Terminology in Hetalia: Axis Powers
This is a list of terms used in the series Axis Powers Hetalia, and their definitions and significance in relation to history and other aspects of the world.
Boss
The political leader or head of state for a nation. Though the nation has power themselves, they defer to their boss and don't (or can't) interfere with the plans their boss may make.
Examples of "bosses" in the series include:
- An unspecified "President" as America's boss
- Maria Theresa as Austria's, shown in the Maria Theresa strip series
- Adolf Hitler (shown from behind in Pact Of Steel) as Germany's boss in the World War-centric strips
- Frederich II (also known as Old Fritz) as Prussia's boss in the Maria Theresa strip series
Though the bosses are mostly portrayed as being historical political leaders, China is an exception, with his boss instead depicted as a giant dragon.
Catching A Cold
When a nation's economy goes through a recession or any other sort of crisis, it causes them to catch a cold. England was the first character shown to experience this, while America had no clue what a "cold" even was.
But later strips would reveal that when America does happen to catch a cold, it quickly becomes contagious and spreads to other nations.
Friends
Nations that have historically formed an alliance of some sort tend to be portrayed as close friends in the series. Examples include:
- Greece and Japan
- Lithuania and Poland
- Both England and America's alliances with Japan
- Germany and Italy (and later Japan, after the Tripartite Pact was signed)
Marriage
Used to signify two nations unifying and becoming one, as in the case of Austria and Hungary, who married with the Austro-Hungarian Compromise. However, their union proved to be short-lived.
In Dream United Kingdom, the war-torn France proposed marriage to England, but was shot down.
But there are cases of unions in the series not specifically depicted or referred to as marriage, one such instance being the unification of the Italy brothers as the Kingdom Of Italy.
Roommate
A nation having been annexed and put under the control of another. Instances in the series include:
- Austria having to live with Germany (due to Germany's "boss" ordering it)
- Russia's control over the Baltics and his two sisters, as part of the Soviet Union. He also had control over Finland for a period of time.
- Sweden and Finland having to live under Denmark's rule, before they eventually ran away
Vital Regions
A term often used as a double entendre in reference to nations' capitals and states, as well as their actual genitalia.
It was first used in-series when Prussia threatened to invade Austria's "vital regions" and later did so, taking Silesia for himself and angering Hungary in the process.
It was later used in reference to genitalia when Spain had a nightmare of the grown-up Romano "crushing" his after jumping down on him.
