Hetalia - Axis Powers Complete Series 04   Starring (voice): Daisuke Namikawa, Hiroki Takahashi and Hiroki Yasumoto Manga Entertainment RRP: £17.99 MANG3142 Certificate: 15 Available 10 December 2012

The anthropomorphised madness that is Hetalia continues into its fourth season, with the countries, represented by stereotypes, which stays this side of offensive, as far as the countries racial traits are concerned engaged in their usual combination of fantasy and historical fact...

Hetalia - Axis Powers: Complete Series 04 continues the lunacy with episodes twenty-five to fifty-two, which contain the bonus episodes. Each individual show is short, around five minutes so, overall, you’re getting quite a lot of animation for your money. The show was directed by Bob Shirohata for Studio Deen.

Like the previous seasons the gags come quick and often so if you don’t like or get one, the next is only minutes away. The anamorphic picture is clear and bright and you get audio options for either English 5.1 Surround Sound or Japanese 2.0, with English subtitles. The English dub actors are as good as their Japanese counterparts, so whichever one you listen to will come down to personal choice. The 5.1 track is good, but adds little to the Japanese 2.0.

The extras follow the same route as the previous releases, being generous for an anime show. You get full episode commentaries for five of the stories, eps 26, 32, 36, 41 and 45. The Hidden History Hidden within Hetalia has a number of text pages which brings to the fore the actual history behind the comedy. Four Boys, One Couch (30 min, 20 sec) is an interesting and fun chat with the English dub cast.

Chibitalia (16 min, 08 sec) is another free episode, this time the counties are represented as children. Americas Cleaning Storage (5 min, 14 sec) is another free episode, but this is a reedited version of the original. Hetalia in Taiwan, Part One (10 min, 51 sec) and Two (6 min, 38 sec) has the Japanese creators on a promotional tour. Fan Event in Roppongi (11 min, 13 sec) and this time they are at a convention, presenting the Hetalia movie.

You get a Special Talk between Bob Shirahata and Hiroki Yasumoto (19 min, 02 sec), wherein the director and the actor who plays Germany discuss the show. Draw a Circle, That’s The Comment Corner (8 min, 01 sec) has Daisuke Namikawa,k who plays Italy and Rome, Hiroki Yasumoto, who plays Germany and others discussing the show. Interview After the Hetalia Movie Premier Welcome (5 min, 11 sec) have the cast and crew discussing the audiences reaction to the movie.

Finally if that were not enough the disc wraps with the English Trailer (1 min, 33 sec), a song performed by Italy (2 min, 30 sec) and the textless closing song (31 sec) and closing (30 sec) sequence.

The show is stupid, fun and occasionally insulting with its stereotypes, but overall, as a DVD, it’s a good package.

9

Charles Packer