What is Hetalia?

Hetalia: Axis Powers is a Japanese web-comic, later adapted as a manga and an anime series, by Hidekaz Himaruya. The series' main presentation is as an often over-the-top allegory of political and historic events as well as more general cultural comparisons. 

Characters are personifications of countries, regions such as Hong Kong, and micro-nations such as Sealand, with little reference to other national personifications such as Uncle Sam or John Bull. Both positive and negative cultural stereotypes form part of each character's personality, since the series is based in Japanese cultural views of the world.

The character roster is large and far from complete, but the main cast could be said to be the countries which made up the Axis powers and Allies of World War II - namely Italy (North Italy in particular), Germany, Japan, the United States, England, France, Russia, Canada and China. Hetalia is a portmanteau combining hetare (Japanese for "useless" or "pathetic" in a cute or endearing way) and the Italian word for Italy.

The main story line's events occur during World War II, but the vast majority of the comics take place during other historical events, modern holidays, or at no specific time whatsoever. The series often uses satire and light-hearted comedy to reinterpret well-known events as well as less common historical and cultural trivia. Historical, political, economic, and military interaction between countries is generally represented in Hetalia as social and romantic interactions and misunderstandings between the characters.

Himaruya originally created Hetalia as an online web-comic, and so far five independently appearing books have been published by Gentosha Comics, the first on March 28, 2008, the second on December 10, 2008, the third on May 20, 2010, the fourth on June 30, 2011, and the fifth on July 31, 2012. English translations of the first two volumes have been published by Tokyopop in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. Both printed volumes published so far have topped The New York Times manga best seller list. As of May 2012 the English language version of the manga was published by Right Stuf. The series was later adapted into drama CDs, and an anime series created by Studio Deen has also begun streaming online. As of January 8, 2010, the anime series' international distribution is being handled by Funimation Entertainment. A fifth season of the anime has been announced on the cover of Comic Birz. The October 2012 issue gives it the tentative (subject to change) title of Hetalia: The Beautiful World and a 2013 premiere date.