Episode 107: Things that Often Happen When Rooming with an American

The seventh episode of Hetalia: The Beautiful World (one hundred and seventh overall) was aired on March 1, 2013. It adapts the strip Things That Often Happen When Rooming With an American from the fourth published manga.

Things That Often Happen When Rooming With an American
In America, Japan walks down a busy city street, looking at an address on a piece of paper. Approaching the house of the address, he stops at the front door, suitcase in tow. Before he can even knock, America throws open the door, welcoming Japan to his house. It appears that the two countries will be roommates for a short while.

America welcomes Japan to his house by throwing him a party. Looking uncomfortable, Japan tells America that he need not go to such trouble to welcome him. Dismissing it, America mentions that he has a meal that he will prepare for his new roommate. He brings out a large slab of meat, slamming it onto the table and announcing that he will cook it for Japan. Dismayed, Japan wonders worriedly if this is some sort of American initiation ceremony.

The differences between the Japanese and American culture are then compared. As America is shown walking outside and then indoors, the narrator explains that, generally speaking, Americans' clothes did not change whether they were going out or staying at home. By contrast, Japan is shown coming home in outdoor clothing, and zipping into a tracksuit jacket in his room. America peers around the doorway, and wonders what happened to Japan as soon as he walked through the door. Confused, America bobs around the doorway while Japan relaxes on his bed.

Japan is then shown using a lint roller to pick up stray dust from the carpet, while America asks him if he's training to become a detective. Japan explains that he was using the roller to clean the carpet, saying that there is a lot of small bits on the floor. Excited, America springs into action, declaring that he has an easier way of cleaning the carpet. Using a vacuum cleaner, America skates back and forth across the floor. Confused, Japan says that he was only using the roller to pick up pieces too small for the vacuum cleaner.

A transition from the Mochitalia strips is then shown. Mochi Italy and Mochi America surround a plate of lettuce as Estonia announces that it's dinnertime. As both mochi creatures approach the lettuce, America takes with him a pair of mustard and ketchup condiment bottles as well as a bottle of chocolate syrup. Mochi America then jumps on the bottles, squirting mustard, ketchup and chocolate all over the lettuce as Mochi Italy cries.

America and Japan are shown sitting in front of the television, Japan reading. Suddenly, America stands up, whips off his glasses, and starts dancing, clapping his hands and shouting "hey!". He angrily asks Japan why he isn't dancing, as Japan says that he doesn't dance.

The Mochi transition appears again, this time with Mochi Italy and Mochi America eating lettuce at separate plates. Both creatures seem happy as America eats his mustard-and-ketchup-covered lettuce as Italy eats his plain lettuce. Mochi America tries to get Italy to try his lettuce, as he frantically refuses.

The narrator then states that America has a strong desire to try the Japanese dish fugu, or poisonous puffer-fish. America regards the dish with apprehension, noting the "legendary" fugu in front of him. With great ceremony, America takes a bite of the fish. Japan asks America how he liked his first taste of fugu. Excitedly, America dances around, telling Japan that it was amazing that he was still alive. Dismayed, Japan looks on in confusion as the narrator states that Americans regard eating fugu as a rite of passage.

Back at America's house, America tells Japan that ever since he's moved in, the water bill has increased dramatically. Japan apologizes, noting that he frequently takes baths. America notes that Japan really loves taking baths, while Japan replies that he can't feel good without taking a bath. America then becomes interested when Japan mentions that taking baths helps with diets. Now that America also wanted to take baths, both countries tried forming multiple solutions to the problem.

Japan's cat meows beside him as Japan watches the news on television. Japan notes that all there is on the television is bad news, and wonders if there's any good news at all. America, beside him, says in reply that the news at Japan's house doesn't sound much like news at all. Defensively, Japan simply says that at his house the news reported things such as a local student's school entrances, cute cat videos, and delicious tuna. America also adds that Japan's news reports the time at which the flowers bloom.

Character Appearances

 * Japan
 * America
 * Mochi Italy
 * Mochi America

Voice Cast

 * Japan: Hiroki Takahashi
 * America, Mochi America: Katsuyuki Konishi
 * Mochi Italy: Daisuke Namikawa

Trivia

 * There are numerous adaptations from the manga shown in this anime episode:
 * The manga adaptation of the strip begins when America throws open his door to Japan.
 * When Japan walks up to America's front door in the manga, he is shown in a dark jacket and a white shirt; however, in the anime, Japan is shown wearing a light-colored jacket with a scarf.
 * The small portion of the anime about the welcome party was not included in the manga edition.
 * The differences between the Japanese and the Americans are in different order. In the manga edition, the sections are in the order of news, clothing, cleaning, dancing, and baths.
 * The scene about America and fugu was omitted from the manga entirely.
 * In the news portion of the episode in the manga, America is shown listing the type of news in Japan rather than Japan himself.
 * In the news portion of the manga, America is shown with a mochi drawing on his shirt; this was not included in the anime. Furthermore, Japan's cat was not included in the manga.
 * Japan is shown in a solid-colored scarf when he walks through the door in the anime; in the manga, he is depicted wearing a striped scarf.
 * The color scheme of America's shirt was changed in the vacuum cleaner, clothing, and dancing scenes: In the manga, his shirt is shown to be light-colored, but in the anime his shirt was red. However, in the dancing scene, his shirt style is changed entirely.
 * America is shown to be dancing to the tune of "5, 6, 7, 8" by Steps.