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Wed Nov 03, 2010 2:46 am |
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I can't write at all or I'd have so many ideas for fics. The same goes for drawings too though. x_x; I know about that "it's almost embarrassing" thing though. .w.; It doesn't help that with what Hetalia is that it gets into EVERYTHING~. ~w~
I love Romano too. ;w; Too many people tend to just label him a tsundere and not think about why he acts like he does though. It's sad that he's always forgotten over his brother, even sometimes by Spain. :c
I prefer Spamano really. I know some people say it's ridiculous/silly/stupid/whatever to only pair off two characters together when they're supposed to be countries/nations but... xD; I find it hard to do that. I like brotherly interactions like with the Italy's and Canada and America though.
Yeah, I know what you mean about Korea. I have friends whom like him (I'm kind of neutral about him myself.) but tend to not use him for anything because of the controversy around him and that he's not in the anime at all so some people don't know him.
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 3:18 am |
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Just trying to explain the concept and why it's so popular is hard. Going into the fact that the fandom is what makes it really stand out... well, that raises doubts.
I'll admit I'm not the best writer out around either, but if I don't write things down I just end up replaying the same scene over and over in my head until I get it out.
Even when I consider other pairings with Romano, there is always the Spain element. Whether it's just that Romano actually opened up enough to feel for someone else besides Spain, or by just slightly increasing the more unfortunate implications of their relationship--any of of the ways people use to make non Spamano pairings intrigue me. I love to see alternate interpretations.
I only wish is that more people would focus on his issues with Rome. Spain wasn't the first to ditch him for North Italy, and I think things with Rome and even Germania might explain his personality. I love justifying the big and little quirks about him.
The best thing about Hetalia is the fact that they are countries/nation. Otherwise the Spamano pairing would be so squicky its not even funny; even I'll admit that. That's probably why people are so put off by Hetalia though, sadly.
Himaruya actually has started drawing Korea more lately in his blog. He seems to be really pushing on the, um, stylish-ness of Korea celebrities, or something. I don't mind, I mean wow this is one sexy Korea. Maybe he'll slowly be able to gain back some popularity now.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 4:39 am |
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Ugh, tell me about it, especially when you're trying to explain some of the characters relationships/interactions with others (like Germany and Italy for example) when the person's not a slash fan. x_x; I know most of those kinds of things could be explained away by people who don't like certain pairings or slash in general, but it's kind of obvious Himaruya meant for some of them to be..., well..., kind of obvious. ._.; And, yeah, trying to explain that the fans are a big part of the overall draw of the series makes some people second-guess you since fans in almost any fandom are looked down on because of the more fanatical ones whom give us a bad name. \:
I like ingenuity when it comes to characters interacting and pairings and situations and whatnot, but I just can't seem to break away from some of the pairings I've come to prefer. xD;; *headdesk* I don't have a problem with people liking other pairings than the ones I like so long as they don't expect me to like them too or shove them in my face or whatever though.
Yeah, even Grandpa Rome didn't interact with Romano much with how I think Italy was split back then. And bringing up Germania as an example of why Romano doesn't like Germany is interesting. I've normally just thought of it as his inert defensiveness and distrust in people in general and possibly that he figures Germany is Holy Roman Empire or at least a sort of remnant of him and knows that Veneziano is still upset over the lose of HRE.
Yeah, people hear that these are supposed to be representatives of the actual nations so include real, historical interactions between them and end up confused, mad, or upset with how they actually act in canon; I see that a lot anyway.
I have a hard time keeping up with posts on the comm. xD; I had no idea that he was drawing more Korea lately nor that we have Nyotalia Spain and Sweden now.
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 6:44 am |
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Like Sweden/Finland. 
I don't even find that the whole slash parts of Hetalia should be all that off-putting. At least for the original managa/anime, it's all done with huge humorous elements. But of course the fact that the fans make Hetalia what it is means that, yeah, slash is a big deal there.
And there are good fans and crazy fans everywhere. It's just a part of every fandom. So people have to get used to it sometime.
Haha, I generally will try something as long as it has a character I like. With history-based (or at least written as to be in the past) pairings, I will gladly read them, though in modern based-fics I'm a little more wary.
Romano does mention some stuff about Rome in "Boss Spain's control of Southern Italy Part 2." He muses over how people only want him for Rome's inheritance, and how he doesn't think he looks much like Rome. I guess that's the only time it's really been explored, but I don't think it's a stretch to say he has some issues.
There was one strip where Spain had some German soldiers come to his house, and immediately chibi-Romano freaked out and tried to hold them back (from the unfinished "Boss Spain doesn't understand"). So it seems to me that he doesn't like Germans on principle. And I think Germania was the one to finally kill off Rome? I'm not sure how that exactly works out. Though since Romano wasn't actually living with Rome, it's not like he witnessed anything; but I figure he'd be freaked anyways. Losing the chance to ever live with Rome again, or get close to him like Veneziano. That kind of stuff.
Himaruya draws on random facts he comes across. Like England being a pervert and Sweden adopting Sealand. They were just blow out of proportion. But those are what make the characters. There is more to a nation than the big things they did wrong and had done wrong to them.
I always use the Hetalia File Archive to find out what's going on in the community. I'm still new to the whole livejournal layout thing. Under "News" they have the "blog post archive" for his blog: links to both where it's posted in the community and on the original blog.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:58 am |
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SuFin~ ;w;
Yeah, I personally don't really either (fandom makes it out to be more than it is of course), but there will always be the people who hate it out there.
True... I'm more prone to reading something for a pairing I probably wouldn't normally if it's a history-based/happened in the past type of story than a modern times one.
Yeah, that part's one of the ones I keep falling back on. Everyone wants him and his brother for what they inherited from their Grandpa, but people prefer Veneziano over him for pretty much everything else too, especially since he's better at most things than Romano. I always end up felling bad (and being able to sympathize in a way since I've never really had anyone outside of family to trust neither) for Romano (and England too for similar reasons). ):
Yeah, Germania was the one rumored to have killed Rome. I'm sure that's part of Romano's reasoning too then, whether Rome and he were any sort of close or not.
Yeah, that's part of why I think he focuses so much on Europe and North America (since he's living in New York at the moment last I heard). And, while they're supposed to be personifications of the countries/nations they represent, they're also their own characters with their own personalities, whether based on common stereotypes of their land and people or not. That's part of what I like but many people seem to overlook or something.
Ooo~... I didn't know about this archive. Thanks. : D I normally just go through the scanlation tag in the comm every once in awhile.
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 4:01 pm |
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They were my first favourite couple.
I suppose we aren't good judges though, seeing as we actually like slash.  It's easier for us to accept it.
And on top of that he has the mafia. It's like he's never really been able to see himself as his own person, never having stood as a nation all on his own.
(Also: I so want England's brothers to get canon designs. I want to read stories with them so bad, but I don't want to get hooked on fan-characters.)
Italians are generally considered to be huge family people, are they not? So I believe Romano cares about people more than he lets on, be it for Rome, Veneziano, or Spain. But since Rome left him for his own brother, that was like a double hit to the gut. Plus Spain wanting to replace him as well. So he doesn't even have family to really rely on. 
Everyone takes what they like. Even Romano is made to be less stupid in fics, when he and Italy are actually extremely alike (throwing the pin: real smooth guys).
Though really, that's what makes Hetalia so great--seeing how different people interpret a country. And then applying them to your own head canon, balancing the good and the bad, the funny and the serious, it all makes them so much more interesting.
I'm so scared of the main Hetalia community it's not even funny.  It's just so big! So I like using that site to filter the news and official stuff for me, since I mostly only use the kink meme for finding fics.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Wed Nov 03, 2010 11:33 pm |
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I love Sweden's big, scary outside, easily-embarrassed, soft-spoken inside. ;w;
xD Yeah, I have to remind myself sometimes that there are people who don't like what I do and even those who outright hate it for whatever reason.
That's true too, though I don't know how much South Italy is the...how do I want to say this...centralized(?) point of the Italian mafia, but I can see where he would always have problems because of it.
(Same, though England will always be my favorite. ;w;' Though I hear that Himaruya's going to potentially use the pixiv Scotland's design? Probably just a rumor though.)
Yeah, his closest relationships are with Spain and Veneziano, but even those are rocky. :c It's obvious he cares about them though, but the bickering and all paired with his explosive personality don't help.
I greatly enjoy fics that show that the Italy's are far from as useless as they're made out to be, like if they show great insight into art, people's personalities, cooking, or what have you. The same goes for other characters too though, like America not being a huge, egotistical loud-mouth who can't read the atmosphere at all or Canada being the invisible, never noticed ghost. ._.; This is where people's individual head canon's really can shine, and it's lead to some great stories and all so long as the characters are still in-character enough to be them.
Lol... I know how that is. I normally just every once in awhile go through a certain tag, like music or doujinshi/scanlations, and just go back as far as I can (I think it stops around 325 posts back though xD;; *has hit the back limit when looking through it before a few times* ). I haven't been on the kink meme in so long since it's so hard to find parts to the longer ones if they get cut off in one part. >_<
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Thu Nov 04, 2010 12:54 am |
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I know! I feel bad that people find him so scary, since he's actually the nicest guy ever.
And Finland, after he gets over the scariness, is just so perfect for him. They make a good husband and wife.
You would think anime fans at least would all grudgingly accept slashers. But oh well, you can't make them. They just miss out on the adorable.
I think mafia is more Sicily (at least American mafia generally), so that goes in his domain. I looked it up once; there actually are quite a bit down there. And there was that one strip where Spain was sick and Romano had to toss some mafia guys out of his way.
(But of course. England needs the love, since everyone hates the poor guy.
Well if he does or not, he'd better do it soon so we know for sure!)
I kind of would like to see Romano spend more time with some female nations. Not couple-wise, of course, but he is said to be a lot nicer around them. Being surrounded by males doesn't help his personality at all. He needs balance to counter Spain and Veneziano's enthusiasm.
I know! Spain as well, balancing his oblivious outer nature with his darker (or at least more aware) side.
I really don't read much America or Canada fics, though I don't really know why. I have enjoyed the ones I have, they just don't interest me as much. Well, Canada does, but I'm a bit biased.  But now that you mention it, I am suddenly crazing fleshed-out North America brother fics.
I sort of want to check out some of the FSTs (is that the right acronym?). I have three of them so far, Romano-relations based of course. I've been meaning to find a SuFin one. I like seeing what music people apply to characters.
You can always post in the Discussion topic to get someone to help locate further parts. And people generally know to post their fills in... um... that update topic. I can't think of what it's called.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Thu Nov 04, 2010 1:30 am |
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Yeah. ;w; Fin needs to get over the whole screaming at his expression(s)/"I'm not your wife!" thing though, although that's part of the fun of course.
I know right? Some of these slash pairings (and even some femslash ones) are so adorable. ;w; It doesn't help/hurt that I find 90% of the female characters out there worthy of a punch to the face though. >_>;
I don't care much for when fandom makes characters more "badass" than they are normally, especially when they take it to (what I think are) unwarranted degrees, but having Romano be someone even the mafia listens to is an interesting concept to me, though I don't really see him being one who wants much to do with most of what the mafia is known for.
(Well..., his defensiveness to not get close to anyone anymore doesn't really help him. ;w;'' If I had known little England though I would have spoiled the poor boy rotten. I don't like that Scotland really, but Himaruya should be getting to England's siblings soon after he's already mentioned them before.)
I see him a lot with Belgium, but I don't really know enough about her or...it's not so much that I don't care for her (or the other female characters save for maybe Hungary) but I just don't pay much attention to the few female characters other than Hungary (It's kind of like how I don't really pay much attention to Russia and China; I just can't muster much if any interest in them. ._.; ).
I don't think it's so much "darker" (Himaruya even took down that yandere!Spain strip I think.) as he is more aware of things like you said than his outer personality would tend to show. Fandom also tends to over-do the whole "Roma~ ," thing though; he does get upset with Romano with his attitude often.
xD Most of what I read tends to be USUKUS, so I get a lot of America and even Canada (FACE interactions~ even if I don't care for France much at all ahah~...;; ).
FST's... I would possibly try them out...if I had sound. xD;; My connection doesn't really work well with bigger files anyway though, so I'm out of luck either way I suppose. ~w~;
I would, but I always feel a bit overwhelmed with the shear size of the meme and the number of posts. >w>; Plus I start out further back in closed parts which would be harder to find continuations of fills for I would think.
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Thu Nov 04, 2010 4:51 am |
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He doesn't really do it in canon though, does he?
As for fanon, I tend to think of it as automatic nowadays. I can just imagine them like a total lovey-dovey couple, and he'd still be saying it.
Yeah, it's just too hard to like females. Even when I actually do like them in canon, I can't bring myself to read about them in fanfiction. It's just so unlikely to work out well, at least vibe-wise.
I don't even think of the mafia actually listening to him, simply because Romano backs down way too easily. If he actually grew a backbone, he'd have to be careful about actually using it. I think the mob bosses just want to have some control over Italy in general, so even if Romano just stays out their way it's enough for them. Probably helps explain his uselessness.
(He's always been so lonely though; he needs hugs.
Yeah. I like the pixiv design and all, but not for Scotland. Not the right feel at all.
Another one I want him to get to is Portugal. I mean seriously, he's right there with all the other characters, just show him already! >_<)
I actually don't much like seeming him with Belgium. Now Liechtenstein, I think that's adorable. Beligum just seems too much like Spain from what I can tell. Romano needs to hang out with people who he can actually exert his manliness and not be beaten in it.
I actually like Russia and China (not together though). But it always seems hard for people to use them. They just seem too out of the way. But as for not mustering interest... Japan.
Hmm? I can't think of which strip you mean.
It is canon that he doesn't actually try to read situations, but I figure he does and simply decides to act oblivious. It is kind of surprising how little he actually scolds Romano in the fandom, unless it's just for the sake of drama.
Ahaha, oh FACE. I mostly like seeing them all in a huge, messed up family kind of way.
Plus, a lot of fics get left half finished. It's unfortunate. I just like how everyone is writing, and no one can be overlooked for being a nobody.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Thu Nov 04, 2010 5:38 am |
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Well, the screaming thing's common, yeah, but the wife thing was only once or twice (and poor Sweden looked heartbroken :c ).
xD Yeah, they're almost like the perfect gay couple -- "married," an adopted kid, and a dog, hahah...
Mmhm... And it's not just in Hetalia. \: That seems to happen in every fandom I end up in.
Mmm... I don't know. He's been around longer than they have I imagine, and those high up enough and in families old enough whom know about him probably give him at least a little respect because he is who he is. I don't know...
(Yeah. ;n; I always feel bad about how crappy his younger years were. And they're a big part of why he acts like he does. He didn't even want America to call him brother when they first met because he didn't want whatever kind of relationship they'd end up having to be anything like his siblings back on the Isles.
That's true. Portugal's one of the few European countries he hasn't done yet.)
xD You have a point. I don't think I've ever seen RomanoLiech though.
Hahah... If it wasn't for Greece (and Turkey), I probably wouldn't have much interest in Japan neither. xD
It was earlier on in the series I think and back when he was a Conquistador, but I'm not sure. I've only heard about it myself.
Yeah, I think he's sort of like America in that respect -- they actually can read the atmosphere but choose to either ignore it or act like they don't and just keep their usual appearances up.
xD Me too. As much as I love USUKUS and don't mind Franada at all, them as one big dysfunctional family is amusing.
Yeah, that's another reason I don't tend to read on there much. x_x I hate getting into a story only to either not be able to find the last part(s) or find out that it was never finished.
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Fri Nov 05, 2010 12:30 am |
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Is it? I... never really noticed.
They're the best couple in all of Hetalia. Not even Austria and Hungary were as married as those two are.
It's just too hard to not imagine them as OCs, Mary Sue or otherwise.
That's actually how I kind of think of it. That even if they don't know exactly who he is, they realize he's important politically somehow. As the son of someone, probably. And the fact that someone exactly like him is around for every generation of mob bosses is just a total coincidence, hahaha.
But that's my head-canon. I figure after the first boss figured out who he was, the pressure was always on so that Romano would doubt his own power over them to change things. At least something like that.
(I know! The thing with America was so sad! I'm almost in tears every time I read or watch that scene. Just England being enough... -sniff-
At least of the ones most people know off-hand. I mean, we really don't need a bunch of micro-nations when there's still so many actual nations still not personified.)
I've only seen one fanart, with them dancing. So cute. <3 Of course, Switzerland would ruin everything with his protectiveness. But really, just if they were just friends it would be perfect. Romano would flirt, of course, but that's just a given even if he was dating Spain/whoever. xD
I prefer my Turkey with Greece, so even then Japan doesn't play much of a role.
I'll have to look through the Hetalia community to see if it's in any of the lost strip posts. My curiosity has been activated. (I love Conquistador Spain! <3)
That kind of thing I can apply to myself even. If you act like you have no idea what's going on, things can't lead to tears. I use that logic for Korea as well.
xD It's a liveliness that just makes me smile. I don't read such stories often, so it's just such a breath of fresh air.
That's a problem even when they aren't anonymous. Though at least then you can contact a person directly. If I'm ever desperate to read something and have it be completed, I just go to fanfiction.net. At least then I can filter out all the poor forgotten works.
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Questing: Druidic Tunic
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Fri Nov 05, 2010 1:49 am |
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I know right? I mean it's obvious she cares about Austria, but he just doesn't seem to either notice or...I don't know...
Yeah, either that or they're those "I can't do anything. I need a big, strong man to do things for me/rescue me/love me to LIVE" kinds of female characters. =n=
Yeah, I can understand why Himaruya took down and never completed that one strip with people talking with France about him being a country. xD;; Trying to explain why someone who looks like them has been around for the past several centuries, even in the case of the younger nations like America and Canada, would undoubtedly be a difficult task.
(I know~. ;~; England sweetheart... He always manages to be the one to make me cry [or almost cry anyway depending on the situation].
Yeah, I don't really know why he's picked up some of the micro-nations [Well..., Sealand I can understand; he's like a little England or England and America's love child, and he brings forth more SuFin "happy family" moments. xD;; ] other than they're random bits of information he's picked up somehow or were fan-requests [He's not too bad at filling out requests when he has the time, which is kind of awesome.].)
Oh, Switzerland... xD But, yeah, it would be cute and he would flirt if not be a little awkward sometimes (if only because of Switzerland xD; ).
xD I think it's how laid-back Giripan can be that is what draws me to it so much, even if I don't really have much interest in Japan. Throw in Turkey for some Giripankey works for me too though. xD;
I'm...actually kind of happy he didn't make yandere!Spain canon though. .w.; I don't want to think of him like Russia.
Korea... I don't know if I see him as choosing to be as seemingly oblivious as America and Spain or not. That one strip with him and China and the telepathic binoculars...it seemed like he was honestly surprised at China's thoughts and so thought the binoculars were broken, although I suppose that can be easily seen as him choosing not to understand.
xD I tend to read stories like that whenever I come across them, but then my England/USUKUS/FACE bias doesn't help. >w>;
Yeah. ._. I tend to stick to some of the comms on LJ that I can easily see if multi-part/chapter stories have been finished or not (I sometimes bookmark unfinished ones though still that I might want to check back in on later of course.) or filter through fanfiction.net.
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Fri Nov 05, 2010 6:05 pm |
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I think you might be forgetting the 2007 christmas strips where Austria undressed on a public street just to get Hungary a hat that she liked. There is a small bit in the War if Austrian Succession strips too, where you can see that he does, at least, care about her enough to want to keep her from getting hurt. Personally, I think he does indeed acknowledge and return her feelings. The problem is that we don't see it very often.
Since the anime started Himaruya just hasn't been drawing new strips for the webcomic like he used to, mostly just a few new things for the published manga plus some redrawn old ones. The most recent ones I can think of that I actually enjoyed were the Catalia strips. I'd love to see more of those. Silly I guess, but they're just too cute~ One of the things I'd also really like to see are some strips with the characters that have designs but no actual personalities (Vietnam, Australia, etc).
And as for Korea, I think he's more a of a "choosing not to understand" guy. Love him the way he is though, he's certainly one of my favorites. France will always be my number one though.
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Sat Nov 06, 2010 12:51 am |
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He undresses for Germany too though albeit not in public. xD; But like I said, I know he cares about her, he just seems to be so...carefree(?) when people aren't actually doing things that annoy him that it's not really something that shows? I don't know how I want to describe it.
I love the Nekotalia stuff and would love to see more of the nations in strips now that most of them have designs too. He does need to be getting to some of the minor characters that have designs but no set personalities though. I particularly want to see Australia (and maybe at least find out what gender New Zealand is xD; ).
I wonder if we'll be able to agree on much if your favorite is France. >w>
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