the world's a cube

[davemerrill]

Enjoy my review of fan-fave HETALIA at Otaku.CollectionDX!!!

http://otaku.collectiondx.com/moviereview/hetalia-world-series

YES! I watched Hetalia and didn't die or become weirdly obsessed with the cartoon version of Finland or Hungary or whatevers! It can be done.

Comments

[ferricide.livejournal.com]

hooray for japanese gay panic jokes! those never get old.

i have not actually seen hetalia, just responding to your review.

one thing i will say: japan's consistent sexualization of gay male relationships for straight women, both overtly and implicitly (as far as i get it, hetalia doesn't do this overtly, but it's aware of its target audience's interests) really does make you realize how unpleasant it is to have your life turned into a cartoon erotic plaything for people who have nothing to do with you. so i guess, in other words, i'm getting a dose of what women get all the time.

[davemerrill.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't have the perspective to guess if Japan's use of "the gay" as a comedy element, or as a fujoshi couple-shipping magnet, is equal to, less than, or greater than its use in American popular culture in the 60s and 70s as a campy, Paul Lynde, Rip Taylor sort of thing.

There isn't as much of it in Hetalia as you'd think, what with the mountains of ENGLAND X AMERICA doujinshi and etc., but it's there. Mostly Greece suggesting to Japan that they both get naked, at least that's what I saw. I kinda didn't watch much of season 4.

[ferricide.livejournal.com]

yeah, more just waxing slightly philosophic. also was very cranky earlier today.

i can't actually speak to the 60/70s of american culture, nor do i really care to contrast 40 years ago in the US to now in japan, really. i just find it grating in contemporary japanese culture that it's a go-to lazy joke kinda thing.

[paulownia.livejournal.com]

It was the fandom that made me not want to have anything to do with this property. BUt the comics and show are actually kind of interesting historical reading.. and in spite of myself, I enjoy it :)