Hetalia: Paint It White Anime Movie Review

A spoiler-free review of Hetalia, the movie. I simply critique plot, characters, etc. A CHRISTIAN EVALUATION is included at the end, for some viewers and as a parental guide.

Hetalia: Paint It White

 

A spoiler-free review of the new anime movie

 

Title: Hetalia: Paint It White

Alternate Title: Hetalia Axis Heroes: Paint It White, Hetari Akushisu Pawazu

Genre: Comedy/Sci-fi/Political Satire

Episodes: 1 (movie)

Running time: Approx. 61 minutes

 

Synopsis: Eight countries must band together to fight against the strange alien race invading their planet. The aliens �" known as Pict �" have targeted Earth because it is ranked very poorly in the galaxy due to its large number of wars and the seeming unhappiness of its people. Therefore, the Pict choose planet Earth to victimize. Using a glowing green light, the Pict transform the people of Earth into white, blob-like aliens with no faces. It is up to the Axis Heroes from the eight countries to fend off the Pict and preserve the race of mankind.

            While the bolder countries like Germany and England try to appease the invading Pict, it seems that Italy is the only one the Pict truly care for. Can feeble Italy convince the Pict to leave? And can the Axis Heroes prove that Earth is truly an honorable planet after all?

 

Plot: Well…I’ve never quite seen a movie like Hetalia: Paint It White. The plot is fluid

and bounces around almost as much as its hyper-energetic characters do. This movie is just not comparable to anything I’ve ever watched. I mean sure, it’s kind of helpful to watch the actual Hetalia anime series before watching this movie, but I didn’t. For many people, I think it will have an endearing quality about it regardless. It is whimsical, it is fun, and it is eccentric. If you choose to look at it seriously, it’s also a writer’s commentary on history (particularly World War 2). The name “Hetalia” comes from a combination of the Japanese word for “incompetent” and “Italia,” satirically showing Italy’s supposed cowardice in the war. The storyline is not where the movie truly shines, though. That honor goes to the characters.

 

Characters: Each character in Hetalia “represents” a country in an anthropomorphic sense. The writers made sure that each character acted like his respective country as well, and that provided for some added laughs. While the characters can seem boisterous and loud, they are fun to watch and they often play off of each other very well. Most lovable is, of course, Italy. He’s cowardly and feeble, yet he’s fun and, in the end, is a very important character for the completion of the story.

            On another note, the Pict were also a joy to watch. It is fun to try and guess what they are thinking, since they don’t have faces. Also, the “blobbing” sounds they make are very interesting and fun. If you watch Hetalia, you’re probably watching it for the characters, not the story.

 

Animation: The animation in Hetalia is mediocre and out of proportion when compared to other anime movies, but I wouldn’t ask it to be animated any other way. The ‘unreality’ of the animation only strengthens the comedic presentation of the film. The artists drew up the film the way they did on purpose, not because of any lack of skills. It turned out very well.

 

Music: The musical undertone throughout the entire movie is one of whimsicality, which suits Hetalia perfectly. The ending theme is really funny to watch (have you ever seen aliens do the Macarena?)

 

Ending: The ending is quite satisfying, considering the hyperactive and inconclusive tone of the entire movie. I actually grinned after seeing the way the writers chose to end it. It is fitting yet still comical to fit the mood of the movie.

 

Recommendation: I would recommend this movie for anyone. Even if you’ve never watched the anime series, if you’re a spontaneous person and an anime lover, Hetalia is probably for you. Just don’t take yourself too seriously with this movie, okay?

 

Audience: Viewers of any age should be permissible for Hetalia. Even children should be all right with this movie, as the aliens aren’t as scary as they first appear. Rather, they become part of the overall comedy.

 

Final Grade: 7 out of 10, for some really great comedy but a storyline that is a little too off-the-wall for many people. Still, it was an interesting 61 minutes….

 

For the Christian Audience: As long as you don’t have a problem with aliens, this movie should be perfectly fine. There are very few swear words (I recall, at most, three). Also, there is one instance of fanservice (a girl with overly-large breasts), but it’ll go over most children’s heads and shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about because she’s modestly dressed and no one makes a big deal over it. Conclusion: Safe!

Author's Note

Have you seen Hetalia, the movie or the anime? Tell me about it! Did I do a good job reviewing it?

Reviews

[HetaOtaku]

I'm a big fan of Hetalia. I've seen every episode and the movie. I say you did an amazing job at reviewing the movie!