Japan's Kids Station Cancels Its Hetalia Anime Run (Updated)
posted on 2009-01-15 22:06 EST
The KIDS STATION television channel in Japan has announced that it has cancelled its plans to run the Hetalia - Axis Powers anime "due to various circumstances." The anime adaptation of Hidekaz Himaruya's manga would have premiered on January 24 at 25:52 (effectively, 1:52 a.m. on January 25). The official website of the Hetalia anime confirms the television run's cancellation, but indicates that the anime will still be distributed over the Mobile Animate service for mobile phones and over the Animate.tv service for broadband web users.
A number of online Korean protesters had called for the cancellation of the anime due to what they characterized as an insulting portrayal of the Korean character in the manga. A petition on the Daum portal site includes over 16,000 unverified names as of January 15. KIDS STATION told the Yomiuri Shimbun paper earlier this week that "it was unaware of the criticism in Korea. However, a Korean character does not appear in the anime version."
The "cynical gag" manga takes the stereotypical characteristics of about 20 countries and regions, and anthropomorphizes them as (mostly) bishōnen characters. The story re-imagines various historical eras including World War I and II.
Source: Anime Maker Ōdan Sendenman Blog via Moon Phase Comments
Image © 2008 Himaruya Hidekaz, Gentosha Comics, Inc./Hetalia Production Committee
Update: More background information added.
discuss this in the forum (95 posts) |
bookmark with:
Digg
del.icio.us
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history
Anime Castle
Robert's Anime Corner Store
AAA Anime Distribution
Gallery - Elda TheGaia Online artist Elda The joins us this week to talk about life at Gaia, the stresses of being an illustrator, the Lullaby comic series, smiling giants, and more! 2009-02-07
, Answerman!Brian's back with an all-
York Comic ConOur coverage of the 2009 New York Comic Con. Check back over the weekend for updates, as they happen.
- ICv2 Graphic Novel White Paper
- Vertical, Inc.
- Yen Press
- Del Rey Manga
- Bandai Entertainment
- Funimation Entertainment
- CMX
- Viz 2009-02-05
Summer vacation means the girls hit the public pool, only to be hit on by a most unexpected (and unwelcome) suitor: their TEACHER. Needless to say, this misunderstanding can only be corrected by a certain amount of blackmail. (USA/
Yatterman (live action movie)If Miike was out to recreate the parental discomfort of the TV series... well, mission accomplished. It's just too bad he also recreated the aspects that make cartoons like this Kryptonite to anybody who's gone through puberty.
Slam Dunk GN 2In the age of Kobe, Lebron, and Boston's three-
Castle of Dreams GNAny manga-
Kiba DVD Collection 1Instead of a rollercoaster of tried-
Black Sun GNBlack Sun, Uki Ogasawara's second BL work to be published in English is a seamless blend of historical fiction, comedy, and beautiful boys.
The 26-
Heads up everybody: We have an instant classic on our hands. Song of the Hanging Sky is one of the best new titles to be published in English for 2008.
Sometimes humorous, occasionally brutal, and nearly always fun, the complex plotting and voluminous casting, combined with strong dubbing, animation, and musical score, make this a must-
While the series does succeed in casting Alice as a strong heroine, it leaves major plot threads unresolved at the end and wastes some good technical merits and a few worthy scenes with trite, laconic writing stretched annoyingly thin. Funimation's mishandling of the final few episodes doesn't help.
Although the main gimmick in the plot – that D is working for a Noble this time, rather than hunting him – marks a dramatic departure from previous novels in the series, the story content, execution, and style remain typical of what has been seen in previous novels.
Honey and Clover Sub.DVDA whimsical romantic comedy about five art-
