I probably overhyped this post, but oh well. : )
So yeah, I liked the latest episode. x3 I liked it a lot!!
Here's the thing:
Back when I first started watching the Hetalia anime, I was surprised at the coloring of Sweden but at the time and for a while ahead my greatest concern weren't so much his appearance as his ... appearing. I know he got off a lot better than a lot of other characters, at least getting to appear a little. But I think that might have been the problem, since it felt like such a tease. Especially when episodes came that were based on comic strips where Sweden appeared, but where he then got cut out of the anime version. The fact that rumours were starting to fly about in fandom that the entire character got cut out like the Korea-character, because his being gay for Finland would have been deemed too controversial (a rumour I did not believe but did nag me at the back of my head) did not help.
So when I found out about his coming full debut, yep. I did indeed explode. My brother had to pick up every little piece of me that had spread out over the apartment, stitch it together to the best of his abilities, and then reanimate me with the power of a convenient bolt of lightning. (Although he appearantly claims to have no memory of this event, and it couldn't have been the work of a tomte since they are supposedely on strike currently.)
Anyway...
I admit, with the excitement I was building within, I worried that I was setting myself up for a fall as I have done before. Luckily, such was not the case. I thouroughly enjoyed the episode. Although I most definitively could have lived without the ... interesting choice of music for the blanket-scene. It was good to finally hear the voice actor say more than two words audibly while in character. And I think the deep voice goes well with the character, being that he's supposed to look scary while being really nice. It'd be difficult to understand why the other characters find him so intimidating if he spoke with a lighter voice. (Also goes with his speach, when you mumble a lot, your voice sounds deeper.) I'm mostly mentioning this because people have reacted to the voice in different ways and speaking from how the Swedish language sounds to an outsider, a lighter voice would make more sense with that in consideration.
Although, since I doubt Sweden actually is supposed to be speaking Swedish rather than the universal language of countries (which might be Japanese after all) the darker voice makes even more sense since his voice would sound darker speaking a language of different tonality. (My English voice sounds, to me at any rate, to sound darker than when I speak Swedish.) Or maybe he's speaking Norrlandic dialect which tends to sound a bit deeper as well as being more mumbling.... Since he's only seen together with Finland in the episode, the possibility that they are conversing fully in Medieval Swedish can't be discounted.
I also like the Denmark-appearance, which confirms that if Netherlands had had an official image at the time he wouldn't have ended up as just a shadow in Battle For America. Although since he would have anyway only appeared in Finland's description, perhaps it wouldn't have mattered.
Denmark's choice of clothes seem to indicate that they probably didn't ask the mangaka's input on that one.
Most of all, I'm generally looking forward to other episodes that I figured would be cut if they really didn't want to have Sweden in the anime. (Appearantly the café-segment that I had figured would never be seen now is in the newest episode. :D) So, provided that there will be a fourth season which seems unlikely it won't be, considering that as things are rolling now, slowing down is less likely than speeeding up, this is Sweden-appearing episodes I really want to see:
- Polish-Swedish wars (If anything for the "40-1"-fanvid that will not leave my head. And at least I thought Poland looked badass in the strip, I really hope the anime does it justice.)
- Su-san and the dog. Because of those facial expressions... Just those facial expressions... And the cuteness of Hana-Tamago can NOT be denied!!
- And of course the as yet unanimated part of Sealand-kun where Sweden adopts Sealand. I just want the "Haha, internet!"-panel animated. I'd be fully satisfied with that.
Generally speaking, I feel pretty confident that there are few strips (beyond the obvious ones) that will be cut.
Here's the thing:
Back when I first started watching the Hetalia anime, I was surprised at the coloring of Sweden but at the time and for a while ahead my greatest concern weren't so much his appearance as his ... appearing. I know he got off a lot better than a lot of other characters, at least getting to appear a little. But I think that might have been the problem, since it felt like such a tease. Especially when episodes came that were based on comic strips where Sweden appeared, but where he then got cut out of the anime version. The fact that rumours were starting to fly about in fandom that the entire character got cut out like the Korea-character, because his being gay for Finland would have been deemed too controversial (a rumour I did not believe but did nag me at the back of my head) did not help.
So when I found out about his coming full debut, yep. I did indeed explode. My brother had to pick up every little piece of me that had spread out over the apartment, stitch it together to the best of his abilities, and then reanimate me with the power of a convenient bolt of lightning. (Although he appearantly claims to have no memory of this event, and it couldn't have been the work of a tomte since they are supposedely on strike currently.)
Anyway...
I admit, with the excitement I was building within, I worried that I was setting myself up for a fall as I have done before. Luckily, such was not the case. I thouroughly enjoyed the episode. Although I most definitively could have lived without the ... interesting choice of music for the blanket-scene. It was good to finally hear the voice actor say more than two words audibly while in character. And I think the deep voice goes well with the character, being that he's supposed to look scary while being really nice. It'd be difficult to understand why the other characters find him so intimidating if he spoke with a lighter voice. (Also goes with his speach, when you mumble a lot, your voice sounds deeper.) I'm mostly mentioning this because people have reacted to the voice in different ways and speaking from how the Swedish language sounds to an outsider, a lighter voice would make more sense with that in consideration.
Although, since I doubt Sweden actually is supposed to be speaking Swedish rather than the universal language of countries (which might be Japanese after all) the darker voice makes even more sense since his voice would sound darker speaking a language of different tonality. (My English voice sounds, to me at any rate, to sound darker than when I speak Swedish.) Or maybe he's speaking Norrlandic dialect which tends to sound a bit deeper as well as being more mumbling.... Since he's only seen together with Finland in the episode, the possibility that they are conversing fully in Medieval Swedish can't be discounted.
I also like the Denmark-appearance, which confirms that if Netherlands had had an official image at the time he wouldn't have ended up as just a shadow in Battle For America. Although since he would have anyway only appeared in Finland's description, perhaps it wouldn't have mattered.
Denmark's choice of clothes seem to indicate that they probably didn't ask the mangaka's input on that one.
Most of all, I'm generally looking forward to other episodes that I figured would be cut if they really didn't want to have Sweden in the anime. (Appearantly the café-segment that I had figured would never be seen now is in the newest episode. :D) So, provided that there will be a fourth season which seems unlikely it won't be, considering that as things are rolling now, slowing down is less likely than speeeding up, this is Sweden-appearing episodes I really want to see:
- Polish-Swedish wars (If anything for the "40-1"-fanvid that will not leave my head. And at least I thought Poland looked badass in the strip, I really hope the anime does it justice.)
- Su-san and the dog. Because of those facial expressions... Just those facial expressions... And the cuteness of Hana-Tamago can NOT be denied!!
- And of course the as yet unanimated part of Sealand-kun where Sweden adopts Sealand. I just want the "Haha, internet!"-panel animated. I'd be fully satisfied with that.
Generally speaking, I feel pretty confident that there are few strips (beyond the obvious ones) that will be cut.