Why Hetalia History?

A succinct explanation of why I bother to do the Hetalia History panel, courtesy of the guys on the ANNcast from last year! I contrast the laughter at the very idea that Hetalia could get anyone interested in history with the background art (courtesy "mooeydooey" on Deviantart: http://mooeydooey.deviantart.com/art/SPOILER-ALERT-139918471 )

Now in her commentary on this demotivator poster art, she observes: I was reading my book on Frederick the Great in art class. I get to this page, and out loud I say: ".... God dammit! At least put a spoiler tag on it, Fritz! Hetalia hasn't come out with that chapter yet!!!"

So let's get this straight: A teenager, an AMERICAN teenager, is sneaking a book on Friedrich der Große (long my personal favorite Enlightenment monarch!) into an art class. Not the latest issue of "Teen Dream" magazine, not the N'th volume of "The Adventures of Mary Sue and her Pet Vampire Sparkly", no, a HISTORY book!

Yes, Hetalia will more than fulfill your minimum daily quotient of stupid, and glosses over the details of 99% of everything, but it undeniably is in fact getting kids to to take some interest in history. Maybe it's just to write better fanfic,but as Isaac Asimov observed, there is no such thing as a "stupid reason" to learn something. It's the learning that's important!

I'll be uploading more videos soon discussing the points I make in my convention panels about some of the surprisingly subtle history references in Hetalia, so that folks who can't make it to the few conventions I am able to attend can share this info. Please look for them! And I'll be doing my next panel presentation at Anime Expo on Friday, July 1, 2011 at 2:45 pm! Be there!

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• hetalia
• history
• Frederick the Great

[CelticxPanda]

Where is the audio from?

[Rheinhard]

@CelticxPanda As I said in the note, it's an excerpt from ANNcast (Anime News Network podcast): specifically the episode "Shermanator Salvation" from May 7, 2010.

[nightangelstar]

...... Okay, here's how I know it has affected my friends in some way.

I once got a kid in my AP World History class into Hetalia.

As we sat there during a very LOOOONG lecture, a slide comes up about different renaissances and such in Europe, and my teacher get to one bullet point.

"...... Such as Italy and Holy Roman Empire. Because of this, an art retaliation of sorts was made..'

I looked at him.

He looked at me.

And oh how we laughed.

For at least five minutes.

Straight.

[BlankSpace111291]

...I know that I got into Hetalia because I liked history, but Hetalia made me more interested in the histories of countries other than than the ones I cared about. I used to hate learning about stuff that didnt interest me, but Hetalia MADE me more interested....I actually read my history book for fun now...so suck it non-believer! >:P...XD

[musicninja194]

Hetalia helps me with relations between countries and some other events as well. It gives countries faces which seems to help me remember stuff. Yes the show it's self is loose history but it does have real facts in it to. Yes I looked up more history after watching it and confirmed stuff. Oh well.... I'm weird and I know it ^J^

[slytherinpirate1]

Am I the only person who has heard of Sealand BEFORE watching Hetalia? ...

[0odang]

@Kizc96 hehehe I can give a big amen to that XD

[Kizc96]

@0odang True, but it does make history class way more entertaining.

[Suicunefan123]

Thanks to Hetalia, I can name...

everything in history.

And the fact that there is a country somewhere called Ukraine, Sweden and Switzerland are NOT the same country (yes, I was a total idiot before this... XD) and... Belarus. Belarus Belarus Belarus. I had no idea you existed until now. XD

HAHA I KNEW IT I KNEW IT I KNEW IT~ :D yay~

[GENAVALENTINE]

I KNEW HE WAS HRE!!!

[C8ecat]

Seriously?? I've always loved history. But after I discovered Hetalia, I wanted to learn a lot more. Because when you can imagine the countries you're learning about as people, it makes it a lot more fun.

[0odang]

Does anybody actually watch hetalia for the history anyway? It's just a loose history plot with funny stereotype jokes... >.>

[12345678909783]

hetalia makes learning enjoyable and i can remember stuff. but when my world geography teacher says something it's like blah blah place you need to remember on test blah blah. seriously the class would remember hetalia. and then maybe that other 50% of the class wouldn't have Fs. i'm serious about that F thing. then again i'm in the class with the most idiots.

[honneyohshc]

Taking history next year and it's all because of hetalia !!! Thank you !! You showed me the awesomeness of history!