http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imMmlEx4eWI&feature=related
Personifying stereotypes of different countries, the anime “Axis Powers Hetalia” started as a webcomic by Hidekazu Himaruya and soon gained momentum and popularity for its refreshing and endearing wit. The story primarily follows three countries, or rather, young men, named Japan, Germany, and Italy as they band together to strategize for World War II. Set against the backdrop of a hopeless ploy by the Axis Powers to take over the world, a number of other countries, also characterized as people, are thrown into the mix for a hilarious portrayal of international relations that makes light of real-life tensions between countries, past or present. Following its internet sensationalism, “Axis Powers Hetalia,” has generated a large fan following fed in large part by a host of related memes, from official clips, fan-made videos, and special catch-phrases from the show itself. In particular, the ending theme “Marukaite Chikyuu,” remains one of the most popular of Axis Powers memes captures its audience through a child-like, innocent musical and humorous appeal.
The Japanese song literally translates to “Draw a Circle, That’s the Earth” and fosters a sense of unity while playing on a particular country’s stereotypes. There are a variety of versions, each sung from the point of view of a different country/character and articulating the respective stereotypes. Broken down, the song follows a sequence of addressing one’s mother and father and recalling a memory of a special food and/or drink, all specific to the country who is singing, and leading into the refrain of drawing a circle to represent the earth. It ends with an emphatic declaration of how fabulous the world is and a line that characterizes a commonly known stereotype of that country.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giDkDri0JXw&feature=related
In its largest sense, “Marukaite Chikyuu” is an example of fandom where one of the key features is informality. In general, informality is what enhances a meme’s appeal, particularly to a youth audience. Especially in the case of such an anime, the laid-back approach to a topic of considerable study and fascination, World War II, creates an interest surrounding one of the saddest historical episodes of the 20th century.
In general, memes typically produce the effect they do because of the power of informality and fandom to cause their “going viral,” or gaining a massive momentum of popularity on the web. A variety of characteristics and rhetorical techniques may contribute to this effect, all typically some form of colloquial language that most effectively relays a message or attitude with which the audience can readily identify. Generally speaking, a meme focuses on an everyday experience that may be particular to a specific community or it may simply hold a universally emotional message.
With respect to the idea of informality, one rhetorical appeal stems from reducing a complex and emotionally-charged subject matter to a playful and child-like innocent level. The song does not follow a complicated sequence; rather it follows the sort of a sing-song rhythm a child’s rhyme typically would. It is important to note that this particular series of anime shorts deals with controversial issues regarding World War II, each nation’s role in the war, and the often strained, even violent, relations between certain nations today. The theme song can be interpreted as indirectly making light of this situation by finishing each episode with a seemingly nonsensical “flourish” so to speak, as the repetition of “Draw a Circle, That’s the Earth” seems to suggest.
However, the overall simplicity as well a phrase in the song praising “the wonderful world” seem to reinforce unity and positivity in cross-cultural discourse. The humorous, child-like, and light-hearted attitude that is the hallmark of this meme seems to suggest that we all take a step back, examine who and what we really are (humans), and laugh about our tensions and friction with each other. Whether or not this is sound advice for navigating the intricacies of diplomacy and transnational conflict is another question. However, as far as memes go, this one certainly accomplishes a similar goal as many other memes, that is, to poke fun at some issue and thereby relieve some of the tension surrounding it.
Another rhetorical appeal of this meme is the presence of universality in a highly contextualized framework. Specifically, the universal concept of parents and childhood foods are packaged into the context of a specific culture, depending on the version of the song. Each version of the song opens along the lines of “hey papa, hey mama, I can’t forget that (culinary specialty)!” An interesting twist is using the colloquial word for mother and father specific to said culture. Nevertheless, the universality is still present. One resulting effect is diminishing cultural barriers that would otherwise exist in cross-cultural discourse and thereby bringing the audience, regardless of background, closer to being able to relate to the culture being represented at hand. In spite of the stark differences that exist amongst cultures, this opening marks a profound message regarding the different human cultures and lifestyles that exist in our world. In a simple, quirky, and humorous way, the song sets the stage for fostering international unity.
As evidence of its popularity and significant fandom, this meme has mutated into other fan-made memes involving the characters personifying specific countries in their interactions with each other. Also more directly related, fans have gone on to create versions of the ending theme song for countries that haven’t been officially featured in the theme song. Turkey, for instance, is one such country whose fan-dubbed song has been created by a Japanese fan and can be found on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h27xdJWHXQs&list=FL9PC4tMuTVT18PbMjnIOSfA&index=8&feature=plpp_video
As a personal contribution to the fandom of this fascinating and hilarious comedy, I add my own animation sequence inspired by the anime in general as textually detailed in the script below:
(Enter Germany, Japan, and Italy, holding hands, into a white screen. They smile, hold their clasped hands up, and background scene changes to a picture of the earth against black background)
Germany: hey hey Italy, hey hey Japan. Tell me what you had for dinner last night.
Italy: PASTAAAAA!!
Japan: ehh…excuse me, but you may not know what this is, and I will (wirr) try my utmost to explain (expurain)—
Italy: PASTAAAAA!!! (Italy does cartwheels across the scene while Japan still contemplates his explanation. Germany looks annoyed).
Germany: That is wunderbar, Italy, but I would really like to hear Jap—
Italy: PASTAAAAAA!!! (tomatoes instantly drop down from top of the screen into Italy’s arms and he cradles them)
Germany: Italy, you are starting to get on my nerves!
Japan: so sashimi is kind of like (rike) this
Italy: pasta pasta pasta taste sooo good with good wine!! Especially a’red wine’a.
Germany: (clenching his jaw) WURST!!! DU WURST!!
Italy: (hugging Germany from behind around his waist) I a’love you Aleman! You are my best’a friend in the whoooole wide worrrrrrld.
Japan: and we add the miso to boiling pot and garnish with some ginger
(Italy still squeezes Germany out of whose head smoke steams out while Japan continues to recite his explanation to thin air)
Germany: (slowly losing his cool) HALT everyone! It is time for the training of the Axis Powers and you will do EXACTLY as I so NOT ONE mistake, AM I CLEAR?
Italy and Japan: (in unison) YES SIR!
(Italy and Japan march off obediently following the commanding Germany exiting to the left of the screen. The Earth is seen rotating on its axis a few times).
Works Cited:
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/marukaite-chikyuu
http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/Marukaite_Chikyuu
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