Zealand is a boy/girl.<br />
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'''Fact''': Himaruya has not confirmed New Zealand's sex or gender in any way. <br />
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===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
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'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
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Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
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A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
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But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
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===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
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It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
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The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
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A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
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But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
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===Prussia===<br />
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====Baltic Prussia====<br />
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'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
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'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
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In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
<br />
====Post-WWII Status====<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
<br />
====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
<br />
'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
<br />
====An Albino?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
<br />
*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
<br />
*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
<br />
*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
<br />
*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
<br />
*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
<br />
Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
<br />
It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
<br />
====Older Brother?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
<br />
===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
<br />
In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed and none of the newer cast members have been given any, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters.<br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. It remains to be seen if Himaruya will create an updated list, though it is unlikely.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
<br />
*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
===Eriko Chiba===<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya is a woman named "Eriko Chiba."<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Unknown. Further research is discouraged, as it is a grossly unnecessary violation of Himaruya's privacy.<br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Beautiful World's Ending Theme===<br />
'''Rumor''': The fifth season's ending theme is called ''Kira Kira''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This was a translation misunderstanding. The fifth season's ending theme is called [[Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo]].<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31821Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-21T01:17:59Z<p>167.206.228.210: Another edit. More to come as I do more fact-checking.</p>
<hr />
<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
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*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
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*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
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*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
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*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
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*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
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===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
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The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
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While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
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===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
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Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
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However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
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It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
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The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
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===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
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In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
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A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
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===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
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'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
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In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
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Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
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An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
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===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
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'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
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Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
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The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
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The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
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When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
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===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
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But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
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Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
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It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
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===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
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The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
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Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
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In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
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<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
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In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
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While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
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In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
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A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
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Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
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One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
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Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
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===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
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===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
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In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
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In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
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===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
<br />
Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
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A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
<br />
But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
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===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
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'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
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The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
<br />
A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
====Baltic Prussia====<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
<br />
====Post-WWII Status====<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
<br />
====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
<br />
'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
<br />
====An Albino?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
<br />
*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
<br />
*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
<br />
*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
<br />
*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
<br />
*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
<br />
Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
<br />
It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
<br />
====Older Brother?====<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
<br />
===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
<br />
In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed and none of the newer cast members have been given any, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters.<br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. It remains to be seen if Himaruya will create an updated list, though it is unlikely.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
<br />
*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya==<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
===Eriko Chiba===<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya is a woman named "Eriko Chiba."<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Unknown. Further research is discouraged, as it is a grossly unnecessary violation of Himaruya's privacy.<br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Beautiful World's Ending Theme===<br />
'''Rumor''': The fifth season's ending theme is called ''Kira Kira''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. This was a translation misunderstanding. The fifth season's ending theme is called [[Mawaru Chikyuu Rondo]].<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31820Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-21T01:02:10Z<p>167.206.228.210: Let's try this without the internal server error.</p>
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<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
<br />
===The Published Manga===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
<br />
However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
<br />
It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
<br />
The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
<br />
===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
<br />
In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
<br />
A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
<br />
===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
<br />
In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
<br />
Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
<br />
An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
<br />
===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
<br />
Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
<br />
The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
<br />
The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
<br />
When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
<br />
===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
<br />
But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
<br />
It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
<br />
===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
<br />
The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
<br />
Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
<br />
In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
<br />
In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
<br />
While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
<br />
In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
<br />
A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
<br />
Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
<br />
One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
<br />
Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
<br />
===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
<br />
In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
<br />
In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
<br />
Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
<br />
A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
<br />
But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
<br />
===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
<br />
The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
<br />
A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
<br />
===Post-WWII Status===<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
<br />
====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
<br />
'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
<br />
'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
<br />
===An Albino?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
<br />
*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
<br />
*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
<br />
*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
<br />
*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
<br />
*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
<br />
Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
<br />
It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
<br />
===Older Brother?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
<br />
===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
<br />
In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed and none of the newer cast members have been given any, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters.<br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. It remains to be seen if Himaruya will create an updated list, though it is unlikely.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
<br />
*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya==<br />
<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya is a woman named "Eriko Chiba."<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Unknown. Further research is discouraged, as it is a grossly unnecessary violation of Himaruya's privacy.<br />
<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
===Prussia's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
<br />
Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31815Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-20T22:04:27Z<p>167.206.228.210: formatting!</p>
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<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
<br />
==The Published Manga==<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
<br />
However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
<br />
It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
<br />
The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
<br />
===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
<br />
In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
<br />
A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
<br />
===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
<br />
In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
<br />
Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
<br />
An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
<br />
===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
<br />
Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
<br />
The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
<br />
The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
<br />
When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
<br />
===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
<br />
But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
<br />
It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
<br />
===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
<br />
The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
<br />
Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
<br />
In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
<br />
In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
<br />
While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
<br />
In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
<br />
A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
<br />
Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
<br />
One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
<br />
Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
<br />
===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
<br />
In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
<br />
In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
<br />
===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
<br />
Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
<br />
A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
<br />
But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
<br />
===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
<br />
The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
<br />
A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
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The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
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===Post-WWII Status===<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
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*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
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*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
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'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
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The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
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====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
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'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
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'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
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'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
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===Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
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'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
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===An Albino?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
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'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
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*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
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*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
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*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
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*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
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*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
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Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
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It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
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===Older Brother?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
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Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
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===Shotalia===<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
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'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
<br />
===Sweden's Sexuality===<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
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In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
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'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
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===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
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'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
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Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed and none of the newer cast members have been given any, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters.<br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. It remains to be seen if Himaruya will create an updated list, though it is unlikely.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
<br />
*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya==<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31813Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-20T20:41:44Z<p>167.206.228.210: First big change. Will come back later.</p>
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<div>{{cleanup}}<br />
Like many manga and anime series, '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' is subject to much fan speculation and various theories, which may turn into misconceptions when newcomers confuse fanon with canon. Mistranslations of profiles and strips may also contribute to confusion as well. This is a list of some of the different rumors, misconceptions, and fan-theories related to the series and its characters.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about the Series==<br />
<br />
===Demographic===<br />
'''Rumor''': Axis Powers Hetalia is a '''shoujo''' series (aimed at females between 10 and 18) or a '''shounen''' (aimed at males 10 and up).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Hetalia is often mistaken for shoujo due to its light homoeroticism, moe art style and female-dominated fandom. To a lesser degree, it has been mistaken for a shounen, possibly due to the art style (not sparkly and wispy enough to be shoujo) and seemingly "educational" elements. Because the manga was published in ''Comic Birz'', Hetalia falls under '''seinen''' (aimed at adult men) by default.<br />
<br />
===Fansub Mistranslations===<br />
[http://www.ggkthx.org/ gg subs], a group in charge of providing fansubbed versions of the Hetalia episodes (until they disbanded during the end of the second season), had taken some notable yet controversial liberties with the Japanese script when translating. Below are a few examples:<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 01]]: [[Russia]]'s reply to [[Estonia]] about bullying was subbed as '''"But it's so fun!"''', while official translations later revealed that he was actually supposed to be calling Estonia "annoying" for trying to stop him. [[Latvia]] was also incorrectly identified as "Lithuania".<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 18]], [[Episode 26]], and [[Episode 28: :) In The World|Episode 28]]: '''"Go, China!"''', said by [[America]], was subbed as '''"China, I choose you!"''', presumably as an added joke referencing [[wikipedia:Pokémon|Pokémon]]. Interestingly, the FUNimation adaptation uses the fansubbed translation.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 41]]: [[France]]'s line about the rumors him and [[England]] spread about [[Germany]] was subbed as '''"The scary rumors about Germany are spreading like AIDS!"'''.<br />
<br />
*[[Episode 48]]: [[Italy]]'s lines about his voice are subbed as '''"Cool! My voice changed! I sound like a fag!"''' and '''"I sound like a fag! I really do!"'''. The appropriate translation would be something like '''"I sound so strange/weird!"'''. The FUNimation dub uses a variation of the fansub's translation, having Italy say '''"I sound kind of like a homo, don't I?"'''.<br />
<br />
*The subbers had also used "fag" in other episodes, most notably with [[Sealand]]'s "Jerk England" insults being replaced with it. "Retard"/"retarded" was also used on other occasions in place of "stupid".<br />
<br />
===Hetalia's Early Days===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hetalia began in March/May 2003.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the above was assumed to be true for a long time due to little info existing about the early days of Hetalia and Kitayume, the March 2003 launch date actually refers to the founding of Kitayume itself (though it has also been given as May or June 2003 in some commemorative headers).<br />
<br />
The first series on the site was '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club''', drawn by a then-teenage Himaruya. The following year introduced '''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club Pure''' and '''Barjona Bombers''', and the two series began to cross over. However, Himaruya would later delete a large chunk of ''Kitakou'' stories, and both series seemed to eventually be abandoned once he drew more Hetalia stories.<br />
<br />
While it is likely that he might have had a Hetalia concept in mind earlier, it appears that the first chapter was drawn in mid-2006, with the rest of the series following in the fall.<br />
<br />
==The Published Manga==<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Gentosha Comics]] discontinued production of the collected editions of Hetalia: Axis Powers, due to controversy and the South Korean protests.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. While there was a noticeable lack of announcement for the release date of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'', it was never confirmed if the published manga had in fact been stopped due to the protests.<br />
<br />
Gentosha did later put out two "storyboard collections" and a guide (''World Wide Walking'') for the animated adaptation, which suggested that they had not completely stopped publishing Hetalia-related materials. After a long hiatus, the third volume of the series was finally announced on September 24th, 2009, and was released in May of the following year.<br />
<br />
===The Series Title===<br />
''"Is the title of the series "'''Hetalia Axis Powers"''' or "'''Axis Powers Hetalia'''?"''<br />
<br />
The title of the series, more specifically the order of the words, has been up for debate ever since the published manga and anime came out. While most fanworks use the abbreviation '''APH''', the published manga and anime render the title as '''Hetalia Axis Powers''' (or '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''), which is the official "international" title for the series in both of those incarnations, although the actual manga volumes show the logo with the ''APH'' ordering.<br />
<br />
However, the original webcomic is titled '''Axis Powers Hetalia''', and the title appeared this way in the first independent drama CD ([[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]), as well as on two of the later commercial drama CDs. It may be that the original title was intended to be read as ''"Axis Powers: Hetalia", ''though it remains uncertain.<br />
<br />
It would appear that either title is valid for the series, although the '''APH''' ordering would apply to the webcomic and some of the merchandise, while the '''HAP''' ordering would apply to the anime, published manga, and other merchandise. Two of the commercial drama CDs leave out the "Axis Powers" part altogether, and simply refer to the series as '''Hetalia'''.<br />
<br />
The Polish translation of the published manga (released on November 13th, 2009) opted to use the original '''APH''' order for its release, though it remains to be seen what order other countries&nbsp;will use to refer to it by. When FUNimation licensed the anime version of Hetalia for North American distribution, their site referred to it as "Hetalia: Axis Powers" yet also listed it as "Axis Powers Hetalia" in the summary for the series. It was then revealed with the solicitations for the first English DVD that they had opted to use the ''HAP'' order.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Characters==<br />
<br />
===Ancient Greece and Byzantine===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Ancient Greece''' later becomes the '''Byzantine Empire'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': ''Uncertain''. The identity of [[Greece]]'s mother has remained a source of confusion, with contradictory official sources.<br />
<br />
In [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]], Greece's mother is identified as having been the [[wikipedia:Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Empire]]. It is said that [[Turkey]] (as the [[wikipedia:Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Empire]]) killed her and kidnapped young Greece for himself. The timeline on the Hetalia website also lists the [[wikipedia:Fall of Constantinople|Fall of Constantinople]] on the timeline of events for the series, with both Byzantine and Turkey involved in it.<br />
<br />
However, Himaruya has also identified Greece's mother as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Ancient_Greece|Ancient Greece]], which has lead to debates over whether he intends to have her be "Byzantine" at a later stage of life or for Byzantine to be a completely separate character. Proponents of her becoming Byzantine will point to his quote about Ancient Greece's troubles and internal struggle, and will point to other "dissimilar" character evolutions like [[Prussia]]'s. The opposing side will point to how it would be impossible anyway, as both cultures are much too different and that Byzantine was also known as the '''Eastern Roman Empire''' (and would likely be a relative of [[Ancient Rome|Rome]], perhaps a child of his) and that her struggles are related to the competing city-states that comprised Ancient Greece, which was not a singular nation. However, as seen as with the '''Holy Roman Empire''', a character can call themselves Roman and still be completely unrelated to Rome.<br />
<br />
A "Byzantine" is also mentioned in the profile notes for a '''Magyar''' character on Himaruya's blog, which was included alongside notes for Rome, [[Germania]], and both Ancient Egypt and Greece. This has lead some to assume that Himaruya has indeed made Byzantine a separate character from Ancient Greece, though it remains to be seen what he will do with either of them. However, it is to be noted that Himaruya's plans for characters are subject to change over time, and that the Magyar character was originally identified as '''Hun''' in the incomplete [[Gakuen Hetalia]] screenplay. Germania has also been alternatively referred to as a "father" or "grandfather" of [[Germany]], [[Holy Roman Empire]], and others.<br />
<br />
===African Nations===<br />
'''Rumor''': '''Kenya''', '''Zimbabwe''', and three unnamed female African nations appear in concept art for [[Gakuen Hetalia]].<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though two of the girls' hairstyles somewhat resemble the hairstyles of Zimbabwe and Kenya, the "Kenya" in the sheet is shown to have a slightly different look to her hair. In designing the initial uniform sheets, Himaruya had also opted to use generic characters to represent both the Europe and Africa classes as a way to show off the uniforms without choosing a specific nation. However, he did use [[South Korea]] and [[Taiwan]] in art for the Asia Class uniforms, which has lead to speculation that perhaps one of the models could have been intended as an uncredited cameo of an African nation. But the models for these two sheets seem to have been intended to be normal unspecified girls.<br />
<br />
In the demo version, there are [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#African_nations| five African nations]] that appear as super-deformed heads when greeting [[Seychelles]]: Kenya, '''Botswana''', Zimbabwe, '''Uganda''', and '''Ghana'''. Though Kenya is a female, the genders of three of the others are left ambiguous, though most Western fans assume that they too are women. In the rare instances that they are referenced in Japanese fanart, Zimbabwe is characterized as either male or female, and Botswana and Ghana tend to be male. Uganda is shown to be a male in the game, when he is carried out by paramedics for laughing too hard at Seychelles' crest.<br />
<br />
Five other African nations ('''Sahara''', '''Guinea-Bissau''', '''Cabinda''', '''Ethiopia''', and '''Congo''') introduce themselves in the demo, though their faces are unseen. Ethiopia is the only one whose gender has been outright confirmed, being a male (and picked on by the rest of the class due to being associated with Italy). In his notes around the demo's release, Himaruya mentioned that a '''Libya''' character was to be included, but they do not show up in either the demo or the unfinished screenplay.<br />
<br />
An unidentified female African colony of [[France]]'s has shown up in a doodle for '''Lithuania's Outsourcing''' in the footnotes about Europe's colonies having been affected by the [[wikipedia:Great Depression|Great Depression]]. To this date, Himaruya has yet to reveal which of the colonies she is meant to be.<br />
<br />
===Australia Rumors===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Australia]] is the younger brother of England, named '''Bruce/Cody Walters'''/'''Jak'''/'''Steve Kirkland'''. He is popular for telling strange jokes that nobody understands.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Official profile information for Australia has yet to be given by Himaruya. Due to Australia having been a British colony and the character sporting the same [[List of Hetalia: Axis Powers Fanterms#Iggybrows|thick eyebrows]] as England, some fans assume that they are directly related (though it is to be noted that [[Hong Kong]] also has thick eyebrows, which England cursed him to have).<br />
<br />
Fanon interpretations of the character often give him the surname '''Kirkland''', though at least one iteration (seen on deviantART) has given him the name '''Cody Walters''', along with the aforementioned fanon profile information. As it is a completely fanon interpretation of Australia, it should not be considered as true for the series.<br />
<br />
===England or the United Kingdom?===<br />
''"Is he "England" or the "UK"? Is he both?"''<br />
<br />
The identity of this character has long been a source of fan debate, in part due to translation and inconsistency with the name in English text in both scanlations and official art and merchandise. In katakana, the nation name is spelled out as ''Igirisu'', which has been used to refer to both England (''Ingurando'') and the United Kingdom (''Eikoku''), though it would technically refer to "Britain".<br />
<br />
The usage of the [[wikipedia:Union Flag|Union Flag]] would indicate that he is the UK (rather than simply England), as well as an early profile showing "United Kingdom" written in English. But in [[Gakuen Hetalia]], as well as some merchandise, he is instead referred to as "England". In the original profile, it is mentioned that [[Arthur Kirkland|Arthur]] is one of four brothers, which would indicate that although he is referred to as "UK", he would only represent one part of it. This is also alluded to in the strips and a note by Himaruya, the latter of which identifies his brothers as [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Northern_Ireland.2C_Scotland.2C_and_Wales|'''Scotland''', '''Wales''', and '''Northern Ireland''']] (oddly, though the profile referred to him being the youngest of four brothers, Northern Ireland would technically be the actual youngest of the four, while '''Ireland''' would be an older sibling).<br />
<br />
When asked by a fan if Arthur was England or the UK, Himaruya answered that he is only technically known as "England" when around his brothers, and known as "United Kingdom" to the other characters. It would seem that this trivia would confirm a long-standing fanon theory: That while all four brothers represent parts of the United Kingdom, it is Arthur who acts as the representative for the whole of it.<br />
<br />
===Germany's Last Name===<br />
'''Rumor''': Germany's full human name is '''Ludwig Beilschmidt'''.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. When the human names for the characters were originally stated by Hidekaz Himaruya, Germany was simply listed as '''Ludwig''', with no surname. Himaruya stated that there was a reason that Germany wasn't given a surname, and that fans would eventually find out the reason and the significance for it.<br />
<br />
But after Himaruya's old blog shut down, the posts with the characters having human names (or human ages) disappeared with it. Some fans have taken to giving Germany the full name of Ludwig Beilschmidt to correspond with his older brother Prussia (whose human name was given as '''Gilbert Beilschmidt'''). A common fanon theory is that Prussia adopted the amnesiac HRE and raised him to become Germany, presumably christening him with the name ''Ludwig'' as well. Another assumption (based off of historical information) is that Austria raised HRE up after he fell out of France's control, thus he was the one to rename him.<br />
<br />
Another thing of note is that the name Ludwig was once a common German name, and so the reason for not giving him a surname could be related to historical trivia. Some fans will point out that as Germany and Prussia were distinctly different in history, it would be unlikely for Germany to take his brother's surname (or even take on Austria's surname). Another thing is that it is rare for "sibling" pairs in Hetalia to have the same surname, with "sibling pairs" such as America and Canada not having the same surname (or Russia and Belarus).<br />
<br />
It should also be mentioned that the name of the founder of the Holy Roman Empire was Ludwig, without a last name.<br />
<br />
===Hanatamago===<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': Hanatamago represents the archipelago of the [[wikipedia:Åland Islands|Åland Islands]], which lie between Sweden and Finland.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': So far, this is only unconfirmed fan speculation. There is no apparent Åland character planned by Himaruya, though fans wonder if Hanatamago could instead represent the islands (rather than a humanoid character).<br />
<br />
The basis for the theory comes from Hanatamago living with Finland and Sweden, while in geography the Åland archipelago lies between both countries. It also shares history with both, stemming from when Sweden ceded it to Russia in the [[wikipedia:Treaty Of Fredrikshamn|Treaty Of Fredikshamn]], where it then became a part of the [[wikipedia:Grand Duchy of Finland|Grand Duchy of Finland]]. Conflicts later came over whether Åland belonged to the Swedish or the Finnish, which lead to the state of the islands as an autonomous province of Finland (with the inhabitants retaining their right to speak the Swedish language and have their own culture). Hanatamago's apparent immortality has also led some fans to wonder if she may be a special sort of being like the nation characters.<br />
<br />
Some other fans have suggested that an Åland character would be more like an adopted child of both Sweden and Finland, even though Himaruya has also appeared to be unpredictable with what territories he might assign characters to, while others are only represented by accessories or parts of the body.<br />
<br />
In short, it remains to be seen if Hanatamago has more significance than she appears to have, or if there will be an Åland character to disprove the fan-theory.<br />
<br />
<br />
===Holy Roman Empire's Fate===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Holy Roman Empire]] grows up to be [[Germany]], having survived his apparent dissolution and death, but with amnesia. Alternatively, Germany is Holy Roman Empire reincarnated after his death at the hands of [[France]] in the [[wikipedia:Napoleonic Wars|Napoleonic Wars]] (or after his downfall at the end of the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]).<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Though the first is a popular theory supported by pieces of evidence in-series, most visibly in the cliffhanger to the strip '''Buon San Valentino''', it remains to be seen what the exact connection between Germany and Holy Roman Empire is. Detractors of the theory will point out the differences in the government of the '''German Confederation''' (and '''German Empire''') in relation to the rule of the Holy Roman Empire, as well as the fact that it took the German remnants time to form into that nation. After its dissolution, the German states of the Holy Roman Empire were first formed into '''The Confederation of The Rhine''' and were under the control of France from 1806 to 1813, while the German Confederation was established in 1815. It is also to note that the Holy Roman Empire technically only existed in name only after [[wikipedia:Peace of Westphalia|Peace of Westphalia]], in which most of its territories were granted sovereignty.<br />
<br />
In historical reference, supporters of the theory will point to the Holy Roman Empire's full name (from the 16th century onward), which was '''The Holy Roman Empire Of The German Nation'''. Some fans will also point to the Holy Roman Empire being considered the ''First Reich'', with the ''Second Reich'' classified as the German Empire (which lasted from 1871 to 1918) and the ''''Third Reich'''' being Nazi Germany (the main timeframe in which Hetalia is set). This would make a stronger case for HRE's connection to Germany, since all three Reichs would be the same character. But a counter-argument for this would be that the Second Reich would better represent [[Prussia]], for it grew out of his conquests and annexations in the 1860s. It is to be noted however, that such terms as the ''First Reich'' and ''Second Reich'' are not considered appropriate to use for the HRE&nbsp;and German Empire, due to the usage of them by the Nazis and in propaganda. This makes it even more uncertain if the fan-theory with the Reichs would be "correct" for either character.<br />
<br />
While most believe HRE dies in the Napoleonic Wars, due to a scrapped piece of artwork with France informing Italy of HRE's demise, some also believe that he dissolved at the end of the Thirty Years War and that Italy did not hear of his fate until the Napoleonic Wars. This is due to the aforementioned fact that HRE effectively existed in name only after the first war. In this case, some believe that Austria and France may have attempted to keep up the illusion that HRE was still alive until the official dissolution came.<br />
<br />
In-series, it has been noticed that Hidekaz Himaruya has seemed to go out of his way in not showing a younger Germany in any of the strips, while Holy Roman Empire happens to have an uncanny resemblance to Germany and look much like he would as a child. Germany is also shown to have a hairstyle similar to HRE's when his hair is not slicked back, and both have prominent sideburns. A design of a teenage HRE furthers the connection, along with a scrapped piece of art where the child HRE dreams of himself and Chibitalia in their adulthood. In the latter image, the adult HRE is shown from the nose down, but appears to resemble Germany in his height, build, and hairstyle. But some theorize that the teenage HRE has become a scrapped idea, much like the draft of a separate character for the Teutonic Order (which was designed around the same time), and that HRE could have never aged or grown due to not being an actual singular nation.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, a hint suggesting that Germany is HRE with amnesia can be found in the “[http://aph.starry-sky.com/05.html Hetare 5: Lietuvis!!]” part of the Main Storyline, in which Lithuania talks to Germany and is relieved that he does not remember him even if he, “along with Poland, had once beaten Germany's family member to a pulp”. The family member Lithuania is talking about is most likely Prussia, who, when he was still known as the Teutonic Knights, was beaten at the battle of Tannenberg by the Polish-Lithuanian union. However, in 1410, Germany did not yet exist. But because Lithuania fears that Germany actually could remember that incident, he might have already existed in another form, possibly the HRE. The fact that he does not, though, supports the theory that he forgot about it because of amnesia.<br />
<br />
A debate has also arisen over the appearance of a young child in ''Comic Diary 7'', who appears to be HRE in a "Knut"&nbsp;T-shirt. Some fans believe that the child is HRE (due to his eyes), while others believe that he is instead a "young Germany"&nbsp;(due to the shirt). However, a doodle of Chibitalia in modern clothes was also shown, so it may be that Himaruya was drawing HRE (or a younger Germany) in modern clothes simply for fun. If it was meant to be young Germany, his resemblance to HRE would be even more uncanny whether or not the two are intended to be the same.<br />
<br />
Holy Roman Empire was also an offspring of [[Germania]], as was Prussia, who is confirmed in later strips to be Germany's older brother. But Germania is shown to have many other offspring, and it is also debatable as to whether they are his children or grandchildren, as the official sources provide conflicting information. Prussia would also technically be the younger brother of HRE if he had originated from the Teutonic Order (rather than Old Prussia). Some fans also believe that France would be his brother instead, as both were historically [[wikipedia:Francia|Francia]] (with HRE having come from the Eastern part).<br />
<br />
One variant of the reincarnation theory was inspired by a doujinshi entitled '''Risorgimento''': Holy Roman Empire did in fact die, but his body was revived and came to be the young Germany, who may physically resemble HRE&nbsp;but is not him in spirit.<br />
<br />
Some members of the Japanese fandom (as well as the international one) for ''Hetalia'' have a third theory for the connection, it being that the two characters are not related in any way and the similarities are red herrings or mere coincidence in a possible bait-and-switch move by Himaruya. The only official word given on HRE's fate at this time (other than his apparent demise being reported in a scrapped strip) was in Himaruya's response to a fan's question (circa 2007), where he promised that eventually:<br />
<br />
*'''"Chibitalia and Holy Roman Empire will have a happy ending."'''<br />
<br />
But the meaning of that statement has been left up to debate as well.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong and Taiwan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong and [[Taiwan]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There is nothing in the series to suggest this being the case, though some fans will often consider the two to be twins due to their connections to China and both appearing to be young. Furthermore, the territories have had little history shared together other than both being under control of China, so while it is likely that they would be considered "siblings", it is not very likely that they would be twins.<br />
<br />
===The Italy Brothers: Twins?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[North Italy|Veneziano]] and [[South Italy|Romano]] are twins.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': While the Italy brothers are often portrayed as identical twins in fanart and fanfiction, there is little in canon to support or suggest that to be the case. In the case of them being twins, it is more likely that they would be fraternal due to the differences in their size and appearance. Additionally, Veneziano specifically refers to Romano as his older brother (and Romano refers to Veneziano as a younger brother), which is used as evidence against the theory, though others will point to Japanese culture identifying twins specifically by their individual age.<br />
<br />
In a response to a question by a fan, Hidekaz Himaruya mentioned that he had designed Romano to be a few years older than Veneziano, and that their respective physical ages were approximately '''22-23''' and '''20'''.<br />
<br />
But it is to be noted that Romano's appearance has changed slightly over the course of the comic, and that there was originally more of a visible height difference between the two (which is rarely if ever shown in modern strips and absent in the anime, where the two are the same height). The child version of Romano also shrunk in height in later-drawn strips, and now appears to be the same size as the younger Veneziano (while in his '''Chibitalia''' debut, he was shown to be significantly larger). Romano also was originally colored to have darker, olive-toned skin in comparison to his brother, and had green (or hazel) eyes. In later artwork and the [[Axis Powers Hetalia (anime)|anime adaptation]], Romano's skintone was lightened and his eyes were changed to brown (or amber, in the case of the anime). An early colored picture used in a 2006 flash video also initially gave him jet black hair, while Veneziano had light brown hair.<br />
<br />
Due to the characters being nations and therefore not as fully-human as they appear to be, their aging patterns are also shown to be different than a normal human's. Characters who knew each other as child-nations have been shown to out-age each other, or that younger nations may wind up outgrowing their older peers once they hit their equivalent of puberty. In a liner note to the webcomic version of '''Chibitalia''', Himaruya suggested that Romano's growth remained (and remains) slow due to the long-term influence of [[Spain]], who had control over him for a lengthy period of time.<br />
<br />
But proponents of the twin theory suggest that perhaps Romano physically aged faster than Veneziano at birth, and only slowed down once he became controlled by Spain.<br />
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In their profiles, the brothers' birthdays are both given as '''March 17th, 1861''', the foundation date of the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)|Kingdom of Italy]]. As both brothers are shown in the series to have been in existence since the days of the Roman Empire, it would appear that they count their unification as a shared birthday and celebrate it as such.<br />
<br />
Himaruya has also noted that the Italy brothers have different types of blood, which would be unlikely in the case of them being identical twins, or at least their blood following the same pattern as human twins: It is mentioned in an early strip that Veneziano has Germanic blood in him, reflecting the German influence on northern Italy, while Himaruya stated in a Q&A that Romano had Arabic blood.<br />
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===North Korea===<br />
[[File:Femalekorea_volume2.JPG|thumb|left|A discarded design of South Korea, with notes describing her as an aspiring idol-type inspired by America.]]<br />
'''Rumor''': There is a '''North Korea''' in the series/The Korea in the series is North Korea.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': There has yet to be a character for North Korea in ''Hetalia'', though a number of fan-created characters do exist, the most notable being "'''Hyung-soo'''", created by the doujinshi artist [http://lo-wah.deviantart.com/ Lo-wah] .<br />
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Occasionally, there is also the misconception that [[South Korea]] is the North, due to the fact that he is usually simply labeled as '''Korea''' (with no specific designation). But his nation name, '''Daehan-minguk''', would suggest that he is the South, as the name is generally used to refer to it by. South Korea is also written in kanji as ''Kankoku'' (which is used for the character), while North is rendered as ''Choseon''. Factoids from his profile indicate that his culture reflects South Korea as well, rather than the North's. It is also noteworthy that he only appears in the contemporary strips, and that the flag used for him is the South Korean one. His original profile also stated that he was ''"an unbelievable nation in the south of the Korean Peninsula"''. The only thing to suggest him possibly representing both halves would be a comment by China, who was aggravated that he had to "share a border" with Korea.<br />
<br />
A scrapped early design for the character is in existence, where they were originally designed as a female and said to be an idol-wannabe. Some fans theorize that her design could possibly be reused for a North Korea character, though [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] did recycle the basics of her design into the character '''Sena''', from his discontinued webcomic entitled '''MoeKan''' (A portmanteau of ''moe'' and the first part of ''kankoku'').<br />
<br />
But in 2007, Himaruya did state that he had plans to make a male North Korea character, and described him as being timid in personality and a musician, as well as being a "twin" of South Korea. However, as he was based off a Korean friend of his that moved away, and due to the controversy of North Korea in the news, fans feel that it is unlikely that he will be introduced any time soon. There are fans that also feel that "North" would be better as a female character than Himaruya's intended male one, and use that scrapped South Korea design for her.<br />
<br />
===Philippines===<br />
'''Rumor''': The Philippines can be seen in [[Episode 01]] and the first chapter of volume 1. She is a maid that serves Spain a drink at the conference.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though some fans have speculated that the maid was meant to be an uncredited cameo of a '''Philippines''' character, the maid was intended to be a normal human and is simply credited as "Maid" in notes and in the anime guide ''WorldWideWalking''. Proponents of the Philippines theory believe that she was not named due to controversy, though the truth is that a character for the nation has yet to be introduced in the series. Though it seems unusual for there to be a non-nation character at the conference, the series has shown instances of the nations interacting with normal humans before. In some cases, the humans are shown to be aware of the nations not being like them, and address them by their nation name (ie: A medicine store clerk referring to Germany as '''Mr.Germany''').<br />
<br />
It was also speculated that a mysterious character labeled '''Asia3''' was Philippines, but her identity was not clarified by Himaruya for the longest time. "Asia3" was shown to wear an outfit that some fans believed to be a maid dress, though the sketch was messy and the quality was not clear enough to tell exactly what kind of outfit it was. A later series of blog sketches revealed that the female character was actually intended as Vietnam with an alternate hairstyle.<br />
<br />
The conference maid is also notable for having brown hair and green eyes like Spain, something that would not be likely for a representation of the Philippines. Himaruya himself had also clarified that the maid was a Spanish housemaid, when asked by a fan who she was.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Philippines will be a girl and her name is Maria Clara Fernandez Carriedo (or "Clara De La Cruz"). She will appear in season 3.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Though a fan-created character named Maria Clara exists, there is no canon Philippines named this. Though Filipino fans want a character for their country in the series, there has yet to be an official design. Even so, there have been hoaxes purporting this and the above rumor as fact, sometimes started by fans longing for an official character or trying to find significance for the maid or Asia3. There has also been no such news reporting of a Philippines in the third season, except for another fan-created hoax.<br />
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'''Rumor''': Asia3 is Philippines, as Himaruya claimed she was close to America and had a complicated love story.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. Some of the aforementioned hoax-starters about Philippines will attempt to earn others' trust by claiming that there was information about her that Himaruya deleted, but the fact is that there was not any information to begin with aside from the vague sketch. Though Himaruya has deleted information in the past, they were only on old pages of his site or his short-lived Yahoo blog. In later years, fans have become better at saving information and images in case of such deletions.<br />
<br />
A falsified screencap was created and posted to the Hetalia Philippines community on Livejournal, stating that Asia3 would be Philippines, though it was pointed out that the grammar did not match Himaruya's (as well as the text appearing to be pixelized and the timestamp matching that of another blog post). Nonetheless, some continue to believe in there being some sort of conspiracy theory about a Philippines character.<br />
<br />
But it was later revealed in a series of blog sketches that ''Asia3'' was actually Vietnam with her ponytail simply worn differently. In the sheet of sketches, Vietnam was shown with various different hairstyles including one with a bun and one with flowers like the chibi sketch.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
<br />
'''Rumor/Theory''': The Prussia in the series is not the original, for he killed/merged with the original Prussia, who was a Baltic.<br />
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'''Fact''': Debatable and unconfirmed. The early days of Prussia are something that have yet to be delved into in full, although a young Prussia (in his Teutonic Knight incarnation) appears in the 3rd and 4th portions of the webcomic ''Extra Story'' entitled '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness'''.<br />
<br />
In his official profile, it is said that Prussia was born as the "St.Maria Order", though it is more likely that Himaruya meant '''The Order of the Teutonic Knights of St. Mary's Hospital in Jerusalem'''. He then evolved to become [[wikipedia:State of the Teutonic Order|The Monastic State Of The Teutonic Knights]]. This period on his profile is followed by a space reading "a bunch of other stuff", before skipping to his incarnation as Prussia.<br />
<br />
It is notable that he has not been depicted as representing [[wikipedia:Prussia (region)|Old Prussia]], a historical Baltic region which the Teutonic Knights later conquered and divided into [[wikipedia:Royal Prussia|Royal Prussia]] (a province of Poland) and [[wikipedia:Duchy of Prussia|Ducal Prussia]]. The latter would later become [[wikipedia:Brandenburg-Prussia|Brandenburg-Prussia]], and then the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Prussia|Kingdom of Prussia]]. Its final incarnation after it was annexed by Germany was known as the [[wikipedia:Free State Of Prussia|Free State Of Prussia]], which was later dissolved ''de jure'' by the Allied Forces in 1947.<br />
<br />
As Prussia starts off as a Teutonic Knight, fans have theorized that he killed off the original and took their name when he conquered their land, or simply merged with them and became the dominant personality. Alternatively, Old Prussia may not have had any character to represent it, and may simply have been a piece of important territory (or a "vital region") for the Baltics, as [[wikipedia:Silesia|Silesia]] was to [[Austria]].<br />
<br />
The union of Brandenburg and Prussia is also something that has yet to be depicted in the series, leaving fans to speculate what may have happened to the other country. As Prussia's profile stated that he avoided any marriage, it is commonly assumed that he may have physically merged with Brandenburg, or killed him off as well. Some other fans presumed that Prussia may have also represented Brandenburg to begin with, as the Kingdom of Prussia grew out of it, but this was debunked when Prussia mentioned a "Brandenburg" as his and Germany's brother in the Cleaning Prussia game (aka ''Kusogame'', jokingly referred to as "Prussia's Shit Cleaning").<br />
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===Post-WWII Status===<br />
<br />
*'''Theory 1''': Prussia is dead in the post-WWII timeline, as the nation was historically dissolved by the Allies in 1947. Any instances of him alive in modern strips are actually of him as a ghost.<br />
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*'''Theory 2''': Prussia survives the dissolution, due to having been transformed into '''East Germany''' and falling under the control of [[Russia]]. He continues to survive due to the differences between the East and West, or may possibly be '''Brandenburg'''.<br />
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*'''Theory 3''': Prussia survives the dissolution, as he has fallen under the control of Russia and become the representation of the [[wikipedia:Kaliningrad Oblast|Kaliningrad Oblast]] (as it used to be Königsberg, the capital of Prussia).<br />
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'''Fact''': Prussia's exact status in the modern-day strips is something that has yet to be explained in full. The common fan theory before he appeared in contemporary strips was that he was dead, and the dissolution of Prussia became a subject explored in fanworks. It's been recently proved in ''Germany Plays an Impossible Game'' was that Prussia "evolved" to become East Germany, and fell under the control of Russia.<br />
<br />
In a response to a fan question, Hidekaz Himaruya explained that in the modern-day strips, Prussia finds himself lonely due to being more like an enclave than an actual nation, and that he freeloads off of his brother and Austria.<br />
But a series of production notes by Himaruya indicates that the second or third theories might be valid for ''Hetalia'' canon, as Prussia is described to have been under the control of Russia post-WWII and was stuck working unprofitable jobs for some time. It has also been stated that Prussia hates Russia, and he has been shown to refer to his younger brother as "West" (though he also refers to him as such before Germany was historically split). Regardless of what name he may have taken on later, he is still referred to as "Prussia" in events as recent as the April Fools' 09 storyline and site event, where he hijacked [[Kitayume]] and created his own blog.<br />
<br />
Another piece of evidence that could point to the East Germany theory is a Christmas game idea by Himaruya that was abandoned: In the game, the Hetalia nations are regular humans living in New York City, with Finland still working as a Santa Claus. An "East German" man was mentioned in the original text for the game, who seems to bear some resemblance in personality to Prussia. But as Himaruya scrapped the game idea, it is uncertain if the East German was intended to be the human version of him or not.<br />
<br />
The Kaliningrad theory had also had doubt thrown on it, as it is still considered a part of Russia at present, as well as the consequences of the expulsion and killing of ethnic Germans having affected it (and its populace having become mostly Russian). But some believe that Prussia could simply represent the Germanic minority of the exclave, and that as it is a highly militarized territory, he would fit more in the role (due to Prussia being best known as a military state). A sentence in Prussia's profile in volume 3 of the published manga also gives it as a possibility, mentioning that though he lives with his brother, he has also become an exclave of Russia. While some believe it indicates he is Kaliningrad, others believe that it is simply his "house" that is now Kaliningrad.<br />
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====The West/East Question====<br />
At least three fandom theories exist for Germany being referred to as "West":<br />
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'''Theory 1''': Though Prussia first refers to him as "West" in a strip taking place sometime in early WWII, the most popular (and considered to be the most likely) theory is that the two brothers eventually become '''West Germany''' and '''East Germany''' post-WWII, with Prussia having been dissolved and a remaining portion of it having been transformed into part of the GDR (with traces of its Prussian past being wiped out). The theory also seems to be the most likely due to the aforementioned notes by Himaruya and his statement that Prussia does not like Russia.<br />
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'''Theory 2''': Himaruya is taking the history of old Prussia territory into account and Prussia refers to his brother as "West" as he used to be western Prussian territory.<br />
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'''Theory 3''': "West" is short for '''Westphalia''', after the [[wikipedia:Kingdom of Westphalia|Kingdom of Westphalia]], which was created a year after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. Parts of Westphalia had also once been Prussian territory, including the [[wikipedia:Electorate of Hesse|Electorate of Hesse]] (a Hesse is mentioned as one of Germany and Prussia's other siblings).<br />
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===Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is voiced by '''Subaru Kimura''', most famous for being the later voice of '''Gian''' in the series [[wikipedia:Doraemon|Doraemon]].<br />
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'''Fact''': False. When [[Episode 10]] was released, many fans in both the Japanese and international fandoms assumed that an uncredited Kimura had voiced Prussia, due to the distinct type of voice used for the character. However, Prussia's voice actor was never officially confirmed for a long time, and fans wondered if the "mystery" voice actor would be recast if Prussia got a larger role in the series.<br />
<br />
The speculation came to an end when an interview in ''Comic Birz'' revealed that [[Atsushi Kousaka]] had voiced Prussia in episode 10, and would continue to voice the character. It was also revealed that Hidekaz Himaruya had approved the casting and had anticipated that Kousaka would be the best choice for Prussia.<br />
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===An Albino?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is an albino, as evidenced by his pale hair and reddish eyes.<br />
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'''Fact''': While his design does invoke the image of an albino, it has yet to be outright confirmed or commented on by Himaruya. In most fanart, he is simply colored with gray or white hair, though Prussia's actual hair and eye coloring are shown to vary in the series:<br />
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*In the official color chart, his hair is depicted as an almost off-white shade. His eyes are described as a "reddish-purple" (red-violet), with more violet than red in them.<br />
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*In his appearance in '''Christmas Rampage 2007''', he has dark blond hair and blue eyes. He also appears with this color scheme in '''''Noto-sama 5'' '''and would have appeared that way in [[Gakuen Hetalia]] as well. This color scheme was what Himaruya initially intended for Prussia when he was introduced in 2007, until he decided to give him lighter hair and the "reddish purple" eyes (apparently to distinguish him from Germany).<br />
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*A sketch done of Prussia with his hair slicked back (to imitate his brother) has him colored with silver hair and red eyes. Another sketch has him colored with white hair and pink eyes.<br />
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*The ''Hetalia'' trading card series depicts Prussia with ash blond hair and red eyes, and his chibi figurine follows that scheme. He also appears this way in a few colored character sketches, and official art for '''The Blog Of The Awesome Me'''.<br />
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*In the anime adaptation, his hair is silver (or a silver-blond) and his eyes are a deeper red. As the color palette used by Studio DEEN tends to change depending on lighting or the animation quality (most notably in the Chibitalia segments, where characters are colored in a washed-out "watercolor" palette) his hair alternatively appears as more blond or more of a gray tone in certain episodes, while his eyes appear even darker in some instances.<br />
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Some believe that his color variations are meant to reference the first line of the Prussian anthem: ''"Ich bin ein Preuße, kennt ihr meine Farben?"'' (''I am a Prussian, do you know my colors?'').<br />
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It is notable that contrary to popular belief, not all albinos have red or pink eyes, but may also have light blue eyes that may appear to be lavender due to the pigmentation of the blood.<br />
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===Older Brother?===<br />
'''Rumor''': Prussia is the older brother to Holy Roman Empire, as well as Germany.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Debatable. While it is confirmed that he is an older brother to Germany, there has been no official confirmation if he is the same to Holy Roman Empire (or what HRE's connection to Germany may even be). Prussia having appeared to have originated as a Teutonic Knight would suggest that he is in fact the younger "brother" to HRE instead, if HRE and Germany were the same.<br />
<br />
In the liner notes to '''Liechtenstein's Journal Of Swiss Dopiness''', Himaruya described Prussia as having grown out of the [[wikipedia:Margraviate of Brandenburg|Margraviate of Brandenburg]], which had formed inside the Holy Roman Empire. If this were still the case, Prussia would be the younger of the two. Though it is possible that Himaruya was only referring to the historic Prussia, or hadn't yet decided what to do with his childhood, as his plans for characters are subject to change through the series.<br />
<br />
But in the theory of him having been originally Baltic Prussia (which would place him as older), it would be of note that he would not even be Germanic, but a Baltic instead and likely not a child of Germania. To reconcile this, some theorize elaborately that Germania may have kidnapped Baltic Prussia or that he split in two and became Germanic (or at least one half of him). Detractors of the separate-character theory point to the Old Prussian place names still being intact after the conquering, which would seem unlikely to be kept around. Similarities are also drawn between Old Prussia being conquered and America being conquered by various nations, to where it is pointed out that there was no character death involved for the personification of America (who seemed to be born after "New Sweden"), so it is theorized it would be unlikely for Old Prussia to have been killed, instead having been "Germanified".<br />
<br />
Some fans believe that if Germany is the older brother (through being HRE or through the original '''Kingdom Of Germany'''), it could be that he simply lets Prussia believe that he is older and act as such. Others believe that if HRE and Germany are in fact separate characters, Prussia would remain the older brother to Germany while HRE would have been a brother to France.<br />
<br />
Before Himaruya confirmed the two to be brothers, some fans in the Japanese fandom presented alternate theories for their relation, one being that Germany was Prussia's nephew while another had the two as cousins.<br />
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==Shotalia==<br />
'''Rumor''': Character designs of a teenage Holy Roman Empire and Italy brothers can be found in the special edition booklet of ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 2'', and are meant for the '''Shotalia''' storyline.<br />
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'''Fact''': The sketch in question was actually drawn by Himaruya as a tribute to a fangame he liked that was loosely based off of his ''Shotalia'' idea (which he said would cover the [[wikipedia:Thirty Years War|Thirty Years War]]). It first appeared on his original blog and Kitayume in early 2007, and was reposted to his new blog, [[Bamboo Thicket (blog)|Bamboo Thicket]]. The fangame, [[Gloria Hetalia (fangame)|Gloria Hetalia]], has yet to be completed due to changes and complications in its development.<br />
<br />
A canon sketch of an older HRE does exist, and was created when Himaruya first announced his plan for Shotalia. Neither of these sketches can be found in the volume 2 booklet, though sketches for other characters are displayed, including theoretical RPG designs for the Axis and Allies (which were later used for [[Hetalia Fantasia]]).<br />
<br />
Although the storyline was first planned back in January 2007, no further announcements about it have been made, leading to speculations that it has either been postponed or scrapped entirely, possibly along with the idea of HRE as a teenager.<br />
<br />
Fans have noticed that the teenage Italy appears to be wearing papal robes in the fangame that the sketch was based off of, the implication being that the original artist meant for Italy to represent the [[wikipedia:Papal States|Papal States]], which has to lead to some criticisms over the inaccuracy. The teenage version of HRE appears as a knight in the game, and dresses in a similar fashion to the Teutonic Knight incarnation of Prussia.<br />
<br />
A teenage version of Italy has made brief appearances in ''Hetalia'' canon, while the teenage version of Romano has only appeared in a few blog sketches and was briefly shown from behind in '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''' (where Italy appeared as well).<br />
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==Sweden's Sexuality==<br />
'''Rumor''': Himaruya has confirmed that Sweden is a homosexual, but only for Finland.<br />
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'''Fact''': Though the above rumor is in fact old information that was later lost, it remains confirmed as true in the Japanese fandom for Hetalia. The information could originally be found on Himaruya's original update logs from 2007, which were later deleted.<br />
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In the original question, a fan asked if Sweden was homosexual and Himaruya confirmed that Sweden was indeed actually homosexual, but also told the fan to feel relieved as Sweden only had feelings for Finland. The statement has been seen as somewhat controversial due to the implication of the characters having set sexualities, the idea that Himaruya might be "playing favorites" with characters' relationships, or the possibility of there being homophobia in the series with the "strange" Sweden being the only confirmed homosexual.<br />
<br />
As Himaruya's plans for characters tend to change, there is also debate as to whether this statement could still be considered "canon" or not.<br />
<br />
===Taiwan and Japan===<br />
'''Rumor''': Taiwan wants to marry Japan/stated in a strip that she planned to marry Japan, explaining why she told China to leave him alone and does not get along with China.<br />
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'''Fact''': Taiwan has not expressed any sort of feeling for Japan so far, and there is no evidence of her having said that she wished to marry Japan. The doodle where Taiwan tells China to leave Japan alone is often brought up by some Japan/Taiwan shippers as evidence for their pairing, but some go as far as to suggest that Taiwan has been longing to marry Japan due to her defending him.<br />
<br />
Some China/Taiwan fans will also suggest that it is China that she wants to marry and that she is his little sister, though it has yet to be seen what her actual relationships with both are like. In China's drama track, it appears that Taiwan does not see China as a brother or a lover, but as a teacher. As the track was written by Himaruya, it could stand to reason that this is valid for the strips.<br />
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===Vital Regions===<br />
'''Rumor''': It is Prussia that coins the term "vital regions" in the comics, and his favorite hobby is to invade them and to threaten to seize them.<br />
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'''Fact''': It is actually Austria that coined the term "vital regions" in the story '''Maria Theresa And The War Of Austrian Succession''', though it has been mistaken as a quote by Prussia by many fans. After Austria mentions the term, Maria Theresa tries to convince him that there are better ways of stating what happened to him. The term is mentioned once in the strip, and another time in the currently-unfinished followup about the Seven Years War.<br />
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Due to Prussia being strongly associated with the term however, it has become a meme to depict him as threatening to "seize" and "invade" others' vital regions, to the point where it is a common misconception that he actually said those things in the series. Russia is another character that "vital regions" has been mistakenly attributed to.<br />
<br />
Spain has used the term once in another strip, after having a nightmare where Romano jumped on him and "crushed" his. In '''Checkmating Poland''', Lithuania also mentions to Poland that his "vital regions" are surrounded.<br />
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==Rumors/Misconception about Human Names==<br />
Although the characters' human names are no longer listed and none of the newer cast members have been given any, fans will often come up with their own names for those characters.<br />
<br />
This can cause some confusion if fan names are mixed in with the official names, leading to the misconception that they are official as well. The original listing of human names was created in 2007, with Belarus and Canada being later additions in early 2008. It remains to be seen if Himaruya will create an updated list, though it is unlikely.<br />
<br />
'''Rumors''':<br />
*[[Ukraine]]'s human name is '''Yekaterina Braginskaya''', and her nickname is '''"Katyusha"'''.<br />
*[[Denmark]]'s human name is '''Mathias Køhler'''.<br />
*[[Hong Kong]]'s human name is '''Kaoru'''.<br />
*[[Taiwan]]'s human name is '''Mei'''.<br />
<br />
'''Facts''':<br />
*Ukraine has not actually been given an official human name, though her nickname came from the Japanese fandom and is a term for a headband, as well as a type of rocket launcher. It is also a diminutive form of the name ''Ekaterina''/''Yekaterina'', which is used for her given human name in fanon. ''Braginskaya'' is also the feminine form of the surname ''Braginski''/''Braginsky''. "Katyusha" is also the title of [[wikipedia:Katyusha (song)|a Russian wartime song]] (though an earlier Japanese song of a similar title is known to be in existence as well).<br />
<br />
*'''Mathias Køhler''' was a name for Denmark that an anonymous editor put on the ''Hetalia'' page of ''TV Tropes''. As there was no human name given for him by Hidekaz Himaruya, it can be assumed to be one of a few fanon names that have been used for the character. ''Mathias'' and Søren appear to be the most common fan-names for the character.<br />
*'''Kaoru''' is a fanon name often used by both the Japanese and international fandom for Hong Kong, as it means "fragrant" while Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor". But it should be noted that "Kaoru" is a Japanese name, which would be unlikely for a character not representing Japan to use. Other fans opt to use the name '''Hong''' for him due to this reason. Hong Kong is often given an 'English' name in fanworks (for example, "Michael") in reference to the westernization of Hong Kong while it was a colony.<br />
<br />
*'''Mei''' is a popular fanon name for Taiwan in the international fandom, as it could mean either "beautiful" or "plum blossom" in Chinese depending on how it is written, the latter being more likely and more popular as it is the national flower of the Republic of China. The fact that Taiwan's name literally means "beautiful island" may also play a part in this misconception. Interestingly, "Mei" in Japanese could mean "dark." It could also be a shortening of her fanon nickname "Meimei" which is "little sister" in Mandarin, as some fans consider Taiwan to be the little sister of the Asian nations.<br />
<br />
===Spelling Debates===<br />
Due to the human names having not been listed in English, there are often debates over how to spell certain characters' human names. As some seem to be uncommon or nonexistent as a name in the nation's language, it becomes even harder to tell which may have been the intended spelling.<br />
<br />
*The human name given for Lithuania is often rendered as '''Toris Lorinaitis''', from its katakana spelling of ''Toris Rorinaitisu''. Other common spellings for it are '''Taurys Laurinaitis''', '''Toris Raurinaitis''' and '''Thoris Lolinitis'''. It is uncertain what Hidekaz Himaruya may have intended, though ''Laurinaitis'' does exist as an actual surname, while the given name '''Tolys''' is one of actual Lithuanian origin (which would make the rendering '''Tolys Laurinaitis''').<br />
<br />
*Hungary's human name is another popular debate subject. While her last name is clearly ''Héderváry'', her given name (written as ''Erizabeta'' in katakana) has a number of possible spellings: '''Elizabeta''', '''Elizaveta''', and '''Elisabeth'''/'''Elizabeth''', along with its Hungarian equivalent '''Erzsébet'''. The last of these may have been the intended name in mind, though ''Elizabeta'' and ''Elizaveta'' are the most commonly used in the fandom and what the katakana for her given name can be rendered as. It is also possible that ''Elisabeth'' may have been the intended spelling, as an allusion to [[wikipedia:Elisabeth_of_Bavaria|Elisabeth of Bavaria]], but that Himaruya made an error in his rendering.<br />
<br />
*Switzerland's given name is usually spelled '''Vash''' in the international fandom, while Japanese fans seem to alternate between that spelling and two others: '''Basch''' and '''Bache'''. As with the letter "L" being spelled with an "R" character in kana, "V" is replaced with a "B". It is believed that ''Vash'' may be derived from the French word ''vache'' (cow). '''Vasch''' has also been used, though it isn't as common as the others. '''Basch''' may be in fact the valid spelling though, as it derives from a short form of ''Sebastian'' and the katakana also matches the name.<br />
<br />
*Finland's name is given as ''Teino Vainamainen'', commonly rendered as '''Tino Väinämöinen'''. However, some believe that Himaruya may have meant for him to be called '''Timo''', which is a more common Finnish name than Tino.<br />
<br />
*China's surname is spelled as both '''Wong''' and '''Wang''', though his given name ('''Yao''') rarely has a variation. But in a blog entry, Himaruya stated that Yao could also be rendered as '''Yue''' in Japanese and the name in English as either ''Wang Yao'' or ''Wang Yue''.<br />
<br />
*Belarus' surname was long believed to '''Alfroskaya''' and was listed as such on various fansites. But it was eventually discovered that the katakana read ''Arurofuskaya'' (rather than ''Arufuroskaya''), which has lead to the spelling '''Arlovskaya''' slowly falling into use. Her given name has been spelled out as both '''Natalia''' and '''Natalya'''. Some fans who do not want to choose either spelling will opt to refer to her by the diminutive name '''Natasha'''.<br />
<br />
*Korea's name has had the most spellings to date. Though the correct Korean rendering is '''Im Yong Soo''', it has been listed as '''Im Yonsu''', '''Im Yun Soo''', and '''Im Yong Su'''. Earlier spellings, derived from the rendering of his name in katakana, included: '''Ren Yong Soo''', '''Lim Young-soo''', and '''Lee Young-soo'''.<br />
<br />
*Prussia's surname was initially spelled out as '''Weillschmidt''' in fansite profiles and different fanworks due to the sounds V and B being similar in some cases in Japanese, and the sounds V and W being similar in German. But after the discovery that バイルシュミット would more accurately be '''Beilschmidt''' in English (as well as the fact that ''Weillschmidt'' didn't exist as a surname outside of Hetalia fandom, and "Beil" meaning "Axe" in German), the previous spelling has mostly fallen out of use.<br />
<br />
*Greece's human name is often rendered as '''Heracles Karpusi''', with ''Karpusi'' being the Greek word for "watermelon". But some other fan translations will refer to him as '''Herakles Karpossi''', '''Heracles Carpus''', or '''Heracles Karpsh'''.<br />
<br />
*Estonia's surname is usually rendered as '''von Bock''', however, some fans opt to render it as '''von Fock''' or '''von Vock''', due to there being no difference between "V" and "B" in Japanese. His given human name spelling has also been debated over ("Edward" versus "Eduard").<br />
<br />
*Turkey's surname is rendered as '''Adnan''' in most listings, though some opt to use '''Annan''' instead. There is also debate as to whether his given human name is '''Sadiq''' or '''Sadik'''. But there is no "Q" in the Turkish alphabet, and the ''Sadiq'' spelling is more of a Kurdish one, leaving fans to prefer ''Sadik'' since they feel it would be unlikely for him to use the Kurd spelling.<br />
<br />
*Canada's given name is rendered as '''Matthew''', but some fanworks refer to him as '''Matthieu''', or '''Mathieu''', acknowledging the French influence on Canada.<br />
<br />
*Russia's surname has alternatively been spelled '''Braginski''' or '''Braginsky''', though the former is more common.<br />
<br />
==Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya==<br />
==Old Rumors/Misconceptions==<br />
<br />
===Denmark, Norway, And Iceland In The Anime?===<br />
'''Rumor''': [[Denmark]], [[Norway]], and [[Iceland]] were going to appear in the first season of Hetalia.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': False. The "announcement" of these three characters being in the anime was actually a hoax, believed to have originated from [http://www.2chan.net/ 2chan]. A photoshopped image was circulated around the internet, showing the three characters to be on a viewing screen (in actuality, it was a fanart photoshopped onto it). False information also circulated about the characters' voices, with the rumored seiyū being:<br />
<br />
*Denmark: [[wikipedia:Tomokazu Sugita|Tomokazu Sugita]]<br />
*Norway: [[wikipedia:Miyuki Sawashiro|Miyuki Sawashiro]]<br />
*Iceland: [[wikipedia:Mitsuki Saiga|Mitsuki Saiga]]<br />
<br />
Even after the hoax was exposed, some anime sites still have yet to remove the erroneous seiyū listings, which has continued to cause some confusion to newcomers in the fandom. The hoax was further debunked when Iceland appeared in the film [[Hetalia: Axis Powers: Paint it, White|Paint it, White]], voiced by [[Ayumu Asakura]]. Season 4 marked the debut of Denmark and Norway, voiced by [[Hiroshi Shimozaki]] and [[Masami Iwasaki]] respectively and putting the final nail in the coffin of this rumor.<br />
<br />
===Hong Kong's Gender===<br />
'''Rumor''': Hong Kong is female.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': Due to his somewhat androgynous appearance, Hong Kong's true gender has caused some confusion, with some fans believing that "he" is actually a cross-dressing female. However, his profile and trading card clearly state him to be a boy, and a "character distinction chart" by Hidekaz Himaruya also lists him as a male. His gender was further clarified when he was given a speaking role in ''Hetalia Fantasia''.<br />
<br />
===Korea's Voice Actor===<br />
'''Rumor''': The seiyū [[wikipedia:Kaoru Mizuhara|Kaoru Mizuhara]] was to play South Korea in the anime version, but lost the role when his part was cut.<br />
<br />
'''Fact''': The above was a misconception that happened when Mizuhara was discovered to be part of the cast in [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue 2]]. In her interview segment, she mentioned ''Kankoku'' and Korean barbeque, leading to assumptions that she was meant to be Korea's seiyū. A mistranslation of the segment also added to the confusion.<br />
<br />
However, it was later discovered that Mizuhara's mentioning of Korea was only in a "what if" situation of her being cast in the anime, with the Korean BBQ being something that she had enjoyed eating. Another seiyū had suggested a "Monaco" character for her earlier in the segment, before she decided to pick Korea (at the time, there was no Monaco character in the series). The only role that Mizuhara has had to date in ''Hetalia'' was a minor female voice in that drama CD.<br />
<br />
An animation error in [[Episode 14]] shows that Korea was originally going to be in the episode, though the rest of the shots where he would have appeared were edited to remove him due to the South Korean protests. It is unknown who he would have been voiced by, had [[Studio DEEN]] not cut him from the series.<br />
<br />
[[Category:Fanon]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Talk:Rumors_and_Misconceptions&diff=31812Talk:Rumors and Misconceptions2013-02-20T20:17:51Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>Well, this page is finally here. Others can feel free to add information on fan-theories and rumors/misconceptions as they please, though I'm thinking of possibly breaking these up into sections (one for the series in-general, one for the anime, etc.). [[User:Ceras SanMarina|Ceras SanMarina]] 00:10, 25 June 2009 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Was wondering if someone could add in 'Arthur Kirkland, England or The UK?'. I always thought he was both, but yesterday someone said Himaruya stated Arthur is England and only The UK at meetings because 'his brothers embarrass him'. I'd said that Arthur was both England AND The UK (like he was the leader of sorts)... but isn't it effectively the same thing? I dunno, just a suggestion since it's confusing me a whole lot. --[[User:Elegentmess|Elegentmess]] 06:00, January 5, 2010 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Done! Added a sort of short-ish blurb for now, anyone else can feel free to expand upon it. Himaruya said that he's simply England around his brothers, UK to everyone else. It's in an old '08 Bamboo Thicket post (that I mistakenly thought was a lost one since I found it on the UK fanwiki, as the fanwikis tend to contain copy-pasted information from Himaruya's old logs and blog). Apparently Himaruya wants to explore more of Arthur before he introduces the other siblings, too. Scotland, Wales, and NI are confirmed boys, while Ireland's gender is up in the air for now (But it in '07 he was thinking it'd be a female one). [[User:Ceras SanMarina|Ceras SanMarina]] 21:09, January 5, 2010 (UTC)<br />
<br />
Umm, hello. I was wondering if we could add something about whether Italy's name is Veneziano or Feliciano and if S. Italy is Romano or Lovino. I wasn't quite sure. Maybe they can go by both? [[Special:Contributions/67.220.6.244|67.220.6.244]] 03:59, January 11, 2010 (UTC) the-dancing-onigiri<br />
<br />
I'll see what can be done about that! To clarify though: "Veneziano" and "Romano" are the names used in-comic by Himaruya to distinguish them from each other, besides just using "North" and "South". Veneziano's for "Venice", Romano's for "Rome", and it seems like there's a bit of punniness in there too (Romano and Veneziano sound like the phrases "Roma no" and "Venezia no", which would be something like "The Roman" and "The Venetian" or "of Rome/Venice"). Their human names only got listed in the name-list Himaruya gave in his old diary, but it seems fans tend to forget about "Lovino" more often and just call him "Romano" then too. [[User:Ceras SanMarina|Ceras SanMarina]] 04:11, January 11, 2010 (UTC)<br />
<br />
It looks like this page hasn't had any new sections added in a while, and I was wondering what everyone thinks would merit inclusion on this page? Just off the top of my head I came up with:<br />
*Portugal, Luxembourg, Indonesia, and Malaysia's "character designs"<br />
*New Zealand's Gender<br />
*Macau/Mongolia's appearance in the Christmas strips/Mongolia & Golden Horde in general<br />
*The "Possible Names"<br />
Thoughts? -[[User:FH14|FH14]] 19:32, 5 February 2011 (UTC)<br />
<br />
:Yes, yes, yes, and yes. You get a thumbs up from me! [[User:Icelilly|Icelilly]] 21:18, 5 February 2011 (UTC)<br />
<br />
==Page Clean-up==<br />
Excuse me, I have a few ideas about restructuring this page and new rumors to add to it....<br />
<br>1) Perhaps we could make separate sections for different 'types' of rumors?<br />
Sample:<br />
*Old rumors/misconceptions: rumors that have been explicitly disproven (The one about the Nordics' voice actors would go here.)<br />
*Rumors/Misconceptions about specific characters: self-explanatory (I think a lot of the current page will end up here.)<br />
*Rumors/Misconceptions about the series itself: (The one about Hetalia starting in 2003 would go here. Or would this go in the 'explicitly disproven' category? Hmm....)<br />
*Rumors/Misconceptions about Himaruya: self-explanatory<br />
2) We could add new rumors/misconceptions to the top of their respective categories instead of the bottom, in hopes that people will read them first.<br />
<br>3) Rumors we could add:<br />
*Portugal, Luxembourg, Indonesia, and Malaysia's "character designs"<br />
*New Zealand's Gender<br />
*Macau/Mongolia's appearance in the Christmas strips/Mongolia & Golden Horde in general<br />
*The "Possible Names"<br />
*USUK becoming canon in season 5/Himaruya blog entry that says England is gay and has a crush on America<br />
*People mistaken for Himaruya (that composer guy, friend he based Thailand on, etc.)<br />
4) Some of the entries are a little wordy and could stand some editing for conciseness. <br />
I don't mean to step on any toes, I would just like to know if these are acceptable changes and if I may implement them! --167.206.228.214<br />
:This works for me! I think it's a great idea, though I'm not really against the wordiness of entries as long as it isn't messy. I think you should go ahead and do it! (And I hope it's not a problem/against the rules that I edited your comment to fix the html. . .I know I'm not supposed to edit other peoples' comments but it was kind of irking me haha.) Though, the USUK becoming/being canon isn't limited to Season 5--I think people were saying that about a strip in Volume 5, too. So, really, it should be more like ''pairing canonization'' or something rather than sticking to that specifically? [[User:Tarafishes|Tarafishes]] ([[User talk:Tarafishes|talk]]) 14:05, 20 February 2013 (CST)<br />
:Thanks for fixing my formatting! I fail at HTML, sorry about that. I didn't think that "pairing canonization" had enough concrete examples to merit its own section; I'll look for more examples to add to that. I have a lot going on at school, so this may take a little while, but I'll be happy to get this done. Thanks for contacting me so promptly!--167.206.228.214</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Megumi_Takamoto&diff=31804Megumi Takamoto2013-02-19T19:14:06Z<p>167.206.228.210: Her hometown was 'female.'</p>
<hr />
<div>{{CrewSmallPic<br />
| name = Megumi Takamoto<br>高本 めぐみ<br />
| image = Megumi_Takamoto.jpg<br />
| studio = [[File:JapanFlag.png]] Sigma7<br />
| role = Seiyū<br />
| character = [[Seychelles]]<br />
| age = <br />
| birthday = October 3<br />
| gender = Female<br />
| hometown = <br />
| bloodtype = AB<br />
}}<br />
'''Megumi Takamoto''' (高本 めぐみ 'Takamoto Megumi') is a seiyū affiliated with Sigma7. She voices [[Seychelles]] in the drama CD and anime adaptions of '''''[[Hetalia: Axis Powers (anime)|Hetalia: Axis Powers]]'''''.<br />
<br />
==Other Roles==<br />
*Big Windup (Fukami)<br />
*Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Winry Rockbell)<br />
*Hell Girl: Cauldron Of Three (Serizawa Yuuna)<br />
*Love Get Chu! (Momoko Ichihara)<br />
*Maho Sensei Negima OVA series (Chao Lingshen)<br />
*Manabi Straight<br />
*Negima!? (Chao Lingshen)<br />
*Persona -trinity soul-<br />
*Sasameki Koto (Ushio Kazama)<br />
*Slayers Revolution<br />
*White Album (Misaki Sawakura)<br />
<br />
==External Links==<br />
*[http://www.sigma7.co.jp/profile/w_51.html Megumi Takamoto] at Sigma7<br />
<br />
{{JapanBTS}}<br />
[[Category:People]]<br />
[[Category:Voice Actors]]<br />
[[Category:Japanese Dub Voice Actors]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=South_Italy&diff=30420South Italy2013-01-28T19:40:37Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = South Italy<br>南イタリア<br />
| continent = EUROPE<br />
| image = Romanobw.png<br />
| country = [[Image:ItalyFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Italy|Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana)]], [[wikipedia:Southern Italy|Southern Italy]]<br />
| human = [[Human names#South Italy|Lovino Vargas]] (ロヴィーノ・ヴァルガス, ''Rovīno Varugasu'')<ref name="Name">{{cite web|title=(cache) 【ジョルジュ長岡を心の底から愛でまくるサイト】 キタユメ。 【まゆ毛がステキ】|archiveurl=http://megalodon.jp/2007-1122-0436-47/www.geocities.jp/himaruya/5gatu.htm|archivedate=November 22, 2007|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=May 2007|accessdate=October 8, 2012}}</ref><br />
| age = 22-23<ref>{{cite web|title=(cache) 【ジョルジュ長岡を心の底から愛でまくるサイト】 キタユメ。 【まゆ毛がステキ】|archiveurl=http://horror-vacui.net/hetarchive/extra/cache2.htm|archivedate=???|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=October 2006|accessdate=September 18, 2012}}</ref><br />
| gender = Male<br />
| birthday = March 17<ref name="Vol1Profile">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2008|title=ヘタリア Axis Powers|trans_title= Hetalia: Axis Powers|publisher=Gentosha|page=18|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref><br />
| hair = Brown<br />
| eyes = Light Green/Hazel/Light Brown (manga, blog/events)<br />
Amber (anime)<br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 1]]<br />
| strip = ''Chapter 4: Pact of Steel''<br />
| dramacd = [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]<br />
| anime = [[Episode 01]] (Chibitalia)<br>[[Episode 07]] (as an adult)<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Daisuke Namikawa]]<br>[[Aki Kanada]] (as a child, ''World Series'' [[Episode 60|Episode 08]] and on)<br>[[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD|Shounosuke Hitachi]] (''Flower Of Iris'')<br />
| english = [[Ian Sinclair]]<br>[[Colleen Clinkenbeard]] (as a child, ''World Series'' [[Episode 60|Episode 08]] and on)<br />
}}<br />
'''South Italy''' (南イタリア, ''Minami Itaria''), often referred to as '''Romano '''(ロマーノ, ''Romāno''), is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' and the older brother of [[Italy|North Italy]]. Between 2007 and 2008, Himaruya gave human names to some of the characters and he received the name '''[[Human names#South Italy|Lovino Vargas]]''' (ロヴィーノ・ヴァルガス, ''Rovīno Varugasu'').<ref name="Name"/><br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:Italy_Romano_Chibi.PNG|thumb|left|150px|A 'chibi' version of Romano. Shown in Hidekaz Himaruya's blog.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
South Italy has dark brown hair and an olive complexion, unlike his paler-complected brother. His eyes are green; however they are often colored hazel or brown by Himaruya himself, who said that fans were free to use whichever eye color they preferred for him, but noted that he often used a light green or light brown-like color, officially.<ref>http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-89.html</ref><br />
<br />
Like his brother, he has a wild long curl that acts as his erogenous zone, though it rests on the right side of his head, as opposed to the left. In most artwork and merchandise, he is shown wearing a khaki uniform in a different style than Italy's (and more similar to [[Spain]]'s), with 3/4-length sleeves. But in the published manga and anime, he instead wears a virtually identical uniform to his brother, although it has different colors. In his very first appearance in the webcomic, South Italy's shirt and belt were colored white, but were later shaded in dark. The actual color of the uniform is unknown due to it only appearing in black-and-white art.<br />
<br />
As a child, he did not always wear a maid dress like his brother but simply an apron, as seen in early strips of '''Boss Spain's Control of Southern Italy''. However, in some strips like the ones in ''Comic Diary 9'' and [[Volume 3]], he is depicted wearing a maid dress and apron like his brother's, though its colors are unknown.<br />
<br />
A chibi image by Himaruya, as well as a figurine, also show that South Italy has a casual sailor outfit like Italy, but with the blue accents replaced by green.<br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
South Italy is friendly and kind to women, but is strict and less social to men. Despite appearing to be tougher than his younger brother, he is just as cowardly and ineffectual, if not more so. He's stubborn and has actually been described as being quite timid. Though he is not very skilled with his hands, it is said that he is a good pickpocket. He is also has a habit of speaking in profanity, particularly the words "bastard" and "dammit".<br />
<br />
As a child, he often slacked off and slept when it came to chores; he was rather clumsy when he actually tried to do them. In ''Comic Diary 10'' and blog illustrations by Himaruya, as well as in the first part of '''Boss Spain's Control Of Southern Italy''', it is revealed that the younger South Italy had a bed-wetting problem and had trouble finding the toilet due to the vast size of Spain's mansion at least once. In ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 1'', it is also revealed that he had the disease [[wikipedia:Choreia_(disease)|Choreia]] as a child, and that it played a part in his clumsiness. Spain attempted to heal him by making him dance the Tarantella; South Italy appeared to recover from the disease, whether due to those efforts or not.<br />
<br />
When using grenades, he seemingly has no clue of the correct way to throw them (throwing the pin rather than the actual grenade, a habit shared by his brother). In the strip '''In Two Minutes, You Can Grasp The Exterior Of The European Economy''', it is shown that he is often controlled and led around by his own mafia. It is partially due to the influence of the mafia that his view of the world is more biased and bleak than Italy's.<br />
<br />
While Italy eats a variety of foods other than pasta, South Italy refuses to eat foreign food, especially if it happens to be cheese or potatoes. He has the verbal tic of making a "Chigi" (or "Chigigi") sound when he is agitated or when his haircurl is pulled.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===Belgium===<br />
''Main article: [[Belgium]]''<br />
<br />
As a child, South Italy had a crush on the older Belgium, though he found himself unable to kiss her or tell her how he actually felt (though Belgium revealed she was only teasing him and felt bad for it). He also gets incredibly flustered and tongue-tied when Belgium praises him for his hard work, even getting flustered to the point of meekness and admitting he hadn't worked much at all. They seem to get along as adults.<br />
<br />
===Germany===<br />
''Main Article: [[Germany]]''<br />
<br />
Unlike his brother, South Italy hates Germany and can't stand to see him and Italy together. He refers to Germany as a "potato bastard" and "macho potato".<br />
<br />
South Italy had attempted to get revenge on a few occasions, but failed each time:<br />
<br />
*Tried to charge at Germany, but slipped on a banana peel and skinned his arm ('''Italy's Big Brother, '''''Webcomic)''<br />
<br />
*Pulled the pin off a "Red Devil" grenade, but threw the pin instead of the actual grenade, which he held in his mouth, much like Italy in a [[Episode 20: America's Cleaning Of The Storage, Part 2 | previous episode]]. ('''Italy's Big Brother''').<br />
<br />
*Threatened to throw tomatoes at Germany and "rip every muscle" off of his body, but wound up frightened by [[France]] ('''Meet My Big Brother!, '''''Hetalia: Axis Powers''' '''volume 1'').<br />
<br />
*Attempted to embarrass Germany by holding up a fake mustache (to make him look like he was sporting one), but wound up making himself look like he wore mustache instead ('''Good Luck! Big Brother!, '''''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 1''''')'''<br />
<br />
It is suggested that he might hate Germans in general, seeing that he thought one as a danger when he was a kid and got scolded by Spain because he believed the German would attack Spain. A line in '''Italy's Big Brother''' also reveals that his stereotype of Germans is that they're all "uncivilized country bumpkins with bad physiology." When Germany noted that Italy happened to have Germanic blood as well, it caused South Italy to go into a rage and attempt to charge at him (only for the above banana incident to occur).<br />
<br />
===Italy===<br />
''Main Article: [[Italy]]''<br />
<br />
The two brothers grew up knowing of each other, but they never actually met face to face. Italy eventually went off to live with their grandfather for some time, while South Italy stayed behind. After [[Ancient Rome|Grandpa Rome]] had died and Italy came back, South Italy and the other boys became bullies to him. The two were separated again at the end of the Italian War, when Italy was claimed by the Holy Roman Empire and [[Austria]], while South Italy was conquered by [[Spain]] after the ''Battle of Garigliano.''<br />
<br />
In the present day, the two brothers don't get along very well; South Italy occasionally refuses to acknowledge his brother's existence, though Italy is more than eager&nbsp;to be around his older brother.&nbsp;As a child, South Italy often felt jealous and inferior to Italy, due to the younger brother inheriting their grandfather's talent for art, while he could barely draw. He also felt that his brother took after their grandfather in appearance more. Despite this though, he's shown to have at least a subconscious care for him, becoming upset when his brother implies he doesn't admire him, and sharing a bed with him. Usually when it's hinted that he cares about Italy though, something happens that angers him and he instantly reverts back.<br />
<br />
===Japan===<br />
''Main Article: [[Japan]]''<br />
<br />
Though they have to met only briefly in an earlier "strip," in which they didn't actually interact beyond introductions and Japan's pondering of the brothers' curls, Himaruya has stated that they would both get along rather well and that Japan would refer to the other as "Romano-kun" after initially referring to him as "Romano-san."<ref>http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-83.html</ref><br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
''Main Article: [[Prussia]]''<br />
<br />
Prussia seems to have feelings for both of the Italy brothers due to their climate and topography. However, Romano has been said to dislike Prussia and had wanted to fight him when he was a child, but he found him too scary. Instead, he merely cursed at him from afar. In modern times, as Prussia watched him work, Romano was not openly hostile towards him, neither yelling nor cursing excessively, while Prussia concerned himself as to why he worked barefoot, wondering if he had no money for shoes despite his hard work. Romano might trust Prussia a little bit (or it was simply siesta time and, like his brother, he will fall asleep no matter where he is, though Romano stayed dressed), as he fell asleep near him. Prussia watched him sleep, telling Germany that the flow of time was mysterious when he showed up, likely because Romano wasn't as hard a worker as a child as he was in the present.<br />
<br />
Romano later said that he felt gloomy for having associated with Prussia.<br />
<br />
===Spain===<br />
''Main Article: [[Spain]]''<br />
<br />
Because Spain raised him, South Italy has assimilated his culture, customs, religion, and his love for tomatoes. While Spain often acts affectionately towards him, South Italy tends to treat him rather coldly because he believes that Spain just wants his grandfather's inheritance. Deep down, he does care about Spain, though he rarely shows it openly; he seems to become extremely jealous when Spain is with someone else. When Spain caught a cold, South Italy increases imports from Spain (despite having a cold himself) and overcomes his weakness to the Mafia (even though he usually bends to their will.)<br />
<br />
In his youth, South Italy would often jump on Spain or headbutt him in the stomach to wake him up. This caused Spain to have a nightmare where an adult South Italy jumped on him and "crushed his vital regions."<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Anime===<br />
[[Image:S.ItalyAnime.PNG|thumb|right|South Italy in the Anime.]]<br />
South Italy is first shown briefly in the '''Chibitalia''' segment of [[Episode 01]] as a small child, and makes further non-speaking cameos in [[Episode 02]] (where the brothers are bullied by the other nations) and [[Episode 04]] (being stepped on by a victorious [[Austria]]). The adult South Italy finally appears in [[Episode 07]], which adapts '''Meet My Big Brother!''' and '''Good Luck! Big Brother!''' from ''Axis Powers Hetalia volume 1''.<br />
<br />
His childhood is further detailed in Episodes [[Episode 60|60]][[Episode 61|-]][[Episode 62|62]], [[Episode 67|67]], [[Episode 68 |68 and]] [[Episode 75]][[Episode 76|-]][[Episode 77|77]] which adapt '''Boss Spain's Control of Southern Italy'''. This shows the time from when Spain firsts aquires South Italy to where he begins fighting France and Turkey for him.<br />
<br />
He is voiced by [[Daisuke Namikawa]], who also voices Italy. Namikawa also initially voiced the child version of South Italy in the first episode, but the role was later recast for '''Hetalia: World Series''', with [[Aki Kanada]] providing the voice (as she did for his brother).<br />
<br />
In the anime adaptation (much like the later colored manga artwork), South Italy is given lighter skin, rather than being olive-skinned. Though he is depicted as wearing his pants over a short pair of boots in a character sketch for the manga, his anime turnaround instead shows him to have his pants tucked into a pair of tall boots (that look much like his brother's). His first military uniform is also colored khaki, with the shirt being maroon and the tie being navy.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Like his brother, South Italy's birthday falls on '''March 17th''', which is the date that the "Kingdom Of Italy" was formed<ref name="Vol1Profile"/>. He was also represented with the flag for the Kingdom in the original webcomic art, though the modern Italian one is now used for him. South Italy is confirmed to be the elder of the two; despite this, some fans continue to mistake them for twins.<br />
*His full nation name, '''Italy Romano''', is derived from '''Rome''', the capital of Italy. In the actual strips, he is simply '''Romano''', though '''South Italy''' is also used to differentiate him from his younger brother. Historically however, he would represent either kingdom of '''Sicily''' and '''Naples''' (which later became "The&nbsp;Kingdom Of The Two Sicilies"), which were part of Southern Italy and wound up under the control of Spain. ''Romano'' is an existent Italian male first name, derived from the Latin title "romanus" (which originally meant "a citizen of the Roman Empire", but now simply "native of Rome"). In addition, ''Romano'' can be seen as a pun on the phrase "''Roma no''", meaning "of Rome".<br />
*His given human name, ロヴィノ, whether transcribed as Lovino or Rovino is not an actual Italian name. "Rovino" means "I ruin" and would not be used as a name, especially for it's negativity. However, "Lovino" could pass off as a nickname deriving somehow from another name such as Luigi. In contrast, "Romano" is an actual, common Italian name.<br />
*South Italy is one of the Axis Powers during the second world war which would bring the total of Axis Powers in the story to four. This can be seen when he and North Italy were captured by [[England]] in [[episode 63]].<br />
*According to Hidekaz Himaruya, South Italy's hair is colored darker than Italy's due to having [[wikipedia:History_of_Islam_in_southern_Italy|Arabic blood]]. Himaruya described him as having both "darker hair" and a "darker personality". But in a 2006 profile of Italy on Kitayume, South Italy briefly appeared in an illustration with ''black'' hair, as opposed to the dark brown hair Himaruya would settle on.<br />
*One can tell North Italy and South Italy apart hair wise when South Italy has dark hair and his curl is in the middle of his hair and North Italy's hair is light brown and his curl is on the side of his hair.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<div style="font-size:92%">{{Reflist|2}}</div><br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=EUROPE}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Male Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Drama CD Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Anime Characters]]<br />
[[Category:European Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Mediterranean Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Seychelles&diff=30419Seychelles2013-01-28T19:27:15Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Seychelles<br>セーシェル<br />
| continent = AFRICA<br />
| image = Current Seychelles 2010.jpg<br />
| country = [[Image:SeychellesFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Seychelles|Republic Of Seychelles (Repiblik Sesel/République des Seychelles)]]<br />
| gender = Female<br />
| birthday = June 29<ref name="Vol2Profile">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2008|title=ヘタリア Axis Powers 2|trans_title= Hetalia: Axis Powers 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=22|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref><br />
| hair = Brown<br />
| eyes = Brown<br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 2]] (profiled)<br>[[Volume 3]] (debut)<br />
| strip = ''We’re Shipwrecked Too!''<br />
| game = [[Gakuen Hetalia]]<br />
| dramacd = [[Hetalia Drama CD Interval Vol. 1: The CD Of The Awesome Me]]<br />
| anime = [[Episode 100]]<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Megumi Takamoto]]<br />
| english = [[Cassandra Hodges]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Seychelles''' (セーシェル, ''Sēsheru'') is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers.''' She first appeared as the main character in the dating sim game ''[[Gakuen Hetalia]]'', and has since appeared briefly in both the manga and the anime.<br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:Seychelles_Chibi.png|thumb|left|A 'chibi' version of Seychelles. Shown in Hidekaz Himaruya's blog.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
Seychelles has long, dark brown hair, tied into two pigtails with red ribbons. She wears a knee-length blue dress with puffed sleeves, which sometimes is drawn with a flower-print. In some appearances, Seychelles is shown holding a large fish. She usually has brown eyes, though when she appeared in a cameo in the fifth ''Noto-sama'' game, her eyes were blue. In early images, Seychelles was given light or fair skin, but in recent images, she appears tan or light brown. In ''[[Gakuen Hetalia]]'', she wears a white sweater and red plaid skirt as part of her school uniform, and has the lighter skin of her earlier drawings.<br />
<br />
===Interests and Personality===<br />
Seychelles is described as a country girl with a big heart who can sometimes be sloppy. She can't cook on her own and laments over her high cost of living. During the ''Christmas 2010'' event, Seychelles asks Finland to send her food in exchange for a picture. Her language is a unique type of French, mixing both French and English. During her cameo in ''Comic Diary 9'', Seychelles, after overhearing other nations mention their stereotypes and reputations, rants that people do not know of her existence. In ''United States of Hetalia 2'', it is revealed that the island where both the Allies and Axis have been repeatedly stranded is the island of Seychelles.<br />
<br />
In her ''Gakuen Hetalia'' appearance, she fears attending a new academy because she lacks talent and confidence. She claims to have once been rich and strong, but has become poor and useless. Seychelles believes that her only abilities are to sing, dance, and make souvenirs. Seychelles is conflicted over her feelings for both [[France]] and [[England]]; the former raised her and makes sexual advances, while the latter is aggressive and dominant. Seychelles does not have fond feelings for her coat of arms, and she is laughed at in her Africa class due to its outlandish appearance.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===England===<br />
''Main Article: [[England]]''<br />
<br />
During their first meeting in the ''Gakuen Hetalia'' game, England snaps a dog collar onto Seychelles and claims her as his colony. He uses her like a servant, claiming that she must obey him, though they are able to get along on occasion. In a early image unrelated to the game, Seychelles and other colonies display anger at England. In the main ''Hetalia'' comic, their relationship seems to be similar, as she, in ''Christmas 2011'', wanted to prank call him (she even wanted to baton pass this labour to Cuba when she couldn't go further because of the cold weather). However, they are capable of getting along in the present day. In Volume 4, Seychelles was delighted when England asked her to (secretly) host the newly married Prince William and his wife.<br />
<br />
===France===<br />
''Main Article: [[France]]''<br />
<br />
In the ''Gakuen Hetalia'' game, it is revealed (via flashback) that he helped raise her as a child, and as a result her language is heavily influenced by his. However, in the present he attempts to undress and grope her, much to her shock and disgust; Seychelles wonders if he wants to see what her body has become. In the mainstream ''Hetalia'' comic, they are rarely seen together. In her first appearance in the strips, France is walking alongside her on an island. In the ''Christmas Rampage 2007'', France is shown groping Seychelles, much to her dismay. In ''Hetaween 2011'', she was in France's "Peter Pan-themed" team, dressed as Captain Hook.<br />
<br />
===Monaco===<br />
''Main Article: [[Monaco]]''<br />
<br />
During the '''Halloween Event 2011''', Monaco and Seychelles were both in France's Peter Pan costume group. Monaco refers to Seychelles as "Seychelles-kun" in the original Japanese<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/hall2011.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=2011|title=2011 Halloween Event|page=1|accessdate=September 14, 2012}}</ref>, implying a friendly relationship or that Monaco is a sort of senior to Seychelles. (In Japan, the honorific -kun is typically for male children and teenagers, but can be also be used between close friends or family members and between seniors and juniors, regardless of gender.)<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Manga===<br />
Seychelles appears infrequently in sketches and strips on Himaruya's blog. Seychelles first appeared within the strip ''We're Shipwrecked Too!'', walking with France and talking about eating fish. The strip has yet to be included in any published volume. She debuts in [[Volume 3|volume 3]] of the published manga, wondering what the shipwrecked Axis and Allies are up to when she spots them on her island. Seychelles appears during the ''Christmas 2010'' event, in which a picture of her is requested for Finland's Hetastream broadcast, and again during the ''Halloween 2011'' event, in which she dresses as a pirate.<br />
[[File:SeychellesDEEN2.png|thumb|right|Seychelles' ''Gakuen Hetalia Portable'' design]]<br />
===Games===<br />
Seychelles was set to be the main character in the game ''[[Gakuen Hetalia]]'', a high school dating simulation. In the unfinished demo, Seychelles is forced by European countries to attend an academy for countries. After she arrives, [[England]] claims her as his colony and warns her that she must obey him. She soon becomes lost in the school and encounters several other characters. While meeting England in the school library, France approaches them and claims that Seychelles is his girlfriend. In the past, France had raised Seychelles and, though usually gentlemanly, he can be frightening when disobeyed. France attempts to undress her and Seychelles attacks back. Immediately after, she pleads for him not to attack her. After the scene, the demo ends. In the ''[[Gakuen Hetalia Portable]]'' commercial game, Seychelles is again the main character, though the plots involves her planning a large party for the school. In order to throw a successful event, she must interact with her nation classmates.<br />
<br />
===Drama CDs===<br />
[[Image:SeychellesAnime.png|right|150px|thumb|Seychelles in Ep 100]]<br />
Seychelles makes a brief appearance in the drama CD ''[[Hetalia Drama CD Interval Vol. 1: The CD Of The Awesome Me]]''. During a flashback segment, Prussia challenges America to a swimming contest at a beach and loses. Seychelles exclaims that America is awesome, to which Prussia comments that America's actions were unfair.<br />
<br />
===Anime=== <br />
Seychelles made her debut appearance in [[Episode 100]]. In the episode, she can be seen standing near a bush and watching the Axis and Allies come together, wondering why they have appeared on her island. Though her design remains mostly unchanged, her skin is shown to be more fair than her manga counterpart. To date, episode 100 is the only time Seychelles has appeared in the anime series.<br />
<br clear="all"><br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
[[File:EarlySeychelles.gif|thumb|right|The early Seychelles design.]]<br />
*Her birthday corresponds with the date that Seychelles gained independence from Great Britain on '''June 29th, 1976'''.<ref name="Vol2Profile"/><br />
*In the scrapped sequel to ''Christmas Rampage 2007'', Seychelles is stripped of all her clothing by "Noto-sama" in a crossover with ''Advance! Kitakou Broadcasting Club'' (another webcomic by [[Hidekaz Himaruya]]).<br />
*Seychelles was the second female nation to be designed, while Hungary was the first nation to be depicted as a female. A note in the special edition of volume 3 revealed that her appearance was based off of an old sketchpad character he had drawn in high school, which happened to be a personification of the Nagasaki prefecture. "Nagasaki" would later be slightly redesigned.<br />
*In a preliminary headshot sketch, Himaruya drew Seychelles with asymmetrical eyebrows: one normal and one very thick.<br />
*Before she appeared in an actual strip, Seychelles made a cameo in an illustration for the third part of ''Lithuania's Outsourcing''. In the image, she is shown to be angry at England, while [[Egypt]] is shown alongside her (as they were both his colonies).<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<div style="font-size:92%">{{Reflist}}</div><br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=AFRICA}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Female Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Game Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Drama CD Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Anime Characters]]<br />
[[Category:African Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Sealand&diff=30416Sealand2013-01-28T17:44:52Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Sealand<br>シーランド<br />
| continent = EUROPE<br />
| image = Sealand.png<br />
| country = [[Image:SealandFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Principality of Sealand|The Principality of Sealand]]<br />
| human = [[Human names#Sealand|Peter Kirkland]] (ピーター・カークランド, ''Pītā Kākurando'')<br />
| age = 12<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/matome_heta.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=Character Notes|accessdate = September 14, 2012}}</ref><br />
| gender = Male<br />
| birthday = September 2<ref name="Vol2Profile">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2008|title=ヘタリア Axis Powers 2|trans_title= Hetalia: Axis Powers 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=22|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref><br />
| hair = Blond<br />
| eyes = Green (early illustration), Blue<br />
| height = 130 cm (4' 3.2")<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/hoUTq.gif|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=Height chart from around 2008. (Deleted from Himaruya's blog)|accessdate = June 22, 2012}}</ref><br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 1]]<br />
| strip = ''It's Sealand-kun!''<br />
| game = [[kitayume:Noto-sama 6|Noto-sama 6]]<br />
| dramacd = [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]<br />
| anime = [[Episode 21]]<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Ai Orikasa]]<br>[[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD|Kanae Kasuga]] (''Flower Of Iris'')<br />
| english = [[Maxey Whitehead]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Sealand''' (シーランド, ''Shīrando'') is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''. In 2008, Himaruya gave human names to some of the characters and he received the name '''[[Human names#Sealand|Peter Kirkland]]''' (ピーター・カークランド, ''Pītā Kākurando'').<br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:SealandChibi.png|thumb|left|140px|A 'chibi' version of Sealand.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
He has blond hair, blue eyes, and thick eyebrows much like [[England]]'s. He wears a white sailor shirt with a blue collar, a blue neck tie, a matching hat, and blue capri pants, as well as white knee-high socks and black Mary Jane shoes.<br />
<br />
Originally, Sealand's eyebrows were drawn somewhat thinner, while his sailor necktie lacked its "tails", and he wore shorts instead of capris. His eyes were also originally colored green, giving him a further resemblance to a younger England.<br />
<br />
In the game ''Noto-sama 6'', his hair is colored a dark sandy blond, while his eyes are sea green.<br />
<br />
According to the English dub of the anime, he has a large birthmark shaped like a transistor radio. However, the script was changed for the dub, and this is unconfirmed by the author.<br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
Due to the fact that he isn't considered an actual nation, none of the others take him very seriously. However, Sealand is a rascal who believes that someday he will become a huge empire that even his brother will bow down to.<br />
<br />
Like his fort, he is actually made of steel and concrete and can fire a "Rocket Punch" that he believes is super powerful (though he can only do so when dressed up in a kids' mecha costume). He also tends to end his sentences with "desu yo", which is meant to give him a very enthusiastic flair.<br />
<br />
According to the '''Hetalia Desktop Buddies''' his hobbies include games and "comfortable internets" and training to be approved as a nation in the future. He has a pet "hamster." However, he said it was 130cm long, to which Latvia said it wasn't, as 130 cm is abnormally large for a hamster. Latvia claimed to wake up with a strange creature in his bed one day, which Sealand said was his pet, presumably the "hamster." Latvia said he'd never seen anything of the sort in an encyclopedia. He also showed interest in Broadway musicals, saying that he wanted to see one in New York one day. He claims to find historical facts boring; however, he's asked or mentioned plenty in the Mascots, such as wanting to befriend Friedrich III, singing a song about Rudolph I, and recalling that Austria once fought on a crumbling ship. He also shows interest in movies and mentioned wanting to travel the world. He finds Spongebob to be cute and seems to admire him, saying he wanted to become him.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===England===<br />
''Main Article: [[England]]''<br />
<br />
Sealand declared himself an independent country when England didn't want the oil platform back after the end of the war.<ref name="ea">{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/ea.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=シーランド君です！|accessdate = September 21, 2012|trans_title=It's Sealand-kun!}}</ref> The two always bicker because Sealand, who wants to be recognized as a nation, often sneaks into conferences the other countries attend (such as the G8, when Sealand pretended to be Canada).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/cnd.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=飛び越せ！カナダさん|accessdate=September 21, 2012|trans_title=Fly, Canada-san, fly!}}</ref> Despite calling his brother "Jerk England" and promising that the older nation will bow to him someday, Sealand relies on England, although he doesn't admit it.<ref name="ea"/><br />
<br />
===Iceland===<br />
''Main Article: [[Iceland]]''<br />
<br />
Sealand first met him when Iceland was attempting to auction himself off on Ebay, but Iceland didn't understand what he meant when he wanted to become his friend due to their similarities, (as well as Sealand wanting to be referred to as "senpai" by Iceland.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/sld.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=2008|title=シーランドくんとアイスランドくんの出会い|accessdate=September 21, 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Latvia===<br />
''Main Article: [[Latvia]]''<br />
<br />
The two are good friends, in part due to their similarities of being small nations that don't get the respect that they want (though Latvia is an actual recognized nation in comparison to Sealand being a micronation). However, while Latvia attempts to act as a big brother to Sealand, his own insecurities get in the way, most notably his fear of Russia.<ref name="ea"/><br />
<br />
===Seborga===<br />
''Main Article: [[Seborga]]''<br />
<br />
Sealand was initially frightened by Seborga when they met in Wy's garden after Seborga fell out of a tree covered in ketchup. After attacking him Sealand seems to get over this fear and they appear to become friendly. It is implied that Seborga is the only other member of Sealand's micronation club until Wy finally decides to officially join out of boredom. Despite the physical age gap, they share a similar enthusiasm for making new friends who are also micronations, and Sealand commends his eagerness to recruit new members into their club.<br />
<br />
===Sweden===<br />
''Main Article: [[Sweden]]''<br />
<br />
After being auctioned off online, Sealand became his property and adoptive child (as Sweden was the only one that bid). The two appear to have a close relationship, though Sweden came up with the strange idea of a "Dambolis" in an attempt to make the TV-obsessed Sealand pay attention to him more.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/seakun.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=ダンボリスの作り方まとめ|accessdate = February 8, 2012|trans_title=The Creation of Dambolis}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus===<br />
''Main Article: [[Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus]]''<br />
<br />
Sealand attempts to make friends with TRNC and points out that they are both micronations, but TRNC blows him off and points out that while he is recognized by Turkey, Sealand is recognized by no one. Sealand begins to cry, and he later attacks TRNC in a fit of rage. After Sealand becomes friends with [[Wy]] and [[Seborga]], TRNC is seen watching them from a distance as the three began talking about football (soccer).<br />
<br />
===Wy===<br />
''Main Article: [[Wy]]''<br />
<br />
Sealand has tried to make friends with the Australian micronation of Wy, based on perceived similarities. Wy quickly pointed out that unlike Sealand, she is recognized, as Wy's declaration of independence was accepted by the mayor of the surrounding township in 2004. Despite this, the two appear to become friends.<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Anime===<br />
[[File:SealandAnime.png|thumb|Sealand in Episode 21]]<br />
Sealand first appears in [[Episode 21]], which adapts '''It's Sealand-kun!''' (reprinted as '''Recommend! Sealand!''' in ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 1''). He attempts to attend a world meeting with the other nations, though his presence winds up going ignored. Sealand manages to get [[Lithuania]] to notice him, and is given advice on how to become an actual nation (though Lithuania just tells Sealand that it is too hard for someone the size of Sealand to ever become a nation).<br />
<br />
In the anime, his eyebrows are drawn thinner and his earlier character design is used, with the exception of his eyes being colored blue (as in his later design).<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
[[File:SealandOriginal.jpg|thumb|right|80px|An earlier design.]]<br />
*His birthday corresponds to the date of Sealand's founding, on '''September 2nd, 1967'''.<ref name="Vol2Profile"/><br />
*The plotline of Sealand's adoption was loosely based on a real-life occurrence when the actual Sealand was being put up for auction on Ebay. '''The Pirate Bay''', a Swedish BitTorrent website, considered buying Sealand, but did not purchase it in the end.<br />
*Sealand has a fondness for chocolate bars, and likes to browse the internet and play games as a hobby, as revealed by the "desktop mascots" from the official blog.<br />
*His version of [[Marukaite Chikyuu (Sealand)|Marukaite Chikuyuu]] was released on a special CD offered to fans who purchased all eight DVD releases of the first two seasons.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<div style="font-size:92%">{{Reflist|2}}</div><br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=EUROPE}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Male Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Game Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Drama CD Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Anime Characters]]<br />
[[Category:European Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Micronation Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Russia&diff=30414Russia2013-01-28T17:15:07Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Russia<br>ロシア<br />
| continent = EURASIA<br />
| image = Russia01.png<br />
| country = [[Image:RussiaFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Russia|Russian Federation (Российская Федерация)]]<br />
| human = [[Human names#Russia|Ivan Braginsky]] (Иван Брагинский/イヴァン・ブラギンスキ/Иван Брагинский)<ref name="Name">{{cite web|title=(cache) 【ジョルジュ長岡を心の底から愛でまくるサイト】 キタユメ。 【まゆ毛がステキ】|archiveurl=http://megalodon.jp/2007-1122-0436-47/www.geocities.jp/himaruya/5gatu.htm|archivedate=November 22, 2007|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=May 2007|accessdate=October 8, 2012}}</ref><br />
| gender = Male<br />
| birthday = December 30<ref name="Vol1Profile">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2008|title=ヘタリア Axis Powers|trans_title= Hetalia: Axis Powers|publisher=Gentosha|page=84|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref><br />
| hair = Blond (manga), Beige (anime)<br />
| eyes = Blue (early colored artwork), Violet<br />
| height = 182 cm (5' 11.6")<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/i_i11.htm|title=ヘタレ３ G-R Nonaggression Pact?|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|accessdate = June 22, 2012|page=8|trans_title=Hetare 3: G-R Nonaggression Pact?}}</ref><br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 1]]<br />
| strip = ''Chapter 2: Allied Forces''<br />
| game = [[Gakuen Hetalia Portable]]<br />
| dramacd = [[Hetalia Drama CD: Prologue]]<br />
| anime = [[Episode 01]]<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Yasuhiro Takato]]<br>[[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD|Benjamin Komatsu]] (''Flower Of Iris'')<br />
| english = [[Jerry Jewell]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Russia''' (ロシア, ''Roshia'') is a main character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''. Between 2007 and 2008, Himaruya gave out human names to some of the characters and he received the name '''[[Human names#Russia|Ivan Braginsky]]''' (イヴァン・ブラギンスキ, ''Ivan Buraginsuki'', Russian: ''Иван Брагинский'').<ref name="Name"/><br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:Russia_Chibi.PNG|thumb|left|150px|A 'chibi' version of Russia. Shown in Hidekaz Himaruya's blog.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
The tallest of the Allies, as well as the tallest of all the nations (together with [[Sweden]],) Russia wears a long, heavy tan coat, green pants, brown gloves, and a long tan or pink scarf. In the mini-drama CD included with his character album, he mentions to Japan that his scarf is a body part and therefore he cannot take it off. This, however, may just be an excuse so he will not have to do so, seeing as how he didn't wear it as a small child before Ukraine gave it to him,<ref name="Russisters-58">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 2|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=58|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref> and that in some artwork he is actually seen with it off.<ref>{{cite web|title=今日の落書き|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/rkgk2.htm|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|accessdate=December 10, 2010|trans_title=Today's Doodles}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=連合|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-1167.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=May 25, 2011|accessdate=December 10, 2010|trans_title=Allies}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=発掘ブライアンボイターノ５|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-176.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=July 9, 2008|accessdate=December 10, 2010|trans_title=Discovery Of Brian Boitano 5}}</ref> However, in Volume 4, he was shown to have some sort of control over it, as though it was an extra limb, using it to grab America,<ref>{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2011|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 4|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 4|publisher=Gentosha|page=6|isbn=978-4-3448-2233-7}}</ref> as well as it wrapping around America's ankle and China's neck in a chibi drawing of the Allies sleeping.<ref>{{cite web|title=メラニートの祭壇|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-1147.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|date=May 17, 2011|accessdate=|trans_title=Meranito's Altar}}</ref> He has a round, childish face with a more prominent nose, and tends to carry around a bottle of vodka, a sunflower, or a faucet pipe. It's said that he'll pull the pipe out and put things that don't belong in it, such as food, only to pull them out and eat them later.<ref name="Vol2prof"/> His hair is a light beige-blond, and his eyes are violet (purple), though they were initially colored blue in early color artwork. Compared to the first drawings Russia's bangs fall to the left as Himaruya found that they looked better that way from the front. Behind his constant smile, it's said no one knows what he's thinking.<ref name="Vol5SE"/><br />
<br />
His heart seems to sometimes fall out of his chest. However, he simply blushes and acknowledges it as something that "just pops out of me, sometimes."<ref name="Vol1AFPR-50">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia|publisher=Gentosha|page=50|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref><br />
<br />
In response to a fan question saying that Russia looked fat due to his thick clothing, Russia claimed to be big boned<ref>{{cite web|title=メタボリック俺|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-58.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|date=May 27, 2008|accessdate=September 11, 2012|trans_title=Metabolic Me}}</ref> and was also drawn with a shirt saying such.<ref>{{cite web|title=2話デッドヒート中でござる|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-497.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|date=March 11, 2009|accessdate=September 11, 2012|trans_title=Tshirts}}</ref> Himaruya confirmed this in a later blog post addressing some of the nation's body types.<ref>{{cite web|title=ベラルーシさんとウクライナさんの軍服バージョン|url=http://himaruya.blog61.fc2.com/blog-entry-1228.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|date=July 30, 2007|accessdate=September 11, 2012|trans_title=Belars And Ukraine's Military Uniform Versions}}</ref> He also said that Russia was drawn with a sturdy and robust frame due to the cold weather in Russia, however he commented that weather changes there resulted in very hot summers and that "maybe this Russia will melt (haha)."<ref name="Vol5SE">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2012|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 5 特装版|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 5 Specially Equipped Edition|publisher=Gentosha|page=18-19|isbn=978-4-344-82563-5}}</ref><br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
A large young man who is seemingly bighearted and innocent, but is in reality childishly cruel.<ref name="Vol1prof"/> Many of his things are big, like him. Quick to forgive and always looking for friends,<ref>{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2012|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 5|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 5|publisher=Gentosha|page=21|isbn=978-4-344-82563-5}}</ref> he's shy and unsociable around people he doesn't consider friends. However he considers everyone his friend,<ref name="Vol3prof">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2010|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 3|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 3|publisher=Gentosha|page=17|isbn=978-4-3448-1938-2}}</ref> and thus this side to him is rarely seen (He does, however, seem to have his doubts at times, such as when he sent a letter to France's radio show asking how to get people to love him back.<ref name="Vol2-58">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 2|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=58|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref>). He comes off as intimidating without saying a word,<ref name="Vol2prof"/> his gentle smile and disposition only intensifying the aura of dread which seems to constantly hang over him. However, according to Lithuania, he has his calm moments at the strangest of times. Russia was also described as gentle and naive, and not malicious, just extremely scary.<ref name="Vol3prof"/> Though he is capable of being incredibly cruel-minded, Russia himself is unaware of this. Whenever he thinks of how his sisters have become strange, he becomes very depressed, such depression being seen as an "absolutely awful omen" by England.<ref name="Russisters-52">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 2|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=52|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref> Russia ends many of his sentences with 'da', an informal form of 'desu' used to confirm the topic of the sentence, the ubiquitous form of 'to be,' as well as the Russian word for 'yes'.<br />
<br />
When Russia greets people, he does so with a kiss on the lips. When Germany denied him the greeting also pushing his hand on his face to ensure he didn't kiss him, Russia immediately became very sad and pouted, beginning to walk away, before Germany insisted that he greet him any way but with a kiss to the mouth. Russia then said he would blow him a kiss, instead.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/2011_12_10.html|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=2011|title=2011 Christmas Event|date=January 2, 2012|accessdate=September 13, 2012}}</ref><br />
<br />
He has been tormented since his childhood, having seen many tragedies and wars, which have cracked his mentality. General Winter haunts and attacks him every year, which has caused him to hate the snow. However, in the face of war, General Winter is his best ally.<ref name="Vol1prof">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia|publisher=Gentosha|page=84|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref> His childhood was tough, troubled, and full of forced servitude, bullying, and constant pursuing by other countries<ref name="Vol4-Rusfriends">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2011|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 4|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 4|publisher=Gentosha|page=72|isbn=978-4-3448-2233-7}}</ref> Because of this, he was wouldn't allow himself to befriend Lithuania because he knew he was too weak.<ref name="Vol3-yoke">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2010|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 3|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 3|publisher=Gentosha|page=90|isbn=978-4-3448-1938-2}}</ref> He dreams of one day living in a warm place surrounded by sunflowers.<br />
<br />
When Russia is upset, he begins to chant "[[wikipedia:Kolkhoz|KolKolKol]]" to threaten and frighten others into submission. However, there has been speculation that there are other possible meanings for 'kol' than those involving ''kolkhoz'':<br />
* Tzar [[wikipedia:Ivan_IV_of_Russia|Ivan The Terrible]]'s favorite way to deal with disobedience was impaling. 'To impale', pronounced in Russian as сажать на кол (sazhat' na kol), or just на кол 'na kol' is easily understood. So, Russia is possibly trying to intimidate people by the threat of impalement, although he is saying the noun 'kol' (which means 'stake', in this context being thrust towards a person).<br />
* There is also the possibility that Russia could be issuing a warning to others. 'Kolokol' means 'bell' in Russian, and 'kol' is often used as an onomatopoeia in Russian for the tolling of a bell, a centuries-old designation of approaching danger.<br />
*Another interpretation offered by the Japanese fandom is that "kolkolkol" is "korukorukoru", which sounds similar to "korosu", the Japanese word referring to killing.<br />
However, in the Comic Birz serialization featuring Russia, instead of the usual kolkolkol, the normal sound effect for an intimidating aura was used, and Russia stayed silent, making it possible that this was retconned recently.<br />
<br />
He loves vodka.<ref name="Vol2prof">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 2|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 2|publisher=Gentosha|page=15|isbn=978-4-3448-1514-8}}</ref> Vodka is his fuel. Whenever he does anything, vodka is somehow involved. However, he's developed a negative relationship with England due to him getting in his way when he would try and invade southern countries to get it.<ref name="Vol1prof"/> In return, he gets in England's way, as well. England accidentally summoned him when trying to summon a demon to fight America with, and he broke Busby's chair when sitting in it, implying that Russia is rather evil.<ref name="Vol1vs">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2008|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia|publisher=Gentosha|page=64-65|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref><br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===Belarus===<br />
''Main Article: [[Belarus]]''<br />
<br />
Russia is Belarus' older brother. While Belarus loves her brother to the point of obsession and wishes to marry him, he sees her only as a younger sibling and is frightened by her behavior. She is shown to stalk him, as well as stick by his side to intimidate others. It is also hinted in her and Ukraine's character song ''[[Carrots and Sticks]]'' that her sadism may even extend to her brother, as long as it keeps him with her. The ''Hetalia'' "desktop buddies" elaborated on Belarus' obsession for Russia further, with her stating her desire to get suggestive photos of her brother. According to Himaruya the dress that she wears is a gift from her brother, which is why she wears it so much even though it's rather old-fashioned and she tries to wear it as often as possible.<br />
<br />
According to her appearance in the Sealand and Latvia mascots, she'll only tell her hobbies to her brother. Despite her creepy love for him, many of the things she imagines herself doing with him are fairly normal, such as walking through the woods, singing, "moving along smoothly," proudly smiling at each other, being in awe of nature's splendor, and "having a talk about the greatness of love." However her diary entries occasionally involve her doing things such as going through his garbage, stealing all his underwear, smelling and wearing his underwear as a nightcap, looking through pornographic pictures of him, and making a fansite for him as well. She's also expressed the desire to '''be''' his underwear, as well as his toothbrush and fantasized about having sex with him.<br />
<br />
It's notable that, despite these things, when Belarus is not actively attempting to get him to marry her, they can get along peacefully and he at least values her opinion.<ref>{{cite web|title=飛び越せ！カナダさん|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/cnd.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|accessdate=September 11, 2012|trans_title=G8 Again!}}</ref><br />
<br />
===China===<br />
''Main Article: [[China]]''<br />
<br />
Though Russia and China had a close relationship&nbsp;throughout their history, China is very suspicious and fearful of him, especially after the [[wikipedia:Sino-Soviet Split|Sino-Soviet Split]]. In return, Russia has been shown to stalk China, especially when disguised in a panda suit.<br />
<br />
===Lithuania===<br />
''Main Article: [[Lithuania]]''<br />
<br />
In the past, Lithuania was Russia's subordinate and is not-too-subtly hinted to be a victim of his abuse; Lithuania is once shown wearing a maid costume with Russia lashing him with a whip in the '''While You Were Gone '''strip. In the present, Russia wishes that Lithuania, along with the rest of the world, was "one with Russia". When he visited America, who was taking care of Lithuania after WWI, he told America to be good to his 'ex,' but during the Great Depression, Lithuania returned to Russia's home. Once, Russia listened to Lithuania's dreams and went so far as to share his own of "living in a warm place with sunflowers"; soon after, Russia allowed Lithuania to fall asleep on his shoulder, though he replaced himself with a panda when Lithuania woke up the second time.<br />
<br />
===Poland===<br />
''Main Article: [[Poland]]''<br />
<br />
The two have argued with each other at least since the early 1600s, when Poland succeeded in [[wikipedia:Time of Troubles|capturing Moscow]]. Russia's revenge for this was taking part, together with Prussia and Austria, in the partitions of Poland. In 1939, Russia decided to partition Poland again, this time [[wikipedia:Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact|in conjunction with Germany]]. Their relationship was further soured by the years of post-war Soviet domination.<br />
<br />
It should be noted that Poland is not afraid of Russia; he actively defends Lithuania from Russia, despite the inherent threat.<br />
<br />
===Ukraine===<br />
''Main Article: [[Ukraine]]''<br />
<br />
Ukraine is Russia's older sister, who acted as a mother to both him and Belarus. She was also the one who gave him his scarf. Though she wants to be with him again, she either winds up running away at the chance due to the issues that arisen between them (such as paying for gas), or due to being blocked from seeing him in some way (such as her boss prohibiting her from giving him anything). In his own way, Russia also cares about her, describing her in quite fond terms in the manga.<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Anime===<br />
[[Image:RussiaAnime.png|200px|right|thumb|Russia in Episode 09.]]<br />
<br />
Russia appears at the meeting in [[Episode 01]], stating that he only wants to see a troubled Lithuania come running back to him. His plan is quickly thwarted by [[Poland]], who threatened to make his capital Warsaw.<br />
<br />
In [[Episode 42]] Russia introduces us to his family, adapting the strip '''Russia's Older And Younger Sisters'''.<br />
<br />
Russia's design is relatively the same in the anime adaptation, though the color of his scarf was changed from tan to pink. His hair is also colored more beige than blonde.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*In the World War-set strips, Russia technically represents the '''Soviet Union''', rather than the Russian Federation (as evidenced by his flag). However, Himaruya explained in liner notes that he was simply called '''Russia''' in the series due to it being cuter and the kana being simpler to write.<ref>{{cite web|title=ヘタレ２ Allied forces|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/a_i13.htm|page=12|last=Himaruys|first=Hidekaz|accessdate=September 24, 2012|trans_title=Hetare 2: Allied Forces}}</ref> His birthday being given as '''December 30th''' also corresponds with the date that the Soviet Union was founded.<ref name="Vol1Profile"/> Although another possibility for Russia's birthday could be '''June 12''', when that date corresponds with the day the First Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation had adopted the State Sovereignty of the RSFSR on June 12, 1990. To this day, Russia Day is celebrated on June 12.<br />
[[File:Russia_original.jpg|thumb|An early design of Russia.]]<br />
*While the flag used for Russia is the Soviet flag in most of the webcomic, the published version of the manga, as well as the anime and merchandise, has opted to use the standard Russian flag.<br />
*Russia's jacket is a stylized Red Army overcoat, with the colors reversed.<br />
*In response to a fan's question (circa 2007), Himaruya stated that Russia is unaware of his own cruelty.<ref>{{cite web|title=MoeKan scanlations + a few interesting old bits of trivia|archiveurl=http://z15.invisionfree.com/Hetayume_Forums/index.php?showtopic=22|archivedate=November 8, 2009|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=2007|accessdate=September 14, 2012}}</ref><br />
*In chapter four of the Hetalia manga, after a heart pops out of Russia's chest, he claims it as his own, saying "it just pops out of me sometimes". Some fans see it as possibly symbolic of the heartbreak he's suffered in his time, or a representation of just how mentally damaged he is (while the other Allies are completely freaked out, Russia doesn't even seem to mind that his own heart is literally falling out.)<br />
*Notes in the special edition booklet for ''Hetalia: Axis Powers volume 3'' revealed that Russia was originally intended to be dark-haired and middle-aged in appearance, and a typical large, crybaby older man who drinks. The current Russia was first introduced in the first chapter, and it's a "marvel" how he wound up the way he did.<ref name="Vol3SE">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2010|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 3 特装版|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 3 Specially Equipped Edition|publisher=Gentosha|page=26|isbn=978-4-3448-1938-2}}</ref><br />
*The instrumental part of his Marukaite Chikyuu is from "Коробейники/Korobeiniki" a Russian folk song popularized outside of Russia because of its use in Tetris.<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<div style="font-size:92%">{{Reflist|2}}</div><br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=EURASIA}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Male Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Game Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Drama CD Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Anime Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Allied Forces Characters]]<br />
[[Category:European Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Asian Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Romania&diff=30413Romania2013-01-28T17:02:30Z<p>167.206.228.210: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Romania<br>ルーマニア<br />
| continent = EUROPE<br />
| image = RomaniaSketch.jpg<br />
| country = [[File:RomaniaFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Romania|Romania (România)]]<br />
| human =<br />
| spellings =<br />
| age =<br />
| gender = Male<br />
| birthday =<br />
| hair = Strawberry Blond (manga)<br>Brown (manga, blog)<br />
| eyes = Red<br />
| height =<br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 4]]<br />
| strip = ''Carry On, Newspaper Club!''<br />
| game =<br />
| dramacd =<br />
| anime =<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Takuya Kodama]]<br />
| english =<br />
}}<br />
'''Romania''' (ルーマニア, ''Rūmania'') is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''. <br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:RomaniaChibi.jpg|thumb|left|135px|A 'chibi' displaying one of Romania's color schemes. Shown in Hidekaz Himaruya's blog.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
Romania has shaggy light brown or strawberry blond hair, and wears a small pearl-like earring on his left ear in some illustrations. He has red eyes and a small fang on the left side of his mouth. In his first appearance, he is shown wearing a small top hat with two ribbons coming off of it (one red and one yellow), and was later shown wearing a large trench coat. A series of chibis show green, black, red, and purple color scheme variations of the hat and coat, Himaruya commenting that deciding on the exact color of the outfit was difficult.<br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
He is described as friendly, cheerful, and a bit mischievous, but also as carelessly eccentric. He has a strong belief in black magic and loves folklore. Fairy tale princesses, specifically the tale of [[wikipedia:Ileana Cosânzeana|Ileana Cosânzeana]], bring out Romania's romantic side. Character notes reveal that his strong points are good luck charms and magic. He isn't always aware of how aspects of his history or culture may affect others, as he doesn't seem to notice when he disturbs [[Bulgaria]] with some of his stories.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===Bulgaria===<br />
''Main Article: [[Bulgaria]]''<br />
<br />
Romania and Bulgaria were friends with [[Russia]] and bonded during that time. Romania immediately takes to Bulgaria's suggestion that they should sing (about Russia) to pass the time whilst they work, and later talked in an animated fashion to Bulgaria about some of his history and mythos. They join the European Union around the same time and are shown hanging out together during recent Halloween and Christmas events.<br />
<br />
===Hungary===<br />
''Main Article: [[Hungary]]''<br />
<br />
In Hungary's bio and relationship chart, their relationship is described like the one between cats and dogs, and Hungary names dogs after Romania as an insult. It is further elaborated that they fight a lot and can't stand each other at all, and as a result Hungarians appear extremely often in Romanian jokes. During the ''Christmas 2011'' site event, they are hostile towards one another, yet make everyone else nervous when they don't immediately start arguing.<br />
<br />
===Japan===<br />
''Main Article: [[Japan]]''<br />
<br />
Japan and Romania met one another at America's Halloween party in the Halloween event of 2011. Their costumes' wings became entangled, and they talked before Italy and Germany showed up. Italy was surprised that Japan, who looked a bit shaken, was speaking to Romania. Himaruya mentioned that, with them both having wings, they match.<br />
<br />
===Moldova===<br />
''Main Article: [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Moldova|Moldova]]''<br />
<br />
Romania is Moldova's older brother. During the 2011 Christmas event, Romania asks Germany to send his regards to him.<!--May have been more like "please take care of my little brother Moldova, too"? Moldova aspires to join the EU.--><br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Manga===<br />
Romania first appears in the [[volume 4]] [[Gakuen Hetalia]] strip ''Carry On, Newspaper Club!'' as a member of the school's Magic Club alongside [[England]], revealing that their activities primarily consist of dressing up like [[wikipedia:Harry Potter (character)|Harry Potter]], performing love spells, and praying for an abundant harvest.<br />
===Anime===<br />
Romania appears in the Animate trailer for Hetalia: A Beautiful World in a shot of the anime adaption of the ''Advance! Newspaper Club!'' strips.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
[[File:Anime Wallachia.png|thumb|100px|left|Wallachia in the anime.]]<br />
*In volume 3, Romania is referenced briefly via mentions of the predecessor states '''Wallachia''' and '''Moldavia''' on a map in a story having to do with eastern Europe. Wallachia is also mentioned by Hungary in a rundown of her enemies, however he was only displayed as a cloaked figure. That Romania is Wallachia is confirmed with Romania having said that Vlad The Impaler was one of his bosses. However, if Moldavia is [[List of minor characters in Hetalia: Axis Powers#Moldova|Moldova]] is uncertain.<br />
*In volume 4, Romania is revealed to be a member of the Hetalia Academy magic club along with [[England]].<br />
*During ''Halloween 2011'' comic strip Romania wears a costume with two bat wings. He accidentally entangles his wings with Bulgaria's angel wings, as well as Japan's tengu wings. Himaruya mentioned that, with Japan and Romania, both having wings, matched.<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=EUROPE}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Male Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:European Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Hutt_River&diff=30331Hutt River2013-01-27T21:05:57Z<p>167.206.228.210: caught a tense flub</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Hutt River<br>ハット・リバー<br />
|continent = OCEANIA<br />
| image = Hutt River Comic.png<br />
| country = [[File:HuttRiverFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Principality of Hutt River|Principality of Hutt River]]<br />
| human =<br />
| spellings =<br />
| age =<br />
| gender = Male<br />
| birthday =<br />
| hair = Brown<br />
| eyes = Light Amber<br />
| height =<br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume =<br />
| strip = ''It's a Treasure Box of Countries~''<br />
| game = <br />
| dramacd =<br />
| anime =<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese =<br />
| english =<br />
}}<br />
'''Hutt River''' (ハット・リバー, ''Hatto Ribā'') is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''.<br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:HuttRiver.jpg |thumb|left|175px|A 'chibi' version of Hutt River.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
Hutt River appears as a tall man with light brown, wavy hair. His hair is parted to the left and an ahoge springs from the part. He wears a white button-down dress shirt with a black bow-tie, dark dress pants, a purple cloak, gloves, and a striped sash across his chest. Hutt River's cloak bears a large, round insignia on its left side. The insignia is bright green with gold trim. In one sketch, he is wearing a gold tassel and seemingly a brooch. His eyebrows, like his relatives, are thick and reminiscent of England's. He wears a bandage on his right cheek. According to Himaruya's blog, he is the tallest micronation among the ones introduced in the manga.<br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
Hutt River is a micronation located in Australia. His area is marked by organized and clean facilities, and character notes state that he is more developed in comparison to other micronations. Upon meeting him, Sealand says that he comes off has an important and amazing person. Hutt River's rules for speaking to him include owning a Rolls-Royce vehicle and the cost of a visa to visit his home is two Hutt River Dollars. He reacts to the proposal to join the micronations' group of friends by debating it and then announcing he would postpone the decision. Hutt River comments that having a strong group of friends is important and, despite initial hesitations, joins them later.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===Wy===<br />
''Main Article: [[Wy]]''<br />
<br />
Hutt River is Wy's senior micronation. Though they do not appear to be on stressed terms, Wy initially refuses visit him during the micronations' search for friends. She later explains her reaction as wanting to avoid his indefinite response to their friendship proposal. Hutt River states that, while her wish to not greet him is not proper etiquette, he is lenient towards her due to her being his junior.<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
[[File:Original Hutt River.png|thumb|right|155px|An early design of Hutt River]]<br />
===Manga===<br />
Hutt River was first mentioned in character notes for Wy, which describe him as being her senior. He debuts in ''It's a Treasure Box of Countries~'', a mini-event on Himaruya's website wherein Sealand, Seborga, and Wy attempt to enlarge their circle of friends. They, along with Molossia, journey to Australia and ask Hutt River to be friends, but he decides to postpone a final decision. Hutt River makes a brief appearance at the end of the event, joining the other micronations, apparently having accepted their invitation.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
*Hutt River owns a Bilby, a small marsupial native to Australia.<br />
*Himaruya initially designed Hutt River to have thicker eyebrows due to influence from Australia. His hair was also of the same nature as Australia's hair.<br />
<br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=OCEANIA}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Male Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Micronation Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210http://hetalia.kitawiki.net/index.php?title=Hungary&diff=30330Hungary2013-01-27T21:03:19Z<p>167.206.228.210: caught a grammar flub</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Nation<br />
| name = Hungary<br>ハンガリー<br />
| continent = EUROPE<br />
| image = Hungary.png<br />
| country = [[Image:HungaryFlag.png]] [[wikipedia:Hungary|Hungary (Magyarország)]]<br />
| human = [[Human names#Hungary|Elizabeta Héderváry]] (エリザベータ・ヘーデルヴァーリ, ''Erizabēta Hēderuvāri'')<ref name="Name">{{cite web|title=(cache) 【ジョルジュ長岡を心の底から愛でまくるサイト】 キタユメ。 【まゆ毛がステキ】|archiveurl=http://megalodon.jp/2007-1122-0436-47/www.geocities.jp/himaruya/5gatu.htm|archivedate=November 22, 2007|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=May 2007|accessdate=October 8, 2012}}</ref><br />
| spellings = Elizaveta, Elisabeth, Elizabeth, Erzsébet<br />
| age = 20's<br />
| gender = Female<br />
| birthday = June 08 (Wedding day)<ref name="Vol1Profile">{{cite book|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|year=2008|title=ヘタリア Axis Powers|trans_title= Hetalia: Axis Powers|publisher=Gentosha|page=106|isbn=978-4-3448-1275-8}}</ref><br />
| hair = Brown<br />
| eyes = Green<br />
| height = 160 cm (5' 3")<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/hoUTq.gif|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|title=Height chart from around 2008. (Deleted from Himaruya's blog)|access date = June 22, 2012}}</ref><br />
<!-- Debut Appearances --><br />
| volume = [[Volume 1]]<br />
| strip = ''Chibitalia''<br />
| game = [[kitayume:Noto-sama 5|Noto-sama 5]]<br />
| dramacd = [[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD]]<br />
| anime = [[Episode 10]] (Young)<br>[[Episode 59]] (Adult)<br />
<!-- Voice Actors --><br />
| japanese = [[Michiko Neya]]<br>[[Axis Powers Hetalia: The CD|Hina Minami]] (''Flower Of Iris'')<br />
| english = [[Luci Christian]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Hungary''' (ハンガリー,'' Hangarī'') is a supporting character in the series '''Hetalia: Axis Powers'''. Between 2007 and 2008, Himaruya gave human names to some of the characters and she received the name '''[[Human names#Hungary|Elizabeta Héderváry]]''' (エリザベータ・ヘーデルヴァーリ, ''Erizabēta Hēderuvāri'').<ref name="Name"/><br />
<br />
==Attributes==<br />
[[File:HungaryChibi.png|thumb|150px|left|A 'chibi' version of Hungary.]]<br />
===Appearance===<br />
She has long brown hair that is somewhat wavy at the ends and green eyes. In some older art, her hair is blond, and she was described as being a beautiful, loli-faced woman with large breasts and blond hair in Notosama 5 by Seychelles. Her most common outfit, seen in merchandise and official artwork, is a green military uniform and matching beret. In the actual series, she can usually be seen dressed in a traditional Hungarian folk dress.<br />
<br />
Depending on the time period, she's also seen in the past wearing medieval armor, a maid dress and a variant of Austria's military uniform (as seen in '''The War for the Austrian Succession''' and '''The Seven Years War'''). There's also artwork of her in rather revealing and form-fitting armor, based largely to the ones she had worn as a child.<br />
<br />
The flower she wears in her hair, according to notes by Himaruya, is meant to represent [[wikipedia:Lake Balaton|Lake Balaton]]. It has been alternatively colored pink and yellow in the official artwork, though it is colored orange in the anime adaptation.<br />
<br />
===Personality and Interests===<br />
In her past, Hungary was once a nomadic girl who loved to chase after horses on the plains<!--<ref name="January">{{cite web|title=January|url=www.geocities.co.jp/himaruya/1gatu.htm|last=Himaruya|first=Hidekaz|date=2007|accessdate=}}</ref>--> and was rather tomboyish, having been raised to believe she was male until her breasts grew. She is described as being, a reliable older sister type, the manliest character in the series, and being very scary when angered. She loves bathing in hotsprings and singing scary songs.<ref name="Vol. 5 Prof"/> In an older profile, she was said to be introverted, but a hard worker behind the scenes. She's also said to be somewhat unlucky.<ref name="Vol. 5 Prof">{{cite book|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|year=2012|title=Axis Powers ヘタリア 5|trans_title=Axis Powers Hetalia 5|publisher=Gentosha|page=78|isbn=978-4-344-82563-5}}</ref> She still appears to occasionally speak boyish manner, especially when excited, using the masculine Japanese pronoun ''ore'' to refer to herself in the original text.<br />
<br />
She comes off as a ''fujoshi'' (literal: "rotten woman," a woman who is a ''yaoi'' fan) and Himaruya has cited her behavior as such as Hungary being a "Mecca for gay videos". This feeling was supported by her blushing, drooling, and being conflicted about saving Austria from France when he was touching his nipples and stripping him(as well as staring at and taking pictures of the partially undressed Austria after finally saving him,)<ref name="maiden's heart"/> excitedly filming Austria being forced to strip until she realized it was Prussia doing it(then citing that it was "too much"--the punchline being just what was too much--before throwing her frying pan at Prussia and having France strip him as well,)<ref>http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/chrismas_bonsai6.html</ref> and her cooing over Holy Roman Empire attempting to cover up a wet and naked Chibitalia after he'd escaped bathing with her.<ref name="maiden's heart">http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/hnsan.htm</ref><br />
<br />
She doesn't get along well with Romania, to the point where their relationship is described as like that of cats and dogs. It is also said that due to her dislike of Romanians, she would name her dogs after them. She also doesn't get on well with Prussia, as he teased her for her hardships when they were young. Mongolia is said to have bullied Hungary in her youth, along with the [[Turkey|Ottoman Empire]].<!--<ref name="January">--><br />
<br />
She's shown to enjoy cute things, such as tamagochis and has expressed her love of cute boys<ref name="maiden's heart"/>. In '''Hetaween 2011''' she dressed up as a prince and convinced Austria to dress up as her princess, wanting to sweep him off his feet. This could be a reference to her tomboyish attitude. Despite her brash and at times battle-hungry behavior, she's also not afraid to show her feminine side, if her gentleness and preference towards wearing dresses when not in uniform are anything to go by.<br />
<br />
==Relationships==<br />
===Austria===<br />
''Main Article: [[Austria]]''<br />
<br />
Hungary's former husband, and close friend, yet the status of their relationship is unknown. Throughout the anime and manga, the two share many moments that suggest that they still have feelings for one another. For example, in the '''Buon San Valentino''' strips, Hungary is given a gift from an anonymous source, but when described the man has many of the same facial features that Austria has. In the anime, she seems to enjoy hearing him play his piano, close to his side. Another is the '''War for the Austrian Succession''' strips, which show her willingly going to Austria's defense in the conflict against Prussia. Also, Hungary became worried when Germany went to annex Austria, asking him to "please consider his feelings." As children, Austria was often beaten up and defeated by Hungary when it came to wars, but when they got older, she became his servant while they were both under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire.<br />
<br />
===Germany===<br />
''Main Article: [[Germany]]''<br />
<br />
Their relationship has yet to be shown in much detail; however, they seem familiar with one another. Hungary affectionately refers to Germany as '''Germany-chan''' and, despite being stated to have trouble speaking with older women on any non-work-related topic, he seems to be able to speak with her with less trouble, though whether this is because they were discussing Austria and Prussia(who give Germany a lot of trouble and thus might be seen as "work" in his eyes) or because they're familiar with one another is unknown. When Germany received and began carrying out his orders to take over Austria, she was very upset saying that he should "please consider his feelings," though Austria didn't mind at all in the end.<br />
<br />
===Italy===<br />
''Main Article: [[Italy]]''<br />
<br />
When they were both under Austria's rule, she and Italy were very close and she became his older sister figure. She was one of the few characters who knew his true gender at that time, and didn't mind bathing with him despite that. Hungary then embraced him out of her love for cute boys. It's strongly hinted that they still remain close. Each December she dress herself as a monster from the Alps, the Krampus, and scares Italy. She was unable to contain herself and hugged him, telling him how cute he was, "capturing" him in the process, only serving to scare him more. He falls for this trick every year.<br />
<br />
===Prussia===<br />
''Main Article: [[Prussia]]''<br />
<br />
She and Prussia were rivals as children. Prussia and Hungary herself both believed Hungary to be male until Hungary revealed that she had no penis, thinking it would grow in later. She continued to believe she was male some time until she reached puberty; it was through a meeting with Prussia that she came to accept herself as female. Shortly after this event she suddenly calmed down, began to wear dresses and hung around Austria, much to Prussia's disliking. Since he made fun of her problems during their younger years, Hungary is seen to now dislike him and often hits him with her frying pan whenever the opportunity arises, especially if he's bothering Austria. Despite this, she admitted that she did not want Prussia to die as her life would be boring without him and bandaged him up after hitting him in Austria's ending of '''Osōji Prussia'''.<br />
<br />
In Notosama 5, Prussia claimed that "clothes-changing Hungary has always been" his upon finding Yamato and Noto spying on Hungary change in his personal spot to do so in, somewhat hinting at feelings he may have for her. A mascot chibi of them also had Prussia saying they should go eat lunch somewhere, with Hungary thinking that he never learns<ref>{{cite web|title=www.geocities.jp/himaruya/4gatu.html|url=http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/4gatu.html|last=Hidekaz|first=Himaruya|date=|accessdate=September 8, 2012|trans_title=Unrequited}}</ref>, implying this has happened more than once. The image's title, "Unrequited," may also imply a one-sided crush on Prussia's part.<br />
<br />
===Romania===<br />
''Main Article: [[Romania]]''<br />
<br />
As written in her bio, Hungary and Romania's relationships resemble that of a cat and dog's. They could be referred to as 'rivals', as they're always seen making fun of each other, and especially Hungary insulting Romania and using Romanian names for her dogs. This was confirmed in the 2011 Christmas event when they were shown together, constantly making angry faces at one another.<br />
<br />
===Ukraine and Liechtenstein===<br />
''Main Article: [[Ukraine]], [[Liechtenstein]]''<br />
<br />
The three of them seem to be good friends. In Volume 4's "'''A History of Interesting Clothes'''", they had a friendly chat about the dressing costumes in their countries as well as others', Hungary requesting Ukraine try on the "bold" Cretan dress that had no covering for the breasts, to Ukraine's embarrassment. They refer to one another using nicknames("Hun," "Liechten," and "Uku," the beginning of Ukraine in Japanese) rather than their full names.<br />
<br />
==Appearances==<br />
===Anime===<br />
[[File:HungaryMaidenAnime.png|thumb|200px|Hungary in Episode 59]]<br />
A younger Hungary first appears in [[Episode 10]], in the '''Chibitalia''' sub-storyline. Having found that she happens to be in a similar situation to the child (as a servant to Austria), she spends time with him and dresses him up in her old clothes. She is shown to be interested in Austria and concerned with how the villagers have been heckling him.<br />
<br />
The adult Hungary officially appears in [[Episode 59]], receiving a message from God to hit [[France]] with her frying pan.<br />
<br />
==Trivia==<br />
[[File:Hungary_male.gif|thumb|right|A draft design for a male Hungary.]]<br />
*In older notes by [[Hidekaz Himaruya]] (circa 2007), it is mentioned that he originally considered making a ''male'' Hungary character, who was "unthinkably perverted" and, before that, originally pretending to be a girl. In the end, he decided to make Hungary the first female character of the series while [[Poland]] (who was originally planned to be female) became a cross-dressing male instead. The male version of Hungary was later used as the basis for [[Lithuania|Lithuania's]] design and appears to be used for Hungary's [[Nyotalia]] design as well. Himaruya also initially planned a female Hungary who was more snide and "witchy," describing her as hot-tempered to the point where she would shoot people with arrows if they thought she was a guy. Hungary was actually the first nation to be designed, according to ''Hetalia: Axis Powers Volume 3'''s special booklet, the "witchy" woman design recycled from a Hungarian witch character in a scrapped "hero in New York" series that would be replaced by the idea of Hetalia.<br />
*A blog entry by Himaruya revealed that Hungary has an ancestor, known only as '''Magyar''', but he has not been mentioned or visually depicted in the actual series. In the screenplay for [[Gakuen Hetalia]], her ancestor is referred to as '''Hun'''.<br />
*Though her birthday has not been revealed yet, her "Wedding Anniversary" corresponds with the date of the [[wikipedia:Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867|Austro-Hungarian Compromise]].<ref name="Vol1Profile"/><br />
*In the official English translation from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyopop Tokyopop] and in the official subtitles from FUNimation, her catch phrase "Give back the vital regions" was changed to "Give me back my happy place!"<br />
<br />
==References==<br />
<div style="font-size:92%">{{Reflist|2}}</div><br />
<br />
{{CharacterIndex|continent=EUROPE}}<br />
[[Category:Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Female Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Manga Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Game Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Drama CD Characters]]<br />
[[Category:Anime Characters]]<br />
[[Category:European Characters]]</div>167.206.228.210