(Hetalia) Ukraine and Belarus were wasted potential
CRITICISM ON HETALIA INCOMING!!! POLITICS INCOMING (Obviously)!!! GEOPOLITICS INCOMING!!!
TW: Nazis, rape, and sexism mentioned
I was a Hetalia fan starting in the 4th grade, but it fell off for me in high school. I knew, even back then, that this anime is literally for shits and giggles, mocking European countries, yaoi fan service, and just generally being a geopolitical satire. I get it. Countryhumans comes close with those old USSR x Third Reich ships and UwUifying literal NAZI GERMANY (That was SUPER problematic.) Not to mention, Countryballs aims to make fun of countries like Hetalia does (The only difference is CB's dark humour and the LACK of constant yaoi fan service)
But, rewatching the anime, my face was scrunched up most of the time. Why is Belarus's only trait being romantically obsessed with her OWN BROTHER (Russia)? Why is Ukraine's entire personality her boobs? Why do her boobs make the "boioioioioing" sound effect when she walks? It honestly feels like these two only exist to extend Russia's character.
Ukraine's first lines were "Oh, brother Russia, please forgive me. I promise to pay you back when I get rich one day."
Additionally, Belarus's first lines were "Big brother, big brother! Come on, let's become one!" (Asking Russia to marry her)
For Belarus specifically, I know how Lukashenko rides Moscow like there's no tomorrow (For economic dependence, of course.) And it would have been SO funny if it was framed that way! But it wasn't; Belarus is an incest joke. Additionally, Belarus hates on Ukraine for some reason? Knowing the anime was made in like 2010, Belarus and Ukraine were friends then. Belarus's hate on her is inaccurate; honestly, it feels like she just hates on Ukraine because she's jealous of her also loving Russia. Gross.
I'm not singling out Hetalia; this is a common trope in anime, where women are characters for the male gaze/fanservice, or to play a role in furthering a male character's development. Especially in anime, there's usually that one female character whose only thing is "Look, I have ginormous breasts. LOL." (Examples: MHA, Eiken, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, etc.)
The problem is, Hetalia exists to make fun of countries and their relationships with each other. Hetalia makes stereotypical jokes about Germans and Nazis, the U.S.A. always wanting to be the hero, and Canada being overly kind. That's fine; that's the whole point of the anime. But why not make a joke about Belarus's infatuation with potatoes, or Ukraine's love for eating pork? Why not make a joke about Belarus being a strong supporter of the USSR staying intact, or Ukraine accidentally becoming the third nuclear superpower in 1991, following the Soviet Union's collapse? Ukraine had her little "someone please be friends with me!" scene for 15 seconds, which I loved, and that was it.
Ukraine and Belarus exist solely for their big brother, Russia. Which itself is an effect of Russification. In real life, there's a reason why we recognize Dostoevsky, Tchaikovsky, and Mendeleev. There's a reason why names like Shevchenko, Korolev, and Kupala don't make it to the light: Russification.
Russification (Russian: русификация, romanized: rusifikatsiya), Russianisation or Russianization, is a form of cultural assimilation in which non-Russians adopt Russian culture and Russian language either voluntarily or as a result of a deliberate state policy.[1]
Russification was pursued by the governments of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, either as a goal in itself or as a consequence of policies aimed at centralization and modernization. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russification)
I understand Ukraine and Belarus's role in the anime is literally showing Russification in real time, but it's not Hetalia trying to say anything about it. Hetalia is saying these two are simply "Russia's sisters", being another victim of Russification cause and effect themselves.
Not to mention, Hetalia frequently takes place in WW1-WW2, and it has some dark humor, the way they constantly mention Nazis and German imperialism... the way they portray Russia's relationship with the Baltic states... and lots, lots of rape jokes for some reason. As mentioned before, my precious, beloved countryballs make these type jokes too, sometimes even WORSE... but it applies to SO MANY COUNTRIES. Hetalia couldn't make a joke about Holodomor, or Crimea's annexation? (Happened in 2014, but Hetalia's timeframe jumps around.) Hetalia couldn't make a joke about Belarus equally starving after 1991, them being the "Last dictatorship in Europe", the rigged election, being Russia's "puppet", or their rivalry with Poland?
If you're going to make offensive jokes and hurtful stereotypes, at least do it with countries that are not just your strict male WWII cast. The Nazis had to get to Moscow through Belarus and Ukraine, so I would argue they played a big role in WWII, as well, and shouldn't be excluded from these types of jokes!
Ukraine and Belarus were wasted potential; they only existed to be "Russia's sisters", instead of simply being "Ukraine" or "Belarus". Hetalia's purpose is to mock countries, but when it comes to Ukraine, it's her boobs. When it comes to Belarus, it's her obsession with Russia.
As horrible as it sounds for me begging for Hetalia to bully Ukraine and Belarus, I think they deserve to be made fun of as much as any other European country. Don't shadow them because they are small countries, and sadly, victims of the USSR's dominance.
Anyway, Hetalia is on hiatus, so if it ever comes back, I hope Himaruya gives Ukraine and Belarus more light.
blakekathryn
ellievsbear
titsay
snowghoul
